When Tanjiro woke up again, he felt a lot better. He still worried, but it wasn't as overwhelming as before. But he still didn't know what he could add to the Hashira Training. Everything seemed to be covered by the others. Maybe he should talk to someone older, who knew how to train people- he started a letter to Urokodaki.

ĐŚ·ĂÙ

'Dear Urokodaki Sensei. I don't know if you've heard yet, but the Hashira are going to be training all the lower level Demon Slayers. However, I have no idea what I should do for mt training regimen. If you could give me some advice, that would be appreciated. Regards, Sun God Hashira, and your former student, Tanjiro Kamado' he signed off his letter, and left it out to dry.

Hopefully the man would be able to help him, because he really had no idea what to do. After that, he went to go train.

ĐŚ·ĂÙ

Three days later, he got a reply. Tanjiro sighed in relief, taking the letter from his Crow, and sitting down to read it. "Dear Tanjiro. I'm very surprised and proud that you've become a Hashira so soon. Congratulations. As for your request for advice in creating a training regimen for the Demon Slayer Corps, I'm afraid I can't help you. I know how to train people to master Water-Breathing, but you don't use that anymore.

So I'm afraid I don't know what you should teach the Corps members. I'm sorry that I couldn't help more, but I'm sure you'll think of something. You are smarter that you think Tanjiro.

Regards, Sakonji Urokodaki'

Tanjiro sighed and closed his eyes. "Well, what do I do now?" he asked himself.

ĐŚ·ĂÙ

Tanjiro went to go see Amane. "I'm sorry to intrude Lady Amane" he said apologetically. "It's fine Tanjiro. What did you need to talk about?" the white-haired woman asked. Tanjiro bowed to the Master's Wife, "I apologize, but I am unable to think of anything to train the Corps members in. I may have to sit out the Hashira Training Ma'am" he said. "I see. There isn't anything you think you could teach the others?" Amane asked with a frown.

"I don't think so. I'm sorry" Tanjiro replied. "Very well. You are hearby exempt from running a training program. However, you will still participate in the training against the other Hashira, won't you?" the white-haired woman asked. "Of course! I still have to get so much stronger if I want to protect my family! I'll do anything to make that happen!" Tanjiro said in determination.

"Very well." Amane agreed. Tanjiro bowed, "thank you for understanding Ma'am" he replied. Then he stood and left.

ĐŚ·ĂÙ

Upon getting home, Tanjiro collapsed on his futon, "well, that's one less thing I have to worry about. Now to prepare to train with the other Hashira" he said to himself, as he got up again. He felt bad that he wouldn't be able to help the other Demon Slayers prepare to fight the Upper Ranks and Muzan, but he didn't know how to train others, so it was better this way. He didn't want to mess up and cause someone to get hurt without meaning to. 'Well, at least this way I can protect my family personally. I wonder what the other Hashira's training programs will be like?' he thought.

Tanjiro yawned, "I should get some rest while I can" he muttered. The human Kamado lay down in his Futon and let out a sigh. Then he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

(Tanjiro's 'dream')

He found himself standing in front of his family home. 'My house?- no. It looks different' Tanjiro thought to himself. He looked down at his hands to find himself holding an axe with a small pile of wood at his feet. 'I'm chopping firewood? What, where's my family?' he thought. A small hand gripped his Kimono that resembled his original Haori. Tanjiro looked to see a small girl wearing a purple Kimono staring up at him.

'Who's she?' he wondered. The toddler pointed up at a man standing in front of the property. Tanjiro's eyes widened. The man had long red hair and red eyes, and was wearing a red Haori over a yellow Kimono. He had a Sword at his hip, and- 'Are those our earings he's wearing?' Tanjiro thought, 'he looks like Kotetsu's Mechanical Doll from the Swordsmith Village' he thought. "Sumiyoshi," the man said, drawing Tanjiro's attention back to him face. It was blank, like Giyu's often was, and- Tanjiro realised that he couldn't smell anything!

