Timeline During Muichiro's departure to the Swordsmith Village.
A day after Muichiro left, In the morning as Tanjiro witnessed the slayers going for Pushups, 42 slayers in total as Many are from Mizunoto to Tsuchinoto rank, Tanjiro watching them as they made their way to the last pushup and Tanjiro replied "500 more!" "Haasaahhh?!" They all froze in shock. Some fell to the ground as Tanjiro sighed in disappointment, as Hours passed as The slayers are running around the mountain, "Im... getting tired..." Until a Wooden Dagger gets shot to the slayers as some went in confusion as "What the? Wooden dagger?" Asked a slayer as Matsuemon, Tanjiro's crow on a Tree "Don't assume running is just some simple thing, Keep Going you brats!" As slayers saw a bunch of wooden daggers flying out, around the trees as They all started to keep running. "What's going on?" "Where are they coming from?" "I see it, there are wooden snipers in a box shaped l, armed with 6 wooden daggers, many of them are everywhere, Our crows are using them to test our reflexes." Says Murata and Matsuemon flying ahead "Mwahahha, you are correct, go on, you never know when a Demon will go for a surprise attack." The slayers began running as some wooden daggers kept getting shot on some slayers.
Sooner or later in the training hall, Himari Yuki, Ice Breath user, Tsugoku of Kocho Shinobu. Rank Tsuchinoe. Sitting on her knees in front of a table full of cups of medicine "I shall be testing your Reflexes, reaction speeds, I may be a higher rank, so it depends how much I'll speed up my pace." Many slayers are getting beaten within moments as soon as the pace speeds up. Many slayers are on the dining table, looking exhausted as Tanjiro gets a stack of many different dishes ready on a longer table, plates arranged at one place. Some slayers got their food as they made their way to the table. They began eating as Tanjiro eating his food with a slayer asking "Kamado-sama, this is too much for us." "Don't assume I'm going easy nor harsh, just me going neutral. You just came here, as i mentioned before you'll get used to it." Says Tanjiro as he finishes his food. He places the plates as he begins to leave "Eat as much as you wish, you need a lot of energy to get yourself in good shape." He then leaves as some slayers sighs as Murata says "Well, this is going to take a while." "Never thought this is how hard it'll get. But this, it's delicious." Says the slayer as the other slayer says "I can't stop eating it, he's a good cook."
As Tanjiro in the evening, leaving the Eclipse estate with a wooden sword in hand he makes a run to a specific direction, as night time arrives with him running through a town which is empty. He made his way up to a place in front of a temple, as he witnessed 3 pillars sparring. Kyojuro vs Giyu and Kanae.
"Flame Breathing, 4th form..." Kyojuro dashing to Giyu as he goes for the slash, with Giyu deflecting it as he jump off at the same time, with Kanae appearing from behind Giyu and Infront of Kyojuro, on her way to slash Kyojuro, both swords slashes eachother with and but Kyojuro kept slashing her, only for Kanae to jump backwards and dashed off With Giyu rushing to him as he danced around and slashing him, "... Blooming Flame Undulation." both slashing each other, only for Kanae to rushed towards him from behind and slash him, only for Kyojuro to deflect it right away, as Kyojuro going for another slash, only for Giyu to show up "Water Breathing, 2nd form..." As he Slashes him vertically only for Kyojuro to immediately perform "1st form, Unknowing fire." "Water Wheel." The three standing still as Kyojuro says "That's amazing, you both are quite the powerful Duo!" "Good to know you're getting stronger." Says Giyu, in his normal expression and tone.
"Good to see you three doing well!" The 3 saw the Pillar of Sun, Kamado Tanjiro coming in with his family sword with him, as he places it next to the other swords, having a wooden sword in hand. "Himari-san Told me you spar here quite often, i hope you don't mind me joining in." Says Tanjiro as he's getting prepared, "Ahh, Kamado. You're here. I hear you are training our low half ranking slayers." Says Kyojuro and Tanjiro replied "Well, if i have to protect the slayers as a Pillar, I'll have to help the slayers protect themselves while they can" "that's good to hear!" Says Kyojuro and Kanae says, "I see you are here to spar with us...here to train?"
