The Dancing Star
Chapter 15
WARNING: This story is rated M for mature-rated content. If some acts of violence, blood, or anything easily triggering make you uncomfortable, please leave and do not read. Any change to a character, when introduced, killed, changed into a demon/human, or more will be labeled in the chapter of occurrence. If a character has died in a chapter, that chapter will give a cause of death to that character.
Tanjirou's POV (Urokodaki's POV)
As the two were excited about the opportunities ahead of them, Tanjirou was then brought along to be prepared.
Ever since the two were told of their soon-to-be tests and the likes, Tanjirou and Nezuko were once again with Giyu and Urokodaki.
"Tanjirou and Nezuko. I would like to thank you both for the information the two of you have given me regarding Muzan." Urokodaki started.
"It's no problem." Tanjirou nodded.
"Indeed, because of you, Oyakata-sama was very content with the information and his appearance. He'll also be content to find demons who have broken the curse." Urokodaki explained.
"To think this happened…" We're at a crucial point in the demon slayer corps…" Giyu commented.
"Before the both of you leave, I would like to ask something about the two of you." Urokodaki started.
"And what is it?" Tanjirou asked.
"I've been smelling something from both of you… Something that seems to be troubling you both, especially you, Tanjirou…" Urokodaki started before he continued.
"At first, I thought it was just an insecurity towards actually being able to do this, but then I saw this scent peak when Nezuko was getting ahead of you in water breathing, and right after she fell asleep."
At this, Tanjirou could be looked down, trying to cover his face with his longer, shoulder-length hair. He knew it was pointless. Urokodaki could smell and decipher what emotion Tanjirou was feeling.
He probably knew Tanjirou was stressed, being tense and protective to hide whatever past he was trying to hide. He didn't want to reveal this to Urokodaki.
But he knew both of them had a very good sense of smell.
Nezuko too looked a bit troubled about the question. Tanjirou's face was still down…
"Tanjirou?" Urokodaki asked.
"I'm going to make sure we have everything already…" Tanjirou mumbled, his tone unusually monotone, not like he usually is at least even in this tone. Even if he rarely smiled, he instead gave a sad, small smile yet again to hide the worry of everyone.
Nezuko, however, was more willing to explain. But she couldn't.
And so, she decided she would write up a bunch of explanations on a piece of paper, similar to what Urokodaki and Giyu would use when they wanted to send each other some messages.
And while Tanjirou began to pick up and make sure everything was ready, Nezuko wrote everything for Giyu and Urokodaki.
She explained how her parents suddenly began wanting all their children to learn sword styles and breathing techniques. How they would beat them if they failed…
How Tanjirou would be the most vulnerable to this since he always struggled to learn the breathing style, always being called a failure, and demoralized constantly.
She even mentioned the burn scars Tanjirou accumulated because of their parents.
Both Giyu and Urokodaki were shocked at this.
"So that explains their reaction whenever I told them they were doing something wrong…" Urokodaki mumbled to himself.
"So, the two of them have gone through abusive parents, too? How tragic." Giyu thought to himself. "Perhaps they could be a good influence on Kocho's tsukugo, at least by helping her…"
She also explained the true nature of the Hinokami Kagura, the instances Tanjirou got the brunt of the damage, and how their father died, making it harder on Tanjioru.
He was not taught something right and now had to take care of and burn coal to provide for the family, and that was not to mention Muzan killing more of their families.
"So they had abusive parents… But the way they spoke… It makes me think that someone was behind it all… One doesn't simply want their kids to pick up a sword and start forcing them to train them…" Giyu thought, but regardless, couldn't ponder over the history and childhood of Tanjirou and Nezuko, as the two demon siblings were officially heading out now.
They both were heading out.
"Alright, you two. You guys can navigate and observe the town and cities around you, but once you get a Kasugai Crow that informs the two of you of a mission, then you must follow the crow," Giyu explained.
Both Tanjirou and Nezuko nodded.
Nezuko then hugged Giyu, which shocked him.
"Nezuko!" Tanjirou frantically tried to get Nezuko to stop hugging Giyu.
He had managed to get Nezuko from Giyu, only for her to hug Urokodaki.
"It's fine, Tanjirou," Giyu informed the brother, as they enjoyed the hug that Nezuko was giving them.
In the end, once that was over, Tanjirou and Nezuko both began to head out.
All the while, Urokodaki, and Giyu waved goodbye to them.
With Tanjirou and Nezuko (Heading Out)
As Tanjirou and Nezuko made their way over to the nearest village, neither were sure where to go.
"Nezuko, should we end up going to the nearest village?" Tanjirou asked.
Nezuko nodded, making a noise of agreement. Tanjrou took that noise of agreement as both demons began to make their way down.
Tanjirou and Nezuko looked over, eventually making it to the nearest village. That way, if the sun would rise, they would have a place to rest.
They could also wish that there was rain and clouds to further block the sun, but they could only hope.
They only had the example of a blizzard that managed to keep them alive during the day. They were not sure if the rain or clouds would work.
And neither did not want to experience the burning rays of the sun, they also knew they had to get into the risk to show what would happen.
In the end, both of them would make it to the nearest village. Once they got upon the village, they noted it was nearing sunrise.
"Looks like we will have to bunker down for our first day, huh?" Tanjirou commented as he eyed the skies becoming a slightly lighter shade of blue.
Nezuko looked a bit upset, but she agreed, nonetheless. While Nezuko wanted to fight demons for the first time, both knew it would be best for both to sleep and regain energy for their upcoming fights.
After all, sleeping, or eating food is much better than human flesh. And for Tanjirou's case, eating demon flesh would be preferred over human flesh.
And so, the two went to sleep. Their first way was undramatic, but that was because neither got to do much. Neither saw Kasugai Crows that had given them any form of mission.
Once they got the sleep to both of their relief, their overall body seems to have adjusted to the day cycle. They felt tired during the day and were awake by the night.
It was a bit weird for both, considering they used to be complete opposites. It was the complete opposite compared to humans.
It wasn't until their second full day that they got their first mission.
"Caw! Reports of a demon near Yuaru Village! Responsible for the death of a demon slayer! Tanjirou Kamado and Nezuko Kamado are to slay this demon!" The crow spoke, clearly passing by.
"Do we know where Yuaru Village is?" Tanjirou asked before he realized that the crow was circling them.
"Hey! Where is Yuaru Village?!" Tanjirou asked the crow.
"Caw! Follow me!" The crow called out, and it began to fly.
At first, Tanjirou and Nezuko were panicking, before they realized they were able to keep up with the crow.
"Right, I forgot demons are capable of just keeping running…" Tanjirou thought to himself.
He quickly brought out the map and observed everything. All the while, he quickly noticed they were going south of Tokyo.
