The next few weeks were spent with Tanjiro resting, playing with his younger Siblings, helping Urokodaki fix his house and doing light training. In what felt like no time at all, a man, who introduced himself as his Swordsmith, Haganezuka, arrived with his sword. "Children who are born with red-haired and eyes and who work with fire are called Children of Brightness in our Village. Having one is considered lucky, and a cause for celebration." The man explained. "My family does have a long history of being Charcoal burners" Tanjiro replied with a tilt of his head.
Haganezuka became excited, "really? That means this sword might turn bright red! Draw it! Quickly! I have to see!" the man exclaimed. Tanjiro did so. As he held the blade up, it turned pitch black. "Damn it! And here I was hoping to get to see a bright red blade!" Haganezka complained. Suddenly Tanjiro's Crow flew in through the window. "Caw! I bring you orders!" it proclaimed. "It can talk?!" Tanjiro yelped in shock. "Head to the last town to the Southwest. Young girls are disappearing there! Night after night, at least one of them vanishes! You must hunt down the Demon responsible and kill it! This is your first Mission, as a member of the Demon Slayer Corps!" the Crow explained.
"Alright" Tanjiro said, ready for the Mission.
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After Haganezuka left, Tanjiro got dressed in his Uniform. "Are you ready?" Urokodaki asked. "I am" Tanjiro agreed. "Alright. There are a few things I want to talk to you about before you go" his Master said. He told Tanjiro about the properties of his new Uniform and Sword. Then he brought out three wooden boxes. "I assumed you're going to want to take your family with you on your missions. So I made these for you while you were training. They're made of an extremely durable wood called Cloud Mist Pine, and I coated the outside of them with Rock Lacquer to make them even more durable.
You said that your family can shrink, so they should be able to fit in those boxes if they share" Urokodaki explained. "Wow! Thank you so much Master! This is wonderful! These boxes will be a lot safe for everyone than the baskets I was using before!" Tanjiro said gratefully with a wide smile. After the Demon Kamados chose which boxes they would be using, (his Mother and Rokuta in one, Takeo and Shigeru in the second and Nezuko and Hanako in the third) they all climbed in and Tanjiro packed them into his cart.
He turned to Urokodaki and bowed, "I promise to update you when I make any progress on a cure for them. We might even be able to come back for a visit. But for now, goodbye!" Tanjiro said, picking up the cart's handles and beginning to leave. As he headed down the road, Tanjiro clenched the handles firmly, 'this is it. I can finally start searching for a way to turn my family back into humans now. I won't fail, I swear' he thought in determination.
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It took two days to reach the town. Looking down at it from a hill, Tanjiro thought that this must be it. "The last town to the Southwest." He headed into the town, looking around as he did. Soon Tanjiro smelled some fried fish. His stomach growled. 'I'm almost out of rations, and Urokodaki did give me money. I'll buy myself some Breakfast, then start looking for clues about the Demon.' That decided, the 15-year-old walked up to a vendor and bought a fish and some rice.
As he sat and ate, Tanjiro listened to the discussions around him. "Did you hear about Hikari? She's pregnant-", "I don't understand it! I've tried everything-", "look, there's Kazumi," "Poor dear, I heard he was right next to Satoko when she vanished". Tanjiro looked up. A teenager, a little older than he was was walking down the street passed the food vendor. He looked exhausted, and he gave off a strong scent of grief. "It's very creepy. How many young girls are going to disappear?" one woman asked. "As soon as I can, I'm taking my family and getting out of this town! I have a daughter who's just about to turn 16, I'm not taking any chances!" Tanjiro quickly finished his food, thanked the vendor and grabbed his cart. He hurried to catch up with the older teen.
"Are you Kazumi?" he asked, as the black-haired 16-year-old turned to him. His face was bruised. "I want to hear what happened to you. I'm here to help" Tanjiro explained. Kazumi stared at him.
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The two boys were in an alley. "This is where Satoko vanished. Although you may not believe me" Kazumi said. "Of course I believe you. But the creature that took her is only active at night, so we might want to wait for the sun to go down" Tanjiro explained. "Hm. I'd offer for you to come wait at my house, but my parents aren't really talking to me at the moment." The 16-year-old shuddered, trying to hold back his tears, "everyone thinks I did something horrible to Satoko, even our parents. But I'd never do that! We've been friends since childhood, and I've loved her for four years! I don't know why no one believes me!"
