3rd POV

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Tamayo found herself in a state of bewilderment she hadn't experienced in years. A young boy, despite clearly being a demon slayer, had shown compassion towards a newly transformed demon and tried to assist him. This unexpected act prompted her to intervene, although she knew revealing herself would attract unwanted attention, especially after the boy openly shouted her tormentor's name.

Initially expecting Yushiro to bring only the boy as per her request, she was taken aback by the presence of another, particularly unfamiliar figure in her modest dwelling. Taiyo-shin, the enigmatic individual who had recently emerged, remained shrouded in mystery, enough to warrant Tamayo's caution.

"Good evening, ma'am! Apologies for the intrusion, but I heard you wanted to meet my boy," the figure greeted her, causing her to blink, momentarily taken aback by the sight before her. "Oh, him? He tried to gouge my eyes out when I mentioned tagging along-quite the pesky one. I had to resort to some unconventional methods to prevent a messy situation. Apologies."

They bowed slightly, holding a struggling Yushiro with taped mouth and bound by ropes. Tamayo sweatdropped, comprehending the situation. She nodded, prompting the masked individual to unbind him.

"Tamayo-sama! This brute of a man manhandled me! I'll ensure he gets kicked out!"

"Yushiro-kun, please, address them respectfully; they are our guests."

"OF COURSE, TAMAYO-SAMA!"

She was not expecting Taiyo-shin to immediately offer help regarding the unfortunate couple. Intrigued by their rumored feats, she let them examine the woman she had been attending to. Surprise crossed her features upon witnessing the human woman's immediate recovery right after they placed a gloved hand on her forehead.

Now, Tamayo had seen a lot of things, but this was unlike anything she's ever witnessed before. Though, she reserved her questions for later, she guided them to the living room for better accommodation.

Healing powers were uncommon, especially among demons whose sole purpose was to wreak havoc and cause tragedies. Muzan had no need for such merciful abilities, so it ruled out the possibility of Taiyo-shin being a demon.

They were unlike anything she had encountered before. In stark contrast to the human slayer Kamado Tanjiro, who had been an unexpected and amicable surprise, Taiyo-shin proved challenging to understand. The mysterious aura surrounding them, coupled with the box they carried, added an unsettling dimension. Questions lingered-were they also traveling with a demon?

Attentively listening to Tanjiro's tale, where he introduced his younger sibling, Kamado Nezuko, Tamayo also observed the interaction between the demon child and Taiyo-shin. It was apparent the child had grown attached, even going so far as to shrink down and sit on their lap, seeking affectionate gestures. The sight was perplexing, reminiscent of a mother attending to her child. It offered a subtle clue about Taiyo-shin's gender, although Tamayo refrained from vocalizing any assumptions.

Her reverie was abruptly interrupted when Tanjiro inquired about the possibility of finding a cure.

Thankfully, there existed a solution, albeit a perilous one, requiring the blood of a demon close to the power level of Kibutsuji Muzan.

"Oh, I believe I can help with that," Taiyo-shin suddenly interjected, having remained silent the whole time during the conversation. "If it's blood you require, he might be of help."

Tanjiro's expression transformed from dejected to hopeful in an instant as he grasped the implication.

"He?" Tamayo was slightly perplexed and observed as Taiyo-shin knocked on the box.

A sudden surge of terror gripped her, freezing her muscles, stifling her breath. Beside her, Yushiro was frozen, unable to move a muscle as the presence in the box suddenly materialized. She could only watch in silent horror as the demon made its appearance. Instantly, she recognized him, and it seemed he recognized her too, as three pairs of eyes locked onto hers, delving deep into her soul.

"Oh, it's just you, the fugitive," he stated simply.

Yushiro sprung into action within moments of recovering from his shock. "How dare you bring this monster into Tamayo-Sama's home! I knew it! It was all a plot! These people were sent to kill us!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, calm down, little guy, he's on our side!" Taiyo-shin reassured, though they remained rooted in place with little Nezuko still in their lap. Tanjiro, on the other hand, stepped forward.

"Tsugikuni-san is an ally! Please, don't worry!" he exclaimed anxiously.

Little Nezuko let out a firm hum of agreement.

