Disclaimer: Demon Slayer is not mine. This fanfic is a translation.
Enjoy Reading!
---
"What kind of demon was this? Having three Hashira-level fighters here."
"I don't know. The Demon King...?"
The speaker paused for a moment, then looked incredulously at his companion beside him.
"What would the Demon King be doing in the red-light district?"
Several swordsmen standing on rooftops, alertly watching their surroundings, discreetly glanced toward Tanjuro and the other two, speaking in low voices.
More and more Kakushi were arriving, along with swordsmen of various ranks standing guard nearby.
In moments, the entire devastated street was lined with help.
"Wh...what...who are you people...?"
The madam's expression was blank. She stared blankly around at the Kakushi who were gradually appearing, beginning to clear debris and rescue the injured.
"What... just happened...?"
"Relax." Goto patted the madam's shoulder gently, offering no explanation. He knew explaining would be far too troublesome.
"We're with the authorities. Please trust me."
A lie.
He simply and naturally took the girl and Tamako from the madam's arms, preparing to lay them on the ground for examination.
Clatter!
A revolver with a black barrel fell from the madam's limp sleeve, hitting the ground with a sharp sound.
The revolver bounced once on the ground, its dark muzzle pointing directly at Goto. He flinched, his eyebrows shooting up.
Cold sweat trickled down his forehead.
'That was close!'
Goto looked at the madam, momentarily speechless.
...
"All done."
Goto wiped the cold sweat from his brow. He looked at the madam, who had sat down and fallen asleep from sheer exhaustion, and at Tamako, who had been bandaged and was unconscious. He turned and surveyed his surroundings.
His companions were diligently searching the rubble for the injured.
Suddenly, his gaze sharpened as he spotted Tanjuro and the other two standing not far away.
The furrow in his brow relaxed. "Tomioka-san!"
He raised his hand and waved, shouting, then hurried over.
Giyu paused as he turned and looked toward Goto.
"It's been a while, Tomioka-san, Uzui-san—"
Goto nodded to the two, then his gaze shifted to Tanjuro beside them. In an instant, his expression became one of utter astonishment. "Kamado-san?!"
But the surprise lasted only a moment.
He had been out on missions constantly lately, not even returning to the Butterfly Mansion for rest in a long time.
However...
Goto still looked at Tanjuro with surprise.
That Kamado-san, who had been so frail before, had already...
His gaze shifted slightly, observing the calm expressions of Tengen and Giyu.
'Has he reached Hashira level?'
Goto recalled the soft pink light he had seen before. He had later carefully verified it with Juichi and confirmed it wasn't an illusion.
Seeing Tanjuro looking so healthy, Goto felt genuinely happy for him.
After a slight emotional ripple inside, he nodded at Tanjuro. "Everyone, the Kakushi units and reinforcements have arrived. You may all leave to rest now."
"No." Tengen casually slung his curved blade over his shoulder. His voice was loud as he surveyed the area.
"The three of us will stay until dawn. There might still be an upper moon lurking nearby."
As he spoke, his brow furrowed deeply.
What did that guy mean by " You're a ninja too?"
"An Upper Moon still around..." Goto's pupils contracted slightly, and then he nodded. "...I understand."
Just as he was about to turn and leave to assist the other corps members.
Pat.
"Goto."
Tanjuro reached out a hand and gently patted Goto on the shoulder as he turned.
Goto looked back questioningly at Tanjuro, who was smiling.
"Please give my regards to your friend." Tanjuro spoke softly, a gentle smile on his face.
"I never got the chance to thank you both for last time."
Though he hadn't been aware at the time, from later conversations with Tanjiro, he had learned about Goto and Masao's efforts and self-reproach when they tried to treat him.
He had also learned their names from Tanjiro—they were the ones who had carried Tanjiro to Urokodaki's home.
Hearing Tanjuro's words, Goto was taken aback.
"Friend... Masao?" Goto's eyes reflected Tanjuro's smile.
His own face was hidden beneath the black cloth, unreadable, but he nodded firmly once more. "I will."
...
Time passed.
A glimmer of light appeared at the east side of the sky. The slowly rising sun's rays pierced through the clouds, gilding their rims with gold.
Dawn had broken.
From the previous night until now, Doma's presence had appeared only that one time.
After waiting for the sky to fully brighten, the three of them finally parted ways.
Giyu and Tengen needed to return to their respective assigned territories.
Neither had been managing their own missions for quite some time, ever since the Transparent World training.
As for Tanjuro.
