Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“What is this place?” Kyojuro Rengoku, the Flame Hashira, wondered aloud to himself, one hand on his sword at the ready. The last thing he remembered, he had just finished his mission and beheaded a demon. Then, there was a bright flash of light and suddenly he had found himself in what seemed to be a nearly perfect replica of demon slayer headquarters.

Nearly being the operative word. The walls were impossibly high and completely sealed shut around the house. There was no trace of people ever having lived there, and the building felt sterile and cold. Other than that, it was such a perfect replica that Kyojuro just knew something was wrong.

Had there been another demon nearby? This had to be a demon blood art, but he wasn’t sure if this was an illusion or if he was in some kind of dream.

Kyojuro paused in his exploration, sensing movement behind him and coming closer. He drew his sword and turned, ready to attack what he suspected was the demon. Before his blade could make contact, his would-be opponent jumped back into a tree.

“Easy Rengoku.” The Sound Hashira teased as he perched in the branches. “You almost poked my eye out.”

“Oh, my apologies, Uzui!” Kyojuro greeted, not lowering his sword. “I can’t take any chances, for all I know, I’m speaking to a trick conjured by a demon, and not my good friend Tengen Uzui.”

“I could say the same for you.” Tengen nodded. “One moment I was at my estate, putting on a flashy show of training, then I was here.”

“I had just slain a demon before I came here.” Kyojuro replied. “So there seems to be a pattern here.” As he spoke, he became more and more certain that this was indeed the real Tengen Uzui and not some kind of trick and sheathed his sword. “We should stick together, who knows what kinds of tricks this place will pull.”

“Speaking of tricks, I scaled the walls and climbed over.” Tengen said, hopping down to stand beside him. “You know where I ended up? I landed right back into this place. It’s some kind of loop apparently.”

“How strange.” Kyojuro mused. “Still, where there’s an entrance, there is also an exit, even if we must make our own.”

“And what a flamboyant exit we’ll make together!” Tengen declared. “Hold on, I think I hear some familiar voices this way…”

The two Hashira entered the house together, and while Kyojuro couldn’t hear anything just yet, he had no doubts that Tengen’s much more sensitive ears had picked up on what his own damaged ears hadn’t. “Is it a demon?” He asked quietly.

Tengen shook his head. “Nah, but he certainly acts like one.”

“Huh?” Kyojuro blinked at the strange answer, but was distracted by the sounds of footsteps coming closer.

“Just stay close to me, Kanroji and we’ll find our way out.” Obanai Iguro, the Serpent Hashira said softly as he led the way for the Love Hashira, Mitsuri Kanroji and Kyojuro’s former Tsugoku.

“I’m so glad you’re here with me Iguro!” Mitsuri praised. “It makes me feel a lot safer.”

“Mitsuri! Obanai!” Kyojuro greeted with a wave. “So you’re here as well!”

“Kyojuro!! Uzui!” Mitsuri blushed and waved back. “You’re here too?”

“That’s odd.” Obanai noted. “I know we weren’t anywhere near the two of you before we arrived.”

“I know.” Tengen nodded. “Something weird is going on. You think the other five are here too?”

“It wouldn’t surprise me, but it is concerning to think about.” Kyojuro admitted. “All nine Hashira gathered in a place that must be the result of a demon blood art… this demon is either foolish or very powerful.”

“If the others are here, then we should hurry and find them!” Mitsuri exclaimed. “I can't bear the idea of Tokito all alone and getting attacked!”

“Tokito might be fourteen, but he’s still a Hashira.” Tengen reminded. “Have some faith in the kid.”

“Right, right.” Mitsuri nodded. Kyojuro understood where she was coming from, knowing the pink haired girl had a brother Muichiro’s age. He was feeling just as concerned as she was, picturing Senjuro on his own in a strange place.

It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that all the Hashira were often concerned over their youngest member. Especially with his strange state of mind and the constant fog he was lost in. But even so, Muichiro was a competent swordsman. Surely he had realized something was wrong and had his guard up.

Now a larger group, they set out once more to explore, eventually finding themselves in the garden area where they found the other hashira discussing the situation. “So we are all here together.” Shinobo Kocho, the Insect Hashira, sighed. “That’s concerning.”

“By any chance, did one of you happen to notice if the Master or his family was here?” Kyojuro asked, dreading the answer.

“No, it’s just us hashira.” Gyomei Himejima, the Stone Hashira, assured him. “It is a relief to know the Master is safe from whatever dangerous situation we find ourselves in, but I worry about the fact that none of the Hashira are present to guard him if something were to happen. Namu Amida Butsu.” He chanted, tears falling from his eyes.

“The master isn’t unguarded.” Muichiro Tokito, the Mist Hashira, reminded, his gaze up on the giant walls. “Tomioka isn’t with us.”

“What?” Sanemi Shinazugawa, the Wind Hashira, asked. “Tomioka’s right over…” He trailed off as he looked around, noticing they were one hashira short.

Kyojuro winced as the other hashira looked around, all of them only now realizing their number was incomplete. He hadn’t even noticed that Giyu Tomioka, the Water Hashira, wasn’t there, the man completely forgettable in his mind. That wouldn’t do. Giyu was odd, sure, but he was still a Hashira and a reliable comrade. He made a mental note to invite the man out for a meal to make up for it.

However, at that moment, the sliding door opened and Giyu stepped out onto the verdena. “So everyone else is here too.” He noted.

“Are you kidding me?!” Sanemi growled. “Where the hell have you been?!”

“Inside exploring.” Giyu explained, holding up a sheet of paper. “I found this. It doesn’t make any sense to me.”

“What does it say?” Mitsuri asked.

“It says why we’re here.” Giyu said flatly.

Kyojuro blinked, waiting a few seconds for the stoic man to elaborate. He quickly realized Giyu was not going to explain things further as the other Hashira sighed or looked annoyed. Tengen pinched the bridge of his nose while Shinobu took her shoes off and joined Giyu, taking the paper from him.

Shinobu read over it, her expression looking incredulous. “I… can’t believe I’m reading this. I… pardon me, but I don’t even know how to explain this. I’m just going to read this out loud.”

Dear Hashira,

The future ahead holds the greatest victory you could all hope for. But it comes at a very heavy cost. Too heavy, in my opinion.

I want to change that, to change your future. You all deserve a chance to have a peaceful night’s dream, and to truly know peace in the sun’s embrace. That’s why I brought you here. I’m going to show you all your future, so that you might be able to change it.

As I write this letter the last hashira is on his deathbed, three quarters of a century after his peers. I dream of a world where he did not spend over half of his life with only the memories of his comrades growing dimmer as the years go by. So many lives ended before their time, so many buds left to rot before they've bloomed. Great-Grandfather Tengen I hope you and your fellow hashira can forgive me for putting you here.

Unfortunately, you won’t be able to fully remember the future you see. You’ll only get intense feelings, or a sensation of deja vu to help guide you into making better choices. But I know you’re all strong and intelligent. You’ll make the best decisions.

I know you’re all probably worried about the Master and the corps. Don’t worry, time is frozen in your world until you return. Everything is going to be okay.

With all my love,

Yuya Uzui

“What the hell?!” Tengen demanded, racing over and snatching the letter, reading it with his own eyes. “This doesn’t make any sense!”

“What’s the point of showing us the future if we don’t remember it?” Muichiro wondered to himself. “Not that I’d remember it anyway.”

“Time is frozen in the real world?” Mitsuri squealed. “No way!! That’s so freaky!!”

Kyojuro’s heart raced as his mind tried to process how weird this all was. Tengen’s descendent had brought them here to see the future? But how? And why? What did any of this mean? Could they even trust this? The other Hashira around him were just as panicked as he felt, and things began to escalate quickly.

“I think I understand.” Gyomei’s deep voice cut through the noise, and everyone went silent and turned towards him. The oldest Hashira had the respect and admiration of his peers, and when he spoke, everyone listened. “This letter said the future holds the greatest victory we could ask for, yes?”

“That’s right.” Shinobu confirmed.

“This… Yuya, is talking about the greatest victory we could hope for, yes? There’s only one thing I can picture.” Gyomei continued, wrapping and unwrapping his beads around his arms. “The death of Muzan Kibutjusi.”

“You think that could actually happen?” Kyojuro asked, amazed at the idea. “In our generation? T-that’s wonderful news! Truly, I can think of nothing better!”

“But the letter says it also comes at a heavy cost.” Obanai reminded, Kaburamaru coiling around his neck. “If I had to guess, I’d say not all of us make it out alive. Maybe only Tengen.”

“That’s… no that can’t be.” Tengen shook his head. “I can’t be the only survivor…”

Mitsuri sniffled, tears in her eyes. “As much as it hurts my heart, if it means the end of demons then our sacrifices are worth it.” She declared, rubbing at her eyes. “I’m willing to lay down my life if it means the night will finally be safe!”

“We all are Mitsuri.” Kyojuro assured her. “But if this is an opportunity to defeat Muzan and stay alive, then I say it’s worth looking into. Tomioka, where did you find this note? Was there anything else in there?”

Giyu opened the door behind him. “Right in here, where we usually meet with the Master. There’s some kind of… machine.” He said, shrugging and entering the room.

The other Hashira left their shoes in the garden and followed after him. To be honest, Kyojuro wasn’t sure exactly what he was seeing. Where the Master usually sat and faced the Hashira was what looked like a screen from a movie theater. Tengen liked the flashiness of the films, and had once dragged Kyojuro with him to catch one. Sitting on the floor was a strange box shaped device with buttons on it, clearly labeled. On/off and play/pause.

“Interesting…” Shinobu mused, before turning to Gyomei and describing the situation.

“I guess this movie screen is how we’ll see it.” Tengen said. “Makes sense, seeing our future like one of those movies. Do we turn it on with this… controller?”

“Guess so.” Kyojuro said, grabbing it.

The Hashira all took a seat, where they could easily see the screen. Gyomei sat in the back, and everyone promised to pause things and explain what was happening as needed. Kyojuro pressed the on button, and then clicked play.

Chapter Text

The screen starts off in black, panting the only thing we hear before the world comes into focus. A blanket of snow covers the ground, and the camera shakes as the pov is from whoever is struggling to walk.

Giyu leaned forward, amazed by what he was seeing. He had heard Kyojuro and Mitsuri discussing movies before, but he had never gone to one himself. He preferred to stay away from the more populated cities and avoid large crowds.

“I don’t get it…” Tengen muttered. “That doesn’t sound like any of us.”

Shinobu gently shushed him.

We see TANJIRO KAMADO, age 13, carrying his unconscious sister NEZUKO KAMADO on his back. She has blood on her as he struggles in the snow. Tanjiro wonders how something could have happened and promises to help Nezuko as the camera pans out and to the sky.

Oh. Oh, no. Oh no. Giyu leaned closer, hoping no one noticed the panicked expression on his face. That was Tanjiro and Nezuko. How much was this going to show?

“Who the hell is that?” Sanemi wondered. “Is he one of us? Does anyone recognize him?”

“I’ve never seen him before.” Mitsuri confirmed, before turning to Gyomei and describing the boy.

“No, doesn’t sound familiar.” Gyomei shook his head. “The poor boy. Namu amida butsu.”

“His sister is hurt.” Kyojuro noted. “Must have been a demon attack, the poor girl.”

Suddenly, we see a basket full of coal as Tanjiro loads it onto his back. We’ve gone back in time. KIE KAMADO exits the house, and cleans up her son after noticing he’s dirty. Tanjiro vows to sell all the charcoal so they can have a happy new years.

“Okay, so I guess we started in medias res.” Shinobu said.

“In what?” Muichiro asked.

“It means we started in the middle of the story, and now we’re seeing the beginning.” Shinobu explained.

Muichiro nodded in understanding.

Giyu hadn’t known Tanjiro’s family. He had never gone up to their house to see them. It… it was strange to see them all like this. To see Tanjiro happy. The only time he had seen Tanjiro, the boy was just miserable.

Tanjiro’s younger siblings, TAKEO, HANAKO and SHIGERU KAMADO, come from around the house, wanting to go with him. Kie informs them only Tanjiro is going, despite their protests. Tanjiro comforts his siblings, promising to bring gifts and spend time with them. The Kamado’s are a loving and happy family.

“Aww! How cute! This reminds me of my siblings!” Mitsuri cooed. “And the way Tanjiro teases his brother reminds me of Senjuro-kun!”

“You’re right!” Kyojuro laughed. “You should come over to dinner soon, we’d love to have you again.”

Sanemi watched the screen with an unreadable expression on his face, fists clenched. Giyu assumed it was because he was wondering what happened between now and the beginning of this vision.

The family waves off Tanjiro as he starts to descend, passing by Nezuko. She’s carrying ROKUTA KAMADO on her back. Nezuko mentions how clingy the youngest sibling has been since their father died, and how everyone looks up to Tanjiro. “We don’t exactly have an easy life, but we’re happy. Life can change, though. As sudden as the weather. It shifts and moves on. The sun can’t shine forever and the snow has to stop at some point. But whatever happens, when happiness is destroyed, it’s always followed by the smell of blood.”

Tengen winced. “That… sounds like the build up to something really bad. Poor kid.”

“They’re all so young…” Mitsuri whimpered.

Sanemi’s scowl deepened. Giyu was nervous, it seemed like everyone was going to see how he would spare Nezuko. He hoped they would understand.

Tanjiro makes it to town, where he is happily greeted by the townsfolk. A boy rushes out and asks Tanjiro for help proving his innocence. Tanjiro sniffs it, demonstrating his unique sense of smell for the first time. It’s clear that Tanjiro is seen as a reliable and trustworthy person, being beloved by the town.

“What a sweet boy.” Gyomei said suddenly.

Shinobu hummed. “Hey Tomioka, didn’t you mention once that your trainer had a good sense of smell?”

Giyu said nothing, wondering if he really had told her that. He couldn’t remember…

“So the kid’s nose is like my sense of hearing.” Tengen nodded. “Very flashy.”

“I still don’t know why this kid is so important.” Obanai muttered.

It is nighttime and Tanjiro prepares to head back up the mountain. He’s stopped by an elderly neighbor SABURO who insists that the young boy stays the night, warning him about demons showing up. Tanjiro thanks the man for his hospitality and asks more about demons. Saburo explains about demons and the demon slaying corps.

“Hmmm, does the old man ring a bell for anyone?” Shinobu asked. Nobody spoke up.

“He definitely met one of us though… sounds like whoever it was was too late to save the rest of his family though.” Kyojuro replied.

Tanjiro muses over demons as he settles down for bed, remembering that his grandmother once told him about demons as well before she died. He also makes a note to bring his siblings by to visit the kind neighbor. The next morning Saburo waves Tanjiro off up the mountain.

The tension in the air was thick, everyone having a strong feeling of what was about to happen. Nobody dared to make a sound.

“Whenever happiness is destroyed, it’s always followed…” Tanjiro pauses in his journey, sniffing the air before looking horrified. “The smell of blood!”

Giyu clenched his jaw, knowing exactly what Tanjiro would find but not ready to face it. Mitsuri grabbed Obanai’s arm as tears welled in her eyes. Seeing this kind of thing was never easy for any of them. Gyomei reached out and placed a hand on Muichiro’s shoulder, the boy tense and unblinking.

A horrified Tanjiro arrives home, seeing Nezuko bloodied in the snow, holding Rokuta underneath her. Inside, the scene is worse. The house is covered in blood and Tanjiro’s family lies dead.

“Oh god…” Kyojuro whispered. “Those poor people.”

Sanemi growled. “That disgusting demon. It doesn’t even look like he was attacking for a meal, he just mutilated them!”

Kaburamaru hissed at the screen, twisting around his master’s neck as Obanai glared daggers at the scene.

“Oh, the hatchet…” Muichiro noted, always strangely observant at the oddest times. “The younger brother, he must have tried to hit the demon with it…”

“Please let one of us show up soon.” Mitsuri quietly begged. “Poor Tanjiro…”

It suddenly occurred to Giyu that Tanjiro would’ve had to go back up the mountain by himself to bury his family. At the time, it had seemed too personal a matter for Giyu to get involved with. But looking back at it now, and seeing what Tanjiro had, Giyu couldn’t help but wonder if maybe he should’ve stayed to help…

We resume where we started, Tanjiro racing down the mountain with Nezuko on his back. “How could something like this happen? Maybe a bear…? That couldn’t find a place to hibernate?” Tanjiro urges himself to keep moving despite his struggles, desperate to get his sister to a doctor before it’s too late.

Shinobu bit her lip, leaning closer to the screen like she was trying to identify Nezuko’s wounds.

“What if she dies?” Mitsuri whimpered. “Or worse?”

Nezuko stirs on his back, her eyes white and snarling as veins throb in her forehead. Tanjiro is knocked off the path and luckily lands safely in the snow. Tanjiro approaches his sister, but she has changed. She is now a demon; he realizes as she attacks him.

“Shit!!” Tengen shot to his feet, his hands instinctively going for his swords as reflex kicked in. A moment later he seemed to realize he couldn’t do anything, and he reluctantly sat back down.

“She turned!” Kyojuro shouted.

“She’ll kill him!” Shinobu panicked. “Where are we?! Surely there must be one of us nearby? Even the lowest ranking member could protect Tanjiro from a freshly turned demon!”

Gyomei began to pray, tears falling down his face. “This poor family.”

Giyu punched the floor, furious at himself. If only, if only. He could’ve done something; he could’ve saved them. If only he had gotten there sooner.

Tanjiro realizes Nezuko didn’t attack their family, and notes there was another scent there. Tanjiro laments his own survival as his sister strains against the ax in her mouth. He cries and begs his sister to hang on as the camera cuts away to someone’s feet running towards them.

Everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief. All except Giyu, who tensed up. So, they were about to see… surely, they’d understand. They just had to see what he did. Nezuko was different.

Nezuko begins to cry, looking down at her brother as if suddenly realizing who he is. Soft music begins to play and suddenly, we see GIYU TOMIOKA approaching, his sword drawn. He leaps in the air, ready to behead the demon, but Tanjiro reacts quickly and rolls them out of danger.

“Oh, thank god!” Kyojuro praised. “It’s you Tomioka!”

“The hell did he roll out of the way for?” Sanemi wondered.

“She was crying…” Mitsuri noted. “She stopped attacking him…”

Tanjiro wonders who this man is as he holds Nezuko protectively. “Why are you protecting it?” Giyu asks. Tanjiro tries to explain the situation as Nezuko starts snarling and thrashing. “You call that thing your sister?” Giyu asks again, before leaping at them.

“Damn Tomioka.” Tengen winced. “I mean… I can understand the situation on both your sides, but damn.”

“If someone came at my brother with a sword and I knew as much as Tanjiro, I would do the same.” Kyojuro admitted.

Tanjiro tries to shield his sister, only to suddenly realize she is now being restrained easily by Giyu. Nezuko snarls as Giyu orders Tanjiro to stay back. “My job is to slay every demon I find, which means I have to decapitate your sister here.”

Shinobu sighed. “Would it kill you to be a little nicer?”

Tanjiro begs him not to and tries to explain about the other scent, but Giyu is unmoved by his pleas. Giyu explains how Nezuko was turned and tells Tanjiro that Nezuko would’ve eaten him.

“There he goes, mentioning another scent.” Gyomei said. “Do you think he means Muzan himself?”

“It would fit.” Sanemi agreed. “But what the hell would he be doing all the way out here for?”

Giyu raises his blade amidst Tanjiro’s begging. Tanjiro gets on his knees to beg for his sister’s life, beginning to cry. Giyu becomes enraged by his begging and yells at Tanjiro to never grovel at his enemies. “How can a weakling like you have any hope of finding a way to heal his sister or hunt down a demon?! Don’t be ridiculous! The weak have no rights. They don’t get to make choices! All they can do is be relentlessly crushed by the strong!”

“Jesus Christ Tomioka!” Tengen exclaimed.

“This is the most emotion I’ve ever seen from you.” Shinobu teased.

“Um… do you need to talk?” Mitsuri asked kindly.

Giyu ignored them, focusing on the screen.

“You know, Tomioka’s being a lot nicer than I would.” Sanemi reluctantly admitted. “If it was me, the girl would already be dead.”

“I’d probably have beheaded her and left without saying anything other than she was a demon.” Obanai added.

Giyu tells Tanjiro the demons may know of a cure, but they won’t respect him and neither does Giyu. He continues to berate Tanjiro. “Don’t cry. Don’t succumb to sorrow. This isn’t the time to despair.” Giyu watches Tanjiro carefully, sympathizing with the boy and lamenting that he didn’t arrive earlier. Giyu stabs Nezuko, stirring Tanjiro into action.

“Oh… I think I’m getting it now.” Kyojuro nodded. “We’ve been seeing Tanjiro because Tomioka is going to take this boy on as his Tsugoku!”

“Oh, that would make sense!” Mitsuri agreed. “Hopefully these feelings will let Giyu get there sooner! I’m sure Tanjiro would join the corps to help protect others.”

“I dunno…” Tengen shrugged. “I mean, I don’t know what the kid is about to do, but future Tomioka is right, the kid’s resolve seems weak.”

Giyu flinched, and he knew the movement did not go unnoticed.

Giyu effortlessly grabs the rock Tanjiro throws as the boy runs into the tree line. Tanjiro charges but is easily knocked out. Then Giyu realizes Tanjiro’s true plan as he dodges the hatchet.

“Whoa! I take it back!” Tengen laughed. “How flamboyant! And look at you Tomioka, you didn’t even flinch!”

“Yes, very impressive!” Kyojuro agreed.

Nezuko escapes Giyu’s grip and kicks him away, rushing to Tanjiro. Giyu is horrified and hurries to rescue the boy but is stunned when the demon instead stands defensively before Tanjiro, shielding him from Giyu. “Nezuko didn’t do it. She’d never eat a human!”

“You all went quiet.” Gyomei said. “Did she kill him?”

“N-no…” Shinobu said softly. “She’s shielding him from Tomioka.”

“Impossible!” Obanai hissed.

Nezuko charges at Giyu as the Hashira remembers the last time he heard someone say that, which didn’t end well. He muses over the horrors he’s seen and Nezuko’s condition, easily fighting her. He sheathes his sword as Nezuko flies at him. “I wonder if… just maybe… these two are different.” A swift chop to the neck leaves Nezuko unconscious as well.

“What the hell are you doing?!” Sanemi demanded, turning to Giyu.

“No, I think the better question is… what did you do Tomioka?” Muichiro asked. “We’re seeing Tanjiro’s story… but this isn’t his future is it?”

Giyu sighed as everyone turned to look at him. “This is… two years ago now. Tanjiro should be in his final selection right now from the letter I received shortly before we arrived here.”

“What the hell?!” Sanemi roared, rising to his feet.

“Sit down!” Gyomei ordered. “We’re not going to start fighting amongst ourselves. We’ll continue watching this and then we’ll ask Tomioka to explain himself.”

Sanemi reluctantly sat down, glaring daggers at Giyu.

“Nezuko… she’s different.” Giyu said softly. “You saw how she behaved. If you keep watching, I’m sure you’ll see why I did what I did.”

The ghosts of the Kamado family gather around Tanjiro’s sleeping form. Kie apologizes for having to leave him and asks Tanjiro to look after his sister. Tanjiro awakens and reaches out, grabbing Nezuko’s kimono. Her coat is back on, and there’s a bamboo muzzle in her mouth.

“Was that… in his head?” Tengen wondered.

“I don’t… want to think about it.” Shinobu shook her head. “That’s… the idea of our families saying goodbye like that…”

Giyu watches them a short distance away, and orders Tanjiro to take his sister and go to Mt. Sagiri and look for Urokodaki. He also informs Tanjiro of Nezuko’s weakness to sunlight before leaving.

“You just left like that?” Mitsuri wondered.

“I wrote a letter to Urokodaki, and a letter to the master while they slept.” Giyu explained. “I already wasted enough time, I had to get moving.”

We cut back to the Kamado’s house, Tanjiro and Nezuko standing before a grave. Tanjiro prays over his family before taking his sister by the hand and leaving with her. Tanjiro looks back one last time before running.

“He’s so young… and he’s already had to endure so much…” Kyojuro said.

Title card and opening.

“Whoa, the hell is this?” Tengen wondered. “Can we rewind that?”

Kyojuro examined the controller. “No, doesn’t seem like it. But we definitely saw Tanjiro fighting a few demons in a row, right?”

“Did anyone else notice a boy with a boar head?” Shinobu asked.

“I’m… pretty sure we just saw Muzan and what may be the upper moons…” Sanemi muttered.

“Episode one… Cruelty.” Muichiro read off.

“So these episodes are what we’re watching…” Obanai frowned. “I wonder how many there are.”

“Was that… it couldn’t have been.” Giyu felt his heart racing. For just a second… he had seen Sabito. What did that mean?

“I saw all of us!” Mitsuri said. “But Giyu was the only one we could fully see.”

Gyomei only hummed. “Well. We can either pause and talk, or wait to see more.”

“I’d like to watch more!” Kyojuro declared. “I’d rather see more of Tanjiro and Nezuko’s characters as people before I cast my judgment. If this happened two years ago, before we could change anything, then I believe there must be something in the Kamado’s worth believing in!”

“Rengoku…” Giyu said softly, touched by his comrade’s trust. “Thank you.” He bowed his head.

“My sister… she always believed we could be friends with demons.” Shinobu recalled. “I want to see if Nezuko will make that dream come true.”

“I think we all want to see more.” Tengen agreed, taking the remote from Kyojuro. “Let’s watch another.”

Chapter Text

A crow flies overhead a rice field as we hear Tanjiro’s voice. Tanjiro asks a farmer for a basket and the farmer agrees, but warns it’s broken. The two get in a brief argument over payment, with Tanjiro eventually forcing the money on the man before running off with the supplies.

The Hashira laughed, everyone taken aback by the sudden whiplash of the previous episode with this one.

“He’s so well mannered, he’ll fight you to make sure he pays you.” Tengen laughed.

“What’s he need a basket for?” Muichiro asked.

“If I had to guess…” Shinobu hummed. “He’s probably going to repair it to carry his sister. Tanjiro’s probably going to want to keep moving after all.”

“Smart kid.” Tengen praised. He couldn’t help but start feeling fond of the boy after watching him like this. A part of him felt bad for basically spying, but it wasn’t like this was out of the ordinary for him in the first place.

Cut to Tanjiro sitting at a cave, calling for his sister. Nezuko pops out of a hole in the back of the cave, now only speaking in grunts and groans.

“Awww she’s so cute!” Mitsuri squealed.

Oh shit!” Tengen quickly paused the screen. “Okay I think this is what we saw before. Nobody say a thing, I wanna be able to focus on this. Next time we see it, we can pause and look at things.”

Everyone nodded in agreement and Tengen played the episode again, leaning forward to observe every detail.

Theme and Title Card

“So that’s what Muzan looks like.” Tengen said. “And those silhouettes must be the upper moons if I had to guess.”

“Was that Kanao?!” Shinobu gasped.

Tengen turned to Sanemi in confusion after hearing the man groan. His head was buried in his hands and it sounded like he was gritting his teeth. “That idiot…”

“Is that a mask or did Tanjiro befriend a boar headed demon?” Kyojuro asked. “Spooky!”

Tengen paused, noticing that Giyu’s heart was racing. “Hey, Tomioka. You okay man?” He called out, concerned.

“I’m… I’m fine.” Giyu sighed. “I’ll be okay.”

Tengen frowned, but didn’t push. It was so hard to get a read on that guy…

“Episode two Trainer Sakonji Urokodaki.” Shinobu read off.

Tanjiro stares into the cave in confusion. “Why’d she dig a hole? Is my demon kid sister turning into a mole now?” Tanjiro realizes that Nezuko is just trying to avoid the sun and starts to make the basket.

Mitsuri cooed over how cute Nezuko was.

“He’s pretty handy.” Sanemi praised. “I wouldn’t have thought of fixing the basket like that.”

Tanjiro tries to coax Nezuko into the completed basket so he can carry her during the day, but she’s too big. Tanjiro takes a moment to marvel over how grown up she is. Then he asks her to try and shrink to fit into the basket. When she does so, he praises her and pets her head.

“She’s so cute!!” Mitsuri cooed more. “Look at how tiny she makes herself!”

“She’s still a demon Mitsuri.” Obanai reminded. “Don’t get caught up in her appearance. We don’t know what will happen.”

“Now I’m just remembering how tiny Senjuro used to be.” Kyojuro hummed. “To think he’s already fourteen.”

Against his will, an image of a small child, practically a baby still, invaded Tengen’s mind. A child who never got much older…  the youngest of the lot, the one who could never quite keep up. The one who whimpered and cried through the night until…

Shut up. Tengen hissed at his brain, shoving the mental image down.

Cut to sometime later, the sun is setting over the mountains as Tanjiro asks a woman for directions. She’s concerned, and warns him of the danger and how people have been going missing on the mountain.

“I actually remember this.” Gyomei said. “The Master mentioned it to me, but told me that a retired Hashira lived in the area and had been investigating things. Interesting.”

“Tomioka, your mentor is a retired hashira?” Tengen asked, surprised. “Man, lucky you!”

“Yes.” Giyu. “I am… very lucky to have had Urokodaki.”

Cut to that night, as Tanjiro travels up the mountain. Nezuko is out of her box and walking close behind him. The siblings stop and notice a temple that’s been set up for travelers to stop and rest at. Tanjiro suddenly tenses, smelling blood, hurrying up to see if someone was hurt on the rough path.

“It’s going to be the demon, isn’t it?” Muichiro sighed.

“Can such a kind child really exist in this world?” Gyomei wondered to himself.

Tengen sighed. Honestly, it was like they forgot how sensitive his hearing was. He could pick up on every tiny detail in the room. He wished they could all just be quiet so he could focus on this episode.

Tanjiro throws open the temple doors, and is horrified by what he sees. A demon is feasting, and demands to know what the intruders are doing in his territory. Tanjiro is frozen as Nezuko begins to salivate over the dead humans in the corner.

“I knew it.” Obanai rolled his eyes. “A demon is a demon. She can’t resist her urges.”

Tengen sighed and closed his eyes. Poor kid. He had been rooting for the kid, but maybe it was foolish after all.

“Don’t do it Nezuko!” Mitsuri pleaded. “I’m rooting for you!”

The demon notices he’s not talking to a fellow demon, but a human. He launches at Tanjiro, about to kill him, but the boy reacts fast and cuts at his neck with the hatchet. The demon is somewhat impressed, but informs Tanjiro that his efforts are useless.

“He’s fast!” Kyojuro praised. “That was a quick reaction and a good hit!”

Giyu nodded. “If only he had a nichirin sword. I wish I had had a knife or something he could’ve used instead…”

“Is that actual concern from you Tomioka?” Shinobu giggled. “No use fretting over the past, and you said yourself he was at final selection already.”

“That was a very flashy move either way.” Tengen cheered. “Not bad for his first fight! I can’t wait to see the kid once he’s actually trained!” He’d have to ask if Giyu was going to take the kid on as his Tsugoku, because if he wasn’t, then Tengen called dibs.

Nezuko continues to stare at the bodies, drool dripping down her chin as the demon pins her brother behind her. Tanjiro struggles as the demon threatens to kill him. He cries out, and Nezuko gasps at the sound.

“Wait, is she…?” Mitsuri started to ask.

Quick as lighting, Nezuko beheads the demon with a swift kick. Tanjiro is stunned and horrified by his sister’s actions, not noticing the demon’s body reaching for him. Nezuko does, and kicks it away once more.

“Holy crap!!” Tengen couldn’t believe what he was seeing. “She kicked his head off!”

“She turned away from a human, just to save her brother…” Shinobu said, her voice quiet in awe.

“You see Obanai?!” Mitsuri squealed. “Giyu was right!”

Tengen chuckled to himself, hearing the surprised noise Giyu made and watching the way Obanai ducked his head. Anyone else would’ve gotten snapped at by the heterochromic man, but not Mitsuri. Tengen knew Obanai and Mitsuri were carrying a spark for each other. Hmm… if time was frozen back home and they didn’t know how long they’d be here… he could do some matchmaking! He’d have to pull Gyomei aside and let him know.

The head begins to scream at them, confused on why a demon is teaming up with a human. “How’s he still talking?!” The demon’s body charges at Nezuko, beginning to fight her. Tanjiro tries to help, but ends up fighting the head instead. Then Tanjiro unleashes one of his greatest moves: his killer headbutts, thanks to his iron head.

“Very flashy.” Tengen nodded. “Was not expecting that.”

“What’s he supposed to do though? Headbutt it into submission until daybreak?” Obanai wondered. “Would that work?”

“Maybe…?” Shinobu shrugged. “It probably depends on what time it is.”

“This reminds me of when I started out fighting demons.” Sanemi said. “I had no idea what I was doing at first.”

Tanjiro throws the hatchet and the head at a tree, leaving them stuck. He runs through the woods, trying to find his sister. He arrives just in time to tackle the demon, launching them off the cliff.

“Dumbass!!!” Obanai shouted. “What the hell was he thinking!?”

“He probably didn’t know there was a cliff.” Kyojuro defended. “But we know he’s alive.”

Eyecatchers

“Whoa, the hell?” Tengen asked. “What were those?”

“Who knows?” Sanemi shrugged.

Before Tanjiro can fall to his death, Nezuko catches him. The headless body lands neck first on a rock below, the head passing out from pain.

Everyone collectively winced, not liking the image or the sound. “Yikes.” Mitsuri cringed. “At least Nezuko caught Tanjiro.”

Tanjiro pulls out a knife and watches the head warily, wondering about demons and knowing he’ll have to finish this one off. He breathes heavily as he tries to work up the nerve to take the demon’s life. Suddenly, from behind, a man in a blue kimono patterned with clouds grabs his shoulder. “That knife isn’t going to do the job.” The man says, his face hidden by a tengu mask.

“Oh.” Giyu sat up straighter. “That’s Master Urokodaki.”

“When did he get there?” Shinobu asked.

“I bet he’s been watching for a few minutes to see how Tanjiro would do in the fight.” Tengen suggested.

“What’s with the mask?” Muichiro wondered.

This is SAKONJI UROKODAKI. Tanjiro wonders how he didn’t hear the man coming and asks the man what to do. “Think for yourself. Or aren’t you capable of solving your own problems?” Tanjiro thinks the problem over, believing he’ll have to crush the demon’s head.

“Are you alright Tokito? You’ve gone awfully tense.” Gyomei noted.

“I…” Tokito tilted his head back and forth. “I think so…”

Tengen paused the screen, everyone turning to the youngest. “You sure little man? You’ve gone pale, like you saw a ghost.”

Muichiro was silent for a few moments. “I don’t even remember.” He finally said. “There was something with the rock, but I lost it.”

“It’s okay Tokito, I’m sure you’ll remember again!” Mitsuri assured him.

Tanjiro holds a large rock in his hands and wishes there was a way to kill the demon gently. Urokodaki watches carefully, not liking Tanjiro’s temperament, being able to smell nothing but kindness from the boy. “Giyu, this boy will never make it.”

“Wait, does Urokodaki not have anything on him?” Tengen asked. “What was he going to do if Tanjiro needed help?”

“Oh he definitely has his sword, knowing him.” Giyu said. “He’s probably just hidden it for now so Tanjiro won’t ask about it. That or he’s carrying a knife.”

The demon wakes back up and begins to struggle and threaten Tanjiro. The sun rises and kills the demon before Tanjiro can do anything. Tanjiro realizes Nezuko isn’t outside and finds her in the basket inside the temple.

“Wait… where did those people go?” Kyojuro noticed.

“That must have been what Urokodaki was doing.” Gyomei realized.

Tanjiro finds Urokodaki has buried the victims of the demon. Urokodaki introduces himself and asks what Tanjiro will do if Nezuko eats a human. Tanjiro hesitates and is slapped for it. “You’re too indecisive. You must learn to make decisions quickly. That’s why you failed to kill that demon before daybreak. Do you know why it took you so long to answer that simple question? Because your resolve is too weak. There are two things you must do if your sister eats a human. First, you kill her. Then slit your own belly and die.”

None of the Hashira could find it in themselves to protest. The man was right, and they would probably be telling Tanjiro the exact same thing. But some of them would probably not slap the poor kid.

Urokodaki tells Tanjiro to never let that happen, no matter the cost. Tanjiro agrees and Urokodaki tells Tanjiro he will be tested. Cut to later that day. Tanjiro is running after Urokodaki through a rice field, the elderly man several paces ahead. Tanjiro marvels at the man’s athleticism.

“I want to be like that when I retire.” Tengen declared. “Old as hell but still able to run circles around the rookies.”

“I’m pretty sure he can run faster, but I think he’s purposefully slowing down so Tanjiro can try and keep up.” Giyu added.

