Kimetsu no Yaiba doesn't belong to me. I decided to continue this story, so, here it is the fifth chapter!
I would like to start answering the review I received in the previous chapter. Thank you very much, Marcel! I am happy to hear that. I hope you enjoy this chapter as well as the previous ones.
And also, I have a question for the readers; would you be interested on reading about the past of the Twelve Demon Moons and the Hashiras?
Nezuko stirred the food in front of her. She let out a sigh and when she heard Kokushibo clear his throat, she looked up. The demon was genuinely concerned, the girl noticed.
"Don't you like it?" he asked. "It's been a long time since I last cooked, and..."
"No, it's not that," she interrupted, feeling embarrassed. "It's just that I'm not used to eating this much."
"But Hakuji told me that this amount is appropriate for someone your age."
Nezuko averted her gaze and nervously played with her hair for a few seconds. "My family... didn't have much money," she explained seriously. "And many times there wasn't enough food for everyone."
"I understand," Kokushibo said. "But you should eat more, or you won't have enough energy for training."
Nezuko looked at the bowl filled with noodles and vegetables. Hesitantly, she picked it up again and slowly resumed eating. She glanced at Kokushibo from the corner of her eye. The demon was drinking something from a black cup. Nezuko couldn't see the contents, but the scent was more than enough. It was an aroma she wouldn't forget easily.
She focused her attention on the food and took another bite. "Kokushibo is right, if I want to save Tanjiro, I have to become stronger." She wasn't just trying to improve her physical condition; Kokushibo was also teaching her how to read and write. The demon insisted that it was essential for a demon slayer.
And Nezuko made sure to practice for half an hour after finishing her training. She was writing a small diary in which she recounted her daily life. It was kind of a therapy for her.
Kokushibo placed the cup on the table and silently observed her. Nezuko was quite agile, although not particularly strong, which was perfect for the breathing style the young girl was learning.
"Hurry up and get ready to leave," the demon said, getting up. Nezuko, who hadn't expected that, choked and coughed a little. She grabbed the glass of water nearby and took a sip to soothe her throat.
"Where are we going?" the girl asked, also getting up.
"I've been assigned a mission in a place that's a few days' journey away," Kokushibo informed her. "During the journey, you will continue your training, of course."
Nezuko swallowed nervously and paled a little. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and forced herself to relax. She nodded and hurried to her bedroom to grab the wooden sword she had there.
When she entered the room, she took the leather backpack she had and without hesitation, she stored her diary, a pen, and a small ink bottle inside. Then she took her sword and secured it to her waist with the cord that held her obi in place. She paused for a moment to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything. When she was satisfied, she returned to the dining room and approached Kokushibo, serious.
"I have everything now," the girl said. The demon nodded and headed towards the door. "But what will we do during the day?" she asked, curious.
"In the worst case, we'll have to stop in a cave," he replied. "Although I'd prefer to reach a wisteria house before then."
"What's that?" the girl asked, following him outside the house. There were still things she didn't know.
"There is one in every village and city in the country. They serve as a refuge and provide assistance to demon slayers," Kokushibo explained. "And given my condition, they are also prepared to accommodate me if necessary."
"I see."
Kokushibo stopped and looked back. Nezuko was unable to keep up and was falling behind. The demon sighed slightly and stayed there, waiting for the girl to catch up.
Nezuko stopped in front of him. She was panting and a bit red from the effort. She placed both hands on her stomach and tried to regulate her breathing using the technique the demon had taught her days before.
"It's important that you keep using the Total Concentration Breathing," the demon advised her. "That way, your body will get used to it faster."
"I'm trying," Nezuko gasped, suppressing a wince of pain. She felt a pain in her chest, but Kokushibo had assured her that it was normal and would go away once her body became familiar with that way of breathing.
"Keep using it," Kokushibo insisted. "It's one of the most important foundations of any Breathing style," he explained as they resumed their march, this time much slower. Something the girl appreciated.
"Are there more styles?" Nezuko asked, looking at her master with interest.
"Currently, there are a total of ten," Kokushibo said. "Although three of those styles are no longer taught." Kokushibo grimaced as he said that, and Nezuko looked at him puzzled.
"What happened?"
"The Pillars who practiced them betrayed the Corps, and those styles were deemed forbidden shortly after."
Nezuko frowned, puzzled by that. "But did they stop teaching them just because of that?"
"Those slayers tarnished them," explained Kokushibo. "One of those styles had only been passed down among the members of a family, and that Pillar made sure to eliminate all his relatives and destroyed all records of that breathing style."
Nezuko fell silent. She didn't know what to say in response to that confession. "And... what happened with the other two?" she asked in a whisper. She didn't know if she wanted to know the answer, but it was already too late to turn back.
Kokushibo vehemently shook his head at that moment and quickened his pace. Nezuko noticed that he had reached into the right pocket of his uniform. He was holding something wrapped in a cloth, and the girl couldn't see what it was.
"I will explain it to you later. For now, all you need to know is that. Flame Breathing, Rock Breathing, and Sun Breathing are no longer taught."
Nezuko nodded and didn't say anything more. Judging by her master's expression, she had the feeling that the matter was quite intimate.
Tanjiro silently followed the other demon through the city. Shinobu had recently introduced him to Kyojuro, who had decided to teach Tanjiro what it meant to be a demon.
And that was the reason they were there. Tonight, Kyojuro intended to teach him how to hunt. Kyojuro turned around and made sure the boy was still following him.
"Don't stray too far," he warned. It was a big city, and getting lost was quite easy.
"Alright," Tanjiro said, trying to focus solely on him. He couldn't help but occasionally glance at the humans passing by. He squinted a little when they walked past a street lamp. And because of that, he didn't see a pedestrian walking in front of him, and the two collided.