"An ally?!" Yushiro, still skeptical, gritted his teeth. "Do you really expect us to believe that? The kanji in his eyes say otherwise!" He tensed as the demon's gaze briefly shifted to him.

Taiyo-shin grunted and snapped their fingers, causing the kanji in Upper Moon One's eyes to vanish instantly. "They're just for show. Koku-kun no longer has any ties with disc-uh, I mean, Muzan. I made sure of that."

"Even so, this is unforgivable-"

"Yushiro-kun," Tamayo interjected firmly, cutting him off. He looked at her with confusion before relenting upon seeing the look in her eyes.

A part of her felt a twinge of relief as she observed the demon with a mix of apprehension and intrigue. His presence, though imposing, lacked the raw viciousness and hatred she still remembered from encounters with Kibutsuji. The masked individual had indeed spoken the truth. Somehow, an Upper Moon, one of the strongest demons ever created by the progenitor, stood before her in her guest room. The question now lingered: how was this possible? Never in a million years would she have imagined such a scenario! This was unprecedented, a development beyond all expectation!

"I care not for your head, for I no longer serve Muzan," Tsugikuni-san declared, causing her to tense. "But if it is blood you require," he outstretched an arm, locking eyes with her, "I shall provide it, as per my master's request."

Tamayo blinked, taken aback.

"Oi, oi, oi, I told you to stop calling me that! It's so weird!" Taiyo-shin interjected suddenly, appearing flustered.

"But you are my master," Tsugikuni-san insisted with a frown.

"Hm-hn!"

"Not you too Nezuko!"

She could only observe the odd interaction, left bewildered and at a loss for words. A sudden tremor shook the entire structure, and it became evident they were under attack as a massive explosion destroyed a chunk of the mansion. Strangely, none of them were injured.

As the dust settled, shock gripped her as she saw their attackers.

"I guess he's asking for a punch in the dick," Taiyo-shin muttered, prompting her to gaze at them in surprise.

"Pardon?"

"Tanji-kun, think you can handle this one?" they asked casually, gesturing toward a white-haired demon in a red kimono. The boy nodded, appearing apprehensive yet prepared. "Good. Nezuko shouldn't have trouble with those two," they added, pointing at a pair of demons. One held temari balls while the other, seemingly blind, managed to glare in their direction. The demon child grew in size, indicating her understanding. "As for-" they paused upon realizing the former Upper Moon had already moved, "And he's off. Oh well."

As Taiyo-shin's headed out, they could only gawk in utter disbelief.

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1st POV

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Four lower moons and the same two demons. Well, damn, I guess Muzan was really pissed. Ruffling the big bad guy's feathers sure had an impact on the current situation.

Arms crossed, I neutrally eyed the dissolving remains of lower moons two, three, and six. Koku-kun didn't even give them a chance-how ruthless. With a hum, my gaze traveled to Tanjiro's ongoing fight, which... wasn't much of a fight all things considered. I didn't particularly try to remember all their names, but my brain immediately identified this one as Mukago, lower moon four. Why? She was often used in fanfics, though not so much, but it still left enough of an impression for me to recall her name.

The others though? My brain straight-up refused to commit them to memory. Sure, I guess one of them was the source of the earthquake, but that's about it. Koku-kun wasn't patient enough to let them fully unleash their Blood Demon Art. A shame, since I was kinda curious about it. Fortunately though, Mukago, the only lower moon left, had figured out her tactical disadvantages and attempted to sprout even more demonic plant thingies to ensnare Tanjiro.

She wasn't the strongest, per se. But her Blood Demon Art was definitely dangerous, especially for someone like Tanjiro, who relied heavily on his sense of smell in combat. And well, that wasn't exactly helpful in this situation. The spores her plants released were a big no-no for any slayer worth their salt.

Breathing techniques required, well, breathing. With the air saturated with likely poisonous spores, using those techniques was out of the question. And the more you moved, the more you felt the need for fresh air creeping up on you, leaving you with the options of either running away or hoping to Allah for a stronger slayer nearby to lend a hand.

"No wonder she's number four," I remarked casually. She probably planted those things around small villages, wiping out the entire population and consuming them. That's likely how she climbed the ranks, since she didn't seem like the fighting type. Next to me, Koku-kun frowned in distaste.

