Sanemi was ruthless, beating him until he was covered in bruises. 'Damn he's fast! I don't even have time to dodge!' Tanjiro thought with a groan of pain. "You call yourself a Hashira brat?!" the white-haired man demanded. Tanjiro grabbed his arm when Sanemi swung out again with his Bokken, and used his momentum to flip him over his shoulder. Sanemi growled at him from the dirt. Zenitsu whimpered at the glares the two Hashira were exchanging.
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"Ow" Tanjiro muttered as he walked down the hallway to get some wet cloths to put on his bruises and swelling. "I should have expected thing" he groaned. 'I may be a Hashira now, but Sanemi still has a lot more experience than me' he thought to himself. "Big Brother, please. I have to talk to you. It's important!" a familiar voice said urgently around the next corner. "Genya" Tanjiro said softly, hurrying to the corner and peeking around it.
"I don't have time for this. Go away!" the Wind Hashira said harshly. "Please 'Nemi! Just listen!" the younger Shinazugawa begged, clenching his fists. Tanjiro could smell his friend's nerves. 'Come on Genya. You have to be brave. He needs to know about your Sister' Tanjiro thought, silently cheering his older friend on. "It's about our Sister Teiko! Please, I have to tell you!" Genya cried.
"Our Siblings are all dead. So why are you bringing her up now?" Sanemi asked coldly. "Because Teiko isn't dead! Mom's blood got into her wounds and- she's a Demon now, like Tan-" Genya began to reply, before the pressure from the Wind Hashira's rage hit him, and he choked on his words, "our Sister is what?! Don't tell me she's still alive?!" Sanemi demanded furiously. "Teiko is good! She's never hurt anyone! And- and Tanjiro is working on a cure for Demon's right now, so she can become human again!"
Genya was trembling now, but he forced himself to continue, "we can be a family again big Brother! Just like when the other's were alive!" he finished. Tanjiro watched Sanemi's veins bulge, and the scent of his emotions fluctuated wildly, so fast that he couldn't even tell them apart. Finally it settled on three things: shame, rage and sorrow. "Get away from me you traitor. You don't deserve to call yourself a Demon Slayer! Just quit the Corps! And if she kills any humans, I will put Teiko out of her misery myself!" he snarled furiously, stomping away.
Genya wilted. In every aspect. He collapsed to the floor, and Tanjiro raced out from behind the wall to catch him, "Genya! Are you okay?" he asked worriedly. "I-" Genya said, before clenching his eyes shut tight and shaking his head, "I don't know what to do Tanjiro. He's still our big Brother, but he wants nothing to do with us. He really is different from before. How do I tell Teiko?" he asked, tears welling in his eyes. Tanjiro frowned, clenching the Shinazugawa'a shoulder, "I don't know. I'm sorry" he replied. Tanjiro glared in the direction the other Hashira had gone, "how could he treat his own Siblings like that?! I would never! I trust my family wholeheartedly, and I know you trust Teiko the same way.
So why can't he? I know he thinks if your Mom couldn't control herself no Demon can, but you've been with Teiko all this time, and you're obviously fine. And if the Stone Hashira and Shinobu know about her and didn't do anything, obviously they trust her too" Tanjiro ranted, fuming. Genya sighed, "maybe he'll accept Teiko when she's human again" he said, standing up. "That's not good enough!" Tanjiro snapped, startling the older teen."You three are family! The only family you each have left. He knows that Teiko has been a Demon for years now, and she hasn't eaten anyone. You, his younger Brother have told him that. That should be more than enough for him to accept her!" Tanjiro replied seriously.
Genya stared at his friend with wide eyes, "Tanjiro-" he said softly. "Hey, why are you so beat up by the way?" Genya asked, shaking himself out of his awe easily. "Eeh, well, you remember how I said that your Brother doesn't like me? Well, his training for today was basically beating me up" Tanjiro replied sheepishly. "What?! Really?! Just because he doesn't like you and your family?!" Genya asked in shock. "His training is basically the same for all of us though. By the way, where is Teiko?" Tanjiro asked, looking for the Demon girl's bag. "Oh! She's staying with Miss Shinobu right now." Genya replied.
