Chapter 3: The Final Selection

The three kids arrived at the place of the final selection to be part of the demon slayer corp, during their travel there Kanao barely talked and Tanjiro noticed her using a coin every time she wanted to talk or do something.

Nezuko told him that she did it when she was at the butterfly mansion but never asked her why she did it. When Tanjiro was about to ask her, two little girls approached them.

Just then Tanjiro noticed that there were lots of kids wanting to join the corp.

"Thank you for coming to the final selection" said a girl with black hair then she added "Inside that forest there are demons that were captured by other demon slayers you must reach the mountaintop shire. The surrounding of the forest we have wisteria that is poisonous for demons"

"You must go from the mountain's foot to the slope in seven nights. Whoever reach the slope alive will be part of the Demon Slayers Corps" this time the girl with white hair spoke "We wish the best for all of you" both of them took a bow and she added "We will see you in seven days"

All the kids ran in the forest, Tanjiro and Nezuko worked as a team killing demons, both of them saved several kids they found on their way to the slope of the mountain. Thanks to Giyuu's training in real combat with him and Kanao, both of them became stronger than other candidates who only learned the forms of their breathings and got body strength.

By the fifth night they were almost at the top of the mountains when they found a huge green demon, with lots of arms around his head and body.

"Nezuko, there's a strong blood smell... The other demons didn't have that strong smell. This demon had been eating a lot of humans" said Tanjiro in a whisper to his sister as they unsheathed their sword, ready to fight.

Meanwhile, away from Mount Fujikasane, Giyuu went to where Urokodaki's house was and headed to that clearance where he and Sabito used to take a nap after practice and where they shared their tragic stories.

There was a little Buddah statue " Master... You put this here to pray for his soul, didn't you?" thought Giyuu, smiling slightly.

He put his knees on the ground and prayed, even when he lost faith in that when he lost his loved ones but now he wanted to pray for his students, he became attached to them and wanted them to be protected by someone up there.

"I never thought I would see this..." that voice, Giyuu's muscles freeze in place, how was this happening "...Giyuu Tomioka praying. If only the master and Murata could see this"

"S...Sabito?" said him with tears in his eyes.

"Giyuu" said his voice and Giyuu turned, afraid that he had gone crazy but there was the figure of his best friend, Sabito, he looked like the last time he saw him... alive.

"Wh...what does this mean?"

"I'm here to remind you of that promise we made here. That you will honor your sister's wish and now my wish for you to be alive and help others. I died doing what I wanted to do... Help others survive. Right now your students are fighting that same demon that killed me and other Urokodaki's students" his eyes showed terror so Sabito added "You trained them, you did it amazing and those two will do it. I can tell that Tanjiro's kid will kill it because he's strong. He mastered those wicked traps Urokodaki loves to put down this damn mountain" Sabito was wearing his mask but Giyuu could bet he was smirking "Forgive yourself. You are alive and became a Hashira. Don't you dare feel sorry for you"

Giyuu smiled and nodded "Fine... I will keep my promise and survive" Sabito's mask was cut in half at that moment and Giyuu could see his eyes again and that big smile then Sabito disappeared. Giyuu had some tears in his eyes then he cleaned them and went to Urokodaki's house and drank a cup of tea.

Back in Mount Fujikasane, Tanjiro and Nezuko held hands with tears in their eyes as the demon's body disappeared and he shared his sad story before turning into a demon.

Tanjiro told his sister about Urokodaki and how much he learned from him when he was with him.

After the death of that demon their way to the top went smoothly. Neither of them had deep wounds and by the last day, they could see that only four other kids survived, a blonde one, a kid with a boar mask, one with a mohawk and Kanao.

"Congratulations to all of you who survived. You will receive a kasugai crow who will tell you where to go and you can use them to send letters to other members and they will send letters back to you" five crows landed on each of them except for the blonde kid who got a small sparrow "Now you have to pick on of these metals so we can send them to the swordsmiths so they can build your swords"

The mohawk kid became irritated and attacked one of the girls asking for a sword, Tanjiro held his wrist and asked him to release the girl or he would break his arm. The boy, feeling his strength, released the girl but looked angry at Tanjiro.