As the two began to head to the village, to their surprise it only took them half a day.
Once this happened, they observed the village of Yuaru.
It seemed to be a somewhat average, but polished village.
Within the village, the first immediate thing the two could observe was the strong religious influence the village had.
The village was for the traditional who valued their religion.
Tanjirou himself had respect for the whole priestess, because of his experience with dancing as a priest.
In the heartland, ancient traditions blended with modern delights coalesce, which enlightened the town of Yauru. The fold religion of Japan has Yauru unfurls a tapestry of mysticism, beauty, and brightness. This all showed a profound connection in the streets and buildings.
Within every step on the cobbled streets, many visitors were ensnared in the brief combination of both modest Japanese designs, the enigmatic charm between the old traditional fold religion of Japan, and the somewhat futuristic design of past Japan.
Tanjirou and Nezuko both were looking in awe at the design of the town. The architecture. It was a perfect blend between that traditional Japanese and a blend of newer conveniences. The wooden hours with sloping roofs, and yet a beautiful residue of the greenery, the natural surroundings.
Not to mention the places of worship.
For Tanjirou, it reminded him a lot of the temple he found himself in on New Year's Eve when he had to dance from sunset to sunrise.
It brought back memories of being praised.
It brought back memories of feeling proud and empowered. Almost like he was something.
Alas, it was times that those, plus Nezuko made him realize the occasional brightness of life.
The city's format contains a Shinden Shrine, an emblem of reverence to the spirits, deemed to govern the seasons and fortunes of the town. It was at the center of the town.
This was surrounded by gates that are painted in rich vermillion, with the passage into a sacred realm. The overall center of the town was beyond indescribable, as Tanjirou and Nezuko are in awe at the center of the town.
The shrine also contains a serene garden that envelops visitors in tranquility. Tanjirou spotted a koi pond, which shimmered like a mirror of the moonlight. The moonlight shined across the town, and yet despite no light, the center of town remained the brightest, because the pond acted as a mirror.
Tanjirou had read some of the architecture of, where the heart of Yuaru has the locals coming to seek guidance from the kami and leaves an offering of sweat or incense to honor the unseen forces to shape their destinies and future.
In the hours such as now, with the nighttime enforcing its atmosphere on the town, the sky is indigo, and yet the town is alive with music. The townsfolk gather to share the tales of multiple spirits, villains, and heroes. The stories blend to a confusing, but bridging gap between tangible and intangible magic that encompasses every corner of the town.
The inhabitants of Yauru were all religious townsfolk, as the holidays of the folk religion causes many to celebrate. The town was loud, yet tranquil.
And Tanjirou found himself entranced in the town.
All the while, the crow was leading them to the suspected demon area.
However, Tanjirou stopped at something. Nezuko soon followed suit, and they both looked at a specific building within the village of Yauru.
"What is this building…?" He asked himself before he read to sign.
"Yauru's Building for the Insane." Tanjirou thought before he sighed. "Well, that's a bit harsh to call them…"
He sighed before he realized something.
Perhaps some individuals were once orphaned kids in the temple, that are now here. And his noise once again helped detect this.
If his sense of smell was almost on the level of a dog in his human form, then in his demonic form, his smell rose to astronomical senses. He wasn't able to smell everything, but he could smell the essence of a demon within this building.
Tanjirou immediately sprang to action.
"Nezuko! There's a demon inside this building. Get ready." Tanjirou told his sister as he unsheathed his blade. Nezuko, however, decided to go in without sheathing her blade.
And it made sense. Nezuko was a lot stronger, than Tanjirou, can could easily be the muscles if needed. Still, she did have the nirchirin blade if necessary.
As Tanjirou opened the door, both he and Nezuko were greeted by three different doors.
Tanjirou spotted a receptionist, but strangely, she was asleep.
"How odd, guess we'll walk right through…" Tanjirou thought to himself as both he and Nezuko continued to explore the mental asylum.
Truth be told, neither of the siblings had ever been in one. Mental asylums were designated for individuals who were deemed crazy.
Tanjirou and Nezuko only lived in the mountains.
The iron gates surrounding the place gave both siblings the sense that it was more like a prison rather than a building for the hurt beyond recognition. Not to mention the rusted nature, giving a sense of neglect to both the contents of the building and the individuals inside to be treated.
But the people inside were what Tanjirou and Nezuko felt the most hurt about.
The lack of care given to these people made Tanjirou and Nezuko sick to their stomachs. Both felt horrible, at the treatment, or lack thereof they were receiving. They were supposedly at the lowest times in their lives, and this was how they were being cared for.
Tanjirou saw some of them even being locked inside rooms, that were barely kept clean, or the cries of some patients to no response. But alas, Tanjirou had a job to do.
He had to defeat the demon he could smell inside. Perhaps this wasn't a demon that the crow wanted him to defeat, but he would be damned if he allowed a demon to kill other humans. If he saw a demon, he would kill them if the risk of them harming humans was there.
The halls, which had the bustling noise of compassionate caregivers, were now echoing a haunting silence. Some of the individuals refused to talk. Some had stares, where their pupils were small, and their iris larger.
The torn, worn-out clothes, ripped out, with the spots of abuse on the torso and faces of countless individuals, haunted Tanjirou.
Because he looked like that when he was young.
It was the exact look Tanjirou had whenever he had failed his father in sword swinging. The stare he gave was a stare of constant fear when he saw the reddened coal coming closer to his body.
The screams of the individuals were the very scream he would make when the burned coal struck his exposed body, causing numerous scars to fill his stomach and lower ribcage area.
The problem with Tanjirou was that he lived through this for around eight years. Eight years of harsh training, abusive treatment, and neglect due to his constant failures, all caused Tanjirou to become the person he was.
It made Tanjirou hate his parents even more, because they may have contributed to Tanjirou potentially being inside one of these horrible, conditioned rooms, with poorly treated staff not fulfilling the caretaker role they were supposed to do.
Once again, the topic of failure came up in Tanjirou's mind.
"So useless, so worthless. Why did I ever fear or think you were something you were to worry about? How little value you have for your family…" The voice of Muzan echoed as part of the torture he endured from him before he turned into a demon.
"That boy is of no value… to you… He has no value and is worthless. He cannot do anything right." The voice of his father also haunted Tanjirou, as now he felt unworthy of being able to do what he was being tested on.
Nezuko only looked on, but judging by her furrowed glare, she was upset with the conditions. She looked to her brother, and immediately placed a soft hand on his bicep, gently squeezing it.
"Huh? Nezuko?" Tanjirou asked before he calmed down. It seemed that Nezuko quickly identified the degrading thoughts Tanjirou was having about himself. Therefore, she held onto him to give him something to clutch on.