"Well, you're welcome to have her stay at my Estate with my family. I've said this before. You're my friend Genya. I want you to feel sure that your little Sister is safe" Tanjiro said. Genya blushed slightly, looking away, "thanks Tanjiro" he said awkwardly. Tanjiro smiled at him. "Do you need help getting to the bath?" Genya asked. "Thank you Genya. I'd appreciate that." The Hashira said gratefully.
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After Tanjiro was clean and redressed, he and Genya walked to their rooms in the Wind Estate. "Maybe I should just leave. I won't want to make things worse for you all here" Genya said, shrinking in on himself. "You're my friend. And a Demon Slayer. You have as much right to be here as anyone else" Tanjiro disagreed. "Tanjiro-" the mowhawked teen said gratefully. "I'm glad we're friends" the Kamado said with a smile, placing a hand on the taller teen's back. After reaching their living quarters, they ate then quickly fell asleep. 'Tomorrow is another day of training. And with Sanemi. I hope it's not just him beating me the whole time again' were Tanjiro's final thoughts that night.
(Tanjiro's 'dream')
Yoriichi lived with the girl, Uta, until they both grew into adulthood. Then they married. A year later, Uta became pregnant with their child. Yoriichi was overjoyed, they were being blessed with a child! He swore to never be like his Father, and, as his Wife's due-date approached, Yoriichi left to find a Midwife. Along the way, he found an old man who had collapsed due to injury, and was desperate to reach his Son, who had been critically injured in battle. Yoriichi agreed to bring the man to his Son, and spent much of the day carrying him on his back.
Looking up at the sky, Yoriichi knew it was getting too late to bring a Midwife to his home. He decided to return home and tend to Uta until the sun rose the next day, and hurried home. When he arrived, he found his Wife and unborn child slaughtered by something unknown.
Gasping, Tanjiro woke with tears in his eyes. What Yoriichi had told him/Sumiyoshi had resonated deep within him. Because that's what he had returned home to two years ago. Only his family had become non-harmful Demon. His heart ached for the older man. The image of his family horribly injured and laying around Muzan's feet still haunted him.
Tanjiro wiped his face of the sweat that covered him, sighing deeply. "Poor Mr Yoriichi. I feel so bad for him. Losing his Wife and unborn child to a Demon". He looked out the window, finding the sun beginning to rise, "I should get ready for training" he muttered, standing up.
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After a month of being beaten up by the Wind Hashira, Tanjiro staggered to the Stone Hashira. Gyomei Himejima's residence in the mountains. Genya had been transferred to the last Training Program after his attempts to talk to his Brother nearly resulted in a full-on battle breaking out between the Brothers, Tanjiro and the other Demon Slayers. Tanjiro had had to interfere and pull his friend away to protect him, but the Wind Hashira had all but bulldozed his way to them.
He only stopped when a Crow called him to see Lady Amane. After that, Genya had left and Tanjiro continued his training. He got through it all by refusing to speak to the man, therefore removing any chance of a fight breaking out between them. And now, he was on his way to the last Hashira participating in the training. Neither Shinobu or Giyu were participating in the training programs. Tanjiro had heard that Shinobu would be working with Miss Tamayo to finish the Demon cure and create poison's to weaken Muzan when they faced him.
But he wasn't sure. When he'd written to the Demon Doctor asking about it, she had just sent back a reply that she would be helping more than just by creating the Cure. But now he had to focus. It was time to train with the strongest of the Hashira.
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As his Crow led him up the mountain's Tanjiro wondered how his training with Gyomei would go. He was running training to increase strength. Tanjiro did think it was unfortunate that Giyu wasn't running a training program. But that was his choice. Tanjiro had decided not to run one either. Upon reaching his destination, he saw several Demon Slayers, including Inosuke meditating under a massive waterfall. But something was strange.
Inosuke suddenly flopped forwards into the water and sunk beneath the surface. "Aaaaahhhhhhhhh!" Tanjiro shrieked, throwing his pack away and diving in immediately. He pulled his friend to the edge of the water, "Inosuke! Inosuke breathe!" he cried, pulling off the soaked Boar's head and pushing on his friend's chest. The other teen gasped in air and coughed hard. "*cough, cough* What?" Inosuke muttered, coughing up water. "You nearly drowned yourself! Why did you do that with your mask on?!" Tanjiro demanded.