"Sparring match it is, as such. Consider this a 3v1." Says Tanjiro as he dashes to them "Hinokami Kagura, Raging Sun, Flame Dance." He goes to Strike Kyojuro in a consecutive way, only for Kyojuro to deflect it immediately and Tanjiro ends up dashing to Giyu and slashes him vertically, only for him to dance and dash straight to Kanae, "Flower breathing, 1st form..." Tanjiro on his way for a horizontal slash, and Kanae goes for a fast consecutive slash, "Flowing Pedal Slash!" Tanjiro goes around the 3 pillars while performing consecutive, vertical and horizontal slashes to them while dancing around. With the trail of fire going around them. By the witness if the 4 kasugai crows, all they see is fire, flame, water and pedals, Flowing around in a dusty mist being caused by powerful dents and slashes caused around. Giyu going for the strike, "Water breathing, 4th form..." "Flame Breathing, 4th form..." Giyu and Kyojuro comes in and they go off performing multiple slashes "... Blooming Flame Undulation." "... Striking Tide." "Burning Bones, Summer Sun." Tanjiro going for the spiral motion slash as he deflects every attack coming. 'He delfected our multi Slashing forms, in one slash. Sun Pillar, Sun breathing...father must know something about this. I might need to ask him.'
"Flower Breathing, 5th form..." Kanae on her way to perform a number of consecutive slashes "... Peonies of Futility." "Beneficial Randiance." Tanjiro spiralling himself as he slashs at her as Kanae took a few steps back and both swords clashes to eachother 9 times. "Clear blue Sky." Tanjiro going for 360 slash, but Kanae deflected it, while Giyu on his to slash him "2nd form, Water Wheel." "Fake Rainbow." He vanished as he was caught off guard and To Kyojuro's surprised he immediately dodged the invisible strike, as Tanjiro is out of the after-image. "Hinokami Kagura, Halo sun dragon head dance." He goes off dashing each in every one of the three at once, and each time the 3 pillars are Slashing and deflecting him. "Water Breathing, 11th form..." Flower Breathing, Final Form..." Tanjiro was caught off guard and got multiple slashes all over him, as Tanjiro fell to the ground as he was covered in bruises, "Dead Calm." "Scarlet Spider Lilly Eyes." in which he saw Giyu in a tranquility state and Kanae having her eyeballs red, Only to turn back as she was panting in exhaustion. Tanjiro then says, "amazing..." As he passed out.
A few minutes later as he woke up and saw the three eating, "Ah, Kamado, you are awake." Says Kyojuro, "that's some sparring match." as Tanjiro says "I still have much to experience." "No need to pressure yourself Kamado-kun. It's just training after all." Says Kanae as she hands him a tray of rice balls. "You plan on maintaining the mark, are you?" Asked Giyu and Tanjiro say, "yes, and I'm almost into it." "You have alot of endurance, by my count you are able to handle a load of demons. But facing 3 pillars is a bit too much." Says Giyu as he's eating. "It takes 3 pillars to defeat an upper moon as far as I've heard. I thought this might help me try and maintain the mark..I have to get to it before an upper moon bumps into me. Especially... Tsugiikuni Michiikatsu" Says Tanjiro "who?" Asked Kanae, as Tanjiro replied "Upper moon 1, he's a breath user from the sengoku era." The 3 pillars open their eyes wide as Tanjiro says "And he has the mark's full power." Kyojuro then says "Young Kamado, don't pressure yourself. It'll cloud your judgement." "Of course..." Says Tanjiro and he continues to eat.
2 days later as Tanjiro on his way to a certain place, as he makes his way there to a mansion and he saw a Crow with a heart shape collar, "Tell Kanroji-san I'm waiting outside." The crow nodded in which Tanjiro entered through the gate, as he's Infront of the entrance. "Kyaaaaa! Tanjiro-kun! You're here! I didn't expect you here!" "Good to see you Kanroji-san." He bowed to her and Mitsuri blushes a little and says "No need to bow, we are at the same rank, What brings you here?" "I could use some help in training." Says Tanjiro and Mitsuri got confused in which she asked "Me, but I don't think i can train much." "It's flexibility training that I'm here for, you are flexible afterall." Says Tanjiro and Mitsuri say "Oh, your here to improve the flexibility?" "Yeah, I'm trying to manifest the mark in it's maintain state. I'm following every possible step in which existed in history." Says Tanjiro and Mitsuri grabs Tanjiro's hand and says "then I'll help you with it, but first I'll get you some to eat. I'll give you pancakes." She says while squealing in joy, while Tanjiro seemed confused about hearing this so called 'Pan-Cakes?' Tanjiro on a table with Mitsuri wearing an apron as she places a plate of pancakes. "Huh? It smells like sweet but...how do I eat with these?" He asked while holding the dull knife and fork, Mitsuri takes it "Like this." Takes out a piece, "Say Ahhh." Tanjiro closes his eyes, opened his mouth wide. She fed him a piece of pancake, Tanjiro felt the taste as he said "It's delicious." "Kyaa, I'm happy." Says Mitsuri as she takes out a tight clothing for flexibility training. "Oh, and you'll have to wear this for training." Tanjiro raising his eyebrow in wonder. Why?
