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Chapter Text

A few days after contact with the team sent out to Mt Shichirin was lost, Shinazugawa Sanemi had already lost the thread of the conversation when his colleague Kanroji Mitsuri began: “The thing about trust is, it starts with a dragon-”

“Stop. Please.” Nearby, the Wind Pillar quickly cut in. “Kanroji, how about you explain your idea about this… Kamado family?”

“Uh!” Kanroji sweated, arms waving. “So, there’s a dragon, and it’s guarding a treasure, and lots of people went to kill it for the treasure, right?”

“Did anyone succeed?” This came next from the Mist Pillar, Tokito Muichiro.

“N- No… but they were strong warriors…” Kanroji continued. “So, the next time someone followed behind the next warrior to try, and saw, as the warrior succeeded against all odds, but saw the treasure of gold and silver, and greed overtook him, and he too turned into a dragon, cursed to guard the treasure.”

“From there, the story ends two ways,” came a new speaker. “Either the curse was destroyed when the next winner proved his wisdom and threw the treasure into the sea. Or the one who followed to watch went back, warned the villagers, and they banded together to kill the dragon, putting a permanent end to the curse.”

“M- Master!!!” Many of the Pillars rose.

“My dear children, it seems we have fallen to a hard decision… I have already sent Shinobu to assist.”

The cart rattled as it trundled the path down Mt Shichirin, sodden with the melting snow from spring’s approach. Already the four available – Tanjiro, Kyojuro, Giyuu, even Obanai – had tried to haul the cart, but five Demons still posed a challenge in weight. Not daring to buy or rent or even send a crow towards the nearby Water Pillar’s estate meant that by the time they were approaching the Mitsumine Shrine and beyond that Mt Sagiri, all four men were exhausted even as they slept and the Kamado family Demons used their own supernatural strength to haul the cart.

If they did not know that most of the siblings had been turned in a horrible incident, the Slayers would have been flat-out envious.

“We’re reaching Mt Sagiri soon, just beyond this mountain and the next village over,” Kie called. “Boys, lanterns.”

“…ah, yes!” Tanjiro spoke up after a long silence. “I… forgot…”

“That is alright, young Kamado!” Kyojuro laughed. “The Demon Slayer Corps will teach you all there is to know!”

“Right now, this is our best option, to find a cure…”

“That is right, madam!”

Sitting in the cart, Giyuu merely watched Kie’s back, lit by a flickering lantern and unwavering even as the slight woman pulled the wooden cart carrying six children and three Pillars.

“Kaa-san, I can pull the carriage.”

“Ah, it’s alright, Tanjiro. You’ve been pulling it all day with the Demon Slayers, at the very least Shigeru and I can do something at night.”

“…incredible Demonic strength,” Giyuu commented for lack of additional comment.

Shigeru was currently dealing Hanafuda cards out to his siblings, using a deck that had been all the rage. One of the mothers in the village had given a pack of new cards from Nintendo[1], which had been accepted very uneasily and only after much struggle. The colourful designs seemed almost alive in the dim flickering light of the lantern. “I can totally pull the cart too!”

“Deal the cards already,” Obanai rolled his eyes, being actually involved in the impromptu Koi-Koi round.

“Got it…” Shigeru revealed the card, and Kyojuro yelled: “Three Lights! Koi-Koi!”

“Why is your luck stupid good, Rengoku?!” Obanai growled, having been shut out for the third round.

“I’m not that good at Koi-Koi either…” Shigeru gave a ghoulish grin.

“You know, I’ve only known your family for three days and you’re definitely the closest to an evil Demon, brat.”

“At least I’m not a noodle.”

“Shigeru!”

“He started it!”

Then the wooden card box hit Shigeru in the back of his skull as two glares from the girls huddled in the corner came out.

“Ah, Nezuko, Hanako, it’s alright, there’s nothing on…” Tanjiro assured. “Hanako, apologise to your brother.”

Hanako made a noise which was unintelligible, yet to any parent would have sounded like an oncoming tantrum.

Finally, and proving a quintessence of a journey, Shigeru lamented, “Kaa-san! Are we there yet?”

Perhaps, that accounted for the speed at which Giyuu stepped off of the cart towards a shrine that reeked of blood.

“Ahh! Tomioka-san threw himself off!” Tanjiro’s scream echoed in the night.

It was to the aftermath of such a scene that the Insect Pillar Kocho Shinobu arrived at the shrine, with a man wearing a Tengu mask by her side. “You see, Tomioka-san,” was her opening statement. “This is why you’re not liked.”

[1] Yes, THAT Nintendo. They were around printing cards in the 1910s already.

Chapter Text

A day had passed once they reached Urokodaki’s place in Mt Sagiri.

In concession of the fact that he suddenly had to accommodate far more people than any trainer should have had to, and that six of those people required special accommodations, somehow an open pavilion had been pitched right next to Urokodaki’s hut in the akunoya style, complete with forbidding-looking jinmaku in black cloth. It was to this that somehow, all four men found themselves staring at each other in, while a Kakushi served tea and they awaited the results of the medical examination inside the hut proper.

“Giyuu,” the long nose of the tengu mask swung, almost accusative as it jabbed in Tomioka’s direction. “I am glad you are well.”

“Sensei,” Tomioka quickly nodded. “Apologies for this…”

“Ah, there is no need…” Urokodaki Sakonji demurred. “But rare it is that a humble trainer’s house entertains four Pillars.”

“We killed Upper Moon Five back on Mt Shichirin,” Obanai spoke up as the cups of tea were going around.

Urokodaki’s cup spilled on the ground. Despite fervent apologies from the Kakushi, none of the other batted an eye, Kyojuro even waved the black-clad figure away.

“Weeks ago, when Rengoku disappeared into the mountains around Okutama, Tomioka and I were then dispatched to find him. We found him wandering the pine forests around Mt Shichirin, but by then somehow we were trapped within the Blood Demon Art, confirmed to belong to Kamado Rokuta. The toddler.”

“So young…” came the sad sigh. While everyone present was used to violence, the deaths of the very young still tolled on everyone.

“Afterwards, when we discovered the Kamado family, Muzan’s assassins also discovered them,” Giyuu picked up. “We noted two unranked Demons and… Upper Moon Five?”

“The Demon had both eyeballs carved, it’s a very distinctive look,” Obanai defended. “Rengoku beheaded him, though… speaking of which, Rengoku, how did you escape the water prison he trapped you in?”

The Flame Pillar hummed, completely serious. It was the first time that anyone present had seen anything besides a smile on his face, which lent more credence to how rattled everyone was feeling.

“…inside the water prison, I was carrying… the bloodstained clothes from Mrs Kamado…” The news was relayed quietly, so quietly that it would almost be missed. “I felt strength coursing through my entire being, almost as if…”

He shook his head, and continued: “Somehow, for a moment, without the use of Breathing, I attained the Demonic strength and regeneration to behead with one arm a Demon which by my estimation would require at least two Pillars to slay. The next day I tried walking into sunlight… I borrowed a sachet of dried wisteria and drank it with no effect.”

“You would not be the first Slayer to eat the live flesh of Demons for a temporary foothold, Rengoku,” Obanai stated. “But that technique doesn’t work on blood – blood is the catalyst for the permanent Demonic transformation, so drinking blood should have turned him permanently… unless…”

“Unless?” Kyojuro prompted when a reply was a long time in coming.

“…unless the mother had a Blood Demon Art too.” Obanai rubbed his temples. “She looked like an Ubume too, don’t tell me she grants the Obojikara… this isn’t a horror story, dammit…”

“So, two out of six have Blood Demon Arts?” Urokodaki considered.

“Three,” Obanai piped up. “The second son… Takeo, his name. He killed two Demons himself.”

Echoes of wonder and impressed hums came. “Incredible.”

“Without a Nichirin blade, in the middle of a winter storm.”

“…an Art that could kill demon cells?” Urokodaki clicked his tongue. “Usually there is no point in Demons fighting each other since they can regenerate, the enemy Kibutsuji is the only Demon known to be able to destroy them according to the Master… no wonder so much manpower is assigned to this mission…”

“Apparently, the Water Estate will be fully mobilised,” Urokodaki informed them all. “As would the nearby Snake and Butterfly Estates. Furthermore, headquarters are sending more…”

Tomioka blinked. “I was informed that they would be headed to Mt Shichirin…”

“Hmm?” Rengoku mused. “The family is already here, though? Why send another team to Mt Shichirin? The only thing that awaits them would be possibly more assassins…”

“Given the… oddities… observed with the Kamado family, it was possible that there was an environmental factor in…how they remained sane,” Tomioka shrugged. “The Master ordered for the whole mountain to be locked down and put under surveillance. Since there was wisteria blooming there… I suppose a Wisteria House would be put nearby for the family to hide in.”

“Demons in a Wisteria House…” Obanai echoed. “What has the world come to.”

Inside the hut turned temporary medical clinic, Kocho Shinobu echoed the sentiment of ‘what has the world come to’.

“Vaccinations protect you, you know,” she was lecturing to Takeo who scowled in silence, even as she drew blood from his arm. “You should have taken the measles vaccination when your school offered it.”

“Unfortunately, our family lacks the money to pay for it… but we had our smallpox vaccinations,” Kie defended by the sidelines, helping Tanjiro to hold Rokuta still as a nervous girl in pigtails used a glass syringe to draw blood from Rokuta’s arm. Rokuta whined and hugged Tanjiro, who shushed the boy and then started to soothe him to sleep.[1]

“The news from overseas is that polio will have a vaccine soon, one can only hope,” Shinobu reflected.[2]

Takeo huffed, then pointed at Shigeru.

“Ah, I think Take-nii referred to when I had some reactions to the medicine…” Shigeru looked guilty. “And with… our father gone… none of us can afford to be sick.”

“Vaccination would at least reduce the severity of the disease, if you end up contracting it,” Shinobu huffed, but now mollified as she drew blood from a nodding Nezuko’s arm. Awakened by the prick, Nezuko held Hanako’s hand and then sunk back to sleep. “Well, then, have a good night. We will see you all after some rest, alright~?”

“Good night, Kocho-sensei.”

“Ah, a doctor… I might have a license, but not that much…” almost shy, Shinobu and the rest of the medical staff retreated.

Kie hummed as she left. By the far end of the room, the wick of an oil-lamp burned slowly. Beddings had been laid out, and in most of the corners laid most of her children incapacitated or otherwise unable to live independently in a future made uncertain in tragedy, far from hearth and home.

“Tanjiro. Shigeru.”

Both boys turned to look at her.

“As things stand now… Tanjiro, it will be very hard for the family to make a living,” Kie clicked her tongue. “We have some savings, and the money for New Year’s… you’ve done so well, Tanjiro.”

“Now, we are… being pursued, by an unknown… no, not an unknown.” A rare anger crossed her face. “We are being pursued by a Demon. An Oni, the progenitor of them all, Kibutsuji Muzan.”

“Kaa-san… that’s his name?” Tanjiro echoed.

“Tanjiro…” Kie sighed. “I know your nose is sharp. That monster… possibly like us he can grow big and small – possibly change his own looks, but his scent… will not be masked.”

“His scent…” Tanjiro swallowed, teeth gritted. “…he will, not, get, away.”

“Exactly. These Demon Slayers… they seem to accept new members,” Kie then turned to her third son. “Shigeru. As your older brother will likely be busy… the financial burden falls on us to support the family.”

This was enough to snap Tanjiro out of his thoughts. “Wait, Kaa-san! Shigeru’s still in school! I can-”

“You will not be able to, Tanjiro.” Kie’s decision was firm despite the gentleness of her tone. “Tanjiro… I know that as a mere woman and a housewife there are some things I cannot do-”

“No, Kaa-san, you’re plenty strong,” her sons deadpanned, having seen her headbutt boars into submission more than once.

“-now let me finish,” Kie cut off. “We are not alone in this, and we will likely never be alone in this…”

She closed her eyes, and in an act strange for Demons, took a deep breath. The sheer habits of humanity seemed to lend her life, rather than the deathly pallor of Demons. “…Tanjiro. If we ever…fall… you will have to take care of yourself.”

“Kaa-san!” Tanjiro exclaimed, stunned. “W- W- What do you mean?”

“K- Kaa-san?” Shigeru’s vermilion eyes were wide.

“Tanjiro. In the case that if any of your siblings ever commit the sin… I will take them to greet the Sun myself,” the words came like it took the battle of a lifetime to declare them. “Otherwise, I would not be able to face Tanjuro in the other world…!”

“B- But we’ve been fine so far!” Shigeru burst out. “Nii-chan, please, talk to Kaa-chan, I’m afraid…”

“Kaa-san, I… I don’t think I can live alone if that happens,” Tanjiro rasped. “Please… don’t make me… we’re the Kamado family, right? At worst, we will eat at the stove of the Underworld[3] together…”

“This is just if the worst happens,” Kie looked at her eldest son. “Tanjiro, I have no intention of dying, I still need to see your children.”

Tanjiro blushed and turned his eyes to the ceiling.

“So, Tanjiro, Shigeru… we will need to manage while your siblings recover,” Kie concluded. “We will see Kibutsuji Muzan dead, even if we have to behead him!”

[1] Fun fact: The concept of immunization was started in Japan in 1849 when Jenner’s cowpox vaccine seed was introduced. A vaccination law against smallpox started in 1910. The current immunisation law in force was stipulated in 1948.

[2] In 1908, Landsteiner and Popper announced in Vienna that polio was caused by a virus. More here.

[3] 黄泉竈食い: ‘eating food prepared from the kettle in the underworld’; it is believed that once this food is eaten, the dead may never return to the land of the living

Chapter Text

Days passed over Mt Sagiri with the start of Tanjiro’s training, before another change came to their situation. The Pillars still appeared now and then – most often appearing was Giyuu, the actual Water Pillar in charge of the area. Yet it was only months later, before another visitor arrived with the buds of spring.

“I am sorry, there are few effects we brought, and Tanjiro is still with Urokodaki-san… of my children, only Shigeru will be able to communicate,” Kie gave an apologetic look towards the lavender-eyed woman who had come with two people – a child with dark hair and purple wisteria-motif robes currently pulled by Hanako into an cat’s cradle game, and a very large, if silent, bodyguard with blank grey eyes who loomed in a corner.

“They’re very safe though!” Kie hastily assured. “Takeo goes on night runs, but there’s nobody and he’s very quiet! We trust him with the run of the mountain, at least.”

“No, not at all. Thank you for entrusting your son to us.” The woman sipped the tea under a blind disapproving stare. “This is Himejima Gyomei, the Stone Pillar of the Demon Slayer Corps. I am Ubuyashiki Amane, representing our leader. My son Kiriya… my apologies.”

“No, no, Hanako has few companions, and my oldest daughter is unfortunately indisposed at the moment…” Kie shook her head. “We owe the Demon Slayers so much already for this shelter.”

“The Corps… has a series of Wisteria Houses across the prefecture, that serves to house injured Slayers. We have sought to repair your house… if it pleases you, we could organise your house in Mt Shichirin as one of them.” Amane paused. “Of course, we would help with some of the businesses…”

“Ah, we would need to give it some thought, depending on Tanjiro’s training here,” Kie frowned. “Unfortunately, my sense of taste is affected by the transformation… I will need to relearn the kitchen. I do retain some meagre skill in sewing, and nursing, but the details would need to be worked out.”

“We understand, your family has just survived a disaster,” Amane agreed. “We apologise for disturbing you on this day, but… we understand that Kibutsuji Muzan attacked your home and caused your family’s… situation.”

“Ubuyashiki-san…”

“If possible… could you describe this man?”

Kie shut her eyes. “I think… a young man, in Western clothing… with red eyes. Like plum fruits… and vertical pupils like a cat’s eyes. My son’s nose is sharp; he can trace the enemy by scent.”

“Uhm…” Shigeru spoke up. “Actually, he injected me when I opened the door.”

Three heads swivelled to face him, stunned.

“Then Take-nii attacked him with our axe,” Shigeru closed his eyes. “I called for Nee-chan to run with Rokuta, then Hanako spilled dinner into the hearth… there was… so much blood… since Demons usually turn feral at the start, I think…”

“Oh, my boy…” Kie shuddered, moving to hug Shigeru.

“That… turning a Demon to eat their family members is known,” Amane slowly said, frowning. “The degree that the family fought back… I believe that, and the blood spilled, played a factor in that the entire family turned – except for your eldest son?”

“Tanjiro had gone down the mountain to sell charcoal for New Year…” Kie replied, unsteady. “And as I informed your… Pillars, I believe? Rengoku-san and Tomioka-san. The men from the Bureau of Shrine Affairs.”

“Yes. We have men who are investigating that lead,” Amane assured, now rifling through a file in her hands. As she opened it, a sharp gasp was heard. “Kiriya?”

The child in purple turned away. “N- Nothing, Mother.”

Amane turned the file around to show Kie its contents after scribbling within. “I have an artist’s sketch of one of the murderer’s faces. Given that Demons are able to shapeshift, I suspect that it would not be of much use, but I humbly request your assistance.”

“If it would help to end him, I will extend my assistance however small,” Kie took the file and examined it, ignoring the eyes currently on the file in her hands. Quietly, Amane sipped her tea.

“This man… he looks like the one, but…” Kie gestured to her own cheeks. “There is a very different look in his eyes. Like…”

There was a long silence, before Kie frowned. “Like a new Daruma doll. Yes?” Her head looked up when she heard a small thud.

“No, no,” Amane hastily assured. “My tea nearly spilled, apologies. A new Daruma doll, apologies?”

“Completely blank, like… Himejima-san,” Kie politely coughed. “Usually, Daruma dolls are sold with blank eyes, so the buyer can fill in the left eye as a symbol of commitment. Then when the goal is fulfilled, the right eye is filled in.”

“Ah.”

“The man who attacked us…” Kie paused. “I nursed my mother-in-law and my husband… only near the end did that look flicker in their eyes. We are all human, after all…yet somehow, though that man was killing us, it struck me that his eyes constantly reflected that fear of death.”

She closed the file and slid it back towards Amane. “I apologise, I truly… cannot remember more.”

“You have helped much – we are one step closer to identifying him,” Amane bowed from her position kneeling in seiza, solemn. “Apologies, but our leader requested to know… if your children were to kill a human and fall off the right path…”

“I will take them to meet the Sun myself, Ubuyashiki-san.”

From there, the newcomers bade their leave and descended Mt Sagiri. It was only after the three of them were well out of earshot that Ubuyashiki Kiriya turned to his mother.

“Mother… why did you show Father’s picture to Mrs Kamado?”

Behind them, Himejima loomed. “Amane-sama…”

“My husband requested it,” Amane’s reply was quiet and doubtful. “The family’s foresight.”

“But Kibutsuji can transform,” Himejima argued.

“Himejima-san, what he needed was to confirm a hunch, about Kibutsuji’s nature… Mrs Kamado is far sharper than her background implies.” Amane tapped the file containing a sketch of Ubuyashiki Kagaya.

“Hanako-chan was quite good at the cat’s cradle too, like mother like daughter,” Kiriya commented.

Amane stopped walking to stare at him. After a moment, Kiriya and Himejima turned back.

“…Mother?”

“… ‘Hanako-chan’ might be a bit dangerous for a bride, Kiriya…”

The Ubuyashiki heir’s blush could almost be seen by Himejima, even as the group walked…

And walked…

And walked…

...

..

.

“I’m so sorry!” Kie cried when the trio came across Urokodaki’s doorstep for the third time. “I’ll go wake Rokuta up!”

“The youngest ever known Demon turned,” Himejima commented as Kie fled back into the house. “And it is such a powerful Demon Art… no wonder three Pillars combined could not escape it.”

“Eyes that constantly reflect the fear of death… that is an interesting assessment. It accurately describes Kibutsuji Muzan, I am amazed.”

The April sunlight poured over a Zen garden, the white sands carefully raked and mounds of rock rising from the sea of gravel, as the Ubuyashiki husband and wife spoke with the Stone Pillar from the overlooking porch.

“When Mrs Kamado spoke that she would take her children to see the Sun should they take the wrong path, I did not sense a lie,” Himejima reported. “For that alone she has my respect…some descriptions aside. She did not know that she was describing the Master.”

“That is high praise from you, Gyomei,” the Master hummed. “I have heard reports of the family – the Kamado family is apparently quite well-known and rooted in the area. Giyuu was almost accused of attacking them, and it almost caused a riot.”

“Tomioka-san is a reliable Slayer, merely inarticulate and melancholic by nature…” came a weak defence from Himejima.

“We managed to clear up the misunderstanding,” the Master said. “For now, Shinobu is still researching on the Kamado family’s blood samples – I am informed that they are quite medically complex, but the details await her reporting at the Pillar meeting. What remains is… a more difficult question.”

“Master?” Himejima echoed.

“Urokodaki Sakonji has written a letter, requesting permission to tutor Kamado Takeo in Breathing-style swordsmanship.”

“That is quite unacceptable,” came the immediately response from Himejima. “Has he gone mad?! I just saw him, and his faculties were certainly there.”

“Urokodaki reported, sometime in mid-February Kamado Takeo managed to achieve movement at night,” The hypnotic voice of Ubuyashiki Kagaya elaborated. “As Mt Sagiri is half a day’s walk from the nearest village, it made for an excellent training ground, but not good patrol grounds. Urokodaki found that Kamado Takeo had been running laps around the mountains surrounding Mt Sagiri, to kill Demons of his own volition.”

“…his older brother is training with Urokodaki, is he not?” Amane sighed. “Urokodaki-san is… an experienced man, once the Water Pillar, but… he would tire himself out.”

“Whose Nichirin blade is the boy using?” The Stone Pillar had a different question. “If Urokodaki’s spare blade was used like this…”

“That is where Urokodaki’s report turned strange,” the Master continued. “In early January Obanai, Giyuu and Kyojuro reported their suspicions that Kamado Takeo had a Blood Demon Art capable of cellular destruction of Demon cells. After Shinobu took samples of the family’s blood, I had our Kakushi contacts in Tokyo Imperial University study them… from my understanding of their reply, Kamado Takeo’s blood quite closely resembles Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand. After Urokodaki’s report came in, I am inclined to believe that this is a facet of Kamado Takeo’s Demon Art.”

“…the Demon bleeds Nichirin steel?” Himejima chanted the nenbutsu under his breath right after. “This is… how is the boy not dead then? He is a Demon, right?”

“Urokodaki did report that Kamado Takeo got slightly sunburnt and had to sleep for a few nights in a row. He has yet to inform Mrs Kamado on this matter, though.”

“Urokodaki’s house is not big enough for them to sleep separately,” Amane reported, her expression upset. “Mrs Kamado did mention that the boy runs around at night… she attributed it to bloodlust, though… if this is the ‘Chosen Demon’…”

“Master, I feel that we have not considered another possibility.”

“Gyomei?” the Master asked.

Himejima clasped his hands. “Kamado Takeo, is the second son, out of the six children of Kamado Kie.”

Ubuyashiki Kagaya froze, and considered. “You mean, that as all the children share the same blood, it is possible that any of them could conquer the sun?”

Amane considered. “…Mrs Kamado was receptive to the idea of opening her home to our children the Slayers. If we include the place in Giyuu’s patrols and overlap it with the Butterfly Estate’s area we should be able to manage area surveillance.”

Himejima considered her words. “Amane-sama, you mean…”

“As part of the Demon Slayer Corps, the Kamado family incident represents the closest that the Corps has reached to Muzan,” Amane coolly said. “Even in the worst-case scenario, that a Demon who conquered the sun appears in that family, rather than leave this bait to chance, we can use this to fish Muzan out. There is no other bait which will drag him from the shadows. Their Arts pose a secondary advantage, if they can retain their faculties and not lose themselves to the Demon.”

A deep breath, and she continued: “As… as a mother, I understand Mrs Kamado’s situation. Fearing for her children and having few other options than us, she still sought help to get a message to us, with little hope of return and not knowing if we would come. I… I do not want to see her faith in humanity rewarded with her children and herself beheaded.”

There was a long silence, as both men considered her words.

“…the only disadvantages I can see, is that we will need a lot of manpower and potentially suffer catastrophic losses if we lose control of them, or if a Demon outside of the family conquers the sun first and then is found by Muzan,” the Master concluded at last. “It is a risky gamble, contingent on whether or not the Kamado family’s abnormal family blood can resist Muzan’s influence. Their medical background itself, too… from now until the next Pillar meeting and Shinobu’s report, I will give Urokodaki permission to train Kamado Takeo in the basics of fighting. From the reports of his behaviour and aptitude, I will then decide the next course.”

Blood Demon Art: Kamikakushi

The personal Art of Kamado Rokuta as a Demon.

During Kibutsuji Muzan’s attack on the Kamado family in the early Taisho period, the then-toddler Kamado Rokuta could only hide in his sister’s arms and wish to remain hidden. That motivation manifested itself in his Blood Demon Art, which hides himself and the surroundings of the property he resides in from existence. As though hidden by the will of the gods or demons, the Art goes far beyond merely hiding one’s presence or disguising from senses – it was established that not even Kibutsuji Muzan could find the Kamado family in the aftermath.

As the Art user is young, currently Kamikakushi can only be understood in the most basic passive form. While activated, the space influenced by the Art is considered ‘closed off’ – anything outside cannot enter, anything inside cannot leave. The Art itself seems to define its range by property lines – Pillar Tomioka reported memory loss right after Rokuta hid in his family kiln. Given the extent of the avoidance, it is hypothesised that Kamikakushi hides from both physical and mental influences.

It is however speculated that the toddler Rokuta merely thinks in terms of walls and enclosed spaces, since the maximum range of the Art extends from the Kamado house near the summit to around the foot of Mt Shichirin – itself just shy of the neighbouring Mt Kumotori at 2,016m. Observation from Pillars Tomioka Giyuu, Iguro Obanai, and Rengoku Kyojuro supports this. Additionally, they state that aerial Demons under Kibutsuji’s command could not access the space above the mountain, implying that the range of the Art is spherical.

The current offensive potential of Kamikakushi is poorly understood on an individual basis, as the user is young. On a defensive and stealth basis, Kamikakushi ranks as the most powerful Art in the Kamado family so long as it is active, and the user is protected.

Chapter Text

For a talkative boy, Shigeru tended to observe more.

He observed his mother’s stresses and worries for their elder brother. He observed how his older sister slept most of the day, as if seeking to recover something in sleep. He observed Take-nii sneaking out some nights, sometimes coming back with torn clothes and the smell of his own blood and the ashes of Demons and…A scent that used to permeate their bedding after a long beating in the summer sun, or something like it.

Shigeru kept quiet, even when somehow Takeo and he got dragged into Tanjiro’s falling festival conducted by Urokodaki. At least they got some decent fighting skills out of it.

“Rokuta, you’re too young to be rolling like that,” One early summer day in the liminal time when Tanjiro got to get back to Urokodaki’s hut and Takeo stepped out of Urokodaki’s hut, Shigeru heard Tanjiro’s quiet comment and Rokuta’s laugh, right where Urokodaki led their mother out of the house.

Shigeru frowned. Usually their mother was smiling, but the look in her eyes…

Kie watched her second son go through the sword swings. The whole exercise mystified her, but her son still completed it. “I… don’t understand, Urokodaki-san,” she murmured.

Behind the tengu mask, Urokodaki hummed. “Takeo-kun is not suited to the sword.”

“Well…”

“It is not about talent, or nurturing,” Urokodaki corrected. “He completes the swings well enough, and in physical strength he ranks above Tanjiro. It is simply the fact that… he tends to fight more like an assassin.”

Kie froze. “I’m sorry?”

“He fights like the hitokiri of the Bakumatsu,” Urokodaki elaborated. “Which is to say, practice fighting is not useful for him. His is more of defending in a life-or-death battle. All Slayers go through that sooner or later – the style of swordsmanship taught aims for the neck, after all. But it is a rare case when the student is prepared to make a killing stroke so early; in war he would have made his fortune.”

Kie frowned, and rubbed her temples. “We all… have scars from then.”

“More than once, I have followed him out of the boundaries of Kamikakushi,” Urokodaki spoke, referring to the Blood Demon Art that somehow Rokuta had manifested. “The more he kills Demons, the more easily your family would be found. I have temporarily delayed it in teaching him the basics, but Takeo would benefit more from close-combat fighting styles.”

“…Takeo may have the talent, but I fear he would lose something from this,” Kie whispered. “Already he had to face tragedy so young, and now we talk about letting him kill Demons alongside his brother. How will he behead Demons if he cannot master the blade?”

“On that, his Blood Demon Art is more than a match,” Urokodaki murmured. “The Master is sending a doctor here…”

“Tamayo-sama… we’ve come back to the tree.”

Flicking open the pocket watch to check the time, Tamayo sighed. “Thank you, Yushiro. At least we confirmed one Blood Demon Art capable of bending space…you could not even see where it starts?”

“No, Tamayo-sama,” The other demon confirmed. “The Demon Slayers chose a strange demon… the user is a child, but already so powerful – the child must have received a great amount of blood. Kibutsuji must not have expected anything, or he would not have let such a Demon free.”

Footsteps echoed. Then a boy stood before them. Red eyes flecked with green, and pupils bearing a bamboo-joint motifs studied them carefully. A bamboo muzzle had been strung around the boy’s mouth, sized to allow his fangs to rest easily on it yet not cut into his cheeks.

“Tamayo-sama!” Yushiro shielded her. “This Demon…!”

“It’s alright, Yushiro. Erm, are you… residing here?” Tamayo spoke to the boy. Under the dim moonlight, his profile seemed to break up against the checkered pattern of his scarf. “We are looking for a Mr Urokodaki… I understand that he is expecting us…”

The boy moved.

“Tamayo-sama!” Yushiro stepped forward just as the boy feinted in another direction and slashed out towards a nearby tree. A shriek rang out, and a Demon who had snuck behind the new visitors howled and slashed back.

“I’m fine!” Tamayo rolled up her sleeve, prepared to use her own Arts before she hesitated.

Tamayo watched the boy’s limb elongate, almost stabbing and club-like before his blood seemed to shimmer gold. The arm clubbed the Demon into the ground screaming, and it continued to scream in its thrashing into bloody, smoking ash.

No wonder the Demon Slayers tracked us down, she pondered. That particular smoking reaction… what else would explain the presence of sunlight at night, other than a Demon who ended up bleeding sunlight and not burn from the inside out? Yushiro must have noticed too, for he said nothing.

Finally, only a pile of ash remained, and the Demon pointed to the two of them, before clapping.

“Yes, I heard you.” A man in a tengu mask and a blue jinbei leapt down to face them. He was joined by another boy, wearing earrings that waved with the weight of Hanafuda cards.

“Takeo! Are you hurt? Man, that was brutal…” the boy ran over, and now their resemblance could be clearly seen as fraternal.

“You are the lady Tamayo that the Master mentioned? I am Urokodaki Sakonji… the boy is one of your prospective patients, Kamado Takeo. Apologies, his ability to speak was… stolen by the transformation.”

“But he will not attack people,” the other boy bowed his head. “I am Kamado Tanjiro, thank you very much for coming to see my family.”

“You still call us Demons as people… I see…” Tamayo whispered. “Your family?”

Settled in the house of a former Pillar – Urokodaki seemed far too polished for the average Slayer – Tamayo continued to study the Kamado family as the nearby hibachi brewed water. The older girl, Nezuko, was slumped next to her yawning sister; they made a pretty sight under the glow of the lamp. Nearby, Takeo sulked even as Urokodaki pointedly kept the practice sword away from him, Tanjiro having to hold his hand like a parent faced with a petulant child. A boy Demon held another toddler Demon, rocking him even as the toddler bared fangs and attempted to cling to their eldest brother’s remaining free hand.

“Please, have some tea.” In this whole mess, somehow their mother came in from outside the house carrying a daiban and tea in each hand, one of which was set before the two guests before she set the other one before Urokodaki. “Thank you for allowing me use of your stove, Urokodaki-san.”

“It is fine, madam. A stove requires a woman’s touch to make use of it – a bachelor like myself at most fries rice on it.”[1]

“What an interesting technique, I must learn the use of a Chinese pot from you. Come, Nezuko, Hanako, we have a guest. Go to the corner, alright?” Kie chivvied them into the big pile of hastily pushed futons that seemed to dominate one corner, then turned to Tamayo as she settled into seiza.

“Apologies, I am Kamado Kie. I understand that my son Takeo has greatly inconvenienced yourself… please do make yourselves comfortable.”

“It is fine, you have been very kind,” Tamayo had stopped smiling around the time that she saw Rokuta finally escaping one older brother for the eldest Kamado son, who was now rocking him to sleep. “Ubuyashiki…-san, he did mention it. It was for your son’s Blood Demon Art that I have come.”

At this Kie frowned. “I am aware… that his Blood Demon Art poses a chance of hurting him. Lady Tamayo must possess great knowledge and experience to study Demons.”

“I never introduced myself, did I?” Tamayo recalled. “I am named Tamayo. This boy is Yushiro. Please try to get along.”

“Hello, Yushiro-san.”

Yushiro glared back.

“…”

“Yushiro and I have altered our bodies considerably, and require only a little blood to survive. We have likewise removed the curse of Kibutsuji,” Tamayo explained.

“Curse?” Kie echoed. “Yes, a curse…”

“Perhaps not so magical, more as a compulsion from the blood of Kibutsuji Muzan,” Tamayo explained. “The Demons who utter his name under this curse… will be torn apart and die.”

“Blood… human blood…” Kie pondered. “I have heard of blood tofu brought into Kobe, but human blood is still…”

“You may find it distasteful, but what we do is buy blood from those unable to make ends meet, telling them it is for transfusions. Of course, we do not take so much as to harm them…”

“So, blood is still necessary,” Tanjiro spoke. “If it’s just blood, then even Nezuko…”

“Tanjiro, I worry more for Rokuta,” Kie spoke. “He is too young to understand limits…”

Tamayo continued to stare at Urokodaki, who had remained quiet since the conversation started.

“…I will train Takeo then, madam.” Urokodaki took a deep breath, then got up. Somehow, he ignored Takeo who was clamped on his shin, and walked while dragging both the Demon boy and the practice sword through the front door, closing it behind him in a long silence.

“…I was the one who turned Yushiro into a Demon,” Tamayo confessed. “Indeed, the inexperience of children create cruel Demons.”

“You?” Tanjiro exclaimed. “We heard… it was only Kibutsuji who could do that.”

“That is basically correct. After more than two hundred years, Yushiro was the only one I was able to transform into a Demon.”

“I see…” Kie contemplated. “I understand that the transformation into a Demon requires exposure to the blood of Kibutsuji Muzan. Some of the other Slayers have mentioned that some strong Demons… Moons?”