And it worked, for Tanjirou calmed himself. "I remembered, I'm doing this to protect Nezuko so that I could turn her back into a human… Right…"
With a renewed sense of purpose, Tanjirou continued to explore the asylum that he and Nezuko found themselves in.
As they reached the hallway that seemed too quiet, the corridors that were dimly lit were lit no more, for it seemed like a forgotten wind. It was ominous, more so than the last.
"Hey, why is this part of the asylum, abandoned?" Tanjirou asked.
One of the workers eyed Tanjirou and Nezuko with a bit of skepticism, "Why are you here?"
"Oh, my apologies!" Tanjirou shook his head, "We're just some individuals who were sent by the authorities to investigate suspicious activity. We've noticed that this part of the asylum is abandoned…"
"I see…" While the worker was skeptical of both the demon siblings, she eventually decided to tell them. After all, they had nothing to hide or showcase there, besides the negative connotation that goes there.
As Tanjirou and Nezuko both continued to explore the insides of the area, they observe evidence of the wing falling apart.
The walls contained cracks, with splinters of wood across the floor, wallpapers peeling, the chalks writing forgotten whispers.
The lights were flickering as well, causing a sinister shadow to dance in the form of the demon sibling's own shadow, that danced with a life of their own.
But through it all, there was one specific chalk writing that caught the attention of Tanjirou. He eyed it up, a bit difficult to see due to the flickering, but he eventually read the words, "Demon," onto the wall.
This confirmed that both the demon siblings had found at least what appeared to be individuals worrying about a demon.
Once they continued onwards into the wing, Tanjirou and Nezuko were beginning to hear some rustling, and the sounds of munching.
This made Tanjirou a bit shocked and disgusted.
No doubt this was the sound of a demon consuming flesh, or at least bones or ligaments. He was not sure.
And once he turned a corner, that was exactly what he saw.
A monster, grotesque in appearance, the epitome of nightmares, as it slumbers into the darkest, most abandoned part of the asylum, feeding on the already pained and anguished souls who were sent there.
The eyes of the creature were slit as well, glowing an unnatural green and yellow. Both were in such a contrast with clashing combinations, that it was visually overwhelming, which showed a bit of tension and instability.
There was no doubt in Tanjirou's mind that visitors who explored this dark area of the wing, or who were placed within the dark wing would blend inside the darkness forever, the unearthly howls of this demon's victims going onto unnoticed ears since the staff was probably accustomed to those noises.
It was an ominous aura, the demon showed, and through it all, Tanjirou smelt a bit of hidden intentions throughout all of this.
Immediately, Tanjirou grabbed his nirchirin blade.
"Tell me demon, how many humans have you eaten?" Tanjirou asked, pointing the blade at the crouching demon.
The demon for her part, smirked, "Around five. What an interesting visitor you are, but seeing how you look, I would think you are also a part of this asylum."
Tanjirou could only look at the demon, unsure what to say, "I'm disappointed in you…"
"How come? My name is Aya, what is yours?" The demon smirked, getting up. It was here did Tanjirou notice the actual structure of her body.
"I'm not telling you," Tanjirou explained as he approached Aya.
The demon girl, Aya's body seemed to mimic that of a transparent glass. Her entire body had nothing, but skin, besides her face. There was no structure on her humanoid body, and it made Tanjirou question who this demon was.
Almost like she was transparent glass…
"Are you going to keep this act up, or are you going to change?" Tanjirou asked once again.
The girl for her part smirked, "Perhaps after I skewer you." With that, Aya charged, her clawed bang baring out to strike Tanjirou right in the face.
If not for Nezuko, who grabbed the girl's hands and kicked her back.
"Argh…" Aya mumbled before she sighed. "Why is there another demon inside? Don't tell me… You're trying to take over my place, huh? Find your food!"
The simple statement Aya stated immediately caused Tanjirou to stare down at the girl.
Aya wasn't showing hesitance in what she was doing. She thrived in killing supposed humans who were at their worst.
And that did not sit well with Tanjirou.
He couldn't let this demon live, not when she saw no reason to quit.
"After all, it's thanks to me that this wing of the asylum is never explored!" Aya smirked.
Tanjirou sighed, as he gripped his blade, and rushed forward to meet the demon.
Nezuko had already sent Aya quite a bit, with her previous kick, and now Tanjirou blocked a strike that was aimed at Nezuko's head.
Instead, Aya's arm struck a blade, and Tanjirou gritted as he felt the pressure hold his blade in place.
"Damnit, even if I am a demon, my strength is only marginally better than a human's…" Tanjirou thought.
Tanjirou was forced to back up from the demon before he quickly swung back into action.
He once again closed the distance with his blade, this time swinging behind his back heavily with only his right hand. He used his free hand to deflect a slash from Aya, and Tanjirou only felt a bit of pain from the claws of the demon sinking into his left forearm.
Water Breathing, Fourth Form: Striking Tide
With a heavy breath, Tanjirou with his free right hand, swung the blade, trying to aim for the demon's neck.
However, he was just a tad too short, as he struck the chin of Aya.
Tanjirou silently cursed at that, before Nezuko pushed her away, freeing Tanjirou's left forearm from the Aya's sinking claws.
Tanjirou merely stared down at the demon.
He needed to close the distance yet again, but his mind focused on what the demon would plan next.
"Just leave me alone and let me eat these people! I'm sure the staff won't mind eating a bunch of hindered humans!" Aya begged.
Tanjirou could only flinch at that. Once again, this demon, named Aya was undermining the value of human life. How unrespectable could someone be?
But even then, Tanjirou remained quiet. He was angry at this demon but chose to keep his thoughts at a standstill. He'll talk when the demon is dead and done with it.
Before he could even think of a way to take the offense, Aya unexpectedly launched herself upwards, a kick axing down to strike Tanjirou right on the head.
Tanjirou quickly rolled to the side, Nezuko on the opposite side, as the two heard a crack upon impact. The demon had kicked so hard the floor had cracked, more splinters coming out of the ground.
Tanjirou gritted, as he was kneeling already.
Water Breathing, Ninth Form: Splashing Water Flow
Tanjirou quickly started to run, the footsteps reduced their impact, increasing his speed.
Of course, Aya seemed very unpolished and unskilled. She seemed rather new to everything, and thus Tanjirou was easily able to cut off the limbs of anything she tried to block.
When her right arm was sliced by her elbow, she resorted to dodging.
But that was where Nezuko came in and held the demon down.
Of course, Aya began to struggle with Nezuko, bashing her head onto Nezuko's own, causing Nezuko to make a noise like a grunt.
Water Breathing, Eight Form: Waterfall Basin
Before the demon could land another strike to Nezuko's own throat, Tanjirou intercepted it. Jumping into the air, and landing between Nezuko and the demon, his blade launched downward, causing Aya to blink and retract her remaining arm.