"Urgh" the black and blue-haired Demon Slayer moaned. "Thank you for that. I didn't realise he hadn't taken off the boar head I'd heard about" Gyomei said. Tanjiro looked to find him meditating in front of a massive fire, "now. Are you ready to begin, Tanjiro Kamado?" the Stone Hashira asked. Tanjiro gained a firm look, "I am!" he replied in determination.
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Tanjiro stood in front of the waterfall, the force threatening to push him under. He clenched his teeth and pressed his lips together so he wouldn't accidentally breathe in any water. He'd done this when training under Urokodaki, but that waterfall hadn't been as big or as strong. The teenage Hashira tried to stay focused. 'It's so powerful. And cold. My body's going numb from both the force and temperature!' Tanjiro trembled, 'you have to concentrate Tanjiro. For your family!' images of his Mother and Siblings filled his mind.
Memories of their injuries at the hands of Muzan, and the intense battle they'd fought against him, 'they fought an opponent stronger than anything water could do to you! As the oldest Son and caretaker of your family, you can't be broken by something like this!' Tanjiro thought furiously. "Alright. Waterfall training is complete for everyone whose lasted 30 minutes" Gyomei called. Tanjiro's eyes opened, and he slipped in surprise, plunging into the water below him. He broke the surface of the water, coughing, "you mean *cough* that's it?!" Tanjiro called.
"If you only fell in after the 30 minutes was up, then yes. You're ready to move onto the next training session of mine" the Stone Hashira replied. The Fire God Hashira climbed out of the water, still coughing, and shivering from the cold. He started using the Hinikami Kagura to increase his temperature and warm up. "When you're ready, you will carry these three logs up and down the mountain Kamado" Gyomei said, gesturing to a large pile of logs nearby where he was sitting. "Originally I only planned to have the Slayers lift them. But you are a Hashira. So to become stronger you need more intense training". "No way! You're already done the waterfall?!" Inosuke cried in shock, his eyes wide.
"Ah, yes I have Inosuke. At least that's what Mr Gyomei told me" Tanjiro replied, putting on his shirt again after drying off and moving towards the logs. "I'll catch up soon! Just you wait Tanjiro!" the other teen yelled. Tanjiro smiled, "I'm sure you will Inosuke. Just be careful not to do the waterfall training with your mask on again, okay?" he replied. He focused on his breathing, slowly lifting the three logs over his shoulders. Tanjiro let out a slow breath, 'alright. Start slowly' he thought to himself, taking careful steps and making sure he didn't drop the logs.
'Now that I think about it, if achieving and maintaining the Mark requires a high body temperature, why are we doing waterfall training? I'll ask Mr Himejima when I get back' he thought to himself. Finally, he moved the logs across the clearing. "*sigh* I did it! Now all that's left is pushing a boulder. That's going to be hard" he muttered. The other Demon Slayers stared in awe and shock from the treeline. "He's already finished the first two exercises! He really is a monster! Just like the other Hashira!" a young man whisper-shouted.
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As Tanjiro cooked dinner for everyone, he thought about how he was going to handle the boulder the next day. 'I have to push it across the clearing. I'll definitely need to use my Mark for that'. He continued to think as he dished up the food and handed out bowls, 'I wonder how far along the Cure is? I don't know if I want it sooner or not. Muzan is coming after my family to absorb them and gain immunity to the sun. of course I don't want that to happen. But if he comes after them and they're already human, they won't be able to defend themselves from him-' Tanjiro shook his head hard, trying to get those dark thoughts out of his head.
'That's why I'm getting stronger. So I can protect my family and kill Muzan once and for all!' "Hey Lord Tanjiro, are you going to get your own food?" one of the lower level Demon Slayers asked. "Hm? Oh! Yes, sorry!" Tanjiro apologised quickly and started eating. "Are you okay? You seem really worried about something?" another young man asked worriedly. Tanjiro lowered his chopsticks and sighed deeply. "I'm just worried. Muzan is coming after my family. The Cure is being made, but I don't know weather to hope it'll be done sooner or not. He wants to absorb them to conquer the sun, and he can't do that if they become human.
But they also won't be able to defend themselves from him then. What if when he finds out they're human again, he just kills them this time? If I can't get there in time-" Tanjiro began to ramble, but he cut off upon feeling two hands gripping his arm and shoulder. He looked up to see the other Demon Slayers looking at him with serious looks, "we won't let that happen. I swear. Whatever happens, we'll keep Muzan from getting anywhere near them. You and the other Hashira will end Muzan, and your family will be safe. You'll all go home as humans Tanjiro" the other young man replied firmly. The Kamado felt tears fill his eyes. He was so grateful that the Corps Members accepted his family.
