~ Prologue ~

Chapter 1 – Connecting Lives

"Mn… Uugh…"

A strained groan emanated from Tanjiro's throat, the throbbing sensation in his body settling in once he gained consciousness. His muscles were weighing him down like a slab of lead, the sensation making him numb as he shuffled uncomfortably in place more. With his eyes still closed shut, he decided to rest a bit in order for the soreness to wane as he could still feel his head spinning and twisting.

Strangely enough, soft chirping sounds graced his ears, ones that were akin to crickets – and when those sounds wouldn't stop, a grimace briefly morphed on his expression before Tanjiro decided to crack his blurry eyes open, the grogginess still lingering within. It took a while until he could see clearly again, taking nearly a full minute until his vision regained complete focus and revealing he was lying on his back.

Staring upwards to the boundless night sky.

The view mesmerized him, the little white dots in the sky glimmering while the sound of crickets chirping in the background provided some kind of respite from an aching sensation of crossing through something unpleasant.

At that moment, everything came in full force like a freight train.

Tanjiro sat up in an instant as a whirlwind of his recent memories flooded his head, a sense of urgency quickly gnawing on his veins. His dark crimson eyes darted to his surroundings, noticing several trees and bushes, with irregular terrain of land and rock. Looking down, he was still clad in his Demon Slayer uniform, and strapped on the side of his waist was none other than his Nichirin Blade.

Other than seemingly waking up in the dead of night, Tanjiro composed himself momentarily as a plethora of thoughts raced through his head, attempting to remember what happened to him prior to his current situation.

Transparently, Tanjiro remembered his conversation with the First Breath User. Afterward, there was a path, a cliff, a bridge, and then a door; where the latter glowed with a pristine white aura, subsequently encompassing his entire being when he entered the light. What happened after he was swallowed by the light, however, proved to be a vague piece of his recollections, only managing to reawaken from what felt like a long sleep. Now, the question remains to be answered:

Where was he?

Choosing to stand on his feet, Tanjiro straightened his form before he began to survey his newfound environment. No less, he found himself yet in another forest, the pleasant cool breeze in the air gently hitting his face and brushing his ruffled hair.

"W-What is this place?" the boy murmured, looking around warily. Having no knowledge of where the stone door put him or what kind of forest he was shoved into, his mind decided to scope the area - but before he could do so, a thin scent wafted in the air, making his nose twitch instinctively.

"I smell… food."

Tanjiro craned his neck towards the direction of the oddly flavourful aroma, letting his heightened sense of smell guide him; somehow enticing him to investigate as thinly-veiled curiosity tempted him to take a stroll through the veil of vegetation to reach it.

A minute nearly transpired as the smell started to become more apparent to his nose, and when Tanjiro felt he was getting closer to his unknown destination, something other than the delectable aroma seized his attention; one that emanated from where the smell was leading him.

"Did somebody… shout?"

A simple walk through the woods swiftly turned into a little marathon as Tanjiro prompted himself to hasten his steps, weaving through the flora of thick trees and shaggy bushes when the sound became more pronounced to his ears. Leaves, grass, and dirt crunched lightly under his feet - and once a small gap finally entered his line of sight, the boy pushed ahead, bringing him near the point of a cliff.

Tanjiro paused for a brief moment, catching a bit of his breath before noticing the scent had centered on this particular area. His assumptions were unironically answered when he saw a thick fume spewing up into the atmosphere ahead. A mixture of puzzlement and fascination donned on the young Demon Slayer's visage as he opted to carry his feet further to the edge of the precipice, managing to get a good view from his elevated position.

Both brows raised in conjunction with Tanjiro's flabbergasted expression when his deep red orbs perceived the gigantic cooking pot in the center of the surrounding terrain at the bottom, the chunky fluid within boiling to a moderate degree and emitting a flavourful tang to his nose.

'S-Such a huge pot!'

Absorbing the abnormal size of the pot for a few more seconds, Tanjiro shifted his attention from the cylindrical container to the odd structures in the vicinity. Various towers and huts stood below, furnished with the combination of wood, stone, and fur hides that bore a resemblance to what a tribe would look like, the primitive impression given and provided by the manner they were built in.

