Ultraviolet Eyes for a Devil-Slaying Guy – Tanjiro
Disclaimer: I do not own Garo or Kimetsu no Yaiba.
Takeshi: Welcome a new one-shot. Or rather, this is a new story potential. If enough people like it, we can continue.
Alexianna: What is it?
Takeshi: It's a first-person one-shot featuring what it'd be like if Garo and Kimetsu no Yaiba fused.
Alexianna: I don't think demons work well with a hero genre.
Takeshi: Wrong one. Garou is a hero hunter in over his head from One-Punch Man. Garo is Kamen Rider, but if Kamen Rider was made for adults and didn't waste stories and plotlines on items just to sell toys. It's perfect to mix with Demon Slayer. Well, on with the show.
Where there is light, shadows lurk and fear reigns. Yet, by the blade of Knights, mankind was given hope.
Oh, why am I here? I only came because I was expecting to meet Kensei. But no one's out here. Usually, I hear someone at least near the gates or out patrolling.
But now, nothing. It's just… quiet. I shouldn't be able to hear my sandals crunch against the ground. Or my breath caught in my throat.
"UWAAAH!" Oh, what now? A man is screaming for his life? What would bring that on? Wait, that's Kensei!
I tiptoe a little closer. Whoever it is is on the other side of this wall.
Why am I going in the first place? It's none of my business. Maybe someone needs help; maybe I'm wrong for trying to help.
As I get closer, it becomes louder. Each scream hits me, scares me, tells me to run. To save me. To not end up like whoever is suffering right now.
"Go ahead, scream louder." Is that the same person screaming? No, it's a new voice. "It makes it all the tastier."
W… what? What in the name of Kuzunoha is that voice?! It's not human!
"I haven't eaten since I came here, so indulge me." There's another noise and more screams that follow. Splattering noises too…
He's dead. Oh god, oh god. I have to run! No, don't run! If you make too much noise he'll… it'll hear me. I'll just walk away as quietly as-
"I know you're there." I gasp. I can feel my heart jumping into my throat. Running is foolish now; he'll follow me home.
"Faking silence huh?" Why does he sound closer? And the wall… it's getting moist. "GOTCHA!"
"KYA!" Those hands grab me. How is he poking through the walls?! I'm being pulled in by these gnarly gross nails!
"I'll be sure to take my time eating you next." Someone, save me! HELP ME!
KIRU
Eh? His arm just went flying! It's now lying on the ground, dissolving. That means I can break free!
Moving away from the wall and whatever dark mass is on it, I turn around just to see the other hand still stretched out of it. To my right where the arm had me, I see him; the man who saved my life… wait, is he a kid?
He's indeed young, younger than I am I think. He has ruffled black hair with burgundy tips that show his giant forehead. There's a red scar over his left eye, eyes which I notice are dark red with white irises. He's wearing a dark-brown gakuran jacket, a white belt, baggy pants that extend into tabi socks, a pair of zouri with red straps, and bands of white cloth wrapped tightly around his calves, and for some reason a checkered green and black haori. In his hand is a Jian.
"Are you okay?" he asks me, which takes me by surprise for a bit. But I should answer… why can't I answer?
Just anything! "Y-Yes…"
Looking at the wall, I see the rest of that thing coming over to this side of the wall. That kid stands in front of me. "What have we here?"
The monster in question is human in shape, maybe a man, but these two grotesque horns are popping out of his head. His eyes are large, crimson ovals replacing even his eyelids. The hair is violet and dark blue, long enough to be mistaken for a woman. I can see all of these veins on his skull.
"The only thing that can cut my flesh is Soul Metal…" Soru Metaru? What's that? "You must be one of those accursed Makai Knights!"
The kid keeps his eyes on that thing. I can hear his sword moving against the air. "And so what if I am?"
It… what is this noise? It's making some crinkling with its mouth.
"Damn it! I wanted to eat more before I ran into you freaks!" Did he just call us freaks? "You have no idea how much it sucks having to play second fiddle and hunt scraps on the side! Now I finally find a proper meal and you're in the way!"
He places a hand to the floor, and now the ground is turning into a black mass. "Give her to me before she spoils!"
"Spoils?" I ask. What does he mean by that?
"You're a young woman! If I don't eat you now you'll only get older and taste bad!" That mass on the ground is coming at me?
But before it could touch me, something protected me. I couldn't see it, just flashes of light cutting down everything in my way. Now it's just a pile of mush on the ground.
Was it him? But, all he has is a sword. Did he actually cut down everything that tried to touch me? How could he have done something so fast?
The boy looks to his left hand for some reason. "The Horror Blotony; he prefers to hunt down girls that are young so he can enjoy them before they get older, just like how humans prefer meat."
"You're not helping, Zaruba."