Tanjiro took a few steps back and instinctively prepared to apologize. But the man grabbed him by his black kimono and started berating him. The boy grimaced as he caught a whiff of alcohol emanating from the man.
"My apologies," Kyojuro, who had noticed what happened, intervened at that moment. "But would you mind letting go of my friend?"
"And who are you!?" the man retorted, wrinkling his nose. He scrutinized Kyojuro from head to toe and made a disgusted expression.
"Please release my friend," Kyojuro's previously affable tone had completely vanished. The demon, despite still maintaining the human appearance they both had assumed earlier, began emitting an oppressive aura.
The man looked at him with displeasure but complied. He let go of Tanjiro and backed away slightly. He muttered something, but neither of the two demons paid attention. Kyojuro made sure Tanjiro was alright and they quickly moved away from the area. The onlookers who had stopped to observe what was happening continued to watch them as they leave.
Kyojuro led Tanjiro to a nearby alley and leaned against the wall. The boy looked around. The place was barely illuminated by the streetlights, but Tanjiro, thanks to his enhanced vision, could see without any problem. Ever since he had become a demon, all his senses had become much sharper.
He glanced towards the end of the alley when he heard something moving and could make out a rat scurrying away from them. Kyojuro, who had also heard it, looked in that direction nonchalantly.
"Animals tend to flee from us," he commented while stretching a bit.
"Oh... but what are we doing here?" Tanjiro asked, curious.
"We're waiting for our prey to take the bait," Kyojuro replied. Although Tanjiro didn't fully understand what he meant, he nodded. "I don't think it will take long," Kyojuro added, stepping away from the wall. He licked his lips a bit and observed the boy.
At that moment, the two demons looked towards the entrance of the alley. They had heard several humans approaching. Tanjiro immediately recognized the man he had collided with before. He was accompanied by two other humans.
"That was the kid from earlier, brother," said the only human they knew, pointing at Tanjiro.
In that instant, Kyojuro moved at lightning speed. Before the newcomers could even take a step towards them, he delivered a punch to the chin of the closest one, sending him flying upward. Tanjiro watched with wide-open eyes and a gaping mouth as the human crashed to the ground. A sickening sound followed, and blood began to gush from beneath the man.
The other two, frightened, fell to the ground when they attempted to escape, but Kyojuro quickly took care of another one. He forced the third one to stand up and, gripping him tightly, positioned him in front of Tanjiro.
The boy looked hesitantly at the man and then glanced at Kyojuro. The demon smiled, revealing his fangs, in an attempt to encourage him.
"Don't hold back, I'm sure you know what to do," Kyojuro urged him.
Tanjiro's eyes focused on the carotid artery in the human's neck. He swallowed and began to approach them. He briefly licked his teeth and tried to ignore the constant pleas of the human.
"It's just food, Tanjiro. Come on, you can do it. Kyojuro is counting on you," he told himself, attempting to dispel the doubts that, for some reason, were starting to gnaw at him.
"Are you sure this is what you want, Tanjiro?" a female voice asked at that moment. The boy abruptly stopped. He couldn't pinpoint where it was coming from, but it sounded familiar. And for some reason, the sadness emanating from that woman filled him with a certain dread.
"What are you waiting for, Tanjiro?" Kyojuro's impatient voice brought him back to reality. The boy looked at him nervously. The other demon was observing him somewhat annoyed, and Tanjiro forced himself to move forward.
He swallowed hard and, without further hesitation, sank his fangs into the human's neck, ensuring to sever the carotid artery in the process. Kyojuro then released his own prey and stepped back a bit. He was clearly satisfied, smiling.
"Yuichiro," Kyojuro called softly. A wooden door appeared beneath their feet, and when it opened, the two demons and their three victims vanished from the place.
Nezuko wiped the sweat off her forehead and prepared to deliver the final ten thrusts she needed to complete her daily thousand. Her arms were sore, but bearable. She placed the sword in her obi and rubbed her right forearm a little.
Kokushibo sat on a nearby rock, observing her. They had stopped near a stream the previous night and sought refuge in a cave while the sun was out. Nezuko turned and looked at him, expectant. Whenever she finished one of those sets, the demon usually corrected her or asked her to do more.
"Refresh yourself a bit," he requested. Nezuko didn't need to hear it again. She approached the stream and splashed water on her face. She took a sip, as she was quite thirsty after all that.
Kokushibo looked at the sky. The full moon shone brightly at that moment, and although it was quite cold, it was not unpleasant to him. He glanced at Nezuko and smiled slightly with approval. Despite the cold she must have felt, the girl hadn't complained in the least and had completed all the exercises he assigned her.
"Do I have to do anything else?" Nezuko asked, drying her face with the left sleeve of her kimono.
"No, for today, it's enough," Kokushibo said, standing up and approaching her. "We're close to our destination, and it's better to be well-rested."
Nezuko nodded and immediately headed towards the cave. Kokushibo stayed there a few more minutes and then followed her. The demon stopped at the cave entrance and sat on the rocky ground, facing forward with his katana just centimeters away from him.
It wasn't a very deep cave, but it provided enough protection from the sun's rays. Nezuko had lain down near the entrance and was using her pink haori as a makeshift pillow. However, from where he was, the demon could hear how the girl kept moving around, trying to find a comfortable position.
Kokushibo sighed and focused on keeping watch of their surroundings. He would stand guard all night in case there were any demons nearby. Demons always moved in groups, like packs, so it was rare for them to act alone. Although there were isolated cases, those demons were usually easily killed.
And that boy, Nezuko's brother, must be part of the Ubuyashiki group, so finding him would be practically impossible. And even if they did, it was quite likely he wouldn't be alone.
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