“His direct subordinates,” Tamayo confirmed. “Kibutsuji’s cells… transform the person, yet themselves remain independent. The mutating agent of Kibutsuji’s blood can be transferred, and drunk, which is detected by Kibutsuji. To what extent, I do not know. I have used my medical skills to modify that to an extent.”

Mother and son exchanged looks, which did not escape Tamayo.

“Allow me to clarify, I am not trying to increase the Demon population. I only offer it to the terminally ill, or those with grave injuries. I also ask them if they would rather live as Demons.”

“…I cannot deny that to some, that would be attractive.” Kie stared at her son.

Tanjiro took a deep breath, and nodded.

“I understand…but how does Takeo fit into this?” Kie asked.

“We are dedicated to finding a cure for the transformation. Currently we are unable to, but someday…” Tamayo paused. “Regardless, such research requires the blood of several Demons to study. Therefore, we humbly request two favours. Firstly, to study the blood of your affected family members. Secondly, to retrieve as many blood samples from Demons with a high concentration of Kibutsuji’s blood as possible.”

“…the Demon Slayers took blood samples. If needed, we will provide more.”

“I understand. Thank you.” Tamayo bowed her head. “Kie-san… you do not realise it, but your family’s condition is extremely rare and unique. Even yourself… usually, newly turned Demons would have lost their memories, reduced to bestial hunger, and the blood and flesh of close relatives would pose the most nutritious of meals in that time. If a Demon was to go far longer without eating humans or beasts, they would go berserk. And the smell of human foods no longer appeals to Demons – it merely sickens them.”

“…that is very sad for them,” Kie reflected. “In its way, that too is a curse – eating together is one of the primary means of forming real relationships between human beings. It feels… if Kibutsuji’s cells did turn people into Demons, he may have chosen to amplify exactly the worst traits of humanity so that they cannot get along.”

“Kaa-san…” Tanjiro sighed in sympathy, looking at Tamayo. “Erm…”

Tamayo’s lavender eyes fell on Kie, and for a brief moment the lamp flickered, and neither could tell either woman from each other.

“They cannot talk to humans, so how much more difficult is it for them to connect with other people?” Kie reflected. “Their source of food is humans – already they are isolated from some beings of sentience. As for the other half, presumably Demons will murder and betray each other as often as humans, perhaps more so under Kibutsuji’s evil influence. Even if a Demon thinks of defecting, that Demon will die the moment anything was spoken to the Demon hunters. How then can they form the bonds that might free them of him?”

Tamayo continued to stare at her.

“Yet… I could utter his name… I do not think as a Demon I am very special, so it could be that Rokuta’s Art would… interrupt the curse? Should I try to separate myself from Mt Sagiri to try?” Kie then asked.

“Kaa-san!” Tanjiro protested.

“Please do not,” Tamayo assured her sincerely. “I would do anything to be in your position, Kie-san, and you are endangering yourself.”

Somehow, the uttered words made Kie study her sharply. “…thank you. You are right, I must… remain with the children. Takeo’s blood… I understand it is toxic to Demons, so how will you transport it?”

“There is a way.” Tamayo contemplated. “Delicate specimens are usually transported by hand… many medical plants exist in mountains too, and are carried in baskets.”

“Ah, much like picking mushrooms,” Kie cheered.

“I think the rarest sight I ever saw was a glowing mushroom,” Tamayo murmured, as it was clear that business was much concluded and now both women were socialising, or what passed for small talk between women of different backgrounds.

“Yes…” Kie eyed her Meisen-style tomesode, and then tugged at her own tattered checker-pattern cotton. “The styles of the big city are very different. I am sure that all the world attended to Tokyo…”

“Ah, but the best specimens are often hidden in the mountains,” Tamayo said. “Such as… matsutake.”

“Matsutake… in our family we often sell the matsutake,” Kie sighed. “It is flowers which are rare – a luxury.”

“Flower-viewing is an agreeable pastime,” Tamayo faintly agreed.

“Flower-viewing… we would likely miss it,” Kie shuddered, and then teased her eldest, “Tanjiro, remember you were a little baby? You went to the back of the mountain and then tripped in a clearing to hit your head on a stone… well, the stone broke before your head did…”

“Kaa-san!” Tanjiro blushed. “T- That was a long time ago!”

“But it was then we saw a rare flower together,” Kie commented. “Who knew that spider lilies bloomed blue?”

There was a crash, and both mother and son jumped. The lacquered daiban, its top, and the stoneware cup had been smashed under Tamayo’s clawed hand. The Demon herself did not seem to care even as the wood splinters stabbed into her skin, huge lavender eyes staring at Kie in disbelief as she met Kie’s peach-coloured pupils.

“Tamayo-sama!” Yushiro fled to her side, immediately pulling splinters of wood. “Are you alright?!”

“T- Tamayo-san?” Kie slowly spoke as she noted the situation. “Ah… Tanjiro, the medicine cabinet… I think Urokodaki-san has some ointment… Tamayo-san!” she exclaimed as big blobs of tears stained the tatami.

“I was right, Kie-san,” Tamayo’s face twisted. “I would do anything to be in your position.”

Blood Demon Art: Taketori

The personal Art of Kamado Takeo as a Demon.

As Takeo’s last act in human life was to take up the axe in defence, as a Demon his Art manifested to successfully kill. The light emitted by his blood is known to be harmful to Demons and is compared to be similar, if not identical to sunlight, the known ultimate weakness of most Demons. Damage to him done by a Demon is therefore lethal to the Demon, since even a small amount of Takeo’s blood would burn them to ashes.

However, since the blood is notably concentrated within his body, Kamado Takeo must open a vein every time he uses it. It is also understood that Kamado Takeo himself seems to possess only resistance, not immunity, to sunlight – presumably, the sunlight of early morning or high noon would kill him. It is unknown about how he would fare against wisteria-based poisons, or high-purity Nichirin steel at present. Notably, the Art itself seems to lack long-range options too.

However, it seems that on an individual basis, Kamado Takeo ranks at more physically durable than his other family. His regeneration generally ranks on the high end considering that he has yet to eat human flesh or any human bits, hence Takeo’s durability ranks very high. It is observed that Kamado Takeo is able to intake various sources of protein (animal and plant-based) and especially pickled radish – suggesting that his body is seeking external sources of nutrients and minerals to replace lost blood and cellular repair.

Current (20^th century) medical science lacks the necessary knowledge to formulate further explanation for the mechanism, though it is suggested that exposure to oxygen may be involved as a catalyst for the blood to take the light and heat radiation, though the theory does not account for the mystery of his durability and resistance.

[1] Author’s note: Fried rice as a dish would only have been introduced to Japan in the 1860s, so it would be comparatively recent.

Chapter Text

It took nearly everything he had to vacate the house for the woman.

It had nothing to do with Demons or trusting them – already the Master Ubuyashiki had written out his decision. It still did not change that Urokodaki was an old man, and growing up with a young family tended to convince him of certain priorities, like protecting the students that had entered, and mostly died.

Such as Tanjiro.

Shigeru showed minimal promise as a young and rebellious boy, and Takeo had an allergy to wisteria scents so strong that he broke out in hives and had to spend a week indoors on exposure, so in all probability Urokodaki would be sending the eldest Kamado son to somewhere very close to death. But death due to weakness in the Final Selection, was very different from inviting one’s murderers through the front door.

Urokodaki could not help the former, but would not allow the latter to happen.

A bamboo tube poked his knee – Takeo was there, squinting at him. They knew, of course, that the boy had decent night vision like most Demons, so the action only meant that he wanted something. As usual, Takeo gestured to the door, and then tilted one ear towards the older man.

“…you’re quite sensitive, aren’t you?” Urokodaki murmured. “I heard… from Giyuu. You…fell, fighting.”

Despite the Demon physiology meaning that he did not need to blink, Takeo gave a slow blink.

That was before a crash had him moving to open the door, just to see the woman Demon, who had been so classy and put-together, scream and then tear at her own hair before rushing for the door. Urokodaki drew his sword, keenly prepared, but the woman paid him no mind and instead tackled her way out of the door.

“Tamayo-sama!” The male Demon then called, also running after her. “Please, calm down! You guys, help me catch her! It’s almost-”

Out of habit, Urokodaki peered out, only to see that the skies had lightened to something like the underbelly of a fish.

Somehow, before anyone else, Kamado Kie had managed to tackle the woman. “It’s almost sunrise! We’ll ask Urokodaki-san, please just-”

“There’s no time!” Tamayo’s claws dug furrows through the ground and her kimono dirtied, but she paid no mind, actually dragging Kie through the mud with her. “There’s no time! If the flower is there, if Kibutsuji gets his filthy hands on it-”

“That’s not a reason to run into the sun!” Kie pleaded. “Tanjiro, help me carry her-”

“Let go of me! If he gets to it, I would- I’d rather die!”

“Calm down!” Kie pulled, then cocked her head, and headbutted the other woman on the back of her head…

“Alright. Has everyone gotten their soup?” Presiding over a bubbling pot of boar’s blood soup improvised from a time Urokodaki had managed to hunt a boar, Kie had dished out the servings to the Demons present wielding a calabash like a tactile symbol of authority. Thoroughly spooked and holding onto Tamayo’s hand, Yushiro accepted the proffered bowl and turned to serve Tamayo some of it.

“History repeats itself…” Shigeru commented, also taking his own soup.

“Here, Rokuta, ahh.” Ever the dutiful son, Tanjiro had started to feed the toddler. He frowned at the soup in thought. “Animal blood…”

“It’s disgusting, Tanjiro. Urokodaki-san, Tanjiro, I have your share over here,” Kie indicated a separate pot boiling on the hibachi, which gave off the characteristic scent of dashi stock and miso. Two daiban were laid out with-

Tanjiro almost jumped. “Kaa-san, where did the eggs come from?”

“Well, when I heard that guests were coming… might as well not waste them,” Kie frowned. “My sense of taste is rather off, though…”

“I thank you for this meal,” Urokodaki mumbled, accepting the tray of rice, rolled tamagoyaki, and now miso soup. “Come, Tanjiro.”

That was fast, Tanjiro thought even as he continued to feed Rokuta. Kaa-san is a good cook, though…but her prized sense of taste was taken from her…

Yushiro took a sip and hummed, but blushed when Tamayo reached up for the bowl. “T- Tamayo-sama?”

“This is… actually quite delicious,” came Tamayo’s surprised expression as she looked at her constant companion. “It’s quite warm, and there’s the taste of blood, but under that…”

“…oi, woman.”

Kamado Kie started. “I am Kamado Kie.”

“…Mrs Kamado,” Yushiro bowed. “Kindly teach me your recipe!”

Later, when the Mt Shichirin Wisteria House was set up, the Demon Slayers who passed by would often see the former Water Pillar and his student the current Water Pillar, plus almost every variation of the Demon Slayer command, stop by for a meal. It made the eventual transition of the Kamado house into a minshuku even more famous… but that would be a long while in the future.

In the present, Kie finished serving the rest and then held a cup as she waited. “Well then… I understand that…the Blue Spider Lily means something, Tamayo-san?”

“…for a moment, I suspected that your family was merely another random victim,” Tamayo elaborated. “Perhaps… I suspected that the reason all of the family save for Tanjiro-san were turned, was perhaps another whim of Kibutsuji. However, Kie-san… if you have truly seen the Blue Spider Lily before…that changes everything.”

Tamayo settled. “To understand, you must know my past… I had a husband, and children, and practised medicine. My own body began to waste away after the birth of my child…in my desperate search for time, he appeared and offered to turn me.”

“…a sad tale, but known,” Urokodaki slowly said after a long silence. “Yet you willingly work with the Demon Slayer Corps?”

“Kibutsuji Muzan did not offer it for free… before I was turned, he made me teach him the basics of medicine, especially the Dutch studies,” A scowl passed over Tamayo’s face. “The man who turned Kibutsuji Muzan was a doctor in the Heian period. From what… that man said, it was a treatment for a disease which would have killed him before he turned twenty, despite that he suffered so much to live longer. The doctor… died… and then Kibutsuji realised that the medicine was working – he obtained a strong body, but had to eat humans, and would die under sunlight. The medicine that the doctor had made, used the Blue Spider Lily. So, he travelled across the Eight Islands[1] in search of it…and turned me.”

The Kamado family members cognisant enough to hear the story had settled around Tamayo’s prone figure in the futon. By the wayside, Urokodaki had scrambled for paper and a piece of charcoal, and was hastily penning down her every word.

“…Kibutsuji Muzan killed that doctor, but realised his folly, and regretted it.” The way that Kie phrased it was as a statement, not a question.

“I do not have evidence, but that is the most likely scenario,” Tamayo bowed her head. “After turning… in my despair I was nothing more than a walking corpse, trailing after that filthy man and hoping… against hope, sometime in the chaotic world that defined the Warring States era, one Slayer almost did it.”

At this point Tanjiro had been pushed to mix ink, and Urokodaki’s charcoal was crumbling in his hands from how hard he had gripped the charcoal.

“That Slayer had red hair and red eyes, and a mark like flames along his face…” Tamayo’s expression turned distant. “With a scarlet blade that glowed, the slashes that the swordsman made did not allow regeneration… the swordsman asked him something, and I hoped… but when he next took a step forward, Kibutsuji Muzan burst and scattered his flesh in several pieces. The swordsman cut some, but enough pieces escaped to recombine into a head…”

“What?” Shigeru’s voice was flat.

“That’s rude!” Yushiro erupted.

“But… he can regenerate from a head?” Shigeru looked at his hands. “Like… Take-nii can regenerate from broken bones, but it takes a lot out of him…”

“Kibutsuji Muzan has overcome most of the weaknesses, including to be beheaded normally.” Tamayo, weakened, sank back on the futon. “I was relieved to be freed from his control as Kibutsuji was weakened by the honourable Slayer… I will do anything to see that man dead. I did not expect to be so close to failing.”

“…failing?” Tanjiro echoed.

“The Blue Spider Lily is the whole reason why Kibutsuji proliferated the Demon race – to make subordinates who would seek it out, or develop resistance to the sun for his consumption – either way, he would gain a perfect immortal body.” Tamayo’s eyes then drifted to a fearful Kie. “Against all odds, Kie-san, only mere coincidence, and your youngest son Rokuta’s Blood Demon Art shielding you have saved you from discovery… originally I had planned to investigate further, but your knowledge changes everything. I cannot rest until I know that the Blue Spider Lily is safe.”

“There is a contingent of Slayers currently on Mt Shichirin,” Urokodaki replied, now rolling a long letter, and placing it into a bamboo tube. “I am sending a report to the Master, and then, miss, I shall follow you there. I do not think you can be trusted to think rationally at the moment.”

“…you do not need to trust me in rationality… sir Slayer, you merely need trust that I want Kibutsuji Muzan dead as much as any Slayer!” Tamayo burst out.

A pair of arms enveloped her, and a hand patted her head.

“Oi, get away from Tamayo-sama!”

“You get away from my mother!”

“It’s alright,” Kie’s voice comforted, ignoring the argument behind her. “It’s alright. In your retelling… your husband and children, they were the reason you fell into despair, right? I heard before… the blood and flesh of close relatives are supposedly more nutritious…”

Tamayo gave a stifled sob.

“We cannot change the sins already committed, but… thank you, for telling us this,” Kie sighed. “You have just told us what is at stake here. It must have taken a lot of courage, right? Yet rather than leave us in the dark, you told us what was at stake. Your human heart is still there. And behind that heart, now stands my heart, and the hearts of the family we have. We will go to Mt Shichirin together. The flower has only bloomed once in my whole life of twenty-nine years till now, in Tanjiro’s infancy… you have not failed, there is still time.”

As Tamayo broke down in sobs, Kie hummed, and then turned to regard her children.

“Shigeru, get your elder sister into the box. Tanjiro, pack our things. We’re going back to Mt Shichirin.”

“The Kamado house again?” Shinobu hissed as she finally alighted at the foot of Mt Shichirin, leaning by a tree to catch her breath. “The Master actually put out an emergency call to all available Pillars… usually the lower-ranked Slayers would be sent out first, but sending Pillars right off the bat… is it involving one of the Twelve Demon Moons?”

Behind her, there was a squeak. “Kocho-san! Tomioka-san!”

“Kanroji-san,” Shinobu glanced at the other Pillar. “Tomioka-san… is it… that family?”

“Yes, and no,” Tomioka Giyuu pulled out a very stained letter from his haori. “There is apparently a medical plant involved in the Demon transformation…”

With every word, the blood drained from Shinobu’s face. Behind her, Kanroji Mitsuri listened with no small amount of horror – especially since Pillars kept arriving one after another, forcing him to restart the tale each time.

By the time the last Pillar Rengoku had arrived, Tomioka was already drinking water by the sidelines to relieve his parched throat.

The Wind Pillar Shinazugawa Sanemi had already brought out oil bombs. “Okay, first job is to make sure that Kibutsuji doesn’t get his hands on the flower,” he said. “Let’s burn this mountain down.”

In an action very uncharacteristic of her, Shinobu groaned and put her face in her hands. Himejima did one better, and slapped Sanemi upside the head.

“And how will we do that without the town finding out, idiot?” Obanai rolled both eyes towards the darkening skies. “Let’s say, even if we successfully burn down the mountain, flowers spread out elsewhere too. Are you going to search around the Okuchichibu mountains?”

“E- Erm…” as another new Pillar, Kanroji Mitsuri gently raised one hand. “Er, perhaps… that poor family could lead us there? It’s almost night, they can move out…”

“Great, so we can then silence- ow!” Sanemi cradled his skull. “Himejima-san!”

“Who else are we expecting?” Rengoku asked. “Uzui’s not here…”

“He’s running a mission in Chiyoda,” Shinobu’s face twisted. “The… Kamado case… turned out far larger than thought.”

“That’s terrible,” came the remark from Rengoku Kyojuro. “Still, it is heartening to be back here… the regional houtou is delicious!”

Despite Kyojuro’s chipper voice the mood dropped.

“Is it…” Iguro pointed towards the skies.

“…the Master said he would take care of it,” came Shinobu’s flat answer.

Himejima chanted the nenbutsu. “What is the world coming to…”

“We cannot control what may or may not be the shadows from above,” Shinobu rubbed her temples. “We can, however, find the thing and use it, for good. And…”

Behind them, the Pillars turned as they heard the creak of wooden wheels. At speeds far faster than an ox-cart, someone pulled a large wooden cart like some strange multi-person rickshaw that barrelled into a tree.

Slumped over the branches from where he had jumped to avoid the carriage bumping into him, the boy in green growled from behind a bamboo gag, baring fangs under eyes of rusty bamboo joints.

Directly en route from Mt Sagiri to Mt Shichirin required use of a hand-carriage and much assistance once more. As there was no nearby animal, Tanjiro dragged the cart along in the day, and at night Takeo was made to bulk up and take over.

“They all need conditioning,” was Urokodaki’s stoic reply even as Takeo pulled the cart.

“Uh… uh…” Laid out flat on his back, Tanjiro barely moved even as Rokuta crawled over to slap his cheeks. “Rokuta… stop that…”

“Water,” Shigeru dumped a stoppered gourd of water into Tanjiro’s mouth. “Nii-chan, we have some onigiri…”

“Uhh…”

“We’re almost to Mt Kumotori,” Kie told Tanjiro, already leaning forward to wipe the sweat off of his face. “Takeo could slow down-”

“I can get down to push,” Tamayo offered.

“Tamayo-sama, how could I allow such a thing?” Yushiro was the first to protest, which put an end to that proposal. Tanjiro was too busy chewing on an onigiri to contribute.

Still, the top speed of Demonic strength seemed to make the carriage move at speeds that wooden vehicles did not seem prepared to manage, and before long there loomed the Hibachi caldera steaming atop Mt Shichirin, and many uniformed people in the same Slayer uniform – the Demon Slayer Corps.

Unfortunately, Takeo was unable to brake before the carriage ran into a tree.

“We made it in a day,” Urokodaki Sakonji dismounted the cart with a leap, turning back to help a ragged-haired woman down, and then a woman in a smock-like apron. “Giyuu, I see you got my message.”

“Sensei, we are prepared to ascend Mt Shichirin,” Giyuu quietly stated. “The Kamado family?”

In the carriage, a boy wearing earrings poked his head out and proceeded to throw up by the root of the tree.

“Kaa-san, I think Take-nii’s speed left Nii-chan sick from the swaying,” A third boy with vermillion spirals for pupils reported to the smock-clad woman. The bamboo-eyed boy scowled and then leapt down the tree to stalk to the carriage, then dragging down two girls – the older girl blinking unsteadily, the younger girl snarling something towards the boy.

The smock-clad woman, their mother, was carrying a toddler in a blue kimono, and sighed. “Alright, Shigeru. You can pull the cart up the mountain later? I need to guide our visitors… around.”

Given that all six children and the woman bore similar physical features besides the oddness of their eyes which was a Demonic trait, presumably this was the very large Kamado family that Muzan had put a hit out on, and was presumably hunting them all.

“Come along, then,” Kie beckoned the Pillars to follow her, Rokuta still balanced on her hip and a paper lantern in the other hand. A few more Demons followed behind, and the Pillars went along with more trepidation.

Sanemi rolled his eyes, hand moving to his sword. “I don’t believe it-”

One hand stopped him from drawing the sword. “You don’t have to believe it, Shinazugawa.”

“You can’t think that Demons would ever-”

“Already, Muzan has attacked the Kamado family once, and nearly missed the Blue Spider Lily.”

Faced with Shinobu, Sanemi blinked. “…”

“Shut up, Shinazugawa,” came the even reply from the Insect Pillar. “You don’t even have to be near them. You just need to know, that the Demon Slayers have already come very close to losing everything, letting Muzan win and then disappear forgotten into history, without knowing it.”

The intensity from the Insect Pillar faded slightly. “So… even if you kill them. Even if you destroy the Blue Spider Lily. Muzan is still out there, and this stalemate will continue, and ever if we die we can only tell those who left ahead of us, that ‘sorry I killed the closest lead we’ve had in a century, Muzan is still out there’?! Even thinking about it makes me nauseous.”

Even scarred, thuggish-looking and still with hand on his sword-handle, Shinazugawa Sanemi looked pale under the wan moonlight.

“…fuck.” Sanemi slapped one hand over his face. “That bad, huh?”

“Extremely plausible… it changes all the stakes.” Shinobu stepped back, massaging her temples and cheeks before she pasted a brittle smile back on. “So, put aside all your issues about family members right now, alright? We have a flower to hunt.”

[1] A reference to the eight islands of central Japan, pre-Hokkaido and Okinawa.

Chapter Text

“You will have to stop Sanemi from doing anything rash.”

Staring at Himejima’s back, Shinobu reflected on the Master’s words before setting out towards Mt Shichirin, and rolled her eyes skywards. The Wind Pillar’s belligerence was well known and shared by a few of the lower ranks, but the Master’s words had carried the tone of an order. While the successive Masters tended to be lenient in small details, in the truly important matters they truly stood their ground.

This was more important, Shinobu reflected. The growth and evolution of Demons as they turned would follow Darwin’s model – sooner or later a Demon would conquer the sun, and be eaten by Muzan if not killed in time. Or Muzan would find this Blue Spider Lily, and then truly be beyond their reach. Not even the past eras when the Corps faced near-extinction would measure up if Kibutsuji gained true immortality.

On one hand, finding the Blue Spider Lily would be one step closer towards the mystery of Demons, and a potential cure. Kanae would be proud. It was only this thought that cheered Shinobu up as she followed two Demons – Mrs Kamado and the other female Demon – through a grove of bamboo. The other male Demon had ran to the house already, clearly instructed to secure the area.

Slowly, ever so slowly, Tamayo’s footsteps faltered. “Oh, it’s… here…”

“I’m sorry?” came the question from Himejima.

“Tsugikuni-dono nearly slayed Kibutsuji here.”

There was a muffled thump, and Shinobu glanced back to see that somehow Sanemi had tripped and fell face-first.

“Can you even call yourself a Pillar?” Obanai snorted. “But… here?”

“As I understand, Tsugikuni-dono buried his wife around here… he was going to visit her tomb when… that man…” Tamayo closed her eyes. “It was so close…”

Behind her, Yushiro cooed, “Tamayo-sama’s face is so beautiful!”

Kanroji openly shuddered. “What a poor man… is he still around?”

At this, Tamayo gave her a blank look. “It was the Warring States era.”

“…oh.”

“…what was Kibutsuji even doing here?” asked Giyuu. Somehow his question managed to draw up the attention of every Slayer present.

“…not for the flower,” Tamayo said at last.

They relaxed.

“Before, the Demon Slayers only had their own background in martial arts. At most, with human strength they could only take down weak Demons,” Tamayo elaborated. “When Tsugikuni-dono went to find a midwife, there were some delays, and a Demon snuck into the house and killed… his wife and child. Tsugikuni-dono, who had talent, thus joined the Demon Slayers. He taught the Slayers how to use Breath techniques. Therefore, that man said: ‘I am no longer interested in swordsmen who use Breathing’ and… got cut by his own arrogance.”

“…that’s amazing,” Kyojuro spoke, his smile slightly faded before he brightened. “So Tokito is descended from this Tsugikuni-dono?! We should have brought him along!”

Leaves rustled, light and shadows flickering like a veil over time itself in the ensuing silence. It was almost like nature itself was taken aback at how far Kyojuro’s ‘amazing’ underestimated the fight.

Himejima quietly cried and chanted the nenbutsu. “It is an honour to walk in the footsteps of such a giant.”

“I think, given Tokito-san’s… uniqueness…” Kanroji stuttered. “…it might be better that he was leading an operation. We cannot leave too many Pillars away…”

“…Tokito is… a genius…” Himejima slowly mulled over. “…but genius comes with some… quirks.”

Which was why, despite leaving aside Uzui who was on a mission and Tokito who was on patrol, most of the Pillars were atop Mt Shichirin.

“Walking in the footsteps of one of the first Breath users… it sounds almost romantic, right, Tomioka-san?” Shinobu teased.

“Our priority is the site where the flower was seen,” was the only reply she got.

The path wound through many bamboo, and then opened out to a clearing in the bamboo forest. From a veil of night itself the canopy of summer stars sprawled out, and almost ringed around the clearing were faint mounds of fungi caps.

“This is usually a nice place for mushrooms in autumn,” Kie distantly recalled, still rocking her baby boy. “The growing bamboo tends to sap food for the pines further up the mountain, so we tend to cut around the edges of the grove. This is pretty much the only grassland. I saw the flower somewhere… here,” she gestured vaguely towards the far end of the clearing that almost pointed south – overhead, the star Polaris twinkled. “But it was in daylight, and- ah!”

“Be careful, Kie-san,” Tamayo hurried over to support the woman as she stumbled.

“It’s fine… I keep meaning to clear the stone…” Kie poked through the grassland. “It’s strange, the grass is thick for early in spring…”

“Allow me, madam,” Kyojuro walked forward to tug and clear off most of the underbrush. He frowned, and then pulled his sheathed sword out of his belt before using the sheathed end to tap it. “There’s stone here…”

“Probably parts of this got buried in falling volcanic ash, and then the bamboo grew over it…” Giyuu commented.

Shinobu considered. “We would need the Kakushi team to do a full dig around the area, but if we killed the flower…”

“Best if it never grew,” Sanemi muttered, only to receive a kick to his shin from her.

Himejima knelt, sleeves already rolled up before he dug. “It’s actually quite shallow.…” and then the earth gave way as he yanked something out of it.

Running fingers along it, Himejima frowned. “A… sotoba?”

“Aha!” Rengoku unearthed the stone, only for his face to fall. “Ah…”

Kanroji leant over to check the stone, and squeaked. Even Sanemi recoiled from it.

“…erm, Kie-san,” Tamayo asked finally. “Did… your family… ever bury anyone on the mountain?”

“The Kamado family grave is in the village graveyard. And we are charcoal sellers – generally we cremate the… bodies… in the kiln first.” Kie steadily looked at the Jizo head that Rengoku had unearthed, her breath steady but quick. “You know… usually if mother and child died… together… they would be buried together.”

“…thank you very much, Mrs Kamado,” Himejima stated at last. “…If you like, I believe Shinobu can escort you back to the house. I trust the Kakushi made have remodelled it quite a bit.”

“But… the… grave…”

“If… Ms Tamayo was correct… then at the very least, we Pillars of the Demon Slayer Corps can stand vigil over the grave of our fellow’s family,” Himejima traced the sotoba he had unearthed. The wooden grave marker, so riddled with age, had somehow remained intact enough over the years and the preservation of volcanic ash to retain the characters carved into it. “…her name was Uta.”

Kamado Kie had several expressions flicker across her face, but then her frown hardened, and she handed her son to Tamayo. Having to carry a baby so suddenly, Tamayo fumbled with Rokuta, leaving Kie to reach up and tear off the cloth that had covered her head for so long. Long dark hair seemed riddled with peach-blossom highlights cascaded down her back, but that did not change the severity of her expression as she wrapped the Jizo’s head in it, and then took the statue to set it down atop the grave marker.

The clap of joined hands sent a shudder as the Pillars watched a Demon pray, and then turn around to march back atop her house.

Very slowly, there was a shuddering breath, and then one green-socked foot stepped forward. Slowly, Kanroji Mitsuri copied the action, though with much less certainty, and the mumbled prayer seemed to falter.

“…we have to dig up her grave to find the flower?” Kanroji’s hands fell. “I… I don’t know if I can… I’m sorry-”

“It’s alright, Kanroji,” Obanai grasped her shoulder lightly, then frowned and looked back.

Shinazugawa Sanemi was staring at both the Jizo statue and the grave marker, as if warring about whether desecration of an honoured Slayer’s family grave or finding the Blue Spider Lily before Muzan was more important. The grave marker, the Jizo statue now shrouded in new white, almost brought to mind mounds of unmarked earth where the victims of Demons sometimes had to be buried in a hurry, the tall gravestones of Demon Slayers past and present that dotted almost one hill on their own, the effects of people gone missing in a Demon’s stomach and never to return…

Sleeping somewhere under the earth, lay piles and piles of bones with the cries of wronged and forgotten victims.

“If there is a sign, any sign, that the honourable lady is still present, may she indicate her presence,” Himejima then sat and began vigil.

Urokodaki lingered behind to watch the Kamado house. The one-room house, though of solid construction before, now bore new signs of expansion with several rooms and even a low wall at the backyard. At the very least, it would be able to house a sizable team, and serve as a Wisteria House – assuming the Master’s proposition ever went anywhere.

So Urokodaki himself sat in vigil by the irori, with the remaining Kamado siblings all huddled into a pile of flesh and bedding, and the male Demon accompanying Tamayo retreated behind to the dark kitchen.

As he watched, Shigeru mumbled and turned, biting his lips. Wisps of steam gathered near his mouth in slumber, and again Urokodaki threw a new batch of wisteria into the irori to combat the rising steam.

In the bedding, Takeo mumbled, then crawled up to glare at Urokodaki and walk out back.

“I really need to talk to her…” Urokodaki commented to himself.

The door opened, and then closed, and a woman’s sigh drew his attention. “Mrs Kamado?”

“Urokodaki-san,” Kamado Kie looked much younger without the cloth covering her head. “I see you are up in vigil.”

Tanjiro had praised his younger sister as the beauty of their hometown before, but it was only now that Urokodaki believed the statement as more than a boy’s defence of his family. “The boys are exhausted. Takeo and Yushiro-san have chosen to sleep at the kitchen.”

“Please, I can keep watch from here,” Kie settled Rokuta into the bedding, and as if driven by some animal instinct Rokuta cuddled with the eldest son and mumbled in slumber. “Tamayo-san, I can find some…”

“Please, it is alright. I too am a Demon.” Eyeing the Kamado siblings, Tamayo’s nose wrinkled. “Forgive me…”

“The back room is open and free of incense,” Urokodaki quickly said. “I… apologise…the scent of wisteria must be quite offensive.”

“Ah?” Kie started in surprise as Tamayo moved from the hearth. “I see… it feels like most of the children do not mind… I suppose it is a habit?”

“A strange habit,” Urokodaki agreed. “Madam, I need to talk to you… I believe your third son has a Blood Demon Art too.”

Rather than start, Kie gave a long look towards her children and frowned.

“I find that strange, too,” Tamayo added. “Usually, it would take the consumption of several humans for a Demon to develop strong Blood Demon Arts. Rokuta’s Kamikakushi is far beyond imagination in that regard, with such range and power to shut out Muzan. If we excuse that due to his youth, that will not explain Takeo’s own Blood Demon Art either, which has the rare ability to destroy Demon cells without input from Kibutsuji.”

“Then there is your own Art, Mrs Kamado,” Tamayo pondered. “The act of eating Demon flesh to gain temporary power is known, but blood is avoided as it is a catalyst to the transformation. Yet by all accounts, you have empowered a Pillar, however temporarily, with the strength of a Demonic constitution to behead an Upper Moon, and the man is still human by all evidence...”

Steam and smoke melded into flickering shadow, and the crack of burning charcoal continued. It was nearing summer, but the nights atop the mountain were still cold enough to merit the fire, however low or small.

Tamayo stepped back at last, pulling a handkerchief to block her face. “I apologise… what is the boy’s Art, may I ask?”

“Some form of illusory Art, I believe,” Urokodaki murmured. “If you are disturbed I may stop the incense…”

“I doubt that being under an uncontrolled Blood Demon Art is wise,” Tamayo reflected. “Though I remain curious how the Art works. You seem very familiar that wisteria incense can defend from it, Urokodaki-san.”

“…there was one time, when Shigeru almost cut himself,” Urokodaki related at last. “I thought nothing of it at first, and continued on my business, but I felt… eyes. And I turned around, there hiding behind the trees were the most promising students I have ever had, one of Giyuu’s martial brothers… and a few more children.”

“Oh, I haven’t seen him,” Kie remarked. “What was his name?”

“…Sabito.” A pause. “You would not have seen him – he is buried on the north side of Mt Sagiri, along with the other children.”

Both women stared at the blank Tengu mask, then at Shigeru, and back to Urokodaki.

Kie was the first to find her voice. “Should we… let Shigeru sleep alone then?”

Blood Demon Art: Shinkiro

The personal Art of Kamado Shigeru as a Demon.

As Shigeru’s last act as a human was to alert others for help, somehow the Art lets him communicate quickly. To that effect, were someone to inhale Shigeru’s Blood Demon Art, a portion of their past would be revealed to both the victim and Shigeru.

The full extent and limitations of the Art remain undiscovered at present; however, the burning of wisteria can ward off its effects.