Tanjiro remembers a time Nezuko’s kimono tore, and Nezuko rejected a new one in favor of making sure the younger siblings had food.

“Growing up poor sucks.” Sanemi sympathized.

“It does have its hardships at times.” Gyomei agreed.

Tengen tried to think of a time where he ever really wanted for anything. There was the brief period of time when he left his clan with his wives, but they had managed decently well until joining the corps. Then again, how often did he sit and watch his siblings get to eat while his hunger gnawed at his stomach? How often did the reverse happen, a sibling starving because they didn’t do well during training? Every so often, Tengen would snag a rice ball or something small and smuggle it to the youngest of his siblings… but it wasn’t enough, not for the youngest…

Shut up! He shouted at himself. It had been twelve years, why was he thinking about this now?

Close to the end of the day, they have arrived at his house. Tanjiro asks if the test is complete but is informed it’s just beginning. Urokodaki promises to look after Nezuko while Tanjiro performs the actual test.

“There is no safer place she could be.” Giyu said softly.

“What’s the actual test?” Obanai asked.

Giyu’s only answer was a wince.

That night, Urokodaki leads Tanjiro up the mountain. The boy is exhausted and struggling to adjust to the thin air. Urokodaki explains the test. Tanjiro must get back down the mountain by daybreak.

“Okay. That doesn’t sound so bad…” Kyojuro said slowly, waiting for the twist.

“That’s not it.” Giyu sighed.

Tanjiro thinks this will be easy and begins to make his way down. Then he realizes what the catch is as he lands in a tiger trap. Urokodaki has booby trapped the mountain.

“There it is.” Kyojuro nodded.

“Wow. You had to do this too?” Mitsuri asked.

“Many times.” Giyu answered.

“Man, I wish we could remember this.” Tengen sighed. “I’d love to try this kind of thing on my own and see how I do.”

“Yeah actually, it would make good training.” Obanai agreed.

Tanjiro struggles to make his way down, accidentally setting off many of the traps and struggling to catch his breath. But he doesn’t give up and keeps moving, using his sense of smell to detect the traps. No matter how many times he’s knocked to the ground, he keeps moving. “I’ll make it back… no matter what! For Nezuko!”

“You can do it Tanjiro!” Mitsuri cheered.

“Keep getting up! You can do this!” Kyojuro added.

“He can’t hear you.” Tengen reminded.

Nezuko sleeps in a futon, Urokodaki tucking her in as he waits for Tanjiro. Tanjiro opens the door, bloodied, bruised, and exhausted. But he passed the test.

“He did it!” Kyojuro said proudly.

“Way to go!” Tengen cheered.

As Urokodaki looks at him, he remembers the letter Giyu sent. We learn that Urokodaki also has a sense of smell like Tanjiro’s.

“Wait… Tomioka, are you not going to take him on as your Tsugoku?” Shinobu asked, confused. “I thought you were sending him to Urokodaki to train him in secret so we wouldn’t find out about Nezuko. Have you gone to see him at all?”

Giyu shook his head. “Tanjiro deserves a better teacher than me.”

“If you don’t want him as your Tsugoku, can I have him?” Kyojuro asked.

“Dammit Kyo, I was gonna ask first!” Tengen shouted in a mock angry tone.

Tanjiro passes out at the door. “You’re now my new student, Tanjiro Kamado.”

“Not for long!” Tengen vowed. “I’m going to have the flashiest Tsugoku!”

End theme.

“Another one?!” Sanemi groaned.

“This one seems more focused on Tanjiro’s family though.” Tengen noted. “I’m guessing blondie and boar are important if they keep showing up though.

The Taisho Era secret. Tanjiro and Nezuko discuss the demon fight. “Mr. Urokodaki hides his face with that goblin mask. But do you know how old he is?” Tanjiro is interrupted by Urokodaki asking what he wants for dinner.

“Whoa what?” Tengen asked. “This thing keeps throwing the most random crap at us!”

“How old is he?” Muichiro asked.

Giyu did not comment.

“Episode 3: Sabito and Makomo!”

“What did it say?!” Giyu gasped, racing to his feet. “Did he say Sabito!? And I’ve seen his face… I don’t…”

“Tomioka?” Shinobu called, worriedly.

Tengen had never seen the man like this before, pale and shaking. He could hear the Water Hashira’s heart race a mile a minute. “Tomioka, maybe you should sit down…?”

“Who’s Sabito?” Mitsuri asked. “Is he someone you know?”

“He’s dead.” Giyu admitted, his voice shaking as tears welled in his eyes. “He’s dead and it’s all my fault. I got him killed.”

Chapter Text

“What?!” Mitsuri gasped, taken aback. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing, everything had been so hard to process since they got here. She felt like her head was about to explode, especially after hearing this.

Looking around the room, it seemed like this was news to everyone, not just her. Even Shinobu, who seemed the closest to Giyu, looked stunned at this announcement. Then again, it wasn’t that surprising. Giyu didn’t really like to talk about himself. Or talk in general.

A reaction as strong as this says just how heavily this death weighs on the Water Hashira. Mitsuri turns this information over in her head. Joining the slayer corps, they knew the risk of death. So, what could have happened to Giyu to make it feel so personal? What happened that Giyu believes the death falls firmly on his shoulders?

“The title… Sabito and Makomo…” Giyu muttered, his hands digging into his haori. “Urokodaki must have told Tanjiro about them. I don’t… I can’t listen to him describe Sabito’s death.”

“Tomioka…” Shinobu said softly. “We have to watch these episodes. I’m sure you’ll be fine. This isn’t a vacation after all.”

“Are you kidding me Kocho?!” Sanemi snapped. “The man is crying, and you just want him to sit down and shut up? Give him a break!”

“Tomioka.” Gyomei cut in, speaking in a gentle tone. “If you don’t wish to watch this, please do not feel forced to.”

“That’s right!” Mitsuri quickly agreed. “In fact, we can go outside and train together if you’d like!”

“Only one of us really needs to be here!” Kyojuro added. “So, we could all step outside with you, and whoever watches will let us know when this episode is over!”

Everyone was silent, and the tension in the air felt thick as everyone carefully watched Giyu and his reactions.

“N-no.” Giyu said softly. “No thank you. That’s very kind of you all. But I will sit and watch this with all of you.”

“Okay. But if you need us to stop or if you want to leave, please let us know.” Mitsuri pleaded.

Tanjiro sits in a dark room, writing at a desk while Nezuko sleeps nearby. He puts out the light and goes to leave, pausing to look at his sister before Urokodaki calls him to go.

“Hmm… I didn’t know demons could sleep.” Shinobu said. “Interesting.”

Mitsuri giggled to herself. Nezuko was just too cute! And Tanjiro was such an amazing big brother, going above and beyond to help her.

Theme

“By the way I’ve memorized this song.” Tengen casually bragged.

“Of course you did.” Sanemi rolled his eyes.

Urokodaki’s voice narrates over the scene as he explains what the corps is and its mission. We can see the silhouettes of the other Hashira besides Giyu, who is in color. Urokodaki continues to narrate and explains what demons are in more detail.

“Hey it’s us!” Mitsuri pointed out. “But wait… I wasn’t a Hashira two years ago…”

“You know putting us all side by side like that really makes me realize how short Muichiro is.” Tengen snorted.

“I will punch you.” Muichiro threatened.

“The demon slayers fight these demons with mere mortal bodies. As humans, wounds are slow to heal, and their lost limbs are unable to grow back. Nevertheless, they fight to protect and defend humanity.”

“That we do.” Gyomei nodded.

“No matter the cost, we will fight.” Kyojuro vowed.

Title card

Urokodaki’s voice continues to narrate as we see Tanjiro begin to train. He tells Tanjiro that in order to join the corps, he must pass Final Selection.

Mitsuri peeked over at Giyu. He seemed calmer than earlier but was still tense.

Tanjiro takes over the narration, explaining his daily routine and how he will write a journal for his sleeping sister. Tanjiro descends the mountain again and again, and noticeably improves over time. We see Tanjiro at his writing desk again, Nezuko still asleep.

“She’s still asleep?” Muichiro wondered.

“Hey, he’s getting a lot better.” Tengen praised.

Tanjiro begins running with his sword and struggles. Later, he is exhausted as he writes, falling asleep on his desk.

“Oh boy I know that feeling.” Kyojuro chuckled. “Some days after training I’d sleep in the hallway and Senjuro would have to cover me in a blanket.”

Tanjiro begins actually training with his sword. “Urokodaki told me, “If you ever break your sword, I’ll break every bone in your body.” He sounded just like that, too, very ominous.” Tanjiro vows to work hard for his sister.

“He will absolutely break his bones.” Giyu said softly. Mitsuri could see a nostalgic look in his eyes as he watched this.

“That ever happen to you?” Sanemi asked.

“Luckily no.”

Tanjiro tries sparring with Urokodaki, which mostly involves getting thrown into the dirt over and over.

Giyu actually laughed at that, much to everyone’s surprise. “That… that’s exactly how it starts.”

Mitsuri smiled to herself. She had never seen Giyu so happy. He looked so handsome like this!!

Tanjiro finally begins to learn concentration breathing and the ten water breathing forms. Urokodaki smacks him in the chest every time he fails.

“Ouch.” Shinobu winced. “I’m glad Kanae and I had an easier way to learn.”

“Lucky you.” Sanemi grunted. “My trainer was largely the same.”

Urokodaki kicks Tanjiro off a waterfall. He floats face down in the water after landing. Then he tries to withstand the waterfall by standing underneath, but crumbles under the force.

“Oh my god?!” Mitsuri cried out, mildly horrified. “Did he do that to you?!”

“Oh no.” Giyu shook his head. “No, I stupidly tried to run. So, he picked me up and tossed me in.”

Tanjiro reveals it has been six months, but Nezuko has not woken up once within that time frame. Urokodaki even sent for a doctor, but nothing seemed wrong with her. “I’m scared. I’m worried that, one morning, I’m gonna wake up, and she’ll be dead. Every day, that thought haunts me.”

“She hasn’t woken up in six months? Shit, is she okay?” Tengen wondered.

“I have a theory about this, but I’m not sure.” Gyomei said.

“What is it?” Obanai asked.

“I believe that if Nezuko isn’t eating humans, she must regain her energy by sleeping.” Gyomei hypothesized.

“Hmm… I wonder if we could get more demons to do that?” Shinobu muttered to herself.

Tanjiro’s training has advanced and gotten tougher. He struggles, but he also thrives.

“He’s doing fantastic.” Kyojuro praised.

“Mhmm, I’m not sure.” Tengen shook his head. “I dunno, I’m not seeing him progress in person.”

Another six months later, after an entire year of training, Urokodaki says he has nothing left to teach Tanjiro. Urokodaki leads his pupil to a large boulder and tells him that if Tanjiro can cut it, he can go to final selection. Tanjiro believes it is impossible and he will fail. Urokodaki descends the mountain, leaving Tanjiro with his final challenge.

“What.” Giyu blinked.

“What, did you not have to do this?” Mitsuri asked, curious.

“Oh, I cut my boulder. But that thing is bigger and thicker than any I’ve seen before.” Giyu said, shaking his head. “Was he trying to make Tanjiro fail?”

Tanjiro draws his sword and charges at the boulder, but his first attempt isn’t good. Tanjiro keeps training himself and going through everything Urokodaki has taught him. Over and over the next six months he tries to cut his boulder but gets no results.

“So… a year and six months.” Obanai calculated. “Looks like we’re almost caught up then.”

Tanjiro begins to give up, headbutting the rock out of frustration. “Silence!” A boy in a fox mask, SABITO, has appeared sitting on top of the boulder, holding a wooden sword. “It’s unseemly to whine, so knock it off.” Tanjiro is confused, but is given no time to think, as Sabito jumps off the boulder and begins fighting him.

Giyu gasped, looking pale. “That’s… that’s… Sabito…!”

“What?!” Mitsuri shrieked.

“But you said he was dead!” Sanemi pointed out. “What the hell is he doing there if he’s dead?!”

“I… I don’t know…” Giyu cried. “He hasn’t even aged a day!”

“What, like he’s a ghost?!” Tengen asked, belligerent.

Mitsuri frowned, noticing the way Giyu doubled over on himself. She really hoped he wasn’t about to throw up, but he looked sick to his stomach. Everyone was starting to be louder and louder, and some were crowding around Giyu.

“He’s having a panic attack and they’re making it worse.” Obanai’s voice hissed softly by her ear. He looked frustrated, Kaburamaru nuzzling against his face to try and calm him down.

“Is there something we can do?” Mitsuri asked, concerned.

“I’m going to take him outside to help him calm down, you calm the rest of them down for me.” Obanai asked, standing up and moving over to Giyu. He knelt down by the other slayer, keeping his voice low. After a moment, Giyu nodded and let Obanai pull him up and lead him outside.

I knew it! Mitsuri thought to herself, blushing. Obanai really is so sweet and considerate with everyone! So dreamy!

“What’s going on?” Muichiro asked, looking lost. “I don’t understand, did I forget something?”

“No, I don’t think you did.” Mitsuri consoled him before addressing the room at large. “Tomioka just needs a minute to calm down, when he comes back in, we’re all going to sit quietly and watch so we can figure out what’s happening. We’re not going to crowd Tomioka or raise our voices.”

It was maybe twenty minutes before Obanai and Giyu returned to the room. Giyu was still pale, but had a cup of tea in his hands. “This place has a fully stocked kitchen.” Obanai explained, seeing their confused expressions.

“I… feel like I owe you all an explanation.” Giyu sighed.

“You don’t owe us anything Tomioka!” Kyojuro said quickly.

“No, I want to say this. Maybe it will make things less confusing.” Giyu said, taking a few sips. “When Urokodaki took me in, he already had another student. That was Sabito. We grew up together, trained together, and we went to our final selection together. We were thirteen years old. He was the only one who died that year.”

Mitsuri gasped, tears welling in her eyes. She had no idea… poor Giyu!

“He killed all the demons that night single-handedly.” Giyu continued, his eyes looking vacant. “He saved everyone’s lives, and everyone passed except him. I was nothing short of pathetic. I was injured by the first demon who attacked me, and I spent the rest of the week in a daze. By the time I regained my senses, final selection was over. And Sabito was dead.”

“Shit… Tomioka I am so sorry.” Tengen said. “I can’t imagine what you must be going through, seeing him again.”

“It’s… strange.” Giyu admitted. “I wonder what he would say if he could see me now…”

After another few minutes, Mitsuri picked up the controller and pressed play again.

Eye catchers

Tanjiro tries to get answers out of Sabito but the boy is cryptic, and orders Tanjiro to get ready to fight. Tanjiro is concerned that Sabito is at a disadvantage with a wooden sword, but Sabito merely laughs. “How thoughtful of you. I greatly appreciate your concern, but do you honestly think you’d even be capable of giving me a scratch?”

“Sabito is going to beat him into the dirt.” Giyu commented.

“He’s that good?” Kyojuro asked.

“Sabito was so skilled.” Giyu praised. “I was always trying to keep up with him. He should be the water Hashira, not me.”

It was like a switch had finally clicked in their collective brains. Was that why Giyu acted the way he did? Did he not see himself as the Water Hashira?

All those times he seemed standoffish… he didn’t think he was better than them! He thought he didn’t deserve to stand with them!

Mitsuri’s heart felt like it was breaking for poor Giyu. She wanted to hug him so badly, but she wasn’t sure he’d like that.

Sabito declares himself to be more powerful, and that he’s already cut his boulder. He and Tanjiro begin to fight, but it’s obvious that Sabito has him outclassed. Sabito points out that Tanjiro has only memorized the information he’s learned but hasn’t actually begun to apply it with his body. “What the hell have you been up to for the past year and a half?! All of it has to be hammered into your flesh! More! More! More!”

“Yeah he’s… he’s really good.” Sanemi said.

“See I knew something seemed up.” Tengen said. “He’s doing fine physically, but he doesn’t understand the breathing styles yet.”

Tanjiro says he’s training and giving it all he has, but he’s not going anywhere. He doesn’t think he can do it. Sabito tells him can, he just needs to man up. “Don’t you want to be a demon slayer? There’s nowhere else to go but forward!”

“Don’t give up Tanjiro!” Mitsuri cried at the screen. “You’ve come so far; you can’t quit now! I believe in you with all my heart!”

“He can’t hear you Mitsuri!” Tengen reminded again.

Mitsuri turned to pout at him but was distracted by Giyu. For some reason, he was cupping his cheek, a distant look in his eyes.

Tanjiro charges at Sabito, but is effortlessly knocked out in only one hit. A girl wearing her own fox mask approaches. Sabito tells her it’s her turn. MAKOMO nods in understanding.

“God damn! One hit!” Tengen clapped.

“Poor Tanjiro…” Shinobu giggled. “His jaw’s going to hurt.”

“Who’s that girl?” Muichiro asked. “Do you know her too?”

Giyu frowned, silent for a moment. “Makomo… I think Urokodaki mentioned her before. She was the student before us.”

That night, Tanjiro awakes to see Makomo watching over him. Tanjiro is in awe of Sabito’s skill, wanting to be able to fight like him. Makamo assures him can, and that she will help him. Tanjiro can’t help but find her cute.

“She is cute.” Mitsuri agreed.

“She's a ghost, Mitsuri.” Obanai reminded.

“A cute ghost!” Mitsuri replied.

“I love that he got his ass kicked and he’s not even mad.” Tengen laughed. “He just wants to know how to do it himself.”

Tanjiro narrates how Makomo helped him with his technique. She corrected his movements and bad habits. However, the girl will not explain her past. “Sabito and I, we both love Urokodaki very much.”

“We do.” Giyu confirmed quietly. “We all love him.”

“Would it be out of line to assume you all see him as a father?” Gyomei kindly asked.

“Yeah, that’s a good way to put it.” Giyu agreed.

Makamo explains that she and Sabito aren’t siblings, but they were raised by Urokodaki. They also aren’t alone. There are other children, and they are all watching Tanjiro. Tanjiro finds her to be cute and odd.

“Are they…” Sanemi started to say. “Are they implying that all of Urokodaki’s students who died are haunting the mountain and watching Tanjiro?”

“Spooky!” Kyojuro agreed.

“What’s keeping them there?” Gyomei wondered. “Their love for Urokodaki, or something else? I hope their souls are able to find peace. Namu amida butsu.”

Makomo explains how total concentration breathing works, and emphasizes how important breathing is, but Tanjiro doesn’t understand just yet. “Train until it kills you. Because really, when you get down to it, there’s nothing else you can do.”

“That does not mean train until you start vomiting blood, Tokito.” Shinobu said sternly.

The mist Hashira said nothing, whether it was because he was lost in the fog of his mind or if he just didn’t want to acknowledge her was unclear.

Tanjiro continues to train with Sabito, but the pink haired boy continues to beat Tanjiro every time. We cut to six months later, winter once more. This time, Sabito has an actual sword.

Giyu winced. “He’s using an actual sword this time.”

“Can he win?” Obanai wondered.

“He’ll win.” Sanemi insisted. “And even if he doesn’t, he’s going to keep getting up.”

“Well, it’s been two years now.” Kyojuro realized. “Once he gets to final selection, we’ll be all caught up and seeing the future.”

“This is the day I win!” Tanjiro takes a deep breath and the two charge. “It was all over in an instant.” Before Sabito can make his move, Tanjiro brings his sword down and cuts Sabito’s mask in half, exposing his face for the first time.

“Oh, he’s cute.” Mitsuri blurted out without thinking. She cringed at herself, especially when Giyu immediately turned to give her a disbelieving stare.

“So… he put his scar on his mask?” Tengen realized.

“Urokodaki did.” Giyu explained. “He made us warding masks, to protect us during final selection. Mine unfortunately broke.”

Sabito gives Tanjiro a proud, yet sad smile. Makomo praises Tanjiro and asks him to win the next battle for her. The fog gets thicker, and Tanjiro’s trainers vanish.

“Do you think… Tanjiro knows they’re ghosts?” Shinobu wondered.

“If he doesn’t at least suspect something, then he’s an idiot.” Obanai said.

“I was sure what my sword cut through was his mask. But no. It was the boulder.”

“Thank you Sabito.” Giyu said quietly. “You’re amazing as always.”

End theme

Taisho era secret! Tanjiro and Nezuko are amazed he cut the boulder, and thankful to Sabito and Makomo. “Do you know why Mr. Urokodaki wears a mask? Well, I heard it’s because demons used to make fun of his face for looking too soft and kind all the time!”

“Have you ever seen him without his mask?” Mitsuri asked.

“Once or twice.” Giyu said, thinking it over. “It was very rare to see him without it.”

Tanjiro vows to his teachers to do everything it takes to restore Nezuko.

“Next time episode four: Final Selection!”

“Can I make a suggestion?” Sanemi said. “It was already night for us when we got here. We’ve spent at least an hour watching these… episodes. Let’s watch Tanjiro’s final selection and go to bed.”

“Yeah, that sounds good.” Mitsuri agreed. “I am getting pretty tired honestly.”

“Alright so we’ll probably watch one or two more episodes tonight.” Kyojuro confirmed.

Chapter Text

Sanemi wasn’t sure how to feel about Tanjiro. On the one hand, the kid was pretty impressive. He didn’t give up, he had a kind heart, and was apparently capable of doing the impossible. But on the other hand… on the other hand Sanemi despised the kid.

The eldest son who had to step up and be the man of the house when their father died. A boy who lost his family in an unspeakable tragedy. And only one sibling who survived. Why did Tanjiro have to remind him so much of himself?! He couldn’t decide if he wanted to hug the poor kid or punch him in the face.

The worst part was that watching this was forcing him to replay that night over and over in his head. Seeing Nezuko, and how she could resist eating humans… it just made him think of his mother. If he had been faster, if he had done better… could that have been him? Could he have stopped his mother from hurting anyone, and kept his family safe? Could he have carried his mother on his back, going on a mission to turn her human?

Adding to his mental crisis was the fact that he now sympathized with Tomioka of all people. And he was being forced to go over all their interactions with this new realization that Tomioka wasn’t a dick, he was just massively depressed with a huge helping of imposter syndrome. He took solace in the fact that just because he understood Tomioka better, it didn’t mean they were ever going to be friends.

In order to distract himself from his thoughts, he snatched the controller away from Mitsuri and played the episode.

We see a brief recap of Tanjiro’s final spar with Sabito.

“Why are they showing us what we literally just watched?” Tengen wondered, sounding a little annoyed.

Theme

Oh yeah, that was another thing bothering Sanemi. It had been years since Sanemi had last laid eyes on his younger brother, but he would recognize Genya anywhere. What the hell was Genya doing, wearing a demon slayer uniform?

That idiot… Sanemi wished he’d be able to remember that his brother joined the corps, so he could hunt him down and force him to quit. What was Genya thinking? Didn’t he know why Sanemi was doing this in the first place? Genya should be out getting his first job, and worrying about girls, not fighting demons!

Also, what the hell was he eating? He was a lot bigger and more muscular than Sanemi expected him to be.

Tanjiro’s voice narrates, telling us about the Opening Thread. His sense of smell has become so strong, he can see the perfect path to swing his sword and defeat his opponent. This is how he was finally able to defeat Sabito and cut his boulder.

“Interesting.” Tengen noticed. “It’s like my musical score technique.”

“That would be a useful ability to have. Would make some fights a lot easier.” Sanemi noted, desperate to distract himself from his thoughts.

Urokodaki approaches. He stares at the boulder for a moment before admitting that he never intended to send Tanjiro to the final selection. “Because I didn’t want to see any more children die.” Urokodaki praises Tanjiro for cutting the boulder, and pleads with him to come back home alive, pulling the boy into a hug.

“I should… write back to him more often.” Giyu said slowly.

“Wait, what?” Mitsuri asked.

“Tomioka, do you just… let this poor man send you letters and not reply?” Tengen asked.

“I… I don’t know if I really deserve his attention.” Giyu admitted. “The letter about Tanjiro was the first letter I’d sent his way in some time.”

“Tomioka, please write him soon.” Shinobu pleaded. “I think he’d like to hear from you. It would be good for both of you.”

“So he was just… never going to send Tanjiro to Final Selection?” Muichiro wondered. “What was he expecting to happen?”

Urokodaki makes Tanjiro a celebratory meal for completing his training. Urokodaki laments that Tanjiro is in for many hardships now, but tonight he will sleep soundly one last time.

“I remember barely being able to sleep the night before i went to final selection.” Obanai recalled. “And then Senjuro crawled into bed with me because he had a nightmare that I got hurt. I passed right out the rest of the night.”

Sanemi had almost forgotten that Obanai had grown up with Kyojuro. Now that he thought about it, they really didn’t bring up their childhoods that often did they? Obanai was a private guy, so it checked out. But Kyojuro? That guy was quite the talker. But now that Sanemi thought about it… Kyojuro only ever discussed stories from his childhood up to a certain point. He wondered what that was about…

Tanjiro cuts his hair as Urokodaki explains to him about how demons get stronger with their meals. Urokodaki pulls out a fox mask and hands it to Tanjiro. “It is called a warding mask. It’s been enchanted by a protection spell to keep you from harm.”

“What did yours look like Tomioka?” Mitsuri asked.

“Oh, it was a full-face mask like Sabito’s.” Giyu recalled. “It had blue eyes and thick eyebrows.”

“Maybe you should write to him, ask him to make a new one.” Muichiro suggested.

“Huh… maybe.” Giyu nodded.

The next morning Tanjiro dresses in an outfit similar to his Master’s. He checks on the sleeping Nezuko one last time, promising to come home. Urokodaki promises to take good care of Nezuko.

“Do you know if she’s awake?” Shinobu asked.

“No, I’ve read all the letters Urokodaki has sent me, but he’s never mentioned if she woke up.” Giyu replied.

Tanjiro begins to head down the path, then pauses. “Say hi to Sabito and Makomo!”

“Okay so he has no clue.” Sanemi muttered, shaking his head.

“Wait, is this the first time he’s mentioning them?” Tengen realized. “He trained with them for six months and never thought to bring it up or ask questions?”

Urokodaki is shocked. “Tanjiro? That’s impossible. How does he know the names of the dead?”

“So it is the first time?!” Obanai sputtered. “What the hell?!”

“He’s like… so smart… but so stupid.” Sanemi sighed.

“I think even I would say something or ask questions over six months.” Muichiro pointed out.

“Actually, I think there’s a chance that Sabito and Makomo asked Tanjiro to keep their help hidden.” Gyomei suggested. “And now that he’s off to Final Selection, he sees no need in keeping the secret any longer.”

“Yes, that would make sense.” Kyojuro agreed. “Tanjiro probably thought Urokodaki would consider it cheating to get outside help.”

“Okay that’s fair.” Sanemi relented. “I hadn’t considered that.”

We cut to sometime later. It is nighttime, and Tanjiro walks up a path surrounded by wisteria trees. He climbs up a long set of stairs and arrives at the gathering place. Several prospective slayers are here waiting for the test to begin. We see KANAO TSUYURI, ZENITSU AGATSUMA, and GENYA SHINAZUGAWA amongst the crowd.

“Is that Kanao?!” Shinobu gasped. “What… she must’ve snuck out!”

“You didn’t give her permission?” Gyomei asked. “It seems almost out of character for her to do this.”

Shinobu sighed. “I was worried that she felt pressured to join since she struggled helping in the hospital and Kanae and I are demon slayers. Still, I can’t be too mad at her if she’s following her own wants.”

“Hey! That's the blonde boy from the opening!” Mitsuri realized, pointing him out.

“Final selection hasn’t even begun and the kid’s already bruised.” Tengen shook his head.

Sanemi shot to his feet. “GENYA WHAT THE FUCK?!” He roared at the screen, wanting to reach his hands in and grab his brother by the shoulders to literally shake sense into him. “How the hell did you even find out about the corps?! I left you with the next-door neighbors!!!”

“Who’s Genya?” Giyu asked, pausing the screen.

“Do you know that little boy?” Shinobu asked.

“He’s my little idiot brother who shouldn’t be anywhere near Final Selection!” Sanemi snapped, not really paying attention to what was going on around him. Genya was going to get himself killed. Why didn’t he just stay home?!

“Sanemi. You told us you didn’t have any siblings.” Obanai noted, snapping Sanemi back into the present.

“I…” Sanemi growled, clenching and unclenching his hands. “It’s a long fucking story and not one I want to go into right now.” He quickly sat back down and snatched the controller back. “Let’s just watch the damn episode.”

“Wait a minute, is he supposed to be that giant kid from the intro?” Tengen realized. “How the hell did he go from point A to point B?”

“Shut up Uzui.” Sanemi snapped, playing the episode.

KANATA and KIRIYA UBUYASHIKI stand at the entrance and begin speaking in unison, informing everyone of what the test entails. The trainees must spend seven days up on the mountain where the demons roam. The trial has begun.

“Oh, it's some of the Master’s children!” Tengen said. “I didn’t know they were running Final Selection. How long has that been happening?”

“Two years.” Muichiro confirmed. “They were there for mine.”

“Okay if I’m timing this right, then this is around the time we were all taken.” Shinobu guessed.

Tanjiro runs through the woods on the mountain, keeping an eye out for danger. All he thinks about is surviving until dawn to rest. Very quickly he encounters two demons, who begin fighting each other for the right to eat him. The demons on this mountain are all half mad with starvation. It is easy for Tanjiro to defeat them after two years of training.

“Disgusting demons.” Sanemi cringed. “Final Selection is made easier yet harder by the fact that all the demons on the mountain are driven mad by starvation.”

Tanjiro remembers when Urokodaki told him the demon’s weakest point was the neck, and how only nichirin swords would be able to kill them.

“And you don’t always have to use a regular katana.” Tengen added, gesturing to his own swords.

“I remember hearing that there was once a demon slayer who used a bow and arrow, with the arrowheads being made of nichrin.” Gyomei recalled.

Tanjiro says a quick prayer for the demons, then sniffs out a horrible scent. Another boy runs past him, horrified by whatever is chasing him. The horrible scent grows closer as something massive makes its way through the trees in pursuit of the boy. It is a demon, massive and grotesque.

“What the fuck?!” Sanemi gasped. “That thing is massive! What the hell is that doing there?!” His heart raced. Where was Genya? Was Genya okay? Was he anywhere near that grotesque monster?

“There is no way anyone on that mountain would be prepared to fight that thing.” Shinobu gasped. “Oh god Kanao is on that mountain!”

Kyojuro described what it looked like to Gyomei who frowned. “Does anyone remember encountering that thing during their final selections?” The Stone Hashira asked, looking grim.

“Hell no, I would’ve gone back up there and killed that thing if I spotted it.” Tengen replied.

“No one could’ve dragged that thing up there so…” Obanai began quietly.

“How long has it been up there?” Mitsuri finished.

Suddenly, we are back in Urokodaki’s woods. Makamo and Sabito are by Tanjiro’s boulder, and discuss whether or not Tanjiro can beat someone.

“Wait.” Giyu leaned in closer. “Are they saying that…”

The boy Tanjiro saw is running for his life but trips over a tree root, luckily not impaling himself on his sword. This… HAND DEMON trudges to the boy, holding another trainee in a massive green fist. Tanjiro hides and watches in horror as the hand demon swallows his hostage whole.

Mitsuri gasped, her hands covering her mouth as tears welled in her eyes.

“Run Tanjiro!” Shinobu begged.

“They’re not prepared for this kind of fight.” Kyojuro sighed.

His hands stretch and morph, grabbing the other boy to swallow him. Tanjiro spurs into action, using Water Breathing, Second Form: Water Wheel to save the boy.

“Atta boy.” Sanemi praised quietly. “Now just grab the kid and run.”

The demon examines his bleeding stump, and then takes notice of Tanjiro’s fox mask. “Well look at that! It’s another one of those sweet little foxes.” Tanjiro is confused by this statement, but before he can ask, the demon asks for the era. Upon being informed it is now the Taisho era, the demon is enraged and curses Urokodaki.

“How long ago was your teacher active?” Gyomei asked.

Giyu looked pale. “It’s been… maybe twenty-five years since he was an active slayer.”

Tanjiro asks the demon’s connection to his Master, and the hand demon reveals that Urokodaki captured and brought him to the mountain forty-seven years ago during the Keio Era in the Edo Period.

“It’s been there almost fifty years.” Sanemi gasped.

“Gorging itself.” Muichiro spat in disgust.

The boy Tanjiro saved accuses the demon of lying, since no demon could possibly live that long here. The boy also points out that all the captured demons have only ever eaten one or two humans before their capture.

“How has no one brought it to our attention?” Kyojuro wondered. “Any Hashira would’ve gone up there to kill it!”

“Because anyone who saw it didn’t live much longer.” Obanai hissed, Kaburamaru doing the same.

The demon reveals that he is the exception to this rule, and has eaten fifty trainees over the past forty-seven years. He then begins to count. “11…12…13… that means your lucky number 14!” Tanjiro demands to know what the demon means, and the hand demon giggles. “That’s how many of Urokodaki’s students I’ve eaten.”

“BASTARD!” Giyu screamed, tossing his (thankfully empty) cup of tea at the screen and jumped to his feet. “You fucking monster!!” His hand went for his sword.

Sanemi and Tengen shot to their feet, ready to restrain Giyu since he looked ready to stab the screen to get to the demon. “Tomioka we can’t do anything!” Tengen reminded.

“Don’t you get it?!” Giyu shouted, tears beginning to stream down his face. “That thing!! That demon… it killed Sabito! It killed so many of Urokodaki’s students and it’s going to kill Tanjiro!”

“I know. I know.” Shinobu agreed in a consoling tone, also getting to her feet. “I can only imagine how I’m going to react if I see the demon who killed my sister.”

“I am so, so sorry Tomioka.” Kyojuro said. “No one should ever have to find out something this awful in this way. But you need to put down your sword.”

Giyu took three shuddery breaths before dropping his sword. “I… it’s all my fault. If I had been stronger I could’ve been there with Sabito.”

“What if’s will just haunt you.” Sanemi replied. “Trust me I know.”

Tanjiro is horrified to hear this. The hand demon recalls two who stood out in particular. A boy with pink hair and a scar by his mouth. A small girl in a flowery kimono. Tanjiro is struck by the realization that his new friends were dead all along, trying to train him to be strong enough to survive the battle they could not.

Giyu let out a choked sob, looking like he was going to be sick as he dropped to his knees.

Sanemi watched as Shinobu shuffled closer, rubbing his back and pulling him close to comfort him as best she could.

The demon then reveals that he always knows which ones are Urokodaki’s students by the warding masks they wear. “That’s how I pick out who to eat! They’re all inside my belly! It’s as if he’s guided them to their deaths.” Tanjiro becomes steadily enraged.

“My mask broke.” Giyu recalled through his sobs. “Fuck… Urokodaki doesn’t know. He thinks he’s not a good enough teacher, because how could he possibly suspect what was really happening?”

Sanemi idly wondered if this place had some kind of med room. Giyu looked ready to throw up, or start screaming and raving. Hopefully Shinobu had some kind of tranquilizer on her because Sanemi was pretty sure they were going to need it soon. Guess it’s a good thing that Giyu wouldn’t remember this.

The hand demon recounts how Makomo began to cry and fell into a rage when he told her. We see a silhouette of how she died: her limbs ripped off. Tanjiro charges, blind with rage.

“We all love Urokodaki so much.” Giyu whispered.

“No, that’s what he wants Tanjiro!” Muichiro warned. “You have to stay calm! Rage makes you sloppy and gets you hurt or worse!”

Sanemi clenched his fists into his pants, not caring if he tore the fabric. This damn disgusting demon. Fifty kids eaten without another thought. Thirteen children in fox masks eaten for a grudge they didn’t even know existed. One trainer who has no idea he’s marking his students for death. This is why he hated demons, and why he would rip Muzan apart with his bare hands.

And this is why Genya shouldn’t be on that mountain.

Suddenly, we are back with Sabito, who tells Tanjiro to remain calm. He orders Tanjiro to stay focused and forget about him and Makomo.

“Listen to them, listen to them!” Mitsuri pleaded, biting her nails.

The hand demon lands a sucker punch, slamming Tanjiro into a tree. His mask breaks and the burned area of his forehead is bleeding. He lays dazed and the boy he saved chooses to run for his life.

“Coward!” Muichiro shouted.

“Get back there and help him!” Kyojuro ordered.

“Who just runs?!” Tengen asked.

“People like that don’t last long in the corps.” Gyomei shook his head disapprovingly.

The demon laughs, mocking Urokodaki for losing another one of his children.

“Bastard.” Giyu hissed.

The screen is black. But a familiar voice calls out to Tanjiro. Shigeru hovers over his brother, calling his name.

“Hey, the ghost children are back.” Tengen said idly.