Before Tanjiro could examine a bit more, a sound of distress interrupted him from his musing, and the moment he swerved his eyes to the side, a newfound air of distress suddenly permeated him, his eyes bulging and his heartbeat quickening from what was unfolding underneath him.

From his elevated vantage point, Tanjiro could see someone; a gold-haired boy with a sword fending off against a group of peculiar creatures who wore ethic-like masks, with said creatures also armed with wooden clubs and shields of their own. Shockingly enough, there was also a bulky masked brute who towered over the smaller ones, possessing curved edged horns and a thick black hide of fur, while bearing a sizeable wooden shield on its forearm the same size as itself.

The sight wasn't bringing any comfort to Tanjiro, a gasp escaping his breath when the gigantic beast smacked its shield against the blond-haired boy, the impact belatedly flinging its target harshly to the side like a cannonball, forcing him into a corner without a window of escape.

The victim was just at the base of the cliff where Tanjiro was watching as the goblin-like beings continued to close the distance between them and their prey.

A maelstrom of thoughts afflicted Tanjiro, intensifying his pulse and rendering him unable to decide what the proper course of action is, the hesitation acting like a piece of rope that impeded him. It was a plain fact that the boy was outnumbered, but even if he managed to save him, where would they go? He hardly knew where he was or what kind of world he was thrust into, and would they stumble into more danger than they were in now? Will they be surrounded even more?

Considering the grim stakes, there was no time to think.

All that really mattered in these circumstances was what one chooses to do.

'Save him! Save him! Save him!' Tanjiro screamed in his head, mustering the very strength he needed regardless of the warring conflict of his mind and heart.

'Use a technique! Anything!'

Gripping the handle of his sword, the boy inhaled sharply, planting one foot in front of him and initiated a stance as blood vessels scurried throughout every muscle in his body, compelling him to act.

'Move!'

Slamming his foot down, Tanjiro leaped upwards and spiralled into the air, leaving a small crater on the cliff, promptly pulling out his blade from its sheath and stated the words in his head.

"Water Breathing…"

Reaching the peak of his jump, his inevitable descent followed through as the boy clenched his teeth and raised the steel sword over his head.

"Eighth Form…"

The masked creatures from below lift their heads up to the stranger, including the cornered blond figure.

"Waterfall Basin!"

Just as his feet touched the earth, Tanjiro brought his blade down in a powerful vertical slash, the motion cutting the masked beings within the range of the attack. Landing nimbly on his two legs, the young Demon Hunter swivelled his head to the boy behind him, eyes laced with firm concern.

"Are you all right?"

Crimson red met golden yellow as no response came from the blond-haired figure, his stunned and speechless visage simply speaking for themselves instead. Their gazes lingered to one another for what felt like a long, long moment - and for Tanjiro, it was an opportunity to peruse clearly who stood a few feet in front of him.

Other than having gold hair and the same height, the peculiar boy had fair skin and honey-coated eyes, wearing a brown breastplate vest that left his abdomen exposed and a white scarf around his neck. A single piece of orb earring dangled from his left earlobe while two-tail capes hung freely behind him, embellished with golden embroidery; the same material adorning his black boots, brown pants, and dark gloves. Lastly, a long braided ponytail dangled at the back of his head as well, one that reached below his waistline.

Their little stare-off was interrupted when a throaty grumble resonated in the air, prompting them to twist their heads to the sound and seeing their big brute of a foe seemingly survive the attack. The giant wooden shield, however, never did as it laid idly on the ground, losing its purpose from being sliced into pieces.

Losing its form of protection, the beast was enraged as it resorted to pounding his fists loudly together at first, allegedly trying to become intimidating - before slamming its fists into the ground and releasing a profound war cry, following a headlong charge at its two victims on all fours.