"You bastard! You know how long it takes for me to regenerate my limbs! You'll only make me eat more flesh to recover!" Aya exclaimed in anger.
She no longer wanted to hold back, as her demonic features began to set in. She had a silver key, with the marks of broken mirrors, showing more glass-like areas across her body.
"So, she is now taking it seriously… I guess I must as well…" Tanjirou thought.
Almost immediately, Tanjirou breathed in, as he prepared his blade.
Water Breathing, Second Form: Water Wheel
Water Breathing, First Form: Water Surface Slash
Tanjirou charged towards Aya, front flipping and circling to make a circular slash vertically. Aya merely rolled to the side, clearly not wanting to be sliced by that blade now.
However, Nezuko too took out her blade and managed to slash her with another strike using her blade.
"Damnit!" Aya exclaimed, as her hip was slashed a bit. Unfortunately, Nezuko's blade got caught in Aya's lower torso, causing Nezuko to fall alongside Aya's rolling.
This made the blade plunge deeper into Aya's stomach, all the while Tanjirou was trying to be careful, not wanting to accidentally hurt Nezuko.
Once they finished rolling, Tanjirou took the chance, with Nezuko taking the blade out of Aya's torso.
Water Breathing, Third Form: Flow Dance
Tanjirou gleamed as his blade shined blue, once again water coming out, helping to slash directly at Aya's neck.
"Nezuko! Another side!" Tanjirou explained in a completely unexpected turn of events, he lowered his blade before it hit Aya's neck, and instead went down to block Aya's free hand from punching Tanjirou into the stomach.
"Eh?" Aya asked in complete confusion before her eyes widened as she turned to the other side.
Water Breathing, Fifth Form: Blessed Rain After the Drought
Nezuko opted to use a sympathetic move, a specific form that causes very little or no pain for the demon.
So little pain in fact, that Aya wasn't even aware that her head was separated by Nezuko's blade until she saw from her POV falling.
Aya's eyes were in total shock before she started to cry and curse. "Damn, you two! All I wanted to do was give those staff peace of their own medicine!"
Tanjirou sighed, as Aya began to reminisce about her backstory.
She was only a child.
Just a mere child. A 5-year-old child who had witnessed quite the scenery and tragedy in the form of a demon attack.
Aya grew up in the town of Yauru, a blend between traditional Japanese folk religion, and a blend of modern architecture.
The town had a perfect blend, and like many of the other lifestyles, the families of those born in Yauru were rather traditional, in both their beliefs.
Japan was a rapidly developing country, and likewise, that involved the clash with maintaining religion.
Yauru became a breeding ground for many families who wished to maintain their religious traditions.
And Aya was a child who was thrust into the role.
She had a father who was a priest, whilst their mother worked at home.
Aya was attached to her mother. She remembers the times when she would always eat with her mother.
She would always even wait as a child for her mother to get food for herself.
"Aya, why didn't you eat your food?" Aya's mother asked, clearly looking concerned.
Aya could only be honest, for every time this happened, her mother always thought Aya was dealing with some illness, like a stomach bug.
"No Mother… I just wanted to wait for you to finish so that I could eat dinner with you." Aya explained.
Their relationship becomes closer upon that ordeal. Aya was only 3 years old when she said that.
Because Aya took quite a time to learn how to properly speak. Aya was a naturally quiet girl, and the result was because of the nature of her home. She only really made a noise around her mother, since her father was always working, and she was always taught to be quiet during prayers and holiday celebrations, she rarely talked as a child.
All this time, Aya was observing her mother, watching everything she did, watching how she interacted.
And all this time, she never got to speak to her father.
She wasn't sure if it was because her father was so embroiled in his job, or whether he just hated being around the family.
All Aya knew was that she could always rely on her mother to be inside the house. She rarely saw her father in the house.
And so, she spent most of her time enjoying her time with her mother.
"Mother?" Aya asked.
"Yes, honey?" Aya's mother asked dearly. It made Aya smile at the warmth her mother showed.
However, she couldn't say the same for her father.
That wasn't to say that her father was a bad influence. Rather, he was just seen so little that whenever he approached and appeared inside the home, the attention went straight onto him.
Aya could tell her father was a tired individual. He didn't have the will to care for anyone. He didn't even seem to like his job.
"Mother, why is Father always so sad?" Aya asked her mother.
Her mother sighed, "Honey, sometimes when a man fails at his job, he feels worthless, for they are the ones who have to take care of the family." Her mother explained.
"But we're living inside a house, how did he fail?" Aya asked.
"Because he has to work until very late. Some days he lives in the temple. You know, he had aspirations of being more." Aya's mother explained. "He wanted to experience and do more. He had so much potential, but alas, he experienced a tragedy that broke him…"
"What…?" Aya mumbled in response, clearly confused.
"He had a rough life after that… He witnessed something traumatic, and he fell into a deep depression, costing him the potential of what he wanted to do… He had someone close to him emphasize religion, and that caused him to take on the job as a priest." Her mother explained.
"Oh," Aya mumbled. She didn't know what to say, but the tragedy of traumatic experiences hurt her father, to the point that he didn't seem to want to be near his family.
Perhaps he was afraid of losing them and being hurt, so he distanced himself.
She wasn't sure.
But that was her life for five years.
At the age of five was when her life turned around, for the worst. She had decided to, for once, go outside. She wanted to play with some kids outside, and for once, she did.
That was until it got a bit dark. Too dark.
Aya was worried that her mother would come down and scold her. But she wasn't sure if this was right or wrong. It was her first time hanging out with the children from her neighborhood.
And so, around three of them stayed outside until the dead of midnight.
And when some of the little friends that Aya had made wanted to come inside her house, she of course allowed it. She encouraged them to come in.
But they all saw something horrifying.
A being was eating Aya's bloodied and dead mother.
Her eyes widened in horror, and she let out a horrifying scream.
Seeing the only person whom she cared about for so long, dead and being eaten, something snapped inside of her.
But she was just a kid.
A 5-year-old kid.
The rest of the kids who saw this ran out screaming in horror. Aya was dragged out by one of the kids, saving her life as the demon had tried to swing his hands at her.
"Man, I knew I should have gone after you three kids. You all look tastier than that disgusting older woman." The demon smirked, as he licked his lips.
Immediately, the three kids backed up in fear, and all were forced to run and scream.
This caused the demon to curse, as he instead went back into Aya's house, probably to finish the rest of Aya's mother.
"Help! Demon! A monster!" Aya yelled out alongside the three kids.
In the end, nobody believed her.
Nobody believed in her own story, nor did the two kids she was playing with.
Likewise, nobody believed the fact Aya and two other boys were hanging outside until midnight.
Suddenly, Aya was deemed insane, and impure.