Chapter Text

Somehow, the relocation of seven Pillars to Mt Shichirin meant a complement of guards right at the grove where the grave was. At any one time there was at least one Pillar there ― an honour not even the Masters of the Corps had ever held, nor mandated. Even fearing that the Pillars and one very strong passive Blood Demon Art in the Kamado house was not enough, the various estates had contributed a squad of lower-rank Slayers at any one time.

Still, Shinobu admitted that the problems of stationing lower-rank Slayers eluded her until two of the Kamado children came to her.

One of the rooms had been emptied and turned into a permanent research laboratory. In the laboratory, not only were biological samples kept, but there were also plants from the grave-side and grave-tops, a wisteria bonsai kept at the entrance, and even Tamayo’s prized microscope. It was knocking at the door that drew Shinobu out to two serious eyes and one Slayer wriggling in one of Hanako’s arms. The other arm carried a heavy wooden bucket – the exact one that Shinobu had seen by the well behind the Kamado house.

“…Hanako-san, please put him down,” Shinobu stated. “He won’t run.”

The Slayer thudded on the ground, and rolled over. “Lady Kocho! These Demons are clearly up to something! Please allow me-”

“Not now,” Shinobu cut in, no longer smiling. “First… Shigeru, Hanako?”

Hanako set down the bucket and ladled out the water within in a calabash, holding it out towards Shinobu.

“Ah, what’s this…”

“Tamayo-san.” Shinobu rubbed one temple. “Could you…”

Tamayo leant forward and sniffed the calabash. Quicker than Shinobu would have expected of a woman in zori, Tamayo had already shied away from the calabash, thoroughly wary.

That settled her doubts.

“Hanako woke me up to see this…guy sneaking by the well,” Shigeru reported once all eyes were on the kneeling Slayer. His vermillion eyes were distinctly hostile, not that Shinobu could blame him. “Well…”

Hanako, also glaring, then took the calabash ladle and drank the water within.

“Wait, Hanako-!”

Using a handkerchief kept in the sleeve of her haori, Hanako spat the water back out in front of the Slayer, then dropped the calabash into the bucket. She pointed to the bucket, then the kneeling Slayer, and then to Shinobu in a clear gesture before marching away.

“…sorry,” Shigeru was still eyeing the puddle. “My sister… well, all of us…”

“I understand, Shigeru-kun,” Shinobu gave him a look of understanding. “…I’ll take it from here.”

Shigeru gave her a look, and then departed.

Still wary, Tamayo was distracted when giant vines shot out of the ground where the water had landed, leaving Shinobu to arrest the would-be poisoner.

“…and that was how Tsuchinoto-rank Sato ended up here,” Shinobu heavily concluded at the end of her verbal report at the biannual Pillar meeting. Contrary to expectations, this time there were only eight Pillars – the Stone Pillar had been put on Mt Shichirin simply to cover all bases. “Also, we found out that Kamado Hanako has a passive plant-based Blood Demon Art and potential immunity to wisteria as a result, we’re still figuring out what she can do.”

“Thank you, Shinobu,” the Master frowned deeper than when Shinobu had been delivering the report. “This news is quite disturbing. My children, this is the first time that the Corps has had to ally itself with anybody… that our Slayers would try to poison our allies is a crisis in progress.”

Shinobu hummed, trying to recall the details.

“…the children have yet to inform Kie-san.” Tamayo, kneeling in seize by the darker interior of the porch, slowly spoke from the shadows. “In terms of physical prowess, Shigeru-kun and Hanako-san are weak, but most of the impact of the transformation seems centred on their mental development. I believe this incident was… more of a test.”

Half-asleep, the Mist Pillar Tokito Muichiro nodded.

“A test?” Iguro Obanai echoed.

“…ah,” Shinobu stated. “Because Hanako-chan swallowed it in front of me. The Pillar who uses poisons…”

“Exactly, Kocho-san,” Tamayo quietly nodded. “Even without immunity to wisteria, spitting it out quickly would not have let her ingest too much poison. Furthermore, the fact that instead of informing their parent and Tanjiro-san, but brought this to us instead, was meant to test the Slayers’ attitude. If they would indeed protect their family.”

Tomioka Giyuu took a deep breath, and looked down.

“…that’s a very flashy plan,” the Sound Pillar Uzui Tengen remarked from his place. “And it worked. A very childish plan, but also has some maturity… this is a kid who hangs around plenty of adults, not an independent kid. Like a school brat playing teachers off against each other.”

“I believe the younger Kamado children were supposed to be of school age, but…much of the experience escapes me…” Tamayo hummed. “That is an interesting comparison…”

The Master raised a hand, and complete silence reigned. “While we are on this matter – schooling. Master Urokodaki has written that perhaps the Kamado boys could receive some specialised education, particularly for Kamado Takeo.”

“The boy who… bleeds.” Sanemi scowled. “Master, the boy is still a Demon, you don’t think… it may be unwise?”

“Actually, the properties of Kamado Takeo’s blood exist independent of his will,” Shinobu elaborated. “I would not call it a proper Art – more like a biological mutation. The actual Art, as I can tell, is the manipulation of his own body to… bleed easier.”

Kanroji gasped. “That sounds painful.”

“Maybe he could inject it,” came Obanai’s growl. “I wonder how that would work; a Demon injected with Nichirin steel…”

Tamayo hummed.  “Perhaps it would be easier if I were to reiterate our discoveries for the meeting?”

“Please do!” Rengoku exclaimed. “Any potential weaknesses are to be noted!”

“…not that I would remember…” Tokito closed his eyes, looking prepared to sleep through it until Uzui slapped his back.

“Please do!”

Tamayo huffed, but detailed: “Kocho-san and I have been studying the blood of the Kamado family’s Demons for the past six months. In the process, we also discovered a few things… and a few suspicions. May I direct everyone to this?”

“Huh?” Sanemi echoed as he snatched the paper that Tamayo handed around. “What’s this? ‘Local foraging of the Kanto region’?”

“There are,” Tamayo said, “a number of wild plants which may be eaten. Not to mention, the plants around the grave on Mt Shichirin include butterbur, fiddlehead ferns, wasabi, mugwort…”

The paper fluttered from Shinobu’s hands. “You think… the family accidentally ate it?! The Blue Spider Lily?!”

Tamayo nodded. “It would not be the first time that a child mistook a plant for a harmless species.”

“…fuck,” Sanemi pronounced the feelings of all Pillars present. “So, we need to make sure nobody eats the brats too?”

“…Master,” Tomioka spoke up. “Regarding Kamado Tanjiro…”

“At the moment it remains a suspicion,” Tamayo frowned. “One that medically explains the abnormality of the whole family, unfortunately…”

“…medical science at the present cannot determine any specific chemicals in blood,” Shinobu admitted as if it were a personal failing.

“I would rather not…” Tamayo looked vaguely ill. “I have left Yushiro to guard the mountain, but I would rather be there…”

“Before that… what about Kamado Tanjiro?” Tomioka insisted. “Usually those under a trainer would train before entering the Final Selection…”

The Master raised a hand, and waited until silence fell.

“…we cannot make an exception and prevent him from joining the Demon Slayers,” Ubuyashiki Kagaya spoke after a long silence. “In the case where he can pass, the Demon Slayers are not in a position to refuse…after all, we have a number of Slayers who also have… physical issues with regards to Demons already in service.”

Sanemi looked away from everyone.

“Whether or not Kamado Tanjiro is able to participate in the Final Selection, relies on Urokodaki Sakonji’s judgement,” Kagaya concluded. “I believe… that Kamado Kie is very aware of such a risk, and is prepared for it.”

Nobody could rebut him at this point.

“Besides that, the Kamado family strike me as a rather stubborn lot,” Kagaya brightly concluded at last. “If Kamado Tanjiro fails the Selection, likely he would serve in the Kakushi. Even if we kept him away, the risk to the lives of the Kamado family would not change no matter what.”

After pondering, the Master turned his head towards the Sound Pillar. “Tengen, how was the mission?”

“Yes,” Tengen sat straighter. “Hinatsuru infiltrated the Bureau of Shrine Affairs, we got close to the investigator… after some tracing, the investigator tends to dine at the ryotei Kakuro-ya. After some… process of elimination… the geisha Oboroya was considered as the potential gap.”

A file was passed around, and here Tamayo stared at the file, having received it last of everyone present.

“The geisha was replaced by a lump,” and here disgust crept into Tengen’s voice. “Of a Demon’s flesh, though which one I cannot tell. It was a high-level one, I can assure, it had a hit-and-run battle through the whole Kagurazaka district… finally though I pinned it in the sun.”

“…you were very lucky,” Tamayo said after staring at him.

Uzui frowned. “Well, it certainly sounded like an Upper Moon…”

“What you stumbled upon was another identity of Kibutsuji Muzan.”

There was a beat, and then a nearby lamp was nearly knocked over as Tengen threw himself towards the file in her hands. Tamayo dropped the file and ducked, but the Sound Pillar was too busy leafing through the file until he dug out the dry-plate photograph within.

“That son of a-”

“Kibutsuji is highly capable of transformation for long periods of time,” Tamayo steadily spoke even as the Sound Pillar began to butt his head against the tatami in genuine regret and Obanai began to heckle him.

“Yet the fact that he left a piece of his flesh behind… unless it had already informed him all it knew before it died,” Ubuyashiki pondered. “We should assume that Kibutsuji Muzan already knows that we know about the Kamado family… I am very interested in this Kagura dance which Kibutsuji was so eager to destroy.”

“Master…” Kanroji feebly raised a hand. “I thought… the Blue Spider Lily came first?”

“Mitsuri, the Kamado family were targeted long before any of us knew about the Blue Spider Lily,” Kagaya explained. “This lead, when traced, led to the Bureau of Shrine Affairs. Muzan’s disguise as a geisha in a ryotei, where many men of business and secrets gather, is the best place to gather information – which led to this revelation about the Kamado family’s Kagura. From there on, knowledge of the Kagura thus signed the Kamado family’s fate as a target of Kibutsuji.”

“Ah,” Mitsuri settled back.

“…which implies that he himself did not know that the Blue Spider Lily existed around the mountain, and without eating Kie-san or Tanjiro-san, he could not have known either,” Tamayo concluded. “That would imply that he considered the Kagura, and the Kamado family who practised it, such a threat that he would rather kill them… then again, Kibutsuji Muzan is not the type of person to regret taking lives.”

There was silence, as everyone present began to contemplate what a close shave the collective Corps had.

“…from here Tengen’s move already exposed that we know… no, it was much earlier, that he sent two Demons and an Upper Moon to finish the job,” Kagaya contemplated. “They were interrupted… Tamayo-san, why was there no reaction after the Upper Moon was killed by Kyojuro?”

“From here… I believe he simply did not know,” Tamayo concluded. “Since Kamado Rokuta’s Blood Demon Art is capable of hiding all of their existences – it was why I said that its power is unprecedented. Hence, as long as the Kamado family remained on Mt Shichirin, they are… hidden by the gods, so to speak.”

“May they be hidden for a while longer,” Kagaya echoed. “The balance that hasn’t shifted for centuries has finally moved… fate itself is starting to move, these actions like waves in the sea… it will reach him in this generation.”

With the twang of biwa strings, twelve of the strongest Demons were summoned immediately.

Still blinking, Rui started – the fighting on Mt Natagumo had only just relieved, and now without any notice the Demon Moons had been summoned…

Not just the Lower Moons, he saw – there was Kyogai in a corner, then…

Gasping, Rui lowered his head as all eleven of them dropped on a floating stage with another twang of a biwa.

All the Demon Moons were summoned…

“It has been one hundred and eleven years since the last summons… an odd number! How horrible!”

“Ah, Gyokko isn’t here…”

“Biwa-woman. Is the Lord here yet?”

“What’s this Blood Demon Art…?”

“Silence…the Lord… has arrived.”

More than the Lower Moons, Rui saw from the corner of his eyes that the Upper Moons were exchanging panicked looks. Usually, there would be… seven, since Upper Moon Six were two…

“Silence.”

Absolute stillness ensured in the Infinite Castle.

“Gyokko is dead. The upper ranks of the Demon Moons are incomplete.”

“Can that really be so?” came a bright cheer. “My apologies…”

“Shut up, Doma.”

With a crack of his fingers the Biwa player appeared on the stage. “As a reward for her service and usefulness to me, Nakime shall take over as the new Upper Moon Five.”

“…” The only female within the Upper Moons so far opened her mouth, only for her partner Gyutarô to push her head down and shush her, prompting minor whining. As neither of them said anything, none of the Lower Moons dared make any protest.

There was a moment, then Muzan spoke: “Daki.”

“Yes.”

“You will have to serve as my eyes and ears in Yoshiwara… most likely the Demon Slayers will be investigating there soon. If necessary, Gyutarô will separate from you and investigate where you cannot.”

“Yes!”

“Go now.”

A twang of a string, and the two named Demons disappeared, causing a murmur of wonder.

“As for the rest of you…” Muzan considered. “Kokushibo.”

“Yes.”

“Around Mt Kumotori, there is a family who practised the Kagura… the Kagura dancer dances from sunset to sunrise at New Year’s day, supposedly to guide the Sanbo Kojin from the fields to the mountains where it makes its home. The human investigators say that this dance was coined as the Hinokami Kagura – the Dance of the Fire God.”

“Yes…?”

“And the dancer wears a pair of Hanafuda earrings.”

“…I see.”

“You are to search the area. If you find them… kill them.”

Within the Lower Moons, most of them were already sweating buckets – what kind of mission would require the second strongest Demon ever, Upper Moon One himself, to sortie?

“The rest of you are to increase feeding…to grow in power, to be of more use to me…” Muzan clicked his tongue. “The first death of an Upper Moon in one hundred and eleven years…it displeases me immensely. I detest change. Either in circumstances, or in the flesh… even in the mind… most changes cause weakness, inferiority. All of you should aim to be perfect and unchanging!”

There was a pause. “Kokushibo.”

“My lord?”

“…take as many of the Demon Moons as you require. Even if just to sniff them out…”

“…I understand.”

“Who are we even hunting?” The man whose name Rui could never remember, but whose rank was certainly Lower Moon Two, muttered. “Not even the Master of the Demon Slayers need all twelve of us…”

“- ‘but we are being sent out to kill Kagura dancers?’”

“My lord!” the man prostrated further as Muzan’s eyes turned to him.

“…Kokushibo. Clearly this one has volunteered himself as the first.”

“…very well.”

“The rest of you are dismissed to your duties. Rui, you may stay.”

“…” Now clear of any other Demons, Rui peered around the dim Infinity Castle, with its twisting architecture running helter-skelter in no particular order, beginning, or end. Their lord himself was by a large sideboard, where scientific apparatus was laid out, and he was decanting fluids from one test tube to another.

“Rui. I understand that another team of Demon Slayers have been eliminated?”

“Yes.” A pause. “They will likely send another team, which will meet the same end.”

“Is that so…” A hum, and then with very little subtlety Muzan changed the subject: “I have a new sample of Marechi blood wine that I have been keeping… come. As a reward you may have first crack at it. Kokushibo would come back with good news anyway.”

Rui considered the swordsman, and the fact that Lower Moon Two had been sent, and neither Demon had any investigative skill or Art to help in finding the target. In the interest of staying alive, he decided to leave it.

Blood Demon Art: Hanasaka

The personal Art of Kamado Hanako as a Demon.

As Kamado Hanako’s last action in life was to upset beans and rice into the hearth, the regrets of her transformation gave form in her Art – she can control plants, and her blood can force plants to grow, bloom and bear fruit according to her will no matter the weather or season.

As though a gift from the blossoms themselves, she gains full immunity to wisteria and other biological poisons. The state of heavy metals in Demons have yet to be determined.

Chapter Text

Not even technically being in enemy territory could stop Tamayo from worrying, a frown in her brow even seated across from Ubuyashiki Kagaya.

“Five known Blood Demon Arts,” next to her, Shinobu had already dispensed with formal kneeling in seiza, too absorbed in compiling the notes gathered from multiple sources under the aegis of the Ubuyashiki influence. “Out of seven members… we can exclude Tanjiro-kun as he is human, but what about Kamado Nezuko?”

“Kamado Nezuko’s blood transformed much in a very short span of time,” Tamayo indicated the notes where her observations were listed down within. “Much of this would not be observable by human science, it would require Demonic senses to note changes in blood type, cellular composition, even at the genetic and gametic level… I would go as far as to call them another branch in the evolutionary line.”

“A cure would be possible if we understand the mechanism by which this is conducted,” Shinobu concluded. “The implications, though… Kamado Nezuko may well be able to conquer the Sun.”

“The chosen Demon…” Tamayo echoed.

“Mmm…” As the only woman present not involved in the medical research, Amane merely served hot tea by the side where it would not spill or damage the precious research. “Master…”

“Ladies,” Kagaya spoke. “I am sorry to interrupt the fascinating medical study of the Kamado family, but… as Mt Shichirin is classed as a Wisteria boundary now, its inhabitants would need to learn how to run and defend the place. It would not be conceivable to station a Pillar there permanently, even if the Kamado house is turning into your second laboratory, Shinobu.”

Abashed, the Insect Pillar coughed into a dusty codex. Even for Demonic ears, it took Tamayo a lot to catch the word “Kanao.” A friend, perhaps?

“Usually, it would be no issue to keep it quiet,” Amane contributed. “However, the Tsuchinoto spilled the secret – the Corps are sheltering Demons. The Pillars stand fast in this, but the…reliability of our… guests… is under suspicion.”

“Not to mention, the younger Kamado children do not trust any more of them,” Tamayo sighed. “Kie-san, she tries, but… it is hard on her, not knowing where to turn or who to trust. Well, Yushiro is still with them…”

Far away on Mt Shichirin, Yushiro saw a stalk stand straight in his cup of tea and anticipated good news.

“Rather than leave the children to their own devices and see imaginary enemies in all corners, I am assigning each of them tutors,” Kagaya concluded at last. “It would at least give them something to do. Shinobu, you will take Kamado Hanako, her Blood Demon Art suggests some use in poisons and medicines…”

The rebuilt Kamado house seemed larger than usual, but the space was truly necessary – both for the laboratories, and for the Demon Slayers and associates who moved in and out. It was like a strange terakoya; except their classmates changed depending on the teacher.

“Kanroji-san brought some honey again, Kanzaki-san,” Kie commented as she began to prepare a stew of late-autumn mushrooms and pheasant. After an unpleasant event in summer, she had not seen any Slayer of rank lower than a Kinoto – apparently, the very top fighters of the Corps itself were now guarding the mountain.

“No, please, call me Aoi,” the other girl fidgeted despite helping with the kitchen preparation. “I should really call Kanao in-”

“Not at all, Tsuyuri-san is occupying my rambunctious brats at the moment,” Kie pointed through the kitchen grille towards the front courtyard. More like, the moment Kanao stepped foot through the compound Rokuta had tugged her towards the garden.

“Mama, Mama! I found Nii-chan’s bride!”

Perhaps, Kie reflected, Rokuta needed to learn what not to say, but his speech patterns had been recovering… it did not save the mortification from Rokuta announcing “See, the Nee-chan like a Shiba Inu!”

The fact that Kanao was still willing to blow bubbles with Rokuta when she would be entirely justified in boxing his ears, left Kie preparing a box of senbei for the girls to take back to the Butterfly Estate they had followed Shinobu from.

“Still, I was surprised, that girls would serve in battle,” Kie pondered. “Then again, onna-musha were known too, and the desire to go into battle to defend people… to prevent others from losing their lives and families, which does not discriminate on gender. Thank you, Kanzaki-san.”

“…I am not the one to thank; Kanao has been slaying Demons since childhood.” Aoi said after a pause. “There are some who have all the talent, and some who get by on luck. I was lucky enough to live through the Final Selection, and Shinobu-san has kindly allowed me to stay in the estate to care for injured Slayers and give them rehabilitation training…since then, though, I am afraid to fight, cowering at the backlines.”

Kie chopped some small onions, and then crushed chestnuts, and considered a basket of sweet potatoes nearby.

“…perhaps I am not the right person to say this,” she began slowly. “I nursed my mother-in-law, and my husband, and they still died. Should I be able to do more for them… that is one regret which I think about sometimes. As a Demon now… there is little I can do for my children except to watch them, care for them, and hope that Tanjiro and Tamayo-san find a cure, trusting my feelings and wishes with them.”

 Slowly, she picked up one basket and handed it to Aoi. “Sweet potatoes taste sweeter when grilled at the hearth, just bury them in the embers and dig them out later. Surely that care for them would carry them through the battlefield.”

Kie pretended to look outside through the grille where her oldest son was now talking to Kanao, even as the other girl shuddered with emotion and hid her quiet tears.

Barely had one year passed since the fateful attack on the Kamado house, and now Tokito Muichiro was bundled into the kotatsu as casually as the other Kamado children.

With a bubble pipe in hand carved like a kiseru, Shigeru blew a giant bubble that broke off and floated, before popping wetly at the tip of Muichiro’s nose. “Eh, you’re no fun,” he jeered when Muichiro only blinked.

“Shigeru!” Tanjiro scolded, sliding a rolled futon-and-bedding to one side. The futon bedding fell open, revealing a bleary Nezuko nestled within and shrunk down. “I’m so sorry, they’re all quite keyed up because of the New Year. We’re not very well able to fully conduct the New Year since we’re in mourning, but at least we can have a feast and the Kagura.”

Ah, Muichiro started. He was supposed to examine the Kagura dance, and see exactly what kind of secret was worth killing for. The Kamado family had shown the moves, and yet, something prevented the Pillars, the foremost experts in Breathing-style swordsmanship, from picking it up.

Personally, Muichiro would put the blame squarely on Kamado Tanjiro’s awful teaching skills, but Shinobu’s hand-eye coordination went above and beyond when she chucked an apple down his throat that time.

“Ah, Urokodaki-san, Tomioka-kun, you shouldn’t have brought so many gifts… Rengoku-kun, this is-!”

“Ah, Tokito!” Kyojuro cheered even as he made for the kotatsu. “Ah the weather’s cold… mmm, the charcoal is excellent!”

“We made the bincho-zumi specially for this,” Kie proudly told them even as she brought a bowl of mandarin oranges. “Hanako managed to encourage the growth of a group of Ubame oak trees at the west side, part of it went into the last charcoal pile.”

“Ah? But most of the trees on Mt Shichirin are pine trees…” Muichiro flushed when knowledgeable eyes fell on him. “…I came from a family of woodcutters.”

“Ah! Another expert in a close field.” Kie smiled. “While firewood and charcoal are both fuels, each have their own taste.”

“While indoors, charcoal is more highly preferred in my opinion… most of the people we sold to worked in restaurants that smoked meats…”

By the sidelines, Giyuu was already hiding away as the Kamado matriarch called her son over and the Mist Pillar seemed entirely absorbed in a debate of the merits of wood versus charcoal. Seeing at they were all parked by a kotatsu warmed in a charcoal brazier, it seemed that charcoal was leading at the moment. “I think this is the most I’ve ever seen Tokito speak.”

“That is excellent, Tomioka!” Kyojuro burst out. “Madam, I have brought some sweet potatoes! I hope that they will serve as an excellent snack for tonight’s Kagura!”

With the matriarch sufficiently distracted, Kamado Rokuta toddled towards a wary Giyuu. “Happy New Year, Urokodaki-san! Tomioka-san!”

“Mmm, Rokuta grew a bit more!” Somehow it was unnerving how fast Urokodaki could go from stern teacher to doting grandfather, but perhaps having no need to teach Kamado Rokuta to swing a blade lightened his mood. “You’re my favourite boy!”

“Not Nii-chan?”

“…” Both practitioners of Water Breathing exchanged looks, somehow sensing that here was a boy very attached to the older brother who was most like a father to him, and that even accidentally badmouthing the older boy would have awful consequences.

“I left the kettle in the hearth back on Mt Sagiri!” Urokodaki dived for the door before Giyuu could run.

“Sensei…!”

“Nii-chan!!!!!”

“Alright, is everyone wrapped up?” Kie handed out heavy mittens and straw boots, and even pocket warmers. “I have some more pocket warmers here if anyone needs them. Ah, Tamayo-san, Yushiro-san, here you go.”

“Sato-san in the village came back from the city and kept promoting them…” Shigeru explained to the other Slayers. “The lighter fluid is not as good as our charcoal though…”

Yushiro frowned, but Tamayo accepted the lit warmers and put one in her sleeve. “This is far more effective than warming stones… here you go, Yushiro.”

“Tamayo-sama…!!!” Upon receiving the gift, Yushiro almost burst into tears.

“Perhaps you could modify them to take charcoal instead,” Urokodaki opted for the open-grille charcoal hand-brazier. “It would be a project to think about.”

“That would be an interesting project… right now we’re looking at Take-nii’s blood,” Shigeru hefted a tsuzumi on his back, the frayed cords on the wooden frame patched together with ropes of distinct colours. “If we can solidify it…”

“Um…” Kie blinked as the other children began to gather simple instruments as well. “Well, at least the fire god would have some musical accompaniment besides the bells...”

“We played this last year when Nii-chan did the Kagura, Kaa-chan,” Shigeru defended. “Since nobody besides Nii-chan could descend the mountain…”

When phrased like that, the adults present had sympathetic looks on their faces.

Muichiro, on the other hand, just looked as though he was buried in a mountain of winter clothing. “I’m fine…”

“It’s good to stay warm!” Kyojuro was still cheerful and upbeat, even as he stooped to carry Rokuta on his back. “Everyone, let’s go up the mountain!”

“Alright, remember, the weather’s still cold,” Tanjiro fussed quietly amongst his siblings, all of whom resembled dango balls trudging through the snow. Even Nezuko had elected to shrink in size and cuddle with them – the only bonus of shrinking, perhaps? “Ah, my things…”

“I have them here, Tanjiro-kun.” Muichiro held up his hands.

Giyuu opened his mouth to say something, only for Urokodaki to pick up Shigeru and shove the younger boy into his arms in an attempt to stave off any awkwardness.

“Nii-chan, you’re not even in waraji,” Shigeru objected.

“Can’t be helped.” Tanjiro smiled. “Besides, I keep warm when I dance. I just hope I can continue through the night without getting sick…”

“You collapsed for three days last time,” Shigeru continued without mercy.

“Ah, Shigeru…”

“Don’t worry,” Kie patted Shigeru on the head with one hand, the other holding up am umbrella with Kyojuro. “Kyojuro-san, if you find him heavy I can take Rokuta…”

“It’s alright! As an elder brother I can manage! My younger brother Senjuro is a responsible boy, and I feel that I should have brought him along!”

“Well, how about some senbei? Some snacks as a souvenir for New Year…”

Large flaming torches had been staked into the frozen ground in a circle by a copse of pine trees. With the seven-branched sword-like gohei in hand, and draped in the regalia, Tanjiro’s small smile stood out like the midwinter sun even as he received the mask from where Muichiro had been holding it.

“Thank you for bringing it along, Tokito-kun!” He turned, waving.

“Urokodaki-san, Tomioka-san, this way…”

Unlike where Kie had her hands busy with the sleeping Rokuta, the other Kamado children plopped as close to the sanctified space as they dared with their instruments -- Nezuko with the improvised kagurabue, Takeo pouting into a set of Haishō panpipes, Hanako with Suzu rattles filled with beans, and Shigeru with the Tsuzumi drum. There were no clappers this time, so Shigeru began to hammer out harsh clacks on the Tsuzumi as the sun set and the curtain of night fell.

The ring of bells echoed the start of the dance.

As the Pillar actually stationed here to observe, Muichiro ignored the thankfully quiet exclamations amongst the other Slayers present, content to watch and listen as the bells shook and Tanjiro danced. Very quietly, barely lit by the presence of the torches, Muichiro glanced at Rengoku Kyojuro, the current Flame Pillar.

That’s… a Breathing style.

The Flame Pillar shook his head.

Now with interest piqued, Muichiro turned back to the dance. Perhaps due to learning the Water Breathing, the dancer’s movements were fluid and bent, but here and there even Muichiro’s sight was honed, moved towards the clouds and the cold night and a lone dancer incarnated into the demon-slaying Acala.

“Our family works with fire, so to ward off injuries and disasters, we offer this dance every New Year along with our prayers to ward off disasters and disease,” Kie elaborated, some womanly instinct somehow, informing her that the increased tension was not a good sign.

Muichiro’s hands tightened under the winter clothes – it was not polite to intrude in another family’s celebration, and in one as sacred as an offering to the gods at that. If he did join… what would it be like? The clouds made iridescent by the sun, blossomed into colour for the transitory enchanted moment before the morning mist was burned off by the very sun it embraced?

By necessity to carry the children who fell to slumber, or to escape the coming sun, that New Year left Muichiro there when the hours finally ended with crepuscular rays streaked across the firmament and the winged arrow of time that pierced the morning mist, as if looking back in the infinite mirror and seeing another family of four people with his own twin.

Muichiro barely reacted until Tanjiro collapsed into the snow, and his body, frozen and clumsy from the long night, left him collapsed against a torch and staring at bright eyes that glowed with life.

“I did it…” Breaths steamed from the exertion of his chest. “I did it, Tokito-kun…”

“…yes,” Muichiro breathed. “Yes, you did it…”

With the morning mist, I too place a flower to mourn our dead.[1]

It was out of season, but the bush-warbler’s herald of spring came at a timely moment.

[1] Here Muichiro is referring to the fact that the Japanese word for ‘morning mist’ 朝 (ちょう) 霞 (か) (chōka) is also a homophone for ‘mourning flowers’ 弔 (ちょう) 花 (か), which also lends itself to the Breath of Mist he practises, and his title as the Mist Pillar. In fact, the character for mist 霞 is the character used to describe the foreglow/afterglow/Alpenglow which is sunlight as interacting with clouds.

Chapter Text

On a moonlit night the next December, Tanjiro carried a wooden box on his back up Mt Sagiri, traversing fallen traps and tree-lined paths until finally there was the boulder by a gorge at the northern face.

He set the box down. “We’re here, Shigeru.”

The box opened, and Kamado Shigeru rolled out, a bubble pipe in hand even guised as a toddler. “Nii-chan, you know when none of us can practise Blood Demon Arts without supervision and a lot of food as backup? It was to prevent us from situations like these.”

“Yeah, sorry…” Tanjiro sighed. “But I… also don’t want to just leave it like this.”

“The fact that ghosts exist, is pretty much up there with the fact that our whole family was targeted just because of our traditional Kagura dance,” Shigeru held up the pipe. “Are you sure, Nii-chan?”

“…there is no one else who can investigate the past better than you,” Tanjiro admitted at last.

“…fine. Only ‘cause it’s Nii-chan.” Shigeru rolled his eyes, groaning even as his nails dug into the tip of one finger to drip blood into the bubble pipe, and then he blew out a billowing mist.

Blood Demon Art: Shinkiro – while on the surface it seemed like another mirage art much like Tamayo’s, the woman herself had admitted that there was some further unknown influence which allowed it to reveal some segments of the past. It was precisely such an Art, and the investigative value, which the Kakushi even requested assistance from them.

Of course, most of that investigation was also bloody and dangerous, thus Tanjiro had to come along every time…

“It has been a while since the Restoration, so we didn’t think that any families besides those who have Slayer pedigree still practise the Breathing styles…”

“When I admitted that Tsugikuni-dono had stayed here, I failed to account that he would have transmitted his skills…” Barely lit by the light of candles, Tamayo’s eyes were filled with regret. “The Breath of the Sun, you say? Perhaps I do not blame them – Tsugikuni-dono seemed very much like some god or spirit- at that time.”

“That time when he almost killed Kibutsuji Muzan.” Obanai added, with no small amount of respect. Even the minor details and the banishment record of said person did not lessen their respect for the Slayer who almost did the impossible.

“So, since Tokito took a six-month sabbatical to train, I wonder what the hell did he see…”

“Muichiro’s strength and speed has increased since the sabbatical,” Kagaya mused. “Kyojuro and Giyuu have also made some improvement, although… I believe it is not the divine inspiration Muichiro must have had, but more on revising while teaching Kamado Tanjiro. Urokodaki-san informs me that he is attempting the boulder test at present.”

Quietly, Obanai regarded the snow which fell in the garden of the Ubuyashiki compound, another year since Tokito Muichiro came back to report that the Kamado family’s Kagura was a lost Breathing style, and then in the same breath request a sabbatical to train. While covering for an inactive Pillar was another form of hell by itself which required splitting duties between three Pillars, the boy’s return had marked the death of a Lower Moon, so everyone was now convinced that something had happened. The current New Year had Shinobu, Mitsuri and Uzui hosted at Mt Shichirin – the Master had not wanted Sanemi near the place until there was proper supervision.

“…Kanroji really looked forward to visiting the Kamado house,” Obanai echoed. “And the fact that I can’t go with her…”

“I am so sorry, Obanai.”

“It is nothing, Master.”

“In exchange, perhaps you may test this,” Kagaya opened a box nearby and slid it forward. It was a velvet-lined box, the type imported from the West and used in jewellery, and at the moment it held a round golden coin, cast with a square hole like Mon coins. Unlike the usual coins which bore motifs like Tenpo Tsuho or the like, this one bore the motto of the Demon Slayers:

悪鬼滅殺

“I feel like I’m casting rokudosen[1] for prospective Slayers.”

Perched on the engawa and sewing together a jinbei-style kimono by the light of a carmine flame while looking out at the winter chill, Kie glanced up. Shinobu was also seated on the engawa, patiently breaking a wax mould from hardened metal branches. Coins stood out on the branches, each bearing scratches like the thin leaves of bamboo.

By the side, Nezuko blinked, and the flame went out. She frowned, and snapped two of her nails together, only for red sparks and nothing else to form in the dim night.

“It’s fine, Nezuko.” Kie rubbed her daughter’s forehead, backing away from Shinobu and the cast coin-branch. “Kocho-san… I feel like… I feel like I’m sewing Tanjiro’s burial clothes.”

“He’s been keeping up on training,” Shinobu immediately corrected. “And he cut that boulder! I didn’t even know there was such a boulder on Mt Sagiri!”

“It does not change the fact that I… don’t know,” Kie sighed, withdrawing her hand from where she had driven a needle into it. The blood spatter on the jinbei had her groaning. “Oh, it needs to be washed…”

“…true, that possibility cannot be denied,” Shinobu volunteered at last when Kie had scooped up a handful of late snow to daub on the bloodstain. “But… children will be children.”

Months later in that early summer, Shinobu would find those words echoing back at her when Aoi ran in a tizzy that Kanao had escaped and gone for the Final Selection.

Unknowing of Kanao’s rare act of rebellion, or of any inkling of what the future would hold, Tanjiro was struggling to even clear the door.