Tanjiro was not able to follow up another attack when a strong pull on his arm forced him to veer from the straightforward onslaught at the last second, causing the creature to miss its target. Instead, it crashed headfirst into the cliff wall, a fairly large webbed crack managing to take shape from the sheer force - which caused the barbaric beast to pass out unceremoniously afterward.

The slight but strong tug to his side nearly made Tanjiro fall, but a helping hand kept him on his feet, urging him to lock his eyes with the boy.

"Come on!"

Tanjiro was dazed for but a second until those words slapped him awake, allowing him to respond with a swift nod that matched his response. "Y-Yes!"

Not missing a beat, the two hastily went on their way, their present predicament giving them a new sense of renewed vitality when the other horned, masked figures within the area started chasing them, much to their dismay. Both of them weaved briskly through the crowd of goblin-like humanoids and sharp wooden fences positioned randomly in the area, avoiding the notion of being surrounded again.

To make matters worse, arrows began whizzing through the air, almost hitting either of them by a slim margin from those who stood on the wooden towers.

A small group came rushing from the front, and among them, another towering brute stood - with a large axe to boot.

"Water Breathing…"

Tanjiro narrowed his eyes as he sucked in lungfuls of air, shooting forward that left a small blow of wind and twisting his body reflexively in a flowing style – similar to that of a violent tide.

"Fourth Form: Striking Tide!"

The Demon Hunter slashed one, and two, then three of the masked enemies with every rotation of his body – and as the hulking beast lifted its axe with the sole goal of bringing it down on him, Tanjiro exploited a single second of that opening by chopping its neck off, leaving a few heads rolling on the ground.

The giant weapon fell with an audible thud on the ground as Tanjiro promptly looked behind. Other than from the immobile bodies lying on the grass, the boy in the distance merely stopped to witness what unravelled in front of him, as the slight gaping jaw and broadening eyes were enough of an impression that he was confounded.

Tanjiro lowered his blade to the side and called out to him. "Let's go," he said, giving a warm smile.

The boy acquiesced as he managed to grasp his words, bolting forward and extended a grin to him.

The green-and-black checkered haori fluttered behind Tanjiro as he continued to sprint without pause, moving at the same pace with the yellow-haired boy a few feet in front of him. They both repelled some of the flying arrows aimed at them, cutting them up - and in the back of his head, Tanjiro was grateful for his gruel training on Mount Sagiri where his body and senses were refined and polished to the point he can keep up effortlessly.

"Here! This way!" the boy exclaimed, taking a sharp turn as Tanjiro followed suit.

Both of them stumbled on a paved pathway - and what laid at the far end apart from an expanse of terrain were carved wooden barricades on each side of the path, along with a wooden tower situated near it. They wasted no time in making a mad dash as they carried their feet ever so further to reach the end.

'Almost there!' Tanjiro said inwardly. 'Just a little bit more!'

Taking one peek behind his shoulder, their little bolt for freedom seemed to have garnered the attention of nearly every masked creature in the surrounding area. Those who were sleeping soundly in the huts or on the towers were abruptly awoken by the noise of others giving chase to the two trespassers, their hostility not failing to exhibit when they began pursuing them as well.

Tanjiro snapped his eyes ahead once more, merely focusing on the goal of getting himself and his companion as far away from this dangerous environment as possible - but with a huge mob behind, it can be troublesome to stave them off from following them completely.

'We need to separate these things from us somehow,' Tanjiro pondered, swerving his eyes behind him occasionally to cut any arrows that could have hit him and the boy. His mind trailed back to the towering structure ahead next to the path – and in a span of a few seconds, an idea surged in his head.

"Water Breathing, Second Form…"

Ever approaching the barren wooden tower, the young Demon Slayer breathed in a sharp inhale once more, granting him a boost of strength as he lowered his blade to the side and prepared to enact his plan.

"Improved, Lateral Water Wheel!"

Throwing a horizontal slash, a sharp sound whizzed through the air as the cut made contact against the base of the tower, slicing through the wood and severing its foundation.

Quickly turning his head to the side, Tanjiro's voice boomed in the air. "Keep running!"