Tanjiro wakes up, dodging a fatal hit. The hand demon is amused by this, enjoying the opportunity to have more fun with his prey. His hands stretch out to grab Tanjiro, but he manages to dodge and slice before retreating.

“There we go!” Kyojuro cheered. “Keep moving Tanjiro!”

The hand demon mocks Tanjiro and recalls how even Sabito, the strongest of all the Fox Kits he faced, could cut off his head. We see for just a moment, Sabito’s last moments. His sword broke against the demon’s neck, and his head was crushed.

It seemed like this was the final straw for Giyu, and he dashed outside.

“And he’s puking.” Tengen said with a mildly grossed out expression. “That’s always fun to hear.”

“Now's not the time.” Kyojuro gently scolded.

And then the screaming began. The other Hashira all shot up, ready to run out there but Sanemi blocked the doorway. “Stop. Crowding him is the last thing he’s going to want or need right now. Only one of us should go.”

“I’ll go.” Gyomei offered. “You all wait here.”

Everyone reluctantly sat back down, occasionally shooting glances back at the door.

“Do you guys think Tanjiro can win?” Mitsuri asked after about ten minutes of silence.

“Mitsuri, we got told that we were here to see the future. We’ve only seen Giyu for five minutes and the rest of us haven’t even appeared.” Tengen pointed out, picking up Giyu's discarded cup and rolling it in his hands. “We’ve focused solely on Tanjiro. Of course he’s going to win.”

Another fifteen minutes of silence elapsed before Gyomei and Giyu returned. Sanemi couldn’t help but wince at how lifeless Giyu seemed. Paler than usual and his eyes red from crying, he didn’t say a word as he slumped onto the floor.

“There’s no way I can just let him go. I won’t let another life be sacrificed. No more! I’ll take him down!” Tanjiro stops running and charges, managing to sniff out and dodge an underground attack. The hand demon is stunned and tries for a midair attack.

No one said a word, occasionally glancing over to Giyu to check on him. But the water Hashira remained slumped by the wall, seemingly dead to the world.

Then we see Makomo. She wonders if their killer will slay Tanjiro as well and asks if the demon’s neck can even be cut. Sabito doesn’t know, but points out that the boulder Tanjiro cut was the toughest and largest boulder of them all.

What would happen if Tanjiro did die? Would Urokodaki put Nezuko out of her misery after getting on the news? Or would the little demoness go feral and run wild without her brother? And shit, what about Giyu? How would he feel after hearing that Tanjiro died when Giyu sent him off to join the corps?

Sanemi hoped the kid survived because he did not want to think about those answers.

Tanjiro deflects the attack and runs across the outstretched arm, slicing off any other limbs that come his way. The demon claims his neck is too tough to be cut through as Tanjiro prepares to strike.

Everyone held their breath, leaning close to see what would happen.

Tanjiro smells the opening thread, and uses Water Breathing, First Form: Water Surface Slash. The demon’s head is cut off.

Giyu’s head rose, the first sign of life from him in a while.

“He did it.” Sanemi said, looking at him from the corner of his eyes. “Sabito can finally rest.”

“Yeah…” Giyu replied hoarsely.

End credits

“Fucking hell.” Tengen cursed.

“We saw the demon’s head cut off. We know Tanjiro won.” Obanai pointed out.

Taisho Era Secret! Tanjiro shows off the water breathing moves to Nezuko, but is stunned to find Nezuko believes Sabito to be cooler than him. Tanjiro promises to show Nezuko the wisteria flowers once she’s human.

“Ouch that’s gotta hurt.” Kyojuro chuckled. “I’m just glad to know I’m Senjuro’s hero.”

“How do you know he doesn’t think Mitsuri or I are cooler?” Obanai asked teasingly.

Kyojuro's eyes widened, and Sanemi couldn't help but laugh at how panicked he looked for a second.

"Tanjiro definitely doesn't want to expose Nezuko to wisteria as a demon." Shinobu confirmed, giggling a little.

“The blonde boy’s name is Zenitsu. I heard he refused to enter Final Selection, but his master slapped him and brought him anyway.”

“I do not like the sound of that.” Gyomei frowned.

“Guess we’ll see what he’s like soon.” Tengen shrugged. “Zenitsu’s got a flashy ring to it though.”

“Next time, episode five! My Own Steel!”

“Last episode and then we stop.” Shinobu said firmly, taking the controller. “Are you alright Giyu?” She asked, softening her tone.

“I don’t know.” Giyu answered quietly.

Chapter Text

Shinobu could feel her mask slipping, the rage reaching its boiling point. Think of Kanae. Keep smiling for her. But it was so hard now, after all she had just seen. She wanted to scream, hearing Giyu’s sniffles beside her.

She hated demons. She would never be happy until they were all dead. But… this demon, Nezuko, was different. Could she be the one to make Kanae’s dream come true? It depended on if she even woke up first.

From the corner of her eye, she could see Giyu wipe at his eyes, and her heart twinged. She was perhaps the closest thing he had to a friend, and she had been utterly oblivious to his hidden pain. Some friend she was. She would have to do much better from now on.

It was only just now that it suddenly hit her why Tomioka’s haori always looked like that. He had taken Sabito’s clothing and ripped it in half, stitching it into the other half of his haori. Just like how she wore Kanae’s haori, Giyu carried Sabito with him at all times.

We see a brief recap of the battle and Tanjiro’s victory.

Shinobu reached out, placing a comforting hand on Giyu’s shoulder. Whatever happened next, he was going to need support.

“Why do they keep showing us things we’ve literally just seen?” Tengen wondered.

Theme

Everything is black and white, and we see the aftermath of a demon’s hunt. The demon looks up, and the eyes reveal this was the Hand Demon before it came to the mountain. Urokodaki, young and in his prime, begins to fight the demon, relentlessly chasing it down before capturing it.

“Oh my, seeing something as far back as the Edo period?” Shinobu gasped. “That’s fascinating!”

“He’s so quick and quiet.” Tengen praised.

“So that’s what Urokodaki was like in his prime.” Giyu noted.

We cut back to the present day, and we see that when Tanjiro made his final blow, the Hand Demon saw Urokodaki in his place. His head rolls a few feet away, letting him see himself disappear. He’s furious that he’s dying, and laments that Tanjiro is the last thing he will see.

“It’s the least a disgusting demon like you deserves.” Sanemi growled, and Shinobu couldn’t help but agree.

We see a young boy crouched in the dark, crying. He’s scared and alone, and calls out for his brother, wanting to hold his hand. “Why? Why would I do it? Why would I eat my own big brother?” The boy gasps, and suddenly his eyes are the same as the hand demon’s. He is surprised that he forgot his own brother.

“Oh…” Mitsuri gasped softly, and that one word summed up how all the Hashira were feeling at that moment.

This was… very unexpected. Shinobu squirmed a little, uncomfortable from the implications. Did every demon have this when they died? A moment of regret, of realizing they killed someone they loved?

Would the demon who killed her sister feel any regret when she finally killed him?

Tanjiro stands over the head, watching the demon turn to dust and noting he smells sad. He holds the demon’s hand, causing the demon to cry from the kind act.

“The hell is he holding its hand for?” Sanemi wondered.

“He already beheaded it.” Giyu pointed out. “Why continue to be cruel?”

Tanjiro’s voice prays over the demon as we see his ghost stand up and run towards a light. It’s his brother, holding a lantern. The hand demon asks to hold his brother’s hand as they walk through a field towards their house. The older brother does so, gently teasing the younger.

“Namu Amida Butsu.” Gyomei prayed.

Sanemi grunted and looked down at his lap. Shinobu wondered if he was thinking of his own brother. Wasn’t that a surprise? She wondered if Kanae had known. Sanemi and Kanae had been very close before…

Tanjiro stands back up, and we see a crowd of children in fox masks, standing in the fog around his boulder. “Sabito, Makomo… and all the others whose lives were taken by this demon… it’s over. You can rest now.” We zoom in on Sabito, who stands up and hops off the boulder. One by one, the fox kits vanish into the fog, Makomo lingering for a few more moments.

Shinobu was unsurprised when Giyu started to cry softly again, and pretended she didn’t hear the quiet “Goodbye Sabito.”, he uttered.

We see Urokodaki sitting by the fire and Tanjiro thinks about how his spirit would’ve joined the others on the mountain if he had failed as well.

“Do you think he knew?” Mitsuri wondered.

“I think he may have sensed something changed, but he wouldn’t know what.” Gyomei suggested.

Sometime later that week, Tanjiro battles a demon in the rain, and asks how to turn Nezuko back. The demon doesn’t answer and attacks, getting beheaded. “Someone please… tell me, how do I turn Nezuko back?!” Two more demons charge Tanjiro and are also killed.

“Oh Tanjiro…” Kyojuro shook his head. “None of the demons on that mountain are in the right state of mind to answer you.”

“And even if they were, you really don’t know if they’re telling the truth.” Shinobu pointed out. “They’d say anything so they can trick and eat you.”

Another time skip, the final night of Final Selection. Tanjiro, bloodied and exhausted, runs until he finds himself surrounded by wisteria. He’s made it back down the mountain and has passed Final Selection.

The Hashira all let out quiet cheers and words of congratulations. “Getting down the mountain and seeing that purple glow…” Shinobu sighed nostalgically. “What a beautiful sight.”

“I pretty much passed out at that point.” Sanemi recalled. “Two others had to help me up and drag me out.”

It is morning, and the survivors gather back where they started. Of all the trainees we saw, only four have made it back. Tanjiro, Kanao, Zenitsu, and Genya. Tanjiro is upset to see this and feels guilt about the boy who ran away.

Shinobu let out a loud sigh of relief in unison with Sanemi. It wasn’t that Shinobu had any doubts about Kanao’s capabilities, she knew her younger sister was very strong and skilled. Still, she knew how dangerous final selection could be, Tanjiro’s battle against that hand demon was just proof of it.

“There’s only four…” Muichiro frowned. “I think that’s the lowest number we’ve gotten in a while.”

“I’ve noticed there’s been a bit of a decline in the skills and quality of slayers lately.” Tengen added, shaking his head. “There’s so many guys who just don’t take it seriously or they’re more focused on making more money.”

“Tanjiro shouldn’t blame himself too hard.” Kyojuro said. “I know it’s easy to put the blame on your shoulders, but there’s no way he could’ve known or done something. Honestly, it seems like he went the whole week without ever really seeing anyone.”

Giyu twitched at hearing that, and Shinobu rubbed his back.

Tanjiro is distracted from his thoughts by Zenitsu, who seems unaware that he’s mumbling out loud about how he is going to die now.

“Well, he seems optimistic!” Shinobu giggled.

“Maybe it’s a delayed shock reaction?” Mitsuri suggested, trying to be kind.

“Hmm… now that’s a thought.” Shinobu agreed, thinking of Aoi. The poor girl had been in such horrible shock by the time she made it home, Shinobu had had to sedate her so the girl would be able to sleep and relax.

Gyomei twisted his beads around his arm. “Perhaps, but one of those… Taisho Era Secrets said that this Zenitsu fellow had to be dragged there by his trainer. That doesn’t bode well.”

Kiriya and Kanata stand in front of a cloth covered table and welcome everyone back. Genya interrupts, wanting to know where his sword is. The two guides tell him to wait, as they need to distribute uniforms and engrave them with their ranks. There are ten ranks in total. Mizunoto, Mizunoe, Kanoto, Kanoe, Tsuchinoto, Tsuchinoe, Hinoto, Hinoe, Kinoto, and finally Kinoe.

“Your little brother seems rather impatient Shinazugawa!” Kyojuro commented. “But I can understand wanting to finally have his own sword and go out on missions!”

Sanemi frowned, saying nothing.

“Did I miss them mentioning the Hashira rank?” Muichiro asked.

“No, they didn’t mention it, how odd.” Obanai noted.

“They probably think the instructors have gone over it already.” Shinobu suggested. “It’s not an unfair assumption after all.”

“And if they don’t know now, it can be explained later.” Giyu added, the first thing he had said in a while. His voice was hoarse and quiet, but Shinobu felt relieved nonetheless. It was a good sign if he was ready to talk again. She’d still keep a close eye on him though.

Genya again asks about the swords. The survivors are informed they will soon pick the ore to make their swords, but it will be up to fifteen days before they receive them. Genya is annoyed at this.

“He’s quite impatient, isn’t he?” Shinobu noted, mildly annoyed. She can’t imagine anyone actually interrupting the Master’s children like that. Sure, Genya couldn’t know that, but he shouldn’t be interrupting them so much to begin with.

Sanemi again said nothing, but his scowl deepened.

Kanata claps her hands, summoning the Kasugai crows. These crows help deliver messages and lead the Slayers to their missions. Kanao seems to have a wordless conversation with hers. Zenitsu however, appears to have a sparrow.

There was a moment of silence and then…

“That is a sparrow.” Muichiro pointed out.

“How the hell is that kid going to get to his missions?” Tengen wondered.

“It must be one determined little sparrow then!” Kyojuro laughed.

“Maybe it drags him around by the hair?” Shinobu suggested, giggling to herself at the mental image.

Genya waves his crow away, furious. He marches up to Kanata and grabs her by the hair, demanding his sword. “I want my sword now. Give it to me before I get angry. The color changing katana. I want it now! Do you hear me!?”

“GENYA!!!!” Sanemi roared, absolutely furious.

“Oh my!” Shinobu gasped, covering her mouth in shock. She couldn’t believe anyone would dare do such a thing.

“Wow…” Tengen drawled. “Disrespect towards the Master and his family seems to run in the family.”

“Someone needs to smack that brat.” Obanai said.

“Why on earth is he so desperate for that sword that he would act in such a disrespectful manner?” Kyojuro wondered.

Giyu shook his head. “Now we really know he’s Shinazugawa’s younger brother.”

Tanjiro grabs Genya’s wrist in a firm grip. “Take your hand off her or I’ll break your arm. Now!” Zenitsu freaks out, wondering what to do. Kanao has seemingly not noticed any of this. Genya demands to know who Tanjiro is and tells the boy to give it his best shot. Tanjiro takes a deep breath and does so.

“I… I…” Sanemi huffed, looking at a loss for words.

“Hmm… well you can’t say he didn’t warn your little brother.” Gyomei said.

“Thank god Tanjiro was there, or who knows what that boy would’ve done.” Mitsuri frowned.

“He might’ve punched her in the face.” Muichiro suggested.

Shinobu was unsurprised that Kanao had her back turned to the conflict. She had never done well understanding the conflicts between people. She had a tendency to freeze up and just stare until it was taken care of. Plus, she may have used her coin and it told her to stay out of it.

Genya glares at Tanjiro, but before he can do anything, Kiriya interrupts and tells them to come select an ore for their swords. No one is sure which one to pick for a minute, but Tanjiro uses his sense of smell to pick one.

“Oh, we don’t get to see anything else?” Mitsuri pouted. “I wanted to see how he reacts to getting his rank tattooed.”

We cut to a crow wearing a purple scarf. A man gently pets his head. “Really? Five of them managed to survive? That’s excellent.” We do not see the man’s face, just his back and the luxurious garden he sits in. “The number of my children continues to grow. What kinds of swordsmen will they be?” This is KAGAYA UBUYASHIKI, the leader of the demon slayer corps.

“It’s the Master!” Kyojuro cheered.

“Wait, did he say five?” Tengen asked. “But there were only four.”

“Maybe the fifth one was taken off for medical treatment.” Giyu suggested. “That’s what happened to me.”

It is dusk as Tanjiro makes his way back to Urokodaki’s. Slowly. With a stick for support. He berates himself for not being able to get any answers about a cure for Nezuko. Tanjiro ends up collapsing in the road, utterly exhausted and sore. Still, he gets up and keeps going as it turns to night.

“Walking home after final selection was so tiring…” Kyojuro sighed.

Tengen laughed. “Tell me about it! I almost decided to just curl up and sleep on the road.”

“Kanae had to carry me.” Shinobu giggled.

Gyomei laughed behind her. “The two of you made it to the entrance of my estate and just passed out. I carried you both in and put you to bed.”

Tanjiro has finally made it to Urokodaki’s. Urokodaki’s front door is kicked down and out walks Nezuko, finally awake. Tanjiro gasps and drops the stick, drawing his sister’s attention. The two siblings rush to hug each other, sharing a teary embrace.

“SHE’S AWAKE!” Mitsuri cheered.

“Well, isn’t that something wonderful to come home to?” Tengen clapped.

“Is everyone ignoring that she literally kicked the front door down?” Obanai asked. “That’s going to be a pain to fix.”

“I don’t think he’ll mind considering Tanjiro came back safe and Nezuko is finally awake.” Giyu said.

Urokodaki stares at the scene in front of him for a moment, before dropping the logs he was holding. He joins the hug, tears visible behind his mask as he celebrates Tanjiro’s safe return.

Shinobu turned her head to say something to Giyu, but couldn’t find the words, her mouth hanging open. Giyu was smiling as he took in the scene. A small smile, but a smile nonetheless. The joy actually managed to reach his eyes, causing them to almost sparkle.

“You really care about them, don’t you?” Shinobu whispered.

“Can you blame me?” Giyu replied.

A brief time skip, we see the end of Tanjiro and Urokodaki’s talk of the hand demon. Urokodaki explains Demon Blood Arts to Tanjiro, warning him that those battles will be more difficult than others. “Still, Tanjiro, I have no doubt that you’ll be just fine.”

“Tanjiro seems to thrive under pressure.” Muichiro praised. “He’ll do well.”

“Yes, but I am a bit worried.” Gyomei added. “The first battle with a demon that has a blood art is always a shock compared to other demons.”

“I’ll say.” Kyojuro reached up and rubbed his ears. “My first mission was against a demon with a blood art. Ended up having to sacrifice my hearing.”

Shinobu could remember that. It was how she had first met him. The Kakushi had carried him in, dried blood around his ears and speaking much louder than he needed to. He had adjusted quickly, but never did learn proper volume control…

Tanjiro points out how different Nezuko is from other demons and asks if it’s her blood art. Urokodaki doesn’t believe so. “This is only a guess, but I believe Nezuko can recover her strength by sleeping, instead of consuming human flesh as other demons do.” Tanjiro sits in his room, watching his sister sleep as we hear Urokodaki’s words. He vows to protect his sister and falls asleep.

“Huh so Urokodaki and Himejima had the same idea.” Muichiro hummed.

“Yeah, but two years?” Tengen asked. “Is she gonna keep taking naps that long?”

We cut to fifteen days later, bells tinkling as HOTARU HAGANEZUKA, Tanjiro’s swordsmith, comes up the path. Tanjiro is confused and greets the man and invites him in, but Haganezuka is too busy monologuing about the sword. Inside the house, Nezuko looks bored while Urokodaki notes that Haganezuka is just like that.

“Wait… is that…?” Shinobu leaned forward. This was just too amusing. She had seen more than one slayer run for their lives while staying at the butterfly mansion, their angry swordsmith seeking revenge for broken blades. Hopefully Tanjiro wouldn’t break his sword anytime soon.

“Oh dear…” Kyojuro chuckled. “Is that who I think it is?”

“Who is that?” Muichiro asked. “What’s so funny?”

“Oh no, Urokodaki asked for him?” Giyu groaned. “Haganezuka is my swordsmith and well. He’s uh… well, you’ll see.” He gave up, just gesturing at the scene.

Haganezuka stands up, leaning close to Tanjiro’s face. He notes that Tanjiro is a child of brightness, to which Tanjiro responds his parents' names were Kie and Tanjuro. The swordsmith explains that Tanjiro’s reddish eyes and hair is considered lucky for a family that works with fire. “That means there’s a good chance this sword will turn red.”

“Oh so he’s like Kyojuro!” Mitsuri exclaimed.

“What?” Kyojuro asked, surprised. “Oh, you mean about the hair and eyes? Perhaps, but I doubt Tanjiro’s mother spent her pregnancy looking into a torch.”

Haganezuka is excited for Tanjiro to draw his blade, waving his arms in a strange manner as he explains why the swords are sometimes called “color changing katana”. Tanjiro draws his sword and the blade turns black.

“What is he doing?” Obanai asked.

“Haganezuka is…a character.” Shinobu ultimately decided to say, before gasping at the color of the sword.

“Oh that’s unfortunate!” Kyojuro declared.

“What color is it?” Gyomei asked.

“Black.” Sanemi answered.

“Namu Amida Butsu.” Gyomei prayed. “Swordsmen with that color blade never seem to last long.”

Urokodaki finds it interesting while Haganezuka starts to shake. Tanjiro is worried it means something bad, and Urokodaki tries to reassure him and says it’s just unusual. Haganezuka is enraged that he didn’t get to see a bright red sword and begins wrestling with Tanjiro.

The Hashira began to laugh, finding the situation too hilarious to believe.

Giyu groaned, looking annoyed. “His obsession with seeing a red blade.”

“Isn’t Rengoku’s red?” Muichiro asked.

“Muichiro Tokito you absolute fool!” Tengen shouted. “His sword is blood orange!”

“What…?” Muichiro blinked, tilting his head.

Tengen threw his arms up. “You’re all hopeless.”

The fifteen year old is spared the beating from the thirty-seven year old man by his Kasugai Crow, MATSUEMON TENNOJI, flying in. Tanjiro is surprised to learn the crow can talk as Matsuemon gives him his orders.

“Oh his first mission already?” Shinobu hummed. “I wonder what’s happening.”

“Can’t be anything good, but also can’t be anything too dangerous for a rookie to handle on his first mission.” Tengen mused. “Hopefully.”

“You must go to a town northwest of here and hurry. Young girls are disappearing.” We cut to a town at night, KAZUMI holding a lantern as he escorts his fiancee SATAKO, who wears a red ribbon pinned in her hair. The two laugh and converse as they talk, a fence blocking the view of the screen for a moment. Kazumi pauses, looking to the side and then turning around, but the only proof Satako was with him are the items she was holding. He looks around for her as Matsuemon continues. “Night after night, at least one of them vanishes! You must hunt down the demon responsible and destroy it!”

“Oh no!” Mitsuri cried. “That poor girl!”

“Gone in a blink… definitely a demon blood art.” Sanemi tsked. “I doubt the poor girl even knew what hit her.”

Kaburamaru hissed, twisting around Obanai’s shoulders as his master glared daggers at the scene. “We just watched someone die and we won’t remember.”

We are back in Urokodaki’s house, everyone reacting to the news. “Tanjiro Kamado, you must prepare yourself well! This is your first assignment as a member of the demon slayer corps!” Tanjiro grips his sword, prepared to head out.

“And hurry.” Shinobu said quietly.

End Theme

Taisho Era Secret! Tanjiro asks his crow to say hello to the audience. The crow is offended to be ordered around and starts fighting Tanjiro, with Nezuko angrily grunting at them.

“I’m not sure how much longer I can handle these total mood whiplashes the Taisho era secrets give.” Mitsuri sighed.

“I know right?” Tengen sighed. “We have a horrible serious moment like that, and now we have a joke.”

“I think it’s kind of nice.” Kyojuro shrugged. “A moment of humor after a tense moment.”

Tanjiro tries to tell the Taisho Era Secret, but the crow scolds him and tells him to get to his next mission.

“Interesting, so some of these won’t actually tell us a secret.” Gyomei mused.

“Episode six! Swordsman Accompanying a Demon!”

“Wait, he’s taking Nezuko with him?” Obanai asked. “I wasn’t sure what exactly he was planning to do, but how will that work?”

“Well he carried her in a basket, so maybe he’ll reuse it?” Shinobu suggested. “But that can’t be good long term…”

Matsuemon threatens to peck the watcher if they miss the episode, much to Tanjiro’s dismay.

That got a snort out of a few of them. Shinobu hit the off button and sighed. “Alright, Tanjiro is done with Final Selection. Let’s go to bed. We’ll regroup in the morning, check this place out better and watch some more.”

Chapter Text

“Right.” Giyu nodded, standing up. “Obanai and I found the kitchen to be fully stocked, so I don’t think it’s that much of a reach to assume that there might be rooms prepared for us.”

“Worst comes to worse, we find some pillows and blankets and pile up on the veranda or something.” Sanemi shrugged, getting to his feet.

“How fully stocked?” Tengen asked.

“I poked around while I was waiting for the water to boil for the tea. I don’t have an exact idea, but the cabinets are almost overflowing.” Obanai explained. “We’ll probably be good for at least two weeks before we worry about having to ration anything. And that’s taking into account Kanroji and Kyojuro’s appetites.” The fact that he ate very little at a time went unspoken, as Shinobu had a tendency to side-eye him out of concern whenever his appetite was brought up.

While he did greatly respect Shinobu as a fellow Hashira, a doctor, and even as a person who took great strides to overcome her weakness much like he did, he just couldn’t stand the false mask she put on. The constant smile, the sugary tone… it drove him mad. It reminded him too much of back then.

Kaburamaru, well trained and ever sensitive to his moods, gently flicked his tongue in Obanai’s ears. He flinched and shot the snake a grateful look, reaching up to gently pet and assure him. His old friend had always had an easy time drawing him from his thoughts. He couldn’t ask for a better constant companion.

“Are you alright Iguro?” Mitusri asked him, giving him a concerned look. “I saw you flinch!”

“Oh, I’m fine.” He said hastily. “Kaburamaru likes to go for the ears when I’m not paying attention, he just surprised me.”

Mitsuri blinked and then giggled, reaching out to pet the snake. “What a silly boy.” She cooed. Kaburamaru eagerly leaned into her touch, just as fond of her as Obanai was, if not more so. “Come on, let’s go find some rooms. Hopefully there are spare ones. Can you imagine having to sleep in the Master’s bedroom? Even if it isn’t the real one, it still seems odd!” She rambled on as they followed behind the others, Obanai hooked on every word.

Luckily, Yuya seemed to have prepared for this. Towards the area the Hashira were certain was the Ubuyashiki’s living space was a stack of neatly folded blankets. The two on the bottom were noticeably larger than the others, most likely meant for Gyomei and Tengen. As they one by one grabbed a blanket and went to find a room, Obanai reached out and snatched the elbow of their youngest.

“Tokito, did you eat before you came?” He asked.

Muichiro gave him a blank stare. “Eat?” He asked, tilting his head.

Obanai sighed. Most likely the mist Hashira had forgotten everything he had been doing before arriving here. Muichiro had a tendency to forget to eat, drink, and sleep thanks to his constant memory loss. The Hashira had all collectively agreed to keep an eye on him and make sure he was taking care of himself, with Gyomei, Shinobu, or himself mainly taking the lead.

“Okay, well, let’s make sure you have a good breakfast in the morning then.” Obanai said, holding up his arm so Kaburamaru could stretch out and nuzzle the boy.

“Alright.” Muichiro agreed, always remembering to pet the snake the way Obanai had taught him. It always amazed Obanai what the younger boy would remember and what he would forget. Obanai was pretty sure that he had forgotten why he had to pet Kaburamaru this way, but his muscle memory always remembered to do so.

“Get some sleep, Tokito.” Obanai ordered, gently pushing the boy in the direction of one of the still unclaimed rooms. Kaburamaru shifted to look at something behind him, and Obanai turned his head to see Mitsuri.

“You’re so good with him!” She praised. “You’re just like his big brother!”

Obanai shook his head. “I’m just doing what we all do. Anybody would’ve asked him, I just happened to grab him first.”

“Oh! I should bring you by my family’s home again sometime!” Mitsuri decided. “My little brother really wants to see you again, he can’t stop talking about how cool he thinks you are!”

This honestly surprised Obanai. “Really?” He asked. “He thinks I’m cool?” It had to be the snake. For some reason a lot of younger boys thought his friend was cool and wanted to come meet him.

That night, Obanai found himself completely unable to sleep, which didn’t surprise him. He was in a completely unfamiliar location by unknown means, watching a future he wouldn’t remember. He didn’t buy any of this for a second.

Obanai laid with eyes wide open, holding his sword closely. The demon would not take him by surprise…

***

The next morning, Obanai waited for the sounds of anyone else waking up before he left his room. “So did any of us actually sleep, or did we all just stay up and watch the doors?” He asked, seeing everyone else come out of their rooms.

“Couldn’t get a wink.” Tengen admitted. “Kept thinking something was going to come crawling down the hall.”

“I tried to stay awake, but I fell asleep after a while.” Kyojuro shrugged. “It was a tiresome mission I was on.”

“I tried to sleep, but the slightest noise would wake me up.” Shinobu sighed.

“It doesn’t help that Rengoku snores.” Muichiro added. “Loudly.”

“So that’s what that was.” Gyomei realized.

Kyojuro laughed, looking a little embarrassed. “My apologies everyone. Senjuro has told me before that I snore, but I didn’t realize it was so bad!”

Giyu briskly walked past them all, keeping his head down. Everyone politely kept quiet about how they had all heard him crying for hours last night, only stopping when he had finally fallen asleep. “He must be going to the kitchen.” Obanai theorized. “Let’s go.”

The kitchen looked close enough to the real thing, but it seemed to have been stretched out and made larger, allowing for more cabinets and storage space. “Whatever Yuya did to bring us here, he seems to have prepared for a long stay.” Tengen noted. “Even with Kyojuro and Kanroji’s appetites, we’ll be well stocked for quite a while.”

“So who’s cooking?” Kyojuro asked.

“Definitely not you.” Obanai said without missing a beat, knowing that Kyojuro in the kitchen was a recipe for disaster. The man could look at a pot of water and set it ablaze. “But we should probably set up some kind of chore list so we don’t have the same person cooking for us over and over.”

“That’s a good idea, we’ll set one up later.” Gyomei agreed.

“I’ll cook this morning.” Mitsuri volunteered, washing her hands and getting to work.

“While we wait, I think it would be prudent to go over what we know.” Shinobu said, tapping her chin. “There’s been a lot to process all at once.”

“Good idea.” Tengen nodded. “Okay, so we know that we were all minding our own business when we were brought here by someone named Yuya, who is supposedly my descendant, using some kind of magic.”

“Yuya’s letter implied that we kill Kibutjusi, but at the cost of our own lives.” Obanai added, sparing glances at Mitsuri. He had had her cooking once, she was a natural in the kitchen. Whoever married her would be blessed. And so would she, or he would have a nice long talk with her future husband…

“Yuya bought us here so we could change our future and be able to live in peace.” Mitsuri added, sneaking a mouthful of food for herself. “However, we don’t get to remember anything for some reason. We’ll only have strong feelings to guide us.” She concluded, giving Kyojuro a sample as well when he came closer.

“However, we didn’t start off watching the future.” Giyu took over. “We started by watching Tanjiro Kamado two years ago when I first met him. Then, we watched him train over time before we actually skipped to the future, watching him at final selection.”

“And now he’s off to his first mission.” Kyojuro finished. “The question is… why is Tanjiro so important to our future that we’re seeing him instead of any of us? And what role does Nezuko Kamado play?”

“I don’t like any of this.” Sanemi scowled. “I don’t trust or believe in anything. I still think this is one big trap. Hell, maybe the big secret to everyone living is killing the girl.”

“It seems a bit harsh, but you may have a point.” Gyomei sighed. “Perhaps watching more will reveal the answers.”

“We have a full day ahead of us.” Muichiro said. “How many should we watch?”

“We’ll have to just watch until lunch time perhaps and then decide.” Obanai decided.

At that moment Mitsuri finished breakfast, and everyone had their fill. Obanai noticed he had a small pile of raw meat on his plate and looked at Mitsuri in confusion. “It’s for the little guy! I don’t think there are any rats around here, so he’ll have to eat off your plate.” The most wonderful girl in the world explained.

“Thank you Mitsuri, we appreciate it.” Obanai said, feeding his snake. They were used to Kaburamaru eating off his plate anyway…

Chapter Text

Tanjiro puts on his uniform.

“He’s looking good.” Tengen praised.

“He can’t even properly do his collar.” Muichiro criticized. “His neck is open and vulnerable to even the weakest of demons.”

“Tokito, he’s clearly dressed in a hurry to get to his mission.” Kyojuro pointed out.

“No excuse.” Muichiro replied.

“Well, what about me?” Sanemi asked, turning to look at him.

“You expose yourself because you’re a pervert, there is a big difference.” Muichiro answered, leaving the Hashira laughing while Sanemi spluttered in response.

Theme

“I am not a pervert.” Sanemi finally said.

“Maybe not on the level of the uniform maker,” Obanai conceded. “But you did tell me once that you like to show off your chest because you’re proud of how it looks.”

“What’s wrong with the uniform maker?” Mitsuri asked.

Everyone turned to stare at her blankly. Muichiro noted that Rengoku also seemed to have a confused stare.

“Nothing, you look wonderful.” Shinobu said quickly.

“Also, Shinazugawa is an experienced Hashira.” Muichiro added. “Tanjiro is a rookie going on his first mission.”

Urokodaki explains the make and use of the uniform, the colors of the sword and what the color black means. Tanjiro doesn’t care about greatness; he just wants to cure Nezuko. Urokodaki also gives Tanjiro a specially made box to carry Nezuko around in.

“Smart and practical.” Tengen praised. “So, I guess he is going to take Nezuko with him.”

Wait, Tanjiro was bringing Nezuko with him? Did they mention that before? Muichiro didn’t remember…

To be honest, there was a lot in these episodes he didn’t remember. He tried to concentrate, but so many details just slipped through his fingers. Muichiro wasn’t even sure he’d remember Tanjiro’s name if everyone wasn’t saying it over and over.

“Isn’t…” He began before going silent, frowning to himself as he tried to remember what he was going to say. “Isn’t the box the same kind we use?”

“Hey, you're right.” Kyojuro realized. “That is the kind of box we use for final selection captures.”

Tanjiro places the box in front of his sister and coaxes her inside. “Nezuko… from now on, we’ll always be together.”

“She’s so cute!” Mitsuri cooed.

“The box honestly provides a perfect cover.” Tengen realized. “Most slayers who see him are probably just going to assume he’s taking the demon to the mountain. And nobody ever really asks about the rank, so he should be fine. Maybe.”

Urokodaki sees Tanjiro off, fixing his collar. The two share a silent stare and a nod before Tanjiro leaves on his mission.

Was there anyone to bid him farewell on his first mission? No, of course not. The house was empty now. He was all a l o…

What house?

Tanjiro walks along the path, calling out to his sister but she doesn’t answer. Tanjiro remembers what Urokodaki said about her sleeping and realizes she’s napping to conserve her strength.

Oh, Muichiro remembered now. Amane had waved him off on his first mission. But… why? He frowned to himself, trying to remember. Wasn’t it because she s a v e…

He gasped as a hand rested on his shoulder and turned to see Kyojuro looking at him with concern. “Are you alright Tokito?” He asked. “You’ve been quiet for a while, and you had this distant look in your eyes.”

“I’m alright.” He insisted, ignoring their scrutinizing and burning gazes of sympathy.

“What’s the last thing you remember?” Gyomei asked.

“Um…” Muichiro tilted his head. “Didn’t Tanjiro just get home and find out the demon was awake?”

Shinobu shook her head. “No Tokito. That was from yesterday. Tanjiro is going on his first mission now.”

Tanjiro makes it to the town in the north-west, crossing a bridge and looking out at the river-side town. As he walks through the town, he passes by Kazumi, who now has a bruised face and is walking as if in a daze. A group nearby gossips about him and how his fiancée disappeared. The group discusses how the attacks happen every night and a girl is abducted.

Okay, now Muichiro still didn’t remember everything that had happened, but things made more sense now.

“Oh, it’s that boy from the end of the last episode!” Mitsuri gasped. “Oh, the poor thing. He looks so lost…”

“I always hate this part.” Obanai admitted. “Dealing with the grief from the families of a demon’s victims. I never really know what to say or do. How do I even begin to explain it all without sounding crazy or callous?”

“He wasn’t bruised when we first saw him.” Kyojuro recalled. “I wonder what happened?”

“Well, I thought the girl was his girlfriend or something, so her dad might have hit him when he came back without their daughter.” Tengen guessed.

Muichiro hummed to himself, remembering a time when an irate man had punched him in the face. All Muichiro had been doing before then was explaining that the man he killed was no longer his brother and was a demon. It had taken him completely by surprise, so he hadn’t dodged it. Ginko had been furious, and dive bombed the man, pecking and scolding him to let Muichiro dash away.

His eye swelled up fast on the way to the Butterfly Estate, and a still furious Ginko filled Shinobu and any other person she came across about what happened. Somehow that ended up with all the Hashira coming to check on him. Muichiro was certain that Sanemi had almost gone out to find and punch the man.

Tanjiro turns around and calls out to Kazumi. Kazumi seems to snap out of his daze to turn around. “I want to hear what happened last night from you.”

“At least Tanjiro is smart unlike most of the rookies.” Muichiro praised. “So many rookies don’t think to ask around, like they can just stumble upon the demon without any clues.”

“And then they have no idea what to expect and get their asses kicked.” Obanai added.