“No, I don’t want Nii-chan to go!!!” Rokuta wailed, still clinging on the wave-pattern haori while Urokodaki held onto one foot. Nezuko tugged on the other foot, almost nodding off in sleep.

“No, Nii-chan has to set out, Rokuta be good,” Kie reached over to grab Urokodaki’s shoulder and attempt to tug.

“This boy… truly has Demonic strength…”

“Rokuta, that’s not good…” Tanjiro knelt down to carefully pick Rokuta’s sharpened nails out of his leggings. “Nii-chan has to… go out and do something. I’ll be back soon; can you be a good boy for Kaa-chan and your Nee-chan?”

“Onee-chan is always sleeping…”

“Then for Kaa-chan and Urokodaki-jiisan, alright? Pinky promise,” Tanjiro held out one pinky finger.

“Pinky swear, lie and swallow a thousand needles,” Rokuta pouted but allowed himself to be dragged away.

“I’ll be going then, Kaa-chan.”

“Do you have everything? I made a bento, and packed a bit more, and you have ways of surviving off the land too-”

“I’m good!” Tanjiro waved, backing off.

“Onii-chan…!” Ah, that sounded like Rokuta changing his mind.

Urokodaki had apparently lost patience. “Tanjiro, go!”

“I’ll be back!” Despite looking torn, Tanjiro still dashed for the wheeled-cart and threw himself into it, willing the cart to move away. “Thanks, Minoru-san.”

“Don’t worry, Tan-chan, I was on the way,” Minoru the village pharmacist steadily made the goat pulling the cart march along down the mountain. “Your boxes are in the cart too.”

“Ah, thanks- boxes?”

“Yeah. Your younger brother, Shigeru? When I came up around dawn he was already there and said you were bringing presents along to your relatives by Mt Fujikasane.” Minoru hummed. “Those look heavy, more coal?”

Tanjiro’s head slowly swivelled around to see three boxes of Cloud Mist Pine, the type which should be made and lacquered only on Mt Sagiri, stacked in a corner of the hay-cart.

“…you’ve got to be kidding me…”

“What, Tan-chan?”

“…nothing…”

Unlike old man Saburo, most of the villagers still did not know about their nature, only that there was some trouble and the Kamado children save for Tanjiro were ill. It was technically true, even if being a Demon was not a recognised disease. And the sun shining overhead, usually a sign of good summer weather, meant that in no way could Tanjiro make them go back home and still obey his conscience.

One of the boxes made a quiet tap.

“We’re definitely siblings…” Tanjiro groaned.

Back on Mt Shichirin, Urokodaki cradled a snoozing Rokuta even as Kie prepared a few snacks and settled Nezuko back into a futon. “Were you going to inform Tanjiro that three of your errant children have followed him too?”

“Were you going to tell him that you smelled them?” Kie’s reply silenced him. “I thought not. Hanako is going to see Kiriya-kun; apparently they exchange letters. Takeo wants to brave the wisteria, and Shigeru will be there if he sneezes and break out in hives. Tokito-kun mentioned that he…would be there, to… well, those were my thoughts.”

“But I know my children.” Kie reflected, staring into the hearth of the fire. “I believe they already know… their brother might not make it out of this. And if he does not, I think… they are prepared to open the mountain to get his body, or... something I would very much like to do. I wrote a letter to Amane-sama to hear, but… she simply said, that they await the children.”

“To let them march into war…” Urokodaki quietly spoke. “It seems… like you are pushing them into this.”

“They were already born into this the moment Kibutsuji Muzan targeted my family,” Kie’s eyes sharpened, almost causing Urokodaki to reach for his sword. “From the moment he came… the only choice was to die, or to fight to live. Maybe…I just waited so long to contact the Demon Slayers… because I already knew that.”

It was the first night of the Final Selection, and Shigeru was seated by the very edge of the wisteria boundary, a wooden box slung across his back as he sat with the Ubuyashiki siblings who had arrived.

“Hanako,” he groaned as Hanako pushed a flower crown of the sweet blossoms towards him.

A sneeze came from the box.

Shigeru snapped his teeth out, grazing his sister’s hand. Hanako scowled and put the crown on her own head.

“Don’t fight, you two,” Kiriya hurriedly separated the two. “Why did the three of you even follow Tanjiro-san here?”

“We rarely go anywhere fun with Nii-chan,” Shigeru complained. “And now this is the furthest from home we’ve ever been, and our Nii-chan’s fighting in this kojutsu mountain you have here.”

“K- Kojutsu?” Beside Kiriya, the Ubuyashiki girl choked. “Put several insects in a jar, let them kill each other, only one insect survives as a curse-carrying insect, that kind?”

“Am I wrong?” Shigeru pointed, through the rings of many out-of-season blooming wisteria vines, where the testing ground of Mt Fujikasane stood.

“It’s the first time we’ve heard that,” the girl blinked. “I’m Ubuyashiki Kuina.”

“Kamado… Hanako…”

“Hanako’s still practising,” Shigeru explained. “I’m Shigeru. The one in the box is our Take-nii, and the one currently fighting for his life in your death mountain is our Nii-chan.”

“The Final Selection requires the examinees to survive seven nights on the mountaintop, without any outside aid,” Kiriya agreed. “Beyond that, anything within the mountain is fair play.”

“…Shinobu-san’s poison?” Hanako blinked.

“Yes.”

“Guns?” Shigeru gaped.

“Yes.”

“Wisteria?”

“Yes.”

Shigeru hummed, regarding the branches above that hung heavy with the perfumed flowers. “…I still don’t know why the examination is like this,” he said at last.

“The exam…” Kiriya paused. “Father explained it, as knowing how the candidates react in adverse circumstances. As all Slayers within the Corps are busy slaying Demons to defend humans, for apprentices to accompany missions simply places a burden on the Slayer. Trainers thus step up to train those who seek to become Slayers, and then send them to the Final Selection. The Demon Slayers have faced annihilation many times – after trial and error, this was the best way to test candidates and keep the Corps a secret.”

“I still think that defending against Demons should be a national thing,” Shigeru grimaced. “But… I get it. The teachers teach in school ‘people at birth are naturally kind-hearted’ but…there are Demons in the world, and all of them are born human.”

“It makes one wonder; how do humans bridge the gods and demons at the same time.”

At this, Kiriya started in shock, but Shigeru was already chewing on one end of his bubble-pipe, watching the crescent moon overhead.

Blood Demon Art: Kachi-Kachi

The personal Art of Kamado Nezuko as a Demon.

As the Art was born from a result of Nezuko observing her siblings practising, it is theorised that this Art is a scaled-down version of her ability. Capable of conjuring flames of unnatural pink shades, the flames hold a special property that seems only to harm Demons and other objects of normal-Demonic origins.

The snapping sound of fingers and Kamado Kie’s lullaby featuring a rabbit lent Insect Pillar Shinobu Kocho to coin the Art after one of the most famous revenge tales of folklore.[2]

Crackle, I hear crackling,
What is that sound?
It’s the crackle of the mountain,
The crackling mountain
The tanuki keeps walking forward,
little does he know,
the rabbit is behind him,
making a crackle.[3]

[1] JP: 六道銭 – another name for the six Mon coins that are put into the coffin at Japanese funerals, apparently to pay for passage across the Sanzu river.

[2] The tale being Kachi-Kachi Yama.

[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEwmVCWAle0

Chapter Text

Genya immediately hid behind a tree when he spotted the luckiest bastard in the world.

No, wait, nothing in the world could deserve having Kibutsuji Muzan himself after them, so Genya scrapped that thought. The mere sight of the flame-haired bright-eyed bastard was just… disturbing. To him.

Judging from how the guy parked three very solid wood boxes with the organisers, Genya was quite willing to bet that all three boxes contained his little siblings too. Why did the guy bring Demons to an exam when the death toll was so high anyway?

“Ah, Genya! Why are you trying to dig into a wisteria tree?”

The wisteria waved with the heavy thud that was Genya’s skull hitting the tree. “…Tanjiro.”

“I found Kanao-chan by the sidelines!” Kamado Tanjiro, the curse of Genya’s life and oldest brother to the Demon Slayers’ new and most important guests blithely continued, apparently dragging a girl behind him. “Let’s team up!”

Do you even know that the strongest Pillar is guarding your house? Do you have any idea how many Pillars are fretting that you would die here? Hurry up and get cold feet, idiot! Even Nii-chan-

At this thought, Genya almost shut down. The Wind Pillar had not been in the roster of people on guard duty at Mt Shichirin – instead he had been sent to another mountain chasing the Twelve Demon Moons. Somehow, the thought left him depressed.

A warm hand swept his fringe back, and a warm smile lit the balmy summer night.

“Are you coming along?”

“AHHHLETMEJOIN!!”

Even Genya thought it was a Demon, though it was just a yellow-haired punk whose face swelled up – probably involved in a fight. Though it was at an impressive speed that he tackled Tanjiro.

“I’M REALLY WEAK, LET ME JOIN YOU!”

“Ah…hello,” Tanjiro shoved the boy off of him. “My name is Kamado Tanjiro!”

“Oh, I’m so sorry! My name’s Agatsuma Zenitsu! Please help me, Tanjiro!!!”

“The more the merrier…” Tanjiro touched the front lapel of his robe.

“Was that why your family was seeing you off outside the wisteria?” Genya drawled.

“Ah, you saw that, Genya?” Tanjiro blushed, now reaching inside for the front of his jacket before he pulled out a small package and handed it to him. “This is for you.”

“Me?” Genya frowned.

“…Himejima-san explained your situation, and…this is from my mother.” At the mention of his mother, Genya’s face clearly left the boy panicked: “Well, my siblings also contributed some… at least there’s something to start from rather than… finding a Demon first.”

“…” Genya tried to phrase less offensively his first reaction of ‘which sibling chopped off an arm?’. “Erm, the source…”

“…hair.”

“…is it too late to find a canteen?” But Genya still followed them into the mountain for the Final Selection.

On the first night, it rained and forced their team to gather with a few more people under a cotton tarp.

“There are disadvantages to hosting it in summer…” Within the small lean-to shelter pulled together, Tanjiro had already started a small fire. “Kanao-chan, come here.”

“Kanao-chan, go dry yourself! I’ll protect all the girls!”

Zenitsu’s screech had one boy toss a stick at him. “Shut up! You’ll pull all the animals here! Even the king of the mountain can’t fend them all off!”

“Ah, it’s alright…”

“Why, are you all afraid of a little rain?” one of the prospective Slayers voiced.

“Ken, be nice!” His companion turned to Tanjiro. “I’m so sorry. I’m Manaka Shin, and he’s Hokubu Ken. Thank you so much for lending out your shelter to us… but are you sure it’s alright?”

“Ah?” Tanjiro blinked.

“Well, we’re supposed to survive for seven nights on this mountain without any aid, right?” Shin continued. “So, if you’re sharing your fire with us, that counts?”

“No, not at all,” Tanjiro shook his head. “The ‘outside aid’ refers to ‘outside of the mountain’. There is no rule of the examination where examinees cannot team up.”

“Wait, really?” Ken sat up, alert.

“…they did mention it at the start,” Zenitsu faintly echoed. “Quote, ‘the demons residing here roam free to do as they please. You all must survive amidst them for seven days. Those who manage to do so and return to this place at the dawn of the seventh day will have passed the selection and shall be granted the title of Demon Slayer. If you chose to come down beforehand, you will be forfeiting and, should you be injured, will be provided with medical attention’.”

“Assuming you don’t run into any Demons on your way out when injured… but…there’s nothing against teaming up…”

“The nights are short,” Kanao pointed out. “If we post a watch at night, during the daytime we can rest.”

“True, the summer solstice is around the corner…”

“Huh? Geshi?”[1]

Tanjiro blinked to look at the two boys who had exclaimed: Zenitsu and Shin. Shin wore a Western buttoned shirt with a dark green haori, which pegged him as a ‘modern boy’, but Zenitsu… “Are you two from the city?” he guessed.

“…it was that obvious?”

“More like, away from the city the seasons seem to mean less…” Tanjiro scratched his face. “Shin, do you… still have friends out there?”

“We thought… that if we stayed together we’d be penalised…” Shin’s pale face was bleached even under the orange flames of the campfire. “Ken, we need to find Itsuki and the rest!”

His exclamation was drowned out by the report of a gunshot.

Without even looking back, Genya reloaded his shotgun. “Oi, I didn’t bring many bullets with me, one of you cover my back!”

“Yes!” Tanjiro grabbed the sword that was loaned from Urokodaki, immediately scrambling out to make a powerful, single concentrated slash –

Barely scrambling out from under the tarp, Shin made a low whistle. “Ken, this guy’s way better at the Breath of Water than you! That Water Surface Slash just took his head off!”

“Shut up…” Ken growled, even if he could not tear his eyes away.

“Ah, you’re studying the Breath of Water too?” Shin called once the Demon’s head fell. “Ken’s studying it too, but you’re way better at it! There’s barely a ripple in his swings!”

“That’s not a reason to blurt it out, Shin,” Tanjiro sheathed his weapon back. “Erm, Kanao, could you kindly-”

“I am here,” the corners of Kanao’s eyes crinkled. “I and the dandelion will help Genya.”

“Thanks! Stay safe!” Tanjiro waved and then turned towards Shin. “Alright, your friends, let’s go find them!”

Behind Tanjiro, Zenitsu was pointing to himself. “Huh? Dandelion? Me?!”

Despite the calm on his face, Muichiro’s frown only deepened as it continued to rain. “Takeo. Shigeru. Hanako. I thought you were supposed to remain on Mt Shichirin.”

“Mmm.” All three Kamado siblings sat by a tree root – Shigeru absently blowing bubbles that popped amidst the wisteria blossoms, Hanako slumped in the curve of the root, Takeo practising his strikes against the tree trunk – and still sneezing somewhat. “Why, you’re here to add to the kojutsu as well?”

“…my Selection was a while ago,” Muichiro said after trying to parse his words.

“Ah,” Shigeru turned back to the forest, and this time white smoke billowed from his pipe – evidently his Blood Demon Art. Takeo’s sneezing trailed off.

Resigned to being ignored and not being able to threaten the brats, Muichiro approached the nearby Ubuyashiki siblings. “Kiriya-sama, Kuina-sama. The Kamado siblings…”

Kiriya’s lips thinned. “Yes. I suppose they are here because they heard about… Urokodaki-san’s disciples…”

His eyes regarded the wisteria vines above. “This mountain was chosen because the wisteria provided a natural prison for Demons,” he echoed. “However, if the Demons within the mountain are too strong for new Slayers, then by all rights we should have cleared them out.”

“I think…” his eyes fell to the Kamado siblings, “they are here to wait for him.”

“…if the worst happens, they plan to go in and get revenge?” Muichiro’s lips twitched, yet his expression remained the same. “How?”

“…that is not the question you should be asking, Tokito-san.” Kiriya mused. “You should be asking: ‘why is Kamado Takeo here when he is allergic to wisteria?’ Then you would receive an answer.”

“…” Muichiro’s eyes widened. “You mean, that if Tanjiro…”

Kiriya nodded.

“…well, that would certainly make a statement,” Muichiro concluded. “At least they didn’t set the mountain on fire.”

Kiriya frowned. “I reminded Shigeru on the possibility of the Demons within escaping if a forest fire broke out… otherwise, I think the Corps would have to relocate from Mt Fujikasane.”

The squelch of footsteps through the wet paths underfoot sounded like warning bells to the Demons, Tanjiro reflected. Around him and the desire paths carved out from feet of many prospective Slayers and Demons was the smell of petrichor and actual ichor, along with an ash-like tinge of crumbling Demon. More than once the hellish training from Mt Sagiri and Mt Shichirin proved themselves again and again, heads thudding with each swing of the sword even as he made a flat-out run. The sun-marked fox warding mask hung clearly on his head, leaving his face clear even as…

Tanjiro dodged the heavy projectile lobbed at his direction, leaving the meaty thud of it on a nearby tree mix with the stench of blood spilled and mixing with the rain, and the scent of panic.

“Tanjiro, what-” Ken skidded to a halt, just as a large arm shot out from the trees.

Quicker than the other boys, Tanjiro had already lopped off the arm. “Get the injured boy!”

“Hmm? Hmm…” Yellow eyes with cross-hatch pupils poked through the undergrowth, followed by what looked like a small mountain or a large mossy boulder of bulging hands and veiny flesh. “Well, well, now…” it rasped, “Another one of you cute little foxes have wandered into my territory…”

Tanjiro took a deep breath.

“Fox boy, what year of the Meiji era is it?”

“…what year was the last disciple of Urokodaki you killed?”

“…you’re very different from the other foxes.” The Demon mused. “Which is to say, you already know that the mask is a mark, and that I’ve eaten every child who wore such a mask, and you still wore it?”

“You see,” and here Tanjiro smiled, “I have to follow my senior disciple Tomioka-san.”

“Senior disciple…” Something made the hand Demon draw up short, faced with some expression that Tanjiro bore.

“Yes. You missed one. How many more will you miss?”

Ken took a look, and rushed to triage the injured boy immediately as pattering footsteps and a battle cry rent the night’s peace. He did not need to hear bodies crumbling, or the rain stopping, before human footsteps crunched behind him.

“Sorry I took so long,” Tanjiro knelt, frowning at the injured boy. “How is he?”

“…pretty bad,” Ken woodenly replied. “Still alive, at least.”

“Alright…” Tanjiro frowned. “The rain’s stopped, but it’s dark. I can carry him, you fend off the Demons, we get him to the edge of the place?”

“I’ll carry him. You fend off the Demons.” Ken then pointed behind him, to where the hand Demon was still crumbling. “After all, if you can take down the big one there, you can pretty much take down any other Demon. You’re way better as a lookout.”

“Is that so?” Tanjiro did not argue further though the frown deepened. They continued in silence, right to the edge of the wisteria. Right where Tanjiro beckoned to lay the boy down, Ken strode through the boundary.

“Tanjiro, I… think I’m not cut out for this.” Still carrying the boy on his back, Ken peered in the dark. “I’m going to get this guy to a doctor, and then back out. Sorry…”

“I understand!” Tanjiro blurted. “There’s… more roles than slaying Demons too, so…”

“I’m going to join the Kakushi.” Ken stopped, and turned around to face Tanjiro. “Even if I can’t personally slay Demons, I’ll support those who can! Thank you so much! Make sure you live to step out of this place, alright?!”

“Sure!” Tanjiro waved. “See you, Ken!”

Turning around, Tanjiro touched the warding mask on the snout. “For all the senior disciples on Mt Sagiri, be at peace. For all the future Slayers who may step on this mountain… please let Shigeru’s experiments work.”

[1] JP: 夏至 – term for the summer solstice.

Chapter Text

On the dawning of the second day, when the temporary alliance finally let down their guard as the sun rose and turned in to sleep, Shinazugawa Genya walked a coin across his knuckles. It was the size of the gold ten-yen, but unlike the sunburst pattern on a sacred mirror it was perforated with a square hole like the coin charms that temples sometimes issued to visitors. Most temples, though, would never cast coins that bear the motif ‘Akki Mesatsu’.

“So…the reason why you set up camp here was to check on these?”

“Mmm.” Tanjiro hummed. “Sorry, Genya… you know about my family’s… issues…”

“…yes,” Genya relented at last. “Why?”

“Shigeru’s pipe can use the blood of other Demons to cast his Art,” Tanjiro said after a moment of thought. “Er, Tamayo-san used a lot of medical words I didn’t understand, and Shinobu-san’s explanation was very technical, so I guess if I have to say it, Shigeru’s Art lets him do this and that and this…”

Blank-faced, Genya turned to Kanao by the sidelines. “Tsuyuri, you take over. This guy is hopeless.”

“You don’t have to say it so harshly…”

“…Blood Demon Arts are understood as techniques or abilities possessed by higher-level Demons,” Kanao slowly started after giving Tanjiro an uneasy look. “The fact that Tanjiro’s family possess them, being new Demons who have not eaten humans… is extraordinary.”

This summation conveniently side-stepped the reason for why a full squad of Kinoe-rank Slayers were currently placed outside a bamboo grove at the west side of Mt Shichirin.

“Also, the fact that Shigeru can use the blood of others to cast his smoke Art, is unique as most Demons can only use their own blood,” Kanao continued. “From how I understand it, combining Hanako’s blood with his technique allowed him to either neutralise the Demonic weakness to wisteria for the duration of the technique, or to neutralise wisteria itself as a substance – that is Shinobu-neesan’s explanation. From there however, the Kamado family’s Arts become even more unique when one considers that they can be passed to other people as a rule, not an exception.”

Genya pondered it. “When I… eat Demons… I gain their strength and regeneration, and usually some form of their Blood Demon Art. If it’s a strong enough Demon, I can probably develop my own Art… for the duration that the transformation takes, anyway. But Blood Demon Arts are born of the blood and flesh of Demons – they usually are limited to one user unless the Demon was using an item to focus that Art and the item was stolen.”

Kanao nodded.

“But… Kaa-san was able to empower Rengoku-san,” Tanjiro slowly nodded. “Hanako’s plants grown from her blood… I don’t know if they’d be alive when we go back home. And Takeo…”

The trio looked at the coin on Genya’s hand, which had been cast from the blood of Kamado Takeo and confirmed harmful to Demons.

“So, when Shigeru asked me to test it out, I almost thought I was asleep,” Tanjiro sighed. “We had to hold Hanako back.”

“He asked you to test this out in a dangerous test of your life?” Genya echoed. “Oi, you dote on your little brother too much.”

“It was this, or let them walk on the battlefield to test it out…” Tanjiro gave a tired look. “We’re siblings, even if he’s the younger one he would try it out… I know him far too well.”

“Ah,” said Genya, who was the only other person who actually had worse, if not equally rowdy and headstrong siblings. “Sorry… in my case the sibling is older.”

Far away on a mission, the Wind Pillar sneezed.

Genya held out the package he had gotten, which had been now unwrapped to reveal six glass tubes sealed with cork and wax, each containing a hank of dark hair in various tinges. Labels on the tubes indicated the original owners.

Genya held up one opened sample. “This one I know has the Art of sharing a Demonic constitution with anyone protecting me… the Manaka guy nearly had his head cut off but regrew it, to our shock. He left the mountain to get checked up, but at least he can try next year.”

At least he was alive to try next year, was the sentence that everyone around him noted he did not say.

“That one is Kaa-san,” Tanjiro confirmed. “Rengoku-san called it Obojikara, after the supernatural strength given to the warriors who undertake the trial of the Ubume.”

“Very suitable,” Genya noted. “Except that while the Art was active my own constitution was human, so… something to think about.”

Genya shoved it back, and then held up another tube, this one containing more hair shavings than hair.

“Rokuta,” Tanjiro pulled a face.

“Kamikakushi, the Art that trapped three Pillars on your mountain for months,” Genya nodded. “It’s not a simple technique – on the surface it just… hides you, but it literally hides from everything.”

He pointed to a nearby spot where a copse of cypress trees lay broken. “I literally stood in the middle of a Demon’s barrage of attacks and did not get hit.”

Tanjiro rubbed his brow. “What worries me, is that Rokuta is only three years old... At the very least he still listens…”

“Last one,” Genya held up a third tube, this one containing both blood and hair. “Tanjiro… you said that Shigeru has an illusionary Art?”

“Tamayo-san said so… but also that there was something strange…”

“I drank his blood, but honestly…” Genya’s face creased, his eyes flickering to Tanjiro with great meaning. “Tanjiro, I think your brother may be developing a second Art. One that would allow even a human to cast a Blood Demon Art.”

“As support the Kamado siblings would be far more useful than fighting actually…” Kanao mused, finally getting why Genya had such a look; it was the look of someone who had had his siblings die too.

Only, there had been no miracle for him.

“Um…can I ask why you all are talking about Blood Demon Arts?”

Not just Tanjiro, even Genya and Kanao stared at the blond-haired boy sitting cross-legged on watch. Behind him lay the supine form of a sleeping boar-head.

We forgot that this guy was here…

It was the second night of the Final Selection, and somehow all the children, even the two Ubuyashiki children, were still there.

“Nii-chan won’t let us tag along even on missions, and Kaa-chan supports him,” Hanako pouted even as the siblings and their new friends gathered by a small campfire near the entrance of the Mt Fujikasane grounds.

“Ah, that’s nice,” Muichiro absently replied. The Pillar had drawn the short straw for bodyguard duty due to being freshly released from the Butterfly Mansion, and was now using Takeo’s hatchet to splice wood into sharp sticks.

“That’s not nice,” Shigeru grumbled, sticking the already-skewered sweetfish that Muichiro had bought earlier in the day closer to the fire. “We’re also in danger, we can help…”

Takeo rolled his eyes, checking the roasting fish, before snatching two to hand to Kiriya and Kuina.

“Ah, we’re fine…”

“Take-nii isn’t as good as Nii-chan in the kitchen, but he’s better at roasting,” Shigeru assured. “You guys might not have tasted it before, but we don’t have Nii-chan to cook kaiseki.”

“It’s not like we eat kaiseki everyday…thank you,” Kuina took one skewer and handed the other to her brother. “Come on!”

Kiriya gravely accepted the food and nibbled. “It’s good…”

“Isn’t it?” The next skewer went to Muichiro, who took a bite, eyes wide. He gave Takeo one grave nod, and then steadily returned to nibbling the fish – Takeo’s skill at barbecuing sweetfish clearly won over the Mist Pillar. “Take-nii could probably open a yatai if it wasn’t for this whole… Demon thing.”

A moment of silence stretched, before a owl’s hoot broke most of it, along with a rustle of leaves and approaching light.

The Kamado siblings immediately dived for the wooden boxes where they had slept, and Takeo’s box clicked shut as a heavily dishevelled boy, still bleeding and hobbling, approached from within. From his hand dangled a braided cord, from which hung a coin that glowed.

AKKI MESATSU, the coin read.

“I barely got out with my life…” the boy teared up. “There were four boys and a girl, they found me… they got me to the entrance and then gave me this coin to get out…”

“Got it, you’re too weak, come back next year,” Muichiro waved off the boy.

A knock behind him sounded.

“Ah, right,” Muichiro added when the Ubuyashiki children froze. “Did you see a boy with reddish hair and eyes, with a scar on his wide forehead?”

“Yeah… he found me…”

“Okay. Now you can go.”

The boy opened his mouth, but Kuina stood up and was already showing the boy the way to medical assistance and the exit.

“So… is that the coin I’ve heard from Obanai so much about?” Muichiro directed at the wooden box. “No wonder he requested six of them, I almost thought he was getting ready to cross the Sanzu River…”

“As expected of a Pillar, you already see the value of that coin,” Kiriya nodded. “That was the Hinowa coin that Takeo-san helped to create. It is far too valuable to risk in burial.”

“Why?” Shigeru asked, poking his head out of the box. “It’s a coin that’s giving off light, right?”

Having shrunk down, he looked far too young to be discussing such serious concepts, but the Ubuyashiki siblings and Muichiro continued as if nothing was wrong. “Usually, we would use wisteria to ward off Demons, but that only works against weak Demons,” Muichiro detailed. “If this was in the middle of an attack, the Slayer would also have to protect the civilians, or the Slayer themselves might not survive for help to reach them… your brother Takeo’s blood can take on a composition close to Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand, the metal used for Nichirin blades, which implies that his blood absorbs sunlight, which Demons are weak to. Hence the coins themselves, when exposed to blood, release the sunlight stored within into the surroundings…”

“…and keeps the Demons away,” Shigeru’s lips curved.

“But that also brings up the question, of how Takeo keeps himself safe from his own blood,” Kiriya cut in.

“Huh… so Take-nii’s blood is usually toxic to Demons,” Shigeru sighed in envy.

“My plants can only grow…” Hanako frowned. “I can’t fight…”

“The Insect Pillar Kocho-san uses poison to kill Demons,” Muichiro suggested. “She is also a doctor.”

“Actually, I was thinking…” Shigeru slowly began, “we know that Nee-chan can use flames, and Rokuta is like, the tochigami of the mountain right now. I can blow bubbles, you can grow plants, and Take-nii… well, his blood made those coins, right?”

“You’re thinking of the Gogyo, Shigeru-kun,” Kiriya remarked. “Wood, fire, earth, metal, water.”

Kuina tilted her head. “I think I’ve heard of this pattern before…”

“The ranks of the Demon Slayer Corps from top to bottom: Kinoe, Kinoto. Hinoe, Hinoto. Tsuchinoe, Tsuchinoto. Kanoe, Kanoto. Mizunoe, Mizunoto.” Slowly, Kiriya used the ground underneath to carve out the letter with the charred skewer left from eating the sweetfish, except he wrote only the Five Phases mentioned in kanji. “Wood feeds Fire, which burns Wood to Earth, then Earth contains Metal, and Metal condenses Water into being, before Water grows Wood.”

“…Nee-chan is Fire for sure,” now using his own stick, Shigeru scratched Nezuko down on the bottom of the circle, before adding his own name to the corresponding character for ‘Water’ and adding Hanako’s name to the section for ‘Wood’, Takeo’s name to ‘Metal’, and then Rokuta’s name for ‘Earth’. “Hmm… I’m not too sure on the mechanism of it, does it mean we need Take-nii’s blood and then mine, or just my blood?”

“…you want to try out the Blood Demon Art here?” Muichiro echoed.

Takeo stuffed another perfectly done sweetfish into his hand.

“…well, the place is only open once a year.” Muichiro went back to eating, which meant the collapse of the strongest support currently present.

Kiriya put his face in his hands.

“Kiriya-kun,” Hanako came over to grab his hands. “We really want to help Nii-chan. If Take-nii’s blood can help so many Slayers in the future… what if my blood has some effect too?”

Under the dim lighting, barely anyone saw him blush - not even Muichiro, who watched in interest as Takeo started roasting yakitori. “Fine…”

“Okay, we’ll be over there…”

Kuina leant towards her brother. “I feel like… even if I know something could go wrong… I really want to know…”

“Father said that the Kamado siblings likely escaped from Kibutsuji’s control, since they remain together…” Kiriya chewed his bottom lip in thought. “And, since they are here on Mt Fujikasane with minimal incident, it is very likely that Kibutsuji himself has no idea of their existence yet…”

There were running footsteps, and Takeo dived for the box only to stop – it was merely his siblings.

“Kiriya-kun, Kuina-chan!” Hanako squealed. “It’s… come look!”

With more trepidation than should be warranted, Muichiro placed one hand on his sword before following the children through the wisteria. The winding petals seemed to stretch shadowy vines on the ground out and away, gnarled roots digging into the earth…

Muichiro blinked, finally realising what was wrong when he came to where the experiment happened.

Staring at the result, Kiriya and Kuina exchanged unnerved looks.

“‘I ventured to see if what I had heard was true, with this jewelled branch with leaves so real; t’was nothing more than an empty promise’,[1]” Kiriya breathed, staring at the tree that was growing with silver roots, a trunk flecked with gold, and bearing pearl-like fruit taking root on the mountain.

Demon Slayer Corps Eyewitness Records: Hinowa-sen (日輪銭)

Although the earliest story was that the coins came from Hamayumi Shrine run by the Himorogi clan, the coins were actually cast from the condensed blood of Kamado Takeo. The Hinowa-sen was tested widely only during the Final Selection of 19XX. Distributed to the injured parties of the Selection by Kamado Tanjiro on their way out, the coin initially thought to be a lucky charm was learned to give off light in response to blood, with this light proving similar enough to sunlight for Demons to be wary. The coin was thus officially named as the Hinowa-sen, ‘Hinowa’ being another reading for ‘Nichirin’, though it would not be easily disseminated due to the limitation of resources.

As the Pillars of the Demon Slayer Corps began to adopt it, they started to carry the coins in groups of six, which also led to their other nickname as ‘toll for the Sanzu River’ – a Slayer who kept all six coins was regarded as ready to ‘pay for the crossing’, thus the best way to counter it was to distribute them as far as possible, to as many different people as possible. While the story was regarded as apocryphal, the coins proliferated as a demon-warding charm parallel to wisteria, and even as wisteria fell out of use due to the wilting of many wisteria vines in the Reiwa era, the coins continue to be passed around in the many families allied with the families under the Ubuyashiki umbrella.

[1] Quoted originally from the Taketori Monogatari, but I adapted it from the Inuyasha second movie.

Chapter Text

“Finally, the seven nights are over,” Tamayo mumbled as she stood by the east window of the Kamado house. While most of the house had been expanded, apparently the sturdy construction of the original house left the east side facing Mt Kumotori, and the view of the mountain as the skies lightened seemed too to lighten her mood. She would have to retreat to shelter soon, but it was a small concession.

She took a long breath, before frowning as sound carried by the wind came. “This…”

From over the fence climbed a figure, the butterfly hairclip identifying her as Tamayo’s frequent laboratory partner for the past year. Tamayo gaped as Shinobu strode in, her hair askew, and in her hand…

“It finally bloomed,” Shinobu gasped, still catching her breath – a testament that the Pillar with the highest dash speed had truly exerted all effort to reach her.

Tears came to her eyes, as she accepted the Blue Spider Lily from Shinobu.

On the end of the seven-day exam from hell, Agatsuma Zenitsu was the first one to dash out, a coin with a braided cord strung though the centre hole tied around his wrist – his payment in exchange for being conscripted to round up injured examinees and helping them to exit the place. After him was the board-headed boy whose name they never got, who they only saw at night near the fire, and only by his continued existence upon exposure to a Hinowa-sen did they prove that he was human.

Once they reached the parade square, though… the boar-headed boy disappeared.

“I thought we saved more people than us five,” Tanjiro sadly reflected.

“The fifteen people you saved have been moved down the mountain,” Kiriya bowed. “Although the passing rate remains at five out of twenty-three, eight have chosen to become Kakushi, and eight more have chosen to train harder for the next year.”

“Oh, that’s a relief…” Tanjiro sighed, then froze as a bruise smarted.

While the sight of the empty area where all the examinees had congregated seemed unnerving, at least somewhere they were alive.

“Of course, next year the conditions for the Final Selection will have to be fine-tuned…” Kiriya gave a knowing look which had Tanjiro blushing. “I will recommend that use of the Hinowa-sen will only be for evacuation and forfeiting the examination.”

“Now that everyone has passed the Final Selection, everyone will be starting at the lowest rank of Mizunoto,” Kuina spoke up next. “We will issue your Kasugai crow and uniform, and allow everyone to select their tamahagane for the forging of their Nichirin blade.”

“Crow? Isn’t this a sparrow?”

Everyone ignored Zenitsu, staring at the array of silvery tamahagane.

“…if not for you, most of the people who tried to exit would have died,” Genya sighed, pushing Tanjiro forward. “You go first.”

“Ah? W- Wait, Kanao-chan, how about you go first?” Tanjiro sputtered.