His fight lost, tears started to trail down Kazumi's cheeks, "I don't even know what happened to her! One moment we were walking down the street and talking, and the next she was just gone! My Fiancé is gone" he said, beginning to sob. Tanjiro frowned and placed a hand on the older teens shoulder. Urokodaki had warned him that most Demons weren't like his family. Most didn't remember their pasts, and didn't care that they used to be human. They would kill and eat innocents without a second thought. "I don't know if Miss Satoko is alive or not. But if she isn't, I swear that I'll do everything I can to ensure that no one else has to suffer like you have Kazumi. Don't worry". Tanjiro assured.
The older teen wiped his eyes, "what do you mean?" he asked, confused. Tanjiro smiled gently at him, "that's my job after all" he replied. Then he knelt down to the ground and sniffed it deeply. He automatically ignored his family's scents coming from his cart. 'There, the scent of another Demon. It's faint though. This did happen a couple of days ago. It'll be better to try to find a fresher trail' he thought. Tanjiro tracked the faint scents through the town as the day passed and the sun sank lower and lower in the sky. "I'm flattered that you're so worried about me, but it's getting dark. Shouldn't you find somewhere to stay and keep going tomorrow?" Kazumi asked.
"Demons are only active at night, like I said before, so it should be easier to find now" Tanjiro explained. His Mother knocked on her box. Kazumi jolted, but Tanjiro opened it up. "Mom Can you sense something?" he asked. Kie climbed out of her box, Rokuta peeking out of it after her. As she stepped out of the cart, Kie grew in size until she was her regular adult size once again. The other teen stepped back in fear, but Tanjiro smiled at her, "hey Mom. Did you have a good sleep?" he asked. "Y-y-yes" Kie stuttered. Out of all his family members, his Mother was the one who had made the most progress.
She could speak, though in broken sentences, and she showed no reaction to human blood. His Siblings, on the other hand, could only make sounds, words sometimes in Takeo's case, and still struggled with their hunger sometimes. Though sleeping helped. The black and silver-haired Demon woman looked around, then her eyes widened, before her pupils narrowed into slits. Kie ran off, with Tanjiro smelling the enemy Demon a moment later, following with the cart. "Woah! What's happening?!" Kazuko cried, as he struggled to keep up with them.
"The Demon is at large! Stay close!" Tanjiro replied, as he ran after his Mother. The rest of his family's boxes moved, as his Siblings woke up. Roukta poked his head out of the box he shared with their Mother, his red eyes also slits, and his tiny fangs showing as he growled slightly. They finally stopped at a deserted alleyway, and Tanjiro dropped the cart's handles to draw his Sword. His Siblings started emerging from their boxes and climbed out of the cart to form a wall around Kazumi, who looked shocked at the Demon Kamado's. Tanjiro looked around, trying to focus on the scent of the enemy Demon.
'Two scents. One Demon, one female human. I can't see them, so they must be hidden somewhere' he focused on his sense of smell, which could find both scents intermingled. 'The place where the scents are strongest is-' Tanjiro pointed his Sword at the ground, "right here!" he cried, stabbing his Sword into the dirt. There was an explosion of dark water, and a puddle opened up in the ground. A woman's sleeping Kimono floated to the surface, and Tanjiro didn't hesitate to reach in and grab the girl, pulling hr out of the puddle as a clawed hand tried to drag her back under.
He heard his family's growls getting louder as he jumped backwards with the girl in his arms. Kie walked up to him, cooing at the unconscious girl. She gently took her into her arms, while Nezuko, Hanako and Takeo stepped up beside him to fight. A purple and black-haired Demon with three horns rose out of the puddle. He grit his teeth in anger, as the Kamado's growled at him. Hanako shot Tanjiro in the back with her Blood Demon Art, the blue and pink flower growing out and filling Tanjiro with energy. "Thanks Hanako" he said gratefully to his youngest Sister. Nezuko suddenly shot forwards and raised her leg to smash the other Demon's head in.