A while later, Tanjiro wears it as Mitsuri started training him of the flexibility. "One, two, and three." As some time passed as Mitsuri says "Kyaa, you already done it. "Now, on to one thing." Tanjiro on the floor, Infront of Mitsuri as she holding his hands, and her feet next to his, Tanjiro feels worried of what might happen. "And Now!" Tanjiro felt the whole pain as "GYAAAAAA!" A few hours later, Tanjiro eating as his legs are trembling in pain. "Sorry!" Mitsuri feeling sorry but Tanjiro says "It's fine, it was bound to happen anyway. It'll take a while for me to get used to it."
7 days later as Tanjiro helping other slayers in training, some are exhausted, some are still going. "Who knows this kind of training would be hard?" Says a slayer, as for Murata saying "At least it isn't the tsugoku level training. I can understand why not many pillars have them. Kamado wants to help us, you know we won't go anywhere if we kept on stopping out of exhaustion." The slayers looking at Tanjiro who's training on his own while some are saying "well, the population is high after all, we'll have to train." They get up and goes off training on their own. A while later the slayers are on sword reflex training, being tested by Tanjiro who he's on slow strike in testing them, a slayer struggling and Tanjiro going on to it. As the wooden sword shattered down as he falls down, "it's too much, it's way too much." "If you say that to a demon, do you think it'll listen?" Asked Tanjiro while he yelled in a strict way, leaving the slayer to face up to him, Tanjiro pointing his wooden sword to him and says "this fear i smell is what's holding you back, i didn't bring you here to scare you. Whether it's harsh or not, you'll have to endure it." "I understand!" Yelled the Murata who's crying, "every night, i see you leaving the estate and then i see you bruised up quite often. I figured you were sparring with the pillars to maintain the mark we have been hearing about. I'll give you my Word Kamado-sama! We may not be capable of fighting demonic moons, but the best thing we can do, is support the corps, the pillars, in any way we can." "Yes! We will support the corps and help you all." Says the other slayer as Tanjiro who seemed surprised 'Even though I smell fear, there confidence is still within it. They're doing their best in fighting it.' Tanjiro watching from the porch, seeing how they are training, running around, pulling up rocks, reflex training and dummy matts slicing.
Days passed in which Muichiro who returned and began witnessing the slayers training on their own while talking to Tanjiro, "Is that what happened? You found a sword in that?" He asked and Muichiro said "I could tell it was Michiikatsu's sword. I thought he already has it." "I don't think he would need a Nichirin blade anymore, since he's a demon." Says Tanjiro and Muichiro then remembered something "oh, i forgot. I manifested the mark." Tanjiro looks to him and asked "you did?" "Yeah, i don't know how I'll maintain it." Says Muichiro and Tanjiro then takes out a syringe and he takes out Muichiro's blood as Muichiro asked, "what was that for?" "For A certain someone who's going to help us weaken Kibutsuji Muzan, and save us from the marks short life span. I can't tell who. Oyakata-sama's orders." Says Tanjiro, Muichiro sighs and replied "fine by me then. You have instructions on maintaining the mark, right?" "Yes! It's all in Yoriichi's Journal." Says Tanjiro.