“That’s a great idea! Kanao-chan~”

Ignoring Zenitsu, without looking Kanao grabbed one of the tamahagane. “Everything is the same to me, so it makes no difference.”

“Kanao-chan… you just picked one of your own choice without the coin.” Tanjiro began to cry like a doting grandparent. “I’m so glad for you.”

Kanao blushed.

“Sorry, I’ll get this one,” Genya grabbed another one and pushed it into Kuina’s hands. “Oi, dandelion, get here.”

“I’m not a dandelion! My name is Agatsuma Zenitsu!”

“Your boxes,” Kiriya motioned to the boxes stacked to one side. He paused, and then said: “Tanjiro-san… I believe they have much to tell you.”

“Thank you, Kiriya-kun,” Tanjiro hastily bowed his head, wincing as some more body parts were aggravated. “I have to get home, please give the Master regards from my mother.”

At the foot of the mountain waited Muichiro beside another jinmaku bearing the Corps crest. By the jinmaku, many people turned to face them when they finally reached closer.

“Tanjiro! You made it!”

“Ken-kun!” Tanjiro exclaimed. “This is…”

“Some of us were really injured… but all of us were worried too that…” Ken replied, still holding the arm of one boy slung across his shoulders whom he was helping to stand. “This is my friend Shou – you helped to save his life.”

“It’s our duty…”

“Thank you,” Shou gave a brittle smile, still clearly uneasy and drowsy under the influence. “Next year… next year I’ll be slaying Demons by your side too.”

“Erm, good. Take care of yourself…”

“Says the guy who headbutted a Demon to pull its attention,” Zenitsu mumbled behind him. “Actually, how hard is Tanjiro’s head? That’s scary…”

Kanao slowly reached over to take Tanjiro’s hand. Still with an empty smile, she led Tanjiro through the jinmaku, which left two boys glaring at each other.

“You’re going home right? Shoo,” Genya waved Zenitsu away as he reached for one of the lacquered boxes. “I have to get these loaded into the cart.”

“Um… aren’t those Tanjiro’s boxes?”

“We’re following Tanjiro to his house.”

“Um…” Zenitsu hummed. “…wait, we as in just two boys, or Kanao-chan is coming along?”

“Huh? Tsuyuri’s a student of the Pillar who’s staying at Tanjiro’s place, of course she’s coming with us, even-” Genya paused. “We can’t say more than that.”

“Huh?” Zenitsu imploded, jabbing a finger through the jinmaku. “Tanjiro already has a babe following him around?! I didn’t join this for him to flirt and have fun with a girl all day! Give me back the blood and sweat I shed!”

“You didn’t even bleed, dandelion!”

“Genya, we’re done-”

“Tanjiro!!!” Zenitsu’s bellow caused a flock of Kasugai crows to rise into the air, echoing into the mountains. “The Demon Slayer Corps is not a place to be fooling around!!!”

“Five out of twenty-three, with twenty-one overall survivors… that is excellent news,” Amane put down the letter which notified the Selection results. “Master, it seems like a number of the Hinowa-sen was carried into the Selection by Kamado Tanjiro, and then distributed to the examinees who due to injuries were unable to continue. Our Kiriya has advised that in the future, use of the Hinowa-sen be restricted only to exiting the mountain.”

“That is excellent news, the number of our children has increased again…” Ubuyashiki Kagaya hummed in approval. “Are there more news?”

“One more letter from the… Mt Shichirin. Ah, Shinobu-san included a note-” Amane fell silent. Almost a heartbeat later, Amane leant closer to the Master, and then whispered something in his ear.

“…Like the blind sea turtle who seeks a floating log, I have waited so long for this chance when the Udonge would bloom[1]…ack!”

“Master!” Amane voiced as he began a coughing fit. “Someone! Bring some hot water!”

“Tanjiro… can I ask, why are you bringing three Demons around?”

“Eh? Zenitsu could tell?” It was almost sunset, and Tanjiro was still guiding the hand cart. “And you still covered for me… you’re a nice person, Zenitsu.”

Still riding on the cart, Zenitsu curled up by the far end away from their other two companions. “I have a good sense of hearing, so I could tell… nobody was asking so I had to ask… so I tagged along, sorry… but since he is coming along, I guess the Corps already knew?”

‘He’ referred to Muichiro, who lay asleep in one corner of the moving hand-cart.

“…a lot of things happened, but…” Tanjiro touched his nose. “You’re a good person, so I don’t mind telling you… my family turned into Demons and the Corps are helping with… finding a cure.”

“…ah?”

“Well, it started with a Demon attack, and our family… was quite uniquely targeted, so the Corps very kindly protected us…”

Kanao gave a quiet sigh as Tanjiro began to tell the very edited tale of how most of the Kamado family had turned into Demons and that their last human member had thus joined the Corps. Riding pillion, Genya stared at everything and nothing in particular – everyone waited for that moment, when the sun fully set, and Demons would begin to roam.

Once the sun set, one box opened, and Takeo’s head poked out as he climbed out. He then pulled Shigeru and Hanako out of their boxes as Tanjiro slowed, and then changed places with Tanjiro to pull the cart, leaving two pairs of strange Demonic eyes to stare at Zenitsu.

“Ah, this is Shigeru, and this is Hanako, they’re my younger siblings,” Tanjiro introduced, still taking sips from a canteen. “They… wanted to come out… and they’re really nice…”

“Hello,” Shigeru grinned at Zenitsu’s frozen form.

“…hello…” Hanako then clung to Tanjiro.

“Ah, Hanako, I’m dirty, let me clean up before I hug you and read a story for you, alright?”

Zenitsu stared as the girl Demon nodded and then settled by the side. Hanako was too young for even Zenitsu to draw strange conclusions, so he turned to Shigeru instead. “Um, Shigeru, right? I’m Agatsuma Zenitsu. Do you have any older sisters? Who are single?”

“Ah, Nee-chan…?” Shigeru looked at Zenitsu, and immediately drew a conclusion. “Stay away from her, pervert.”

“Ahh! That hurts, Shigeru-kun~! I’m going to die anytime on a mission, so please let your sister marry me!!!”

“Mmm, we don’t really have a book around, and it’s too dark to read, so… let’s tell a story,” Tanjiro quickly racked his brains. “Ah, today the moon is beautiful, so let’s tell the story of Princess Kaguya and the five impossible requests.”

“Five impossible requests?” Hanako echoed.

“Princess Kaguya of the young bamboo was found by the bamboo cutter who with his wife raised her as their own, and by finding gold where he cut bamboo afterwards they became rich,” Tanjiro slowly spoke from memory. “As the princess came of age many suitors came, but she rejected them all. Amongst the suitors there were princes, chancellors, and ministers who were equally stubborn, so the five men persuaded the bamboo cutter to have the princess choose. Uninterested, the princess thus devises five impossible tasks, agreeing to marry the noble who can bring her the item specified for him: the stone begging bowl of the Buddha, a jewelled branch from the mythical island of Hōrai, a robe of Chinese fire-rat skins, a jewel from a dragon's neck, and a shell born from a swallow.”

“Ah, Nii-chan!” Hanako burst out. “I made a jewelled tree! If we sell those jewels will we be rich too?”

“…Nii-chan doesn’t know,” Tanjiro’s smile remained fixed on his face, even as he raised his head to meet eyes with a solemn Muichiro. “We’ll have to ask Tamayo-san to find a jeweller, okay?”

“Okay~”

“Don’t worry,” Shigeru assured as their elder brother continued with a bastardised retelling of the tale of Princess Kaguya. “We don’t eat humans.”

“At all?”

Shigeru blinked, and then indicated: “One disciple of a Pillar. Another disciple of a Pillar – Genya-san isn’t a Tsuguko, but he’s studying with this really tall monk in the Corps. One actual Pillar. If we were inclined to it…” he shrugged.

“…but…Blood Demon Arts?” Zenitsu echoed. “Do you have any idea how rare Demons with those are?”

“…” Shigeru began to count off of his hands, which only made him look even younger. “…I think every Demon I know has at least one?”

Zenitsu’s head fell back. “Even your Nee-chan?”

“Even Nee-chan.”

“Usually, Blood Demon Arts only appear with higher-level Demons…” Zenitsu repeated what his trainer had taught. “Which means, Demons who have… eaten many people. But if your whole family has Blood Demon Arts, without eating humans at all… no wonder the Corps hasn’t acted.”

“The Kamado house has entered the Corps as a Wisteria boundary,” Muichiro spoke up, which drew the attention of the two boys. “There will be enough rooms to house you if you choose to stay.”

“Ah… thank you,” Zenitsu seemed to sit straighter, as if reminded that here was a Pillar of the Demon Slayer Corps.

This manner only lasted until they stopped at the Kamado house and Zenitsu caught sight of Nezuko kicking the door open. Then, there was a thunderclap and flash, and before anyone, even Muichiro could react, Zenitsu was already clutching Nezuko’s hands and proposing marriage and dashing a letter by Kasugai crow that he was staying for the fifteen days before his sword was finally made.

[1] Players of Touken Ranbu should recognise parts of Sayo Samonji’s opening line. If not, see here for a detailed context and interpretation.

Chapter Text

While the Kamado house was officially designated as a Wisteria boundary, clearly another crest was needed as the Fuji family had been in charge of most of them. As the Kamado were charcoal burners and happened to live surrounded by mountains, it was decided that their new kamon would be a sunrise behind three mountains surrounding a wood-fire.

This had the effect that it stood out from the usual Wisteria houses, being technically under Ubuyashiki sponsoring, and mainly functioned like a field hospital where injured Slayers rested. It also made Zenitsu’s skin crawl – not from its Demonic inhabitants, but more from the fact that breakfast was done while faced with Demons and Pillars eating at the same table – where the meal did not compose of any form of human.

By the side, Kie hummed a short song as she pulled on the tenugui hanging above the irori. “Seconds, Uzui-san?”

“Yes please, madam,” the Sound Pillar slid over his empty bowl. “I think Hinatsuru really likes your flashy recipe for dumplings.”

“Enough!” Zenitsu’s scream probably caused a small landslide somewhere. “Why are the two of you acting so civil around each other?! Someone, please explain it to me!!!”

“We already explained it earlier, brat,” Uzui Tengen rolled his eyes. “The Kamado family are targeted, and due to their condition we need to figure out what makes them special. Anyway, you’ve been flirting with their eldest daughter for the past two weeks, why are you still demanding answers?!”

A shoji screen slid open, and Nezuko gave a tired hum as she wobbled by the eating area. Slowly, she sank to the ground and laid flat out, ignoring the others.

“Ah, Nezuko, that’s bad manners,” Kie fussed. “Sorry, boys, I have to tuck Nezuko back in…”

“Might as well leave her,” Tengen dismissed. “She’s been cooped up most of the day and night, even your other children have more independence than her.”

“That’s true…” Kie sighed, but still handled Nezuko until she was slumped under a kotatsu that had been laid out for such a purpose. “Shigeru and Hanako were supposed to be coming for breakfast…”

The door opened. “Kie-san, good morning,” Tamayo gave a low murmur as she walked in the shadows of the interior. “Your younger children spent the night… playing, and thus… Tanjiro-san just went to put them to sleep before he turns in with the others.”

“I see… I will keep breakfast warm for them then,” Kie decided. “Zenitsu-san didn’t join Tanjiro?”

“I wanted to spend time with Nezuko-chan~!”

Behind Zenitsu, Tengen rolled his eyes towards the ceiling.

“Is that so?” After two weeks, clearly the blond boy had only worsened in flirting with her eldest daughter. “In that case, Zenitsu-san can talk to Kareno-san later – with more people staying here the toilet has to be emptied.”

Tengen snorted into his breakfast, which hid Zenitsu’s expression of horror. Kareno-san was a man of pleasant disposition – it was simply his occupation as a nightsoil merchant which left the city boy Zenitsu at a loss.[1]

His will shaking, Zenitsu took one look at Nezuko under the kotatsu and his back straightened. “Yes…”

The door opened, and one of Tengen’s wives Makio ran in about something, which left Kie smiling as she stirred a pot.

“The items have been prepared, Uzui-san,” Tamayo informed the Sound Pillar. “Forgive our inability to see you off.”

“Not at all, it is our duty as Pillars of the Demon Slayer Corps.” Tengen then glared at Zenitsu. “Don’t take him as a measure of the average Slayer.”

“Oi! I may be only a Mizunoto, but you don’t have to insult me!” Zenitsu bristled. “And, you already have three wives! Why are you still flirting with Tamayo-san?!”

A vein popped by Tengen’s temple. “As your senior who studied the Breath of Thunder before, I see you need to be taught a lesson, Agatsuma!”

“The children are sleeping,” Kie gave a woeful look towards the boys.

Both men immediately dipped their heads.

“Kie-san…” Tamayo gave a thankful look, even as she discreetly sipped from a small canteen.

“As a mother of four boys, they do get rowdy sometimes,” Kie’s arch reply continued over the burbling pot. “Speaking of missions… if I recall, the sword-maker should be visiting soon? Perhaps I could make kinako dango…”

“Please do!” Zenitsu seemed to be revived at full health.

“The compound of the Blue Spider Lily… Shinobu and Tengen plus his wives are transporting it to be studied in Tokyo,” As usual, Amane reported the details in the letters that flowed in and out of the Corps headquarters. “Furthermore, Mt Shichirin reported an advancement in the Kamado children’s Blood Demon Arts.”

There was a small box which was opened, and then Amane set them out before the audience which were her husband and children. There was a murmur of confusion from one of the younger Ubuyashiki daughters which turned heads.

“Kanata,” Kagaya asked. “What is it?”

“It looks like multiple ohajiki made of gold,” Kanata reported. “And then… there are a few fruits like grapes, except they seem to glow. There is also… a long conch shell like a smoking pipe, a bunch of red threads, and… a clay bowl which has dried.”

One of the taller Ubuyashiki girls opened a letter. “Mizunoto-rank Shinazugawa Genya reported on the products of the Blood Demon Arts.”

“Shinazugawa… that boy has a talent, if I recall.” Kagaya contemplated. “Sanemi may not be happy to learn of this, but I must still inform him... they are the only family that each other have in this world left, after all.”

“The Wind Pillar is currently on a mission… it will be the next Pillar meeting when we can inform him,” Kiriya gave his two cents.

“We may as well give Sanemi’s younger brother a head-start with the Demon Arts he can already access… what does the letter say?”

Amane leant over to look when Hinaki failed to read. “Shinazugawa Genya’s Two-Week Research Diary… with comments in red ink from Shinobu-san. I think Genya-kun feels like a student faced with an assignment…”

“…Amane,” Kagaya said after recovering from a coughing fit. “When we are done, make a copy before you send the original to Sanemi. Surely he should know how his brother is doing.”

“Huh? From the Master…?” Sanemi frowned at the slim volume which had been wrapped in oilskin to protect it from the elements. Pulling it out, he read the flyleaf:

SECRET: THE INFORMATION WITHIN IS RESTRICTED TO KINOE-RANK SLAYERS AND ABOVE

“Huh? Must be important.” He turned a page and began to read.

An hour later, he had finished reading and then threw the book against a wall.

“What d’you mean you’re eating Demons, Genya?! Get out of the Demon Slayer Corps!!!”

In the inn that he was staying in, two Kakushi exchanged glances. “Do you… want to go up to see what he’s yelling about?”

“Probably something about slaying Demons… ah, Kocho-sama, Uzui-sama!”

“Good day to you too,” Shinobu greeted, one hand still holding a large leather briefcase in the Western style. Next to her loomed Uzui, whose eyes darted everywhere.

“Kocho!!!” Sanemi had run down the stairs from above to glare at her. “What’s with all the red pen on this?! And, when did Genya join?!”

“Ah, Genya-kun?” Shinobu used one finger on her free hand to poke one cheek, but the twinkle in her eye gave her away. “I believe he just finished the Final Selection… he should be receiving his sword today.”

“I’m going to find him-” Sanemi growled.

“Even on Mt Shichirin?”

“…..” Somehow, the fierceness in his eyes intensified.

“Up to now, even two years later, you’ve never been assigned to guard duty there,” Shinobu detailed. “The Master understands where your bottom line is… and how uneasy their existence is for you. If it were merely regarding your own family, the Master would have nothing to say. However, Genya-kun has joined the Demon Slayers now, and he joined it for only one reason – to find you, Sanemi-san.”

Sanemi’s hand tightened on the report, where one Shinazugawa Genya had actually written: dedicated to the best big brother ever.

“Black, huh…” Urokodaki mulled as the newly minted Slayers finally received their blades. “That’s…”

“The Nichirin blade is also called the colour-changing sword,” Genya detailed, even as he checked the shotgun and blade which was his kit. “The sword changes colour depending on its owner. Supposedly it reflects what Breath the user practises…”

As no one else from the Kamado family were present as they were hiding from the midday sun, Urokodaki took his time to consider. “That girl is definitely a practitioner of Flower Breathing… and the gold-hair boy is definitely Jigoro’s youngest.”

“Eh? You know Gramps?”

“The Roaring Pillar was the most proficient of my generation,” was Urokodaki’s simple reply even as he indicated Zenitsu’s haori. “The scale-pattern haori is one that Jigoro prepared for all his students, as I too carved my masks… for all the good they did against that mutant Demon.”

“No, my mask was really useful,” Tanjiro hurriedly interrupted, “and, this Haganezuka-san, would you mind calming down, there are children sleeping…!”

“I thought I would finally see a bright red blade! Dammit!!!”

Next to the mentioned Haganezuka, another man wearing a Hyottoko mask helped Urokodaki to hold him away. “Apologies… I am Kogane, and I smithed the swords for Agatsuma-san and Tsuyuri-san. I am here both to deliver the swords and to represent our chief who smithed this shotgun for Shinazugawa-san.”

“Ah, thank you. Please have some kinako dango.”

“I like mitarashi dango!”

“Hotaru-san, you’re noisy.”

“D- Don’t call me that in front of the kids!!!” Haganezuka seemed to be spitting fire, perhaps it was an illusion…?

“Why?” Tanjiro blurted. “It’s a good name.”

“It’s too cute!!!”

“…exactly how old are you, Haganezuka-san?”

“I’m thirty-seven!”

Behind Tanjiro, Zenitsu continued to stare even as Kanao finished her crackers, and turned to sneak some from Tanjiro’s plate. “Wait, Kanao-chan~?  If you wanted more you could take some from my plate…”

Without any word, Kanao refilled Tanjiro’s plate, cup, and then slid to sit next to Tanjiro’s place.

“…dammit, why does he have such good luck… I want Nezuko-chan to feed me too…”

Meanwhile, Genya stared at everything and nothing, but especially at the six Hinowa-sen threaded to hang by the belt of his uniform. Just a bit more, and I can slay Demons already…

“First mission! First mission!” Three crows – and one sparrow fluttered in through one of the ventilation windows. “First mission!”

Finally.

[1] While flushing toilets were introduced to Tokyo proper at the start of the Meiji era, the use of pit toilets and selling the result to farmers as fertiliser continued until the occupation of Japan.

Chapter Text

“So, Kaa-chan… I’ll be following Nii-chan, right?”

Days before Tanjiro’s sword was due to be delivered, and thus the beginnings of his dangerous career, Kie froze mid-stitch in the dim twilight that their house was currently reduced. “…Shigeru? Why would you… is this from the Kakushi?”

“…No… well, yes…” Shigeru sat down on the floor, the closer to watch his mother by the light of a lamp.

“Nii-chan’s first mission is a reconnaissance and slaying,” Shigeru steadily met her eyes, the pupils of which were patterned with peach blossoms. “So, I think I should follow along…”

At this point, Kie had already put aside her needlework. “You mean… you want to follow him into his first mission? Did your Kakushi friends tell you something?”

“…” The silence was akin to agreement.

“Is it… dangerous?”

“All Demons are dangerous. Even us.”

Kie had nothing to reply to that.

“…Nee-chan and Rokuta can’t leave the mountain, and… the Pillars probably won’t want you to leave…”

Shigeru was understating the severity of protection that Mt Shichirin, and especially their mother, was now afforded. The head Kakushi, a man named Gakushi, had admitted that not even the Ubuyashiki clan received a protection detail of all Pillars and Kinoe-rank Slayers – it was the value of the Blue Spider Lily’s existence which had bought such protection to secure the future.

“…the reason that Nii-chan can worry less as he goes out to slay Demons, is because the Corps will take care of us for as long as we are here.”

“Yes…”

“I am certain that Nii-chan would die for us.” The statement was made matter-of-fact, spoken with the certainty of a fundamental truth. “But who is watching his back?”

Kie paused. “…we, are Demons. If you are caught… Shigeru, if you die, Tanjiro would certainly blame himself.”

“…” Shigeru’s back slumped.

“However, you raise an excellent point… Tanjiro would be…” Kie clicked her tongue. “…tell me. How would we be able to help Tanjiro more?”

From the Kamado house, a flock of swallows thus fluttered and took flight into the starry skies.

Halfway between city and country, the town was a fairly developed location. Telephone cables had already been strung up like rosary beads, hanging low like shimenawa over the town, and the festive atmosphere of the summer night was only graced by the wheel of summer stars that dominated the festival – it was Tanabata[1], and a couple consisting of a man and woman were strolling away from it.

“Would you need me to hold your bag, Satoko-san?”

“It’s fine, Kazumi-san. I wish Father wasn’t so strict with our curfew…”

“It’s dangerous at the moment… the tekiya around the shrine even set up patrols to keep the peace.”

“Kazumi-san, isn’t your home in the other direction?”

“I could not allow a woman to wander about alone at night, let me at least see you to your doorstep…”

“Kazumi-san is such an attentive man…”

“It’s just my duty as your fiancé…” Kazumi flinched as a flash of light begun and a scream sounded. “Satoko-san!”

“Kazumi-san! My leg… something grabbed my leg!”

“I have you, Satoko-san!”

Perched from a telephone pole, the swallow’s eyes gleamed as the man and woman fled away, leaving the remnants of a burnt-out paper lantern and a loose zori. The swallow swooped down, feathered wings shifting to leathery skin and hair as the swallow became a bat, dropping another yellow ohajiki into a newly created swamp.

A scream resounded, and the Demon fled as the bat leisurely tracked the young lovers to the house, and then hung upside-down on the eaves.

Nobody else entered or left the house that night.

Finally came the day of departure. “Tanjiro, do you have your bento?”

“Yes! I also have the kit packed. And…” touching his nose, Tanjiro shyly fidgeted even as his mother draped the haori over his shoulders.

“Come back safely, Tanjiro.”

As Kie had to hold the flint to strike the sparks, Rokuta ended up clinging to Tanjiro’s leggings before he could clear the gate before sunrise, as the Kamado family had chosen this moment so that they could send their eldest son off.

“Rokuta, be good and help Kaa-chan to watch the house, alright?” Tanjiro cooed even as he tried to tug the legging free. On his back rested a lacquered red-pine box, which had been outfitted with handles to sling across his arms to rest on his back.

“Nii-chan come back?”

“Yes. Your Shigeru-nii too.”

Unhappy, Nezuko bumped her head into his back.

“Yes, yes, Nezuko too.”

“No fair!” Hanako wheedled.

“Hanako, Takeo,… sorry, your Nee-chan is occupied at the moment.” Tanjiro patted two heads, taking the time to poke the bamboo that Takeo was teething on. “Kaa-chan… I’ll be back soon.”

“Kanao-chan, Genya-kun, Zenitsu-kun, here is the flint,” Kie carefully struck sparks at their backs. “Good luck in your battle.”

Finally, she too did the same for her son, and saw him off as the skies whitened.

“I can’t believe we have to leave before the Sun rises because Tanjiro’s little brother is clingy,” Zenitsu mumbled, yawning.

“It can’t be helped,” Genya mumbled. “Remember when Tanjiro went to market without telling him, and then ended up returning to the house five times? Do you want us to get lost around Mt Shichirin – which, by the way, has only one path up and down? Do you want us to become laughing stocks?”

“I’m so sorry… Rokuta… is very young.” Tanjiro fretted.

Nobody could say anything.

When faced with the fact that Rokuta was the youngest known survivor of the Demon transformation to date, even the last pronouncement sounded less like the indulging of a toddler, and more of a parent worried for their child’s future after their passing. It was stark reality that if Tamayo’s research did not succeed, Rokuta would certainly outlive Tanjiro.

Kanao hummed. “At least Shinobu-neechan was… nice enough.”

“Really? I thought she was prepared to murder something…” Tanjiro shook his head. “Sorry, Kanao, forcing you to get up so early…”

“It’s alright, I get up early for training anyway.” Kanao shook her head. “It’s… new.”

Walking behind them, Genya suddenly felt a stab of killing intent from Zenitsu. “Why does Tanjiro get her attention and I don’t… ahh Nezuko-chan if only I could see you again…! Nezuko-chan~! If I return alive please marry me~!”

I thought for a moment he was muttering a curse…

“It’s our first mission,” Tanjiro hummed in agreement. “Zenitsu, where are you headed?”

“The Arakawa area…”

“Then, Genya-kun?”

“…Kyobashi…” Genya sighed.

“Um…” Beads of nervous sweat formed on Tanjiro’s wide forehead as his attempts at starting a conversation fell flat. “What about Kanao-chan?”

“Sugamo… I heard there was a ghost story there where the scorned wife came back to haunt the unfaithful husband and the mistress as a vengeful spirit…”

“Ah, the Yotsuya kaidan…” Although the subject matter was quite odd, Tanjiro just hummed. “I have to go to the southeast… where girls are disappearing each night.”

“That’s actually fairly close by… I guess Tanjiro would be the first back.” Zenitsu sighed as they reached a fork in the path. “So… we part ways here for now.”

“See you all back home!” Tanjiro waved as he stepped on the path, smiling as the sun began to rise. “… say, what do you think about the case? Shigeru.”

“…” From the box on his back, there came two sharp raps.

“Got it.”

For lack of answers, Tanjiro considered Tamayo expounding on Demonic instincts:

“The basic rule when Demons eat humans is one of predation. Each Demon have their specialised hunting patterns. Some have no fixed home, and wander the roads killing travellers. Some stake out houses, forests, even mountains, and from there hold territory where they eat humans. There are some subtle differences, but the difference between lower Demons and higher Demons is intelligence.”

“Intelligence, Tamayo-san?”

“The Demon who relies on pure muscle will fall victim to the Demon Slayers’ swords sooner or later. The intelligent Demon will choose to hunt people that no one will miss. In literature, the names of Demons typically are those who end up killing too many people in one place, or who leave messy kills which are discovered, reported, and then they are executed – Otakemaru, Shuten-doji, Kurozuka, the Demon of Rashomon Gate, and so on. The intelligence of Kibutsuji Muzan is that his kills are fast, silent, and cannot be tied to any human identity he has amongst the throngs of common people.”

“This means, usually there would be no pattern to the victims of Demons unless the Demon had a particular fixation. If they do have a fixation, you can narrow down how experienced each Demon is by how close to home the victims were taken – each step closer to home, assuming that this is not the work of a group of Demons, represents the Demon managing to get away free of consequence, which feeds into their own narcissistic pride – a feeling that Kibutsuji exemplifies in everything.”

“But Demons don’t usually work in groups, right?”

“Anything is possible, Tanjiro-san. Your siblings as Demons should be killing each other, yet they coexist in peace. The same possibility may exist amongst the Demons under Kibutsuji too.”

The sooner I reach there, the less people who will die.

Tanjiro blinked as finally, he crossed a wooden bridge, and the town spread out at his feet. “Hmm… the last victim was… a Satoko-san right?”

Stepping into the town proper, he blinked as a queue wound by the riverbank – complete with opportunistic peddlers selling drinks and umbrellas and other things to handle the summer heat. “Whoa… what a long queue…”

Coming up to a seller, Tanjiro paid for a cup of barley tea. “Wow, business here is quite brisk.”

“Isn’t it,” the man complained. “Every night one girl would go missing, but at least one girl managed to escape last night! Everyone said it was because the girl and her fiancé went to pray to the magpies on Tanabata, so a magpie saved her. All the young couples are pairing up to pray to the magpies for safety now…”

“Magpies…”

“See, because the magpies make up Hikiboshi and Orihime’s bridge, so in order for nothing tragic to happen on that night the magpies were all on guard, right?”

As a regular supplier of charcoal to the stalls that made up the local festivals, Tanjiro was deeply acquainted with the festival schedule[2]; the span of days from Tanabata across to Obon, perhaps even most of the summer itself, would have earned much of the year’s income. Thus, Tanjiro was very familiar with the story of Orihime and Hikoboshi and the magpie bridge of legend that spanned the Silver River.

Not knowing of Tanjiro’s thoughts, the emboldened seller continued: “So, we’ve prayed to the Buddhas and gods, but now it looks like it’s the magpies we should pray to! The merchants’ association are pooling funds to build a Magpie Bridge Shrine for the spirit of the magpies.”

“…those magpies were really helpful then… (￣_￣|||).”

Tanjiro’s smile turned uneasy as he counted the number of magpie-related snacks, souvenirs, and fans which were all the rage in the shrine queue. The suspect is a swallow turned bat… not that I can tell anyone here.

Straightening his back, Tanjiro then turned back to the drink-seller. “Actually, I came about the missing girls, could you please point me to Satoko-san’s place?”

It was therefore to this sight that the parents and future in-laws of Satoko and Kazumi saw: a young man, with reddish hair and eyes in a gakuran uniform with a green-black checkered haori, seriously declaring that a little bird had led him to their doorstep.

[1] This is related to the earlier footnote for Geshi in Tsutsuji. Geshi is usually around 21-22 June in the Gregorian calendar, whereas Tanabata as a festival is in the lunar calendar. However, my understanding is that Tanabata festivities take place starting from the Gregorian calendar’s 7 July, so this actually matches up with the fifteen-day time for Tanjiro’s sword to be smithed.

[2] While there are some variations across Japan, the nationwide festivals may be seen here.

Chapter Text

“Will houjicha be alright? Should we open that new gyokuro tea? What about wagashi, or should we buy some castella?!”

“Houjicha will be fine! And just leave the castella, Kazumi-san is still occupying the guest!”

“Dear, how can you say that?! This man may be our daughter’s saviour!”

“I am so sorry for dropping in without notice…”

“No, no, not at all,” Kazumi lifted both hands to demur. “Ah, Kamado Tanjiro-san… many thanks for sending your… bird… last night…”

“Please, have some tea,” a girl’s voice announced.

“Satoko-san!” Kazumi made to get up, but was pushed back by the slight girl.

“Thank you. Regarding the… kidnappers last night… I do not know if I can answer your questions,” Satoko gave a sigh. “Kazumi-san had to stay the night here… I know I should be safe in my home, but… I just can’t sleep at night. I keep fearing that there are monsters in the dark… I can’t even work up the courage to leave my house. I’m sorry…”

Tanjiro took the offered cup out of good manners and gave a perfunctory sip. “They only come out at night, but caution is always useful. If you would not mind, I can try to get some information… but it would be quite uncomfortable for you, Satoko-san. I have come to slay the Demon behind this.”

“Demon?” Satoko’s brow furrowed. “Erm, the ones with an iron club?”

“No… the ones who eat humans.”

Kazumi blanched, and Satoko’s hand quickly flew to clutch his own.

“Y- Y- You mean…” Satoko trembled. “Hatsu, Aimi, Yui… they’re…eaten?”

“…most probably.”

Satoko closed her eyes, taking a few breaths that shuddered into half-sobs. “…how may I help?”

“For this, I would need you to block out your windows. Kazumi-san, please stay with Satoko-san. If it would help, the master and mistress of the house will be here too.”

“I understand.” Kazumi’s breath trembled, but he rushed to summon the parents and pull blinds over the windows, and even set up a folding screen in the washitsu. All eyes rested on Tanjiro as he put down the box on his back.

The box door swung open. “Man, Urokodaki-san has to put some padding in…”

“Shigeru, were you listening?” Tanjiro asked the tiny figure.

“What?!” Kazumi burst out. “There was a person in there?!”

“Besides that, so far there was the vague smell of a Demon at the place where Satoko-san disappeared,” Tanjiro reported. “You’re better at thinking about these details, Shigeru, can you help?”

“It’s daytime, Nii-chan…” Shigeru complained, but pulled from his sleeve his pipe and stuck it between his teeth, misty breath pouring from the pipe as he blew.

“So far… in this town, the girls who disappeared have a common pattern,” Still with the pipe stuck between his molars, Shigeru continued, “they have someone like Kazumi-san. Which is to say, near or at the age of marriage. Usually in these cases, when we think ‘women’, the result is…”

“…men.” Satoko’s father furnished after a thought.

“Exactly,” Shigeru took out the pipe, and blew a stream of mist into Satoko’s face. Although the girl flinched, the mist congealed like rising steam, forming a shimmering screen until in the dim light of streetlamps, two figures could be seen walking.

“The alleys here can only fit two people, there’s no place for a full-grown adult to hide,” Shigeru supplied, watching the figures in the Shinkiro walk and walk, until one figure stumbled, a swallow dive-bombed from above, and then the male figure in the misty screen led the female figure away. “Three right hands – three Demons.”

“Three?!” Tanjiro started.

“Most likely one Demon divided himself,” Shigeru rubbed his brow with his free hand. “The last five victims…Hatsu, Aimi, Yui, Himari… the Demon kidnapped each girl closer to their house, Satoko-san was practically at the doorstep already. We can expect the criminal to advance.”

“Advance?”

“Break into a house and…” Shigeru motioned with his hand. “You know, Nii-chan.”

“You mean this criminal will break into our house after my daughter?!” Satoko’s father roared.

“This sir, please calm down,” Tanjiro persuaded. “This is what I have come to do.”

“You… exactly who are you?”

“…a Demon hunter.”

While Tanjiro managed to excuse lunch with his bento, the whole family had been very keen on at least one meal in gratitude, with the fierceness that he could not stand up to.

“We are currently operating under the assumption that the Demon has not left town yet,” Tanjiro muttered to himself over dinner, as if trying to recall a lecture. “I have the Demon’s scent, and I know that at least one clone of the Demon is dead due to Shigeru dropping one of… one of our weapons. So, that leaves two Demons.”

“…” Shigeru’s face was still buried in the dinner that the owners of the house were very keen to indulge them with.

“Shigeru.”

“…” Reluctantly, Shigeru put down the bowl, wiping his mouth with a handkerchief. “Firstly, the Demon would probably leave Satoko-san alone.”

“Eh?” Kazumi echoed. “So, Satoko-san is safe?”

“Let me elaborate,” Shigeru paused. “Under normal circumstances… last night, the Demon should have pursued the two of you into the house, killed everyone and eaten the bodies.”

The four civilians stopped eating.