Kazumi first takes Tanjiro to where Satako vanished but is worried Tanjiro doesn’t believe him. Tanjiro assures him that he is here to help and gets down on the ground, sniffing for the demon’s scent. The colors go black as red smoke billows everywhere, the scent of the demon. Tanjiro notes that something is off about the scent while Kazumi wonders who exactly Tanjiro is.

“So that’s how his nose works?!” Mitsuri asked. “Wow, that's impressive!”

“Urokodaki has described his nose in much the same way.” Giyu added. “I’ve always been envious at how easy it was to track demons that way.”

“It would probably make a lot of things easier.” Sanemi agreed.

Kazumi touches his bruised cheek, remembering what happened. Satako’s father attacked him in a rage after learning his daughter had gone missing.

Tengen winced. “Called it.”

“These poor people.” Gyomei cried. “They don’t even know about demons. As far as they know, she really did just vanish without a trace. Namu amida butsu.”

“I’m wondering how this blood art works that the demon was able to do it.” Kyojuro wondered.

Kazumi continues to show Tanjiro all the spots, watching in confusion as Tanjiro continues to sniff for clues. Night begins to fall, and Kazumi tries to convince Tanjiro that Satako really did just vanish. “I know. That’s why I came here. To stop this.”

“He’s so sweet.” Shinobu cooed.

“Is he going to use Nezuko to try and draw out the demon?” Muichiro wondered. “It’s what I would do.”

“Maybe she could sense the demon and lure him out?” Sanemi wondered. “But I wouldn't bring her out unless absolutely necessary. We still don’t know how good her self-control is.”

Night falls and Tanjiro sniffs, trying to catch the demon’s scent. Kazumi tries to convince Tanjiro to rest and take a break. Tanjiro refuses, knowing the demons are only active at night. Tanjiro has picked up a nearby scent. Kazumi starts to realize that Tanjiro is a demon slayer.

“Wait, does he know?” Muichiro asked. “Or did I forget something?”

“It seems as though the boy has at least heard of the Demon Slayer Corps, by word of mouth if nothing else.” Gyomei theorized.

In a nearby home, TOKIE is having a conversation with her mother. Since so many girls are going missing, her mother wants Tokie to stay inside the house for a while and she agrees. Tokie goes off to her bedroom as a small dark shadow appears in the floor, something watching her from within its murky depths as it follows.

Kaburamaru hissed at the screen as everyone tensed.

“So that’s the demon art.” Muichiro frowned. “I’m not sure how to describe it, Himejima. It’s like a murky shadow.”

“Like some kind of portal?” Gyomei asked. “That explains how the girls disappear that smoothly without a trace then.”

“Damn, that’s going to be a pain in the ass to track down.” Sanemi tsked.

“Not with Tanjiro’s nose.” Kyojuro reminded.

Tokie enters her bedroom and gets ready for bed. As she lays down to sleep, she wonders what happened to all the missing girls, and if they’re okay. The shadow creeps under her bed and grows large enough to encompass the entire bed. Two long, pale, sleeveless arms come up and drag her into the murky depths as she struggles and tries to scream.

“Oh shit!” Tengen shouted.

“Okay Tanjiro, now you’re on a timer.” Muichiro said quietly. “Time to get to work.”

Tanjiro gasps, starting to run after the scent of the demon. “The scent got stronger! The demon’s active!” Kazumi is left chasing after him, in awe of Tanjiro’s physical prowess.

“It is fun to see the surprise of civilians when we start running.” Tengen admitted.

“Are you really trying to make light of this situation?” Giyu and Muichiro said in unison, both annoyed. The two blinked and turned to each other in confusion. That was a first for both of them.

Tanjiro stops in the middle of an alleyway, drawing his sword. He’s able to smell the scent of the demon and the girl, but there is no sight of them. He stalks down the alleyway, using his nose to strike down in the ground where the scent is strongest.

Nobody dared to say a word, leaning close to the screen. The atmosphere in the room was tense and thick enough that you would need Gyomei’s flail to shatter it.

Please let me focus on this. Muichiro begged internally. I don’t want to forget this. How can I use these strong feelings to guide me to a better future if I just get lost in the mist of my mind?

Muichiro was growing very fond of Tanjiro for reasons he didn’t really understand. He wanted to watch Tanjiro succeed and thrive. Maybe he’d even become a Hashira.

Why was he so attached to Tanjiro? Maybe it was because he looked like F a…

Oh, something was happening on screen!

The shadow appears again, Tokie’s unconscious body visibly floating in it. Moving quickly, Tanjiro grabs her and pulls her out, jumping back with her. Her kimono is torn as a sleeved demon’s arm attempts to keep a hold of her.

“He’s got her!” Kyojuro cheered.

Mitsuri sagged in relief, leaning on Obanai’s side. Kaburamaru nuzzled her cheek as his master’s gaze remained on the screen.

“Wait… something’s not right.” Shinobu noticed, pausing the screen. “Look! These arms are wearing sleeves! The arms we saw earlier weren’t!”

“Are there two demons?!” Tengen wondered.

The SWAMP DEMON begins to crawl out from its swamp. Tanjiro realizes this is a demon blood art, and remembers what Urokodaki told him about them. Tanjiro demands to know what happened to the girls it kidnapped. The demon responds by grinding its teeth fast and harsh, causing an ear-splitting noise.

“Gah!” Tengen immediately slapped his hands over his ears. “Fucking hell!!!”

Everyone cringed at the sound and leaned away. Except of course, Rengoku. But the hard of hearing man still looked annoyed, even if he couldn’t hear the full effect like the others.

“Somebody make it stop!” Muichiro begged. “That’s awful!”

The demon slinks back into the swamp and makes it vanish from view. Tanjiro hands Tokie off to Kazumi, asking him to hold the girl and stay close so Tanjiro can protect them both.

Tengen sighed in relief, rubbing his temples as the noise stopped. “God that was awful.”

“I wish Tanjiro wasn’t alone.” Mitsuri lamented. “He could use some backup.”

“He does have backup though.” Muichiro pointed out. “His sister.”

Tanjiro holds his sword at the ready, keeping an eye out for another sighting. He charges where the scent goes stronger, preparing to use the fifth form of water breathing. Three separate swamps appear, and three versions of the demon emerge to try and grab him.

“Oh shit.” Sanemi said, summing up everyone’s feelings.

“So Shinobu was right, and there’s two demons?” Gyomei asked.

“There’s three.” Tengen explained. “But… they all look exactly alike. The only difference is horns and outfits. I guess it’s part of the demon blood art.”

Tanjiro leaps into the air and uses Water Breathing, Eight Form: Waterfall Basin to attack.

“Idiot.” Muichiro chastised. “He switched so suddenly that there’s no way he’s going to get a lethal hit.”

“The fifth form wasn’t going to work well in that situation though.” Giyu argued.

“What I am hearing is that I should take Tanjiro as my Tsugoku and teach him flame breathing.” Kyojuro joked.

Eyecatchers

We flashback to Tanjiro and Urokodai talking the night when Tanjiro returned. Urokodaki tells Tanjiro that there is only one demon with the ability to turn humans into demons, the first demon there ever was. This is the man who killed the Kamado’s and may know how to turn Nezuko back into a human. We see a silhouette of the Demon King as people scream in the background.

Muichiro immediately hit the pause button. “That’s what he looks like?!”

“Holy shit.” Obanai gasped.

“Muzan Kibutjusi.” Mitsuri’s jaw fell open.

“What does he look like?” Gyomei asked.

“Hmm, he’s mostly in shadow, so it’s hard to make out any particular details.” Tengen admitted. “Plus we don’t see him standing next to anything, so it’s hard to gauge exactly how tall he is. But, based on what I’m seeing… his hair is short with a curly texture. I’m guessing it’s black or brown but I don’t know for sure. Furthermore, he’s wearing a more western style suit, his tie and cuffs are clearly white. He’s also wearing a hat and it’s angled down to cover most of his face so I really can’t make out anything important.”

“I see.” Gyomei nodded. “Thank you. Let’s pray Tanjiro does not meet this man anytime soon.”

Back to the battle, Tanjiro realizes he missed the vulnerable spots because he switched forms halfway through his attack. The demons submerge themselves again. Tanjiro realizes from the scent that this isn’t a rare case of demons teaming up, it’s one demon split into three.

“See? He missed everything important.” Muichiro chastised.

Giyu sighed.

Tanjiro steels his nerves and reminds himself to get the demon talking so he can ask about the demon king and how to turn Nezuko human.

“Like I said, let’s pray that Tanjiro doesn’t meet him anytime soon.” Gyomei said.

“Would Muzan actually tell him though?” Mitsuri wondered.

“He’s more likely to kill Tanjiro on sight.” Sanemi replied.

One of the swamp demons tries to go after the helpless Kazumi and Tokie, but Tanjiro is about to protect them with a Water Wheel. Unfortunately, Tanjiro missed again, and the demon is able to retreat to a safe distance. “I can’t chase him, and I can’t take a full swing while I’m protecting these two, either.”

“It’s always a tense moment, having to protect civilians and fight the demons.” Kyojuro admitted.

“And since this is Tanjiro’s first mission, he’s having to learn how to adapt here and now with no one to help.” Shinobu added.

“I really think that we should send people out in teams for their first mission.” Tengen said.

“That… doesn’t always help.” Kyojuro replied.

The demon begins to shout at Tanjiro, telling him to get out of the way before Tokie goes stale. The demon wants to eat Tokie as she’s sixteen and will soon lose her flavor. Kazumi is horrified to hear this reasoning.

“MOTHER FUCKER!” Sanemi growled.

“Bastard!!!” Obanai hissed.

“Disgusting!” Muichiro spat.

“How beastly!” Mitsuri cried.

The second swamp demon pops up, telling the first demon to calm down. He doesn’t believe it’s a big deal as they’ve already eaten many of the town’s sixteen year old girls so he is satisfied. The first swamp demon is not satisfied, wanting to eat all the sixteen year old girls in town.

“Don’t punch the screen Shinazugawa.” Muichiro begged.

“I’m trying Tokito.”

Kazumi calls them a monster and demands the return of Satako. The third swamp demon appears, hissing and grinding its teeth. The first demon asks which one Satako was, and opens his coat, revealing he keeps the ribbons and hair pins off all his meals as trophies. One of them is Satako’s ribbon, to Kazumi’s heartbreak and horror.

Mitsuri’s eyes welled with tears at the sight. Gyomei cried as well, praying as always. Sanemi grit his teeth and Obanai punched at the ground.

Muichiro hated demons. They take everything away from good people. They even took away his b r o…

“This is the first time I’ve ever seen a demon keep trophies.” Tengen muttered, disgusted.

The three swamp demons disappear. Kazumi imagines Satako vanishing into the murky depths of the swamp while Tanjiro remembers his slaughtered family.

“This hurts my heart.” Mitsuri whimpered.

“Tanjiro shouldn’t be focusing on the past.” Muichiro said. “He needs to keep his head in the fight.”

The third swamp demon launches out to attack Tanjiro, but the slayer manages to dodge and attack again, unfortunately missing. Tanjiro realizes he’s too close to the wall as the second swamp demon tries to attack. Tanjiro dodges the attacks of the demons but is almost stabbed in the eye by the claws of the first swamp demon.

“TANJIRO!” Giyu shouted, leaning forward.

“Move! Move!” Muichiro ordered.

Suddenly, Nezuko kicks open the box and nails the demon in the head, sending him flying back with his head twisting around and around.

“Holy shit.” Tengen said.

“Nezuko just saved his life.” Shinobu explained to Gyomei. “She sent the demon flying with just a kick, like she knew her brother was in danger without Tanjiro having to say a thing.”

The second swamp demon wonders why a demon is traveling with a human as Nezuko growls. “What’s the meaning of this? Who are these two? Why would a swordsman and demon be working together?”

“Her name is Nezuko and they’re brother and sister!” Mitsuri cheered. “Don’t underestimate the power of a sibling bond! Kick his ass Nezuko!”

Nezuko exits the box as the swamp demons heal themselves and slip into the darkness. Nezuko turns to Kazumi and Tokie, walking closer to them. Kazumi is scared but all she does is pat their cheeks. Their images on screen are replaced by Takao and Hanako.

“Oh.” Tengen sighed. “That’s uh… oh.”

“She sees them as her younger siblings.” Shinobu said quietly.

“So… Nezuko still retained her humanity.” Muichiro guessed. “She sees the humans as something to protect.”

Tanjiro calls out to his sister. Nezuko turns to the emerging swamp demons as Urokodaki’s voice narrates. “I don’t know if this will be of any comfort or not, but while Nezuko was asleep, I used hypnotic suggestion on her. I convinced her that all humans are her family. I told her to protect them. The demons are your enemies.”

“That… can’t just be it, can it?” Giyu asked. “I mean… surely a hypnotic suggestion would only go so far?”

Gyomei hummed, thinking it over. “I think… that we should watch more first.”

Nezuko growls as she begins to approach the swamp demons, veins bulging in her head as she begins to run. “If a demon harms a human, never forgive them!”

“She looks out for their blood.” Tengen commented.

“Something tells me these demons are going to regret trying to hurt Tanjiro Kamado.” Kyojuro theorized.

Nezuko glares down as she lifts her leg up high and brings it down.

“Get him!” Muichiro shouted.

“Make him pay for every hair pin!” Shinobu commanded.

End Theme

Taisho Era Secret! Tanjiro praises Nezuko for her kicks and how they saved the day. He also admires how the box stayed whole.

“Aw the episode is over?” Tengen pouted. “I was looking forward to a flashy fight.”

Tanjiro asks if Nezuko is cramped in the box and vows to make her a much bigger one.

“Could he carry a bigger box?” Shinobu wondered.

“Probably not easily but I doubt he’d let anything stop him from keeping his sister with him.” Muichiro said.

“Now it’s time for a Taisho Era Secret! You know that three horned demon? I heard he’s been constantly grinding his teeth like that ever since he was a human.”

“Yikes.” Obanai said.

“I’m surprised he has any teeth left.” Tengen cringed.

“Next time Episode Seven! Muzan Kibutsuji.”

“WHAT?!”

Chapter Text

Gyomei rubbed his rosary between his hands, thinking deeply. If this was really the future, then Tanjiro Kamado played a much larger part then any of them had realized. Shinobu had told him how Tanjiro’s burn mark had turned into a different kind of scar after final selection. It reminded him of a rumor he had heard…

We see a recap of the end of the previous episode without Nezuko seeing the humans as her siblings or Urokodaki’s commentary.

“Ugh, these recaps.” Tengen groaned. “We just watched these.”

Theme

What was that sound? Oh, that was Tengen and Mitsuri. It seemed they were now beginning to hum along with this opening music. It was rather catchy.

The two horned swamp demon manages to submerge himself again right before Nezuko kicks him. Nezuko’s attack not only kicked up dust, it left a crater in the ground and the imprint of her foot within the crater.

“Damn she’s strong.” Sanemi whistled.

“Is that her footprint?!” Mitsuri gasped.

Gyomei frowned. He had a fairly good idea of what was happening thanks to everyone’s comments and context clues from the sounds. However, the downside to the screen was that he had trouble picking up on things he could have if he was there in person.

He was very grateful they were all willing to pause the episode and explain things for him. They were all good kids.

The one horned swamp demon laughs and starts to submerge himself as well. Nezuko tries to go after him, but Tanjiro calls her back. As she hurries back, the two horned demon tries to grab her, but she jumps over his head.

“No, let her fight!” Muichiro said.

“No, it’s better that Nezuko retreats for now.” Gyomei.

“Himejima is right.” Kyojuro agreed. “This is the first time the siblings are fighting together. It’s better that they learn how to fight together sooner rather than later.”

“And I would not let her out of my sight.” Tengen added. “Just because she sees these humans as her little siblings doesn’t mean it’s a guarantee every time.”

“And most likely the demon would prefer to isolate them to attack them easier.” Giyu hypothesized. “It’s better to stay close so they can defend one another.”

Tanjiro is shocked after seeing this, realizing that Nezuko being a demon means she can protect herself without Tanjiro’s help. “So maybe… she can handle this. If she can protect these two, I can focus on my attack.”

“Smart.” Shinobu praised. “Tanjiro knows Nezuko wants to protect them, so it lets him get some distance so he can finally fight for real.”

Tanjiro takes a step only for a massive swamp to open up beneath his feet. He jumps back in time and Nezuko growls. The two horned demon jumps out of his swamp in an attempt to attack Nezuko but she dodges and pushes Kazumi and Tokie back out of the way.

“She pushed the humans behind her.” Muichiro whispered to him.

Gyomei nodded in understanding. Nezuko Kamado was a conundrum to be sure. A demon born to protect rather than defend. Did Muzan intend to make her that way? Or did the pleading of her brother really have that big of an effect on her that day in the snow?

And then there was the hypnotic suggestion. There was simply no way it could be that easy. If it had been that easy, then more demons would have those hypnotic suggestions used on them.

Maybe… just maybe, Nezuko was able to choose of her own free will. The hypnotic suggestion may be just that to her, a suggestion. Something to nudge at her and remind her of her goal.

Tanjiro calls out to his sister and notices the bigger swamp is inching closer to him. “Nezuko, I’m going underground! Keep them safe for me!” Tanjiro smiles at his sister. “Can you do that?” Nezuko nods and Tanjiro steps into the swamp, immediately starting to sink within its depths.

“Okay, well I guess it’s not like we’re there to give our suggestions in person.” Tengen sighed.

“Why is he leaving his sister unsupervised!?” Obanai demanded.

“It’s probably what I would do.” Sanemi admitted. “I mean, it’s obvious the demons are cowards. It’s better to take the fight to them.”

“And if I had to guess…” Giyu added. “I think it might be a watery domain in that portal. Some water breathing forms can only unleash their full potential underwater.”

“How would you even get into those situations?” Shinobu wondered.

Inside the swamp, it is like a massive lake. It’s dark and as Tanjiro sinks and looks down, he sees the various clothing and belongings of every girl that was taken. “So many innocent victims, all murdered. It’s unforgivable. Unforgivable!”

“How many girls do you think he got his hands on?” Mitsuri asked, horrified.

“It doesn’t matter. Even one life stolen was far too many.” Gyomei replied.

Nearby, the one and three horned demons watch Tanjiro and laugh, asking if the boy can still breathe. There isn’t much air inside their domain, and the pitch blackness makes everything feel heavy. Tanjiro can’t move in the swamp the way he would underground. “You should’ve looked before you leapt, you stupid fool!”

“Why do they always monologue?” Sanemi scowled. “It’s annoying as hell.”

“I think they just want to see us afraid.” Kyojuro guessed.

The demons fly through the water more than they swim, and the grinding of the three horned demon alerts Tanjiro to their presence. Tanjiro is not worried, as the air on Mt. Sagiri is even thinner than down in the swamp. We see a brief montage of Tanjiro’s training. “Besides… some moves only unleash their full potential underwater!”

Gyomei could hear Giyu make a soft sound of surprise and sit up straighter. Gyomei assumed that Giyu was pleased to be on the same wavelength as Tanjiro. Truthfully, he was just pleased to see Giyu in better spirits than the other night.

Last night… it had been rough. Gyomei rolled his rosary between his hands, thinking over what had happened with a frown. The first thing he ended up doing was taking Giyu’s blade away from him, worried the man would do something foolish in his grief.

His frown deepened as guilt stabbed at his heart. To think that this entire time he had misjudged the Water Hashira, only seeing the part of Giyu that he had wanted to see. He never bothered to try and get to know Giyu’s side of things.

The Hashira had done their comrade a deep wrong, and now it was their responsibility to make it right.

Tanjiro gets ready to attack but realizes that the demons move even faster in their domain as they quickly dodge his attacks and move above his head. Tanjiro waits for the demons to get closer again before he attacks and picks the form that works even without sure footing.

“Isn’t this form um…” Muichiro trailed off and made a frustrated noise. “I… don’t remember any water breathing forms.”

“Tanjiro is going to use the sixth form.” Giyu reminded kindly.

The two demons rocket back down, getting ready to attack Tanjiro. Tanjiro finds the opening thread and uses total concentration to use Water Breathing, Sixth Form: Whirlpool to kill the two demons.

“Well done!” Kyojuro praised. “A form like that seems to come in handy!”

“Mhmm.” Giyu replied.

Tanjiro looks around at the debris left in the wake of his attack. He notices one patch of the demon’s clothing in particular and grabs it, looking at it sadly. Then he realizes he needs air and swims up to the surface as fast as he can.

“Wait, wasn't that…” Shinobu said. “That… was where the demon was keeping the hair pins.”

“He’s trying to return Satoko’s hair ribbon to Kazumi.” Mitsuri whimpered.

Back on the surface, Kazumi watches as Nezuko and the two horned demon spar. As the remaining swamp demon gets his ass handed to him, he thinks about how Nezuko has no skills but is still immensely powerful. “He must have given her a massive amount of blood!”

“That’s… hmm…” Obanai tapped his thigh. “Does she have a larger amount of blood than other demons?”

“Honestly?” Sanemi replied. “I'm under the impression that Muzan wasn’t even trying to turn her. Considering the state of things when Tanjiro returned home, her turning could be an accident.”

“I hope these strong feelings we get will make me get a blood sample.” Shinobu added. “I feel like there’s a lot I could learn from Nezuko.”

He tries to retreat back into his swamp, but Nezuko is quick to react, not giving him the chance to retreat. However, because Nezuko isn’t a trained fighter, the swamp demon is beginning to see the pattern in her attacks. He isn’t too worried though, since he can regenerate in no time. He manages to get a lucky hit in, dazing Nezuko.

“I cannot believe I’m saying this, but I hope Nezuko learns some fighting skills from us later on.” Tengen said. “That's eventually going to cause some problems for her if she keeps going off instinct.”

“I’m inclined to agree.” Giyu agreed. “Even if we don’t teach her in these episodes, I hope that when we return home one of us can teach her.”

“Maybe she’ll unlock a demon blood art to help her?” Mitsuri wondered.

“Would that be a good thing or a bad thing?” Muichiro asked.

“Isn’t it weird that her wound didn’t heal right away?” Obanai mentioned.

“Maybe when demons fight each other the injuries don’t heal as quickly.” Gyomei suggested. “Besides, she may have a slower regeneration rate since she doesn’t eat humans.”

The swamp demon moves to hit her again, but Tanjiro emerges at that exact moment, racing forward and cutting off his arm. “Hands off my sister!” With another swift move, the demon is armless and staring up in horror at Tanjiro.

“It’s like he sensed she was in danger.” Obanai said.

“That’s the power of an older brother for you!” Kyojuro laughed. “I’d do the same for you Obanai!”

“Kyojuro, I’m a year older than you.”

“Semantics!”

Tanjiro tells the demon he smells disgusting after all the people he’s killed. The demon attempts to defend his actions, believing that after a girl turns sixteen, she starts to become ugly and no longer tastes good. He believes he kills the girls for their own good, which infuriates Tanjiro so much he cuts off the demon’s jaw.

“Oh, you motherfucker.” Sanemi hissed.

“I’d have ripped out his filthy tongue a few times.” Shinobu said, in that quiet serene voice of hers, honey sweet tone laced with deadly venom.

Gyomei was not fond of this new persona Shinobu put on. He preferred her when she was her truest self, rage and all. But he hadn’t seen that part of her since Kanae had died. He still wasn’t sure if Shinobu had picked up this attitude for the sake of the girls under her care, or for herself.

Tanjiro backs the demon up into a corner and demands information about the Demon King. The swamp demon is horrified at the mere mention of his master and refuses to speak despite Tanjiro’s demands. The demon is so scared he begins to cry, insisting he can’t say anything.

“It’s crying?” Muichiro gasped.

“My god, that’s almost pathetic.” Sanemi complained. “I fucking hate when they start crying.”

Eyecatchers

We see the Swamp Demon as a human, foaming and bloodied at the mouth, choking from a hand wrapped tightly around his throat. “You mustn’t tell a soul.” The demon king holds him up in the air with ease. “No one can know anything about me. Do you understand?” He puts a finger in front of his mouth. “Don’t forget. I’m always watching you, so if you tell anyone, I will know about it.”

So that was what Muzan sounded like. Well, maybe that was why this episode was named after him. Hopefully it wouldn’t follow the pattern of Tanjiro meeting the people the episodes were named after…

“From the way he’s phrasing things, do you think it’s just an empty threat?” Tengen wondered. “Or do you think he’s got a way of making people regret saying his name?”

“That’s a good question.” Kyojuro agreed. “I don’t think any of us have ever stopped to question a demon about their leader after all.”

The demon’s fear and panic only grows worse, surprising Tanjiro. The demon regrows his arms and tries to kill Tanjiro, but the boy is too quick and swiftly beheads him. Tanjiro is upset that he failed to get any information again.

“The more I think about it, the more I think that the only ones with answers will be the Kizuki or Muzan himself.” Muichiro said.

“Yeah, I was thinking the same.” Tengen agreed. “I guess we’re going to have to get the answers for Tanjiro’s sake.”

Tanjiro quickly rushes to his injured sister and realizes that she’s asleep and sees that the bleeding has stopped, realizing that sleeping does help her recover. He apologizes for failing but promises once more to make her human again before helping her back into the box.

“How’d he make her fit? Wasn’t she normal sized?” Shinobu asked.

“Maybe she instinctively shrunk down?” Gyomei guessed.

“How long do you think she’ll sleep?” Mitsuri wondered. “Surely not another two years.”

“I think she slept for two years because she had just turned, and I had hurt her.” Giyu replied. “And she was fighting her own biology to not eat people.”

Kazumi has placed Tokie against the wall and is on his knees, looking lost. Tanjiro approaches him, asking how he’s doing. Kazumi begins to tear up, wondering how he could be alright after losing the woman he loved. “Mr. Kazumi you have to go on, no matter what, in spite of losing people… even though it’s devastating.”

Nobody said a word, having faced this kind of scene many times before. Gyomei wept, praying silently. He hoped that maybe one of them could get there sooner next time, but he doubted they would have feelings about this.

Kazumi grabs Tanjiro’s haori, demanding to know how to do that and what a child like Tanjiro could possibly know. Tanjiro gently takes Kazumi’s hand, giving him a soft gentle look. The grieving man gasps and lets go, allowing the demon slayer to stand up. Before Tanjiro leaves, he gives Kazumi the scrap of clothing he took from the demon, hoping that Satoko’s ribbon is in there. Kazumi opens it up, finding part of the demon’s collection and sobs openly when he sees his lover’s hair ribbon.

Gyomei could hear Mitsuri sniffling close by him. She was always so free with her emotions, never feeling the need to put a mask on like so many others did every day. It was no wonder that Obanai loved her.

Tanjiro bows and leaves Kazumi to mourn, heading out of town. Kazumi watches the demon slayer leave, realizing that Tanjiro has been through this type of grief himself. He calls after the boy, apologizing for his behavior. Tanjiro turns to wave goodbye, letting Kazumi know he is forgiven. Kazumi finds Tanjiro’s hands heartbreaking, since they’re not the hands of a boy. Tanjiro asks that Kazumi get Tokie home safe, and Kazumi agrees.

“Good god I hope a kakushi showed up.” Tengen snorted. “That could lead to an unfortunate scenario for the poor guy.”

“I’m sure the situation was taken care of.” Kyojuro assured him.

Tanjiro walks out of the town, a look of pure anger on his face as he vows to never forgive the king of demons for all the suffering and pain he’s brought. He vows to make the demon king pay.

“Wow he actually looks pretty scary when he’s pissed.” Muichiro commented.

Tanjiro is distracted from his thoughts by Matsuemon landing on his shoulder. The crow tells Tanjiro to head to Asakusa, Tokyo right away as there’s rumor of a demon lurking. Tanjiro is surprised to have another mission already and begs for just a minute to rest but Matsuemon begins to peck him and demand that he gets moving.

Everybody laughed, happy for a temporary moment of happiness after so much sorrow.

“Poor Tanjiro, it seems he’s just now realizing how busy the life of a demon slayer is.” Kyojuro chuckled.

“I think I’d prefer Tanjiro’s crow over Ginko.” Tengen said. There was the sound of a punch. “Ow! Tokito!”

Asakusa is a bustling, modern city and Tanjiro and Nezuko are like fish out of water. Tanjiro is overwhelmed by the brightness of the city, while Nezuko looks ready to fall asleep standing up. Tanjiro wanders through the city, starting to feel dizzy as he tries to process everything. The siblings duck down an alley only to stumble upon a couple making out. A flustered Tanjiro quickly apologizes and runs away.

“Why are they doing it in an alley?” Muichiro asked, and Gyomei imagined he had quite the disgusted look on his face.

“Poor Nezuko looks asleep on her feet, wouldn’t it be better to let her rest in the box?” Mitsuri wondered, cooing over the girl.

“Alright, Tanjiro’s first look at a flashy big city.” Tengen clapped his hands together. “Hopefully he finds that demon quickly so he can enjoy himself.”

“He looks completely overwhelmed by it all.” Kyojuro laughed. “It reminds me of my first encounter with city life.”

“Tanjiro’s not going to find anything in the city itself.” Sanemi interrupted. “The demon would be lurking in the outskirts of the town, where it’s less lit and crowded. Tanjiro should find the residential areas.”

Eventually Tanjiro ends up away from the main city and finds a udon cart. He orders himself some food from the owner TOYA and sits down for a break. Nezuko leans on his shoulder, on the verge of falling asleep. Tanjiro starts to eat, only for his nose to catch the red scent of a demon.

“Oh, right when he sat down to eat.” Kyojuro said in a sympathetic tone.

“Udon sounds good though.” Mitsuri added. “Can we make that for lunch?”

“It’s still pretty early in the morning, let’s finish this mission and then break to eat before watching more.” Tengen replied. “I’ll cook lunch since you made breakfast.”

“You can cook?” Muichiro asked in surprise.

“Tokito, I’d be ashamed to call myself a husband if I made my wives do all the domestic tasks.”

Tanjiro gasps and stands up, dropping the bowl on the ground. There’s a look of shock on his face as he sniffs to pick up the scent. Tanjiro grabs his sword and hurries back into town, leaving Nezuko and her box behind.

“No!!” Kyojuro shouted, sounding horrified and mournful. “The udon!”

“What a waste of a good meal.” Mitsuri mourned with him.

“He left his sister alone!?” Obanai spluttered. “Why?! He really has that much faith in her?!”

“That scent! Why is it here, and why now!?” Tanjiro makes his way out of an alley and into the crowd. “It’s the same scent I found at my house!” Tanjiro pushes and shoves his way through the crowd, following the demon’s scent. “Muzan Kibutsuji! It must be him! He’s here!”

“WHAT?!” Everyone shouted in unison.

“Tanjiro you idiot!” Giyu screamed. “Don’t go confront him!”

“Did they know Muzan was there when they assigned him the mission!?” Shinobu gasped.

“Idiot!” Muichiro shouted. “You’ve only been a slayer for two days! Call for your crow and send for the Hashira!”

“You can’t possibly think you can fight him in an area this crowded with civilians!” Kyojuro added, Gyomei could hear him get up to pace around.

The room was quickly dissolving into chaos. This wouldn’t do, nothing would get done. He quickly clapped his hands together, using enough force to get everyone’s attention.

“I know we’re all concerned and confused over this, but panicking will not help.” Gyomei stated simply. “Remember, this is the future. Nothing we say or do right now will influence what Tanjiro does on the screen. All we can do is watch, observe, and learn.”

It took a few moments, but eventually everyone settled back down. Gyomei pretended not to notice that Shinobu and Muichiro moved to either side of them, their hands reaching out to clutch at his happi.

We see the back of the demon king, and Tanjiro reaches out and grabs his shoulder. MUZAN KIBUTSUJI turns to look at Tanjiro. Tanjiro glares and reaches for his sword. “Daddy?” Tanjiro freezes as Muzan turns around further, revealing that he is holding a little girl no older than six.

Shinobu gasped. “He’s holding a child. He’s got a hostage.”

“She can’t be more than five or six.” Tengen said quietly. “Did she call him daddy?”

“Turn and walk away Tanjiro.” Muichiro begged. “It’s your best option here.”

Tanjiro tries to process what’s going on as Muzan assures his “daughter” that everything is okay. “He’s… what is this? Is he- he’s living here, posing as a human!”

“That can’t possibly be his daughter.” Kyojuro said. “Is she… did he adopt a human child?”

Muzan politely asks if he can help Tanjiro and if the young boy is alright. A woman walks up and asks what’s going on and the little girl calls her mother. Tanjiro gasps, horrified to smell that the woman and girl are completely human. He wonders how they can’t tell that Muzan is a demon.

“There is no way.” Obanai said. Gyomei could tell he was still anxious, his senses telling him that Kaburamaru was slithering all over his boy to calm him down. “There is no way they are actually his wife and daughter.”

“We don’t know Muzan’s abilities… could he have hypnotized them?” Mitsuri wondered before gasping. “What if he murdered their real husband and father and took his place?!”

Sanemi growled. “The bastard.”

“Tanjiro please.” Giyu begged. “He knows you’re a demon slayer. Please just walk away and send for us.”

The mother asks who Tanjiro is but Muzan says he doesn’t know, and has never seen Tanjiro before. The camera cuts down to his hand, where his nails have turned long and blue. Muzan claims that Tanjiro must’ve mistaken him for someone else and scratched a man who’s passing by.

“Oh fuck me!” Sanemi roared. “Did he really just fucking do that? Is that all it takes for him to turn someone to a demon?!”

“What did he do?” Gyomei asked.

“He just…” Shinobu’s grip on his happi got tighter. “There was a husband and wife just passing by, they had no involvement. Muzan scratched the back of the man’s neck. He's turning the man into a demon just to distract Tanjiro.”

“He looks more human than any other demon I’ve seen…” Muichiro whispered. “But he seems more monstrous than all of them combined.”

The man staggers and his wife asks him if he’s okay. The man turns into a demon and attacks his wife, biting down on her shoulder as Tanjiro rushes towards them. The woman screams in terror as the crowd stares in shock, Muzan watching the scene with a blank expression.

“Oh god, oh god.” Mitsuri repeated over and over, rocking back and forth.

“Kanroji, it’ll be okay.” Obanai tried to comfort her, moving closer.

End theme

Taisho Era Secret!

Tengen groaned. “I’m really not in the mood for one of these.”

Tanjiro declares that it won’t be long before Nezuko is human now that he’s found Muzan.

Gyomei could hear Giyu’s quickened breathing, the tapping of his fingers against his thighs. Hopefully things would turn out okay.

He didn’t think Giyu could survive losing another person close to his heart.

Tanjiro then talks about how stylish the people in Asakusa are, believing that Nezuko would look good in those clothes.

Gyomei almost expected Tengen to say something, but the Sound Hashira was very quiet. Gyomei could almost feel how tense his body was.

“And now it’s time for a Taisho era secret! Toya from the udon shop was born and raised in Asakusa. I hear he keeps making udon there just because he loves the place so much.”

“That’s… nice?” Kyojuro commented. “I… god I really don’t know how this can be goofy when we just watched something so serious.”

Nezuko imagines Tanjiro in a suit and Tanjiro believes he’d look very grown up. Then he realizes he should get back to his mission since Muzan is right there.

“Oh god I almost don’t want to watch.” Mitsuri whined.

“Episode 8! The Smell of Enchanting Blood!”

“Enchanting blood?” Shinobu asked. “Does that mean Muzan’s blood? Or does the man he turned have a blood art already?”

“I guess we’ll have to watch and see.” Kyojuro said.

Chapter Text

Recap

Kyojuro expected Tengen to say something, but the only sound that came from the man was a grunt. Kyojuro didn’t blame his best friend at all, what they had just seen had drained all the humor out of the room.

Theme

The crowd freezes and turns to look at the scene, wondering what’s going on. Tanjiro takes off his head scarf and rushes forward, Muzan narrowing his eyes at him. Tanjiro wraps his head scarf around his hand and tackles the freshly turned man off of his wife, gagging the man with the cloth.

Kyojuro let out a sigh of relief. While the man had drawn blood, he hadn’t murdered his wife. It made him wonder if maybe this man could end up like Nezuko?

Could Tanjiro possibly be that lucky? And what would he even do with the man?

The wife calls out to her husband, confused and scared. Tanjiro tells her to worry about herself and put pressure on the wound. As Tanjiro pins down the struggling demon, two men in the crowd rush forward to help the woman and Tanjiro gives instructions on how to help her. “It’s gonna be okay. This man hasn’t killed anyone yet. A few seconds ago, this guy was minding his own business, walking down the street!”

Shinobu nodded. “Good, that’s good advice Tanjiro. Hopefully someone called for a doctor.”

“What’s Tanjiro going to do?” Muchiro wondered, tilting his head. “He can’t pin that man down forever.”