Not only was she spouting nonsense in the eyes of the community, but she was also seeing two boys. And she was just five years old.
A traditional belief that talking to opposite genders meant they were seeing them.
Of course, Aya tried to beg to live with her father, but he wanted nothing to do with her.
He had lost his wife, seemed devastated, and was in no mindset to deal with his daughter, whom he never really saw consistently since her birth.
And so, with nothing else, she was left to live in an asylum. She was deemed crazy, and as a result, she was sent to the eastern wing of the asylum, the area where most of the clinically unwell individuals go.
Not only was this for those mentally unwell, but also physically.
The sounds of agony as many of them died shortly thereafter made Aya desensitized to the sounds of agony and pain. She was used to it herself.
She was just left alone at this point, being seen as a lost cause.
She was alone, the only voice was the sounds of agony and pain from other patients.
And that was going to be her life. Live in this building, a pure grey, boring walled-up area where she would die.
But that was until she realized she had something inside of her.
Something that was hidden.
The very two boys had also been sent to the asylum. They both tried to contact her. They cared for her in a highly platonic way.
She was now 16, and the boys were 17 and 19 respectively. The three remembered each other and were the only ones to remember the incident.
But the three were scorned upon society. Nobody believed them.
They only had each other, and so they had a plan to meet up and see each other for the years they missed.
They planned to meet outside the free zone of the asylum during midnight, to catch up like old times. It was something they planned to do as much as they could before they got caught.
For despite the incident afterwards, Aya felt happy she was talking to others again.
They talked about a lot of things, and they all felt like neighbors again, and Aya was even allowed to come out of her prison and room, now that she was talking to the staff.
She was improving, and it was thanks to the two boys who also understood her. The two boys who were there for her.
But even then, the three were still rejected by society and the community, because of their claims of demons being the creature they saw.
But the village did not believe in demons. They thought the three were clearly insane.
And so, Aya still held a deep sense of hatred, especially for the staff, since they didn't believe that demons existed. And she rarely ate because she used to eat when her mother was near her, also ready to eat.
But still, at least she had two boys who cared for her in a platonic way.
In the end, however, just when her life was getting better, something happened while they were outside during their time.
The two boys had decided to go inside early, as they were to speak with staff early morning, leaving Aya alone outside.
Before she knew it, some man was right next to her.
Aya didn't recognize this man, but she didn't need to, because this man had already done his business with her.
When Aya woke up, she was drooling and immediately attacked the staff who had placed her back into her room and was about to leave.
She remembers immediately waking up and biting into the staff's throat.
The staff looked on in horror, as the last thing she mumbled was the word, "Demon…"
This made Aya smirk greatly, as the staff was finally now believing what she had told them all this time.
"So now you acknowledge that demons exist, huh? Will you tell the world what I've become?" She asked before she tilted her head to the dead body of the staff, "Oh too bad. You're dead."
She didn't care, she would teach the entire asylum, that demons were a thing, and then kill them.
The dead bodies of two staff members, each with bite marks across their torso and a fatal one to the neck were the go-to of Aya.
In the end, the next two victims of Aya's assault were the two boys who cared for her.
They tried to stop her when they saw what happened, a month after, and worrying for her, but it was all futile. She remembers dragging them into the dorm where she was, the Eastern dorm, and proceeded to maul into the boys' bodies.
She absorbed the 17-year-old boy, whom she felt ecstatic about. But even then, the boy hugged her, apologizing for not being there for her all those times.
Aya then ate the 19-year-old boy, as she had a feast with them. His remains were found by the staff, who already had blocked the Eastern Wing of the building, with a monster being there. Any authority who went never went out, and so they lived with the fact that there was a monster within the building.
In total, she killed around 17 people. She had lied to Tanjirou about 5. It was just too easy for her to lie now.
Only bits of their blood remained, and she then lived a life of solitude.
Nobody dared to go to that area of the building.
Even the most unhealthy and unwell knew of the dangers. If anything, they were more vulnerable to being exposed and believing the story.
All this time, Aya stayed in the darkness, finally living happily in the Eastern Wing of the asylum.
It wasn't until she encountered another visitor from the asylum, a newcomer, did she forgot how good humans tasted.
Aya's eyes widened.
Those two boys. They cared for her so much, and yet in the end, she ruthlessly killed the two of them…
"I'm sorry…" She sobbed to the two boys she had killed, even after everything they did to help her.
The two boys placed a hand on her shoulder each. Her eyes widened as she stared at the two of them, tears running down her eyes. "Yasuo… Kazuma…" She sobbed into their arms.
"It's alright, Aya…" Yasuo, a brown haired, tall individual with a bit of facial hair soothed her.
"Yeah, you weren't yourself… We knew the real Aya wouldn't do such a thing." Kazuma, a long black-haired individual agreed.
"Come on, let's go." The two of them told Aya, as they were waiting for her in the afterlife.
She was moved, but she sighed, "I'm sorry, Yasuo, Kazuma, but I must travel alone."
"Why?" The two boys asked, clearly not wanting to be away from her, "You are our friend… Even after 11 years, we saw each other in the asylum… Even after another 4, we waited for you upon becoming a demon… Why can't we go with you?" Kazuma asked.
"Because I've been a very bad girl… So I must go through hell alone…" Aya sadly admitted, lowering her head.
The sound of footsteps got the three of them to raise their heads.
And Aya's eyes widened. "M-Mother…" She mumbled.
Aya's mother merely smiled. "It's great to see you again and grown up, my daughter…"
Immediately Aya hugged her tightly, apologizing for everything that had happened in her life.
"It's alright Aya, and while I know you have committed some unforgivable sins, I know you will walk down that route to show your purity." She explained. "For the entire time, you were telling the truth, even if others deflected them into lies."
Aya sobbed at her mother's next words. "I will be going with you."
"W-What? Why? It was me who committed the sin, not you!" Aya begged.
"Perhaps, but I'd be a terrible mother if you couldn't eat whenever I was around, huh?" Aya's mother explained with a smile, and Aya's shock faltered as she crouched.
Kazuma and Yasuo looked at each other before they nodded. "We'll go with you as well." They explained.
"No… Please… Don't go with me… You two deserve to be happy…" Aya begged.
"No Aya, you've been alone for so long. It's time you get to rest with the people you care for and love." Kazuma smiled.
"Exactly, you were all we had either way. Kazuma and I only had each other, before we met you…" Yasuo added.
Aya didn't know what to say, before she sighed, looking to the fires of hell.
"You ready?" Kazuma asked, as she grabbed his best friend, Yasuo's hand, and Aya's with the other. Aya then grabbed her mom's hand/
"L-Let's go, and I hope you can forgive me…" Aya prayed one last time to the gods for mercy.