He would return to the Butterfly Mansion first to digest his memory.
---
-Location: Butterfly Mansion, Courtyard-
"Hah!"
Tanjiro stood tall and straight, wearing a green-and-black checked short-sleeved shirt, his worn hands gripping the wooden sword tightly.
He swung it again and again in the courtyard.
Swish!Swish!
His dark crimson eyes held determination. He gritted his teeth, faint white vapor escaping from the corners of his mouth.
'Yuichiro-kun and Muichiro-kun have already gone on a mission.'
'And here I am, still stuck here with them, unable to move forward.'
Swish!
The wooden sword cut through the air, leaving a faint trace.
Tanjiro opened his mouth, exhaling a puff of white vapor. Beneath his furrowed brows was an unwavering gaze.
"This won't do!" Thinking of how his father had been going out so often lately, Tanjiro felt a flicker of worry.
"Umu!"
Suddenly, a tremendously loud, clear voice came from under the nearby eaves.
Kyojuro was sitting on the veranda, arms crossed, back straight, his piercing gaze fixed on Tanjiro, practicing his swordsmanship. "Tanjiro boy! Raise your arm a bit higher!"
"Yes, sir!!" Tanjiro responded, squeezing his eyes shut tightly for a moment before shouting back just as loudly. "I'll do my best!"
Swish!
He strained to tense his arms, swinging the blade in a perfect arc through the air.
"That's it!"
Kyojuro's voice resonated throughout the Butterfly Mansion.
Nearby.
"...That owl-headed guy..."
"His voice is so loud!" Zenitsu hid around the corner behind Kyojuro, exchanging glances with Takeo and Shigeru.
With his extremely sensitive hearing, being next to Kyojuro felt like his head was about to explode.
The reason he was still here was...
Zenitsu's gaze fell on Tanjiro in the courtyard.
—Kamado Tanjiro has a voice so gentle it could make you want to die.
Shinobu had left the Butterfly Mansion with the newly joined Aoi Kanzaki and some Kakushi, heading to a nearby town to purchase medicine.
She had chosen to stop by the Rengoku residence nearby and asked Kyojuro to come to the Butterfly Mansion to ensure its safety temporarily.
"Excellent swordsmanship!"
Kyojuro pushed himself up from his knees using his hands, standing up. Wearing only his black uniform, he strolled into the courtyard, his bright, keen eyes fixed on Tanjiro.
"Did Tanjuro-san teach you?"
"Th...that's right..." Tanjiro stopped swinging the wooden sword, panting heavily. He wiped the sweat from his brow and was about to answer Kyojuro's question when his peripheral vision caught sight of Tanjuro entering through the gate.
"...Father!" He exclaimed in surprise, turning his head.
Kyojuro instinctively followed Tanjiro's gaze.
After making eye contact with Tanjuro, who had just hurried back looking travel-worn, he nodded. "Kamado-san! Was the mission successful?"
"Yes, it went relatively well."
Tanjuro approached slowly, returning the smile. His gaze lingered on his eldest son, who was breathing heavily.
He reached out and patted Tanjiro's head, wiping the sweat trickling down his cheek as he advised.
"Don't push yourself too hard. Haste makes waste."
"I understand!" Tanjiro replied promptly.
Tanjuro straightened up, glancing around. Through Transparent World, he observed Rokuta and Hanako playing on the second floor.
Confirming that the children and Kie were still there, his heart settled.
But after looking around, he didn't see the Tokito brothers or Soichiro.
"Where are Yuichiro and the others?" he asked.
"Ah." Tanjiro looked up, smiling as he gestured to explain.
"Muichiro and the others went on a mission. Uncle Soichiro seemed a bit worried, so he went along too."
---
On a certain mountain.
"Caw! Yuichiro! Muichiro!"
A Kasugai crow circled and flapped its wings in the sky, urging on the two exhausted, sweating brothers below. "Hurry up! Hurry up!"
"Get to the mission location before sunset!"
"Just one more mountain to cross! Then you're there! Caw!"
Golden sunlight filtered through the gaps in the lush, green foliage.
Muichiro leaned weakly against a tree, covered in sweat, panting heavily. He looked up at the sky in disbelief.
"One more mountain?!"
He tugged at the collar of his black uniform to cool down, his face falling as he shouted.
"Why! Aah—!!"
Yuichiro, walking ahead, clicked his tongue sharply. He was already irritated by the heat, and he turned to yell at his younger brother.
"Shut up!"
"Keep moving!"