"Cowardly tactics," he scoffed.

"But effective. Tanjiro's struggling, despite his stronger physique."

"My pupil will prevail," he asserted confidently.

This brought a smile to my face. Ignoring the baffled looks from Tamayo and Yushiro, I reached over to pat the demon's head before focusing on the ongoing battle. Nezuko had already incapacitated the arrow demon with burns, leaving his arms charred and useless, unable to assist Susamaru-ha! That name I remember.

It had been five minutes since Tanjiro last took a breath, and things weren't looking good for him. Tamayo urged us to aid him, but neither Koku-kun nor I moved, maintaining our faith in his abilities.

Suddenly, Tanjiro sprinted towards a nearby tree and leaped into the air, reaching astonishing heights. It seemed he had finally figured it out.

"[Water Breathing: Second Form, Water Wheel!]" he exclaimed as he descended upon his opponent, cleanly slicing her in half and bringing an end to the fight.

At the same time, a crash echoed from another direction, followed by the sound of Nezuko's heavy breathing as she proudly made her way towards us. We all turned to look where she had come from and hissed slightly at the sight of the charred bodies strewn on the ground. Despite their condition, the occasional twitch indicated they were still alive. Koku-kun moved to finish them off, but I gestured for him to hold on. After patting Nezuko, I approached the duo and crouched down to get a better view.

"What's he up to?" I heard Yushiro ask before realizing he had directed the question to Kokushibo. He edged away, shielding Tamayo with a hiss, though the ancient samurai paid it no mind.

"Now, what to do with you two?" I mused aloud, briefly observing them. A hoarse but defiant groan was the only response I received. Sheesh, Nezuko really did a number on them-who would've thought? She only suffered from a broken leg, which she easily healed before jumping back into the fray. Their healing process was definitely slower, despite their little power boost from Discount. Yeah, the guy didn't take too kindly to my little threat and decided to literally pump them full of blood. Even the lower moons.

Oh well.

Fishing out two vials, I casually poured the contents into their mouths, watching as they began convulsing. With a flick of my wrist, I bound them with ropes that would dissolve once the process was complete, a task that shouldn't take more than a day. Twirling a finger, I caused them to float and follow me as I headed back.

Well, that was certainly a spur-of-the-moment decision, but hey, who cares?

A wet cough caught our attention, drawing our gazes to a struggling Tanjiro. His face was rapidly losing colors as he coughed up blood and swayed. Red spots were rapidly appearing on his skin. It appeared he had inadvertently inhaled the spores. Nezuko rushed to him in worry, while I sighed and made my way over to heal him. It sure was a bad match up from the get go, but I'm proud of him for besting his opponent nonetheless. With Tanjiro's condition stabilized and a grateful Kamado, we turned to our stunned audience.

I surveyed the damaged mansion with a wince. Sure, I could have easily repaired it, but it seemed Tamayo would have relocated regardless, especially after the recent events. Four lower moons plus two strong ones? Yeah, I'd be packing my bags too.

"Oh, by the way, I may or may not have had a little chat with Muzan on my way here and threatened him a Lil bit, " I revealed casually. Everyone turned to me with wide eyes.

"Threaten Kibutsuji...?" Tamayo said, sounding incredulous yet with a hint of admiration that made me smirk without even realizing it.

Yushiro lost it immediately, scolding me for even suggesting putting Tamayo-sama in danger, but quickly changed his tune when Tamayo gave him a disapproving glance.

He promptly apologized.

Tamayo then asked about the bound demons, curious about my plans for them, and honestly, I had no clue. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision. We headed back indoors. Dawn was approaching, maybe an hour away, so we relocated to their basement. That's where the demoness announced their decision to move elsewhere, a smart choice. It was then that I decided to ditch my mask and hood, opting to introduce myself properly.

"People have taken to calling me Taiyo-shin, but I prefer Tobe Colith. Pleasure to make your acquaintance. I've been lending a hand to the Ubuyashiki for the past two years, but I've heard about your unwavering dedication in the fight against Kibutsuji Muzan," I said, offering a slight bow. "You've shown remarkable resilience. If you'd allow me, I'd be honored to join forces with you all in this noble cause." I grinned warmly and motioned towards the bound demons. "As for these two, I was thinking of entrusting them to your care, as a sort of added security measure, if that's agreeable to you."