"Mm!" the boy acknowledged as he quickly noticed the crumbling piece of a wooden tower on the side.

When the tower creaked loudly and started toppling over their direction, every ounce of adrenaline was pushed into their legs as they zipped past the looming shadow above their heads. The masked creatures who paid no heed regrettably met their demise as the wooden edifice crashed onto them, the deafening impact sending splinters and shreds to spread across the ground.

Both of them stopped in their tracks to glance behind, noting how the fallen tower obstructed the horde from running after them, but that fleeting moment of respite never lasted as they heard the surviving goblin creatures noisily proclaim something profusely unintelligible behind the toppled tower, perhaps infuriated of what had happened.

"Let's go!" the gold-haired boy gestured, taking off in another sprint.

"Yes!" Tanjiro complied, following without any delay.

Timber and leaves sizzled lightly from the heat, the embers scattering around as the fire provided warmth and light in the coldness of the night.

After managing to gain a considerable amount of distance from their assailants, the two managed to take a breather after their lengthy escape, with the next long minutes spent seeking an adequate shelter to rest for the night. Thankfully, they were able to find a secluded area in a forest glade; a relatively hollowed-out cave hidden beneath a wall of trees to the side that presented a lot of space for them to utilize.

While his companion set out to collect resources within the small woods, Tanjiro stayed inside the cave and insisted to help by setting up a fire, his coal-burning expertise over the years proving to be quite helpful in these chilly conditions – but despite having such a reputation back home, he took the liberty of conjuring an ample flame.

Ten minutes bled by in silence as Tanjiro sat on the ground in a crossed-legged position; the gentle breeze of chilly wind, the soft chirping of crickets, and the distant howling of some animal only punctuating the stillness he was in. Realizing the boy had not returned yet, the young Demon Slayer took this time to reflect on what happened prior to his aching chest.

Staring longingly at the crackling embers, a frown etched on his features as Tanjiro pondered on his current state.

'My body might still be adapting after I woke up here. I should have been able to perform all the forms without difficulty, but I suppose there is no choice now. Just keep training! Even though it hurts, I will do my best! I will—'

"You all right there?"

A voice interrupted his thought process, the resounding echo combined with footfalls prompting Tanjiro to abandon his thoughts and shift his eyes to the sound, seeing only the gold-haired fellow walking toward him and carrying what looked like the resources he scavenged from outside; several arrays of fruits and vegetables, along with a few skewers of fish.

"Thanks for the fire by the way," he said. "Looks like we won't be eating our food raw."

"O-Oh… uh… y-yes!" Tanjiro replied politely, straightening his posture.

"You don't need to be so stiff," said the boy, chuckling lightly as he inched closer to the fire before kneeling on one knee. He propped the items down accordingly, sticking the end of the fish skewers into the earth near the blaze so as to let it cook for a while, and setting the fruits and vegetables to the side as well.

While the boy was tending to his own, Tanjiro practically watched with silent intent, somehow astounded by the boy's efforts. 'Amazing. He managed to collect them in such a short amount of time, especially the fish. It must have been hard to get those.'

Once the last skewer of fish was set in place, the blond-haired boy stood up and sighed contentedly. Not long after, his gaze swivelled over to Tanjiro as he took a few steps toward him while rummaging through his pocket. Once his fingers managed to grasp something, he daintily pulled the item out and offered it to him.

"Here."

His deep scarlet orbs observed the object, or rather, fruit. Its yellow-orange hue was queerly akin to a sunset, oozing off a sweet aroma to the young Demon Slayer's nose as he lifted his head to meet the boy's amiable expression.

"R-Really? Thank you."

Tanjiro graciously took the plump fruit, relishing the softness in his fingers before proceeding to take a bite, a pleased hum rising from his throat as he fondly chewed on the sweet, mushy produce.

"These can be found almost anywhere you go, so if you're hungry, you can find some in the trees."

The Demon Slayer bobbed his head in accordance, swallowing before taking another bite. 'This is delicious,' he voiced inwardly. 'It smells and tastes the same as well, and he said it can be obtained from the trees around here. How convenient!'

