Tanjiro was writing in his journal as Nezuko fell asleep. When he finished writing his journal, he slowly closed it as he slowly opened the door next to him.

Urokodaki: Let's go?

As they both walked out side by side, Urokodaki explained what demon slayers were and what they did.

Urokodaki: The demon slayers, they number in the hundreds; it's an organization unrecognized by the government, yet it has existed since ancient times and continues to hunt demons even to this day. However, their leader's identity remains shrouded in mystery. For demons, their staple food is humans; they kill humans and feed on them. Their origin and first appearance are unknown. Their bodies carry immense strength, and their wounds mend in no time. Their mangled flesh regenerates, and their limps can be regrown as well. Some demons have special abilities. Some of them can even shapeshift. The only way to kill them is with sunlight or by beheading them with a special sword. The demon slayer battles the demons with their mortal bodies. Since they're humans, their wounds are slow to heal, and once last their, limps don't grow back. Yet they continue to fight demons. in order to protect their fellow humans.

in the mountains

Urokodaki was watching, holding the Tanjiro sword.

Urokodaki: I'm a mentor. I teach people in swordsmanship. There are as many mentors as there are stars in the sky, and each of them teaches their disciples in their own respective place and style. To join the demon slayer, you must survive the Final Selection process held in Mt. Fujikasane. Whether or not you participate in the final selection is up to me.

Tanjiro note

(Starting today, I'm going to keep a journal for Nezuko. I've finally learned how to avoid most of the trap. thanks to my strength and endurance training, as well as my sense of smell vastly improving.)

As he runs through the hills of the mountains, as a faint of silver racing towards Tanjiro. He gasped and tilted his head to the side.

(However, the trap keeps getting more and more extreme. At this point, I'm convinced he's trying to kill me.)

Tanjiro's pen glided smoothly across the paper in his journal as he looked towards his sister, still waiting for her to wake up.

Tanjiro ran through the forest again, holding their family treasures. Urokodaki watched, from the shadows and shade of the leaves.

(Today, Urokodaki let me carry our family sword. It was a real pain! No longer empty-handed, I kept getting caught in traps.)

Tanjiro's leg got caught in a noose, and his face filled with dread as a rope lifted him off the ground, dangling him in the air, waving his arms around like a fish out of water.

(Today, I'm practicing sword swings.)

Tanjiro: nine-hundred-ninety-hundred-two-ninety-hundred-three-ninety-hundred-four-ninety-hundred-five!

(Well, I say today, but I've been doing this pretty much every day recently. After my daily routine, I practice swinging my sword until my arm nearly falls off.)

Tanjiro: one thousand!

Urokodaki: "Now do five hundred more!" He said behind him.

making Tanjiro white and stiff.

Birds warbled in the night, the full moon casting a subtle silver light over the land. Tanjiro once again wrote in his journal, his head drooping and rising suddenly and randomly.

Urokodaki: Swords break easily.

(that's what he told me beforehand. Vertically, a sword is strong, but horizontally, it's fragile. You need to apply the force straight along the blade. The blade's direction in which you apply the force need to be identical.)

A slicing sound was heard, and the hay bales in front of Tanjiro divided into two. with Urokodaki standing behind them.

he also said that if the extra sword ever break or get damaged, I'll break every bone in your body.

Tanjiro wipes his eyes as he whispers Nezuko's name.

Tanjiro: "Nezuko," I'll keep working my hardest, okay?"

as he continues writing down his journal.

The sun slowly rose behind the mountains, the emerald leaves of the trees reflecting its golden light. Tanjiro stood in front of Urokodaki, sword in hand. Then his vision turned, and he was flipped upside down.

(today, I did nothing but fall. That is, I trained to break my fall properly and get back up quickly no matter the situation.)

Tanjiro yelled and charged toward Urokodaki.

(I wielded my extra sword and charged at Urokodaki-San with full intent to kill. Mean while Urokodaki-San waits bare-handed and unarmed.)

Urokodaki's foot slid into a defensive position, his hand out in front of him. And he ran at Tanjiro, grabbing him by the color of his kimono and tossing him into the air.

(but he's ridiculously strong. Every time I get flung away, I struggle to break my fall.)

Tanjiro entered Nezuko's room in the silence of the night, the door scraping as it slid into place.

Tanjiro: "I'm back, Nezuko."

He turned away, his eyes still lingering on her worriedly. His eyes closed slowly as his pen wrote once in his journal.