That seemed to snap them out of their initial shock at seeing my face. Tamayo was the first to bounce back, wisely choosing to say nothing about my appearance, for which I was grateful. She handled it with the same nonchalance as Tengu Gramps, but then again, she's witnessed a lot in her long life. Yushiro, on the other hand, well, he was completely bamboozled. I'm pretty sure it was because I'm a woman rather than anything to do with how I looked. I'm surprised he didn't make the connection with a name like Lith though.

Heh.

She didn't suggest keeping Nezuko with her, taking into account my presence. But after I assured her that Muzan's influence over the two demons would completely dissipate within a day, Tamayo reluctantly agreed to my proposal.

We shortly left afterwards.

"You confronted Kibutsuji Muzan...?"

"Sorta, yeah, that's why I was late earlier. Figured I'd try to negotiate a little truce with him, see if he'd ease off on the whole hunting-you-down thing. But, as you saw, the attack pretty much spoke for itself," I shrugged. "Looks like he didn't quite grasp the gravity of my threats. Well, someone's about to learn the hard way!"

Tanjiro shuddered slightly at my tone, "Are you planning to go after him?"

I grinned mischievously, "Nah, I'll let him stew for a while. There's nothing quite like the element of surprise to keep an enemy on their toes. Let's leave him guessing and make him paranoid! It'll be fun to watch."

"Colith-san?"

"Yes, Tanji?"

"You're scary."

"Thanks Tanji."

As always, I convinced him to take a quick nap. Tanjiro had given up arguing long ago, which didn't sit well with his crow. Despite the slayer mentality of burning the midnight oil, I wasn't buying it. A lack of sleep can really mess you up, no matter how skilled you are. Sleep first, fight later.

Seppen decided to join us, enjoying the show.

We stumbled upon a pretty disturbing sight before too long.

There he was, the screaming Pikachu himself, latched onto a poor girl who had my immediate sympathy. Without hesitation, I stepped in and gave him a light tap on the neck, knocking him out cold. Probably not the smartest move, given who he is, but I just couldn't deal with those ear-piercing screams.

To my surprise, I didn't get attacked, not even a katana to the neck. Maybe his instincts only kick in around demons. It would explain why Zenitsu was still out cold.

Luckily, the girl was so thrown off by 'Taiyo-shin' that her anger flew out the window. Seizing the moment, I tossed her a bag of coins, nearly making her faint at its sight. After some awkward thanks, she shuffled off, leaving the three of us on the road. Concerned about the economy? Nah.

Tanjiro glanced at the snoozing Pikachu with worry, "Is he okay?" Chuntaro, or should I say, Ukogi, was perched atop his head, looking pretty relieved.

"Hm? Oh yeah, him," I crouched down, lightly patting his face, "Oï, wakey wakey, it's time for schoo. Come on, wake up."

Tanjiro sweatdropped at my blank tone and almost yelped when the blond immediatly sat up with a startled snort.

"Whe-Where am I?"

"Ah good, you're awake, Sheesh, you're worse than Sanji and that man is a certified pervert. You could've fooled me for being a relative." I drawled.

The small curious 'Sanji?' from Tanjiro was readily ignored.

Zenitsu stared blankly at me, or rather my mask, for a second.

He then proceeded to shriek.

Ya Allah, forgive me for I'm about to slap a child-

Naturally, Zenitsu was on high alert. But hey, who could blame him? He was basically using poor Tanjiro as a human shield.

"I can't hear anything. I can't hear anything. I can't hear-" he muttered rapidly, shaking like a leaf.

"What are you even talking about? And can you please stop hiding behind me?" Tanjiro said, sounding a bit annoyed. Ukogi chirped in agreement.

"No sound, no heartbeat, nothing!" Zenitsu exclaimed, sounding like he was on the verge of losing it. Tanjiro glanced at me, seeking an explanation.

"You know that technique I use to hide my scent from detection? Well, I'm using a variation that also cancels out any sound I make. He must have sharp ears, hearing nothing from me must be freaking him out," I clarified.