“He’s going to have to let Muzan get away.” Tengen sighed, rubbing his face. “But… yeah what the hell is he going to do? There’s so many people surrounding them… and somebody’s definitely called for the police by now.”

“What was the kid thinking?!” Sanemi wondered, punching the ground. “You dumb kid Tanjiro!”

Muzan’s “daughter” whimpers and hides her face, scared at what’s going on. Muzan comforts her and tells his “wife” they should leave since it’s not safe. Tanjiro realizes that Muzan is leaving and is furious that he has no choice but to let Muzan get away.

Kyojuro grimaced at the sight of the demon king acting like an affectionate and caring family man. “That’s revolting.” He said. “Making a mockery of a family.”

As Muzan walks away, Tanjiro screams after him. “Muzan Kibutsuji! No matter where you go, I promise you won’t escape me!” Muzan’s “wife” calls him Tsukihiko and asks if he knows what’s going on. Muzan doesn’t answer, narrowing his eyes as he walks away, thinking of Tanjiro’s earrings.

Obanai hissed. “Mitsuri’s theory was right, it seems. He murdered and replaced their father and husband.”

“Oh no!” Mitsuri whimpered, tearing up. She’d been doing that a lot lately, Kyojuro would have to make sure she drank plenty of water at lunch.

“Don’t taunt him, Tanjiro you idiot!” Tengen groaned, burying his head in his hands.

Kyojuro frowned. The demon king seemed awfully fixated on Tanjiro’s earrings specifically, but why?

Kyojuro hoped Tanjiro would be okay. He had grown increasingly fond of the boy. And boy was the right word, he and his sister were about the same age as Senjuro!

The more he watched, the more he was sure of it. If Giyu wouldn’t take on the boy as his Tsugoku then he would.

“You can run as far as you want! I’ll follow you to the ends of hell, and my blade will be the last thing you see! I’ll never forgive you for what you’ve done!”

“In this moment, Tanjiro perfectly embodies every member of the corps that ever was, is, or will be.” Giyu said.

“Maybe this is where one of us comes in?” Tengen wondered. “Sometimes I go down to Tokyo if there’s a movie and I have free time. Maybe I show up?”

Police officers have arrived and think this is just the result of a drunk man. Tanjiro refuses to get off of the demon and asks the police to bring something to bind him with, but the police don’t listen and try to pry Tanjiro off of him. In the crowd, TAMAYO and YUSHIRO watch as Tanjiro asks the police to stop. “Let me go! I don’t want to let this person kill anybody!” Tamayo gasps at his words.

“Oh no, not the cops.” Obanai sighed, face palming. “That’s going to be such a pain for the Master to deal with.”

Kyojuro could see Gyomei tense up at the mention of the police. He didn’t blame the Stone Hashira, since the government didn’t acknowledge demons or the corps, it made interactions with police very uncomfortable.

“Hey! I recognize those two in the crowd!” Tengen said, pointing them out. “They’re from the weird intro in the beginning!”

“I think they’re demons.” Mitsuri said. “I-it’s the only thing that makes sense. Maybe one of them has the enchanting blood?”

“But… why would they help him?” Kyojuro wondered.

“I noticed that the lady seemed surprised to hear Tanjiro refer to the man as a person.” Muichiro said. “Maybe that’s why?”

An officer is about to bring his baton down on Tanjiro when suddenly flowers bloom in the air all around them. We see Tamayo’s arm, her sleeve pulled back as her other hand digs deep scratches, blood trickling down as something like perfume wafts off the wound. “Scent of illusory blood. Visual dream.”

“Oh, Mitsuri was right.” Shinobu hummed.

“She’s shielding him?” Sanemi questioned. “This doesn’t make any sense. What’s going on?”

Kyojuro sighed. He was having an easy time listening to what was going on, but when everyone got loud and started speaking at once, it would start to get a lot harder to hear. He kept the controller in his hand, refusing to play until he was sure everyone was done talking.

Tanjiro wonders what the smell is as the flowers swarm around him, blocking him from the sight of the officers. Tanjiro wonders if more danger is coming as the smell gets stronger. Tamayo and Yushiro approach him. “I beg your pardon, but you said, “person,” even though this particular person is now a demon, and now you’re trying to save him.” Yushiro glares down at Tanjiro as Tamayo heals her arm. “So, if you don’t mind, I’d like to lend you a hand.”

“What.” Sanemi said flatly. “What… I don’t… what?”

“This… can’t be real.” Muichiro shook his head. “It’s gotta be a trap.”

“Or… maybe there’s been other demons like Nezuko?” Mitsuri suggested hopefully. “I mean she can’t be that unique, can she?”

“That’s… actually a good point.” Kyojuro conceded. “Muzan has been around for almost a thousand years, who’s to say other demons like Nezuko haven’t appeared before?”

Tanjiro begins to ask why Tamayo would help, but then realizes what she is by her scent. Tamayo confirms that she is a demon, and reveals she is also a doctor. She wants to help, and also wants to destroy the demon king.

“A demon doctor.” Shinobu said.

“Who wants to destroy Muzan.” Gyomei hummed. “Interesting. It seems we’ve found a secret ally of the corps.”

“Did we?” Sanemi questioned. “If she wants to destroy Muzan, wouldn’t she have offered her help?”

“Not if she thinks we’ll kill her on sight.” Muichiro pointed out.

In another quieter part of town, Muzan’s “daughter” asks if he’s coming with them. Muzan says he has a business meeting and that he’s worried about what happened and that he wants to go check in with the police. Muzan sends his false family home and walks down an alleyway.

Kyojuro glared daggers at the screen, wishing with all his might that Muzan would just drop dead then and there. He could feel the flames of his rage burn through his body, searing into the very marrow of his bones.

What a monster.

He would never be able to have a peaceful night’s sleep until that man was dead. Whatever happened, whatever the cost, that demon would die by the hands of his generation.

And Senjuro will never have to worry about not being good enough. And maybe Father would start to smile again…

A drunk man walks down the alleyway with his equally drunk brother and girlfriend, bumping into Muzan. After a long moment, Muzan apologizes and tries to keep walking but the short drunkard stops him. Muzan tells the man he’s in a hurry but that only seems to further agitate the short drunk.

“Oh no. No no no no!!!!” Mitsuri covered her eyes, peeking through the gaps of her fingers.

Gyomei prayed under his breath, tears running down his face. Sanemi snarled, looking like he wanted to leap into the screen to fight. Obanai hissed quietly in unison with his snake and Giyu was stiff as a board.

“Please, all of you just keep walking away.” Muichiro pleaded. “He was going to walk away anyway you stupid drunk idiots.”

The short drunk tells Muzan he looks on the verge of death and the demon king stiffens, his eyes seeming to shake with rage… and fear. The short drunk continues to mock Muzan, asking if he just died. With a simple flick of the wrist, Muzan slams the drunk into a wall, killing him instantly.

There was nothing but silence in the room. How were any of them supposed to react to this? What could they even say?

The tall drunk and the lady drunk are horrified by what just happened. The tall drunk tries to hit Muzan but the demon king casually kicks his leg up, launching the bald drunk into the sky for a few seconds before he plummets to his death.

“I don’t understand.” Shinobu muttered, her voice hollow. “Is he really this petty that he would kill people just for being obnoxious drunks?”

Gyomei put a hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. “I’m appalled, but not surprised.”

The drunk woman is terrified, trying to shrink back into the wall as Muzan kneels before her. “So does my complexion look at all unhealthy to you?” He cups her cheek as she whimpers. “Does my face seem unusually pale?” Muzan stares at her with pink eyes full of rage. “Do I look a bit sickly? Does it appear I’m not long for his world? Do you fear for my life?”

“Wait, wait, wait.” Giyu shook his head. “What did the first man say? Before Muzan… he said something about Muzan being pale, didn’t he?”

“He compared Muzan to a corpse and said he looked on the brink of death.” Tengen recalled, a look of realization entering his face.

“And now he’s asking this girl if he looks like he’s dying…” Kyojuro continued, things clicking into place.

“He’s afraid of death.” Sanemi concluded. “The king of demons is afraid to die…”

“He’s a coward.” Muichiro spat, getting to his feet. “He didn’t want to die so he became a demon?! Well tough shit!”

Mitsuri gasped. “Tokito! Language!” She scolded.

“No, the kid’s right Kanroji.” Obanai agreed. “Everyone dies! Sometimes it’s not fair, and sickness takes someone too soon, or accidents happen, or even murder. It’s something we all have to live with no matter how much we may hate it! He’s no exception!”

“Well-spoken Iguro.” Gyomei agreed, looking furious. “I think we should also take this to mean that Muzan will do anything in his power to escape us once we fight him. He will not stay and fight with honor. We must do everything we can to keep him from running.”

Muzan pulls away from her, declaring that he is alive and almost perfect. He holds a finger up, the nail turning blue and pointed. He stabs it through the drunk woman’s forehead, somehow not killing her instantly. “What do you think would happen if I gave you a constant stream of my blood?”

Kyojuro winced, not wanting to know the answer to that question. He was fairly sure the answer was not “turned into a demon”.

Red veins spread across the woman’s forehead as she begins to babble and twitch uncontrollably. Muzan tells the woman that the human body cannot cope with so much blood and is usually destroyed as he pulls his finger away. In a ghastly sight the woman begins to turn gray, her flesh melting and turning into ash as Muzan watches coldly.

“Oh, that’s sick!” Mitsuri cried out in a disgusted tone.

“Do you…” Muichiro started to ask but was cut off by Gyomei shaking his head.

“I can make a good guess.” Gyomei replied.

Muzan stands and snaps his fingers. Two demons, SUSAMARU and YAHABA, appear kneeling behind him. Muzan orders them to find and kill the demon slayer wearing Hanafuda earrings and they leave as quickly as they came.

“Oh, they were in the intro too.” Tengen pointed out idly.

Once they’re gone, Muzan begins to shake in fear as the image on screen changes. Muzan’s voice narrates over an image of the demon king on the ground, a swordsman with hanafuda earrings and long reddish hair looking down at him.

“Whoa, what? Who is that?” Sanemi asked, amazed.

“Whoever he is, Muzan seems terrified of him.” Giyu noted. “And he wears the same earrings as Tanjiro…”

Eyecatchers

Back at Toya’s udon stand, the noodle seller is reading Tanjiro the riot act for wasting the food. Tanjiro apologizes and asks for another bowl, Toya making him swear to eat it this time. He then turns to Nezuko and demands she take out the muzzle to eat the udon. Tanjiro quickly distracts him by asking for two bowls of udon.

Kyojuro couldn’t help but laugh. It seemed like Tanjiro was very similar to him when it came to food. Then again, it may have just been to distract the udon seller from his sister’s strange state.

“Wait, so how did we get here?” Muichiro asked.

“I’m sure it will explain in a moment.” Tengen answered. “But I guess the demons grabbed the man and helped Tanjiro get away from the crowd.”

Tanjiro quickly eats both bowls in no time, stunning Toya. Tanjiro thanks him and leaves with Nezuko, with Toya inviting them back anytime.

“That’s not surprising, he must be starving.” Sanemi said. “He went on back-to-back missions and probably hasn’t eaten in awhile. I’d have an appetite to rival Kyojuro’s as well.”

“So, is he just not going to address what happened?!” Obanai asked, confused and irritated. “I feel like I’m losing my mind over this.”

Tanjiro apologizes for leaving his sister behind when Nezuko suddenly stops walking, making her brother stop as well. Tanjiro asks what’s wrong and turns to see what Nezuko is looking at, spotting Yushiro waiting for them up ahead.

“Oh, it’s that boy!” Mitsuri said.

Kyojuro grimaced. He hoped this wasn’t a sneak attack.

Tanjiro asks if Yushiro was waiting for them, and Yushiro says he is here on her orders. Tanjiro says he could’ve found them by their scent but Yushiro denies it, having hidden their home under a concealment spell.

“Oh okay, so the lady must’ve provided distraction and then he made them all invisible so they could get away.” Kyojuro guessed.

“Yeah, that makes sense.” Tengen agreed.

“Before we go, did you know that girl is a demon? And not much to look at.”

Kyojuro blinked in confusion. Who was he calling ugly?

Shinobu gasped, looking offended.

“How dare you?!” Misturi demanded. “Nezuko is adorable!!”

“He’s calling Nezuko ugly?!” Kyojuro gasped. “Why?! Is it because of the muzzle?!”

“You’re not much to look at either!” Muichiro snapped at the screen.

“Pot calling the kettle black you green piece of shit!” Tengen scoffed. “Nezuko is a flashy little darling.”

Sanemi and Obanai merely shook their heads, not saying anything.

Giyu looked ready to reach through the screen and strangle the man. “Tanjiro you’d better give that boy the strongest headbutt of your life.” He ordered.

“I do not have much hope for this boy.” Gyomei said, tears falling down his face.

Tanjiro is utterly baffled by his words, trying to figure out what he meant and who he is calling ugly. When he realizes the other boy meant Nezuko, he is utterly enraged by the insult. “She was the most beautiful girl in our whole town! You know that?!”

“You tell him Tanjiro!!” Mitsuri agreed.

“That boy must be blind to think Nezuko is ugly.” Kyojuro said. Then he blinked, realizing what just came out of his mouth. “I am so, so sorry Himejima.”

“It’s fine, I know what you meant.”

Yushiro remains stoic in the face of Tanjiro’s brotherly rage and starts to lead them back to his place. Tanjiro drags his sister along, continuing to praise her beauty and insisting that Yushiro just needs to take a good look at her.

Tengen laughed. “Man, he is letting that rude kid just have it.”

“I think Nezuko is so cute!” Mitsuri cooed.

“If anyone told me they found Senjuro to be hideous, demon or not, I would deck them in the face.” Obanai hissed.

Kyojuro wasn’t surprised that Obanai was also comparing Tanjiro and Nezuko to Senjuro. As Obanai settled in at their house, he became fiercely protective of the baby of the family. Kyojuro wondered if that protectiveness is also why Obanai chose to leave the house once he became a demon slayer instead of continuing to live there.

Nowadays it was almost impossible to get Obanai to come over. Maybe if he invited Mitsuri as well, Obanai would agree to come.

Tanjiro continues to rant, blaming it on Nezuko’s muzzle as Yushiro stops in front of a wall. Yushiro walks right through the wall and after a moment, the siblings follow him. Slapped over the door of a house is a piece of paper with an eye drawn on it. Tanjiro is amazed, having thought the house was a dead end.

Tengen laughed harder. “He’s still going at it!”

“He can hide a whole house…” Sanemi muttered. “He could probably stand in a room with us, and we couldn’t see it.”

Yushiro tells Tanjiro to mind his manners, because he doesn’t care about Tanjiro and only brought him here on his lady’s orders.

“He is so rude!” Mitsuri exclaimed.

“Headbutt him Tanjiro.” Tengen asked. “Please.”

“He’s telling Tanjiro to mind his manners?” Kyojuro scoffed.

Yushiro brings Tanjiro and Nezuko into Tamayo’s clinic. The doctor sits at the bed of the sleeping woman whose husband was turned. Tanjiro apologizes for leaving her with the work and asks after the woman’s state. Tamayo assures him that she will make a full recovery, but her husband is locked up in the basement.

“Oh.” Shinobu leaned closer. “That… looks like a regular doctor’s office. Just like what I have.”

“So, she is a doctor?” Gyomei asked.

“It seems so. The woman looks unharmed and taken care of.” Shinobu confirmed.

“How on earth can she treat humans without losing control?” Muichiro wondered.

Tanjiro asks if it is difficult for her to treat humans. Offended, Yushiro quickly slams his fist into Tanjiro’s chest. “Is that what you think, she chokes back her own drool when she treats a human? ‘Cause demons can’t control themselves?”

“Why is he hitting him?” Muichiro wondered.

“He must really respect this lady.” Tengen shrugged. “Or he’s just an asshole.”

Tanjiro apologizes after hearing that. Tamayo scolds Yushiro for resorting to violence. Tamayo apologizes for not introducing herself and Yushiro sooner and does so. She then says she hopes the boys can be friends. Yushiro looks enraged at the idea while Tanjiro looks nervous and doesn’t think it will happen.

“Hey look, it's Shinazugawa when the master asks him to get along with Tomioka.” Shinobu giggled.

Sanemi scoffed, looking irritated.

Tamayo tells Tanjiro it’s not difficult for her to treat humans compared to other demons. Her body has gone under considerable changes over the years, and she removed the demon king’s curse. Tanjiro is confused and asks her to clarify.

“Curse?” Mitsuri asked. “What curse?”

“Can a demon really change this much?” Kyojuro wondered. He still wasn’t sure what to make of this.

“There’s no way a demon can change that much.” Sanemi protested. “This is a trap.”

Tamayo takes off her doctor’s coat and leads everyone to a different room. Nezuko lays down on the carpet and makes herself comfy. Tanjiro starts to scold her for being rude, but Tamayo doesn’t mind and invites them both to make themselves at home.

“Awwww Nezuko~” Mitsuri cooed.

Tamayo explains that she’s made several adjustments to her and Yushiro’s bodies so they could live without harming humans and survive off a tiny amount of blood. Tamayo further explains she buys blood donations from people in poverty, with the excuse that she will use it for blood transfusions and she never takes enough to cause harm. “No wonder. That would explain why neither one of them has the same scent as a normal demon. Except, they still need human blood. If that’s the case, what about Nezuko?”

“Well, that’s kind of her.” Gyomei said. “And very practical.”

“I’m starting to think Nezuko might be entirely unique amongst demons.” Shinobu said. “If these two still need blood and she doesn’t…”

Tamayo then says Yushiro needs even less blood than she does, since she turned him into a demon. Tanjiro is confused and asks how that happened. In the background, Nezuko entertains herself by scooting back and forth.

“So cute.” Mitsuri cooed. “Wait what did she say?!”

“She turned that boy into a demon!?” Muichiro gasped. “But how?! Only Muzan should be able to!”

“Oh good, I didn’t mishear that.” Kyojuro said, stunned.

“There’s two people running around turning people into demons…” Obanai groaned, looking terrified of the possibilities.

Tamayo explains that Muzan is mostly the only one who can turn humans to demons. It took her over two hundred years to learn how to turn humans, and the only success she’s had is Yushiro.

“Two hundred years?!” Tengen shouted. “Well thank god!”

Tanjiro is absolutely stunned to hear it took two centuries and asks how old Tamayo is. Absolutely enraged, Yushiro begins hitting Tanjiro in the chest, berating him for asking for a lady’s age. Tamayo scolds Yushiro and threatens to punish him if he does it again. All Yushiro can think of though is how beautiful she looks even when angry.

“Okay, I’ll give this Yushiro guy that one.” Tengen shrugged. “You don’t ask a lady her age. I’d be much worse if anyone asked my wives that.”

“Is she like his mother or…?” Muichiro wondered.

Tamayo clarifies that she is not out to create more demons. The ones she does try to turn are those on the verge of death and she always makes sure to get their express permission. Tanjiro smells nothing but pure honesty from her. Feeling hopeful for the first time in a while, Tanjiro asks if Tamayo has a cure.

“If this woman has a cure and she’s not sharing it, I’m going to lose my mind.” Sanemi declared.

“She’s… actually very ethical about this.” Shinobu said, surprised.

“I guess Yushiro must have been very sick when she saved him.” Kyojuro guessed. “No wonder he seems so devoted to her.”

Muzan’s assassins travel through the empty streets. Susamaru bounces a temari ball as Yahaba stretches out his hands, revealing an eyeball with an arrow for a pupil in each palm. Yahaba leans down close to the ground, hovering his hands over it. Yahaba tells his partner he can see their footprints and what direction they went in, the screen showing his vision as seeing arrows in the dirt. “Three of them, headed that way. One’s carrying some kind of oversized box.”

“Oh my god I forgot about them.” Muichiro confessed.

“Great, he’s got a blood art, and she has a toy.” Tengen sighed. “I’m willing to bet that’s connected to her blood art as well.”

“Do you think they’ll be able to find them?” Kyojuro wondered.

“I’m not sure.” Gyomei replied. “I’ve never heard of demons being affected by blood arts.”

Susamaru plays with her temari ball, wondering how they should kill their targets. “I can feel the power. I can feel the blood he gave me coursing through my veins.” Yahaba answers his partner that they’re going to be ruthless when they kill them.

“Oh great, Muzan gave them extra blood before sending them, it seems.” Sanemi groaned.

As Nezuko kicks her legs in the air, Tamayo ponders over Tanjiro’s question. Tanjiro tries to move closer as he asks how but earns Yushiro’s ire. Yushiro orders Tanjiro to keep his distance from Tamayo, tossing the boy over his shoulder and onto the ground. Tamayo is annoyed and calls his name in a stern tone. Yushiro immediately sits down and apologizes. “I only threw him. I didn’t hit him.” Tamayo replies that neither is acceptable.

Kyojuro snorted, finding the situation a little funny.

“If he hits Tanjiro one more time, I am going to get angry.” Giyu said, looking sternly at the screen.

Tanjiro rubs his head and keeps his distance as he asks Tamayo how to cure Nezuko. “There’s always some kind of medicine or aid, no matter the wound or ailment. I don’t know how to turn a demon back into a human yet, but there must be a way. And I promise we are going to find it. We are dedicated to establishing such a treatment.”

“Maybe you could find Tamayo and work together with her Kocho!” Mitsuri realized.

Shinobu went quiet. “Perhaps. We’ll have to see.” She said quietly.

Tamayo asks if Tanjiro would do something for her in order to reach that goal. In order to make a cure, Tamayo needs to study the blood of as many demons as she can get her hands on. Her first favor is Tanjiro’s permission to study Nezuko’s blood and the second favor is for Tanjiro to retrieve blood samples from demons as closely related to demons as possible.

“I might be wrong but…” Kyojuro thought for a moment. “Wouldn’t that mean Tanjiro would be going after the Kizuki?

“Sweet!” Tengen cheered. “Tanjiro’s going to become a Hashira!”

“Nezuko’s condition is extremely rare, perhaps entirely unique. I understand she was asleep for two straight years. I believe her body changed during that time.” Tamayo points out that a period of time that long without any kind of food would cause any other demon to grow violent. All Yushiro can concentrate on is how beautiful Lady Tamayo is and how beautiful she’ll be tomorrow.

“What is wrong with that guy?” Sanemi asked, baffled.

“So Nezuko Kamado is truly unique.” Gyomei said. “I think it would be in our best interests to keep her away from Muzan.”

“However, against all odds, Nezuko is showing none of those signs. That miracle could be the key to finding a solution.” Tanjiro looks down at his sister and gently touches her forehead. Nezuko smiles and holds his hand, nuzzling into his touch.

Mitsuri cooed at the sweet sight and Kyojuro couldn’t help the small smile that bloomed across his face. The Kamado’s seemed to have one of the purest sibling loves he’d ever seen. Once again, he found himself imagining himself in Tanjiro’s shoes. What would he do if Senjuro became a demon?

Tamayo warns Tanjiro that her second request is not as simple as it sounds. She clarifies that by “demons closely related to Kibutsuji”, she means demons with powers very close to the demon king’s own abilities. She tells Tanjiro it will not be easy to get their blood. Tamayo asks if Tanjiro is alright accepting these terms.

“Don’t agree Tanjiro.” Muichiro instructed. “You don’t know if you can trust this woman. Just because she smelled trustworthy doesn’t mean she actually is.”

Tanjiro looks down at Nezuko, who seems to have fallen asleep while holding her brother’s hand to her face. Tanjiro agrees to do it, knowing that Tamayo may be able to save more than just Nezuko.

“I don’t blame the kid.” Kyojuro said. “If this was Senjuro… well, I don’t know what I would do to keep my brother safe.”

The room was silent after that as everyone thought about what they would do in this situation.

Tamayo agrees, giving Tanjiro a smile. Tanjiro blushes and then flinches when Yushiro glares and growls at him out of jealousy.

“I would’ve punched him by now.” Sanemi rolled his eyes. “Tanjiro has greater restraint than I do.”

Then we see Yushiro’s concealment paper. Suddenly, a temari ball rips through it. Yushiro gasps and warns everyone to get down, grabbing Tamayo and shielding her with his body. Two temari balls smash through the room, destroying it but luckily not hitting anyone.

“Well, there goes the hope that Yushiro could keep them hidden.” Obanai sighed.

“Luckily he’s not alone this time.” Mitsuri pointed out.

Susamaru laughs as her temaris bounce back to her. Yahaba asks if she’s decided how they’ll kill everyone. Ruthlessly, Susamaru declares, tossing her toys right back to her targets. Yushiro shields Tamayo and Tanjiro guards his sister as the balls race towards them.

“Of course, the episode ends right before the battle.” Tengen grumbled.

“Has anyone else noticed these episodes are about twenty minutes long?” Kyojuro asked. “That’s odd, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, that is odd.” Shinobu agreed.

End Theme.

Taisho Era Secret!

“Today, I’m starting with the Taisho Era Secret! Yushiro’s hobby is writing in his Lady Tamayo journal, and I hear he churns out seven to ten pages a day.”

“Oh my god what a creep!” Tengen shuddered.

“Seven to ten pages?” Muichiro asked in confusion. “How?”

“And lookie here!” Tanjiro holds up Yushiro’s journal. “Shall we take a peek in that journal?” Nezuko agrees.

“Oh, that can’t be a good idea.” Obanai said.

“Please don’t.” Giyu begged.

“January tenth. Lady Tamayo was ethereal and gorgeous today. At 5:10 she called my name not once, but twice. Her voice was beautiful. At 5:29 when Lady Tamayo happened to be very deep in thought, she slipped on the step and then…” Tanjiro quickly puts the book away.

“Why did you cover my ears?” Muichiro asked, looking up at Gyomei.

“No reason.” The older man said quickly.

“Next episode nine! Temari Demon and Arrow Demon!” Tanjiro and Nezuko look uncomfortable. “Let’s pretend we never saw that…”

“Let’s watch the end of this battle and break for lunch.” Giyu decided, taking the remote.

Chapter Text

Recap of the end of the last episode.

Giyu instinctively reached for his sword, only for his hand to close around nothing. Confused, he looked down at his side only to find nothing. That was odd. Where…?

Oh, right. In all the fuss, he had completely forgotten that Gyomei had taken his sword last night. He wondered where he had put it. He also wondered what it would take for Gyomei to trust him enough to give his sword back.

Last night, lost in the haze of grief, Giyu had said some… rather upsetting things in hindsight.

Theme

Susamaru laughs as she tells Yahaba he was right about there being a house here. Yahaba confirms it must be the work of a demon’s blood art. He wonders why the demon slayer they’re hunting is in the company of demons.

“Oh yeah that would be confusing, wouldn’t it?” Tengen muttered to himself.

“So, she couldn’t see the house, but the other one could with his arrow things.” Sanemi mused. “Interesting, so demons can be affected by blood arts.”

Yahaba scolds Susamaru for being childish with her attack, annoyed that his kimono is dusty. Susamaru tells Yahaba to relax and that the real fun begins now that they found their target’s hiding place, launching another attack. Yahaba tells Susamaru to stop getting him dirty, to which she responds that he’s too uptight and he looks fine. Susamaru laughs as the dust clears and she spots her prey. “Come out, come out wherever you are.”

“Well, that can’t be good.” Kyojuro said. “She’s a sadist, and I’m willing to bet he’s just as much of one.”

“The brute and the brains, if I had to guess.” Shinobu agreed.

“If I had to guess, he’s going to hang back and provide support.” Giyu theorized.

Tanjiro is stunned by the damage the temari caused, holding Nezuko close. Yushiro continues to shield Tamayo, wondering if Muzan sent the other two demons.

“No, they just happened to be in the neighborhood.” Obanai rolled his eyes.

“Wait, aren’t they demons too?” Mitsuri wondered. “Why aren’t they fighting?”

The temaris swerve and shift in midair, causing massive destruction every time they slam into something. Yushiro attempts to swat one away, but it swerves down before blasting up, knocking his head off. Tanjiro screams the boy’s name in horror as Tamayo catches his body.

A strangled gasp choked in Giyu’s throat at the sight. For just a moment, in the blink of his eyes, he was seeing Sabito on the screen again. Maybe it was, or maybe it was the sudden tears in his eyes, causing the screen to blur.

“Tomioka?” Shinobu’s voice called. “Are you alright?”

“I…” Giyu blinked rapidly, trying to clear his vision. “I’m fine.”

“You went even paler than you already are.” Muichiro noted, tilting his head. “You’re thinking about Sabito, aren’t you?”

Giyu wanted to throttle the youngest Hashira. Why did he choose to be observant at the oddest moments? Now everyone else is staring at him…

“Do you need to take a break?” Mitsuri asked.

“I’m fine.” He insisted, turning his head away from their prying gazes. This concern from them was new, something he wasn’t used to. Even Shinobu was acting differently towards him, her prying gaze more sympathetic than teasing. He hated this new tension in the room, why couldn’t things go back to how they were before? “Let’s keep going.”

Tanjiro orders Nezuko to grab the sleeping woman and take her outside to safety. Tamayo points out that it’s too dangerous and to take her to the basement instead. Tanjiro agrees and Nezuko does so. He notices that Susamaru’s scent is different compared to other demons and seems stronger.

“Wait, isn't her demon husband in the basement?” Sanemi pointed out. “How the hell is that safer?”

“I’m assuming that the husband is tied up or caged.” Gyomei replied. “Otherwise, Tamayo most likely would’ve suggested a different hiding place.”

Susamaru reveals they’re targeting Tanjiro, much to his surprise. Tanjiro asks Tamayo to go and hide since the demons aren’t after her. “No, Tanjiro. You need to focus on the fight. Don’t worry about us. We’ll be just fine without your protection. We’re demons, too.”

“So why aren’t you getting up to help him?!” Obanai demanded.

“Shouldn’t Yushiro’s head have grown back by now?” Mitsuri wondered. “Even if he doesn’t eat a lot of blood, he should’ve regenerated by now, right?”

Giyu tilted his head. That was a good question. Was he dead? How did he function, since he was made by Tamayo and not Muzan?

Susamaru throws her temari again and Tanjiro decides to use a thrusting technique to stop it instead of dodging. Using Water Breathing, Seventh Form: Drop Ripple Thrust, Tanjiro stabs straight through the temari.

“Will that work?” Muichiro wondered.

Tengen shrugged and gestured at the screen. “Looks like it did.”

“I don’t think it did.” Gyomei said.

“Oh? You think you can soften the temari’s blow by stabbing it like that? How cute.” The ball rattles on Tanjiro’s blade making it shake and bonk him in the head before it slides right off. Tanjiro wonders how that’s possible, remembering how it did the same thing to Yushiro, since Susamaru isn’t doing anything but throwing them.

“Could the arrow demon be guiding the temaris with his blood art?” Obanai wondered.

There was a pause as everyone considered this. “Shit.” Sanemi said, breaking the silence. “That’s probably exactly how she’s doing this.”

“Would it be inappropriate to say it was a little funny how it bonked him in the head?” Kyojuro wondered. “Considering how hard Tanjiro’s head seems to be, the toy probably took more damage than he did.”

Mitsuri snickered. “It’s a little inappropriate, yeah, but still funny I think.”

Giyu turned to look at them. “Yes, it will be so funny when one of those things splatters Tanjiro’s head open.” He said coldly, cutting Mitsuri’s laughter short. He didn’t understand how they could laugh when the boy was in danger.

Mitsuri flinched back. “Sorry Tomioka.” She said quietly.

Obanai glared daggers at Giyu, but that was nothing new.

“You’re right Tomioka.” Kyojuro nodded, looking regretful. “It’s easy to forget that what we’re watching is a future event at times.”

“Oh my.” Shinobu mused, and oh no… Giyu groaned mentally at the look on her face. He was sure there was a grimace on his own. That look on her face usually meant she found something new to tease him over. “You’re awfully concerned over Tanjiro, aren’t you?”

Giyu pointedly turned his head away and picked up the controller, pressing play.

Tamayo calls out to Yushiro as she holds his still headless body. Slowly, his head starts to regenerate but it’s slow and sickening compared to normal demons. Once the lower half of his face regrows, he begins to rant on how he warned Tamayo not to get involved. He then reminds her that his concealment spell is still a work in progress, he can conceal buildings and people, but not the fact they exist. The more people, the more traces they leave.

“Ew…” Muichiro muttered. “That’s the grossest regeneration I’ve ever seen.”

“Fascinating.” Shinobu mused. “It must be because of his unique origin, and the fact that he apparently survives off of minute donations of blood. I’m interested in getting a sample of his blood to study… could there be a way to reverse it?”

“So… if it had just been Yushiro and Tamayo, then the arrow demon couldn’t have found them?” Gyomei wondered. “But because they brought in that husband and wife, and now the Kamado siblings, they were more easily found.”

Tanjiro realizes that there was no scent until the demons attacked, and wonders if that was Yushiro’s blood art. Yushiro finally regrows the rest of his head. “I hate anyone who gets in the way of the time I spend alone with you. I despise them! I loathe them with passion! It’s unforgivable!”

“Oh, he’s head over heels in love with her.” Tengen whistled. “That’s pretty flashy, how devoted he is to her.”

“It’s romantic!!” Mitsuri swooned. “I’d simply die of happiness if my husband said something like that to me!! He’s so protective of her!”

Giyu watched in confusion as Sanemi elbowed Obanai and gave him a look. Obanai in return elbowed Sanemi much harder and averted his gaze. For some strange reason, Gyomei began to chuckle.

What the hell was going on?

Susamaru mocks Yushiro and tosses off her haori. Then she opens up her kimono, leaving her torso exposed. She continues to mock and declares herself to be a member of the 12 Kizuki. Tamayo reminds Tanjiro that the Kizuki are the demons directly under Muzan.

There was a pause.

“Bullshit!” Sanemi shouted.

“Fucking liar.” Obanai hissed.

Giyu tilted his head. If this was the first time that Tanjiro had heard of the twelve Kizuki, it makes complete sense why he would believe this lie. He’d have to see about writing the boy a letter when he returned home.

“Do you think she’s lying, or do you think she’s delusional?” Muichiro wondered.

“Probably delusional.” Shinobu replied.

“Or Muzan lied.” Kyojuro suggested. “It seems like Muzan gave them more of his blood before he sent them, he may have led them to believe they were now part of the Kizuki.”

“Or he told them that if they killed Tanjiro, he’d promote them to the Kizuki.” Tengen added. “And she thinks she’s already got her victory in the bag.”

“And with all the commotion going around, nobody is really focusing on her eyes since they’re busy focusing on the temaris.” Mitsuri summed up.

“Honestly, I’m just wondering why she’s getting naked.” Giyu said.

“She’s what?!” Gyomei exclaimed.

“She’s not actually getting naked!!” Shinobu was quick to assure him. “But for some reason she took off her upper layers.”

Much to Tanjiro’s shock, the reason that Susamaru got halfway undressed was so that she could sprout two extra pairs of arms, allowing her to throw more temaris at a time. “Now, then, let the games continue until morning comes, until you’re all dead!” The six temaris wreck even more havoc than before, injuring Yushiro as he tries to shield Tamayo.

“Oh, okay.” Kyojuro nodded. “She just grew four extra arms, that’s why she started to undress.”

“That does make sense.” Gyomei agreed.

“Great, now she’s tossing six of them at a time.” Sanemi scowled. “Nezuko’s still getting that woman to safety and those two demons are sitting there uselessly! He needs backup!”

“Is it just me, or did the arrow demon just vanish?” Giyu realized suddenly.

“Hey, he did!” Mitsuri agreed.

“Shit, did Tanjiro even see him before he left?” Tengen wondered, worry in his voice.

Tamayo tries to think over their options, unable to use her spell because it would affect Tanjiro, and Yushiro needs time to switch into attack mode.

“What the hell does that mean? Attack mode?” Sanemi scoffed.

“Okay, but you are both still demons!” Obanai pointed out, looking and sounding pissed. “You still have inhuman strength and speed don’t you?! Get up and help him!”

“What’s taking Nezuko so long?!” Mitsuri wondered.

Tanjiro struggles against Susamaru’s attack since the temaris keep swerving and hitting him. Cutting them in half only dulls their attack. Tanjiro notes that there are two scents of blood and realizes there are two demons but is unable to do anything but defend himself.

“He must be up in the trees.” Giyu suggested.

“Won’t do him much good when he can barely move except to defend himself.” Sanemi sighed.

Tamayo and Yushiro are injured, and Tanjiro tries to go to them. Tamayo reminds Tanjiro that they’ll heal and not to worry about them. Yushiro calls Tanjiro an idiot and tells him to watch the arrows to see where the temaris are going. Tanjiro says he doesn’t know what Yushiro means.