"Now…" the boy started, casually sitting on the open spot next to Tanjiro as he reclined a bit on his arms, briefly shutting his eyes. "I believe we haven't exactly introduced ourselves properly after that little skirmish earlier."

Tanjiro paused mid-way from sinking his teeth into the round fruit, turning to his companion with an innocent look. In return, the boy soon opened his eyes and craned his head toward his, the edges of his lips quirking up to a smile.

"I'm Aether."

Before he could needlessly dwell over the outlandish name, the young Demon Hunter hovered a hand to his chest, returning the greeting sincerely and beaming a friendly grin of his own. "My name is Tanjiro Kamado. Nice to meet you."

Following their amicable introduction, a short pause ensued before Aether proceeded to scratch the back of his head and looked at the ground. "Thanks… for saving me back there, by the way. If you hadn't intervened like that, I would've gone through worse."

The simple words of gratitude made Tanjiro's eyes light up, making him reminisce about the sentimental moments where the people would offer their gratefulness to him after extinguishing the Demons in his missions. No matter how many times those people uttered those words, Tanjiro kept them all close to his heart. To see others smile, to protect their happiness, and to prevent them from going through what he did; it was precisely the sole reason why chose the path of a Demon Slayer.

"Don't worry." Tanjiro's tender smile never wavered from his lips as he went on. "It's only natural for me to help when someone is in trouble and to see you safe now puts me at ease."

Those seemed to have lifted Aether's spirits when he raised his head to meet the boy's warm gaze. This elicited a short laugh from him as he idly grabbed an apple for himself from the side and partook on the fruit. They sat in place for a long moment, the constant biting and chewing only punctuating through the quietude, mixed with the soft sizzling of the small fire.

It was then Tanjiro adopted a curious notion. "Umm… If I may…" he muttered, voice muffled from the chunk of fruit inside his maw.

Aether was quick to catch on. "What is it?"

"I know it's not my place to ask this, but…" Tanjiro allowed himself to ingest his food first before glancing an inquisitive look at his friend. "How did you end up in that place?"

The boy broadened his eyes responsively, making him look away and sweep a hand through his hair in a lazy manner, a tired sigh escaping his breath as he leaned forward and grabbed two skewers of fish, giving one to Tanjiro. "To be honest, I never intended to go to that camp in the first place. I only did because the smell of that stupid stew drew me in, and what happened after that, you ask? I slipped on a cliff in the area and fell."

Tanjiro continued to munch on his smoked fish in a stick, noting it was cooked at the perfect temperature.

"I intended to escape, but I wound up waking those things in the process and made things harder," Aether elaborated, his contemplative gaze still focused on the burning flames. "Before I knew it, I was surrounded from every corner, with my back against the wall and with nowhere to go."

Once the last syllable left his mouth, silence hung in the air for but a moment before Aether focused his attention on a pair of deep scarlet eyes to his side, a small smile etching on his features.

"Until you came by."

Tanjiro beamed back in a fit of reflex. "As I said, it's no worry at all. I'm just glad you're all right."

Both of them shared a light laugh as they ate their skewers, focusing on their meals. After a few minutes, it was Aether who spoke up.

"You know…"

"Hm?" Tanjiro hummed intrusively, swaying his eyes to him.

"You were pretty strong back there," Aether remarked. "Nice sword, too."

"O-Oh… Um…" Tanjiro found himself stumbling at his words at the light praise he received. "T-Thank you."

"Is it some sort of technique?" Aether questioned. "The way you spun and moved; it's almost as fluid as…" A pause when he rubbed his chin and attempted to find the correct description—before it finally clicked in his head and said, "Water."

Tanjiro was a bit surprised at the analytical observation. It brought a small smile on his lips nevertheless. "You're not wrong there. It's a sword style called 'Total Concentration Breathing'."

Aether just blinked, the puzzlement in his eyes speaking for themselves. "Total… Concentration… Breathing?"