Tanjiro nodded in understanding and gently nudged Zenitsu, encouraging him to calm down.

"M-my name is Agatsuma Zenitsu," he introduced himself, still eyeing me with suspicion, "Are you...are you truly a god...?"

"Perhaps," I replied casually, making him jump. It seemed he was too intimidated to accuse me of ruining his marriage, so he mostly just stayed out of my way, hiding behind Tanjiro as we walked.

"I'm Kamado Tanjiro. You're a slayer too, right? You shouldn't be causing trouble for your sparrow, Agatsuma-san."

"Huh?"

"Ukogi," Tanjiro pointed to the tiny bird I was currently cooing at, "He says, 'Zenitsu is always like this and refuses to go to work! Whenever he sees a woman, he always goes after them and snores really loudly!'"

Zenitsu's eyes widened in horror. "W-what?! YOU SPEAK BIRD LANGUAGE?! WHO'S UKOGI?! HIS NAME IS CHUNTARO!" he shrieked, making me wince. Just as he was about to unleash another round of screams, I clapped my hands loudly.

"ALL RIGHT FOLKS! THAT'S ENOUGH! TIME TO EAT!"

I shoved two bentos into their hands, insisting they sit down and eat. Zenitsu looked thoroughly bewildered, wondering where the heck I got those bentos from, but he still accepted the food. A few seeds to bribe Matsuemon was all it took to ensure they could eat in peace. I even gave some to Ukogi, who was absolutely thrilled. As for Seppen, the only sign of her presence was the two dead mice disappearing in the blink of an eye as I tossed them into the air.

At one point, Zenitsu mustered the courage to ask what we were carrying in our boxes. Tanjiro seemed a bit uneasy, not wanting to disclose his sister's situation, while I opted for honesty. Figured it was best to rip off the bandaid right away. Zenitsu didn't take it too well and promptly freaked out. I resorted to gently karate chopping his head to calm him down.

Surprisingly effective move.

As we arrived at the house, the mood instantly shifted. I pressed on while Zenitsu had another nervous breakdown at the sound of something strange coming from the house. I ended up standing right under the first-floor window. I had previously attempted to approach the kids, but they flinched quite badly at the sight of me, so I left it to Tanjiro to handle.

No, no, I wasn't hurt. Leave me alone. *tship*

As I caught the injured guy, like most (Y/N) have done countless times before, I swiftly treated him, healing all his injuries in one go. Then, I kindly patted his back, handed him a change of clothes, and gave him a wisteria bag, insisting he keeps it with him at all times. After that, I sent the bewildered guy on his way.

Turning to my stunned audience, I shrugged. "What?"

Tanjiro was the first to blink. He shook his head, a faint smile on his lips, then turned to the kids to inquire if the man was their brother. They shook their heads. With a determined nod and a pledge to rescue their brother and any survivors, he pulled a flailing Zenitsu with him inside. The Thunder Breather didn't even have time to let out his protest; they were already gone.

My attention shifted to the kiddos, and I immediately slipped into mama mode: one, checking for any injuries; two, making sure nothing was out of place; and three, the most crucial part: feeding them. I conjured up a picnic set and two bowls of steaming beef Tonjiru, then turned to them and gently encouraged them to sit down and eat. It was a wise move, judging by the two loud growls I received in response. That seemed to do the trick, as they were no longer wary of me. Then again, I couldn't blame them; my mask did look pretty spooky with 'em big ole eyes.

No way was I gonna let these kids wander into a demon's lair on their own. In the anime, they freaked out when they heard scratching from Nezuko's box, but this time, they were chilling under a tree, munching on warm food and marveling at my so-called magic tricks with wide-eyed wonder.

Who knows how things will turn out without them this time?

Ah, man, now I'm really curious.

After reassuring Shoichi and Teruko and convincing them to get some much-needed rest-I mean, they must've been up all night, right?- I headed over to Koku-kun's box to fill him in once they dozed off.

"Watch over the kids while I'm away, okay? I won't be gone for too long anyway."

The demon grunted in agreement. I moved Nezuko's box closer to his, just in case, as Tanjiro had entrusted it to me before entering the house. Sending in a clone might've been the more sensible option, but truth be told, I was getting a bit bored. Babysitting the main character wasn't as entertaining as you'd think when you know what to expect.