“So we were right!” Kyojuro exclaimed. “The arrow demon is using his blood art to guide the temari woman’s attack!”

“So Yushiro can see the arrows…” Gyomei said to himself. “I wonder… could Yushiro’s ability to conceal things mean that nothing is concealed from his sight?”

“Seriously? You’re telling me you can’t see them?” Yushiro holds a scrap of paper up to his face, his eye glowing blue. “I’m lending you my sense of sight! That should at least give you the chance to kill the temari woman!” Yushiro tosses the paper at Tanjiro, and it is magically pinned into his forehead, his eyes lighting up as it takes effect and lets him see the arrows.

“What the hell?!” Tengen gasped. “Can all demons pass on their sight like that?”

“I don’t know, this seems to be a Yushiro specific thing…” Shinobu mused.

Giyu let out a quiet sigh of relief. Now, Tanjiro could use this new sight to do more than defend himself. He could start taking the fight to the demons.

The arrows zip around the room and the temaris follow their path. Now able to see the arrows, Tanjiro is able to dodge their attacks. He thanks Yushiro for his help and Yushiro tells Tanjiro to hurry up and kill their attackers. Nezuko returns and Tanjiro tells her to take the battle outside and go after the one in the tree.

“He could probably kill them faster if you got off your ass.” Tengen grumbled. “I could maybe excuse Tamayo not fighting since she doesn’t seem to be a fighter at all, and her blood art would only hurt Tanjiro, but come on man.”

“At least Nezuko’s finally back!” Mitsuri cheered. “And now Tanjiro has tracked the arrow demon down to the tree!”

Nezuko and Tanjiro rush outside, Nezuko jumping over Susamaru to get to the trees. Susamaru is pleased to see that Tanjiro is indeed the one she was sent to kill and vows to bring his head to Muzan. The temaris chase Tanjiro around the yard, the demon slayer unable to do anything as long as the arrows are guiding their path.

“Now that I think about it, why does he have those earrings?” Muichiro wondered.

“Family heirloom.” Tengen answered. “In the ending song or whatever it is, you can see Tanjiro’s dad wearing the same earrings.”

“Ah, like my haori!” Kyojuro realized. “It’s been passed down to every flame Hashira!”

“Well, I can understand why he’d keep them then.” Shinobu said quietly, one hand coming up to adjust her hair clip. “It’s the only thing he has left of his family.” Her hands shook lightly as she placed them back in her lap.

Giyu frowned, wondering if she was feeling sick again. There were so many days where she seemed unhealthy pale, and sometimes she was almost listless. Today seemed like one of those days. Or maybe she was thinking of her sister…

He reached over and took one of her hands, giving it a gentle squeeze. Shinobu shot him a look of surprise, as she often did in these moments when he offered support. But it quickly melted into gratitude as she offered him a small smile and turned back to the screen.

Nezuko leaps through the trees, spotting Yahaba. Before he can react to her presence, she begins kicking him. This causes him to lose focus on the temaris, allowing Tanjiro to use Water Breathing, Third Form: Flowing Dance to slice them into pieces and cut off Susamaru’s arms.

“Yeah, if a cute demon girl in pink came out of nowhere to hit me, I’d probably lose focus too.” Tengen chuckled.

“Okay great, now go for her head before she regrows her arms.” Muichiro instructed. “You don’t know how quickly she regenerates so you have to act now.”

Tanjiro asks if Yahaba and Susamaru are closely related to Kibutjusi. Tamayo agrees it’s possible and Tanjiro declares that they’ve found her first blood samples.

“Okay great now go for her head.” Muichiro repeated in a firmer tone.

Eyecatchers

We flashback to an earlier scene of Tanjiro agreeing to get blood samples for Tamayo. We then quickly recap the previous scene.

“What the fuck?” Tengen groaned. “We literally just saw this shit.”

“It is actually really annoying.” Obanai admitted. “We sure do rewatch a lot of things we’ve already seen for something that’s showing us the future.”

Susamaru’s arms turn to ash, but all she does is laugh. “You think you’ll be able to take blood from us? I’m not really sure what kind of schemes you’re up to, but there’s no way I’m going to let you do anything that will displease him whatsoever.” Susamaru turns to face Tanjiro. “If you want blood from the 12 Kizuki, then give it a shot. Let’s see if you can!”

Muichiro frowned. “Tanjiro. Behead her Tanjiro.”

“Tokito, I hate to break it to you, but I don’t think he’s going to do it.” Tengen consoled him.

Muichiro groaned and slumped his head forward. Giyu thought he heard the words “useless idiot” and wasn’t sure if he should scold Muichiro for insulting Tanjiro or agree with the Mist Hashira.

Yushiro warns Tanjiro to stay on his guard, since if they are members of the 12 Kizuki, it makes them more powerful than any other demons Tanjiro has faced. Tanjiro says he understands and promises to be careful.

“Luckily for Tanjiro, this isn’t a member of the Kizuki!” Kyojuro said brightly. “However, he should still be careful!”

While Tanjiro is distracted, Yushiro turns to Tamayo. “Lady Tamayo… let’s escape while they’re all distracted.” Tamayo is absolutely horrified by this suggestion, leading Yushiro to quickly say he was just kidding.

“You motherfucker…” Giyu hissed through clenched teeth.

Mitsuri’s jaw dropped as she stared blankly at the screen.

“Did he really just suggest that?” Kyojuro asked. “Did I mishear him? Did he really suggest to just run and leave Tanjiro to his fate?!”

“He did, that pathetic little coward.” Tengen sneered.

Nezuko kicks at Yahaba, the arrow demon growling as he defends himself. “Stop stirring up so much dust. You’re filthy!” Yahaba holds out his hands, and the eyes on his palms blink. Nezuko is blasted backwards out of the tree.

“God, I hate it when the eyes aren’t where they’re supposed to be.” Sanemi admitted. “Freaks me the fuck out.”

Giyu could understand that. Personally, he was never very fond of when demons had far too many teeth. Or god forbid an extra mouth. The hand demon’s mouth had been incredibly unpleasant for a variety of reasons…

Susamaru regrows her arms, worrying Tanjiro, since her regeneration speed is much faster than what he’s seen so far. “He’ll be so happy having your head as a trophy.” Before Tanjiro can do anything though, Nezuko lands on him, knocking him to the ground. Yahaba hops out of the tree and Susamaru is happy to have them both helpless. “Good! You can both die together!”

“Wow it’s almost like you should’ve gone ahead and cut off her head.” Muichiro said, sarcasm thick in his voice as he rolled his eyes.

“Tokito.” Gyomei called in a somewhat stern tone.

“What?” Muichiro asked.

“He can’t hear you.”

Tanjiro rolls himself and his sister out of harm's way and checks on her. Yushiro calls out to them, telling Tanjiro to focus on Yahaba while the rest of them worry about Susamaru. Tanjiro asks his sister not to push herself too hard before they split up to fight.

“That’s a good idea.” Kyojuro agreed. “Since Nezuko is a demon, she can take a few more hits than Tanjiro, and she may even be able to throw those temaris back where they came from.”

“Just because Nezuko is a demon doesn’t mean she should throw herself into harm’s way.” Giyu replied. “We don’t know the extent of her regenerative capabilities, or how much she can take before she passes out to recover.”

“She’s a demon, Tomioka.” Sanemi reminded.

“She's a little girl.” Giyu shot back.

Tamayo is able to stand up and come to the hole in the house. Nezuko briefly sees Tamayo as her mother and Yushiro as her youngest brother. She sighs and then growls. “Go get her.” Tanjiro says, before the siblings charge at their opponents.

“Go, Nezuko, go!” Mitsuri cheered.

“She sees Tamayo as her mother…” Shinobu said softly.

“And apparently she sees Yushiro as her youngest brother.” Sanemi pointed out.

Tengen snickered. “Wasn’t that the brother she had to put to sleep because he was going to throw a tantrum over not getting to go to town with Tanjiro?” He recalled. “So basically, Nezuko sees Yushiro as a fussy toddler who needs a nap.”

“Considering his behavior, a nap may actually be needed.” Gyomei said, a small smile tugging on his lips. “With such childish and immature actions, it seems Nezuko is not incorrect in drawing such a conclusion.”

Giyu hummed in response as the other Hashira laughed among themselves. He had never heard Gyomei tell a joke like that before. How unusual.

“Alright, time to get those blood samples! I’ll fight any demon I have to if it means the medicine’ll be finished even one minute sooner, and I’ll beat them all!” Tanjiro detects the opening thread on Yahaba but before he can follow it, the arrow demon holds up his hand and the eye blinks, snapping the thread as an arrow appears under Tanjiro’s feet and launches him backwards.

“Oh, kid…” Tengen shook his head. “Don’t put this burden entirely on yourself.”

“Hopefully he writes to me and tells me.” Giyu said. “I’d help him if he’d ask me.”

Sanemi tssk’d. “Those damn arrows are a pain in the ass.”

Every time the palm on Yahaba’s hand blinks, an arrow slams Tanjiro into something, a tree, the ground, the wall. He finally launches Tanjiro high up into the air and then lets him plummet. Tanjiro is able to use Water Breathing, Eighth Form: Waterfall Basin to blunt the impact and save himself.

Giyu said nothing, merely watching the scene close. A flicker of an unfamiliar feeling welled up in his chest. Was this pride? Pride in Tanjiro?

Yes, that makes sense. Tanjiro was improving quickly and wonderfully. Soon, he could take over the role of water pillar.

Meanwhile, Nezuko is forced on the defensive, only able to dodge Susamaru’s attacks. Yushiro enters the fray and turns invisible, shocking Susamaru. Unable to see him, she’s forced to go on the defensive and ends up knocked to her knees. Yushiro turns visible and glares down at her. “Lady Tamayo is in pain because of you. I can’t forgive that!”

“Oh, now he fucking fights.” Obanai grumbled.

Tengen shrugged. “Gotta hand it to him though, it’s obvious he’s sincerely devoted to Tamayo.”

Yahaba perks up at hearing her name. “Susamaru, can you believe our luck? We found Tamayo, the fugitive. She’ll make quite a souvenir.” Susamaru agrees as she stands back up, launching three tamari’s each at Nezuko and Yushiro.

“What?” Giyu asked, confused.

“Fugitive?” Shinobu repeated to herself. “What does that mean?”

“She said earlier she wished to kill the demon king, and that there is a curse Muzan places on demons that she broke.” Gyomei recalled. “It seems as though she’s the closest thing the demons have to a criminal.”

Nezuko growls and moves to kick the ball back. Yushiro and Tamayo try to warn her, but it’s too late and the temari knocks her leg off. Susamaru cackles and kicks Nezuko, launching her back into the house. Susamaru finds the whole thing fun and asks if they’re going to play kickball now.

“Nezuko!!!” Mitsuri gasped in horror.

Giyu’s eyes widened, and he leaned closer. Was she okay? She’d never lost a limb before!

“What was that about throwing the temaris back Kyojuro?” Tengen asked.

“Nevermind.” Kyojuro replied nervously.

Susamaru asks Yahaba if four heads will be enough. Yahaba tells her that’s too many, and they only need the heads of Tanjiro and Tamayo.

Giyu clenched his hands into fists. He was fairly certain this episode was almost over. He didn’t know how much longer this battle would take, but he hoped that Tanjiro would make it out okay.

Tamayo is now inside the house and tending to Nezuko. “Oh, no. The bleeding isn’t stopping. She recovers slowly.” Tamayo injects Nezuko with medicine that will help her heal faster. As she tends to Nezuko, the demon child imagines her as her mother.

“Interesting.” Shinobu said. “So she makes medicines that can help demons. I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to look into that, for Nezuko if nothing else.”

“There’s something so… sad, about Nezuko seeing her mother.” Mitsuri sniffled. “I can’t really put it in words.”

“I’m wondering why she’s seeing her mother.” Kyojuro admitted. “I thought Nezuko only saw humans as family. But these are demons.”

“I think… Nezuko sees them as humans, like herself.” Giyu hesitantly suggested.

“I could understand that.” Gyomei replied. “It gives me more to consider about that hypnotic suggestion.”

Tanjiro faces Yahaba, wondering what he can do. His blood art makes it hard to get close and behead him. Any move Tanjiro makes has to be precise and quick. Also, the eyeballs on Yahaba’s hands are creepy and freak him out.

“Same, kid, same.” Sanemi quipped.

“If he can combine forms, he may be able to win.” Giyu said, a strategy coming to mind. “But he’ll have to be quick.”

Yahaba launches another attack and all Tanjiro can do is dodge. “These things are so fast. It doesn’t look like they’ll go away until they hit me, and my sword won’t do anything to them. As soon as the blade touches it, the arrow carries me away again!” Tanjiro tries to cut through an arrow but is slammed through the wall.

Everyone winced or cringed. “His ribs are going to be bruised.” Shinobu said. “Or broken, and he may have more than one broken rib depending on how much force was used.”

“Luckily for him, Tamayo is a doctor.” Kyojuro said optimistically.

Shinobu shook her head. “While I’m sure Tamayo can and will help, what Tanjiro ultimately needs is rest after this. So hopefully he won’t have another mission anytime soon.”

Yahaba tosses Tanjiro up in the air and wraps an arrow around his arm, starting to twist it while declaring he’s going to take Tanjiro’s arm. Thinking quickly, Tanjiro uses a tree to backflip, his body spinning in the opposite direction of the arrow and loosening it.

“Yes!” Kyojuro cheered. “Very clever!”

“Way to go kid.” Tengen praised. “You figured out how to circumvent his blood art.”

Yahaba praises Tanjiro for his clever thinking, then calls him a monkey. Tanjiro realizes that this is the best way for him to win. Yahaba goes furious and declares it’s time for Tanjiro to die as the demon slayer charges him.

“Why’d he call him a monkey?” Muichiro wondered.

“A lot of demons see themselves as above humans, conveniently forgetting that they themselves were once human.” Obanai explained.

“I’ll adapt my moves. First, the sixth form to envelop the arrow!” We see a brief snippet of Tanjiro killing the swamp demons and then a snippet of Tanjiro destroying the temaris . “Then I’ll use the footwork of the third form… and close in on him!”

“Yes, perfect.” Giyu nodded. “You can do it.”

Tanjiro races forward, dodging the arrows. “Twist! Envelop!” Tanjiro skids to a stop and begins to twist around, enveloping the arrows in the pull of his sword with a Twisting Whirlpool, Flowing Water.

“I’m serious Tomioka, if you don’t claim that kid as your Tsugoku, I’m gonna do it.” Tengen threatened.

Giyu ignored him, focusing on the screen. Perhaps he should rethink the idea of making Tanjiro his Tsugoku.

Yahaba tries to put more force into his efforts, but Tanjiro is able to behead him with a Lateral Water Wheel.

“One down, one to go.” Obanai said.

“Hopefully with two demons fighting her, Susamaru should be easy to take out.” Mitsuri hoped.

End Theme

Taisho Era Secret! Tanjiro is trying to catch his breath and claims the demons are strong. Their combination is nothing but trouble.

“Yeah, really glad more demons don’t team up.” Sanemi sighed. “We’d lose the lower ranks in the blink of an eye.”

Tanjiro turns to Nezuko and asks how she is doing. Nezuko assures him that she’s doing fine.

“So cute!” Mitsuri cooed.

“Today I have a Taisho Era Secret that’s about those two demons. Yahaba and Susamaru met for the first time today. I hear they became friends just by chatting with each other on the way here.”

“Wait, really?” Kyojuro asked, surprised.

“Ha! Reminds me of our first mission together, Kyo.” Tengen laughed. “Only took thirty minutes of traveling together to become friends.”

Tanjiro can’t believe how in sync the demons are when they only just met. He decides he needs to practice teamwork with Nezuko.

“Probably a good idea.” Giyu agreed.

Tanjiro calls out forms while he and Nezuko strike poses. Tanjiro laughs and tells his sister she looks good.

“So cute!!!!” Mitsuri squealed again.

“Next episode ten! Together forever! I’m leaving the temari woman to you. Now, let’s do this!”

“You know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a demon kill another demon.” Muichiro said. “Is it even possible for them to kill one another? I’ve heard some rumors but…”

“It’s… not easy.” Sanemi said, thinking it over. “I’ve seen it once, on Mt. Fujikasane during my final selection. Since I’m a marechi, those things were going after me like crazy. I watched them literally tear each other apart over me. It was… it was messed up. They just kept going until they couldn’t reform anymore.”

“And on that cheery note,” Tengen cut in, rolling his eyes. “Let’s start the next episode.”

Chapter Text

Recap

Tengen usually felt irritated at these recaps, but this time he couldn’t really bring himself to care. Watching Tanjiro improvise and combine the forms like that had been quite a flamboyant spectacle, and he didn’t mind watching the kid’s glory again.

Although he was still trying to figure out just why this kid was so important. Would this kid- and really, Tanjiro was just a kid, could barely be called a man- be the one to kill Muzan?

Theme

Tengen hummed along to the song, having memorized both this and the one that played at the end. He really hoped he would remember these at least, he’d love to play them for his wives.

He could also hear Mitsuri and Kyojuro humming along. As much as his completely tone-deaf friend could hum along anyway, god bless Kyojuro.

Yahaba’s body and Tanjiro both stumble to the ground. Yahaba’s head, a ghastly sight, lands on the ground close by Tanjiro. The arrow demon is absolutely enraged by his beheading since now he cannot win Muzan’s approval, and his face is filthy from landing in the dirt. Yahaba vows to get revenge as his headless body manages to raise his hands up.

“Oh, so he did have eyes.” Tengen muttered.

“Shut up Uzui!” Sanemi snapped, most likely even more unnerved after seeing that.

“Great, he’s got enough strength to launch one final attack.” Kyojuro grimaced.

Arrows poke through Tanjiro’s body in several places, and the demon slayer barely has time to react before he starts flying to the garden wall behind him. “This force is stronger than any of the arrows he’s hit me with before. Have to defend myself with every move I’ve got, or my body’ll be smashed!”

“He’s going to smash Tanjiro until he’s a bloody pulp!” Giyu realized.

“Tanjiro is a smart kid, I’m sure he’ll find a way to break the impact.” Shinobu tried to assure him. Tengen could hear her heart racing though.

Tanjiro manages to use Water Breathing, Fourth Form: Striking Tide to stop the impact and falls on the ground. Another arrow launches Tanjiro up into the sky, leaving his body under too much pressure to swing his sword. “Do something. Make a move! Don’t get beaten, not here!” He’s able to use Water Breathing, Second Form: Water Wheel to disrupt the pull, but he barely gets a moment's peace before another arrow sends him crashing towards the roof.

“There’s nothing Tanjiro can do to stop this. The poor boy is forced to just go along with the attack and try to soften the blow until the demon is completely dead. His exhaustion may hit him before then. Namu Amida Butsu.” Gyomei wept.

“No. Tanjiro won’t go down that easily.” Sanemi replied. “Not when his little sister is in danger.”

Tengen looked at him in surprise before remembering yesterday’s surprise revelation. Sanemi was an older brother too. An older brother to an incredibly rude, feral raccoon of a boy. He may have been speaking from experience.

And man wasn’t it a surprise to learn that Sanemi Shinazugawa was an older brother?! He wondered what the story there was. The Wind Hashira sure didn’t act like a big brother.

Then again, who was he to judge about being a big brother after what he did?

Tanjiro ends up having to use move after move to save himself as the arrows throw him all over the place in an attempt to kill him. It’s tiring and starting to leave him sore. Yahaba’s head is slowly turning to ash, but he continues to curse at Tanjiro and try to kill him.

“Would you just die already!” Obanai demanded.

“Sometimes you just have to slice the head up into pieces or this happens.” Muichiro noted.

The arrows zip Tanjiro through the air, the boy struggling to hold on and wondering how long he has to endure this. He continues to try and fight back, cycling through the breathing forms.

Giyu winced. “He’s going to be utterly exhausted after this.”

“Well, the house seems mostly intact, I’m sure Tamayo and Yushiro would have no problem letting Tanjiro rest for a few hours.” Kyojuro suggested. “Although, Yushiro will most likely protest.”

Meanwhile, Yahaba is on the brink of death. “Still not enough. Not yet! I still haven’t-” He crumbles into nothing. The arrows disappear from Tanjiro and he lands on the ground. He lays there for a moment, trying to catch his breath.

Everyone sighed in relief now that Tanjiro had a break.

“You think it’s going much better for Nezuko?” Mitsuri wondered.

“I mean… it’s three against one, so probably.” Tengen shrugged. “I’m sure we’re about to see.”

As Tanjiro sits up, he calls out to Nezuko and the others. During the battle, he cracked a rib and broke his leg. He tried to grab his sword but his hand won’t stop shaking. He’s utterly exhausted by the battle but he’s determined to help the others against Susamaru, starting to crawl with his sword in his mouth.

Tengen couldn’t help but laugh. “Think he’s gonna try to fight with the sword in his mouth?”

“Would that work?” Muichiro wondered.

“Actually,” Sanemi replied. “My trainer once mentioned that he knew a thunder breathing user that frequently fought with his sword in his mouth.”

“Really?!” Tengen asked, before laughing more. “Alright, what a flashy spectacle! I wish I could’ve seen it!”

“I’m more worried about Tanjiro having to go right back to fighting against those temaris with his injuries.” Shinobu frowned. “With what we’ve seen of her attacks, and his exhaustion rendering him barely able to move, it’s going to be very difficult for him to even defend himself.”

Meanwhile, Susamaru slams the temaris against the ground, kicking up a thick cloud of dust as she laughs. Using the dust cloud as cover, she launches another attack. Yushiro is able to dodge easily enough, and calls Susamaru a fool. “Avoiding a bunch of linear attacks like these is child’s play! Finding you will be easy, too!” He turns invisible and rushes into the dust cloud.

“Oh no, she’s smart.” Giyu groaned.

“What do you mean?” Gyomei asked.

“She kicked up a dust storm.” Tengen explained. “Yushiro turned invisible and ran in there, but the dust is just going to cling to him and show him off.”

Susamaru grins in response. “And finding you will be a piece of cake. You may be good at that concealment spell, but I know right where you are!” Yushiro’s form is easily seen in the dust, allowing Susamaru to aim right at him. Unable to react in time to get away, Yushiro can only brace for the impact.

“Called it.” Tengen sighed. Warily, he watched Giyu out of the corner of his eye. He wasn’t sure how many more times the guy could see someone’s head get destroyed before he really lost it.

Didn’t the corp have someone available to talk to after traumatic events? He’d have to ask Shinobu.

Before he can be hit, Nezuko jumps in and kicks the temari away. Susamaru is pleased by this, declaring that the real fun has begun. Yushiro scolds the girl for being reckless due to her immortality.

“Nezuko’s back!” Mitsuri cheered.

“Wait, she kicked the temari away?” Sanemi noticed with confusion. “But she couldn’t do that earlier.”

“Maybe Tamayo’s medicine gave her a boost?” Shinobu suggested.

All Nezuko sees though is her youngest brother with tears in his eyes. Confused, Yushiro asks what she’s staring at. Nezuko gives him a headpat as an answer, making him blush in surprise. “What are you doing?! Watch out!”

Tengen couldn’t help but laugh some more. “She just sees him as a fussy little toddler, it’s so funny.”

“It’s a little confusing though.” Shinobu said. “Does she see everyone she comes across as her family? Can she even recognize anyone as their own person?”

“If that’s the case, then this hypnotic suggestion almost seems a little cruel.” Giyu considered.

“My question is why she sees Tamayo and Yushiro as her family.” Obanai wondered, petting Kaburamaru. “Doesn’t the hypnotic suggestion make her see all humans as her family?”

“The more we learn, the more i am convinced that the suggestion was truly a suggestion, and this is all Nezuko’s own inner strength and will.” Gyomei said.

“I really want to meet this girl.” Kyojuro decided.

Susamaru takes advantage of the distraction to throw another round of temaris. Nezuko kicks each and every one back. Yushiro watches in amazement as Tamayo moves to stand by him. Susamaru gasps and just barely manages to catch one of the temaris Nezuko kicked back to her. “You little brat. You think you’re tough, just because you figured out how to kick my temaru back at me? Don’t be so arrogant!”

“I know we don’t know how long she’s been a demon, but it’s funny that she’s calling Nezuko a brat.” Shinobu mused. “She doesn’t look much older than Tanjiro.”

Nezuko and Susamaru continue to kick the temari back and forth at each other. Each girl continues to put more and more strength into every kick. Nezuko growls as Susamaru curses at her.

“It’s amazing that Nezuko can suddenly keep up with the demon girl in strength.” Tengen observed. “This must be quite a flashy fight to watch in person.”

Yushiro asks Tamayo what she gave to Nezuko. Tamayo tells him that all she did was give Nezuko a medicine to boost her healing. “It has no effect on her physical strength. We’re witnessing Nezuko’s power. Without even a drop of human blood, this is all her. She’s rapidly gaining strength.”

“Oh, so… hmm…” Tengen tapped his thigh in thought. “How strong is Nezuko anyway?”

“And how strong is she going to get?” Obanai added, suspicion in his eyes.

Nezuko braces a temari against her leg, channeling her strength to kick it back. It slams into the wall behind Susamaru and blasts a hole into it, stunning the temari demon. “But her opponent is formidable. If she gave it her all, Nezuko wouldn’t stand a chance. She needs help. Let’s see what I can do.” Tamayo rolls up her sleeve and glances down at her arm.

“Oh yeah, I guess since Tanjiro isn’t that close by, she can use her blood art without hurting him.” Mitsuri realized.

Susamaru laughs and calls Nezuko amusing, realizing she’s going to have to give this battle everything she’s got. Summoning temaris into her hands, she wonders how long Nezuko can hold out.

“Might not last much longer.” Kyojuro mused. “Even Tamayo said that Susamaru has been holding back.”

“And Tanjiro isn’t doing that much better either…” Tengen sighed. “He can’t even stand up right now.”

Tamayo steps in front of Nezuko, saying she has a question for the supposed member of the 12 Kizuki. Susamaru demands for her to get out of the way, but Tamayo insists on her question. She asks if Susamaru has any idea who Kibutjusi really is. Susamaru looks terrified by the question, asking if Tamayo has any idea what she’s saying.

“Huh?” Muichiro asked.

“Where’s she going with this?” Kyojuro wondered.

“Maybe she’s just stalling for time, so Tanjiro can get his strength back and finish her off.” Sanmei suggested.

“He’s a coward. Surely, you’ve realized that. He’s in a constant state of fear.” Susamaru is enraged by Tamayo’s statement and demands her to shut up. “Do you want to know why no demons can ever group together or why they cannibalize each other? Because he doesn’t want us to group up. His fear is that we would attack him if we could. He manipulates demons to make them behave, demons like you.”

Nobody said a word, taking all this information in.

“So… he did lie to them about being members of the Kizuki then.” Tengen said flatly.

“We’re going to have to be careful when we fight him.” Gyomei realized. “Because he will take every opportunity he has to run away if he thinks he’s losing.”

Susamaru is further enraged, demanding that Tamayo shut up because Muzan has no reason to be that petty. Yushiro looks down at Tamayo’s arm, realizing she’s casting a spell. Blood trickles down her arm as perfume wafts from the wound.

“Uh, I think he is very petty.” Obanai retorted.

“So, what does this spell do then?” Mitsuri wondered. “It’s obviously not the one she used to help Tanjiro earlier.”

Susamaru continues to defend her king. “You can’t comprehend the power he wields! No one’s stronger than him, not Lord Kibutsuji!” As Tamayo’s blood art drifts through the air, Susamaru looks horrified and drops the temaris she was holding, slapping two of her hands over her mouth in fear.

“Why’s she so afraid?” Muichiro wondered.

“Hey… now that I think about it…” Tengen began to say. “Have we ever heard any demon refer to the demon king by his last name?”

Everyone was silent as they thought it over, before one by one shaking their heads.

“Didn't she mention something about removing a curse in the last episode?” Shinobu realized.

Dots were rapidly connecting in Tengen’s head, and he wasn’t liking the picturing that was starting to form.

Tamayo gives her a look akin to pity, asking if she forgot she couldn’t say the demon king’s name. “You just triggered the curse.” Susamaru whimpers in fear.

“I don’t think I want to know what’s about to happen…” Mitsuri whimpered, leaning away from the screen.

“I don’t think it’s going to be pretty.” Sanemi braced himself.

“Can’t be good if the demon is that scared of it.” Obanai pointed out.

Yushiro realizes what’s going on. “Magical Aroma of Daylight. It weakens the target’s brain functions, making it impossible for them to lie or keep secrets.” Nezuko is also affected by the spell, swaying and looking very sleepy. “And it’s so potent. Lady Tamayo.”

“Fascinating!” Shinobu grinned. “I’d love a blood sample from her. I’ll need to see if I can reproduce such a poison myself!”

Tengen scooted a bit farther away from her at that. Gods, Kocho was terrifying. He made a mental note to always stay on her good side.

Tamayo says she feels sorry for the girl and bids her farewell. Susamaru cries out in terror and begins to run, holding her hands up in fear as she pleads for forgiveness and begs for mercy. Susamaru begins to cry as she suddenly freezes not far from Tanjiro, the demon slayer watching in confusion.

This demon was going to die. It was obvious at this point. The question was, how bad is this going to be?

Susamaru’s body flashes red as she begins to groan in pain. Two massive arms suddenly burst out of her chest, with a third erupting from her mouth.

Tengen could hear Mitsuri try to hide her gag, and he couldn’t blame her. Your stomach stopped being sensitive fast in a job like this and made you less likely to gag but… sometimes you saw something like this and your stomach churned.

“It’s going to rip her apart.” Kyojuro realized, sucking in a breath.

Eye catchers

Tanjiro shudders in fear and Lady Tamayo turns her head away from the grisly scene. Yushiro can only look on in horror. Susamaru can only watch in horror as one of the hands turns to her and begins to squeeze her head, crushing it.

Tengen whipped his head towards Giyu, alerted by the racing of his heart and the clenching of his teeth. “Tomioka?” He called.

“Give me a moment.” Giyu asked, closing his eyes and turning away. “Just give me a moment.”

Tengen couldn’t blame the guy. He probably wouldn’t have reacted to this otherwise, if it hadn’t been for what he had seen. Tengen didn’t know how much Giyu had healed from Sabito’s death, but finding out exactly how he died and seeing like that must’ve opened all his wounds back up in an even worse way than before.

Giyu pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. “Okay, I’m fine now. Forgive me.”

Mercifully, whatever the hands do to Susamaru is kept offscreen. Tanjiro gasps in horror, Tamayo refuses to look, Yushiro can only look on in disgust and horror. Nezuko is falling asleep standing up. The noises continue for a few more seconds as the camera pans up to the moon.

“They’re not showing us.” Shinobu said to Gyomei.

“I don’t know if it’s better or worse that we can just hear it.” Muichiro winced.

“In my opinion?” Tengen replied. “It’s worse.”

What could possibly be worse than hearing a little heartbeat gradually grow weaker and weaker and not being able to do anything? Not realizing what was happening until that little rhythm just stopped?

Tengen shook his head and pressed the play button. He didn’t want to remember that.

One of Susamaru’s eyes lies on the ground and a dismembered hand twitches. Tamayo kneels by what little is left of Susamaru and examines her. Tanjiro asks if it’s over and if the demon is dead. Tamayo assures him that she will be in just a moment. “Kibutsuji’s curse. The cells he left in her body will destroy it. She’ll be ripped apart from the inside.”

“So she was ripped apart.” Kyojuro sighed and shook his head. “I don’t think even a demon deserves such a brutal death.”

Tamayo continues, saying that a battle between demons is usually futile. The wounds they inflict are never fatal, as only sunlight or a demon slayer’s sword can kill them. The demon king is the only one who can destroy a demon’s cells.

“Hmm… so what happens when demons fight then?” Mitsuri asked.

“I think they just go until one of them stops getting up.” Sanemi suggested. “That’s what I saw in my final selection.”

Yushiro runs up to Tanjiro and slaps a cloth over his mouth and nose, warning the boy not to breathe in Tamayo’s spell as the human body can’t take it. Tanjiro nods in understanding.

“Well, no wonder she didn’t want to use it.” Shinobu nodded in understanding.

“Why didn’t he do that sooner though?” Tengen wondered.

Tamayo calls out to Tanjiro, telling him that Susamaru wasn’t a member of the Kizuki. She points at Susamaru’s eyeball and explains. “The twelve Kizuki all have numbers engraved on their eyeballs, but she doesn’t have one, which means that the other demon most likely doesn’t, either. They were too weak.” Tanjiro is amazed that they were too weak and asks if Tamayo is sure.

“Oh yeah, I’m sure an actual member of the twelve could easily swat those two aside, even if they’re working together.” Kyojuro nodded.

“Yeah, Tanjiro hasn’t seen anything yet.” Tengen chuckled.

“At least now he knows.” Giyu said.

Yushiro scolds him about questioning Tamayo, she's never wrong. He calls Susamaru pathetic and stupid for thinking she could get away with hurting Tamayo and that she deserved what happened to her.

“Wow he’s… he sure is something.” Tengen said flatly.

“I wouldn’t say the girl deserved that particular fate…” Mitsuri pursed her lips.

Tamayo fills a syringe with Susamaru’s blood, and says with luck it will still help with obtaining a cure. Tamayo says she’s going to take care of Nezuko now, since Nezuko was already medicated when she inhaled Tamayo’s spell. Tamayo apologizes for that as she goes to the girl’s side. Yushiro tells Tanjiro not to move and that he’s on his own, since Yushiro refuses to leave his lady’s side.

“Oh no I hope Nezuko isn’t hurt from all that!” Mitsuri cried.

“She looks more sleepy than anything.” Tengen pointed out.

“I think Tamayo would be more concerned if Nezuko was at serious risk.” Shinobu consoled the girl. “She doesn’t seem to be in a hurry so I don’t think it’s that bad.”

As Tanjiro is left alone, he looks towards Susamaru’s destroyed form. “Mari.” Tanjiro looks towards her in surprise. “Mari. Mari.” Tanjiro struggles to get up and grabs her temari, placing it by her side. “Play with me. Play with me.”

“Namu amida butsu.” Gyomei prayed, crying as usual.

“Why…?” Obanai rasped. “Why is he so kind to demons?”

“Tanjiro Kamado just has a heart greater than the world deserves.” Giyu said simply.

Tanjiro looks down at her with sorrow. “You’ve probably murdered dozens, but, inside, you’re just a little kid.” The sun rises and mercifully kills her. “You thought you were one of the Twelve Kizuki, deceived, forced to fight, and now it’s Kibutsuji’s curse that killed you. No salvation. Once you die, not even your bones remain. Is this the price you pay for killing people?”

Tengen nodded. These demons had killed people and would’ve killed Tanjiro and the others. Sure, they may not have chosen to be turned into demons, but every other choice after that was all theirs.

Nezuko, and now Tamayo and Yushiro, were proof that demons didn’t have to be monstrous human eaters. They all had other options and chose not to use them.

Everyone paid the consequences of their sins, demons or humans.

Tanjiro begins to cry as he pictures the demon king in his mind. “Kibutsuji. Even the people who follow him get treated this way. He truly is a demon.”

Nobody said a word. What could they say?

Tanjiro makes his way back into the house, calling out for everyone. Yushiro calls back, letting Tanjiro know they’re in the basement and that he needs to hurry it up. Tamayo scolds him for being rude and Yushiro claims he was just kidding. Tamayo calls for Tanjiro to join them.

Sanemi scoffed and shook his head. “Tanjiro has more patience than me. I would’ve hit him at least once by now.”

“Same.” Tengen agreed.

Nezuko runs to her brother and the two share a tight embrace once Tanjiro enters the basement. Tamayo assures Tanjiro the sunlight won’t reach them down there, which is why she brought Nezuko with her.

“Aww.” Mitsuri cooed.

Nezuko lets go of Tanjiro and rushes back down the hall giving Tamayo a massive hug, to her shock and Yushiro’s outrage. Yushiro demands that Nezuko move away from Tamayo and calls her rude, but Tamayo doesn’t mind at all. “Right! You’re so kind, Lady Tamayo, too beautiful to believe.”

Mitsuri cooed even more.

“Hmm, we didn’t get to see her interact much with Urokodaki now that I think about it.” Shinobu mused. “Is she this affectionate with everyone?”

“That’s a good question.” Kyojuro agreed. “Maybe we’ll see her interact with more people later.”

Nezuko glances over and gives Yushiro a headpat, making him mad. Tamayo says that Nezuko has strangely been acting like this since she woke up, and wonders if the young girl is alright. As Yushiro tries to fight off Nezuko, Tanjiro explains that Nezuko is perfectly fine and must see the two demons as family.

Everyone laughed at Nezuko’s antics. They couldn’t help it; it was just too cute. A quick explanation to Gyomei got a chuckle out of him as well.