Then Tanjiro looked at the rocks in front of him but didn't understand what to do, then he focused on his smell and picked the one that smelled good for him. Nezuko felt an attraction to another rock as well as the other kids picked theirs.

Later that day they left with the promise of receiving their swords soon. They left to Giyuu's house, they were all dirty and tired but glad to survive.

When they arrived there was Giyuu waiting and when he saw them he hugged them, it was a surprise for both since their master wasn't like this but it was welcome, considering the situation. There was also Shinobu hugging Kanao.

They took a bath, put on new clothes and ate together and they shared how the selection was. Giyuu took notes of their clothing size and ordered their uniforms. Then they spend their following days training and getting stronger until two swordsmiths arrive.

They wore weird masks which at first scared them but they explained it was for their protection.

"I'm Kanamori and this is Haganezuka and we were assigned as your swordsmiths. I will be Nezuko's and Haganezuka will be Tanjiro's" They nodded, then he handed Nezuko her sword "Ladies first" she held it and unsheathed her sword which turned into a beautiful deep blue just like Giyuu's.

"You have red eyes and hair and those hanafuda earrings, you must come from coil burners and those features indicate the gods blessing" he handed the sword to Tanjiro and when he unsheathed his sword it color changed into a deep black color. Haganezuka looked disappointed.

"Umm... black?" Giyuu looked a little disappointed as well and nodded "It means bad luck" Tajiro looked worried "But it's the color you resonate with so... We can't do anything" said Kanamori with a calm voice "Nezuko, on the other hand, is more intune with the water breathing" then he looked at Giyuu "Well, it was nice to see you again Mister Tomioka. Let's go, Haganezuka" they left.

Giyuu handed them their uniform and went to their first mission.

"Maybe Tanjiro should talk with Rengoku" said Shinobu as she saw them leaving with there crows leading the way "I heard they have the books from the flame hashira from the Sengoku Era, there was a man who owned a black sword"

"I will tell them once they are back but I bet their crows will give them more missions in the same area. But can you ask him while they return" he said, turning to her. She could tell something was different. His eyes still looked the same but she could see a little more of life in them.

"As you wish Tomioka," she said with a genuine smile. He gave her a smile as well "ok...I felt something was different but now I'm sure something changed... tell me"

He looked at her and sighed, of course she could noticed, she was the only one who took her time to be around the grumpy Giyuu Tomioka "I had a... umm... spiritual experience with someone who meant a lot to me when I was about Nezuko's age. And he helped me move on from... things from my past"

"I'm glad Tomioka. I hope something like it happens to me... but I'm too much of a scientist that I might have doubted it" he smiled.

"Kanae could make sure you, you won't doubt it"

They laughed "Sure she will" she laughed more "but with a smile on her lips and her eyes shining with kindness, just like Tanjiro's" Giyuu nodded and looked at her.

"Yes, that sounds like Kanae Kocho" they continued to talk until midnight. Then the Insect Hashira left with a mission in her mind and feeling happy to see her friend Giyuu healing himself, even when she didn't believe in spiritual experiences, but if that worked then she was for sure be thankful for that development from him.

OOooOOooOO

What did you guys think? I wanted to give Giyuu this development early also, as most of you might be aware of, the Sun Breathing (SB) was natural to Tanjiro as well as Sumiyoshi, Tanjuro and of course the man, the legend, Yoriichi Tsugikuni and what does all of them had in common? Red hair and eyes, which could be a coincidence or a condition to develop that breathing technique.

Which means neither Nezuko nor the other Kamado siblings would perform the SB so Nezuko will be able to use the Water Breathing with ease.

Next chapter will be their missions and I'm not sure if I made them meet with Tamayo and Yushiro after meeting Muzan. Let me know what you think.