Amusingly, Tanjiro saw his own reflection of when he was training in Mount Sagiri years ago – when a certain girl with a flowery kimono elucidated the swordsmanship style to him. He was beyond baffled when he tried to fathom it the first time, but as the days went on, the secrets of the sword were slammed into his muscles and flesh, turning him into the warrior he was now; no longer the fledgling he once was.

"It's an advanced application of breathing," Tanjiro elaborated, raising his index finger. "The technique allows you to enhance your abilities and there is also a certain breathing pattern you need to execute in order to fully unleash your attack."

"Sounds pretty complicated," Aether responded, chuckling in a light-hearted manner.

Tanjiro couldn't help but agree. "Haha. It does sound confusing at first, but once my body managed to grasp the idea, it was possible."

The two shared a short laugh and with that, they resumed eating each of the fish skewers near the warmth of the fire, emptying half of their food supplies. When they finally finished their meal, neither of them couldn't strike up a conversation after the last one. Perhaps they were too stuffed to think about anything worth talking about – and before the reposeful respite could have gone longer, one spoke up to address the other.

"Tanjiro."

Sequentially, the Demon Hunter turned to the voice, stuttering. "Y-Yes?"

Not making eye contact yet, Aether still spoke what his mind wanted to say, even as he stared longingly into the flames. "I know this might be sudden since we've just met, but there's something I want to ask from you… since this is really important to me. All I'm asking from you is that answer honestly."

Tanjiro was all but confused as to what he was implying, but nonetheless, he conceded to his companion's wish. "S-Sure…" he responded swiftly. "I'll try to answer to the best of my ability."

Upon saying that, the blond-haired figure craned his full attention to him, the gravity of the situation becoming somewhat tense as his eyes burned with purpose. Tanjiro gulped silently and tightened his fists, composing his thoughts together for any question that may arise, but once the words were mouthed to him, he was left with wide, unblinking eyes.

"Have you seen anyone that looks like me around?"

Tanjiro cocked his head to the side, bemusement spreading across his face. "L-Looks like… you?"

Realizing his choice of words, Aether chuckled a bit at his fault. "I don't mean exactly like me, but more specifically…" he stopped before mouthing the same words for the nth time.

"Have you seen my sister?"

The young Demon Slayer only looked back with a befuddled look on his stiff face, eyes widened and breath hitched.

"Judging from your expression…" Aether drawled, concluding. "You haven't, huh?"

Just like that, the young Demon Hunter was snapped from his musings as shook his head dejectedly. "S-Sorry… I haven't," he muttered in resignation, frowning deeply as he dropped his defeated gaze to the ground.

"Don't be," Aether replied, blinking once as his golden orbs stared at the smoldering fire once again. "I was just… hoping if you've seen her."

Tanjiro could've sworn he saw a faint flicker of disappointment in the young boy's eyes, but it was so fleeting it must've been his imagination.

"What happened to her?" he asked sombrely. The blond boy was unresponsive, to which Tanjiro suddenly regretted as he must have triggered him to inadvertently discuss such a sensitive subject, but the tension was only amplified by the words that followed.

"She was captured by a god."

'G-God?!' The thought of a divine being screamed in his head and it almost made the young Demon Slayer's stomach twist and heart stop.

Aether continued, letting the words flow out of his lips naturally. "I tried my best to save her, but… it wasn't enough. I may not know where that god sent her, but I intend to find out."

Tanjiro kept silent to fully understand the whole story, not wanting to interrupt him.

"After I woke up, I realized the god had sealed me of my powers to travel to other worlds and I was left stranded here for many weeks now. Believe it or not, my sister and I travelled to other worlds, places that exist beyond the skies."

The young Demon Hunter was rendered dumbfounded as he widened his eyes, the short tale almost sounding too surreal to absorb and comprehend.

"Each day, I searched for her, but the problem was I didn't know where to start. I asked some of the people in towns and villages, and like every other response I get, they hadn't seen someone who wears eccentric clothes as I do."