Tamayo is shocked to hear that. She points out that the spell only makes Nezuko see humans as family, and she and Yushiro are demons. Meanwhile, Yushiro continues to fend off Nezuko’s headpats. “Not to Nezuko. You two are as human as anyone to her. She wanted to protect you.”

“It’s just a headpat.” Muichiro sighed. “It won’t kill him.”

“Maybe he’s just allergic to anyone that’s not his precious Lady Tamayo.” Sanemi suggested, annoyed.

“You know. I think I can follow Nezuko’s line of knowledge.” Giyu interrupted suddenly.

Everyone waited for him to elaborate. He did not. That was typical of the normally quiet Water Hashira, so they decided to ignore it and continue on.

Nezuko stops trying to headpat Yushiro and goes back to hugging Tamayo, who looks both saddened and joyful at his words. “You know, I didn’t like the idea of that spell at first, but she still seems to have a will of her own, so…”

“I don’t think it’s a spell.” Tengen said. “I mean, for one thing I think Nezuko would have a much different reaction to Tamayo and Yushiro. And while I haven’t seen enough of Urokodaki to get a good read on him, he doesn’t seem the type who would just brainwash a little girl.”

“I wonder if it’s just a little voice in the back of her head.” Shinobu mused, touching a finger to her chin as she tilted her head in thought. “Reminding her not to hurt humans.”

“The more I hear of their actions, the more I think you’re right.” Gyomei agreed, crying. “What a strong willed girl.”

Tamayo begins to cry, making Tanjiro nervously apologize and try to get Nezuko away. Tamayo sniffles and buries her face in Nezuko’s shoulder, thanking Nezuko.

Hmm. You know, Tengen really didn’t care for that Yushiro brat, but… Tamayo seemed like a decent enough lady.

“Do you think the Master knows about Tamayo?” Muichiro suddenly asked.

“Hmm… that’s a good question.” Obanai conceded. “If he does know, it’s odd he would keep quiet. If he doesn’t, then none of us will remember to tell him. This whole deal is frustrating.” He finished with a hiss.

Yushiro looks away from the scene and the camera pulls out to show the inside of the cell next to him. “There is a way for me to keep you alive, if you want.” The screen goes dim as a flashback of Tamayo at the bedside of a dying, human Yushiro appears. “However, it will cost you your humanity. If I don’t do it, you will indeed succumb to your illness. But beware. If you lose your humanity, that will cause pain as well. So tell me, do you still wish to live?” The flashback fades and Yushiro sighs.

“Oh…” Muichiro tilted his head. “She saved his life. No wonder he’s so devoted.”

“Is it really better to be a demon than dead though?” Sanemi asked flatly.

“He seems to think so.” Mitsuri pointed out. “And that’s proof that Tamayo really does only try it with the consent of her patients.”

Tamayo declares that she and Yushiro will be leaving the region now that they’ve gotten too close to Muzan. It’s too risky to stay so they need a new hiding place. Tamayo is also sure that despite hiding her identity well, some of her patients have started to figure out what she is. She mentions that children and the elderly are especially perceptive.

“Yeah, that makes sense.” Tengen agreed.

“They must have to move around pretty frequently then.” Kyojuro said. “I wonder how often they’ve accidentally moved too close to Muzan.”

Tamayo asks if Tanjiro would like for them to take Nezuko with them for her protection. Yushiro is horrified at the suggestion and shakes his head behind Tamayo while she says she can’t guarantee Nezuko’s safety, but Nezuko would be safer than out in battle.

“I think he should leave her.” Sanemi said.

Mitsuri gasped. “What?! Why?!” She demanded. “He can’t just leave his sister like that!”

“Tamayo is making good points!” Sanemi pointed out. “They know how to care for demons, and they can probably help her way more than Tanjiro could. And this way, he can focus more on fighting demons and getting those blood samples.”

“We have no way of knowing if Nezuko would even stay put.” Giyu rebutted. “For all we know, she’d run away the first chance she got to find Tanjiro.”

“Keeping Nezuko around is just asking for Tanjiro to get caught by us and in serious trouble.” Obanai argued. “This way he doesn’t end up with us trying to take his head.”

“Everyone here is making good points.” Gyomei agreed, always the peacekeeper. “So why don’t we wait and see what Tanjiro decides.”

Tanjiro considers the offer. Suddenly, Nezuko reaches out and grabs his hand, looking at her brother with a serious expression. Tanjiro realizes what his sister means and smiles, holding her hand tightly. “Miss Tamayo, thank you for your concern, but Nezuko’s staying with me. Nothing’s gonna break us apart.” An image of Tanjiro’s mother and siblings flashes across the screen.

Mitsuri sighed in relief.

“In the end it wasn’t even Tanjiro’s decision, it was Nezuko’s.” Giyu said softly.

Sanemi grunted and looked away from the screen.

Tamayo understands and wishes the siblings good luck. Yushiro tells them that they’ll be leaving as soon as they cover their tracks, so the siblings should head out too. Tanjiro wishes them good luck and thanks them for all their help, bowing respectfully before turning to Nezuko and telling her it’s time to go.

“Wait, no, isn’t she a doctor?” Shinobu said, sitting up. “Please tell me she at least looks Tanjiro over before sending him on his way!”

“I’m sure there’s going to be a timeskip or something where she does it.” Tengen assured her. “She knows how badly he got messed up.”

Nezuko quickly begins running up the stairs out of the basement. Tanjiro goes to follow her but is stopped by Yushiro. “Your little sister… I guess she is a beauty.” Tanjiro gasps in surprise before laughing.

Kyojuro laughed. “Well! It’s about time!”

“Nezuko is quite the beauty!” Mitsuri agreed with a big grin.

The camera cuts to a sunny blue sky as a Kasugai crow flies up ahead. Matsuemon flies above Tanjiro, telling him to head South-Southeast. Tanjiro tells his crow that he heard him the first time.

“Oh poor Tanjiro!” Tengen laughed. “The kid just isn’t going to get a break.”

Tanjiro tries to get his crow to quiet down but is quickly distracted by someone yelling loudly. “PLEASE!!!” Tanjiro looks over to see Zenitsu on his knees in the middle of the road, grabbing onto a girl. “Please! Please! Please! Please marry me! You know I could die any day now! Marry me so I don’t die alone!” Zentisu is crying into the girl’s chest, to her obvious and extreme discomfort. “Marry me! I’m begging you, please!”

“Isn’t that the blonde kid from final selection?” Kyojuro asked. “What was his name again?”

“I think they said it was Zentisu Agatsuma.” Sanemi recalled.

“What… the hell… is he doing?” Tengen asked. Jesus Christ, he took back what he said about the kid having any amount of flashiness. This was just pathetic. Tengen could feel himself becoming less and less spectacular just by watching this.

“Maybe it wasn’t shock back then…” Giyu muttered, looking baffled.

Tanjiro stares on in confusion, wondering what the boy is doing.

“I almost don’t want to watch the next episode so we don’t have to find out.” Mitsuri admitted, cringing.

End theme

Taisho Era Secret!

“Who do you think it will be about this time?” Muichiro asked.

“Maybe Tamayo and Yushiro again.” Gyomei guessed.

Tanjiro mimics his crow’s voice, then wonders if he can get some rest since they just finished fighting. Nezuko hums and Tanjiro agrees it was a pretty good impression.

Tengen laughed. “Hey that is pretty good! Is there nothing Tanjiro can’t do?”

“Now it’s time for another Taisho Era Secret! The Kasugai Crows that deliver our messages all have names. I heard that my crow’s name is Matsuemon Tennoji.”

“I miss Ginko.” Muichiro said suddenly, pouting.

“Yes, it is pretty quiet without our crows.” Kyojuro agreed.

“I miss my wives.” Tengen added with a sigh. “I wonder how much longer we’ll be here.”

Nezuko hums again and Tanjiro agrees to do another impression. He suddenly realizes he hasn’t stopped fighting since the start.

“He’s going to nap for a straight week the first chance he gets.” Kyojuro sighed, giving the boy on screen a sympathetic look.

“I’m sure after this mission they’ll send him to a wisteria house.” Mitsuri said optimistically.

“Or he’s so hurt he’s brought to my hospital.” Shinobu pointed out. “Which adds a new slew of problems.”

“Next, Episode Eleven, Tsuzumi Mansion. Well, I guess we better get back to work, huh?”

“Drum manor?” Gyomei repeated. “I wonder if that implies a blood art.”

Tengen stood up and stretched. “We’ll have to wait and see. Now that Tanjiro’s done with the mission in Asakusa, I’m going to make lunch. You guys wanted udon right?”

“Yes please!” Mitusri and Kyojuro cheered in unison, stomachs growling.

Chapter Text

The Hashira stood up and stretched before trickling out of the room, except for Giyu who called for Gyomei to stay back and chat. As Tengen heads to the kitchen, the other Hashira disperse with the agreement to stick in groups just in case.

Shinobu and Giyu decided to explore this strange copy of headquarters together, hoping to learn just how similar it was. Kyojuro followed Tengen to the kitchen, probably hoping to sneak bites of food while he waited. Sanemi began training in the yard and after a moment, Obanai asked to spar. Gyomei was sitting on the verdena to meditate, Muichiro sitting nearby.

Mitsuri wasn’t sure what she wanted to do. Her mind was still processing all the things she had seen. The sibling bond between Tanjiro and Nezuko was absolutely beautiful, and she deeply admired the boy’s kindness and determination. She didn’t know what she would do in his shoes, but she hoped she could be as strong as him.

“They’re dead, aren’t they?” Muichiro said suddenly. “Or at least, they’re going to die.”

“Who do you mean Tokito?” Mitsuri asked, kneeling beside him.

“That woman and her child.” Muichiro replied. “His fake family. He must have killed them after Tanjiro confronted him.”

Mitsuri sighed, her gaze going towards Obanai. “Yes, I think you’re right.” She agreed sadly.

"He was likely just using them to appear like a normal civilian. Their deaths would have been inevitable either way, but because Tanjiro confronted him, he most likely abandoned his human identity. They would have asked too many questions if he just disappeared so he must have disposed of them.” Muichirou continued, looking up at the clouds. "That's just one more reason for us to kill him."

Mitsuri thought about that for a moment and then nodded, giving the younger boy a soft smile. "That's right. We'll kill him, I'm sure of it! We have to. For the sake of humanity!" She clenched her fists, feeling more determined to survive and see Muzan's reign as Demon King come to an end.

Mitsuri stretched and made herself comfy, content to bask in the early morning sun.

Wait…

Early… morning… sun…

Something was wrong with that sentence. Mitsuri frowned, looking up at the sky. Something was wrong with the sky… what was it?

Tengen’s call rang out. “HEY! LUNCH IS READY GUYS!”

Mitsuri screamed in realization as it finally hit her.

“Kanroji!” Obanai rushed to her side. “Are you okay?! Why did you scream!?”

“The sun!!” She cried out, pointing up at it. How had she never realized?! Why hadn’t any of them noticed?!

Shinobu and Giyu came running outside, their blades drawn. Tengen bolted from around the corner, followed by Kyojuro. “We heard someone scream, what’s wrong?!” Shinobu asked.

“Kanroji just screamed suddenly but I don’t know why.” Muichiro said, his eyes scanning the sky for danger. “She’s just looking up at the sun.”

“The sun?” Sanemi repeated, looking up in confusion, lifting a hand to shield his eyes as he looked up. “I don’t understand, it’s just the morning…” He choked on his words.

Slowly, everyone looked up, the realization slowly sinking in.

“Does anyone remember if the sun even set yesterday?” Kyojuro finally asked.

“N-no.” Tengen replied. “We were all so tired after all of that, we went straight to bed but… the sun was still in the sky.”

“Does the sun not set here…?” Muichiro wondered. “What is this place?”

“And what will happen if the sun does set?” Gyomei asked, a grim expression on his face.

***

Suffice to say, this strange revelation only served to kill most of their appetites. Only Kyojuro and Mitsuri were able to eat anything, and even then they could only swallow down a few bites. Silence loomed in the kitchen until Shinobu sighed.

“Our afternoon can’t get any more tense, so I suggest we once again review what we’ve seen.” The insect Hashira suggested.

Mitsuri whimpered and dropped her chopsticks, those horrible images flashing across her mind once more. Those three people in the alley… the fake family… she didn’t think her heart could take discussing them again. “Do we really have to?” She asked.

“Kocho’s right.” Tengen agreed. “I think it would be a smart idea to review. Even if we don’t remember it, it’s at least going to help us keep track of things.”

“Well, Tanjiro went on his first mission and that went easily enough.” Kyojuro recalled. “I think we can leave it at that and move on to the next part.”

“Muzan Kibutjusi is either currently in Asakusa or he will soon be there, living as a human for god knows what reason.” Giyu added. “Also within the city is a demon doctor named Tamayo and her assistant Yushiro.”

The conversation continued on as such for the next few minutes, and Obanai even managed to find some spare paper and ink to make notes on. As Mitsuri tried to follow along, she rested her head in her hand, accidentally rubbing up against her ear.

Hmm, maybe she should get them pierced again? Then again… maybe it was better to leave them be, especially considering the reason why she let the holes close up in the first place. During a fight with a demon, she had narrowly avoided claws to her face, only for his fingers to snag around her ear and tear the earring out.

Luckily her earlobe had healed up quickly enough, but she decided from then on to forgo earrings. Mitsuri sincerely hoped that Tanjiro never had to suffer through that.

Huh… earrings. Hanafuda earrings… like the kind that the mysterious figure wore in Muzan’s memory. A figure that had long hair… like Tanjiro’s father in the ending song with the Kamado family.

“Hey, guys?” Mitsuri called, getting everyone’s attention. She couldn’t help but blush a bit, everyone’s gazes were so intense! She hoped she wasn’t sweating. “I just thought of something. Could Tanjiro’s father have been a member of the corps?”

“What makes you think that?” Gyomei asked.

“Well, we saw in that ending sequence with Tanjiro’s family that the earrings came from his father, right?” Mitsuri began. “Kibutjusi didn’t like the sight of the earrings, they reminded him of someone he fought before. That’s why he sent two demons after Tanjiro. What if that man he fought was Tanjiro’s father?”

Everyone was silent for a moment, taking in this information. Tengen tapped out a song onto the table. “In that case, could that be why Muzan was so far out in the middle of nowhere? Was he hunting down the Kamado family out of revenge?”

“I do not like the idea of that.” Giyu said, glaring down at his bowl. “Because now Muzan knows of Tanjiro’s existence, if Kanroji’s theory is true, then he’ll just send demon after demon to finish the job if he doesn’t do it himself. He could stop sending average demons and dispatch a member of the Kizuki, maybe even an upper moon.”

“And we won’t remember any of this to protect him.” Tengen scowled. “How is having intense Deja Vu going to help us in that regard? Not to mention the kid doesn’t know about us to reach out to us.”

“And even if Tanjiro did know about us…” Obanai sighed. “Can we really say that any of us would genuinely be willing to help him besides Tomioka?”

“I would.” Mitsuri replied instantly, surprising even herself.

Giyu looked at her in surprise. “Truly?”

His gaze is so intense and full of hope! So dreamy~ Mitsuri blushed before starting to stammer. “W-well you said you wrote a letter to the Master, and at this point I think it’s just impossible that he doesn’t approve of Nezuko at this point. So, um, yeah, you have my full support Tomioka!” She declared, pumping her fists in the air.

Giyu’s eyes shone with emotion. “Kanroji… thank you.” He said, bowing his head.

“I can’t say how I’ll react when I have no memories,” Kyojuro cut in. “But right now, after seeing Nezuko for myself, I fully support the Kamado’s as well.”

Shinobu pursed her lips for a moment before sighing. “I can’t say if I’ll fully agree either, even with my stance on wanting to befriend demons. But I’m sure in no time I’ll see things your way.”

After an uplifting end to their conversations, everyone found they could eat a little bit more.

Shinobu looked down at the food. “Why don’t you all go on ahead? We have enough leftovers that I want to make a bento box for us all to have for dinner, that way we can continue to watch while we eat.”

“You sure?” Sanemi asked. “We don’t mind waiting.”

“I’ll be fine, you’ll just have to catch me up when I come back.” Shinobu insisted, waving them off as she took off her haori and rolled up her sleeves.

“Alright.” Sanemi shrugged. “Probably won’t miss much anyway except that annoying blonde’s screams.”

Chapter Text

As soon as Sanemi walked into the room, he realized why Shinobu was insistent on staying behind. She was going to take her sweet time and probably miss the entire episode just so she wouldn’t have to listen to those screams. Mentally, he cursed himself for not thinking of it first as he took a seat.

Recap

“Nobody wants to see the blonde kid for more than we have to.” Tengen muttered, sounding annoyed.

“My father described his relationship with my mother as love at first sight.” Kyojuro recalled. “But this doesn’t seem to be the case…”

Zenitsu’s partner sparrow, Chuntaro, flies up to Tanjiro, chirping worriedly. Tanjiro seems to understand what he’s saying and is confused by it.

“Oh, it’s the little sparrow!” Mitsuri cooed.

“Oh yeah, I forgot about that.” Obanai admitted. “How did that even happen?”

“Wait, is he talking to the bird?” Tengen realized. “Like he can understand what it says?”

“Interesting.” Giyu said.

Theme

Chuntaro continues to explain and gestures to Zenitsu as the yellow haired slayer continues to cling to the girl and beg her. Tanjiro agrees to help, making the sparrow light up in joy.

“So, he has a super sense of smell, and he can communicate with birds, on top of being ridiculously kind.” Muichiro noted. “Is this a real person or one of those old stories brought to life?”

“There are so many better ways to propose than whatever the hell he’s doing.” Tengen sighed.

“If he passed Final Selection, he’s an accomplished swordsmith if nothing else.” Gyomei said, though his tone suggested he was unsure of that.

The girl attempts to push Zenitsu off of her as he cries into her clothing. Tanjiro rips him off the girl and demands to know why Zenitsu is making such a scene. He points out that the girl clearly isn’t interested and Chuntaro is stressed out over this.

“Oh, the poor birdie!” Mitsuri cried.

Sanemi grit his teeth. That little brat needed a lesson on keeping his damn hands to himself. If he was there, he definitely wouldn’t be as kind as Tanjiro. Hell, he’d probably do everything in his power to scare that little blonde shitstain out of the corps.

Whoever trained that kid must have shitty tastes in students.

Zenitsu recognizes Tanjiro from final selection, but a furious Tanjiro denies it. Confused, Zenitsu reminds him that they indeed met before.

“I’d be denying that I knew him too, how embarrassing.” Obanai cringed.

“Tanjiro has way more self-control than me, I would’ve punched him away from the girl.” Tengen admitted.

Tanjiro drops Zenitsu to the ground and tells the girl that she can go home if she doesn’t need anymore help. The girl bows and thanks Tanjiro much to Zenitsu’s outrage. “Hang on! Don’t you interfere! That girl is madly in love with me! The two of us are going to get marri-”

“That girl looks like she’d sooner set herself on fire than marry him.” Muichiro commented.

“That’s definitely not what I’d call madly in love.” Mitsuri agreed, wrinkling her nose.

Before he can continue, the girl slaps him. She continues to smack his head as he wails. Tanjiro quickly pulls the girl back, asking her to calm down. Zenitsu continues to scream, now having the imprint of the girl’s hand on his face. “When did I say anything even resembling that I loved you?! All I did was come talk to you while you were crumpled up all disheveled on the side of the road!”

Tengen clapped and cheered.

“How the hell do you get 'let’s get married' from 'Hey, are you okay?'" Obanai groaned, filled with an annoyance even Kaburamaru shared if the irritated hiss he let out was any indication.

"Same way you go from being sure-footed to having two left feet when Mitsuri smiles and holds your hands." Sanemi said under his breath to his friend with a smirk.

Obanai shot him a venomous glare and Sanemi simply smirked back.

Zenitsu is shocked to find out the reason she did that was out of concern and not love. The girl tells him she already has a fiancée and has been trying to tell him this. She quickly leaves, with Zenitsu begging her to come back before Tanjiro asks him to stop.

“This poor child is clearly demented.” Gyomei cried. “Perhaps it would be best to send him away to an institution.”

Giyu turned around to face the oldest Hashira, and Sanemi was taken aback by the look of utter revulsion on his face. “If that’s the idea, then let’s just kill him. It’d be more humane.” He spat before turning back to the screen.

What the hell? Sanemi looked around the room to see confused and concerned looks on the faces of everyone else. What the hell was with that reaction? It seemed so out of character for the normally stoic man.

Zenitsu asks why Tanjiro had to get in his way. Tanjiro gives Zenitsu a disgusted look in return.

Sanemi hoped that someone, maybe Kyojuro, would laugh. Maybe the strange tension in the room would dissipate and things could go back to normal.

But no such thing happened.

Zenitsu begs Tanjiro to stop looking at him with pity before accusing Tanjiro of ruining his marriage. Tanjiro’s pity/disgusted stare only increases as he watches the display in silence. “Look, during my next job, I’ll likely die. The reason is I’m just a weakling. Do you understand? You have to help protect me until I manage to get married, mister.”

“Oh my god how did you make it in?!” Tengen groaned.

“Oh god I just remembered something.” Sanemi groaned, dread washing over him. “This kid is in the beginning and ending music. Going off of that… I think he’s going to be sticking around for awhile.”

Muichiro groaned as well, looking like he’d rather commit seppuku than deal with this kid any longer. Frankly, Sanemi was right there with him.

“I’m sure he gets better.” Mitsuri tried to say optimistically.

Tanjiro introduces himself and Zenitsu quickly does the same before clinging onto Tanjiro and begging him for protection. Tanjiro asks why Zenitsu even became a swordsman, calling him pathetic and dramatic.

“I would like to know that as well.” Gyomei agreed.

“I’m wondering just who the hell took the kid in and was willing to train him.” Obanai shook his head. “Whoever it is shouldn’t be allowed to take on another student.”

Zenitsu calls him harsh but explains he was conned by a woman into taking on her debt. An instructor for the demon slayer corps took over the debt in exchange for Zenitsu becoming his student. Zenitsu considers the training so hellish that he was actually hoping to die during final selection. He screams about how scared he is to be an official demon slayer, and is sure he will be killed soon.

“Huh. Well, that’s one way to get a student.” Mitsuri said. “It was very kind of him though to repay the debt for some random child he didn’t know.”

“I wonder if they got all the way to the Trainer’s house before he told this kid what was gonna happen now that his debt was paid.” Tengen said. “Doubt he gave the kid a chance to run. This does explain why he had to beat Zenitsu to get him to go to final selection though.”

“Why is he always screaming?” Kyojuro wondered. “I hope he doesn’t do that on a mission, he’ll attract every demon within ten miles.”

Tanjiro kneels by him to pat his back and try to comfort him. Zenitsu only wails as their partner birds talk to each other.

“That’s so cute!” Mitsuri cooed. “What an adorable sparrow!”

“I’m still wondering how the kid gets to any of his missions.” Sanemi scratched his head. It made no damn sense. Were his missions delivered in writing?

“Maybe it grabs him by the hair and drags him around?” Kyojuro wondered, causing many of them to laugh at the mental image.

Tanjiro and Zenitsu are traveling together now, and while Zenitsu is no longer crying, he’s now hungry. Upon learning he has no food rations, Tanjiro gives him a rice ball. When Tanjiro reveals that was all he had, Zenitsu splits it so they can both eat.

Hmm. Maybe the kid wasn’t so selfish after all. Still, Sanemi hoped that Tanjiro would just ditch the annoying brat. He couldn’t stand slayers like him, brats who just stood back and let others risk life and limb to fight.

As they continue on together, Tanjiro sympathizes with Zenitsu’s fear but asks him not to worry his sparrow so much. Zenitsu asks how Tanjiro can tell it was distressed. “Let’s see. He says you’re always whining about not wanting to go to work, and you’re always hitting on girls, and you snore really loudly. Yup, that covers it.” Zenitsu is surprised to learn this and can’t believe that Tanjiro can speak the language of birds.

Tengen cackled loudly at the list of complaints, and even Mitsuri giggled a bit.

“He can speak to birds?” Muichiro asked. “He has enhanced smell, an iron forehead, and speaks to birds. He sounds like he stepped right out of a myth.”

“I hadn’t thought of that.” Kyojuro replied thoughtfully. “It is a little funny, isn’t it?”

Suddenly, Matsuemon cries out above them and tells them to start running to their next destination. Zenitsu begins to freak out over the crow talking to them.

“A demon attack during the day?” Mitsuri wondered. “Or maybe their next destination is far enough that they need to start running to get there by nightfall.”

“If I had to make a guess, it’s likely there’s a demon with a hideout.” Giyu suggested. “This episode is titled Tsuzumi Mansion after all.”

“I hate it when those damn demons hole up somewhere.” Sanemi growled. “They almost always have a blood art too.”

“At least he has backup this time!” Kyojuro said optimistically.

“You call that backup?” Muichiro scoffed.

Tanjiro marches on ahead to their next mission, with Zenitsu trailing behind and requesting to stay behind since he can’t do anything. Tanjiro ignores him and focuses on how the scent of demons is getting stronger. Up ahead on the path is a large mansion, seemingly abandoned in the woods.

“Yeah, that’s the perfect place for a demon to hide away.” Tengen confirmed.

“It’s a bit odd that the house is still in such good condition however.” Obanai noted.

“There must have been a family that lived there, and the demon invaded and took it from them.” Giyu theorized. “That must be how the corps was alerted to it.”

Tanjiro can smell blood but something is strange about it. Zenitsu can’t smell anything but he can hear a strange sound.

Tengen leaned forward. “He can hear something? Interesting, I wonder if…”

“Oh! Looks like Zenitsu could be your Tsugoku and I could have Tanjiro after all!” Kyojuro laughed.

Tengen gagged in disgust and leaned back. “Yeah right. As if I’d ever let someone that unflashy stick around me.”

Looking to the side, Tanjiro notices two children, SHOICHI and TERUKO, standing in the foliage. They whimper and hold each other when they notice Tanjiro. Zenitsu is surprised to see kids here while Tanjiro notices how terrified they are. He tries to ask why they’re out here, but whatever the children saw has them too scared to react to his kind tone.

“Oh, those poor things look so terrified!” Mitsuri gasped in concern.

“What are they still doing here? They’re free to run, why don’t they?” Sanemi wondered. He hated when kids got involved like this. Hopefully Tanjiro would send them home.

“Perhaps one of them is injured?” Kyojuro wondered.

Tanjiro kneels before them and asks if they want to see something cool. He holds up Chuntaro, who chirps and hops around for the kids. The kids sigh in relief and begin to cry as they realize Tanjiro is nice. The demon slayer asks them to tell him what’s going on.

“That’s so cute!!!” Mitsuri squealed. “Tanjiro is so good with little kids!”

Shoichi explains that the house isn’t theirs and belongs to a monster. “Our big brother got taken away.” The screen changes to a red background. We see Shoichi reaching out while Teruko huddles by his side, their older brother being dragged away by the silhouette of a demon. “We were walking down the road at night, and this thing appeared in front of us. It went straight for our brother, never giving us a glance.”

“It did what?” Tengen asked in surprise. “Why would it just ignore the other two? I know some demons like to go after certain types of humans but if it eats children, why only take one?”

It only took Sanemi a few seconds to reach a conclusion. “The missing boy must be a marechi.”

Obanai sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. “Then the kid is most likely dead already.”

“Namu Amida Butsu.” Gyomei prayed, tears running down his eyes. As much as the stone Hashira avoided children and seemed to dislike them, he hated when they were hurt or killed by demons. “If I could tear that house off its foundations and expose that vile thing to the sun.”

Shoichi confirms that the demon dragged his brother into the house, and they followed the demon here. Tanjiro praises their bravery and Shoichi says they followed traces of their brother’s blood to get here. Tanjiro assures them that they’re going to beat the demon and save their brother.

“To think those kids followed the demon all the way there just to try and help their brother!” Mitsuri teared up. “My heart just breaks to see their tears!”

“How bad do you think the boy is hurt?” Kyojuro asked, concern heavy in his voice.

“If I had to guess it probably wasn’t that bad.” Sanemi theorized. “Probably some claw marks. If the demon brought the kid back to the house instead of eating him then and there, it means he’s worried about the blood attracting other demons and there being a fight. Whether or not the kid is alive at this point…”

Zenitsu looks at the mansion with unease, asking if Tanjiro can hear the unending sound as well, saying it sounds like a drum. Tanjiro says he doesn’t hear anything, just as the sound of a drum beats over and over, audible to everyone now. It intensifies before suddenly stopping as a bloodied boy is tossed out the window.

“Damn, it’s a demon-!!!” Tengen choked on his words as he watched what happened on screen.

“Oh god!!” Mitsuri gasped, covering her mouth. “That poor boy…”

“Is it the missing sibling?” Gyomei asked.

“No.” Muichiro answered. “The brother was wearing an orange kimono. This one is dressed in white.”

“Catch him dammit.” Sanemi hissed under his breath. “Don’t let yourself freeze up.”

Before either of the slayers can react to this horrifying sight, he hits the ground, a large puddle of blood forming underneath him. Teruko screams as her brother shields her eyes and turns them away. Zenitsu is frozen in fear as Tanjiro hurries over to the boy, asking if he’s okay. Tanjiro asks the boy to hang on, but notes that the wound is deep. “Even though… I was able to… e-escape from… that horrible place… a-and make it here… was it not enough? Am I still gonna die?” Tanjiro hugs the boy as he dies in his arms.

“That boy wouldn’t have survived long even if they did catch him.” Gyomei wept. “They lack the medical knowledge to treat him long enough for the Kakushi to arrive and take over.”

“And even if they did know how to treat him, he most likely would have bled out in the meantime.” Giyu added. “They still have a mission to do, and as far as they know, there’s still the missing brother and more civilians trapped inside. They’d have to leave him to continue onwards.”

“I just hate that those poor children had to see that.” Mitsuri said. “They weren’t able to turn away in time.”

Zenitsu begins to ask if the boy is missing sibling, but is cut off by the powerful roar of the demon as the house rumbles. We see the hand of a demon playing a drum that… seems to be embedded in his shoulder.

“Well that doesn’t bode well.” Muichiro sighed.

“I wonder…” Tengen muttered quietly. “Those drums seem to be connected to the demon’s blood art but what exactly is it?”

Eye catchers

The two children and Zenitsu are all whimpering and afraid after what they’ve seen and heard, but Tanjiro’s focus is on the boy in his arms. “We couldn’t save him. If we’d only gotten here a little sooner, things might have been different.”

“Oh Tanjiro…” Mitsuri got misty eyed. “It’s always rough when you can’t save someone, but you shouldn’t put all these deaths on your shoulders.”

“If you place sorrow after sorrow squarely on your shoulders, eventually you’ll break under the weight.” Tengen agreed. “He needs someone to help him bear the pain and I don’t know if Nezuko could do it.”

Tanjiro asks if the boy is the missing sibling and Shoichi confirms he’s not, their older brother wears an orange kimono. Tanjiro is horrified to realize that the demon has captured multiple people. He promises to bury the dead boy once he comes back out and apologizes for making the boy wait in the meantime.

“I’d hate to have to do the same, but there’s no time to waste.” Kyojuro nodded.

Tanjiro calls out to Zenitsu and tells him it’s time to go inside. Zenitsu begins to panic and frantically look around as though there is some other Zenitsu nearby. Tanjiro points out that they’re the only ones who can help now, but Zenitsu just shakes harder and begins to whimper.

“Are you shitting me?!” Sanemi growled, punching the ground. “Get your damn ass in there and do your job you piece of shit!” God, this kid was infuriating! He’d gladly take Tanjiro lugging around a demon then another second with that whiny brat.

“Just quit!” Tengen shouted. “Honestly you’d be better off as a civilian than saving people.”

We don’t see Tanjiro’s face but whatever it looks like as he turns from Zenitsu and starts walking into the mansion seems to terrify the blonde boy even more than the demon. Zenitsu shrieks and grabs onto Tanjiro, begging him to stop looking so scary. He agreed to come with Tanjiro as he gets dragged along. “Don’t let me force you.” Tanjiro’s eyes are bright red as Zenitsu confirms he’ll go.

“Wow, it must be terrifying if we don’t even get to see it.” Kyojuro winced.

“Well he is the eldest brother.” Mitsuri pointed out. “He’s probably mastered the “I’m disappointed and you need to behave stare”. Goodness knows how often I’ve had to use it on my younger siblings.”

Tanjiro sets Nezuko’s box in front of the kids, telling them that it will protect them. Together Zenitsu and Tanjiro enter the mansion, albeit with Zenitsu crying. There’s no sign of the demon, only a normal, abandoned house. But there’s a strange, tense feeling in the air.

“He left her outside. Alone with two small children.” Sanemi gritted out.

“It’s daytime, and I doubt the sun will set for another few hours.” Giyu assured him. “I think they’ll be fine. If night falls Nezuko is more likely to go into the house to find her brother than anything.”

Zenitsu asks if Tanjiro will protect him from whatever is inside the mansion, making Tanjiro stop. “Zenitsu, I hate to have to tell you this, but, in my last fight, I broke a leg and a rib. Neither of them have fully healed up as of yet, so—” Zenitsu freaks out once more upon hearing this, declaring his fate is sealed if Tanjiro is that hurt.

Sanemi winced in sympathy and couldn’t help the part of him that admired Tanjiro’s will. Rib injuries fucking sucked, combine that with a broken leg and most rookies like him would be off to the butterfly mansion instead of continuing on. The fact that Tanjiro was still going on earned him some points in Sanemi’s book.

“If he’s that hurt, why isn’t he at the butterfly mansion?” Muichiro asked.

“If I had to guess, Tamayo most likely treated his wounds before he left.” Obanai guessed. “So his crow didn’t feel the need to report to the Kakushi. Hopefully though, he gets a chance to rest after this. Or Shinobu is going to pluck that bird.”

Tanjiro watches in disbelief as Zenitsu thrashes on the ground and panics, trying to get him to calm down. Before he can make any headway, he looks down the corridor in shock and shouts to stay away. Zenitsu screams, but it’s only Shoichi and Teruko. Shoichi apologizes but explains they heard sounds coming from the box and panicked.

“THEY FOLLOWED THEM IN?!” Many of the Hashira shouted in unison, baffled and horrified by such a stupid decision.

“Still, I really wish you hadn’t left that behind. That thing is more precious to me than my own life.” Suddenly, the house begins to rumble and shake around them. Zenitsu panics and accidently knocks Teruko and Tanjiro through a doorway. A drum beats somewhere in the mansion, and the two find themselves in a brand new room. The drum continues to beat and the room changes around them.

The sound of several facepalms rang out through the room.

“Okay, okay.” Tengen nodded to himself. “So the drums control the mansion. Switches the rooms around it seems.”

The room settles into a large open one lit by red lights. Teruko begins to cry into Tanjiro’s chest and he tries to comfort her, promising to protect her.

“I still don’t understand their logic in following Tanjiro inside.” Sanemi said. “And now Tanjiro has to pull double duty of fighting the demon and protecting her. He can’t just leave her in a room somewhere, the blood art could pull her right into the demon’s path.”

“Perhaps they were more worried about their missing brother then they let on?” Kyojuro suggested.

A breeze blows through the halls and Tanjiro gasps, looking towards the open door. Large footsteps echo down the hall as the Master of the Mansion, KYOGAI, appears in the doorway. He’s standing sideways and doesn’t seem to notice the humans in the room.

“Uh oh, this guy is a lot bigger than the other ones Tanjiro fought…” Mitsuri winced.

“And Tanjiro is nursing some bad injuries.” Sanemi clenched his fists. “This is going to be a rough one.”

“Do all those drums just shuffle the rooms?” Muichiro wondered. “Like each drum is a different room?”

Teruko gasps but Tanjiro is quick to cover her mouth, tense and ready for if the demon attacks. “Among all the different scents in this mansion, this is the strongest one. It’s eaten so many. This one has to be the master of this place.”

“This is why you should’ve stayed outside kid!” Sanemi snapped at the screen. God he hated when kids got involved.

blood, so much. It stains the house, it stains his clothing, only one child is crying, he has to protect Ge

Meanwhile, Zenitsu begins to cry and panic over how he will die now that Tanjiro is gone. Shoichi cries out for his sister, and Zenitsu begs the child not to yell and draw attention to him. Zenitsu asks that they go wait outside and Shoichi is shocked by the suggestion.

“Noooo go back to Tanjiro!” Muichiro shouted at the screen.

“God dammit not this kid.” Tengen groaned. “Has it been twenty minutes yet?”

“If I’m keeping time accurately, there should only be five or so more minutes.” Gyomei replied.