What I did not expect however was to stumble upon a body.

Ah.

Ah, yes. That was a thing.

Had I been desensitized to death? Pretty much.

Gazing at the remains and then at the distressed spirit beside it, I just sighed and revived them before sending them back to the last place they were before ending up here. I did this with every corpse I encountered, tuning out the faint screams - definitely Zenitsu's, echoing around. Looks like they still managed to get separated.

I was now hovering through the corridors, the house having decided to go apeshit and rearrange itself, I had no desire to get thrown around like a piece of candy in a bag. Yeah no. After coming across yet another corpse- dammit Kyogai-I effortlessly dodged the bulldozing pigman who tried to slice me in half. I continued on my way, ignoring his outraged roars and relentless attacks that followed.

Well, hello to you too, Inosuke!

"THE HELL?! I CAN'T SENSE YOU AT ALL!" he yelled in frustration before lunging at me again. I sidestepped, sending him crashing into the room behind me just as the sound of a drum echoed through the house. He was promptly whisked away to some random area of the house, if his distant shouts of frustration and the ensuing commotion were any indication.

Welp, that happened.

I stood there for a few seconds before deciding to join Tanjiro. No bodies left to find anyway. I arrived just as Tanjiro sliced the demon's head, took a quick look at the room's state, and then glanced at Kyogai's decapitated head. He was one of those demons I felt sorry for, even though I didn't condone his actions. Well, it was ultimately Discount's fault anyway.

Just then, a thought crossed my mind, and a devious grin spread across my lips.

"Colith-san?!" Tanjiro exclaimed when he saw me emptying a vial into the demon's mouth, finally noticing me. "What are you..." he trailed off.

"No worries, Tanji, I just got an excellent idea that will most likely involve this guy over here in the future," I lightly tapped Kyogai's forehead. The demon blinked in bewilderment, the disintegration of his head stopping short, his body not so lucky. Before he could voice his confusion, he lost consciousness as I willed it. With a snap, the head vanished elsewhere.

[Kokushibo shifted a bit, sensing a light disturbance back in his abode. He did not move to check.]

He blinked and then nodded slowly in response to my ongoing chuckles.

It's kinda funny how he just rolls with whatever shenanigans I've got going on without even questioning if it's a good or bad idea. Goes to show the trust this boy has in me. *Sniff*

He didn't question why I suddenly decided to hug him out of the blue; he just returned the hug like the gentle soul he was.

"What are you up to?" I asked, tilting my head as I watched him gather all the papers scattered on the floor. He explained that he had intended to publish them on Kyogai's behalf, as a way to honor the former human's work. But since the demon was still alive-

"He's still alive, right?"

"Of course, kiddo."

-he'd just return them back to their owner as a show of good will.

What a considerate child.

Original stories weren't exactly my thing, but his writing style was pretty intriguing. Then again, I wasn't exactly that well versed in Japanese literature to make a proper judgment.

That gave me an idea though, but I'll save it for later.

After rescuing the missing child, which almost got me a kettle thrown in my face because the kid mistook me for a demon-

Again, outch.

-we stepped out of the house, encountering a rather familiar scene. To me that is. While Zenitsu had previously been guarding Nezuko's box out of kindness for Tanjiro, this time he seemed more focused on preventing Pig Assault from getting anywhere near Koku's box, driven more by fear than compassion, judging by his expression. The demon inside his box watched them blankly, the door slightly open. Meanwhile, the kids perked up at the sight of me but hesitated to approach, clearly intimidated by Inosuke's, well...Inosuke-ness.

"HAHA! So you've finally decided to show yourself," he exclaimed, pointing at me after rudely kicking Zenitsu aside. "You will pay for making a fool of me!"

"What is wrong with you?! Aren't you a slayer too?! Why are you attacking your own comrades?!" Tanjiro yelled.

"Comrades? I have no need for such!" he sneered, pointing one katana at us and the other at Zenitsu, who flinched. "Especially scums that protect demons!"

This only seemed to infuriate Tanjiro further. He clenched his teeth and blitzed out of sight to deliver a punch to the Japanese Mowgli while passionately lecturing about their code of conduct.