"Do you have time to listen to my story my friend?" the man asked.

Tanjiro woke up at that, and looked around in confusion, "what kind of dream was that?" he muttered to himself.

ĐŚ·ĂÙ

Tanjiro spent the next month playing with his younger Siblings and preparing to start training. He didn't have another dream like that during that time. Then, finally, the Hashira Training started. Urokodaki had travelled to the Headquarters a few days prior, to look after his family while he was gone. "You all be good for Mr Urokodaki while I'm gone, okay?" Tanjiro asked.

Shigeru looked sad, while Rokuta teared up in Nezuko's arms. "Now, now. I have to get stronger to keep you all safe. So don't cry Rokuta. I need you to be a good boy for Mom and Mr Urokodaki. Can you do that for me?" Tanjiro asked. The Demon toddler sniffled, but nodded. The Hashira patted his baby Brother on the head, "you're such a good boy Rokuta. I'll come back when I can, okay?" Tanjiro asked. Their Mother watched him with her light purple eyes, "be careful" she said.

Tanjiro nodded with a smile. He picked up his bag, bowed to Urokodaki, then turned and left.

ĐŚ·ĂÙ

'So, the first Hashira on the training list is Tengen. He's doing fitness and stamina training' Tanjiro thought as he ran towards Tengen's training ground. He arrived just in time. The other Demon Slayers were lining up in front of the man. The Sound Hashira grinned at him, "Tanjiro! Not that I'm not happy to see you, but what are you doing here?! Hashira aren't required to participate in the regular Corps training?" he asked.

"Well, Lady Amane gave me permission to do this instead of running a Training Program myself, since I really don't know how to train one person, let alone the whole Corps. So I'm here as a trainee, just like everyone else" Tanjiro explained, slightly embarrassed that he hadn't been able to figure out a training program for the other Corps Members, when even retired Hashira like Tengen, or ones younger than him like Muichiro had been able to figure it out.

"Oh well, as long as you get stronger it doesn't matter. Now, get in line with the others, we're starting!" the retired Hashira ordered. "Right!" Tanjiro nodded, doing as he was told. The other Demon Slayers looked at him with unreadable expressions. But Tanjiro could smell disbelief, confusion, shock and many more emotions coming from them.

"Alright! Welcome to the first stage of Hashira Training! I am the former Sound Hashira, Tengen Uzui! My job is to improve your basic stamina and overall fitness. Unless you pass my training, you won't be moving on to the other Hashira's training. So how long you spend here is up to you. The Demons may have pulled back for now, but that doesn't mean we can get complacent! So I hope you all can show me some flashy determination here!" Tengen cried.

Tanjiro was more than ready. He needed to do this more than anyone here. His family's lives depended on it!

ĐŚ·ĂÙ

They did crunches, running with other Corps members on their backs, lifted logs with rocks tied to the ends of them. Climbed cliffs and did sit-ups. Through it all, Tanjiro was beaming with exhilaration. The other Corps Members collapsed to the ground in exhaustion, staring up at the Sun God Hashira in amazement, "I guess it's true. The Hashira really are in another world from us!" one of the other Corps Members gasped.

"Heh, this is just what I suspected from Tanjiro Kamado! He really is something else" Tengen said excitedly.

ĐŚ·ĂÙ

"Everyone! It's time for food! Come and get it!" Hinatsuru Uzui called, as the Wives carried a huge pot filled with stew along with bowls and chopsticks. "You all better empty this pot, you hear me? Lord Tengen won't go easy on you after lunch!" Makio said. Tanjiro accepted his bowl gratefully, "thank you Mrs Uzui, this looks and smells great!" he said happily. Tanjiro sipped the soup, before eating some of the ingredients with his chopsticks. "This is good. I'll be glad to have more after" he said with a smile.

ĐŚ·ĂÙ

Ove the next few weeks, Tanjiro excelled in everything Tengen threw at him, with the former Hashira pushing him harder every day. The lower Corps members looked horrified, "he's not human! He's been spending too much time with that Demon family of his. They've rubbed off on him!" one young woman said in shock. That night Tanjiro slept deeply. For the second time, the dream was a memory.