(Today I am learning about breathing techniques and a couple of stances. He also told me about this thing called chakra.)

Tanjiro: "Cha-kr-a" and concentration breathing

Urokodaki: That's right, and I'm going to teach you all ten of the water breathing forms, and how to us chakra properly.

Tanjiro: What is chakra?

Urokodaki: Chakra is the resulting form of energy when two other forms of energy are mixed together. The two energies are referred to as "physical energy" and "spiritual energy." Physical energy is collected from the body's cells and can be increased through training, stimulants, and exercise.

Tanjiro: Why are we doing chakra?

Urokodaki: Giyuu told me that you and your sister manifest a strong amount of chakra and that he wanted me to teach you. since he'll be busy hunting demons.

Tanjiro: Wait, Giyuu-San knows how to use this chakra?

Urokodaki: We all have chakra, Tanjiro. We've just forgotten how to use it. It had been lost in time since the war started seven hundred years ago. Giyuu and the master of the demon slayer corps were the only ones who knew more about chakra than me, even the slayers don't know what chakra is.

He pulled something from his haori, revealing it to be a scroll.

Urokodaki: This is the information he gave you about chakra and how to use it properly. But first, let's start with concentration breathing. You can start the second step once you have some free time.

Tanjiro nodded.

Urokodaki: Take a deep breath and feel the oxygen flowing within every cell of your body. This will enhance your body's healing power, as well as stabilize and energize your chakra energy in your spirit. Relax your upper body while bracing your lower half. Alright breath!

Tanjiro did what he asked as he slowly breathed until Urokodaki hit him in the stomach.

Urokodaki: Fool, you're doing it wrong! Next! Take your stances.

Tanjiro: right! Like this?" doing a ridiculous pose.

Urikodaki: still wrong!

Tanjiro: now?

Urokodaki: terrible!

Tanjiro yelled as he was being beaten by Urokodaki.

I got yelled at for not bracing my stomach, and kept getting punched in the gut.

(At home, Urokodaki made dinner for us as I sat down on the floor, reading the scroll Giyuu-san wrote.)

Tanjiro: "Hey, Urokodaki-san." How long has Giyuu-San been using Jutsu? It said that if I master how to control chakra properly, I'll be going to the next step called jutsu.

Urokodaki puts his spoon down as he tries puts his finger on his chin to think.

Urokodaki: Giyuu has been using jutsu since he was five years old; he was taught by his older sister, Tsutako. She taught him everything about jutsu.

I was surprised of how much effort Giyuu-san potential of using Jutsu, so I started asking more questions about Giyuu-san.

Tanjiro: What was Giyuu-san like when he first got here?

Urokodaki looked sad in his mask as everything went quiet. Tanjiro smelled his sadness as he apologized to him.

Tanjiro: I'm sorry, I shouldn't bring that up.

Urokodaki: No, it's fine; huh, I know you are trying to support him. When he came to this mountain, he was cold.

Tanjiro: cold?

Urokodaki: He's not the person he once was, Tanjiro; in the past, he was always cold towards others. Until two of my students knocked his sense out of him. They were best friends since then; they were inseparable.

(This shocked me about what he was saying, Giyuu-san was cold towards others; I need to thank the person who's ever changed Giyuu-San.)

Before he said anything, the pot started boiling. Urotodaki saw this as he opened the lid on the pot.

Urokodaki: It's ready; eat up; you need your energy for tomorrow; you can ask questions later.

Tanjiro nodded as he grabbed the bowl.

(my next lesson is to become with water.)

Urokodaki: "Oi, get in there!"

he kick Tanjiro in. As he gasped, staring below him, before trying to run in the air, the result was him ending up falling as he made the stupidest of motions.

Tanjiro: "I'm doing this for Nezukooooo!"

Urokodaki looked into the river as Tanjiro floated downstream.

Tanjiro stood under the waterfall, one so much bigger than the one he used to train under back on his home mountain, but at least this one wasn't freezing cold.

Tanjiro: Nezuko! I am water!

He slowly caved in as the water's force crushed him.

(Six months have passed since Nezuko entered in a deep slumber. Urokodaki-san summoned a doctor right away and had her examined, but he couldn't find anything wrong. It's not normal for her to stay asleep for so long. I was scared.)

Tanjiro looked at Nezuko's sleeping form as the sunset's orange light flooded in through the window, and he slowly touched her head to make sure she was okay.

(im scared. I'm worried that one day I will wake up and you will be dead. That thought haunts me.)