“The reason it did not, was because it was attacked,” Shigeru explained. “And in the absence of any known Demon hunters, the only reason it would believe itself to be under attack would be if it believed that another Demon was contesting its territory, or this family has some arrangement with a rival. Furthermore, somehow events line up with Tanabata such that a large crowd had already formed at the festival. Rather than attack a girl who already got away once and seems to have a protector, why leave easy prey out?”

Tanjiro flinched – the closing words of Shigeru’s argument was far too cold for a child, especially since the subject was about eating humans. There was a reason that the lunch served today was mainly vegetarian and seafood.

“In short, for this sir and Kazumi-san, tonight you’ll have to watch the house,” Shigeru’s vermilion eyes glittered. “Nii-chan and I will go out to find the Demon.”

It was already sunset when Tanjiro reached the festival grounds, hiding himself in the boughs of a tall oak tree. Muttering a prayer to the local spirits, he let Shigeru out of the box once the sun was safely under the horizon, and the two boys watched the pink skies darken in silence.

“Today was… quite harsh,” Tanjiro’s face fell. “Shigeru… thank you. I don’t know how I would find the confidence to tell them… you’ve really grown.”

“Well…” Shigeru fidgeted. “We all had tutors come over now and then when you were on Mt Sagiri… Takeo learned from this pink-haired woman with abnormal strength, Hanako picked up something from Shinobu-san, Nee-chan and this owl dude seem to get along in fighting, even Rokuta likes Urokodaki-san and the snake dude. My skills… my fighting skills are lousy, but I can at least keep an eye on your back, Nii-chan.”

“True, Shigeru always thinks of the things I miss out…” Tanjiro paused. “What if the Demon goes to Satoko-san’s house?”

“I left a Hinowa-sen with them.”

Tanjiro sighed in relief. “If this succeeds… Takeo’s blood has saved many lives, and will save even more down the road. Shigeru too – you’ve already saved Satoko-san’s life, and will save more lives.”

“We’re Demons,” Shigeru’s eyes lidded over as the festival entered into swing with a night parade. “Nii-chan, I don’t have enough shells to cover the town, so you’ll have to hide and get at least one clone.”

“Shigeru… you don’t have to force yourself …”

“Actually, Nii-chan… I don’t feel forced at all,” A string of shells fell from Shigeru’s sleeve. “I want to help our family too!”

“Time passed swiftly as I waited to see the shell you promised: they say I wait in vain, could this be so?”

The shells rippled and morphed, calcium shell morphing into feathered wings and pointy joints blended into bird-heads and took flight, a chirrup and rustle of ten or so of creatures like sparrows, swallows and bats fluttering about. From the pipe burst a cloud of misty bubbles, and then a cloud of pure smoke as Shigeru’s eyes sharpened all across the festival of Tanabata, hidden by the tanzaku hanging from the trees.

“Impossible Request: Shell born of the Swallow.”

Seeing that the mission had already begun, Tanjiro leaped away to hide himself, leaving Shigeru to perch on the bough. With his legs hanging down to show where his tabi had been cinched tight with leggings, he looked every bit like the young boy he should be, rather than the cold assessor of Demons that he had been at Satoko-san’s place. Shigeru’s yellow-green kimono and obi was complimented with a dark blue haori, and the impression of the inro box hanging from his obi with a clamshell netsuke was further accented by the long conch shell which was currently playing the role of his pipe.

Liquid bubbled, and the smell of rotted oil also made Tanjiro gag even as a Demon appeared – a pale young man with two horns poking out from blue and violet hair, brandishing claws towards Shigeru as pupil-less red eyes glared up at the other Demon.

“You’re the Demon who interrupted my meal yesterday?” He growled. “Damn brat, there are more than enough humans in this town!”

Shigeru blew, and a few more soapy bubbles floated down. They popped normally, and floated like normal bubbles.

“Calm down, other me,” A similar-looking Demon, this one with one horn centred on the crown of his head, appeared. “Even if we missed the girl last night, we’ve already eaten plenty of sixteen-year-old girls in this town. Each and every one of them were delicious, I’m quite satisfied.”

“I’m not! And this damn brat can’t even appreciate them!” The two-horned Demon yelled back.

“…”

One of the swallows dive-bombed them, and the two-horned Demon dodged and slashed out, smashing the swallow. The bird crumbled, pieces of shell thudding into the grass.

“Now, now, how about a deal?” the one-horned Demon sneered. “We’ll hunt our fill tonight at the festival, and by tomorrow night we’ll be on our way, and you can have this territory. Isn’t that a nice idea, boy?”

“…wouldn’t you be stronger after eating so many humans?” Shigeru finally spoke.

“How long do you think it takes for humans to grow to sixteen years old?” the one-horned Demon rebutted. “If we stay for too long the Demon hunters would catch up. We have to move to another town.”

“So, you reap all the benefits, and leave me to fight the Demon hunters,” Shigeru pondered aloud. “Except one thing.”

“Huh?”

“The hunters are already here.”

From behind them, the steel blade seemed to shimmer with heat as it swung.

The bubbles popped, depositing a diluted mixture of wisteria poison that paralysed the one-horned Demon as Tanjiro’s blade swiftly chopped its head off. Its more boisterous clone was able to dive away, though one more swallow dived down. More shell pieces flew out, but with it came the Demon with red eyes – the swallow had pecked one eye out.

“Why is a Demon working with-”

As Tanjiro made the killing blow with a Dance, it seemed as though he was breathing fire. Head separated from body and flew off to thud against the tree. Shigeru followed a heartbeat later to land on his feet, pulling from his haori pocket a blade-like device that he stuck into the crumbling head to draw blood.

“I pray that in the next life you would… not become a Demon.” Tanjiro could not bring himself to wish the man a good afterlife, given the number of hairpins which seemed to be trophies of his victims found in the clothes that were crumpled and left behind stinking of ash. “Shigeru… come here.”

“I got the sample.” Then Shigeru pushed one hand against the trunk of the tree, and a swamp-like void shadowed his hand as the hand immersed itself. “Also, Tamatebako seems to function even through my swallows… well, they’re a part of me.”

“I may not approve of you putting yourself in danger…” Here, Tanjiro then pulled him into a hug. “…but you saved a lot of people, Shigeru. I’m so proud of you.”

“I think, if there’s a third clone it would be at the festival…” Shigeru fidgeted.

There was no smell of Demon besides Shigeru anywhere, but Tanjiro pretended to go along as he led Shigeru hand in hand to the festival.

The Tanabata festival featured multiple streamers, multi-coloured tanzaku written and hung on surrounding bamboo, and festival-goers in yukata. Somehow, there was also a seller chanting the Naniwa-zu poem[1] selling karuta cards.

Somehow he was still taken aback when Shigeru led him to a shop selling hairpins.

“We’ll get some for Kaa-chan and Nee-chan and Hanako, and Tamayo-san,” Shigeru quickly selected a few ball-shaped hairpins in featuring different flower motifs – cherry blossoms, chrysanthemums, plum blossoms, and red maple leaves. “Take-nii can use a tenugui, Rokuta too…”

“…” Tanjiro sighed, relaxed, and almost chuckling to himself. “We’re definitely siblings.”

“Oh, boy, you’re getting souvenirs?” one of the sellers called. “I’m hawking Edo kiriko cut glass products! They’re definitely elegant and worth the money!”

“Don’t listen to him, come look at these okiagari-koboshi! Do you have younger brothers?”

“Nii-chan! They sell that magewappa bento box that Kaa-chan was eyeing!” Shigeru exclaimed at the same time that there was a sound of breaking glass.

Shigeru froze.

“Mama, Mama!” A boy cried out as he accidentally stepped on the broken shards of glass, drawing the attention of everyone around him – including the Demon.

“…Nii-chan,” Shigeru’s eyes slid shut, even as his fangs showed. “Could you-”

“Right. Let’s go.” Hurriedly handing over a hundred yen note and leaving the change, Tanjiro bodily snatched up his brother and waded through the crowd, even pushing his way into the tanzaku-laden bamboos at the edge.

Tanjiro then set the box down, opening the door. “Do you need-”

Shigeru waded back in and shut the door in his face.

Sighing in relief, Tanjiro clutched the light souvenirs in hand. He then reopened the box to shove the parcel in hand and closed it. “…I know you like games, and since we can finally use it… maybe you can use the Hyakunin Isshu to revise your studies.”

There was a pause, and then two taps from within the box.

Tanjiro sighed. “I’m going to carry us… to the outskirts of the town. Less people that way. We still need to see if there’s a third Demon.”

Another two taps, and then the box stayed silent for the rest of the night even when Tanjiro shoved snacks into it.

Blood Demon Art: Tamatebako

Mentioned in Day 6 of Shinazugawa Genya’s Two-Week Research Diary on Blood Demon Arts, Tamatebako is the second Art exclusive to Shigeru.

While all Demons can use Blood Demon Arts upon ingesting the blood of another Demon, Shigeru can use the Art of any Demon whose cells he has already consumed. Since Shigeru does not seem to need to consume more cells to maintain the ‘borrowed’ Art, it is hypothesised that the consumed cells are stored in his body and then duplicated to form the Blood Demon Art (currently unable to identify which area).

The Art may also be condensed using the calciferous shell-like material that Shigeru produces into a box the size of one’s palm, which can be handed to another person (human and Demon both) to be used.

Blood Demon Art: Impossible Request – Shell born of the Swallow

The Impossible Requests branch of the Kamado family Blood Demon Arts was born from the experiments of the Kamado children’s Arts. This particular Art is born from Shigeru’s blood when catalysed with Takeo’s blood – Metal reinforcing Water.

Upon catalysis, Shigeru’s blood produces a resinous substances that hardens into a calciferous shell. Usually, the shell produced is shaped as a horagai from which countless bivalve halves are contained. Passively, the shells can transmit sounds (tested to a range of 1 kilometre), and are considered as a form of communication on the field. The main horagai is used to command all other shells.

When triggered, the bivalve shells can morph into living creatures, usually sparrows, swallows, or bats; the creatures’ line of senses overlaps with Shigeru’s senses to communicate information and obey his instructions. Shigeru is capable of sharing the sights and sounds experienced through special bubbles from the main horagai. The creatures also obey his instructions, and each creature have a special property. So far revealed are:

• Bat: radar sense.
• Sparrow: enhanced sight.
• Swallow: enhanced attacking power.

As the shells show transmutation of elements from inorganic to organic, as well as changes in shape and communication, the Art is classed as a form of Transformation.

A/n: Shigeru’s powers and abilities are based on the shen clam-dragon, also called Shinkiro in Japan. The shèn is regarded as a form of dragon, which is capable of transformation into many types of animals. This transformation of things is also regarded as a form of immortality.

[1] This is a famous poem in Japan, now used as the opening poem for competitive Karuta competitions so that the competitors can get used to the reciter’s voice.

Chapter Text

There was a certain logic to Shigeru’s choice of gifts, Tanjiro quickly found – they were light and easily transported by the Kasugai crow. Shigeru’s own souvenir, though, was far heavier – still high on having disposable income and being able to buy toys for his siblings, Tanjiro had failed to account for the weight of two hundred solid cards, not to mention the paulownia box that contained the cards.

Not to mention that when Shigeru could control his own weight, it definitely did not include the box.

Over the Kasugai crow’s protests, Tanjiro spent most of the night sweeping the town for more Demonic threats, Shigeru nestled inside the box to sleep. It was a clean sweep of no Demon, but Tanjiro stayed to watch stragglers until sunrise. The magpie motifs all around town had increased in number, and by now Tanjiro was resigned to it.

“…jiro-san. Tanjiro-san!”

“Eh?” Tanjiro sat up, and bumped his head against the temizu-ya by the shrine. The roof he had bumped his head on gave an audible crack and a tile fell just as Satoko rounded the corner.

“…you’re safe, Tanjiro-san,” Satoko said at last.

“Yes…” Tanjiro nodded. “The… Demon is dead, but…”

“Satoko-san! Just because day has come doesn’t mean… ah, Tanjiro-san!” Kazumi ran up to them now. “You’re safe!”

“Yes, Kazumi-san,” Tanjiro bowed his head.

“What about… the Demon?” Kazumi’s voice lowered. “What… I didn’t hear about another girl…”

Why not make the existence of Demons official, was the question that had puzzled many people. Was it because they were monsters, and it was to prevent panic? Was it due to not wanting any negative news about Japan to escape overseas? Or… was it because, that Demons too were once human, and this was simply the human mask torn away to reveal the beast who cursed this world underneath?

Whatever the reason, Tanjiro still felt that making the threat public would be more advised, if only just so that the families of Demon victims would know what befell their daughters. The Demons’ clothes were in the tanzaku-laden bamboo, and the festival clean-up would soon reveal them, as well as the several hair ornaments that the Demons had taken as trophies. The poor families who received them may hold out against hope, watching and waiting, and never knowing if their daughters would come home…

They would never know the answer, but the doubt itself would impact the rest of their lives.

“The Demon is dead,” Tanjiro gave in a tired voice. “…behind the shrine by the bamboos, the Demon’s clothes should be there, as well as the hair ornaments of… his victims. I… I cannot bring them to the police station, nor can I inform their families… I have to leave town soon. The families of the bereaved may not…”

“…you’re a kid, aren’t you?” Kazumi breathed at last. “You…”

“We’ll do it,” Satoko firmly nodded. “You’re going to save another person, right? From… being eaten?”

“…most likely.”

“Have you eaten?”

As the answer was no, the affianced couple manhandled Tanjiro into a soba store and then paid for his breakfast. Satoko borrowed their landline, and shooed away the Kasugai crow as she dialled her house. It was only when Tanjiro had picked his way halfway through the hot soba when Satoko finally hung up.

“Kazumi-san, Papa called his contacts with the local police. You’ll have to show them to… collect the evidence,” Satoko’s eyes crinkled, but she still held back her tears. “Tanjiro-san… I’m getting married next year.”

“…yes…?”

“You’re definitely coming to the wedding, right?” Satoko demanded. “As our benefactor, you are definitely coming to the wedding, alright?!”

“Satoko-san…” Kazumi sighed. “Perhaps it’s due to the travel expenses. Tanjiro-san, we can pay for your train ticket…”

“No, I live at Okutama! And I can pay my own way, really! Satoko-san, please stop ordering more soba!”

It was under heavy guard and with a heavy heart that Shinobu came back to Mt Shichirin. Of course, she was no delicate flower that needed protection – the reason that three Pillars had been sent to Tokyo, and a fourth Pillar had been on guard the whole time, was to safeguard the precious samples and the serums of the Blue Spider Lily. Somehow it felt lacking; if the news of this ever leaked, they would received probably all six Upper Moons themselves coming after four Pillars. Only once Shinobu had stepped foot on Mt Shichirin then did her colleagues retire to sleep in a separate wing of the house – facing east and with few screens to block out light.

“A Demon with a Blood Demon Art and duplication, as his first mission…” Shinobu heard as she entered the house.

Tamayo was reading a letter, as her strange demonic cat Chachamaru sat grooming itself nearby. Kie meanwhile was reading another letter by the low table. “Ever since he stepped onto this path as a Demon Slayer, I doubt Tanjiro-san has ever met a weak Demon without any Blood Demon Art. Even the hand Demon on Mt Fujikasane was far above the average new Slayer… I am sorry, Shinobu-san, I just wonder about the supervisory measures that the Corps should have assured.”

“Believe me, I am thinking the same thing,” Shinobu’s smile got even more forced, as she knelt down by the table to read the letter that Tanjiro had scribbled to Tamayo. “I think it’s time to propose again to the Master to spray wisteria-based gas around the mountain periodically, make sure we get every Demon so that no such scenario would happen again… and our scouts too, the mission prescribed would be far beyond a new Slayer, fighting in urban areas is different from fighting in the wilds. Is it just Tanjiro-san who is unlucky, or has the Corps sent some unwitting Mizunoto after Kibutsuji Muzan without knowing of it before?”

“I truly hope not,” Tamayo said at last, “but it is an unfortunate fact that slaying Demons is an occupation with a high turnover rate.”

“Tanjiro apologises for not buying any hairpins for Tamayo-san, but includes Shigeru’s souvenirs,” Kie read her letter before folding it, and getting up to pour Shinobu a cup of tea from the table. “The apricot blossoms one is for Tamayo-san, as a respected doctor, he said.”

“These are clearly plum blossoms…” Shinobu picked up the hairpin to analyse it. “Plums and doctors?”

“Apricots and doctors… ah,” Tamayo snapped her fingers. “Apricot forests. In China, doctors used to be referred to as ‘those of the apricot forests’, after a legendary doctor who only asked the patients he cured to plant apricot trees around his house.”

“…this is a child, right?”

“Shigeru-kun is very intelligent…”

“Very true,” Kie affirmed. “Hanako may be the one who requests that Tanjiro read bedtime stories to her, but Shigeru is also a keen reader. When he’s not distracted by food…”

Shinobu glared at the hairpin. “Tanjiro-san has to travel and also look after his younger brother, wouldn’t that be a greater burden for him?”

“My eldest son, while ideal in many respects as a single mother, also has some crippling weaknesses such as being too ready to sacrifice himself,” Kie considered. “Of my older children, usually they can make up for each other if someone were to take advantage of them.”

“In a dangerous job like slaying Demons, having additional motivation to come back home is useful,” Shinobu analysed. “Furthermore, since Shigeru is a Demon right now, he can watch Tanjiro’s back.”

“Now he has met a kind stranger who is keen to repay the favour, but… I fear sometimes he places too many obligations on his shoulders,” Kneeling by the table, Kie patted the spot where Nezuko had her head pillowed on her mother’s lap. “My head tells me, this is a good course of action to take, and the most rational. My heart… if I could go with him, for them, I would set out in a heartbeat.”

“Actually… this is part of the reason why we came back from Tokyo so early,” Shinobu sat straight, the sign that the topic of conversation was serious. “We did serum analysis of your family’s blood, Kie-san…”

Reading through the research journal that Shinobu passed to her, Tamayo started, before she took a sip of tea. “Kie-san… usually, the transformation from human to Demon depends on the cells of Kibutsuji which exist in every Demon which spreads its malignant influence to root itself in the body. Although they use the body’s resources and generally obey the body’s owner, the original cells of Kibutsuji are still there, using and feeding on the human in the body. Through these cells, Kibutsuji controls Demons everywhere to obey his orders and has most Demons under active surveillance. Like how worker bees must obey the queen bee that birthed them, so does Kibutsuji control the Demons in this world.”

“…but my children?” Kie stared at Nezuko, who blinked back.

“We have tested all of your children’s blood, and they have escaped his control and influence. Your blood, on the other hand, do not have Kibutsuji’s influence – not even the remnants of blood cells or genetic material isolated from your children’s blood.” Shinobu rubbed her brow.

“That’s… good news, right?” Kie blinked slowly.

“Kie-san,” Tamayo finally admitted, “it is entirely possible that, like Kibutsuji, you are a ‘queen bee’ as well -- your blood may have the property to transform humans into Demons at will.”

The handle-less cup of tea slid from Kie’s hand and landed with a gentle thud on the low table to spill all over. Nezuko grimaced as the tea dripped down, making a displeased hum.

None of the three women paid attention to her. Absently, Kie mopped up the spilled tea, before she pushed Nezuko aside with a murmur. “Excuse me for a moment.”

Shinobu and Tamayo watched as Kie walked out to the kitchen with the big range. Then there was the sound of shifting wood, and then a yell, and the sound of wood cracking when faced with an extremely hard object hitting it at high speed – likely a forehead which was already hard as a human, and even harder as a Demon.

“Hmm,” Shinobu commented, “she took it well.”

“Finally, they accepted the money…” on the way to the next mission, Tanjiro quietly reflected to himself. He had extracted himself from the town with the magpies – by the time he left the townspeople were discussing about renaming the shrine after the magpie bridge – and now was headed to another mission.

Then again, barring missions or death he would likely be back next year; both bride and groom were adamant about it, even promising him a place at the wedding reception.

“Firstly, we would need a place to sleep for the night,” Tanjiro reflected. “Sending your shell creatures to spy ahead worked, but if the Demon was stronger, then Shigeru would most likely be beaten. In that case… ah, Demon? In daytime?” he muttered as a smell caught his nose.

He blinked and looked around, finally spotting a figure with a familiar haircut. “Genya!”

Shinazugawa Genya turned back. “Tanjiro. I see the mission went well.”

“I’m glad you’re safe too!” Tanjiro smiled.

“On your back…”

“Yeah, Shigeru’s asleep.”

“Are you headed to the next mission as well? We can walk together.”

A flutter of wings signalled two crows. “Forward! Forward! Kamado Tanjiro, Shinazugawa Genya, to work together on the next mission! Forward!”

“…sure,” Genya took a breath, walking in step. “Strange, usually they wouldn’t even assign partners for missions…”

“Mmm, I wonder what kind of mission it would be… Shigeru was a great help too.” Tanjiro mused.

“We’re going deeper into the city area…” Genya pointed to one side. “See, there’s the Sakurada Gate.”

“Ah!”

Somehow, this sightseeing trip went on, until somehow the two new Slayers heavily stared at the centre of the Kanda district, where the gates of the shrine loomed.

“Kanda Myojin,” Genya solemnly spoke the casual name of the shrine. “The god is not in residence at the moment though…”

“Eh?”

“Not Ebisu or Daikokuten-sama, I mean… you know, with the Sakurada Gate and the Palace watching the kubizuka, they had to move him elsewhere.” Genya closed his eyes. “You know… if I had to see my enemies every day, no wonder he cursed them.”

“That’s quite rude, Genya,” Tanjiro offered a small prayer towards the direction of the shrine, before they continued following the Kasugai crows, climbing up past the marshy lowlands into the hilly areas.

“This is… going towards the Yamanote area…” Genya pulled a face.

“Ah, Genya is a true child of Edo,” Tanjiro gave a peaceable yet strained smile. “I wonder exactly where we’re going …”

“We’re at the boundaries of the lower town, heading towards the Yamanote area.” Genya’s expression was disturbed. “What’s more, we’re in front of the Keishicho[1], and the Imperial Palace is right over there, would… would anyone be that…insane?”

“…Demons work alone,” Tanjiro considered. “And Demons… often have grudges as humans too.”

[1] Refers to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. However, as Tokyo at the moment is administered as an urban prefecture rather than as a metropolis capital at this point in history, I opted to use the Japanese name for it. The Tokyo Keishicho is housed by the Sakurada Gate, and thus uses ‘Sakurada Gate’ as a metonym (like Scotland Yard).

Chapter Text

“Shinobu has submitted a recognition of Tsuyuri Kanao as Tsuguko.”

“Approved.”

“Understood. Agatsuma Zenitsu has just slayed the Demon he was assigned in the Arakawa area. The next mission… the closest mission is the Jinbocho report and the Kanda district mission. However, currently we have assigned two Slayers to the Kanda district for the moment…”

The training of the Ubuyashiki heir was not so much training, as acting as secretary for the Master. Kiriya was thus kneeling by a portable desk, around him which were piled the correspondences, reports, and other ephemera that kept the Demon Slayer Corps running.

“Ah, the Kanda mission…” Ubuyashiki Kagaya paused. “Kiriya, what is your assessment?”

“On the surface, the Kanda mission is more of a favour to our… allies,” Kiriya’s face twisted. “The Jinbocho report of thefts related to the works of Ito Keisuke is troubling, especially since Lady Tamayo noted that such works are relevant to current botany research.”

“…who are the current Pillars in the city?”

“Ah… Love Pillar Kanroji Mitsuri is visiting her family in Azabu…”

“Breath of Love… and Breath of Thunder… Have Mitsuri set out to take over from Agatsuma Zenitsu,” Kagaya instructed. “Agatsuma will… remain to assist Mitsuri.”

“I feel that I may have made a terrible decision… for Agatsuma,” Kagaya reflected immediately. “It is our family’s foresight, you see, and to ignore it is to suffer the consequences to our sorrow. I believe, it is more expedient to have Mitsuri take over the Jinbocho investigation and have Agatsuma head to the Kanda district. Do inform Kyojuro as well – as the main Pillar in charge of Tokyo city and having fought for his promotion there, I believe he would know the area.”

Kiriya’s face twisted in confusion, but he penned down the instructions anyway. “Next is… secret missive from Shinobu-san, on Mt Shichirin.”

“Read it, please.”

“Yes. Shinobu-san sends her regards… and the information that Kamado Kie’s blood holds the potential to establish a new bloodline of Demons.”

“… Shinobu is not the type to joke.” Kagaya’s grimace deepened.

“…while challenging, Shinobu also noted that Kamado Kie’s blood represents the closest to understanding how to transform Demons back to human.” Kiriya slowly summarised. “The value of Kamado Kie lay in knowledge and possibility of having consumed the Blue Spider Lily. Nowhere in consideration of her safety, was the prospect of another Demon bloodline.”

“And your thoughts, Kiriya?”

“Mrs Kamado… putting aside the issue of killing someone under our protection, even a Demon… her son has joined the Corps and is fighting for us, and for us to even think about killing his mother is… horrible,” Kiriya bowed his head. “It is such situations which lead to the breakdown of great clans in the Warring States era.”

“And the likely breakdown?”

“If we have to bring this up… those who would likely defend her are Giyuu-san, Shinobu-san, Mitsuri-san… Kyojuro-san,” Kiriya counted off of his hands. “Tengen-san and Muichiro-san will likely observe… given these thoughts in mind, it is best to simply maintain the current situation. Mrs Kamado has no chance to descend Mt Shichirin either way.”

“The most likely opposition thus comes from Sanemi, Obanai, and Gyomei… Gyomei would likely watch, and Sanemi… in such a case, having someone to advocate opposite the majority should work in keeping a level view on the situation.” Kagaya considered. “Given all these factors in mind, Kiriya, what do you think would be the best way?”

“We may have foresight, but we have also been caught unawares when Mrs Kamado… of her own volition, sent a letter to us despite being a Demon.” Kiriya reflected. “I think… she knew we would likely kill her, but she still waited for us to send Pillars. Given that we have Kamado Kie and her family under our… protection…we can observe the situation. If Shinobu-san can truly synthesise a medicine based on her blood, then the ability to create new Demons will die when she is transformed back into a human.”

There was also the unspoken statement, that there will be a swordsman ready to behead her if the order is given.

“As you say then,” Kagaya said at last. “Let Shinobu accumulate more research on this first. We can assess further matters at the next biannual meeting. Now, the next topic…”

“…the timeline of Kibutsuji Muzan’s activities.”

“So, a very famous family is willing to donate their sword to display for a few days, and we have to guard it?” Hiding in a room provided close to the Kanda Myojin Shrine, Genya groaned even as he punched the inn futon into submission. “Why?”

“Well, it’s one of the Five Swords Under Heaven,” Tanjiro uneasily chuckled as he ground ink in the inkstone borrowed from the inn. “But you have a good point, where does the Demon Slayers come in on this…”

“You know, there’s a pen store selling the fountain pens imported from the West,” Genya mumbled. “If you can’t find an inkstone or bring your own, how about getting one? After this we can go to Jinbocho and find some pens and books.”

“Well, … maybe I should get the dip nibs, but those look fragile too,” Tanjiro continued. “Jinbocho… Shigeru would like it.”

“Nii-chan, maybe you can get those with the ink inside the barrel,” Shigeru suggested, also poring over his paper. Unlike Tanjiro, his came with a rendering of a small black figure beheading a Demon, sadly rendered in only one colour of ink. “Then you can just find paper and then send your crow to deliver it.”

“Thanks, Shigeru.”

“You guys are-” Genya shook his head. “I’m going to sleep!”

“Good night,” came the casual calls from the brothers as they wrote.

“Maybe Genya can write a letter to your brother?”

“Huh?” Genya snorted from the futon.

“You share a surname with the Wind Pillar, right?” Shigeru asked him. “Tell him that you’re babysitting a famous Nichirin blade.”

“Oi, how can I waste my brother’s… wait, what was that last statement?” Genya’s statement had Tanjiro freezing to look back as the other boy rose from his futon. “What Nichirin blade?”

“Dojigiri Yasutsuna, the sword you guys are babysitting,” Shigeru casually continued, still writing his letter. “Didn’t you guys hear the priest talking? The sword apparently got its name because Minamoto no Raikō beheaded the Demon Shuten-doji with it.”

Tanjiro gave a slow blink. “Uh huh…”

“So, only Nichirin blades can fully execute a Demon, right?” Shigeru added.

“That’s… I never thought about that angle,” Tanjiro hummed. “So, if we take Minamoto no Raikō and… I remember Sakata Kintoki was one of his retainers… if they were the first Demon Slayers… then how old does that make Kibutsuji Muzan? I think… Tamayo-san mentioned a few names…”

“Otakemaru, Heian period. Shuten-doji, also Heian period. The Demons of Ki Castle, probably Muromachi period. Kurozuka, the hag of Adachigahara, likely Warring states to Edo period,” Shigeru counted off the top of his head. “Maybe… we may need to check if… any Demons over a thousand years old are after it?”

“A thousand years… that’s enough to reach Upper Moon status,” Genya breathed. “Who would assign two Mizunoto-rank Slayers to this?”

“…the Master does not strike me as an incautious man,” Tanjiro steadily reasoned. “Tamayo-san said that the Twelve Demon Moons were definitely formed around the Edo period, so… we can assume that the youngest of them is around the Meiji period or thereabouts. If we take Tamayo-san as a benchmark, the fact that Kibutsuji is cowardly enough to hide in the shadows of history, and his attitude to traitors and likely rebels, then… it is likely that there are few, if no Demons, who survived the formation of the Twelve Demon Moons. Because those who did not join would have already been killed.”

“If we rethink though…” Shigeru hummed. “From what I recall of Master Uzui’s lectures, the Corps usually thought that Demons are independent by choice because they would fight for territory. Tamayo-san’s information shows that this was imposed behaviour from Kibutsuji to make sure that no Demon tries to overthrow him.”

“When you… become a Demon…” Shigeru paused, uncertain. “…the first thing that seizes is the hunger. It eats everything – your mind, your memories – and cannibalises itself until you find something to eat. Anything. Usually… for humans, the places with the most nutrients are the heart and liver. Time itself freezes, nights overtaking days with little to note about its passage. Basically… it all goes from one meal to the next.”

When faced with beady eyes of incomprehension, Shigeru considered. “Like, breakfast, then lunch, then dinner. Rinse and repeat, everything else – except this compulsion to obey this guy you only met once and probably fear and hate.”

“That is… unbelievable,” Genya shook his head. “Not… not you, Shigeru. Just… even other Demons hate Kibutsuji?”

“Loyalty by species is not coded in Demon blood,” Shigeru shook his head. “Nor is the fixedness of the human body. My priority… I guess… was to tell the family to get away… I suppose that became my ability as a Demon. However, that doesn’t leave out other events as a Demon which shape their lives… our lives. Those, though, vary from Demon to Demon.”

“In short… there will not be a thousand-year-old Demon after us,” Tanjiro mused. “It is probably not the sword, so much as the prestige behind it, which is targeted.”

“The owners are the Matsudaira family… which our history tells us belong to the former Shoguns. Basically… half the country are their political enemies.” Genya snorted. “Try again.”

They continued the debate with little effect, and retired to bed only when the lamp burned low and there was truly nothing else to be discussed.

“If we were to take a chronology of Demons…”

On a piece of paper, Kiriya wrote the characters for Shuten-doji. Below that, he then wrote Momotaro.

“Shuten-doji was most famous not for any threat to himself, but as being the boss of the Demons on Mount Ooe,” Kiriya explained.

“Likewise, Momotaro, as in the disguised tale of the Demons of Ki Castle, featured a gang of Demons,” Kagaya continued for him.

“Until Tamayo-san,” Kiriya agreed. “By the Edo period, the Corps had already recovered from the sword hunts[1] and were building up forces, which was when the Twelve Demon Moons system was known to the Corps. The timeline suggests that Kibutsuji did not always restrict Demons from gathering, until a number of them breaking from his control led him to… reconsider the compulsion.”

“However, Kibutsuji’s control of this system is prevalent upon two things,” Kagaya reasoned. “Firstly, a monopoly upon the creation of new Demons. This is evident in Tamayo-san’s research, and the presence of Yushiro-san as the… child of her bloodline. As we understand, even the Upper Moons can only draw out their portion of Kibutsuji’s blood in their bodies and request his interference when… recruiting more Demons.”

“Secondly, that there are no competing groups or social structures which can shelter rebellious Demons,” Kiriya agreed. “Usually this would not even be brought up since most Demons… would already be killed by the Demon Slayers. Or they would fall into a feral state, in which… death would be a mercy.”

“Now, however, there is the Kamado family, Tamayo-san, and another possibility,” came Kagaya’s light words. “Most of the Demons under Kibutsuji, poor souls they are, lie beyond mortal redemption, but for those who want a way out… well, dangling a spider’s thread down to Hell[2] is also a mercy, however narrow it is.”

[1] See here.

[2] This is a reference to the Ryuunosuke Akutagawa short story The Spider’s Thread.

Chapter Text

A day later, with weapon in hand, Shinobu stood in the middle of the second doctor’s office on Mt Shichirin. She Breathed, the heavy influence of oxygen rushing in her ears heightened her senses and prowess. The weapon twitched, as she was about to stab– 

The shoji screen slid open. “We found Rokuta.” Tamayo announced, one of Yushiro’s eye blindfolds stuck on her forehead like some strange zombie as both her arms were occupied with struggling infant.

Shinobu slumped, the syringe in her hand already dipping. “How did he even get outside…”

“I have no idea,” Kie was holding on the squirming infant’s feet as Rokuta kicked out and cried. “Hush, Rokuta, this is for your own good…”

“Needles!” Rokuta squirmed even as more footsteps sounded.

“Ah, Takeo…” Kie stared at the human-size bamboo basket that the boy had carried over. “Er…”

This was a pig-cage, right?

Stoic and silent, Nezuko shoved past Takeo, plodded over and plonked Rokuta onto the floor. She patted the toddler’s head, and as his cries lessened, she raised one clawed finger at Shinobu’s direction.

The finger crooked.

Faster than even the sword-thrust that could drill through rock, Shinobu had stabbed the hypodermic down and injected the fluid within, and was now bandaging the boy’s arm. “There, there, we’ll tell Nii-chan that Rokuta took all his shots, alright?”

Rokuta blinked, finally realising that the anti-child lethal weapon had struck, and then cried.

“I fear for their family doctor,” Tamayo reflected aloud as Kie began to rock the child to sleep.

“Tell me about it,” Shinobu slumped by her desk, beginning to disinfect and pack away the glass syringe. “They would need Pillar-level sensing and fighting capabilities just to track down and administer his shots.”