Wow. That's a sentence a never thought I'd ever formulate.

"WAAAH!!! HIS RIBS CRACKED!!" came Zenitsu's ever-helpful input as he hid behind the kids.

Just as Inosuke geared up for retaliation, I promptly put an end to this tomfoolery, preventing things from escalating further. Taking a page from Saitama's book, I karate-chopped him out of nowhere. I didn't even want to imagine what would've happened if Tanjiro went for a headbutt this time. I even felt bad for the swamp demon when he faced that headbutt; the poor thing was out cold just like that. Even Koku-kun had the good sense to dodge those during sparring. And he's a freaking upper moon.

Though it was certainly encouraged when facing a stronger and unaware opponent.

They all stared in silence at his unconscious body, then back at me.

"You'd prefer him to keep attacking you?"

Everyone shook their heads.

"Thought so, yeah."

Kokushibo closed his door firmly.

They were taken aback when I informed them that I had already taken care of the demons' victims. Questions about the bodies did come up, with no graves in sight, that was a given, but a simple, "Don't worry about it," was enough to brush the matter aside. Zenitsu seemed even more on edge at that. Who knows why.

Grateful, Tanjiro thanked me once more before wincing slightly. He was still nursing injuries from his encounter with Kyogai, which was no surprise. Getting tossed around like a ragdoll tends to leave a mark on anyone, and while I'm no doctor, he probably had a few fractured bones. I offered to treat him, but to my surprise, the boy politely declined.

"Although I owe you everything, I can't in good conscience rely on you every time I get hurt. I must endure and persevere so that it doesn't happen again!" he had said, bowing deeply.

His words were inspiring enough that even Zenitsu momentarily toughened up and declined my aid when I offered to heal him.

These boys, I tell you.

I still ended up giving them some first aid, just to ensure they wouldn't collapse from their injuries. Inosuke eventually woke up, and when no one paid attention to his taunts, he simply trailed along as we made our way down the mountain. After dropping off the siblings near their village, and of course, gifting them each a small never-ending bottle of wisteria perfume, along with three extra bags just to be safe, we bid them farewell.

And no, I definitely didn't almost melt when the trio rushed to hug me. Shut up.

"We actually never got your name. I'm Kamado Tanjiro, what's yours?" Tanjiro began suddenly, as if he hadn't nearly rocked the boar-headed boy's shit earlier.

Even Inosuke seemed momentarily taken aback by Tanjiro's gentle tone.

"How can you be so casual after breaking his ribs?!" Zenitsu pointed out, clearly baffled. Me too, Zen, me too.

Inosuke snorted and struck a pose. "My name?! I'm Hashibira Inosuke! Don't forget it! And you," he pointed at me, "Fight me!"

Before I could reply, Tanjiro stepped in. "We're not fighting you. And you shouldn't be rude to Colith-san."

"Colith-san?"

"That's my name. I never introduced myself as 'Taiyo-shin.' to begin with. It's a foreign name for a foreigner," I explained in response to Zenitsu's question. The boy's eyes widened in realization. "They keep calling me that because of this," I gestured to my current outfit, "and I just happen to wear it more often."

"Whatever! Police! Fight me! You must be strong! I only fight strong opponents! You too, Kamaboko Gonpachiro! I'll defeat you both! Bring it on!"

"No thanks, pig boy, I'll pass. Get my name right first, and maybe we'll talk."

"I'm not Kamaboko Gonpachiro! It's Kamado Tanjiro!" Tanjiro declared. "And Hashibira Inosuke? How do you write it?" He interrupted Inosuke before he went off.

"Write? I don't know how to read or write! It was written on my waistband! An old guy told me!"

"Eh...that's sad." Zenitsu muttered in pity.

"Huh?! Who are you calling sad? Are you looking down on me, brat?! You think I'm pitiful? Wanna fight?!"

Zenitsu promptly sought shelter behind me, prompting me to instinctively pat his head in comfort, much to his surprise.

"RAAAH! STOP HIDING AND FIGHT ME, COWARD!"

"That's not a nice thing to say to your comrade! Apologize!"

I swiftly tuned them out and let Tanjiro deal with his future friends. They will eventually get along just fine.