However, he sunk back into his puddle before the attack could connect, causing an explosion of dust to rise into the air and the ground to crack. "Guys! Don't use too much power! We don't want to damage the two too much! Especially since that could attract people and we definitely don't want that!" Tanjiro called. Another Demon rose out of the wall, but Takeo grew a pink flower on his arm and punched him before he could dodge it. "Gah!" the Demon cried out in pain. The first Demon was confused, "Demon's working with a Demon Slayer? Why would they-" he was cut off by Nezuko lunging to kick him again. The Demon growled and sank back into his puddle, which slithered away from her. However, Tanjiro ran towards it, Hanako's Blood Demon Art empowering him.
As soon as he re-emerged, Tanjiro sliced his head off with enhanced speed, 'Water-Breathing, First Form: Water Surface Slash!' he thought, decapitating the first Demon in a flash. Another Demon, identical to the first, but with one horn lunged out of another puddle towards Kazumi and the girl, but Shigeru turned his arm into a bone whip and slammed him into the ground. "What the hell is wrong with these brats?!" the Demon snarled furiously. Hanako shot a seed at him. He tried to dodge by sinking back into the puddle, but the seed hit him, and grew into the blue flower. "Urgh, shit! What is this thing?!" the Demon cursed, feeling his blood being drained.
While he was distracted, Nezuko kicked him out of the puddle and caused him to roll across the ground. Takeo and Nezuko descended on the Demon, beating him until he had started to crumble away. Tanjiro stepped forwards and raised his Sword. Despite already disintegrating, the Demon tried to attack him with his claws. Tanjiro sliced his head off. The final Demon looked between all of the Kamados and Tanjiro. Then he sank back into the puddle, which slithered away. "Hurry, after him!" Tanjiro cried. Kie picked up Kazumi and the girl into her arms, making him squeak in shock.
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The final Swamp Demon rose out of the swamp on the outskirts of the town. He panted as his wounds healed slowly. "What the fuck is up with those Demons?! Why are they working with a Demon Slayer? And how are they so powerful?! I can't smell any human on them, so they haven't eaten any. How are they all so powerful?!" the Swamp Demon curse. Suddenly he heard a sound beside him and looked down. He saw a tiny Demon boy with bright red eyes and dark red streaks in his short black hair. The Demon stared up at him, before holding his arms out in front of him and forming some kind of energy ball in his hands.
The Swamp Demon stumbled backwards as the ball began to vibrate to the point it gave off a high-pitched whir. The little Demon then shot the attack at him, causing a small explosion. Tanjiro and the other Kamado's, along with Kazumi and the girl arrived just as the final Demon crumbled into ashes. "Wow! You took him out all by yourself Rokuta! Great job!" Tanjiro complimented, reaching down and picking his baby Brother up after sheathing his Sword. Suddenly he realised something, "wait, when did you leave your box? I thought you hadn't come out with Mom?" he asked.
The little Demon boy made a noise and hugged his Older Brother. Tanjiro sighed and hugged Rokuta gently, stroking his hair, "well, as long as you're okay, I guess it doesn't matter. Just don't run off by yourself again, okay?" he gently admonished. Kazumi looked at the toddle with his mouth hanging open in shock. Rokuta squealed and clutched onto Tanjiro happily. The rest of his family walked up to him, Kie taking Rokuta into her arms. Kazuki looked on from where he had been put down with the girl in his arms. The flower on Tanjiro's back disintegrated. He pat his other younger Siblings on the head gently, "you all did amazing! Thank you for helping me everyone" he said with a smile.
Tanjiro looked over at Kazumi, who looked devastated. "That Demon. He killed Satoko, didn't he? My Fiancée is dead" he sobbed. Tanjiro walked over to him, "Kazumi. No matter how painful the things that happen to you are, you have no choice but to continue to live. No matter how painful the blows may be". Kazumi stared up at him, looking over at the Demon children, who were being looked over by their Mother. He sniffed, "I-I'll try, Thank you all for protecting me" he replied. Tanjiro smiled and stood up, "I'm trusting you to get that girl home safely Kazumi" he said. "I will. Thank you!" Kazumi called, as he turned to leave. Tanjiro waited for everyone to bet in their boxes, before heading off with his cart.