Hiccoughing, Rokuta started in shock.

“We didn’t talk about you, be good, Rokuta,” Shinobu hurriedly added to forestall a tantrum. “Tamayo-san, I propose that we give him the serum first once we have a workable antidote.”

“The transformation tends to stress the body much… I cannot guarantee that a human toddler would be able to survive,” Tamayo admitted. “Already, to change from human to Demon at three years old is a marvel in and of itself – that he survived the transformation at all, much less with such a powerful Blood Demon Art, would probably need a divine child to survive at all.”

“But this is more of a curse than a blessing,” Kie reasoned. “Rokuta is still so young, and when he… disappears… I truly wonder where under the skies he would go.”

“He, find Nii-chan,” Takeo, having tossed out the big cage now that there was no use for it to trap Rokuta, had come back in, now chewing on his own bamboo stick. Nezuko shuffled over and poked him, until he gave her a freshly cut piece to gnaw on.

Kie’s expression turned strange as Rokuta burbled and then got to his feet to tug on Takeo’s scarf.

“Nii-chan!”

“It’s Take-nii,” Takeo pouted at the younger boy, who giggled back.

“Ta-nii.” Rokuta’s face fell. “Find Nii-chan?”

“Nii-chan’s not here.”

Rokuta’s brow furrowed, and Takeo drew back as the boy’s hand tightened – the claws had drawn blood by accident. Recalling the unique properties of Takeo’s blood, Tamayo moved to shield Rokuta – except then the bandage fell from Rokuta’s arm, along with his blood.

There was a flash of light, and Takeo disappeared, only for another boy to fall out of the ether with a shell-shaped pipe and soap solution spilling out.

“Shigeru?!”

“Huh?” The third Kamado son was immediately recognisable as he leapt to his feet. “Oh, what happened?!”

“Rokuta’s Blood Demon Art… probably initiated some sort of spatial influence,” Tamayo was the first to react, already jotting down the details of the incident. “You are back home right now.”

“Ah? Ah!” Shigeru grabbed his pipe, already drawing a breath before he blew out a huge plume of billowing mist. Like some kaleidoscopic mirror in mid-air, the mist reformed itself, showing an aerial view… and three figures fighting atop the Kanda Myojin – one sword-wielding youth, one gun-wielding youth, and one red-dressed woman with two horns – clearly a Demon.

Rokuta pointed to the sword-wielding youth, who clearly wore a green-and-black checkered haori. “Nii-chan!”

“At least some of my Shells are still active in the area…” Shigeru clicked his tongue as the fight continued in the conjuration. “One less fighter might be bad…”

“Ah, isn’t that Genya-kun?” Shinobu squinted. “I thought he and Tanjiro-san were sent on a guarding mission?”

“Apparently there’s more truth to the sword slaying Shuten-doji than we thought,” Shigeru glumly admitted. “Anyway, it pulled Lower Moon Four here.”

“…that is… horrifically bad timing…” Shinobu had no other words to say.

The mirror showed another black-and-green figure dropping on top of the red-draped woman.

“On second thought, pitting Takeo may just even the odds,” Tamayo sighed. “Kie-san… I am sorry, but we really need to have a talk about your youngest son. I believe that his Art is capable of spatial influence… space control, even… and, as the incident just now proved, he… would need to start training with Yushiro early.”

“Tamayo-san, I understand very well… I just hope that Rokuta would learn something…”

After that scare, Kie could only nod in reply.

“Okay, apparently guard duty means we hide out and see which Demons are dumb enough to hunt down the sword,” Genya reflected halfway through guard duty as Tanjiro came into the small room that displayed the Dojigiri Yasutsuna, two days before any of them expected a Lower Moon. “So, what needed a visit to the library?”

“Well, it was Shigeru, but…” Tanjiro nodded. “Thanks for covering, Genya… I needed to see exactly where the Corps are covering at the moment.”

“Because…” Genya hummed. “Like… your house isn’t enough?”

“Maybe not with my mother as bait,” came the dry reply. “According to Tamayo-san, Kibutsuji was previously hiding in the Asakusa area, but has probably fled after… well, after Uzui-san fought with his geisha disguise.”

“Ugh,” Genya turned green at the thought. “Just another reason to avoid the area.”

“Then, we also know that Tamayo-san never steps into Yoshiwara – there is a powerful Demon there, likely an Upper Moon.” The map that Tanjiro was jabbing at was more of a road map that looked designed for rickshaw-pullers, being printed on stronger paper. “Likely…”

“Yamanote and Shitamachi,” Genya glumly agreed. “The poor areas and the crime districts are places where people go missing every day for any reason. The thing is, we’re currently right at the doorstep of the Tokyo Keishicho, would any sane Demon even act around here?”

“Most Demons act on a personal basis, but given the general outline of Kibutsuji’s whole existence we can always pin Kibutsuji in the Shitamachi area.” Still in the box, Shigeru commented as he tugged the map until it fell off and under the table his box was hidden under.

“Wait, what?” Genya blinked.

Shigeru paused, and then pointed to the Setagaya area in the map. “Rengoku-san’s house is here.”

“Yeah?” Genya echoed.

“So…” Shigeru’s face twisted. “…erm…” 

He took a deep breath. “Unlike most who join the Corps, Rengoku-san has a really different background. The history of Flame Breaths, and the Rengoku family, apparently stretches all the way to the founding of Edo itself.”

“So, he’s a rich young master?” Genya asked.

“More like… Kibutsuji is the type to murder our whole family, who have no involvement in swordsmanship at all, just on the off chance of our Kagura dance.” Shigeru finally spoke bluntly. “So, for a family with a legacy of about three centuries long in slaying Demons, how did they survive for so long without any enemies darkening their doorstep? Don’t forget, even though this is the Taisho era, the right to carry swords was limited to samurai for most of the Edo period. And wisteria flowers only bloom for one season per year at most.”

“If I were a psychopath Demon, and my worst enemy camped out on my doorstep… I see,” Genya nodded. “So, the fact that the Rengoku family are still alive means that few Demons, if any, would step into the Minato area. Edo Castle – the Imperial Palace, I mean, and the Sakurada Gate places a different type of restriction to Demons, but… less.”

“According to headquarters, the last incident, which involved several guns, bombs, and a Lower Moon Two, was about two to three years ago – Rengoku-san was promoted to Pillar in that incident, and Kanroji-san got a commendation too, which also contributed to her promotion later,” Shigeru detailed. “But that was around the Fukagawa area, so it was taken as the actions of some violent group apparently.”

“In short, the Demon Slayer Corps is invested in keeping the peace around here… and likely, so are the Demons. We just need to find the local troublemakers.”

“Oh. Is that it? Alright.” Genya bunched his fists. “Wait here for me.”

After the sun had set, Genya had departed from the Kanda Myojin, leaving the two brothers on guard duty. Both boys stared at the curvature of the sword, quiet in the face of history.

“It must have taken you a lot to admit that Rengoku-san’s family could have died at any time,” Tanjiro contemplated. “Thank you, Shigeru.”

“Nii-chan…” Shigeru paused. “…you know, when… When we first turned, those few days… probably made little difference to us. You’re still human, Nii-chan… even if you stayed with all of us in our house, one day you’ll grow up, you’ll grow old, and… you will pass like Tou-chan and Grandma… asleep. We, who will not age or die naturally, will… have to watch then. And we would still not know… what else is there, or when Kibutsuji would attack again… and what would happen to us.”

“Mine was… slightly different,” Tanjiro admitted. “One day I will grow up, hopefully grow into an old grandpa, and die…but then with Rokuta like this, and all of you still unable to fit in, how would Kaa-chan bear it?”

“… in the end, we really are siblings, aren’t we.” It was a statement, not a question.

The door slammed open, followed by Genya holding a bento box and a pissed off expression. There was a bruise along one cheek but no other wounds. “I got… poking around with the locals. Most of them… Well, Nii-chan seems to have had the same idea previously...”

“Those poor guys,” Shigeru admitted. Thinking about the battle prowess of a Pillar, Tanjiro could only agree.

“…but I did catch one of the local gangs after this,” Genya waved towards the cultural property displayed nearby. “For kidnapping and ransom. So, I went to beat them up. Now if they have Demon backers they’ll need to call them.”

Tanjiro: “…”

Shigeru had zero compunction in pointing out the flaw in the plan: "None of us are outfitted for a Lower Moon, Genya-san."

Shigeru's ominous words thus came true in the worst way that night when a woman in a red kimono crashed in to find Genya, only for both of them to begin a strange form of sniper duel and mutual stalking on the Zuishin-mon .

As the one close-range fighter, Tanjiro had already gotten a scratch and being kicked into a wall for his efforts at tanking, so he could actually testify that kiting as a strategy needed someone to draw aggro - it worked only if the opponent was not inclined to run at the first opportunity. 

"We've already heard about those coins!"  The Lower Moon's sandals rang with bells like a dancer's shoes, except her dance took her across tiled roofs and hard walls to dodge each shot. "Boys, do you really think you can take down a Lower Moon?"

Tanjiro was spared from answering when Shigeru suddenly disappeared into thin air. "What the-? Genya, there's another Demon!"

Genya held up three fingers, but then another green-and-black figure tackled the Lower Moon out of the air and into their personal crater.

The figure crashed down, and having taken a tumbling roll to his feet, Kamado Takeo woodenly blinked from his landing by Genya's sniping station. Eyes the colour of aged bamboo shuddered, before Takeo turned tomake the one-storey jump to Tanjiro.

" T- Takeo?!" Tanjiro shouted, and winced while grasping his side. "I thought you were at home?"  

Takeo paused, and then shrugged.

"I see…" Tanjiro's face twisted, before he dug his fingers into his own wounds and the fingers came away with scarlet rivulets. "I think… Genya is going to run out of bullets soon." 

One vein in Takeo's temple was already pulsing, his expression serious even as he raised both hands cupped to receive the blood. Both brothers parted as a flying shoe seemed to crash into the ground they had been standing at of its own volition, with far more power than should be humanly possible.

"Oh, you dodged that," the woman mocked. "Why is a Demon helping a Demon hunter? Could it be...you're looking for that person too, boy?"

"I'm...sorry?" Tanjiro hissed loudly. "You're his subordinate, right?"

"Let me reintroduce myself," the woman primly started to pat down her sleeves. "I have received the name of Mukago, and currently hold the rank of Lower Moon Four amongst the Twelve Demon Moons. As I see, that other boy… he is a Demon, but you are human - with all the weaknesses that implies. Plus the boy with the pipe - another brother of yours? The fact that your brothers receive such powers, and you as a Demon Slayer remain as such … I am sure we can ask 'that person' to rejoin your family."

"...I'm Kamado Tanjiro." Tanjiro breathed, very tired. "I see. I'm sorry… Kibutsuji Muzan attacked my family for the pettiest reason, and would have killed us all. There's no coming back from that."

"But your brothers have gained Blood Demon Arts too, and their strength is proportional to a hundred meals," Mukago dismissed.

"My family has not eaten a single human," Tanjiro placed his back against the nearest wall of the shrine compound, looking up into the dark night sky over the metropolis.

The report of a gun was the signal where Mukago leapt to use her Blood Demon Art to run, and for what seemed like a miniature star to crash into the road beneath the Kanda Myojin and explode into radiant light that crumbled her into ash mid-jump. 

" Oh arrow of mine with power pure and immense to slay the dragon, do your good deed fast and swift; grasp the crystal in its neck. " Genya broke open the top of his shotgun to retrieve the percussion caps as he saw the radiance die off, leaving sparks and dancing lights around a coin which had driven itself into the ground at muzzle velocity. "Next time I'm bringing along a vial of Tanjiro's blood, I swear."

Blood Demon Art: Impossible Request - Jewel of the Dragon's Neck

The Impossible Requests branch of the Kamado family Blood Demon Arts was born from the experiments of the Kamado children’s Arts. This particular Art usually born from Takeo’s blood when catalysed with Rokuta’s blood - Earth reinforcing Metal. This is an Art in which other substitutions of blood may be mixed for an effect, albeit slower.

When initially catalysed, the metallic structure of Takeo's blood changes to a crystal lattice structure. Drops of it turn yellow, and are sometimes mistaken for ohajiki. The substance, when exposed to stresses, exhibits a piezoelectric reaction and radiates chemical rays of similar substance to sunlight (unable to confirm, but lethal enough to qualify).

Synthesis of the substance in large amounts will cause the structure to stress from its own weight and possibly implode. It is therefore a safety precaution not to let the two blood sources mix outside of controlled situations. 

Chapter Text

Shinobu finally let the Kasugai crow out when two Mizunoto and a comparatively average Demon achieved the impossible and killed a Lower Moon. Albeit one whose Blood Demon Art of walking on surfaces and conjuring shoes was annoying, but still…

"I still have Swallows in the area," Shigeru relayed, placing the conch that was his pipe nearby. "Nii-chan? I'm back home on the mountain, it's… Rokuta's Art."

"Really?"  Tanjiro's voice came from the conch. "What happened?"

"The smallpox shot happened."

"……"

“……”

"Takeo is here with me," Tanjiro finally spoke when the silence stretched on for long enough. "And Genya… any damages, Genya?"

"Shinazugawa-kun~?" Shinobu threatened in a sing-song voice. "Surely you didn't eat Takeo-kun again?"

"Nope, we just used one of the Dragon's Jewels,” Genya's growl came through. "That really packed a punch… do you think if we bomb enough of these at Muzan he would die?"

"We hope so, but that would tax our source too much," Shinobu mused. "Plus, once Kibutsuji's subordinates learn of this they would be ready against Hinowa coins and the like." 

"Ah, Nii-chan's crow got the Love Pillar… Mitsuri-san, we're all clear."

"Wow, Tanjiro-kun and Genya-kun managed to defeat a Lower Moon? This is just their second mission!"

"Erm, there was an accident and Take-nii ended up in the premises… hi Agatsuma-san, you can slow down a bit."

"Tanjiro is so strong! He can protect me!"

All the Demons present winced at Zenitsu's high pitch.

"The issue is, without Takeo-kun we cannot cast more Hinowa coins," Shinobu considered.

"But what about Nii-chan?"  Hanako spoke up, fiddling with the frame of an oiled-paper umbrella. "Nii-chan…will be so lonely…"

Near to Kie, Rokuta perked up. "Nii-chan?"

"No, Rokuta,” Kie pressed down on her youngest son's head.

"Don't worry!"  Mitsuri's voice came. "I'll meet up with the boys and we can decide from there. Shigeru-kun, I'll need you to keep us in contact!"

"I'll see what I can do… signing off." Shigeru took up the conch. "About the thing with Rokuta…"

"Yushiro will take him," Tamayo gently spoke.

"It was Tamayo-sama's order…" Yushiro was clearly displeased.

"Thank you, Yushiro-san," Shigeru rolled his eyes. "My Swallows can only go so far, and Rokuta tends to evade them… oh."

"Ah?" Tamayo sat straighter. "Is it something about the Impossible Request?"

First coined when a jewelled tree was formed from Hanako's blood, somehow there formed a series of objects made from the blood of the five younger Kamado siblings. Each was a strange thing, and each seemed like one of the impossible requests a princess in a fairy-tale would make to a suitor - an object of legendary power and specific origins. The thing born from Shigeru and Takeo mixing their blood was a conch shell, in which several bivalves were contained. The bivalves would transform into all manner of creature through which Shigeru could extend senses - Shigeru was partial to birds as a result. This gave him the unique distinction of being able to scout from the air and report in real-time, which would have cut out many a Kasugai crow if the shells did not crumble in sunlight still -- the Impossible Request was still born of a Blood Demon Art, after all.

"…I am unsure," Shigeru reflected, already pouring his blood into the conch. "But we have a team of injured Slayers at the foot of the mountain… and a strong Demon."

Shigeru blew out from the pipe, the billowing mist forming a shimmer which showed Mt Shichirin, the environs, and then the view flew down towards a single figure bearing a sword, still wandering around during snowfall - unnatural as it was still a sweltering August.

Shinobu had already turned to leave the room.

Three Pillars – one medical specialist, one trained shinobi, and one expert in destructive fighting – plus one more Pillar still standing guard atop Mt Shichirin. It was a security detail that not even the Masters of the Demon Slayer Corps had ever held nor ever would; yet three crows had already flown out to summon more.

“Upper Moon?” Shinazugawa Sanemi growled as he landed in the branches of a tall beech tree into a midsummer snowstorm.

“Split up and search for them,” Shinobu relayed. “Uzui-san, do you have flares?”

“…sure.” Uzui pulled two tubes from his pouch, before looking towards Sanemi. “Oi, Shinazugawa. You might set these off flashily, but remember, we cannot afford a forest fire here.”

A vein throbbed in Sanemi’s temple, but he truly could not refute the tendency of all his fights to involve some manner of arson, accidental or otherwise.

“Kocho, who’s standing guard?”

“Himejima-san is at the bamboo grove… I believe he is chanting sutras there.”

“Fall back, cover him, let him come here.”

“Uzui,” Sanemi growled, “if this is some-”

“Two doctors, only one of which is human. Neither of whom we can replace.”

Shinobu’s grip on her sword tightened.

It took a moment of thought for the Wind Pillar to comprehend: “…I hate to admit it, but we really don’t have enough doctors…”

The anger cleared in her face as she turned to depart for the bamboo grove. “Yes.”

Her departure was echoed only by the crunch of snow, and a figure with sword in one hand, and in the other…

The sword-wielding Demon dropped the crystalline statue that moved, tiny fans sparkling in its dance amongst the flurries as if composed of permafrost. Six eyes studied the two men – only two of which were marked.

Uzui fired his own flare up; Sanemi chose to aim the firework at the Demon instead. “Die!”

“A… Pillar… I… see… why… nobody… escaped.” Then, the Demon breathed.

What looked like a bat moulded from vitreous porcelain fluttered in the half-darkness by Shinobu’s path, speaking in Shigeru’s voice. “Upper Moon One sighted, Sensei and… and the Wind Pillar engaged! South face!”

Shinazugawa’s name was a mouthful to young children as expected. Yet it saved valuable time as Shinobu skidded to the grove, and then what felt like a mountain flying immediately departed, another twittering bat of porcelaneous material flying with a large Kasugai crow.

“Lady Kocho, the defences are ready!”

“Close the place!”

Long ropes of red string, festooned with warning bells and several springs of dry wood, hung like some strange rope barrier around the grave. Within the grave the marker had been re-established, along with a small Jizo statue and an offering altar bearing a plate of dried-out mochi. As the other Kinoe-rank Slayers on duty tugged the ropes tighter, one Slayer cut his own palm to bleed out on the strings and wood.

Wood bloomed and rope burned, carrying the flame and flowers until the whole grove was surrounded in a ring of fiery flowers and trees.

“Could you have but known that it would burn so swiftly, this raiment of fur, you would not then have sat with such little show of concern.” With sword drawn, Shinobu placed herself physically between the grove and the grave, one more gravekeeper bearing arms and loath to permit its desecration.

The snowstorm died as equally ignoble a state as the miniature fan-dancing statue as the Demon – the Upper Moon – swiftly slashed it to pieces.

“There is nothing to detect here,” he dismissed, “and therefore no need for him to know.”

“Ahahahaha! Now here’s a Demon worth killing!”

A green gust clashed with the bend of a sickle, resonated with the boom of thunder, and then both Pillars steadily backed from the resulting bend of slicing arcs.

“No… mark… yet… a… bit… more…” Eyes narrowed. “The Wind Pillar, and a derivative of Thunder. Long ago… in the era of warring states, yes… this was how the Wind Pillar and I honed our skill.”

“…long ago?” Uzui echoed, before his eyes narrowed. “Red hair, red eyes, and a mark like flames along his face… oi, Demon. Did you know a Tsugikuni?”

The Demon paused.

“Curious… hundreds of years have passed… do they live here? The Tsugikuni family…”

“Here lies the family grave,” Sanemi’s eyes bugged out. “You touch it over our dead bodies.”

The summer night which was so short now stretched into a hushed infinity barely affected by the lightening skies.

“…oh.”

Although still prepared to cross swords at any moment, even Sanemi noticed the change in the Demon’s mood: contemplative, disturbed, and…impressed. The Demon had stopped breathing – both in the battle-prepared sense and the literal.

“Tsugikuni… Michikatsu. My name… when I was human…”

“The offspring I left behind… buried here. I see.”

Knowing the history behind the name, knowing exactly what contributions that a Tsugikuni had made that the graves of his wife and unborn child were afforded the highest honours, left both Pillars exchanging brief looks.

Abruptly the Demon raised his sword and swung, and it took several katas unleased for three Pillars to escape with minimal injury – including the just-arrived Himejima Gyomei, whose axe cut off the tip of the sword. Yet the rest of its owner escaped into the night.

Rushing forward, Uzui stabbed a small blade-like device into the fallen weapon, staring against all hope as the eyeball embedded within it jittered and writhed in its own power. As blood drew up, Sanemi unceremoniously lit one Hinowa coin and the blade crumbled into ash.

“Tsugikuni… probably one of the first Breath users… the graves of his ancestors?” Uzui paused. “No, he said ‘the offspring I left behind’… descendants.”

“Demons can…?” With his free hand Sanemi waved somewhere around his waist. “Seriously?”

“No, we know that Demons don’t seem to have those evil urges, otherwise the Daimai[1] case would have drawn our attention,” Gyomei rumbled. “Possibly they are… were the descendants that were born when he was still human.”

“But Tsugikuni-dono had no offspring?” Sanemi asked.

“When people mention ‘Shinazugawa’, do they mean you or your little brother, Master Wind Pillar? This Tsugikuni, might just be a different Tsugikuni. Not to mention, this Tsugikuni was banished despite teaching the Corps the Breathing-style swordsmanship – responsibility for a Master’s death, the records say. If his family – like a brother – was turned to the Demons, that would account for it.” Uzui was now considering it. “Not to mention he could have killed us all if he wasn’t distracted…”

“We need to buck up on our training,” A dark look came over Sanemi’s face.

“No arguments there. Still…”

“I agree.”

“Ah, thanks – Himejima-san?” Uzui Tengen paused in the middle of wrapping up his blades.

“Although most Demons follow Kibutsuji, Demons overall are self-centred beings – excepting a few,” Himejima considered aloud, fingers clasped in his prayer beads. “What we know of Upper Moon One is this: he is a highly skilled swordsman, he was at the founding of Breaths, most likely a former Pillar… and likely killed a Master of the Demon Slayer Corps before.”

Both men glared at the night sky lightening over the forests of Mt Shichirin.

“The mentality of Demons imply that they forget those nearest and dearest to them the most, in most cases. That is the tragedy of Demons, to prey and feed upon those closest to them, and even those who retain themselves…” Himejima trailed off with a muttered nenbutsu. “The consciousness behind this was, for once, not the curse-like hatred, anger or cruelty we associate with Demons… doubtless, we will need the Master to take note.”

Back by the Iwakazu bookstore, cherry-red eyes glared at a yellow-haired head with a pink-and-green-haired girl – the mystery that showed strange hair colour being a common trait both humans and Demons had.

Though, Kibutsuji Muzan stopped considering it once he had given them the slip and escaped to the Infinite Fortress to be faced with Kokushibo.

Upon reading his mind…

Quietly, Muzan nodded in assent. “It is your right as first amongst my subordinates. I will not send anyone to that mountain.”

Head bowed, Kokushibo merely knelt there in silence as Muzan left him to his thoughts as he considered some of his own:

“Now why did it look so familiar…?”

[1] Referring to the Ryuun Daimai case.

Chapter Text

“Oho, Sir Kokushibo is back~ My poor Crystalline Divine Child, slashed to pieces before you even started fighting~ Not a single shred of information left…”

“…”

“Now, really, I should have just followed along, I am sure- what?”

“……”

“Yes, yes, our techniques do not mesh, but surely- Sir Kokushibo? Just because the door is there doesn’t mean it’ll disappear soon- and he’s gone. Now why, I wonder, he didn’t even stay for a cup of tea…”

Back in the Infinite Fortress, the twang of a biwa’s string resounded as Kokushibo stepped through a door and then slowly gave a nod to its controller. Nakime silently gave a nod back – such was Douma’s infamy, that if Douma was chosen as the victim of a murder hunt, the event would escalate to an Orient Express.

Meanwhile, unknowing of the certain death that just passed them, Kanroji Mitsuri had just wrapped up the books ordered and left to meet her assigned subordinate. She found him half-asleep and did not question the fallen Demon whose severed head was crumbling, staring as he finally snapped awake.

“AHHH THANK YOU KANROJI-SAN!”

“…Agatsuma-kun did it on his own power,” the Love Pillar gently persuaded. “There is nothing I did in this case.”

“Oh…” Agatsuma Zenitsu fell into step behind her. “Erm… well, it’s not a Demon Moon.”

“It’s not,” Mitsuri echoed, the books in her hand clutched tighter. “But every Slayer… every Slayer of note has the same purpose. And non-Slayers… look at Kie-san…”

There was a pause before an artless change of subject: “I hope I can be as strong as her someday.”

“…ah.”

“And… Agatsuma-kun?”

“I was an orphan… I fell in debt for a girl, Gramps paid it off for me, but he was a cultivator, so I was taught to enter the Corps…” Zenitsu hummed. “I’m scared for my life, but there are others too who will die if I do not. Gramps will be disappointed… Kaigaku less so.”

“Ah,” Mitsuri nodded. With both parents and five siblings still alive she could not imagine the difficulties an orphan would face. “Kaigaku?”

“Senior disciple.” Zenitsu tugged on the lapel of his haori. “If a Breath becomes established long enough, they become their own school[1]… well, you formed your own style, Kanroji-san, I think you know all this better-”

“I started training under Rengoku-san, actually,” Mitsuri hummed. “Although I changed styles, the basics I learnt from Rengoku-san. Senjuro-kun would join us, the snacks he prepared are delicious – now I really need to get that recipe for sakura-mochi from him… where was I? When we compare ourselves and everyone around us… Iguro-san, Shinobu-san… we really have a lot more to do. Rengoku-san… the family has produced Slayers for generations, it’s incredible, far beyond what we can do in a lifetime.”

“I get what you mean, Kanroji-san,” Zenitsu found himself nodding along. “Sometimes you admire them but, you also wish that the circumstances which leads to them being admired never happen at all… at least they would be happy then.”

“Two Mizunoto-rank Slayers took down one of the Demon Moons… this is the sort of things one sees in dreams and yet it happened.” The Master gave a happy exclamation at the news. “The Hinowa coins – Kamado Takeo’s blood, in fact – would give our children another way to survive at least, Amane… though I am informed that Kamado Takeo is currently in the Kanda district.”

“Accidents with Blood Demon Arts, I suppose,” came the remark from Ubuyashiki Amane, with their son by the side listening. “Kiriya, the… we should discuss something.”

The young man, despite being dressed in feminine clothes, still sat straight. “Father, Mother.”

“…it was very fortunate that Kamado Takeo was there.”

“Yes, otherwise they would have already died.” Kiriya solemnly stared at his parents. “…this talk is not just about the Kamado family, is it?”

“…indeed.” Kagaya hummed. “Your fiancée will be selected soon… usually the Hamayumi Shrine would assist in selecting the bride. It is still your choice, and the other side may reject it of their own free will, of course, nothing has truly started yet. We… I…”

Amane squeezed her husband’s hand. “Kiriya, we would like to bring up the possibility of joining bloodlines with the Kamado family.”

Kiriya blinked, taken aback. “…Me?”

“Or your sisters.” For a moment he was not the Master of the Demon Slayers, or head of the Ubuyashiki family – more of the awkwardly young parent Ubuyashiki Kagaya was there. “Currently, Kamado Tanjiro is in the Corps, and the rest of their family is dependent on Tamayo-san to find an antidote… The world is ever inconstant – there are always wars, and the changes in fortunes… which can drive people to desperation. And then there are children who are born strange…”

“Kibutsuji Muzan being only the most extreme example we know of,” Kiriya slowly said. “Should there… be an issue, the easiest way to… keep our eyes on them, would be to join our families. It is a valid assessment given the current context.”

“Yes. I was thinking of your older sisters – Kamado Tanjiro is a bit too old for Hinaki or Nichika, and I understand he has an interesting relationship with Tsuyuri Kanao, but the younger Kamado sons are about the same age…” Amane trailed off.

“If I may…” Kiriya paused. “The aim of the engagement, at least, is to bind the two families together. In the case of the Kamado family, one daughter-in-law does not make much influence. A son-in-law, a rich son-in-law at that, has more say in his wife’s family, and harder to distance from, Furthermore, a girl marrying into… an established family… would be more socially overlooked than our sisters marrying a charcoal burner.”

“That is quite logical…” Amane considered.

“Whether or not… the battle against Muzan ends… I will always need to look after the Kamado family, is the implication.” Kiriya summarised it blandly. “We may as well make our family links stronger.”

“That is worth considering… we will have to bring it up with Mrs Kamado. Do turn in early, Kiriya, it will be quite hot this night.”

“Good night, Father, Mother.”

Amane waited until his footsteps were clearly out of earshot before she gave a slow blink. “Our son certainly defends his sisters.”

“Perhaps there was a familial angle, Amane,” Kagaya agreed. “I feel, though, that he was angling for something different. By changing the target of engagement to himself, he forces a limit on his choices to Kamado Nezuko, and Kamado Hanako. Kamado Nezuko is six years older than our son, and unable to care for herself at present – therefore, the likely candidate would be Kamado Hanako. Otherwise, why volunteer himself so quickly when we are simply considering the matter?”

Amane considered it. “Master…the fact that you have brought it up so early, means that you have seriously considered this possibility. Yet currently the Kamado family are Demons… any engagement on our part must be carried out with that consideration first and foremost.”

“You know me well, my dear,” Kagaya praised. “I am informed by Tamayo-san that the cure to turn back Demons is progressing, but there will always be the chance… that it is merely remission, and there may be a relapse.”

“Should there ever be an end in our generation, we will… need to ensure that they…die.”

Shinobu may have lived through that first night, but the tension strung taut that continued up and down the mountain did not slacken even as she entered the house for breakfast.

“Ah, good morning, Shinobu-san,” Kamado Kie was also harried while presiding over the irori where a pot bubbled. “This morning I made Chinese-style lean meat porridge and crullers, how many helpings do you want?”

“Oh… thank you, I’ll just have a bowl.”

“Ah, that’s good…” Kie sighed as she began to prepare the daiban. “Would you mind bringing another bowl for Shinazugawa-san? I asked him but he didn’t seem to listen. Genya-san mentioned that he likes ohagi but eating sweets for breakfast wouldn’t give him strength…”

“Ah, thanks, I’ll just bring a bowl to him later, we’re meeting anyway in the clinic.” Shinobu nodded, accepted her daiban. “About our men…”

“Ah, we’ve also given them their breakfast, Aoi-san was quite prompt and Hisa-san an able teacher,” Kie continued to juggle her domestic sleight-of-hand. “Quite a few of them were too near the windows, though, so I had to ask Okazaki-chan and Shuki-chan to help serve… a crow carried a message from Tomioka-san as well, and Urokodaki-san is out looking for game…”

The Kamado family used daiban in place of a dining table – large standing trays from which a meal could be laid out and eaten from a sitting position, and very quickly repurposed as bedside tables, bed trays, and many more uses that Shinobu suspected meant that furniture often played multiple roles in the Kamado house. Kie by the irori was the picture of genteel poverty – spices hanging overhead, pot cooking on the hearth, the main cooking range having been exhausted and cleared out after the conclusion of the dishes, and one Kamado Rokuta snoozing from his position bound on his mother’s back as his mother tugged his oldest sister away from the glowing coals.

“Shigeru finally wore down Uzui-san… they have headed out,” she sadly reflected. “I hope he will be alright…”

Kamado Kie may be a Demon, but before then and even now, she was the sort of people that the Corps had pledged to protect – the ordinary, innocent people that many Slayers once were, before being touched by evil. With that resolve, Shinobu concluded breaking fast quickly and left for the clinic.

The other Pillars on Mt Shichirin brought in their injured scouts – given that they were facing an Upper Moon, it was good news that they were even alive, albeit missing bits and pieces. Normally Shinobu would have already declared honorary discharge due to injury, yet…

“…I feel that this medical treatment is not a great idea,” she reflected aloud to the Slayer who was currently missing one left forearm and wearing an expression of trepidation. Beside her sat Tamayo and the main crux of the ‘treatment’ – Kamado Hanako. Behind them loomed one grumpy Wind Pillar – Shinobu had caught him to prepare in case.

Just. In. Case.

“If he does transform, we could try the medicine…” Tamayo stood up and turned.

“…medicine?” that member asked.

“A medicine… to turn a Demon back into a human,” Shinobu reluctantly admitted. “Ariake-san, it is only a precaution after all, and the medicine may not work…”

“…but if it does, even a bit of it, then many families in the future would not die,” the identified Ariake murmured. “If there are new Demons turned, rather than kill them, there would be one more line of mercy… Kocho-sensei, without my dominant hand I cannot slay Demons as well… if this treatment may be refined, many more of our comrades would be able to fight, even for a bit longer…”

“Exactly, that’s exactly so,” Shinobu pasted on a smile and shuffled some medical records, noting for a moment Ariake’s rank: Kanoto, third-bottom rank, and implied some duration of slaying Demons and yet to be disillusioned. “Shall we then? Hanako-chan?”

“En.” The umbrella’s owner held the umbrella by its rattan handle, where a spiked ferrule dug into the skin of her palm and the umbrella drew blood to feed the weapon, ribs spanned like the branches of a tree. Long vined roots trailed from its ribs, mixing with the intricate ropework lattice that bound it together even as the roots dug into Ariake’s paralysed arm.

“In the shadows, no strangers, do exist.”[2]

“We start with the bones… Hanako-chan, you can differentiate them with calcium…the tendons are fixed, attaching bone to muscle… yes, you’re doing great…”

Assured that Sanemi would look for sings of turning, Shinobu sighed in interest at the slow regeneration of the arm. “We will have to check for signs of slowness, I understand that most humans do not heal completely, there will be some damages…”

Ariake’s breath caught. “…the gods and buddhas help the Corps.”

“It is not the gods or Buddhas… it was Shinobu-san who suggested it,” Hanako pouted. “If I can make my plants grow human organs, I can make them regrow other body parts!”

“Long story,” Shinobu fobbed off the questioning look from the puzzled young Slayer. “Come now, take a break… Aoi has your prescription…”

Once the roots were withdrawn, Hanako rubbed her eyes as Ariake stepped out of the room. “So can I follow Nii-chan now?”

“You’ll still be treating lots of people,” Sanemi snapped.

“But that means that many more people would come home, right?”

“…yes. They will.”