But in the end, she knew she wouldn't get it, or deserved it. At least she wouldn't be alone anymore, as she was with the people who saw through the glass through her, and never once deflected her as a lie.
She finally, sighed, as she looked up.
"Sometimes, the saddest truth is not that we are accused of lying, but that our truth is mistaken for lies, leaving us silenced in the realm of misunderstood honesty."
"It's alright Nezuko, leave the rest of the demon for me," Tanjirou explained, as he began to bite into the shoulder of Aya's body.
She was no longer regenerating, and with her head cut off by the nirchirin blade, she would eventually dissipate, unable to do anything.
And so, Tanjirou took this crucial time to consume Aya's body.
For some reason, the body dissipated faster than the head, and so Tanjirou took the time to consume the arms, legs, and chest of the demon's body.
It was the place that had the most organs and the likes, as Tanjirou chose to even eat the internal organs of the demon's body.
It felt weird, but also right, for it was incredibly tasty in Tanjirou. He found himself enjoying the underlining of the skin the most delicious, specifically the fat and muscle, with the demon's blood acting as the perfect liquid to compliment it all.
He was enjoying the body, but he eventually realized that the skin of the demon seemed to have been sufficient. There seemed to be no reason exactly for Tanjirou to consume organs like the lungs, liver, or heart. Even the brain seemed rather pointless, even if it contained a lot of stuff. However, Tanjirou also liked the nerves of the demon.
In short, Tanjirou found that consuming the fat and muscle of the skin, the nerves of the demon, and the blood of demons had the most impact on him, and it felt the most refreshing.
All the while Tanjirou was consuming the body of Aya, he began to unlock the memories of the demon.
He had heard everything, and now his heart hurt for the demon.
He learned everything Aya had gone through and knowing Muzan had made a human's life already worse, was infuriating to Tanjirou.
Nezuko too, was witnessing it, but she didn't know the story yet. Tanjirou would have to tell her soon.
"You've gone through a lot, huh Aya? Forced to live a lie of life for the truth you always told?" Tanjirou asked, as his tone became soft.
Nezuko eyed Tanjirou curiously at this, as the exact tone, and aura Tanjirou was giving, was similar to their father before he begun training them…
"That's odd…" Nezuko thought to herself, as she looked at the sad smile Tanjirou was giving to Aya.
It was exactly just like father…
Aya only mumbled, "Please… I just want to be with Kazuma… Yasuo… Mother…" She begged.
Tanjirou held her head and placed her forehead on his, "I hope you find happiness and companionship wherever you go now." Tanjirou softly spoke, "For you are a tragic being, not an inherently evil being… Alas, I cannot forgive you for your attitude towards the humans you've killed. Therefore, I can only hope fate has sympathy where you go," he added, as he watched the remains of Aya's face dissipate into ash.
The area was now quiet, as Tanjirou only had Nezuko to look at. It was eerie, how quiet it was. But in the spot Aya once was in, Tanjirou prayed for the demon's soul.
"Amidst the world of skeptics, her truth stood alone like a solitary star in the night sky. Misjudged, misunderstood, and falsely accused, her honesty faded like a forgotten whisper, lost to the winds of doubt…" Tanjirou spoke softly before he got up.
His face then contorted, "Curse you, Kibutsuji Muzan, when the time comes, and my blade takes your soul, I will be having the hands of every hand you've turned to a demon, and every hand of those you've hurt."
With that, both Tanjirou and Nezuko went off to the place the crow had told them to go.
In all of that, they hadn't even completed the exact mission that the two were sent on.
"Caw! Mission report?" The crow unexpectedly flew down.
"Oh, there was a demon named Aya in the asylum of Yauru, we apologize for the stall, but we couldn't let any more humans die," Tanjirou explained.
"Caw! This will be reported by the master! But caw! Finish your mission! Abandoned Orphaned Temple! Caw!" The crow called out yet again as it flew high and began to lead Tanjirou and Neuzko to their next place of interest.
Their next place to explore was an abandoned temple that was Southern region of Yauru.
Of course, Tanjirou and Nezuko, both were demons and thus were able to regenerate the injuries they sustained from the battle.
Thankfully, their first demon wasn't physically that difficult, particularly because it was outnumbered 2 v 1, and with Nezuko being able to decapitate the demon, and Tanjirou consuming it.
Tanjirou now felt stronger after consuming the remnants of Anya. But it also had the added effect of giving Tanjirou the life story of the demons he consumed. It made him a bit terrified because now he knew many of these demons had tragic life stories as humans.
Tanjirou, who himself knew could be considered tragic, ultimately wasn't sure if he was ready to hear the countless backstories.
"But at least, now I know how to increase my demonic strength…" Tanjirou thought, "I eat demons to gain strength… At least for now in the short term, we're unsure what happens in the long term." Tanjirou thought as he and Nezuko made their way down.
All the while, Tanjirou told Nezuko the life story he had gathered from Aya whilst consuming her body.
Nezuko too was shocked and angry to hear about how Muzan capitalized on a tragic human.
After around 2 hours of walking, Tanjirou and Nezuko both made it to the temple, at least that was where they assumed the temple was.
Judging by the aesthetic, the temple did look bad.
Called the Hakanai no Tera, or the Temple of Transience, it was a thriving center for those wanting spiritual guidance, or to be orphaned. The abandonment the temple suffered carries a tragic history of a forgotten massacre.
It lies half-collapse, with gnarled vines that silently guard the inside of the temple. The lack of entrances further tries to hide the pasts that resided inside the now decaying and weathering walls.
As Tanjirou and Nezuko carefully made their way inside, they noted the main temple hall, was a shadow of its former self. It has not stood the passage of time, nor the events it has endured.
The air of the scent of incense was long extinguished, now with a disgusting almost nature-like smell, indicating the caretaking within the temple was now gone, with the testament of nature taking over.
Streaks of the moonlight penetrated the gaps of the worn beams with the rays coming upon the temple.
"That's strange… If there's rays of moonlight seeping through, then how can the demon remain inside of here?" Tanjirou asked himself.
This would be quite the adventure, and Tanjirou knew he was in for a confusing one.
The once vibrant murals and calligraphy on the walls showed now distorted, sinister figures on the once serene imagery.
The added wind rustling through the leaves acts more intimidating and ominously.
In a way, the abandoned temple of the orphanage acted as a tragic reminder of the fragility of innocence, the impermanence of life, and the dark depths of human despair.
As Tanjirou and Nezuko analyzed the temple, they could see the semblance of an abandoned temple, that was also an orphanage.
"Nezuko, can you sense any demons?" Tanjirou asked.
Nezuko then nodded. This made Tanjirou a bit unsure.
In the end, Tanjirou was eventually able to smell the demon. But even then, it was rather faint.