Tanjiro ran through the mountain again, but this time it was so much different than the first time.

(My scent keeps getting more dangerous, and the air is even thinner where I train now.)

Tanjiro slid down the mountainside as dust swept up behind him.

He clung to the side of the mountain as he shuffled on the narrow edge. He reached to grab a tree branch, but his hand was too far and he ended up slipping, grabbing onto the edge by a hair.

(time and time again, I think I'm about to die.)

A wooden plank covered with spikes hurtled towards Tanjiro, a slicing sound was heard, and the plank was cut in half.

Metal knives shot toward Tanjiro, but he deflected them in a show of skill.

(When I was training, I discovered my family dance was originally a form of breathing. Urokodaki told me that it wasn't flame breathing. He said it was a mystery to him.)

Urokodaki: how strange, i never seen what kind of breathing style is it?

Tanjiro: I see, but I'm confused. If the Hinokami Kagura was a breathing style, then why was it passed down to my family?

Urokodaki: that I cannot say. Ever since I your sword, I thought your family was a demon slayer.

Tanjiro: But that's impossible; my family were coal burners, even my ancestors. The Hinokami Kagura was just a dance since then, but why was it turned into a breathing style?

Urokodaki: maybe a connection of some sort But in the mean time, let's keep it a mystery for now.

Tanjiro nodded as he unsheathed his sword.

Urokodaki: I have nothing more to teach you, Tanjiro. You finished all of the water breathing styles and finished training your jutsu.

(A year after I arrived at Mt. Sagiri, what he told me came completely out of effort out of left field.)

Urokodaki: The rest is up to you! Will you be able to gain a true understanding of what I've taught you?

Tanjiro stood up straight as Urokodaki turned.

Urokodaki: Then follow me.

Snow fell as the two made their way across the mountain. Tanjiro looked around, and gasped. The wind blew, ruffling the thin cloth decorations tied to a massive boulder.

urokodaki: If you slice through this boulder, I will allow you to enter the Final selection. And also, don't use your Jutsu to get in your way.

Tanjiro turned his head to stare at Urokodaki, and then looked at the boulder once more.

Tanjiro thought: Is a boulder something you can slice? Can the extra sword and my family's sword really cut through it? I think I can do it. Both of my swords would snap in half!

Urokodaki turned and started to walk away.

Tanjiro: urokodaki-san! Please wait! Urokodaki-san!

(After that, Urokodaki-san never taught me again.)

Tanjiro sighed with an determined expression on his face.

"He shouted as he swung his extra sword. As it made contact, it sent shivers up his spine.

Tanjiro groaned, but became hopeful as he looked at the sword in his hands—it was still in one piece.

He swung his sword again as the pure white snow continued to fall.

(I would practice what I had learned from Urokodaki-san over and over again every single day.)

Tanjiro swung his sword, and the bamboo within a one-meter radius of him fell onto the ground.

Tanjiro's face was red as he held his breath underwater, gasping as he finally lifted his head up for air.

He did push-ups and a lot more simple exercises.

(basic, like holding my breath and flexibility. constantly concentrating my chakra. I'm glad I wrote those down in my journal.)

Tanjiro yelled as he swung his extra sword at the boulder once more, but just like hundreds of times before, it did nothing. His katana fell to the ground in defeat.

(Even after six months had passed, I still couldn't cut through that boulder. I'm felt frustrated. It is not enough! I wasn't training hard enough! I have to train more.)

The sun once again set behind the mountains. The ring of metal clashing against stone echoed across the mountains. Tanjiro yelled and grunted as his sword clashed against the boulder, breathing heavily as he took a short break.

(Am I a lost cause? Is Nezuko going to wake up again? Ahhhh! I can't go on like this! I need to push past my limit!)

He screamed in desperation as he banged his head on the boulder.

Tanjiro, come on, Tanjiro! Don't give up!

???: just shut up!

Tanjiro gasped, looking up. He saw a boy with peach-colored hair wearing a fox mask. The mask's right cheek had a scar-like pattern. To Tanjiro, he had no presence; he couldn't even feel his chakra. There wasn't even the slightest shift in the wind or the tiniest trace of his scent. How he got on top of the boulder so silently was impossible for Taniiro to imagine.

Boy: a man shouldn't whine. It's unseemly.

Tanjiro thought: Where did he come from?" I can't pick up his scent or even his chakra! Is that a fox mask?