He wiped his eyes, "thank you so much. You have no idea how much that means to me" Tanjiro sobbed. "Hey, you're one of the only Demon Slayers who's whole family is still alive. Your situation is something to be protected at all costs, since so many people don't have that! Now, let's eat! We'll need all our strength to keep training tomorrow!" another teen said with a wide grin. Tanjiro nodded and began to eat.
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Tanjiro focused his breathing, feeling his temperature and heartrate slowly rise. He shoved against the boulder, straining and drawing on all of the power in his body. Sweat covered him, and he yelled with effort. Tanjiro felt his forehead burn, and the boulder moved slightly. 'I did it! Don't stop! Keep pushing!' he thought. It moved a bit further, then more. Tanjiro screamed with the force, his fingernails starting to come lose from how hard he was pushing. But he didn't care. Veins bulged all over his body. 'I don't care how hard I have to work! I never have! It's always been about my family! If I can protect them this time, I'll do anything!' he thought, remembering back to when his family fought Muzan.
They had protected him and gotten hurt doing it. He didn't care that they were immortal now! His Mother and younger Siblings shouldn't have had to go through all of that! He was the oldest Son of the family. It was his job to protect all of them in the absence of his Father! And he would this time! No matter that it took, he would end Muzan Kibutsuji and turn his family back into humans again! With a final scream of effort, Tanjiro pushed the boulder all the way across the clearing. As soon as it was done, Tanjiro collapsed to the ground as he allowed his muscles to finally relax.
'I did it! I finished Mr Gyomei's training!' he thought. Then he realised how much he'd sweated. 'I need water! But I have no strength to move! Oh no! Is this how I'm going to die?!' the teen thought frantically, as his vision went dark- water poured down his throat and splashed down his front. Tanjiro's eyes snapped open. He coughed, sitting up despite his aching muscles. Upon looking up, Tanjiro found Gyomei standing in front of him. "Th-thank you for the water!" he gasped. The Stone Hashira handed him the water jug, and Tanjiro guzzled it thirstily, panting hard once he was done.
"Thank you Mr Gyomei. I appreciate the help" he said gratefully. "You have completed your training. Well done Tanjiro Kamado" the tall man said, clapping his hands in prayer again. "It's only thanks to my family that I did. I won't give up until they're all human again and safe from Muzan! He will never harm them again! I'll kill him before he can get anywhere near any of them!" Tanjiro said firmly.
"I was not sure how to feel about you and your family. At first I believed that leaving them alive would only lead to tragedy. But that has not happened. Your family has never harmed humans, and what's more, have fought alongside us to protect them from their own kind. Your family has proved themselves to be different from any other Demon in existence. And because of that, I will put my faith in you Kamados as well" the Stone Hashira said. Tanjiro's eyes filled with tears due to his overwhelming gratitude, "thank you. Thank you so much Sir!" he gasped out, bowing his head as his tears overflowed. Gyomei placed a hand on his head and gently ruffled his long, burgundy hair, "I truly hope my faith in you all is proven" he said with a gentle smile. Tanjiro laughed slightly, still crying, "I'll make sure of it Sir!" he replied tearfully.
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Tanjiro headed back to his own Estate after a rest. He stood before the blind Hashira and bowed gratefully, "thank you for your training!" he proclaimed firmly. "We'll be fighting side by side soon Tanjiro Kamado. So prepare yourself" Gyomei said on his deep voice. Tanjiro ran home in the fading sunlight, 'I have to get home quickly. I have a bad feeling that the coming darkness is ominous' he thought grimly.
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Sanemi walked back home after training with Muichiro again. As he descended a staircase, he sensed something and his hand shot out to grab it. When he opened his fist, Sanemi saw a crushed eyeball with a pink iris and the Kanji for Upper Four on it's pupil. "What the hell is this?" he muttered. As he watched the eyeball disintegrate into ashes, Sanemi's eyes widened, "a Blood Demon Art?" he asked. The white-haired young man looked up with a wide-eyes furious look, "we've been infiltrated!" he yelled.