10 days later after training, as Tanjiro and Muichiro on the field with wooden swords in their hands, while the other slayers are watching both started to dash to each other, "Moon breathing, 1st form..." "Hinokami Kagura,..." Muichiro on his way for a Crescent shape slash ".. Shining Moon Evening Palace" only for Tanjiro to jump up while spinning and twisting himself as he peforms a 360 slash and deflects the speed full attack. "Clear blue Sky" Leaving the jaws of the slayers to drop down and says "That was fast!" Both Pillars sparring "6th form, Light Boomerang, Blue Moon." Pushing rushing towards Tanjiro, who he's spiraling himself into the air and going for a swirling slash. "Beneficial Radiance." Both swords clashes with each other, a trail of fire and a trail of a crescent moon being flown out and hitting eachother. Until both ended up having marks on their faces. "3rd form, Dark light, Moonlight Haze." "Raging Sun, Flame Dance." Muichiro dashing around and slashing Tanjiro who hes Slashing consecutively, vertically and horizontally while being in a constant dance position. As it goes on in which the slayers are witnessing it all, all they see is dust and a trail of fire and crescent moon flying around in speed. They couldn't even see what's happening at such rate. "Is this the strength of a pillar is?" "Which is why we have to train, to support them." Says Murata. Back with the Sun and Moon, Both sparring like crazy as both are on a higher stance "Moon Breathing, 8th form..." "Hinokami Kagura..." Both dashed to eachother in speed "Moon Dragon, Ring Tail." "Halo Sun Dragon Head Dance." Both slashing each other faster then before in which both swords shattered to pieces. Both saw how they managed to get evenly tied up. "Caw! Caw! Pillar meeting! Caw!" Says Matsuemon in which both faced to eachother.
Later on Both arrived at the headquarters and saw the pillars talking until they saw them coming, "Ahh Kamado and Tokito are here." Says Tengen and Kanae who she seems unhappy to see some bruises on them and asked "Ara Ara, what are these bruises?" "We were sparring, that's all." Says Tanjiro "Is it just me? Or did your scar got a little darker." Giyu asked and Tanjiro asked while looking at it head "Did it? How come no one told me?" "Unless they have sharp eyesight. They'd notice it." Says Giyu and Tanjiro looking to his scar as he says "It's getting darker, i think it's a part of my mark." "How did you get the scar anyway?" Asked Kanae, "I got it while I was protecting my brother from a hot boiling water accident and it gotten worse during my training with my father." Says Tanjiro. as for Obanai and Sanemi further away, staring at Tanjiro and saying "This mark making him arrogant." "Tch, i haven't fought him yet. I'll let him know he's not special." Says Sanemi. "The master has arrived." Says the daughters in which they all kneeled, "Good morning, Oyakata-sama. I pray for your health in good condition." Says Gyomei. "That's nice to hear my child. Right now, this meeting is urgent. I have read news in the city of Tokyo Capital of mysterious disasters Caused by a some tornado which showed up at full clean sky time, and some attacks caused by some weapons. I believe it's casued by a 12 demonic moon there." The pillars gasped and Tanjiro says "2 mysterious incidents caused by 1? It's probably 2 demonic moons there." "How can you be so sure?" Asked Kanae and Tanjiro explained, "A tornado caused out of while having no clouds around, and attacks caused by some weapons. I don't think one demon would have 2 different types of blood demon art at once." "So it's probably 2 demonic moons there. That's one possibility there." Says Tengen. "Then it's best for 2 pillars to head there!" Says Kyojuro "Oi you brat! Don't go acting like you know everything." Says Sanemi who's smirking and pointing at Tanjiro and Kanae glares at him, making him stop as Kagaya puts his index finger on his lips as Kagaya says "Tanjiro, if what you speculate is true, then see if you can track the ones with your nose. And have Obanai to accompany you." "Yes!" Says Tanjiro. Obanai flinched as he faced to Tanjiro. "As such, meeting ends here." As the pillars bowed in which Mitsuri says "Tanjiro-kun, Iguro-san! Be careful." "Yes!" Says Tanjiro, while Obanai clenching his fists and says "...I will." He said it while he hesitated.
Leaving both to head on their way until, Obanai grabs Tanjiro and pins him to a wall, "Listen you brat, you better not get close to Kanroji-san. And just because you have a keen nose and the first breath users strength. Doesn't mean you are special, do you understand?" Obanai said it and Tanjiro was confused about what he was saying "excuse me?" "You sure did have fun training with Kanroji-san, did you?" Asked Obanai in a cold and fury tone.
Flashback plays with Obanai in the field, "A letter from Kanroji-san!" Says her Crow in which he dashed ahead and reads the letter. 'Iguro-san, Tanjiro-kun came in to me and sought some flexibility Training, although he got a little hurt but manage to get used to it. He even tasted my Pancakes and he looked like he was going to pass out. He's so Cute.' Obanai started to get angry as he says "Kamado..."