Boy: no matter what hardships you meet, bear them in silence. like a real man. If you truly call yourself a man!

He jumped from the boulder, and again there was no shift in the wind nor change in his scent. His brown wooden blade met Tanjiro's silver steel katana, yet it did not break. With a swift motion, he kicked Tanjiro to the ground.

Tanjiro landed and grunted, looking up at the peach-haired boy.

boy: too slow. Too weak. Too immature. This isn't what you'd call a man.

Tanjiro: What do you think you're doing?!

boy: you tell me. What do you think you're doing?

Tanjiro: What do you mean? I'm training?

boy: How long does it take for you to get your ass off the ground and take a proper stance?

Tanjiro gasped as he held his blade in front of him.

Boy: now, come at me. " waved his hand and said, "Show me your strength!"

Tanjiro: But you only have a wooden sword, and I only have a real one?

The boy's hand fell; a moment of silence passed before the boy began chuckling, soon turning into full-blown laughter.

Boy: what with that look! Why, are you worrying about me. So you think you can actually graze me?

He ran at Tanjiro, his speed was making him barely visible, and his wooden sword struck Tanjiro's steel katana.

boy: You have absolutely nothing to be concerned about! I'm way stronger than you! I've cut through that boulder after all!

Tanjiro thought: He's cut through that boulder?

The boy backflipped, securing his footing on a tree, before jumping at Tanjiro. Tanjiro raised his sword to block, but the boy just kicked it aside. As the boy jumped from tree to tree, he was nothing but a blue blur to Tanjiro's inexperienced eyes. Tanjiro gasped as the boy appeared beside him, and before he knew anything, he was on the ground.

Boy: you have learned absolutely nothing. You haven't mastered a single thing! Not even the single breathing technique Urokodaki taught you, total concentration breathing, And lastly, you haven't learned a single jutsu from the water Hashira have instructed to you!

Tanjiro: "Gasp!" He knows about Urokodaki-san, not just that, but he also knows jutsu, And also breathing techniques.

Boy: all you did was memorize it. You learned it as knowledge. Your chakra in your body does not fully understand it yet. What the hell have you been doing for the past year and a half?

Tanjiro grunted as he blocked another blow from the peach-haired boy.

Boy: carve it into your flesh!

The boy shouted as he struck again and again, faster and faster every single time he struck.

Boy: show me! More! More! More!

Tanjiro managed to block every single one, but still, he was pushed back.

Boy: make sure you'll never forget Urokodaki taught you! Never forget the jutsu scroll the water hashira gave you! Pound it into the marrow of your bones!

Tanjiro: I'm trying! I've been trying my best every single day to use the jutsu Giyu-san instructed! even the breathing style! But I'm not making any progress! I just can't advance!

The boy charged once more.

boy: if you're a man! if you call yourself a man! The only choice you have is to advance! Come at me! Show me what you are truly capable of!

Tanjiro struck, and the boy dodged, landing his own strike on Tanjiro's chin. He floated in the air for a second, but then fell onto the ground. The birds chirped as another person walked into the clearing.

boy: I'm leaving the rest to you, Paddle.

A girl with blue eyes and blade-like hair nodded, fiddling with the flowery fox mask strapped to her head.

At the moment, when that peach-haired boy knocked me out, I saw this weird cage again. I slowly walked towards it until a huge claw came towards me in the cage, scaring me. I dodge as I slowly saw, a huge red eyes.

???: hahahaha! My, you're finally here! Yoriichi.

Tanjiro: where am my? What is this place and who are you?" Confuse.

???: My, what an impatient little brat you are. Fine, then you can call me the nine-tailed fox, and this place is your world, a world that you created and trapped me here, for a long time.

Tanjiro: its impolite to not tell me your real name?

This angered the nine-tails as he stood up, scaring Tanjiro.

Nine Tails: Why should I tell my real name to a brat like you? You jinchuriki disgust me!

Tanjiro: jinchuriki?

Nine tails: You really don't know what a jinchuriki is? You humans are even stupider than the last seven hundred years ago. But fine; then I'll tell you what a jinchuriki is, and from this point on, you're on your own, brat.

Tanjiro nodded as he sat down on the wet floor.

Nine tails: grrr, this is stupid, telling a human, a jinchuriki are humans that have tailed beasts sealed within them. They exhibit extraordinary powers due to the immense chakra reserves they possess. There are nine beasts, including me.

Tanjiro: That's a lot of information.