Wait… I better go away. I run back to give him some distance. If he's that fast then he can do this easily without my presence weighing him down.
It may have been the right decision, because he turns to me quickly and says, "Thank you!" And he… moves super quick! That speed… he's like a samurai. But, they've been gone since the Meiji era. This is the Taisho.
He moves in front of that demon so quickly, and then just behind him. His head comes flying off, following what looks like a streak of flames. Am I hallucinating? Those were beautiful fires though.
"That takes care of that." The boy takes his sword and sheathes it into a scabbard as red as the hilt. Whatever was left of that demon is dissolving.
But, at least the threat is gone. I feel so relieved. "Don't let your guard down. Blotony has a special ability other than moving through swamps. That one had two horns, so there must be two more."
"Two more?" The boy turns around and looks for something. If whoever just spoke is telling the truth, then…
A cold hand grabs hold of my leg. My legs are sinking. Oh no! "You're mine now-GUH!"
That sword the boy wields has been impaled into his eye. Wait… that's the same thing from before, but has three horns now. I'm free now!
I step away from that swamp stuff and run to safety by the wall, as that boy moves in and pulls his sword free. Just as he's about to slice him up, that demon retreats into the ground.
"He's just going to keep running and hiding… I'll take care of that." He walks over to the swamp and steps into it.
Wait, what?! Are you out of your mind?! "Why are you going in there willingly?!"
The boy turns to face me, and he's smiling. "Because I'm a Makai Knight." He then submerges. He's gone.
…
So, this is the inside of that swamp Horror's… er, swamp. It's so thick and hard to move here, like an actual swamp. Well, that makes sense I guess. I better not try to breathe or I'll suffocate.
"Tanjiro, here they come!" Thanks for the heads up, Zaruba. Drawing my sword, I get into position readying myself for combat.
Despite the dark depths around me, I can see plenty of clothing around me… they look like women's. "Looks like Blotony keeps the victims' remains inside here, a collection of sorts. What a proud demon it is."
I can hear that crinkling noise again. The Horror is nearby, along with the other, and now it comes into view. No matter how many times I see them, they still give me the creeps.
"Hard to breathe, is it?" asks the demon with the solitary horn. "There's barely any air in this swamp. You'll be added with the collection I have here!"
The two demons swim around me. I can smell one of them coming at me from the left, and another coming at me coming up above. I better get this right. Hopefully, I can summon it here.
I stab my sword straight up in the air and slash. A golden circle appears from where I cut, opening up to shine down upon my body.
"He's summoning the armor. Kill him!" They're plenty aware of how we knights work. But, it's too late anyway. I've already got your speed in my thoughts; and even in your swamp, this is nothing compared to Mount Sagiri!
99.9 seconds. And go.
Once it's on me, I tighten my grip on my longsword as they come closer. Moving as fast as I can, I slash in a spiral. With the force of my spin generating a whirlpool, I easily pull them in and bring them within range.
Hinokami Kagura – Hekira no Ten!
Without fail, my sword slashes through them and rips them through. These Horrors are much softer than the ones I've cut before. As they explode – why do they sometimes explode – the next thing to do is to get out of here. I better retract the armor too; it's negating the effects of the swamp, but weighing me down too.
Hmm? What's this floating in front of me?
"Tanjiro!"
"Got it!" With that item in my hand, I swim up to the surface of the swamp and emerge.
Yes! Finally, air. Standing on solid ground I watch the swamp disappear. "That takes care of that. Zaruba, was that the last one?"
"We're good for the night." Good. Maybe I can get to wonder what this talisman I picked up belongs to.
Looking over, I noticed that girl hiding on the wall now. "Are you okay? You didn't get splashed by blood, right?"
"B-Blood? No, I haven't…" She has no idea what I'm talking about I bet, but if she doesn't then she's probably okay.
I sheath my sword and prepare to leave. Best it is that I exist before others start to appear.
"Wait!" She calls out to me, just as I expected. "Who are you? What the hell was that?!"
Maybe I should just tell enough to put her mind at ease. "A Horror."
"Hora?"
"A Horror, a demon beast from another world." That's enough. I'm starting to smell other people arriving. Moving as fast as I could, I run far from the sight of the incident. I couldn't save that person earlier, but I could at least save her.
Now, for Nezuko.
Horror, demons from the Makai Realm made of Inga that cross over into our world to devour humans. The only defense against them is the Makai Order, a secret organization of magicians and knights dedicated to slaying these unholy evils. This is the story of a boy who became a man to fight these evils, as the one who holds the title of the strongest knight. His name is Tanjiro Kamado Tanjiro, also known as the Golden Knight – GARO.
You better not look away.
Takeshi: We hope you enjoyed this. If you wish for a continuation, just let us know. We already have a story set up.