Perhaps the demon was using something to mask his odor, Tanjirou wasn't sure.
In the end, both of them continued to progress and head up the stairs.
Usually, Tanjirou would allow Nezuko to split up, but considering they had no way of communicating, he decided to stick with his sister, for he worried she would get in some trouble.
All the while, Tanjirou focused purely on what to expect from the demon. He kind of wished he had a description of what the demon was like, but considering the fates of demon slayers, he ultimately knew that it wasn't the case.
However, Tanjirou began to smell it. It was stronger when they went up.
"Nezuko, the demon is upstairs, let's go." Tanjirou silently told his sister, as the two made their way up the stairs relatively quickly.
In the end, both Tanjirou and Nezuko found made their way up.
All the while, he was still trying to decipher the tragedy that was the demon he had previously eaten when Nezuko killed them.
In the end, he had to continue forward. In the meantime, he merely remained halfway at the stairs, with Nezuko eyeing him, with concern.
"Sorry, Nezuko had a bit of thought… I promise this won't happen again." Tanjirou affirmed, "At least in this next fight."
Nezuko held her hand up for Tanjirou to grab, which he accepted, and eventually, they ran up the stairs.
They searched the second of three possible floors, but they seemed to have been getting lost.
In the end, Tanjirou was able to pinpoint the location of the demon based on the smell of it.
His smell was finally catching up with analyzing him.
"I got him!" Tanjirou told Nezuko, as he took the lead. This was rather a straightforward run now, as the demon was at the top of the temple.
The place was littered with the bones and skeletons of little children.
It almost made Tanjirou a bit sick.
He wanted to kill this demon now, considering how ruthless he had been.
He wanted to slay this demon, for the amount of kids this temple had killed.
All the while, he gripped his blade.
Eventually, as he knew the demon was around the corner.
He slides across the ground, facing the eyes of the demon.
Tanjirou knew it was dark, but even then he could make out the figure that was the demon.
No doubt, the demon is responsible for the countless skeletons of kids.
"You demon." Tanjirou started.
The demon, for his part, looked unscathed at the appearance of a demon slayer.
"Another one?" Was all the demon asked?
From what Tanjirou could see, this demon seemed to be sitting in a rather siesta position. It wasn't anything noteworthy, but Tanjirou knew that many newly transformed, or weaker demons didn't immediately change drastically.
Some demons remained humanoid, some became horrendous, and others became anthropomorphic. Tanjirou felt somewhat glad that both he and Nezuko remained mostly human in their appearance, for now.
Likewise, this demon was also humanoid but seemed to have a lot of specific symbols spreading across his torso, which was shirtless.
There seemed to be multiple tattoos that yielded across the demon's body. A sakaki branch with a side called the Tamagushi spread across his arm.
A Sakaki tree was on his forehead.
A text of words called, "Kami-no-Michi," or, Way of Kami, was also etched on the body of the demon.
The pale skin seemed to also go with the cat-like eyes, claws and fangs the demon had.
All this time, all Tanjirou could do was eye the demon.
"Another what?" Tanjirou asked.
"Demon slayer. You know, they send a demon slayer to try and kill me. Of course, they failed. I've tried to live my life alone, why do you demon slayers ruin it?" He asked.
"It was ruined the moment you chose to kill all those kids and eat humans." All Tanjirou explained, "To think there were demons out there who are the lowest of the low." Tanjirou grunted.
The demon for his part, eyed Tanjirou, "You infuriate me…"
"Ichi-go ichi-e." Before Tanjirou realized it, the demon had gotten up, and before he could even realize it, a fist was shot straight toward him, launching him right into the wall. The punch landed right on his right eye, as he was launched onto the wall.
Tanjirou got up, find, though his right eye was hurting. Even if his vision was temporarily compromised, he could still smell the demon.
And now he had adapted to match the smell of the specific condiment or odor the demon adopted.
And so, he tilted his head to the left, narrowly avoiding another punch to his face, before Tanjirou himself swiped his blade horizontally, managing to strike the left hand of the demon off.
The demon growled, as Tanjirou then kicked him away. The demon didn't go as far as he wanted, but it was enough to give him room.
"Seems like eating Aya did make me a bit stronger… So if I continue to eat more demon flesh, I become stronger, at least in my demonic sense… Interesting…" Tanjirou told himself.
Meanwhile, Nezuko made a shrieking noise as she saw her brother hit the wall painfully, growling, she unsheathed her blade and already began to clang with the demon.
The demon now had to deal with Nezuko as Tanjirou took his time to breathe before he too launched himself toward the demon.
But interestingly, the demon had a weapon of his own.
Before Tanjirou could even continue, the sound of metal clashed with each other.
"A wooden bow? What is this?" Tanjirou asked himself in confusion, even more, when he realized that Tanjirou couldn't cut the bow.
He was forced to back away from the demon, but not before he had to get the wall right between the two, for the demon had managed to strike something toward Tanjirou, causing him to back up.
"What the hell did he shoot at me? It couldn't be… Is it a blood demon art?" Tanjirou asked.
However, he ultimately knew that it had to be an object, for it smelled nothing like the demon itself, and thus he assumed he was shooting whatever he had with them.
"What is this demon…?" Tanjirou asked out loud. He saw Nezuko trying to close the distance, but she too had to back up.
"Haru wa Arashi, natsu wa kaji." The demon once again muttered, and this time the bow was shooting out a mix of electric and flaming particles.
This worried Tanjirou, but it made sense to him.
"So, the bow itself is a blood demon art, but the bow itself doesn't smell anything like him… So then how can he manifest that? Unless… He didn't." Tanjirou thought.
To him, because of the oddity of this individual demon, and that his smell was confirmed to him that the bow was not his, it only meant one that.
The bow was manifested by a different demon with a blood demon art and thus was given to him.
But what was his name?
"Demon, what is your name?" Tanjirou asked suddenly.
"Kento." Was all the demon told him, as he launched out the bow yet again? "You children, I take pity on your situation. Why must you sheathe blade towards me."
Tanjirou and Nezuko both never answered, and instead were anticipating it to be at the center of town, it was instead in a more niche area of town.
The southernmost point of the town Yauru is located in a rather large temple.
"Um, can we get background information for this temple?" Tanjirou asked, clearly not wanting to rush into the building with no exact motive or understanding.
"Caw! This temple was also an orphanage with a maximum capacity of 200 orphaned children! 6 months ago, a dozen children were massacred in the temple, with the town's government shutting it down thereafter! However, nobody was ever caught due to many children outright missing! As a result, many within the village call it a cursed spirit or a ghost! A demon slayer patrolled around this town messaged me there was suspected activity within the abandoned temple, and never came out!" The crow called out to Tanjirou and Nezuko.
"I see." Tanjirou gritted his teeth.