The blond-haired boy leaned back as he stole a glance at the cave's entrance and to what rested above the trees. "When I look at the sky each night, I wonder how my sister is doing. I just hope someday we could meet each other again."

Within moments, the mood between them became rather subdued from that point on, and Tanjiro was left to muse in his frustration. Considering he just woke up in this alien world, he hadn't encountered any sentient beings besides his golden-haired friend and those goblin-like creatures a bit earlier. From his peripherals, a crestfallen visage was seen from the boy beside him, almost causing Tanjiro to mimic him. As much as he wanted to ease the heavy air of silence, he can only flounder in the end and accept the picture of reality.

Pursing his lips in vexation, a visage shimmered into existence; someone whose life was worth more than his. After that horrid incident back home in the mountains, Tanjiro vowed to find a cure for her. To save her. Never did he give in no matter how insurmountable the circumstances were, and at the end of his long, perilous journey, it was finished - and it couldn't have been possible without the people he befriended and trusted along the way.

'Nezuko…'

Having fulfilled his purpose, Tanjiro believed his worries were finally dispelled – or so he thought.

Moments spent in stillness carried on before the Demon Slayer bravely broke through that thick wall of silence and spoke with firmness.

"Let me help you find your sister."

That accumulated every atom of attention from Aether as he turned his head to Tanjiro in a nanosecond. It stupefied him, a dubious expression taking form as a cascade of thoughts stormed in his head. He managed to calm himself to the point it allowed him to speak properly. "You're a nice guy, Tanjiro. I really mean that, but I can't possibly drag you to—"

"I have a sister as well."

That stopped Aether from resuming.

"And…" Tanjiro pursed his lips as he tore his eyes away. His next words weighed upon him as if mouthing it out was a burden. He knew what he wanted to say, but he couldn't force himself to; the reason being he didn't know where to begin, let alone how.

Would he believe the bizarre story of how he winded up here in the first place? Does he need to know what exactly befell his sister?

…

Tanjiro swallowed silently, willing away his insecurities as he shifted his focus on Aether and spoke in a slow tone. "I'm not… from this world too."

A weighty silence reined in the air, nothing but the soft crackle of the bonfire and the muted breeze of wind outside punctuating through that stillness.

"You're… not?" A voice akin to a faint whisper slipped past Aether's lips.

Tanjiro still managed to hear him as he affirmed it with a short nod. "But as for how I got here…" He never got to say anything coherent afterward, instead resting a hand on his nape and looking away as a bead of sweat began to build on his forehead. It was then something came to land on his shoulder and realization settled in once Tanjiro recognized that black-gloved hand.

"If it's complicated, I won't pry any further," Aether said kindly.

Relief swirled in Tanjiro's chest, the anxiety pooling inside him seconds ago swiftly dispersing from how reassuring his friend sounded. He wasn't prepared to share everything that had transpired to him yet.

A story and a truth saved for another time.

"Thank you," was Tanjiro's simple response.

Dropping his hand to the side, Aether leaned back on his arms, a thoughtful expression gracing his face. "You're… just like me," he murmured as an afterthought.

"Does… it bother you?" Tanjiro asked meekly.

"Ah… N-No… I mean…" A sigh escaped Aether's breath as he rubbed the back of his head. "It surprised me, that's all. It's not every day you meet someone who hails from another reality."

"I-Is that so?"

The golden-haired boy simply returned an indistinct hum as both of them went quiet, but that lasted oh-so fleetingly when Aether mused his thoughts aloud again. "If you don't mind, Tanjiro…" he voiced, turning to the Demon Hunter, golden eyes meeting deep scarlet. "What world are you from? Maybe I could know if my sister and I have been there or not ourselves."

Tanjiro was a bit reluctant to share at first; of course, he believed that Aether was no stranger to extra-terrestrial species, being someone who can cross the stars themselves and all that implied. Hell, he didn't even doubt the possibility that his companion faced much more fearsome beings other than those that inhabited his world.

Breathing in a shaky yet deep inhale, Tanjiro steadied his nerves, and once his mind was clear of any inhibitions, he started. "I come from a world…" A beat, his demeanor becoming serious as he faced him. "Filled with demons."