Flashback ends in Obanai says "Unlike Kanroji-san, I'm not nice." Tanjiro releases himself and pushed him away. "You got some nerves do you?" He says it but saw how Tanjiro is looking at him in disgust, "Why are you looking at me like that?" "I just don't know what to think anymore...i just don't know." Says Tanjiro in a disgust manner as he walks ahead, Obanai comes in as he asks "are you seriously looking down on me?" And Tanjiro in his anger tone, "If you hate me this much and don't want to go on a mission with me then just say it. You are more than welcome to leave." A he says it while he continued his way without even looking at Obanai. The snake was getting frustrated as he comes ahead and doesn't say a word.
As they are almost there in 1 hour, until Tanjiro stops. "What it is?" Obanai asked as Tanjiro faced a mountain as he says "I smell some demons, there." He runs off as Obanai says "Is his nose dull?" He runs off with him. As he saw a bunch of demons crawling there, Tanjiro slays them in which Obanai insisted in slaying the rest of them. As they slayed them only for a women who was surrounded by them saying "Thank you very much." Tanjiro comes to them as he says "don't worry, we're happy to help. You know where to go?" "Yes! I know where my home is. I'll be fine on my own." Says the women as she leaves. Only for Obanai to say "Tch, too soft. Wasting time over them." "I'm just assuring them that it's all okay now. Does that bother you?" Asked Tanjiro as Obanai walks away, and says "Let's just get this over with." He said it, as both are walking ahead in "do you think it might be an upper moon we'd be dealing with?" Says Tanjiro and Obanai then says "it might be a mere upper moon on this mission." "Excuse me?" Tanjiro raised his eyebrow and Obanai says "Probably the lowest, so i wouldn't be surprised." And Tanjiro then stopped walking, Making Obanai to look to him who he's completely disgusted and confused, Tanjiro asked "you don't seem to have any manners, do you?" Obanai glared at him "what?" but Tanjiro isn't fazed by it as he continues to say "Already since my promotion, I've been picking up a scent of malice and hatred. What did i ever do to you?" "Existed." Says Obanai and Tanjiro noticed that he says it all, without hesitation. Obanai started walking away and Tanjiro Clenches his fists and teeth, "If that's how it is, then there's no way I'd collaborate with someone like you who's nothing but selfish." Obanai opened his eyes wide, he looked to Tanjiro and Glared at him in pure hatred "are you talking back?" as he asks "You started complaining about my family heirloom, and You Glared at me for talking to Kanroji-san, do you seriously have a problem with me for simply existing?" Obanai clenched his fists and Tanjiro continued to say, "I smell fear, did i hit a nerve?" Obanai remains silent as Tanjiro says "You told me to stay away from Kanroji-san, as if you don't want her to have friends. Is that what it is?" "That's not what mean, I don't want you to get close to her." Says Obanai as Tanjiro then asked "So i should push her away? which will end up hurting her, is that what you want?" Obanai was just getting lost of what he's hearing as Tanjiro says "This scent, now I understand. You think you love her, but no...You are obsessed with her." Obanai clenching his fists as Tanjiro says "You are one of them, who doesn't care about hurting others, who's selfish and greedy. You casually saying that an upper moon is weak, if that's the case then what about all the other pillars who died in vein from their hands? Are you mocking their deaths?" Obanai then marches to them "What are you on about?" "Oyakata-sama visits their grave alot, honering them, and then there's you mocking the deaths of the pillars, simply by calling an upper moon weak. Have you ever fought an upper moon before?" Says Tanjiro and Obanai then stopped after hearing about the master and the Pillars, he simply shaked his head, answering his question as a 'no' as Tanjiro sighs and then replied "...well, i never fought them either, at least not yet since Kibutsuji Muzan is after me, and there's no way i can handle them alone either...and Without a doubt you'd be happy if Me or Tomioka-san dies. Some others would cry for us, while you and Shinazugawa would be happy. That's how It goes. Selfish, arrogant, petty and greedy. Do you really think Kanroji-san would love a man like that? she sure seems to likes you, but if she finds out about your background then i don't know anymore." Obanai opened his eyes wide, wasn't sure what to say as Tanjiro the turning to the opposite direction, "If you hate me This much that you want to me to die. Then I'm not going with you. Why not go and handle this mission yourself since you think you're so high and mighty to the point that you go off harassing and Badmouthing others. You are one selfish man, there's no way i acknowledge you as a pillar." Tanjiro walks away, further away from his destination in which Obanai was just left silent. He watched him walk away as Obanai says "Kamado...Kamado wait..." But he was too late, Tanjiro simply left already.
To be continued