This demon killed countless of orphaned children, a demon slayer, and was certainly still living in the building if there was activity within the building.
Tanjirou sighed, as he knew that this would be an example of the first demon he would fight.
An example of what to expect from demons.
And he was already getting one step closer to his goal.
To find information, and to kill Kibutsuji Muzan.
While originally wanting to enter conventionally, Tanjirou decided that it would not be safe for them.
"Nezuko, should we try elsewhere to go through?" Tanjirou asked.
Nezuko nodded, as she was already eyeing up regions to enter. This included the chimney, the backroom, and some open windows on the second and third floors.
Tanjirou looked on as he closely analyzed the abandoned temple. With Nezuko finding some entrances, he knew that his next step would be crucial.
He had to be careful not to get ambushed by the demon inside of this temple.
"Are you ready, Nezuko?" Tanjirou asked his sister.
"Hmf!" Nezuko nodded, holding her blade, as the two carefully helped lift each other to the second-floor window, and both landed properly into the temple.
It was dark.
But thankfully, Tanjirou has his sense of smell to locate the demon, and Nezuko being able to see larger wavelengths of radiation and light meant she was able to pick up her vision in the dark extraordinarily well.
And so, Tanjirou followed the scent of Nezuko, as she was probably observing the temple.
Almost immediately, Tanjirou could smell the semblances of multiple individual humans, all of which smelled young…
"No doubt is the kids who were orphaned…" Tanjirou thought to himself, as the sheer brutality he was being exposed to was already causing him a bit of discomfort.
Tanjirou knew he had to get back into the mission, as he didn't want to let Nezuko do all the work.
He had the idea, that perhaps maybe he could consume the bow itself.
But that was unlikely the more he realized it. The bow was made of common wooden material. It clanged with his blade, and thus he knew it was inedible…
How he was manifesting such supernatural properties from the bow he was unsure.
All Tanjirou knew, was that Kento was already much stronger than Aya.
With a blood demon art he probably stole from another demon, this was going to be a lot more difficult than he thought.
Tanjirou gritted his teeth as he skillfully dodged the arrows that were being manifested by the bow.
He gritted his teeth at the immediate oddity that Kento was.
Tanjirou's eyes widened before, he blocked one of the arrows off with his blade.
"Of course, if it's a projectile, the closer we get, the more accurate it can be, and the less time we have to counter or react…" Tanjirou groaned.
"That means we need to overwhelm Kento…" Tanjirou thought as he was trying to find ways to overwhelm him, but not to a point where Tanjirou nor Nezuko suffers a point-blank range shot.
Kento, for his part, was seemingly a bit infuriated that what appeared to be his routine prayer was interrupted by two demon slayers.
"You are children, mere insects in my house," Kento explained. "You ought to be sleeping you poor children, staying up late at night."
"YOUR house? This is a temple. A place of worship where people go to practice their religion. One simply cannot say that this is now your home. This was once a home for orphans." Tanjrou explained.
Kento sighed, "Oh, you children. How spoiled you are. Have you forgotten the work I've done for you?" He asked before he muttered another praise.
"Mizu no Kokoro." Kento cried out, as suddenly the arrows he was shooting out now was water.
Tanjirou tried to dodge, but to his shock, the arrow was able to curve.
Almost like it was moving like the streams of water. It flowed like water, and all Tanjirou could do was grab the arrow.
But even then, the arrow continued, lifting Tanjirou into the air before the arrow embedded itself high into the wall.
Tanjirou grumbled as he noticed the situation he was in. He was trapped high in the building, with only an arrow holding him up.
He would essentially fall if he were to drop. But all the while, Nezuko was fighting the demon alone.
All he could do now was watch his sister fight the demon alone until he managed to get done without hurting himself badly to the point of making himself vulnerable to Kento.
As Nezuko and Kento clashed, all Tanjirou could do was look around for anything to help him.
A.N / Going to stop right there, because we're reaching the word limit I would like for this chapter. This and the next chapter will have in total I think 3 demon fights, when in reality Tanjirou and Nezuko will have more demon fights that won't be included obviously. Think of it as them fighting demons between the chapters and time skips if there are any. The point for the next couple of chapters is to pretty much complete their mission. Theoretically, the plan is to let them perform this training for around a year, considering there's roughly a year left before the Final Selection which includes Zenitsu, Genya, and Kanao.
All in all, I did try and use some references for the demons that I've introduced. However, I did take Kento from a suggestion from someone on AO3 who commented about the demon's backstory and personality, name is Snoipe, so there you go. I do like the thought he put into this, and will be the second demon Tanjirou and Nezuko ever run into. The actual thing he has not yet manifested a blood demon art of his own, but rather the object was manifested by a previous demon, which Kento took, and with his praises, can influence the kinds of projectiles fired.
Not much else to say here, other than I hope you enjoy the character of both Aya and Tanjirou in this chapter. I'll probably use Nezuko's POV for Kento's remaining battle, but we'll see Tanjirou's reflection as well.
Anyways, see you for Chapter 16.
Character Profile:
Tanjirou Kamado: Male, 14 years old
Status: Alive, Demon
Height: 5'5" (165cm)
Weight: 132Ibs
Nezuko Kamado: Female, 13 years old
Status: Alive, Demon
Height: 5'1" (155cm)
Weight: 115Ibs
Aya: Female, 20 years old (chronologically, 16 years physically)
Status: Dead, Demon
Height: 5'2" (157cm)
Weight: 112Ibs
Kento: Male, 32 years old (chronologically, 17 years physically)
Status: Alive, Demon
Height: 6'3" (190cm)
Weight: 192Ibs
Abilities:
Tanjirou Kamado:
Demon Consumption: Tanjirou, now having been able to consume demons, has found that it increases his demonic strength and even his overall presence. He also can determine and analyze the backstory of demons as he eats them, as seen with Aya. His teeth have accustomed to biting deeper into demons' bodies. Tanjirou prefers the tendon, muscle or fat, blood, and nerves of demons.
Kento:
Kyudo: Using the bow of his weapon of choice, Kento was blessed with the bow due to a demon manifesting it as a blood demon art, which was then left with Kento to use. With prayers and praises, Kento can manipulate the properties of his arrows, making them unpredictable to his opponents.
Mizu no Kokoro: Causes the arrows to develop a water property, making the arrow able to curve and move more erratically, but does not pierce his opponents.
Haru wa Arashi, natsu wa kaji: Causes the arrows to develop an electric and flame property. Both cause larger damage to opponents. The electric properties cause more AoE damage than the flame, whereas the flame properties do more direct damage.
Tanjirou Kamado, Nezuko Kamado, Aya, and Kento:
Demon Physical State: All the demons mentioned are stronger than many humans. Even Tanjirou's strength is increasing, even if it's marginally.