Nine tails: it is, and you better memorize it, you brat. I won't keep on telling you; like I said, you're on your own.

The ground started shaking then as Tanjiro kept his balance.

nine tail: It seems like your time is up; we'll meet again, brat. In the mean time, try not to get yourself killed by using sun breathing; if you do, you'll die, and that includes me.

Tanjiro's eye snapped open as the sky turned dark and the moon was revealed.

Girl: Are you awake?

Tanjiro gasped, sitting up. Then he turned to the girl.

Tanjiro: Did you see that just now?

girl: hmm?

Tanjiro: That was an amazing strike! Not a single bit of wasted motion. It was really amazing! I wanted to be just like him! You think I could become as good as he is?

girl: smile* I'm sure you will, since I'll be looking after you.

The girl giggled, giving one of the cutest smiles Taniro had ever seen.

Tanjiro: She's so cute.

On the other side, the peach-haired boy was at the hill practicing his sword skills until he got a shiver down his spine.

Boy: that basterd better not take my little Paddle away for me or he gets it.

back to we're Tanjiro is.

Tanjiro: Um, who are you?

(The girl's name was Makomo, and the boy who beat me earlier is named Sabito. Makomo started pointing out my shortcomings. She also corrected any unnecessary movements or bad habits I'd picked up over time. But when I asked her, she refused to tell me why she was helping me or where she came from.)

Makomo: Sabito and I both love Urokodaki very much.

She put a flower crown on her head.

(That was her pet phrase. Sabito and Mokomo weren't siblings. They used to be orphans until Urokodaki took them in and cared for them.)

Mokomo: *smiles* We're not alone, though; there are lots of other children, too. They're always watching you, Tanjiro.

Tanjiro just stood there and stared at her like a confused kitten.

(Mokomo is a somewhat strange girl. She speaks in such a fluffy and dreamy way.)

Mokomo: total concentration breathing. It accelerates your blood flow just like your chakra flows throughout your body, which in turn makes your heart start racing. Your body started becoming very hot, and you started out as strong as the demon. The important thing is to expand your lung capacity. When you bring a lot of air into your body, your blood starts getting excited. This makes your bone muscles grow, become hot, and make you a lot stronger.

Tanjiro thought: None of these make much sense.

Tanjiro: how can I do that?

Mokomo: isn't it obvious, train to die of coarse? At the end of the day, I don't think there's much else you can do.

Tanjiro panted as his sweat dripped from his forehead.

(until my arms and legs were ready to fall off. I until my lung and heart were ready to burst. I would swing my sword. But even after all that. I just couldn't beat Sabito.)

Not until a month later had passed.

The wind howled on the mountain, and snow fell slowly, coating the bare branches of the trees in a white blanket. Tanjiro again stood across from Sabito.

(when I challenged him that day. Sabito was wielding a real sword, as I wielded my family sword.)

Sabito: after six months You've finally started to look like a real man.

Tanjiro: This time, I'll win. I'll make sure of it.

As the two inhaled, Makomo stood nearby, watching. One moment the two were there, and then they were gone.

(Head-on battles are simple. Whoever's faster and stronger wins.)

as Tanjiro slowly breathes as he looks at Sabito. They both stand off as they disappear in the flash.

the battle over in an instant. This was the day. For the first time, right at this very moment, my sword reached Sabito first.

Sabito's mask split in half, falling to his shoulders. making Tanjiro gasp.

Sabito sighed, his lips curling into a soft smile.

when I had finally beaten him. Sabito was smiling. A smile that carried a hint of delight and melancholy an expression full of relief.

Mokomo: Tanjiro. You did well. Hold this memory close to your heart. Make sure you win, and say hi to Giyuu for us, okay? I know he changed, but I'm still saddened, that we weren't here for him when he needed us the most. But I know you'll be fighting by his side. So promise us, Tanjiro, that you will be there for him.

Mokomo was crying as her tears came out in her eyes. But Sabito came to her as he started hugging her, calming her down as she was under his chest, gripping his haori, as she let everything out.

Sabito: Yeah, kid, give him a massage. Tell him, don't be such an idiot. no matter how hard it gets, how many regret he had made back then, we will alway loved him, he's our our best friend, and we wanted him to keep on going forward to our dream without us. So fight for his side no matter what. I'm counting on you, kid.

The fog wrapped around the two, as they disappeared into the fog. never seen again.

the next thing I new, the boulder, Sabito was next to, was completely cut open.

end