“Alright! I’m telling Shigeru!”

Shinobu hummed as Hanako ran out of the room she was using as a clinic. “What happened to our fiercest protestor, Shinazugawa-san?”

“It’s not like you weren’t ready to jump in if I tried for her neck,” Shinazugawa deflected. “Besides, it’s common sense not to offend the medic.”

“Medic, huh…” There was a tic in her jaw. “Tamayo-san, do you… truly believe that Hanako-chan could manage?”

“Hanako-chan is… very young,” Tamayo carefully persuaded. “Can she manage to fight the bloodlust in the battlefield, with blood and weakness everywhere? I am uncertain. Yet, Shinazugawa-san, I think you are missing something.”

“Hmm?”

“Kamado Hanako,” Shinobu pronounced slowly, “is only ten years old. I would not even let the nurses at the Butterfly Mansion act alone at such an age.”

“…but Kamado Shigeru is setting out?”

“That was Uzui’s judgement,” Shinobu rolled her eyes. “And, Shigeru does have the necessary skills… and Uzui promised on pain of Mrs Kamado’s headbutts to protect him.”

“…ah.”

“…Tamayo-san?” Shinobu was now regarding a clock nearby. “I think the blood samples we left should be ready…”

“Of course, I should get a start on that.”

Shinobu waited until her Demonic research partner had left before she started talking: “Shinazugawa-san. Our Master may have requested for your best behaviour, but I cannot help but think that you’ve been keeping your distance from our hostess. Since irregularity implies something…”

Sanemi gave a shrug, apparently deciding not to deflect. “…I wish my mother was in her position. That was all.”

“…Genya-kun seems quite attached to a motherly figure as well,” Shinobu tentatively agreed, sensing that she was approaching a minefield. “I wonder if it is something that older women pick up. Nee-san was able to express that warmth very naturally, and I aim to emulate her… she was the one to seek help for her children, even if the Slayers arriving would mean that she would die. A strong woman.”

Shinobu did not press further; there was only one circumstance, where one would wish that a family member was a Demon; if there was such a wish, it meant that the person in question was already far beyond reach. Shinobu did not need much to recall that Shinazugawa Genya was an orphan – and what that meant to his brother as well.

Blood Demon Art: Impossible Request – Jewelled Branch of Hōrai

The Impossible Requests branch of the Kamado family Blood Demon Arts was born from the experiments of the Kamado children’s Arts. This Art is born from the blood of Kamado Hanako when catalysed with the blood of Kamado Shigeru – Water feeding into Wood.

Upon blooming, the resulting tree has a trunk of gold, silver roots, and fruits like pearly grapes. The tree, and all other parts, seems to share totipotent property of eukaryotic cellular differentiation – animal, plant, human and Demonic. The tree may be cut apart and reshaped and retain its properties when exposed to Kamado Hanako’s blood. We have had it shaped into a traditional ban-gasa for her self-defence.

It was discovered that the property of Marechi blood was due to the presence of antibodies, and that the Wind Pillar Shinazugawa Sanemi would require blood transfusions from similar constitutions.

The current source of energy from cellular differentiation and other involved reactions are still poorly understood. Hanako’s blood alone would not provide the necessary energy. Furthermore, the umbrella after formation and oiling is still intact after being left to dry in the sun – the workings behind it remain unknown.

It is theorised that the Jewelled Branch of Hōrai should be able to function as some sort of artificial womb, but it has not been tested.

[1] The word is used in the sense of martial arts schools.

[2] This is a reading of Kobayashi Issa:

花(Hana) の(no) 陰(kage)
赤(aka)の(no)他(ta)人(nin)は(wa)
な(na)か(ka)り(ri)け(ke)り(ri)

Chapter Text

“You know, Shinobu-san, it is curious that the umbrella would survive the sun,” Tamayo noted halfway through mixing medicines with Shinobu.

Said Insect Pillar was still completing her report, this one done with a fountain pen for speed as opposed to a dip pen or a brush. “I agree, and it is an interesting note… the implications, though, are not promising.”

“In my case, and with Yushiro’s Blindfolds, the Sun would destroy them immediately,” Tamayo began to elaborate further. “But for Hanako-chan… the raw material, even the sesame seeds for the oil, came from the Jewelled Tree. The threads used as a woven frame in its design, which we spun with Nezuko-san’s contribution and was naturally red, came from Nezuko-san.”

“The white-hot flame of my love for you cannot burn this cloth of fur. My raiment, sleeves dried of tears, now on this day I don it.” Shinobu glumly put down her pen. “The threads… upon burning in Nezuko-chan’s blood, they restore themselves, like the skin of the fire-rat… the Robe of the Fire Rat.” She sighed. “Yet it should be impossible.”

“I agree, and yet…” Tamayo contemplated it. “Kie-san probably understands. Should her daughter be able to render the Demon constitution as immune to sunlight… then there will truly be no return for the Corps.”

Still unknowing that his brother had left Mt Shichirin, Kamado Tanjiro was currently fretting in a house haunted with a Demon. That was the only explanation for how the rooms kept changing places, having separated Zenitsu and Shoichi from them.

The box strapped to his back got lighter, and the girl he had been protecting screamed.

“Takeo,” Tanjiro’s molars ground together as he heard his younger brother stand. “You… can you protect Teruko?”

“Mmm.” Takeo gave an empty stare before he drove one claw into a nearby wall. Veins in his arm throbbed, clearly pumping blood into the wall, and then to Tanjiro’s stunned face the wall began to melt.

“…Art…” Takeo rasped, having just chewed through the bamboo muzzle as the bamboo motifs in his eyes seemed to shine in the dimness of the mansion. “…likely… control of house. Daytime. Nii-chan, her, outside.”

“…” Tanjiro’s eyes spun around. “The Demon with the drums, uses an Art to control the house. It’s daytime now, so only I can be outside to protect Teruko-chan. Usually Demons will not be able to kill each other… except you, true. Takeo… it makes sense. Except for the part where you go in to risk your life in my stead.”

He took another Breath, even though his heart was pressing into his windpipe. “Besides, it makes more sense for us to stick together, in case… there are others. The sun will set sooner or later, and Genya and Shoichi-kun are still in the house.”

Takeo hummed, pulling his clawed finger from the wall, and watching as it throbbed, unable to heal back. He then opened the lapel of his own haori and drew out something that was then suspended on a string and handed it to Teruko. Tanjiro stared at the Hinowa coin as Takeo pointedly pushed Teruko such that she faced away from himself.

“…good point.”

“Eh?” Teruko stared as Tanjiro pressed the meaty part of his palm against the base of the Nichirin blade and then dripped blood on the coin, making it glow such that Teruko’s own shadow blocked the light in Takeo’s direction. “It glows?”

“Teruko. Takeo will protect our backs. Whatever you do… if the light shines on him, he will burn.” Tanjiro worded himself specifically; a lifetime of younger siblings meant he was acquainted with young children’s first reaction to warnings not to look back. “The coin will protect you from the other monsters as well, do not drop it.”

“I- I got it!” Teruko clung to the lifeline.

“Alright. I’ll lead in front… stay close.” As Tanjiro led their impromptu search party, the Hinowa coin lit their way, the characters cast on its surface terrifying when taken out of context but when held by a terrified little girl seemed like the statement made by those who serve to protect:

Destroy Evil Demons

Tanjiro’s breath caught as the faint light of the Hinowa coin caught on a bloody puddle. “Teruko, don’t look.”

“Yes…”

With shallow breaths their party of three sidled to one side and continued in faintly lit darkness. “I wonder why the Demon dragged your brother to this house though…”

“Marechi.”

“Huh?” Tanjiro hummed at Takeo’s reply.

“The blood trail… smelled like Scarred Guy.”

“It’s Shinazugawa-san…” Tanjiro took a deeper inhale. “Takeo… are you alright?”

“…Scarred Guy smelled way stronger than this.”

“That’s not exactly a good thing…” Tanjiro paused, and then ducked.

Before he could even slash though, there was the smell of burning ash, and then Tanjiro stared as the light of the Hinowa coin burnt a Demon alive while trapped within.

Teruko clutched onto the rope with the coin harder. “Onii-chan… and Take-niichan… it died.”

“…yes.” A thought occurred to Tanjiro: “Takeo… how many more coins can be produced back home?”

“…probably one more coin tree.”

“Ah…would it hurt?”

Takeo was saved from answering as the sound of a tsuzumi echoed, and the room launched them into battle immediately.

“Shigeru… I want to say first, that you have every right to reject this mission,” Uzui Tengen started.

Behind him, two lower-ranked Slayers exchanged confused looks, but kept quiet. They were camped at the foot of the neighbouring Mt Banshi, whose shadow bordered on Mt Natagumo.

“Mt Natagumo is a suspected stronghold for Demons,” Uzui started to explain. “One of the surrounding issues reported problems with coppicing the local cryptomeria trees. We’ve sent four teams, no survivors – human or crow. It’s not conclusive that one of the Twelve Demon Moons are within, but you will have to reconnaissance the area.”

Shigeru blew out a smoky topographical representation of the mountain. “Low-lying land on all sides, one way in and out, heavy forests… cryptomeria trees?”

Uzui hummed in agreement. “Yes. Why?”

“We bought Kaa-chan a magewappa bento box as a souvenir,” Shigeru’s face scrunched. “If I recall… soft wood, fragrant, resistant to weather and insects. And tends to out-compete other trees so Nii-chan has to spend more time rooting them out…”

“…I should say, as expected of a charcoal-burner family,” Uzui finally admitted. “But your conclusion?”

“Few animals, few passing birds, I will have to go in to find anything,” Shigeru admitted. “Was this why you said I could reject this assignment, sensei?”

“You’ll have to go in alone,” Uzui admitted, solemn. “I have seen your mother smash logs with her forehead; I do not want to receive a headbutt from her.”

“There is… little choice.” Shigeru’s lips thinned. “I am a Demon. If I can find shelter from the sun, I will stand a better chance of surviving to pass on more information. It will save many lives, human… and Demon Slayer. If we don’t kill the Demon here, Nii-chan will also have a harder time in the battlefield, right?”

“You’d best keep some of your birds out, and one shell here to keep in touch,” Uzui clicked his tongue. “The last I heard, we lost three teams here. We were supposed to send in a squad of Kanoe-rank slayers here next, but… you know, Shigeru.”

“Thirty Slayers and not a single Kasugai crow managed to escape? Not likely,” Shigeru clipped the shell-shaped netsuke onto the belt of his obi and checked himself. “My objectives are, first, to check what trace does Kibutsuji have on me once I appear before one of his Demons; second, to determine the presence of one of the Twelve Demon Moons on Mt Natagumo; third…” here he trailed off, taking a deep breath. “…third, I must remain alive.”

“You do that,” Uzui agreed. “You must remain alive… you have to return alive.”

“Well, I’m a Demon, after all. It’ll be easier for me.” Shigeru swallowed, his mouth dry. “I… I’ll be setting out.”

“Have a safe trip.”

Uzui watched as the boy wrapped up an assortment of games that he was pretending to peddle into a bundled furoshiki, the rising-steam motif on it pale against the dark night. The Sound Pillar held himself still, even as the other Kakushi watched as the boy left.

“Uzui-sama, the Kamado boy…”

A thunk was heard, and the Kakushi almost jumped when they turned around to see that the Sound Pillar had turned to punch a nearby tree, cracking the bark where his fist landed.

“Tengen-sama…” one of the women standing near him murmured, eyes downcast. “…do we really have to? Back in the village…”

“Suma,” another of them spoke, her stature authoritative yet kind. “It was… Shigeru-kun chose this path. He himself stood before the Master and argued in favour of training him in the way of the shinobi. His mother administers one of the Wisteria Houses, his older brothers are valued fighters or supplying useful protections, his sister is shaping up treatments for the Slayers… by his constitution alone Demons would dismiss him, but his intelligence and his Blood Demon Arts means he gathers lots of useful information. Those factors make him a great Kakushi.”

“Yeah. As expected, my wives all know me.” Uzui Tengen stared at his own bruised knuckles. “They’re all good children. Even when it makes sense for them to fight… I can’t help but wish otherwise.”

“I’m a big strong Demon, I’m a big strong Demon, I’m a big strong Demon…” Shigeru sighed to himself as he trudged up Mt Natagumo. “I’ll give you one, and one more too, if you’ll follow me on a quest to defeat the Demon, give you one…”[1]

“Why is a Demon singing about subjugating other Demons?”

“Gaah!” Shigeru jumped, looking around and up towards the treetops lit by a harvest moon. “Ah, good evening. I’m Shigeru, and you?”

“…” balanced atop a web of threads nearly invisible, the young boy stared back at Shigeru. “…you…don’t know me?”

“Ah, is your house around here?” Shigeru blustered. “Sorry, I travel around selling games… do you play any? I have Obake Karuta, Hanafuda, Karuta, Menko, even some Western which is all the rage…it’s a fun family activity!”

“…family?”

“Yeah!” Shigeru was in his element. “I can come over to your house to play! I can use a break from climbing the mountain anyway…”

The boy leapt down and landed on his feet, and immediately Shigeru pegged him as a threat – no average Demon would have both a Blood Demon Art and such a strong constitution too. “To… play…?”

“Yeah, that’s me! And you?”

“I’m… Rui.”

“Rui! I’m Shigeru, let’s be friends!”

Nii-chan is going to headbutt me and then cremate me in the kiln like Papa and then Papa will scold me again for being so dumb… even with those thoughts in mind, Shigeru still accepted the hand offered to him.

Blood Demon Art: Impossible Request – Robe of the Fire Rat

The Impossible Requests branch of the Kamado family Blood Demon Arts was born from the experiments of the Kamado children’s Arts. This Art is born from the blood of Kamado Nezuko when catalysed with the blood of Kamado Hanako – Wood feeding into Fire.

While no literal rat was formed, a great blooming wisteria shrub would grow where the blood exists. The wisteria is of the yamafuji variety, which produces long silky fibres of which thread, and thus cloth, may be made. The fibres are naturally red in colour, likely due to their birth from Kamado blood, and upon exposure to blood will burst into flame which promotes healing. It was also discovered that ropes spun from the fibres would have a barrier effect, and clothing made of the wisteria cloth would have an armouring and healing effect on the wearer – it is unknown if the effect extends more than skin-deep.

Upon being woven into Kamado Hanako’s umbrella, the umbrella itself seemed to withstand sunlight – where the original tree grown in Hanako’s Jewelled Branch of Hōrai crumbled in the face of the sun, the umbrella survived its drying time and somehow remained resistant still despite being used in Blood Demon Arts. The implications of this Art and Kamado Nezuko’s constitution is thus worrying.

[1] This is a messed-up translation of the lyrics in Momotaro’s Song.

Chapter Text

The coin spun in the air, making one arc, two arcs… and then landed on the back of a hand with skin so fair as to be bloodless.

“Heads. Looks like our group will be starting, mother.”

“Ah, that’s…”

“I’ll be teaching the game, auntie.” Shigeru assured, partly to advance what looked to be a very strange game of Chirashidori and partly out of pity on the simple woman. Perhaps she could not read hiragana?

“When the reader reads, find the corresponding grabbing card first,” Shigeru explained. “The player with the most cards wins the game. Thanks for being the reader, ma’am!”

“Ah… sure…”

As the patriarch of this strange spidery family was not present for some unknown reason, it was left to the mother to read out the starter poem: “In Naniwa Bay- eek!”

The older brother of the family, who had way too many legs and not enough arms, nearly stabbed through one card as he lashed out: “There’s no card starting with that!”

“Uh, this brother should treat your mother nicely…” Shigeru cautioned. “The madam was simply reading a starter poem to get us used to her voice.”

“Exactly…”

The older brother hung his head. “…oh. Continue then.”

“With a ‘please’,” Shigeru rolled his eyes and quietly whispered to Rui: “If it was my grandma, she’d wash his mouth out.”

“Erm, that’s…” Rui was spared from making an answer as the mother spoke the first poem:

If I see that bridge
That is spanned by flights of magpies
Across the arc of heaven
Made white with a deep-laid frost,
Then the night is almost past.[1]

“Are you going, nii-chan?”

Sanemi would have lopped off the Demon’s head in an instant, if not for the fact that he was currently on Mt Shichirin, and the speaker was very clearly approaching him with her paper umbrella in one hand, a clay plant pot in the other, and a wrapped bento box under one arm wrapped in a patchwork wrapping cloth. She perched herself on the engawa where Sanemi was doing up his boots, about to set out.

“Rokuta already knows you’re going out, nii-chan,” Kamado Hanako continued. “Or you’ll just be looping back here.”

“…thanks.”

“Oh, and… could you bring this bento to Grandpa Saburo? He stayed up to carve a few more umbrellas and Kaa-chan worried.” Hanako set down another bento.

“…sure.”

“Ah, and this is for you, nii-chan,” A smaller bundle, also wrapped up in more patchwork, was shoved into his chest. “Since Kaa-chan was making dango, she packed some for you, there’s anko, mitarashi, and kinako seasonings. What do you like?”

“…does it even matter, brat?” Sanemi snorted. “Just… I’ll take it this time, but no more!”

“Next time you visit Kaa-chan will make your favourite. What do you like?” Hanako continued smiling.

Sanemi stared at the lightening skies, wondering if he could brave the conversation until the sun forced the Demon girl into the house and away from him. Then again, knowing his luck, the whole damn family would conquer the sun just to jabber at him, because the Kamado family just had the very fortune to show him exactly how wrong his life choices were, starting with their mother.

“…did Kocho tell you to just ignore everything I say?”

“You’re not saying anything which makes sense, nii-chan.”

Despite lacking any honorific which was used towards the older Kamado siblings that he had heard during the rare few times he was stationed atop Mt Shichirin, Sanemi noted that Kamado Hanako was picking up more than medical knowledge from hanging around Kocho and that female Demon.

“Why are you here?” Sanemi finally decided. “You have… to learn how to talk again, right?”

“Something like that…” Hanako fidgeted, also peeking at the skies. “Kocho-sensei said, you asked about Rokuta’s new Art. The one we’re calling Toryanse.”

“Really?” Sanemi scoffed, humming the lyrics to himself: “‘Let me pass, let me pass. What is this narrow pathway here? This is the path to the shrine of Tenjin.’ I think… if only.”

His eyes fell onto Hanako’s solemn face. “I was thinking… with it, how many Slayers would be able to get away.”

“…Gen-niichan?”

“Yeah, him.” Sanemi settled back down, still wary as he surveyed the skies and its lightening colour. “I… he should have a house somewhere and raised a family and grown old. And... I would never have let a Demon near him.”

“That was what Shigeru said, before he left the house on the mission.” Hanako blinked. “Something about Gen-niichan drinking our blood.”

“Yeah. That.” Sanemi made a face at the mention.

“And that’s what Onii-chan is doing for us too,” Hanako still sat there, her umbrella barely open. “And Take-nii and Shigeru… I don’t have a strong Blood Demon Art, but I can heal Onii-chan and the other brothers and sisters who have injuries…but I worry about them too.”

Sanemi finally allowed his eyes to fall towards the pot she had in hand – a clay pot meant for plants, and now blooming in herald of a non-existent spring. “Why are you growing fatsia?”

“Onii-chan likes fatsia sprouts,” Hanako reflected, “so I tried finding some to grow the sprouts, but he’s taking a long time to get back… do you think the Kasugai crows can carry a bento box if we send it with them?”

“No.”

“Oh, right, Ochiyo-san at the general store was asking after Onii-chan, and Grandpa Saburo said that a lot of them were sending medicines up once they heard that we were sick-”

“It’s time to go in!” Against all common sense, Sanemi roared at the Demon brat who was so lacking in self-preservation that she failed to note the sunbeam creeping up to her outstretched toes. “Get in, bye!”

“Have a safe trip! Let’s work to make sure our brothers reach home!” came the distant echo as Sanemi set out from the house atop Mt Shichirin. Sanemi remained silent, even as he passed the bamboo glade and exchanged nods of silent acknowledgement with the changing guards and Himejima Gyomei – who was again chanting sutras at the grave.

“…home…” Sanemi echoed, almost a prayer.

With the sun shining above Mt Natagumo, the whole house that the family of spider-like Demons lived in had the storm shutters pulled around the veranda and the shoji doors pulled shut, with woven blinds casting more shelter. It cast the house into amorphous twilight – for anyone without Demonic night vision, that is – and came to be the Demonic equivalent of night were it not for the barely-felt stifling heat of late August.

“Shigeru-kun? As Demons we don’t need sleep.”

“…but the cicadas keep crying,” Shigeru glumly sat up from the haori that was serving as his bedclothes. “Rui?”

“…I’m bored.”

“And you came to wake me up?”

“But… my brother and sister aren’t fun.”

“Rui… you’re just like…” Shigeru trailed off.

Rui gave him a slow blink, before changing the subject with the subtlety of a boulder to the head. “Do you have any new games? Fun games?”

“Well, your family can have the Karuta deck as thanks,” Shigeru counted off. “But games… do you want to learn Hanafuda? I think…”

Rui stared as he messed through his bundle, even settling aside a few clay figures. “These are?”

“Ah, these…” Shigeru fell silent. “…someone made them…”

An unknown red clay, formed from mixing Nezuko’s blood with Rokuta, and then shaped into tiny containers -- not that Shigeru could admit them. He could only pretend, as if somewhere in the tragedy that turned him, that the loved humans were no longer there.

“…someone who loved me.”

“Your family?”

Shigeru’s face twisted and he gave a shrug before he picked up one of the figurines, a capped gourd. “This one… is from Journey to the West, I think. Ah, he made one of Five-Fingers Mountain too… the Seiten Taisei was fighting a monster who had this magic gourd that could suck up anything… man, that would be useful for cleaning the house – if there was such a thing, we could give it to your mother.”

“Excuse me?” Rui was taken aback. “It is the responsibility of parents to look after their children.”

Shigeru blinked at him. “…Rui, that doesn’t discount that as children we should love and appreciate our parents too. Otherwise… there are so many regrets when they die. Even if the skies fall, we have our parents and older siblings to hold it up, but then who will look after them in their exhaustion?”

“…” Rui’s eyes hardened, almost half his face and one whole eye hidden under his bangs. “You say it like you have them.”

“…probably. In another life.” Shigeru smiled as he dusted aside the packs of cards to cover the shaking of his hands. “You’re so lucky, Rui, your whole family turned into Demons with you.”

Somehow, Rui’s expression fell at those words.

“Maybe… we can do something for the family?” Shigeru slipped the vial of wisteria hidden amongst his possessions into one sleeve as he started to wrap them back up. “We could trap a boar and cook a stew and eat it together!”

“Kie-san is definitely the best cook I know,” Shinobu lamented into the post-meal tea. “Please give me the recipe for your tsukudani.”

“I’m glad you liked that, Shinobu-san,” Kie smiled, presiding over the pot of chestnut rice made from a picking of early chestnuts and flavoured with a rarely seen maitake mushroom.

“But are you sure you are not cooking the matsutake?” Shinobu frowned, looking towards the mushroom basket. “It seems like a rare treat.”

“This would go to the Master,” Kie shrugged. “As we cannot appreciate them here, I suppose someone else would like them.”

“That is very kind of you, Kie-san,” Tamayo picked at her own bowl of blood soup and took a sip of tea instead. “Even the blood soup is more palatable after you cook it. Strange, since Demon bodies cannot consume human food and would throw up. My ability to consume black tea comes from long training, but this tea...”

“This is kukicha, made from the stems, stalks and twigs from tea production,” Kie explained. “Ochiyo-san at the general store said that this particular batch was from making gyokuro, so the blend is called karigane, written as ‘the sound of geese wings in flight’.”

“That’s very interesting… ah,” Tamayo started as Rokuta walked into her back in his attempted escape.

“Excuse me, Tamayo-san… No, Rokuta, you must eat healthily,” Kie nodded towards Tamayo before she left.

Tamayo stared with lidded eyes, as Kie stooped to one side of the daiban that was her dining table, now to feed a shrunken Nezuko and Rokuta. “If… when I was a Demon…”

Shinobu patted her hand. “What we are doing now will save many more mothers.”

Both doctors thus waited for the children to fall asleep before they made their request.

“My blood? Certainly, we’ve been providing blood samples all this time…”

“Not quite, Kie-san,” Tamayo elaborated: “We plan to mix your blood with Tanjiro-san’s blood, hoping to catalyse a reaction close to the Impossible Requests.”

“But… Tanjiro is human.”

“There lies the implication,” Shinobu chipped in. “Because it is very likely, that Tanjiro has the same constitution as a Demon, if not stronger, to create his own bloodline. Demon Kings are a complete unknown to us, especially when… a family bloodline diverges into different species.”

So Kie dripped blood into a test tube under their watchful eyes and stared as the blood congealed and whitened into a white lump.

“…” Tamayo drew out the lump with tweezers, holding it towards the nearest lamp. “…it looks like a silk cocoon.”

“I’ll boil a pot of water to draw out the silk,” Kie immediately said. “I wouldn’t know, however, what it would be.”

“Considering the Robe of the Fire Rat, possibly another cloth-based armour,” Shinobu hypothesised. “The time has now come – behold the robe from heaven to drape upon my shoulders. And for it, it is but a deep sadness that I feel.”

[1] Poem number 6 by Otomo no Yakamochi, Ogura Hyakunin Isshu.

Chapter Text

“Mukago got finished, you can’t be hiding like this, Kyogai! Ah he ran for the Marechi-”

Takeo punched out, but the Demon in question was faster than expected, retaliating with claws that Takeo slapped aside.

“Oh, another Demon? If you’re looking for the Marechi it’s mine now. Damn Kyogai, I would have shared it…”

Takeo looked at the other Demon, and despite the night vision that allowed Demons to function so well in the dark, all he could focus on was the characters carved over the pupils of one eye – Lower Moon Six.

And despite the thirteenth strongest Demon in the whole archipelago standing before him at present, the veins in Takeo’s hands bulged before the surface reddened, capillaries dilating to allow faster blood flow to the surface.

“You really don’t want to do this,” the Demon was saying with a smirk. “Battles between Demons are pointless. There are Slayers here, we can kill them, you can get something to eat-”

Slayers.

Here.

Nii-chan.

The blood broke past skin – the thinnest parts being from his eyes, nose, ears, mouth, and the corners of his claws. It must have been a horrific sight for a human. Yet, the golden blood shone with its own lustre as with terrific strength, whether uncaring or unaffected by the strike that his opponent made, Kamado Takeo made his move.

There was a terrific bong as Kamanue’s hand glanced off his face, and Kamado Takeo ended the life of the thirteenth strongest Demon in the archipelago.

Having just watched Kyogai’s severed head crumble, Tanjiro perked as echoes resounded throughout the confusing mansion. “Weird… was there a bell tower around here?”

He remained puzzled all the way until they – including his little brother – met a boar-headed Slayer and Zenitsu with Genya separating them from the imminent fight and getting caught in the crossfire.

“Report, Kamado Tanjiro and Kamado Takeo have just entered the Wisteria House by Mt Banshi… there was an altercation between Kamado Tanjiro and another Mizunoto, a Hashibira Inosuke, over Kamado Takeo. Mizunoto Agatsuma Zenitsu and Shinazugawa Genya were also involved, and now all of them have broken ribs.”

Ubuyashiki Amane was reading aloud the reports sent in from all around the archipelago to her husband. The remnants of their morning meal lay to one side, to be taken away when Amane had finished.

Solemn in contemplation, the Master reasoned: “Mt Banshi… once they are recovered, they can help to root out the Demon stronghold at Mt Natagumo before reporting back. Has Tengen’s report come in?”

“Yes. Sound Pillar Uzui Tengen reports… a group of five Demons living together, possibly more members in the past. Kamado Shigeru has yet to confirm who is the Demon Moon living there.”

“The fact that he can send a report implies that he has not come to Kibutsuji Muzan’s attention,” and here there was a thread of doubt. “This kind of deep cover is likely the first few times my children are so close to Demons without attacking immediately… but the rewards are significant. Five Demons… how many Slayers would die if we did not know? The Kamado family has saved many lives.”

“Master… Shinobu’s report is next.” There was a rustle of paper. “Shinobu reported that the current stock of Hinowa coins is ready for distribution, but they will require Takeo’s continued input to satisfy current demand.”

“The issue is twofold; how to get Takeo back to Mt Shichirin, and how to keep him there when Rokuta’s powers are so uncertain.” There was a pause. “Injuries are certain after a battle on the scale that Mt Natagumo would be. This would be the time when the needs of convalescence dictate we send Tanjiro to his family, but then his rehabilitation training could fall behind, and he could miss out on the comradery between Corps members. Amane, what do you think?”

“Shinobu would likely be continuing her research… it is however correct that comradery is required, and the standards of medical care at the Butterfly Mansion would be much higher… to put a young Demon with even less self-control than Kamado Nezuko at a hospital might be challenging,” Amane analysed. “Not to mention distance, caring for Rokuta, and Rokuta’s other siblings… and Mt Shichirin itself hosting the Blue Spider Lily.”

There was a sharp breath. “My children… they will not let it go, not while it lives.”

A burbling stream drew Kie’s attention as a breeze passed. She found herself sitting on a veranda, it seemed that the equinox flowers bloomed as far as the eye could see, even towards the sky that shone like coal embers. Around her curled a veil woven of silk, half-formed and yet loosely hung.

She sat up.

Sloping down, by the red-dotted banks rushed a river whose direction could not be seen and whose span could not be noted. Muddy banks were dotted with the same blooming equinox flowers and more lumps rising from the ground as little figures piled them up.

“Hello.”

“Ah, hello…” Kie gently replied towards the other woman who bustled as the mistress of the house. The woman’s orange kimono waved, and as Kie stared at the collar she felt that there was something wrong and yet could not point it out.

“I’m Uta.”

“Kamado Kie.”

The woman started. Before Kie could puzzle over her surprise, Uta hummed: “Ah, I forgot… you may call me Tsugikuni Uta.”

“It’s no problem…” Kie slowly replied, despite that Uta was clearly a young woman and the Restoration was nearly half a century past. Surnames were something to be noted, after all. “Have you seen my children?”

“Ah, you didn’t bring anyone with you.” Uta indicated the riverbank where more figures were piling. “Otherwise, my child would be with them. His father joins him now and then, but the child gets lonely.”

Kie privately hoped that the child in question could swim. “I see… I seem to have dropped in at a terrible time.”

“No, not at all, I have some business with the Kamado charcoal-burners. You see, it seems that our friends grieve for us, but it is only an empty shell above. So, how much firewood can I get for six mon?”

Uta clapped her hands, and Kie woke up.

Slumped near the low table, Kamado Kie stared as her eyes adjusted in the relative gloom of a house that she half-knew from living almost half her life in save for the renovations done by the Corps. By the irori the glow of coals was reflected off the half-woven silk scarf in her hands – she had fallen asleep mid-weave.

“…what a strange dream,” Kie murmured, almost lost before she lifted her hand, and something fell off the silk.

It hit the tatami mat with a thud, the green-tarnished aged patina almost crumbled from long weathering under the earth and the hemp rope threading it already fraying and caked with earth. By the light of the stove, the six mon coins seemed to glow.

There was a scream, one that Kie registered as her own.

The doors slammed open, and Kocho Shinobu dashed in. “Kie-san? W- What is it…? What are those…?”

“…payment.” Kie stared at Shinobu, and then to the coins. “I think… I think I dreamt of Uta… Tsugikuni Uta… she was buying… firewood.”

“…firewood?”

“Firewood. How much firewood… for six mon. Oh…” The flowers of the dead, the slope on the other shore, the riverbank where children piled stones, even the river wide enough to separate the living and dead caused Kie to rush to the nearest, thankfully empty, pot and empty the contents of her stomach.

Vaguely, the headdress fell out of her hair, and she felt Shinobu rubbing her scalp.

Footsteps echoed, before they shuffled into the room. Tamayo’s voice echoed: “Kobu Tsuho… these are coins which predate even myself. The payment… the fare for crossing the river.”

A soft sigh, and then Shinobu’s voice. “…Kie-san. How much firewood does the house have?”

“We had… this year’s stock to burn as charcoal…” Kie slowly replied. “The Corps can take it all. Use our kiln; we… used it last time. For my husband.”

“I will ask the Master for reimbursement, but for now, I must get all the firewood here.” Shinobu slowly pronounced. “Then… I will ask Himejima-san to preside. Afterwards… I will have to trouble Kie-san to bear with moving to the Butterfly Mansion.”

Working in the field as a Demon Slayer often coincided with digging holes and burying the unfortunate remains of Demon prey. This time, however, Shinobu was not out to bury a body, but to exhume the skeletal remains. Bones, topsoil, and even roots were piled onto a burial shroud before being ferried up the bamboo-laden path, with a censer of burning incense leading the way and the sonorous recital of Himejima Gyomei.

“If… if it would be too much trouble…” Shinobu offered.

“I am a charcoal burner’s wife,” came Kie’s even reply. “If we need to reduce everything to ashes, then there is no one else on the mountain who knows how to burn things. Shinobu-san, Tamayo-san, please look after the children.”

Behind them, the Stone Pillar discreetly blew his nose into a handkerchief before he settled back to recite the prayers. Kie left the kiln door wide open before she threw the burning torch in, and then settled to watch the fire reduce to ashes the bodies long laid to rest, bones intertwined with the bulbs of the Blue Spider Lily with a blowpipe and carefully tending the fires.

Finally, the stream of sutra chanting faded. “…if we did not know this, the Blue Spider Lily would still grow there. The bulk of protection would lie with the Kamado house.”

“Perhaps, Himejima-san. Yet, it is correct that we cannot hold down two forts. We have already had one Upper Moon pass by, it would only take them a bit more curiosity. It is also correct that... it was a payment from her. From a business standpoint, a moral standpoint, and by strategy, taking a short visit to Tanjiro would benefit everyone concerned.” Kie pondered. “It is the best option that I can live with.”

“I see that you have given much thought to this.” The Stone Pillar nodded. “No matter what others would say, I will protect your family, madam.”

“You will protect them to achieve Obojikara though, thank you-”

“Even if you did not have such an ability, your character as a human shine even if you are a Demon. The implicit duty of the Demon Slayers is to protect people.”

Who those people now covered – that was not spoken.

Blood Demon Art: Kongoriki

Currently understood as an extension of Taketori, Kongoriki is the personal defensive Art developed from the blood of Kamado Takeo. While moulded to his skin, it appears that the skin would take on defensive properties. By account it would glance off even the claws of a Lower Moon on top of the light-emitting effect already prevalent from Taketori. The trade-offs however seem to be speed – a well-prepared Demon or Demon Slayer would likely be able to distance themselves and run by the time Kongoriki is fully active.