Aether's eyes broadened marginally, his visage hardening as he leaned forward. "Demons?"

"Yes." The word alone resonated a plethora of dreadful memories. "Ones that… feast on human flesh. You either have to burn them in the sun, or cut them on the neck with a special sword."

His deep crimson eyes briefly flitted to the Nichirin Blade laying to the side. Tanjiro eventually directed his focus to the flickering flames as he pressed on. "My task was to hunt down and put an end to those creatures to ensure that innocent people won't have to suffer. I know I can't save everyone, but I can only do my best to protect them."

From the corner of his vision, Tanjiro noticed how his words are followed with such close and rapt attention from Aether.

"When my…" A fraught pause. Tanjiro's fists tensed on his lap before he inhaled sharply and continued. "When my sister… got turned into one, I promised I'd do anything to turn her back into a human again, no matter what." A smile gradually curved on his lips when he shifted his attention on Aether, one that radiated the warmth of the sun as it always did. "And I managed to do it - because it was only possible with the help of my friends. You can only go so far in life when you're alone and that's why people have to work and support each other. I know this is our first time meeting and we barely know each other, but…"

Tanjiro's voice then took on a solemn edge. "I want to ease your burdens the best I can. You must have been through so much and I know how much finding your sister means to you, and to be honest, if my sister was also taken away, I would've also looked for her, no matter what."

Arriving at a loss for words, Aether was unsure how to respond, but there was one thing he wanted to know even if it wasn't concerning any part of him. "So… where's your sister now?"

A mild look of surprise morphed on the young Demon Slayer's face, prompting him to shift his eyes to the fire. Dimly, Aether wanted to take back what he said since he must have stepped over the line, but when the string of silence finally snapped did Tanjiro turn to him and muttered in a soft voice.

"In a better future, I hope."

Their perpetual gazes seemingly lasted for eternity until a distant echo of a collective howl broke it, their eyes soon glancing at the boundless night outside.

"You should… get some rest now," Aether said, standing up. "I'll just take a little walk outside. Maybe scour for a few resources for tomorrow while I'm at it."

Tanjiro hummed accordingly as Aether massaged his wrists shortly before setting out for the wilderness. Deep inside, he wanted to join him, but a voice at the back of his head told him that he may want to clear his head. Respecting his choice, Tanjiro relocated his eyes to the fire once again, staring purposefully as he tried to figure out the creatures they fought earlier.

"And Tanjiro…"

Naturally, the young Demon Slayer jerked his head to the voice that called his name. When he did, he saw Aether at the end of the cave, his two tail capes fluttering behind him as a wind blew by – with a tiny but affable smile weaving on his lips.

"Thanks."

With a flourish, the boy was gone, heading towards the forest and leaving Tanjiro to himself, to which he couldn't help but chuckle.

'What a nice guy.'

Author's Note: This chapter took a bit longer than I originally intended it to be, as I aimed to publish this last Monday in order to match last week's publish date — or even yesterday to celebrate the new update patch in Genshin Impact. I learned it the hard way that overloading my head with a plethora of ideas can be detrimental in the long run, but I managed to push through it all.

Anyhow, this chapter focuses heavily between Tanjiro and Aether. There was the action in the first half of the chapter and there was the conversation in the second half, and I apologize if the combat was short in this chapter - but believe me, there's more where that came from.

More importantly, I know one of you will mention the absence of our little 'Emergency Food' so I'm just going to address it here. Frankly, I nearly wanted Paimon to be in the story already with Aether, but I wanted to tread into the direction where two people who are stranded in a foreign world apart from theirs encounter each other and realize the gravity of the circumstance, so I hope I was able to portray that properly.

And as for Paimon, she's still around.

To wrap this all up, I want to personally thank everyone who has given this story a chance. The sheer amount of support and feedback has been genuinely overwhelming and I couldn't be any happier. Moreover, expect more content in the near future and I wish you all good luck in your gacha pulls.

See you all later!~