(Tanjiro's 'dream')

Tanjiro listened as Yoriichi spoke about his life. About how he was born with this mark on his forehead, and his Father tried to have him killed because of it. his Mother had flown into a rage, defending him with a fury her Husband had never seen. Finally, his Father had agreed that Yoriichi wouldn't be killed, but instead sent to a Temple when he turned 10

Yoriichi had been treated as a slave, given a tiny room, and plain clothes to wear, while his twin Brother was given everything he wasn't. Yoriichi was thought to be deaf as he grew, since he was such a quiet child. His Mother would pray to the Sun Goddess, asking her to shine warmly on his deaf ears. Even making him special Charm Earings. One day, Yoriichi had spoken up for the first time, telling his Mother he could hear her.

Over the years, he would care for his Mother, helping her when her illness sapped her body's strength. he would also watch his Brother as he trained with his Swordsmanship instructor. As he stood and watched his twin train, a thought came to his mind, and he spoke up, "Brother, do you want to be the strongest Samurai in the land?" Yoriichi asked. His Brother dropped his Sword in the ground in shock.

Tanjiro blinked his eyes open. Another dream about Yoriichi. He didn't know what it meant. But he felt sad for the man's life, rejected by his Father, ignored by his Brother. He didn't know what he'd do if his family had been as cold as that to him. Tanjiro wondered how his family was doing. He knew that he couldn't leave his training to go visit them. So he decided to send a letter to Urokodaki, asking for updates. Then he went back to bed.

ĐŚ·ĂÙ

The next day, Tanjiro was back to training. "All of you, watch what Kamado is doing! He's managing his energy better than all of you! Work harder! The Demons aren't going to sit down and let you kill them!" Tengen called. Tanjiro smiled awkwardly at the former Hashira. Hours passed, before he spoke up again, "alright! For our final training exercise today-" he looked around. Upon seeing a mountain in the distance, Tengen smiled, "you'll be doing a lap around the base of that mountain before coming back here! Now get going!" he ordered.

Most of the other Slayers groaned as they climbed to their feet. Tanjiro just nodded and ran passed all of them as he headed towards the mountain. "That kid has way too much energy!" one Demon Slayer groaned. "What did you expect? He's a Hashira, they're all insane!" another one panted in reply. "I heard the Fire God Hashira won't be running a training program" the Demon Slayer next to him informed. "Oh, good! This is already bad enough! I don't want to know what a Hashira like him would have had us do!" "I heard he only took a few months after becoming a Demon Slayer to be promoted to Hashira!" "Seriously?! What kind of monster is he?!" another Demon Slayer demanded.

"And he's so young! I don't know why he's training with us". As they made it to the mountain, they found Tanjiro had already started running around the base. "Did you hear about his family? I heard they were all Demon's! But ones that don't harm humans" the first Demon Slayer said. "That's horrible! With how young he is, the rest of his family must be even younger! No wonder he's working so much harder than the rest of us" they watched as Tanjiro continued the training exercises with respect, he was stronger than all of the. In every way.

ĐŚ·ĂÙ

Muzan was fuming. Inside his extra-dimensional fortress, the Infinity Castle, his fury boiled and raged. Months ago now, as Hantengu had been dying at the Swordsmith Village, he had seen two of the Kamado Demon's standing in the sun. In the sun! Since then he had called back all of his Demons, and had Nakime looking all over Japan for the Demon Slayers Headquarters. Not only could he put an end to the thorn in his side that was the Ubuyashiki family, but he could finally become the perfect being, if only he could absorb one of those Demons!

And yet, he shook with fear at the memory of just how close those traitors had come to killing him. Was it worth it? what if-? No! Of course it was worth it! True immortality in his grasp at last! He couldn't let his fear hold him back now! He would wipe out the Demon Slayer Corps once and for all, and finally get what was owed to him for a thousand years!