Hopefully.

The wisteria house came into view not too long after.

Honestly, I'm baffled by how that old lady figured out I was a female. Hell, she even gave me a separate room for extra privacy.

But hey, I'm not complaining. A nice soak in the bath sounds perfect right now. Luckily, we've got the place to ourselves. This branch of the Wisteria family doesn't get much slayer traffic, maybe just one or two passing through in a month. Although, I've heard of higher ranking slayers showing up more frequently, even some Pillars, but even that is a rare occurrence. Because of that, they tend to go all out, ensuring their guests have the most comfortable stay possible.

The grandma provided me some clothes before leading me to the female baths.

Ouuuh onsens! Me likey!

After a blissful bath and donning the elegant lilac colored Yukata— had to tweak it a little so it would fit— I sauntered through the corridors, savoring the sight of the setting sun. Ah, this never gets old. We did arrive unusually early, now that I think about it, but that's expected when there's no burial ceremony involved. With a gentle surge of aura, I effortlessly located their positions. It appeared they had just wrapped up their check-ups with the Doctor Hisa—yeah, that's the name of the old lady who runs the place, by the way— had brought here.

Tanjiro's typically bright aura seemed somewhat dimmed, likely a result of the shame he felt after injuring Inosuke. Zenitsu's aura, akin to a restless yellow ball of electricity, flickered with unease and periodic spikes of trepidation. Meanwhile, Inosuke's earthy aura, reminiscent of an uncharted forest, remained as untamed as expected from a wild beast, its erratic movements clashed with everything within its owner's sight.

Lovely.

The other auras swirling around the area, belonging to the few residents of the house, didn't stand out as much in comparison. While there was some elemental diversity among them, it wasn't enough to fully capture my interest. It's always fascinating to learn about different auras, but for the most part, especially among civilians, earth was the predominant one I encountered. However, demon slayers were a different story; they exhibited a much wider variety of auras. I even encountered one reminiscent of magma once. That woman had quite a unique breathing technique, to say the least. A retired slayer, a rarity in their line of work. She now ran an orphanage instead.

Putting those thoughts aside, I paused in front of their room, raising an eyebrow at the partially damaged door.

Damn. Whoever did this sure was pissed.

I had informed Hisa earlier that I would join the kiddos for dinner, so she didn't need to come fetch me. She was a kind soul, her aura soothing and warm, like a cozy fireplace on a cold winter night. Not that it ever snowed where I came from; I only experienced snow for the first time in AOT, but that's beside the point.

The three auras immediately perked up, with only one of them showing recognition. The other two were curious but completely unaware. Ah, yes, I had deactivated the anti-Uzui, allowing them to sense my presence.

Sliding the door open, I asked, "So, what's the doctor's verdict?"

Tanjiro scratched his cheek sheepishly, his hair cascading freely instead of being tied back in a ponytail. "Well... we were advised to rest for a month," he admitted, shrinking slightly under my unimpressed gaze.

"Hmm... I guess that's better than jumping into another mission while still injured. Make the most of it and get to know each other better, okay? I won't be staying for long."

Tanjiro appeared crestfallen at that.

"Maah, no need to make that face, kiddo, we'll see each other soon enough. There are people who need help out there, so I've gotta be there for them too, ya know?" I placed Koku's box beside Nezuko's.

He blushed slightly, "O-Oh, I see..."

Gazingat the bewildered boys, "You okay, kids?" I inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"Who the hell are you?!" an unmasked Inosuke leaped to his feet, while Zenitsu's mouth clamped shut with an audible click, his eyes comically widening further.

I looked at them blankly for a moment, feeling a twinge of amusement before breaking into a grin. "Surprise!" and cue the jazz hands.

"TAIYO-SHIN IS A WOMAN?!"

Man, I haven't updated this story for like...6 MONTHS MAN.

I HAVE AN EXCUSE THO.

This gall got a new job! Yeah, as you would've guessed, humansneed food to survive, so yeah.

My bad guys :')

Consistency isn't my forte, BUT, I'll make sure to post more regularly. Or try.

Oh boy. I'm deeply sorry, it's not discontinued, bruh.

Oh man, headache–