"You can rest for a while if you're tired." Their father walked behind the two brothers, observing their surroundings to avoid ambushes by animals like wild boars.
Hearing this, the crow circling above immediately took offense, cawing loudly. "Caw! Soichiro! No!"
Before the crow's cawing could finish, suddenly!
From the other side of the forest.
"Shut up!"
A muscular arm scooped up a stone from the ground. The figure, bare-chested, took rough aim at the crow in the sky.
Then, he hurled his arm with tremendous force.
Whoosh—!
The stone shot in a straight line, flying fast toward the crow.
Thump!
"Puh-caw!"
A direct hit!
The stone struck the crow's wing. It choked violently, two black feathers drifting down as its eyes widened, and it plummeted to earth, losing control!
Seeing this from below, Muichiro quickly looked up, stretching out his hands in an attempt to catch the falling crow.
"Mr. Crow!"
He lunged forward!
Thump!
The crow landed in Muichiro's arms, foaming at the mouth. It struggled to lift a wing, its dark eyes staring straight at the sun.
Its hoarse voice muttered something.
Muichiro quickly leaned his ear closer to listen.
The crow's voice was faint and irregular.
"I...have a name..."
Then its head lolled to the side, and it passed out.
Just as Muichiro was staring at the crow lying in his arms, feeling sorrowful.
"Who goes there?" Yuichiro stood protectively in front of his younger brother, one arm outstretched to shield Muichiro behind him, shouting towards a large boulder ahead of them.
"Why did you attack us?!"
Thump.
"Hah—?"
A muscular young figure stood up from atop the large boulder, slowly raising his inhumanly shaped head.
A muffled, rough voice came from beneath the boar's head.
"Attack?"
Two long streams of white vapor snorted forcefully from the boar's nostrils.
Seeing the figure's appearance clearly, Yuichiro frowned deeply.
It was a creature with a boar's head, a bare upper body, and a human form—a monster!
'Was it a demon?!'
Yuichiro stared at him, thinking rapidly.
"No, sunlight didn't bother him. He's not a demon.'
Instinctively tightening his grip on the hilt of the sword at his waist, Yuichiro gritted his teeth, locking eyes with the boar-headed creature.
'What kind of monster is this?!'
"What did you say?!" The boar-man seemed incredibly agitated upon hearing words like 'attack.' Standing atop the boulder, he glared down at the three.
"Invading my mountain, and you dare call me the attacker?!"
"Don't make me laugh!"
As he spoke, two more long streams of vapor snorted out.
Creak...
The muscles in his body slowly tensed. He crouched slightly, coiling power in his legs.
His gaze stopped on the swords at the waists of the Tokito brothers. An excited expression, hidden beneath his mask, appeared on his face.
"Listen well, intruders."
"My name is Inosuke Hashibira."
Inosuke lifted his head, his two large blue boar eyes fixed on Yuichiro's direction, shouting in a rough, booming voice.
"I'm the king of this mountain!"
Swish!
He kicked off the ground with all his might.
Charging downward with tremendous force, he closed in on Yuichiro, who had his hand on his sword hilt, in an instant!
"Boar Rush—!!" He shouted incessantly.
Shing—!
"Come on, let's see who's stronger!!"
Inosuke charges into a sprint, dust kicking up. He tightened his core, swinging his leg from the side in a kick aimed at Yuichiro!
Yuichiro's eyes widened. Watching Inosuke close in, he felt momentarily at a loss for what to do.
Behind him.
"Eek!" Muichiro hugged the crow, his face pale, his gaze fixed on Inosuke. He felt a bit nauseous.
'What's happening?!' His mind screamed in bewilderment.
Thwack!
He watched as his brother drew his Nichirin blade and struck the sole of the boar monster's foot as it crouched to leverage it for an upward kick using the flat of the blade.
'Why are they fighting?!'
"Bwahahaha!!" Inosuke's rough laughter echoed continuously through the mountains, startling several birds into flapping their wings and taking flight from the treetops.
---
Back at the Butterfly Mansion.
Tanjuro sat quietly in the room on the second floor.
His gaze, tinged with worry, drifted out the window toward the distance.
He had a feeling the Tokito brothers' mission won't go very smoothly.
He sighed.
Hopefully, he was just overthinking things.
There was no one else around.
He slowly immersed himself in his mind, his consciousness gradually fading to black.
Tanjuro slowly opened his eyes.
What came into view was a familiar yet unfamiliar field.
It was the backyard of his own home.