“Why would we do that? Are you trying to escape all by yourself? All this constant whining about dying, aren’t you a little ashamed? It’s pathetic that you’re clinging to the sleeve of someone who’s younger than you. Why does a coward like you have a sword on your hip in the first place?”

Muichiro chuckled. “His words hurt more than a demon’s claws. I like him.”

“I’d like him better if he could leave the building.” Obanai hissed.

Every sentence seems to punch Zenitsu, and he ends up coughing blood from how much Shoici’s words hurt. Zenitsu grabs Shoichi and begins to drag the boy outside despite his protests. He opens what should have been the front doors, only to see a completely different room.

“Oh no it rearranges the entire house?!” Mitsuri cried out.

“That makes sense.” Kyojuro sighed. “Wouldn’t want your prey to run away so easily.”

Zenitsu is confused and wondering if he misremembered before trying other doors. The third one he opens turns out to not be empty, with a muscular boy with the head of a boar standing in it. INOSUKE HASHIBARA looks over his shoulders at Zenitsu, a trail of smoke coming from the nostrils of the boar mask.

“Another demon?!” Muichiro tensed up.

“No, no, this guy is in the opening and ending songs.” Tengen recalled. “I think it’s a mask.”

“The boar head is wearing our uniform pants, and I think those are nichrin swords by his side.” Giyu noted. “I don’t know how he got two though.”

“Oh! I just recalled something.” Gyomei added. “Didn’t the Master say that five survived, although we only saw four? This boy must be the fifth.”

“Oh, that makes sense.” Mitsuri agreed. “But then what’s he doing here?”

“When the boy was abducted, any slayer in the area was most likely alerted.” Sanemi guessed. “It's a common enough procedure.”

Zenitsu screams that it’s a monster. Inosuke jumps out of the room, bouncing from the floors to the walls and runs down the hallway. We don’t see Shoichi’s face but Zenitsu cries as he tells him to stop looking at him like that.

“Okay I can’t blame him for that one.” Kyojuro admitted. “I’d be pretty spooked to see that boar head out of nowhere as well!”

“Why didn’t he say anything?” Giyu wondered. “Is he mute maybe? And why is he running like an animal?”

Back with Tanjiro, the boy continues to try to muffle Teruko’s cries. Kyogai laments that someone meddled in his business. Tanjiro tells Teruko to hide behind some nearby shelves and she quickly does so. Kyogai continues to lament, saying that his prey got away because of the interference. Kyogai curses them and wonders why so many strangers are barging into his home, calling it maddening.

“Does he mean the slayers interfered?” Mitsuri wondered.

“And as for his prey, does he mean the boy who fell from the window…” Sanemi narrowed his eyes. “Or the missing brother?”

Tanjiro draws his sword as Kyogai vows to make them pay. “Hey, you, listen up! I’m a demon slayer, rank Mizunoto, Tanjiro Kamado! It’s my duty to slay you now!” Kyogai ignores him, too caught up in his anger over losing a “Marechi” child.

Sanemi growled. “I knew it.”

“Oh! But the brother is alive!” Mitsuri cheered. “That’s wonderful! Oh, thank goodness!”

“Set your heart ablaze Tanjiro Kamado!” Kyojuro cheered as well.

Tanjiro leaps forward, but just as he reaches the doorframe, Kyogai hits one of the drums on his shoulders, and the room tilts, slamming Tanjiro into the wall. Tanjiro realizes that the demon’s blood allows him to control the entire mansion as his territory. Tanjiro looks to the other side of the room, picking up on an odd, non demon scent.

“Oh shit different drums do different things.” Sanemi groaned. “This is gonna be a bitch to fight with a broken leg.”

Someone runs down the hall, laughing maniacally as he approaches the room. “Better watch out, ‘cause, ready or not, here I come!” The boy in the boar mask leaps into the room with two swords drawn. Tanjiro wonders who that is, confused by his appearance. “Alright you monster, die on the battlefield, and serve as my catalyst so that I may become even more powerful and soar to new heights!”

“What a flashy entrance!” Tengen praised.

“Huh, that’s weird.” Muichiro tilted his head. “His swords are customized. Usually you don’t get to request customizations for your first sword right away unless there’s special circumstances.”

Kyogai calls the whole situation infuriating. Inosuke aims his sword at the demon. “Hope you’re ready for me, because I’m coming through!”

“I’m guessing he’s a wind breather.” Tengen said.

“The hell makes you say that?” Sanemi demanded.

“Because you guys are insane.” Tengen replied nonchalantly.

Sanemi just barely restrained himself. Just barely.

End theme

Taisho Era Secret!

Today’s secret features Zenitsu and Tanjiro. Zenitsu says that the girl Tanjiro pulled him away from really did love him. Tanjiro is baffled and says it was obvious she wasn’t into him. Zenitsu is in complete denial and thinks the girl may be playing hard to get. Tanjiro simply stares despite the demands to say something.

“Booooo bring back Nezuko!” Tengen shouted.

“I feel so bad for that poor poor girl.” Mitsuri shook her head. “I can’t imagine being grabbed and harassed like that.”

“And now it’s time for a Taisho Era Secret! I hear that Zenitsu gets so nervous in front of girls, his heart starts fluttering like a hummingbird.”

“Well that’s cute actually.” Mitsuri admitted.

Zenitsu claims he just can’t help it and starts fawning over girls in general, promising to ask the girl from earlier on a date.

“She has a fiancée!” Tengen reminded.

“Next, episode Twelve, The Boar Bares its Fangs, Zenitsu Sleeps.”

“He’s going to SLEEP!?” Sanemi roared with anger.

Zenitsu claims he’s pouring his heart out and Tanjiro shouldn’t ignore him.

“Hey, Tomioka, I’m curious.” Tengen called. “Who do you like more, Tanjiro or Nezuko?”

Giyu shot Tengen a withering glare. “Which one of your wives do you favor the most?” He asked in return.

Sanemi bit his lip to resist the urge to laugh. Who knew Tomioka could actually be that funny? Tengen looked torn between being angry and chastised.

At that moment, Shinobu walked in the room carrying the bento boxes. “I hope I didn’t miss anything important.” She said, setting them down by the screen for later. “Is Tanjiro alright?”

Chapter Text

Shinobu was quickly caught up on what happened and she couldn’t help the little sigh that escaped her when she learned the yellow one was still around. But what truly irritated her was finding out Tanjiro was off on yet another mission. At this rate the poor boy was going to end up in forced retirement or worse, dead.

The boy in the pig mask was rather intriguing though. She wondered what that was all about.

Inosuke charges at the demon, but Kyogai slaps his drum and makes the room tilt again. The demon slayers catch themselves, but Teruko slams into the ceiling, as it’s now the floor. Tanjiro warns her to grab onto the furniture, but is distracted when Inosuke uses him as a springboard to launch himself at the demon. Tanjiro tries to warn him about the demon blood art, but Inosuke only laughs.

“Oof, that poor girl.” Mitsuri winced. “I hope she doesn’t get bounced around too much.”

“So each drum moves the room a certain way.” Kyojuro noted. “The one in the middle must be causing the rooms to shuffle.”

“I’m just glad Tanjiro has some back up finally.” Shinobu admitted. “Now with two of them, this fight shouldn’t take as long, and Tanjiro can rest and recover.”

Theme

Kyogai continues to monologue about the insects running around his house, almost unaware of the people in the room next to him. Then he taps a drum on his hip twice, causing the room to move backwards until it’s back to normal. Teruko lands on the floor, and Inosuke lands on her.

“Oof!!!” Everyone collectively winced for the poor little girl.

“Oh my god, did he land on her on purpose!?” Mitsuri gasped.

“That’s gonna be a pain to fight.” Shinobu winced, thinking of how all that slamming around would only further exacerbate his injuries.

“I don’t think so actually.” Tengen countered. “Each drum does one specific thing. As long as they pay close attention, they can memorize the drums and adapt to the changing room. It will be difficult for sure, but between the two of them I think they can handle it.”

“A fair point.” Shinobu conceded. “And you mentioned the Zenitsu boy had hearing like yours. Perhaps the sound of the drumming will attract his attention and then the three of them can work together.”

“This episode is titled Zenitsu Sleeps, so I doubt it.” Guyu countered.

“I can’t believe the room spun around! Now this is what I call a fun time!” Tanjiro runs over and throws Inosuke off of Teruko, gently taking the little girl into his arms. He scolds Inosuke for stepping on a child but Inosuke laughs it off and instead charges at Tanjiro, swinging his swords.

“What the hell?!” Sanemi roared, furious. “What’s that idiot think he’s doing?!”

“I take it you’re not talking about him standing on the little girl?” Gyomei asked.

“No, this boar-faced idiot turned his swords on Tanjiro!” Obanai hissed. “Instead of focusing on the demon who’s literally standing right there, he’s trying to fight his own comrade!”

Tanjiro manages to dodge, keeping Teruko safely in his arms as he wonders why a fellow demon slayer is attacking him. Inosuke claims his swords are deadly and he prides himself on how they tear through flesh. Tanjiro calls him foolish and reminds him of the demon. Inosuke says he doesn’t care and charges at Tanjiro again.

“Great, he's insane.” Muichiro noted.

“I take back what I said about the blonde, I’d trade the boar for him anytime.” Tengen sighed.

“Hmm… he seems to not be the brightest one around.” Shinobu mused to herself. “It would probably be easy to turn his attention back on the demon with the right words.”

Kyogai seems to have finally grown sick of the slayer’s antics and plays the drum on his stomach. The two slayers instinctively jump back from each other as three long slashes rip into the floor. “The floor just ripped apart. It happened at the speed of the beat of the drum and in the shape of a beast’s claws!”

“Okay, so the middle drum isn’t the one that moves the rooms.” Kyojuro winced.

“Hmm, I wonder which one it is then?” Shinobu tapped her chin in thought. Did the drum demon have one on his backside?

Kyogai plays the drum again, and Inosuke manages to dodge an attack that destroys the doors behind him. Kyogai rotates the room again, this time Tanjiro is able to time it right to land on his back and protect Teruko. As the tilting continues, Inosuke is tossed out of the room.

“And now Tanjiro is on his own again.” Obanai sighed.

“Well it’s not like the boar kid was actually helping things.” Sanemi pointed out. “I really wish the kid had brought his sister inside with him.”

“Do you think Nezuko’s okay out there all alone in the box?” Mitsuri asked in concern.

“I’m sure she’s fine, Kanroji. Remember, Nezuko sleeps to regain her energy and heal, and that was a rough battle she was in during Asakusa.” Shinobu consoled her. “I doubt she’s even awake right now, and she may not wake up until tonight. Or, well, night for Tanjiro that is.”

Before Kyogai can attack again, there is the sound of another drum, and the rooms change again. Tanjiro wonders how that happened if the demon didn’t play any of his drums and picks up the scent of multiple demons. He wonders if there’s another drum demon before turning to the door, smelling blood.

“Whoa, wait, that’s not the demon changing rooms?” Sanemi sat up straight, visibly confused.

“And there’s other demons in the house.” Shinobu added. “So then… I wonder…” A theory was forming in her mind, but without any proof, it wasn’t worth mentioning.

Tanjiro comforts a whimpering Teruko before opening the door and looking around. Down one end of the hallway is a dead human. Teruko notices Tanjiro seems upset now and asks what’s wrong. Tanjiro tells her there’s no demons and takes her down the opposite hallway, making sure she doesn’t look back and see the body.

“How many people are in there?” Mitsuri whimpered.

“I don’t think we’ll know until the demon is defeated and the rooms stop moving.” Obanai answered her softly.

As they walk down the hallway, Tanjiro sniffs the air again. He notices a unique scent of blood he’s never smelled before. Coming to another set of doors, Tanjiro gestures for Teruko to be quiet before he opens it, one hand on his sword.

“Unique scent of blood?” Shinobu perked up. “Could it be…?”

Inside the room is not a demon, but a boy in an orange kimono holding a drum that looks just like Kyogai’s. He gasps when the door opens and is about to bang the drum.

“The missing brother!!!” Mitsuri cheered. “Thank god he’s alive!!”

“Hey, he’s got one of the demon’s drums!” Tengen realized. “Oh! Oh this boy is clever!”

“Yes, I thought something like this was happening.” Shinobu nodded. “Although I assumed it was another demon in the house who had the drum.”

“Oh, I think I see what you’re getting at.” Sanemi snapped his fingers in realization. “The kid’s a marechi, if he was bleeding out in the woods then he might’ve attracted other demons. That's what “interfered” with the demon's meal. The drum must’ve been torn out during the fight, and the kid grabbed it. He’s probably been playing it anytime he heard someone get close to him.”

“Oh! I see!” Kyojuro exclaimed. “Yes, that’s quite smart of the boy!”

Suddenly we are back to Zenitsu and Shoichi. Zenitsu is panting heavily and covered in sweat, taking one very slow step at a time while holding Shoichi’s hand. Shoichi asks if they can stop, causing Zenitsu to scream and wail. He turns around and clings to the boy, begging him to warn Zenitsu before he says something as Shoichi scared him.

Tengen let out a deep groan. “Not this brat again.”

Shinobu couldn’t help but chuckle at the absolute misery on his face.

“You know something that I just realized?” Obanai said suddenly. “We’re supposed to be watching the future, and it seems to center around Tanjiro, but now suddenly we’re focused on the blonde brat.”

“Not the first time it happened.” Muichiro pointed out. “We got to focus on Muzan for a bit and those two demons.”

“Hmm. Interesting.” Gyomei mused. “I don’t think it’s too odd, the future is made by many hands after all.”

Shoichi looks down at Zentisu, who is whimpering and shaking and points out the demon slayer’s behavior. Zentisu claims he’s doing the best he can. Shoichi apologizes and says that Zenitsu’s behavior is making him nervous as well. “Oh, no! I’m sorry! It’s just I feel if we make too much noise here, that demon you saw, it might find us, right? That’s why I think it would be best to be as quiet as possible! Don’t you think!?”

“I mean he’s got a point.” Kyojuro shrugged. “Especially since he has a kid with him to protect.”

“Do not agree with him in front of me, Kyojuro I swear to god.” Tengen sighed.

Well, right as Zentisu finishes saying that, a demon slithers out from underneath the elevated floors of the room next to them. Shoichi gasps, causing Zentisu to shudder as he slowly turns his head behind him. This demon has a long tongue that hangs out his mouth and relishes the chance to devour a couple of kids. Zentisu screams that it’s just his luck to turn into a demon.

“Well, they’re dead.” Obanai said pessimistically.

“Who was that boy again?” Muichiro asked. “Was he important?”

“We’ll remind you in a minute.” Mitsuri promised him.

Eye catchers

Zenitsu shrieks at the demon to stay away from them as he and Shoichi run away, the demon crawling after them. The demon’s tongue extends out like a frog’s, darting towards Zentisu. He quickly scoops up Shoichi and dodges to the left, watching as a pot is shattered to pieces by the tongue.

“Why are you running?!” Tengen shouted.

“Perhaps he’s just looking for a more strategic area to fight?” Shinobu suggested. “We don’t know his breathing style; it may be harder to use it in a cramped space like this.”

“And you could stand to be a little less harsher on him.” Mitsuri added, crossing her arms. “Look, he’s protecting the boy and using himself as a shield. Maybe he’s a little scared, but who wasn’t when they first started?”

Zentisu jumps into an empty room with Shoichi still in his arms to dodge the demon’s tongue. Shoichi begs Zentisu to get up but the slayer’s fear is now in his knees, leaving him frozen. He tells Shoichi to leave him behind and run but the boy refuses. “What a sweet kid. As useless as I am, he’s sticking by me. I gotta find a solution to this. If I don’t protect him, I don’t wanna think of what’ll happen. Dying before he reaches adulthood would be tragic. But I’m so horribly weak.”

“Hmm.” A part of Shinobu couldn’t help but be fascinated by this boy. He acknowledges his own shortcomings and seems to despise himself for it. And yet he seems unable to do anything to overcome these flaws.

In many ways he reminded her of Aoi. Were their stories similar? Maybe he was the type of boy better suited to be a Kakushi than a slayer. “What breathing style did he say he learned?”

“He didn’t.” Tengen replied. “But I’m guessing water breathing, since that’s what most of the corps learns since it’s the easiest.”

Shoichi begs Zentisu to stand up and Zentisu laments that he’s too weak to protect the boy, even if it means he might die. The tongue demon crawls into the room, letting out a fearsome threat that causes Zentisu to pass out and fall asleep. Shoichi is shocked as a snot bubble appears to confirm his sleeping state.

“Well, now we know why it’s called Zenitsu sleeps.” Muichiro hummed.

Mitsuri was covering her eyes, Gyomei had tears falling down his face, and more than one hand instinctively reached for a sword.

Shinobu bit her lip as she leaned closer. “Come on Zenitsu. Wake up. He needs your help.”

The demon crawls forward as Shoichi attempts to drag Zenitsu backwards but, finds his back against the wall. The demon’s tongue lurches, Shoichi begs for Zenitsu’s help. Zenitsu’s hand twitches, and then suddenly, with a golden flash, the tongue is cut off.

“What the hell?” Sanemi blinked. “That was…”

“Those are some amazing reflexes!” Kyojuro praised. “I guess Zentisu found his courage!”

“Was that gold I saw?” Mitsuri asked.

Zentisu rises to his feet, his head tilted down at the ground as he puts a protective hand before Shoichi. Zentisu gets into a fighting stand very different from Tanjiro’s, steam coming from his mouth as he takes a deep breath. The tongue demon is left baffled at this sudden transformation.

“Oh shit.” Tengen exclaimed. “I just realized what his breathing style is.”

“Wait really?” Sanemi asked. “Just from his stance?”

“Of course.” Tengen smirked. “After all, I couldn’t have created sound breathing without it.”

And just like that, the last piece of the puzzle clicked in Shinobu’s head and a smile grew across her face. Something told her this was going to be very interesting.

Zentisu begins to pull his sword out of its sheath, the blade golden. Using Thunder Breathing, First Form: Thunder Clap and Flash, Zenitsu dashes across the room like a bolt of lightning and kills the demon. As Zenitsu rises up, we see the snot bubble pop and he turns around to scream in shock at the demon being dead, wondering how that could’ve happened. Somehow, Zenitsu believes that Shoichi killed the demon, and clings to the boy while crying out his gratitude. Shoichi is too surprised to argue with him and the two decide to keep moving.

“What.” Giyu started.

“The.” Obanai continued.

“Fuck!?” Sanemi finished.

“He can only fight in his sleep?!” Tengen shouted. “What the hell?! Is that how he survived final selection?!”

“This is the most fascinating case of sleepwalking I have ever seen in my life.” Shinobu declared, grinning widely. “I want to study him.”

“Well… he gets the job done I suppose.” Gyomei said, sounding just as baffled as the rest of them.

“And he just doesn’t remember what he’s done?” Mitsuri asked. “He really thinks the little boy did that?”

“I think I’ve seen weirder… but I don’t remember.” Muichiro tilted his head.

Kyojuro was too busy laughing to comment, finding the whole situation hilarious. “Pretty flashy, right Tengen? You’ve found a Tsugoku!”

“Hell no!” Tengen shouted. “One moment of flashiness does not make up for all that unflashiness before!”

Suddenly, we see Inosuke running down a hallway, pissed he was just sent flying again. Inosuke has apparently been here three days and is annoyed at having to deal with the demon in a cramped and changing building.

“He’s been here three days?!” Sanemi repeated. “What the hell?!”

“He must be exaggerating.” Shinobu frowned, concern rising in her. Three days just running around with little food, water, or the chance to rest? There was no way that boy could possibly be functioning as well as he was now. He had to have been exaggerating. Maybe it just just felt like three days to him.

As the boar headed boy rounds a corner and keeps running, a big fat demon hand reaches around a corner to grab him. Inosuke quickly reacts, managing to stop and backflip down the hall. A grotesquely obese demon rounds the corner, praising Inosuke for his quickness, eager to eat him.

“Quick reflexes.” Sanemi praised. “Lot of rookies would’ve probably run right into the demon’s hand.”

“Do you think that’s a real boar head?” Muichiro asked.

“Ew, I hope not.” Mitsuri wrinkled her nose. “That seems unhygienic.”

“Maybe that’s why he avoided the demon for three days.” Tengen guessed. “If it’s real it probably smells like death.”

Inosuke takes a deep breath, using the snout of his mask to exhale. He uses a self-taught style he calls Beast Breathing and rushes down the hallway towards the demon. Before the demon even realizes it, Inosuke cuts off his arms. “Revel in your own death, and serve as my catalyst!” Inosuke uses Fang Three: Devour to cut off the demon’s head and continues running down the hallway.

“Oh! He’s self-taught!” Tengen looked impressed. “That’s a pretty interesting technique he’s got there.”

“So if I get Tanjiro, and Tengen gets Zentisu,” Kyojuro began, ignoring Tengen’s protests. “Then who’s getting this boar boy?”

“Why would any of us want him?” Obanai asked, giving him a skeptical look.

“You’re all cowards.” Shinobu declared, a wide grin on her face. “I’ll take him.”

Kyogai stalks through another part of the house, monologuing about how he needs Marechi. The camera cuts to his back, where there’s a strange mark. “I must search for more humans with marechi and devour them. In doing so, I will be able to reclaim my place among the twelve Kizuki.” Kyogai reveals his eyes were actually rolled backwards in his head as he unrolls them, revealing Lower Moon Six written in his eye, an X carved into it.

Mitsuri yelped. “Lower moon six?! No no no no no!!!”

Shinobu’s heart skipped a beat. Not a member of the Kizuki. Tanjiro wouldn’t survive, not with his injuries. Another person she couldn’t save, another child whose death she was forced to watch, helpless to save them. Just like all her tsugoku’s, just like Kanae…

“I don’t…” Giyu paused for a moment, drawing Shinobu from the dark spiral she was going down. “I don’t think he is a member of the twelve Kizuki. At least not anymore.”

“What makes you say that?” Gyomei asked.

“He says he wants to reclaim his place among the twelve kizuki, and his eye has an x going over it.” Giyu observed. “He was probably challenged for his title and lost it.”

We see a flashback to a younger looking but still demon Kyogai, feasting on a human. He’s smaller, with only one drum in his stomach. He halts in his feasting, and Muzan appears, asking why. Muzan asks if the demon has reached his limit and Kyogai insists he can go on.

“Huh… he looks… younger, somehow.” Mitsuri noticed, curious. “And he’s only got one drum.”

“He must’ve eared more marechi since then and got stronger, the sick fuck.” Sanemi snarled. “We don’t know how long ago this was.”

An X is slashed into his eye, Kyogai crying out in pain and begging for more time. A furious Muzan denies him another chance. “I am stripping you of your number, because you have nothing more to offer me.”

“So I was right.” Giyu said. “But still, even if he’s a former member of the Kizuki, he’s still going to be a powerful and dangerous opponent for Tanjiro.”

Kyogai monologues over a dark screen. We see Muzan’s hand, one finger outstretched with blood dripping down into Kyogai’s palms. “The more humans you devour, the stronger you become. Once he saw my potential, Master Kibutsuji was willing to share his blood with me.”

“Well this is a fascinating insight into the twelve kizuki.” Shinobu mused.

“Shh.” Mitsuri hushed her.

“Oh!” Shinobu couldn’t help the pout that crossed her face.

The screen then shows Kyogai’s body against a red background. “The power of that man’s blood was simply astonishing. I was sure that I’d grow infinitely stronger than ever before and recognized into the ranks of the Twelve Kizuki.” The screen shows Kyogai standing with his back to the viewer, standing before a large group of people. We see faint details of their appearances, but not their whole forms. These are some of the twelve Kizuki. “I would continue to gorge myself on humans and steadily become even more powerful!”

Shinobu leaned in closely. Which one? Which one was it? Dammit, she couldn’t tell. Maybe if those outlines were colored. She had to know. She had to know which one of those bastards took Kanae from her.

Would she eventually know the face of that man?

The screen goes dark. “Or so I believed.”

“Bastard.” Sanemi growled.

Kaburamaru hissed at the screen, Obanai absentmindedly petting his head.

Teruko gasps and calls the boy by his name, happy to have finally found her missing brother. She runs to him and KIYOSHI drops the drum to pull his sister into his arms. Tanjiro introduces himself to the boy and praises the two siblings for hanging in so well and asks to see Kiyoshi’s wounds.

“Awww!!” Mitsuri teared up. “Those poor kids, I’m so happy that they found him! Gosh I can’t imagine if it was my brother all alone in that place! It makes me cry just thinking about it.”

“And it doesn’t look like he’s too injured either.” Shinobu sighed in relief. “That’s wonderful.”

Kiyoshi begins to sob now that he finally has a feeling of safety. Tanjiro pulls out a package and holds it high in the air, telling the children that it’s an ointment his master gave him for scenarios like this. As Tanjiro tends to the boy’s wounds, he distracts the kids by telling them about Urokodaki’s tengu mask.

Giyu hummed. “The ointment has certainly come in handy for me before. Only for minor wounds though, and helping to soothe the itchiness of major wounds once they’ve been healed.”

“Oh?” Shinobu turned to him, interested. “How do you mean?”

“I’m sure you have it in your own lab.” Giyu replied. “If not, I’ll write to Urokodaki, and ask him to send a jar for you.”

“If you remember.” Tengen pointed out unhelpfully.

Now that his wound has been seen to, Tanjiro asks Kiyoshi to tell him exactly what happened. Kiyoshi tells them how Kyogai captured him and was going to eat him before two other demons showed up, then three demons fought over who would get to eat him. During the fight, the drum from Kyogai’s back was ripped out and Kiyoshi grabbed it to make the room change.

“Oh, so it’s exactly what we guessed.” Kyojuro said. “Quite the clever boy!”

Tanjiro recalls how Kyogai said something about Marechi, and Kiyoshi adds that the demons called him that, but he doesn’t know what it means. Matsuemon shows up and explains what a Marechi is. “The term Marechi refers to the owner of a rare type of blood!” Kiyoshi and Teruko are startled by the sudden appearance of a talking bird and Matsuemon laughs at them.

“And some blood types are rarer than others.” Sanemi smirked.

“When the hell did his crow get inside the house?” Tengen asked.

“Has he been following Tanjiro this whole time, and only just now said something?” Kyojuro scratched his head in confusion.

“A little mean of him to laugh at the kids.” Mitsuri frowned. “It’s not like they expected a talking crow.”

“It’s a little funny.” Muichiro replied.

Tanjiro picks his crow up to ask him what he means by rare blood. “The blood of all living species can be broken into types, you see? The more scarce the blood or the more uncommon it is, I should say, the more desirable it is to demons. For, you see, in terms of nutritional value for a demon, a human marechi is akin to eating as many as a hundred normal humans.”

“And if you’re Shinazugawa, it’s closer to… what, three hundred?” Obanai asked.

“Something like that, couldn’t really tell you.” Sanemi shrugged. “And it’s not like I care to know it. What would I do, advertise my tastiness to the demons?”

Tanjiro can smell Kyogai coming, the demon calling out for Marechi. Tanjiro tells the children he’s going to face Kyogai again and that if they hear someone coming or opening the door, to play the drum to change rooms until Tanjiro comes for them. The two kids agree and Tanjiro praises their bravery before leaving.

“That’s a clever strategy!” Kyojuro praised. “Way to go Tanjiro!”

“Now if only the third sibling was in there, I’d feel better.” Mitsuri admitted.

“I’m just wondering if Inosuke and Zenitsu will show up to help him?” Shinobu mused. “Or maybe they found a way out of the house through a window.”

Kyogai comes closer, peeking around the corner. Tanjiro charges at the demon, the children playing the drum behind him and moving to a new place. Kyogai shifts the room around but Tanjiro knows how it works now, adapting quickly. Tanjiro uses the changing landscape to his advantage to drop close to Kyogai, but the demon forces him to move away to dodge an attack.

“Okay, here we go.” Sanemi rested his hand on his fist. “Let’s see how you fare Tanjiro.”

“And let’s hope backup shows up.” Mitsuri crossed her fingers.

Tanjiro recalls how Tamayo treated his wounds, and we see an image of the scene pop up. Tamayo tended to Tanjiro while Nezuko played with a roll of bandages and Yushiro held up a knife with an angry expression, probably because Tanjiro was shirtless. Even though his wounds have been cared for, there hasn’t been nearly enough time for him to heal.

“Oh that does make me feel better.” Shinobu admitted. “Even if he hasn’t rested, it at least helped him to get them treated.”

“Yushiro looks ready to break his bones all over again.” Tengen chuckled.

“And Nezuko just looks so cute with those bandages!!” Mitsuri cooed. “She's like an adorable little kitten!!”

Tanjiro wonders how he can even beat Kyogai in his state while he feels so much pain. He reveals the whole time he’s only been grinning and bearing it. When he first met Zentisu, he was enduring the worst pain of his life. Tanjiro feels like he has to endure his pain and carry on as the eldest son of his family.

Kyojuro and Sanemi nodded as though this made perfectly good sense to them. Shinobu thought it odd, but she was a woman, and the younger sister. Perhaps this was something she just couldn’t understand.

“Pulling that brat off of the girl must have aggravated his wounds.” Obanai muttered.

“Whenever I tense up, my broken bones ache, stopping me from mustering any strength.” Tanjiro is forced to keep moving by Kyogai’s attacks. “If I charge forward to get within striking distance, I’m afraid that a flash of pain will make me falter. If that happens…” Tanjiro pictures himself being ripped into three pieces by the attack.

“Then don’t tense up.” Giyu instructed. “Come on Tanjiro, use your water breathing to adapt.”

Tanjiro pictures Urokodaki as he begs for help. His teacher reminds him to consider how water is ever adapting and powerful. Tanjiro’s resolve is strengthened by this reminder and is ready to fight again. Zentisu appears crying and Tanjiro yells at him to stay out of his head.

“Thank you Urokodaki.” Giyu smiled softly.

“The blonde boy is here?” Muichiro asked, confused.

“Uh, no.” Mitsuri corrected gently. “He’s just… left a strong impression on Tanjiro, let's say.”

Tanjiro grabs his sword and braces himself, ready to continue fighting. He promises Kyogai he will not yield.

“This is how it ends?!” Tengen shouted. “Fuck!”

“Hmm, I’m detecting a theme here.” Gyomei mused. “I believe the next episode will be the end of the fight, and then perhaps Tanjiro will finally get a chance to recover before his next mission.”

End theme

Taisho era secret!

“Alright, I’m ready to see what the secret is!” Kyojuro cheered.

Tanjiro talks about how he has to give it everything he’s got as an eldest son. Nezuko grunts at him and Tanjiro thanks her for cheering for him, promising to do the same for her. Tanjiro tells Nezuko that she’s strong, but should ask for help if she needs it.

“Aww their love is so sweet!” Mitsuri cooed.

“Next, episode 13, Something More Important Than Life.” Tanjiro gasps. “It looks like we don’t have time to tell a Taisho era secret today!” Nezuko whines.

“Oh, we don’t always get a secret?” Shinobu realized. “That’s a shame, I quite like learning all these little tidbits.”

“I think after the next episode I’m going to dig into these bento boxes.” Kyojuro decided.

"Help yourself to mine if you want." Obanai offered.

Chapter Text

Recap

Shinobu’s fingers tapped against her thigh. She was eager to see this fight over with. Tanjiro would need rest and medical attention more than ever after fighting the demon. Also, she was very interested in studying Zenitsu. Was he like that every time he slept, or was it just a distress reaction?

Theme

Zenitsu and Shoichi run down a hall together, still searching for Tanjiro and Teruko. Zenitsu can still hear the sound of drumming and hopes his fellow demon slayer is safe. Shoichi asks Zenitsu if he thinks they’re just going around in circles and a distressed Zenitsu confesses he was thinking the same thing.

“Come on, at least stay calm for the boy’s sake!” Kyojuro chastised. “When you panic in front of the civilians, it makes them more scared and panicked and it just causes more trouble down the line.”

“Especially children.” Shinobu agreed. She had plenty of experience with her girls. The youngest three especially could get frightened easily, and when you were dealing with wounded demon slayers, it was never a good thing. As long as Shinobu was calm, the others could calm down and focus.

Zenitsu asks Shoichi to check inside a room to make sure it’s safe, but after another judgmental look, he goes in first. As the two walk through looking for Tanjiro, the sound of a drum rings out and the house tilts down. Zenitsu and Shoichi are sent flying down through multiple doors until they reach a window and the light of day shines through.

“Oh shit, Zentisu grab the kid and brace yourself!!!” Tengen shouted. “He’s probably not going to have time to land properly, so he’ll have to shield the kid and watch how they fall.”

“I wonder… that boy from before…” Shinobu frowned as she recalled what had happened. “Is this what happened to him?”

We go back to Tanjiro, who is struggling to adjust to the rapidly tilting room. His bones crack as he falls and rises repeatedly. Kyogai continues to toy with Tanjiro, shifting the room’s position while sending attacks his way. Tanjiro is tossed in every direction, almost falling again until he grabs onto one of the lights.

Everyone collectively winced, remembering Tanjiro’s injuries. “If he doesn’t get a chance to rest and recover, then his injuries will only get worse, and he may end up retiring before his career can even begin.” Shinobu fretted.

Tanjiro orders himself to think, trying to come up with a strategy to win. He’s almost knocked out of the room entirely but manages to grab onto the door frame. Kyogai is furious at how hard it is to kill Tanjiro and decides he needs to get marechi blood before it’s too late.

“He needs to learn to think on the go.” Sanemi criticized. “He’s too busy reacting; he needs to be able to think quickly and act.”

“Aren’t you being a little harsh?” Mitsuri asked. “I mean, sometimes even us Hashira need a moment to think!”

Sanemi only grunted in response.

Tanjiro doesn’t even have time to think as he has to dodge yet another attack. Perhaps wanting to catch his enemy off guard, he asks for the demon’s name and a confused Kyogai introduces himself. “Kyogai! Listen, I’m not giving you that child! I won’t bend to you! It’s futile!”

“Hmm. That may be an interesting strategy to try in battle.” Kyojuro conceded. “It certainly seemed to throw this demon for a loop!”

“You might have a point there Kyojuro.” Tengen agreed. “But I doubt every demon is ready to announce their name.”

“Does every demon even have a name?” Shinobu wondered aloud. “The first two demons he fought didn’t have names. But then the ones in Asakusa did and so does this one.”

“Do you think they remember their names from when they were human?” Muichiro asked.

“Perhaps the demon king renames them, or maybe they choose new names for themselves over time.” Gyomei speculated.

“Why the fuck are we talking about demons and their names?!” Sanemi growled. “Who cares?!”

Kyogai growls, and suddenly the screen fades to black, the gray image of a man appearing, his head kept offscreen. This man tells Kyogai that something is futile. Kyogai snaps himself out of the memory and declares he will find the boy and reclaim his spot in the 12 Kizuki, exposing his eyes.

“Oh, ok so we’re seeing them as humans again.” Muichiro realized. “We haven’t seen that since the hand demon.”

Shinobu thought for a moment. “I think you’re right Tokito.”

“No, we saw glimpses of that… swamp demon.” Giyu reminded. “But there was so much going on after that, so it was easy to forget.”

Kyogai’s frantic attacks demolish the room, sending papers flying everywhere. The man’s voice repeats as the scene transitions to a human Kyogai being berated for his writing by either an editor or his father. “Why don’t you forget this fantasy of being a writer? It would simply be a waste of ink and paper. It doesn’t help that you never step outside anymore.”

“That’s really harsh.” Mitsuri winced.

“Never step outside anymore?” Giyu repeated. “Was he already a demon by that point?”

“Couldn’t be.” Tengen shook his head. “There’s no way he could already be a demon and have a human disguise. The number of demons I’ve encountered who could pretend to be human can be counted on one hand.”

“Perhaps his memories are distorted and he’s misremembering certain details?” Gyomei suggested.

“There’s also a chance we’re all reading into it too much, and he had simply become a shut-in by that point.” Shinobu countered.

“Who cares?” Sanemi growled.

The man tells Kyogai that he’s incredibly dull and should just stick to playing the drum before adding that he’s not good at that either. As he leaves, he steps on Kyogai’s writing. The man’s vision turns red with anger just like his eyes as he pulls open his kimono to reveal a drum embedded in his chest. A single beat kills the man before the flashback ends.

Everyone was silent as they pondered this. No one was quite sure who won that argument.

“I guess Himejima Is probably the closest to being right?” Kyojuro guessed.

Kyogai roars for Tanjiro to get out of his sight, and Tanjiro watches in horror as Kyogai starts to strike his drums even faster than before. Tanjiro is left flying around the room as it rotates so rapidly and leaves him dizzy. Making it worse is that Kyogai is now using five claws to attack instead of three.

Sanemi tsk’d and his hands clenched at his sides. Shinobu couldn’t blame him, she was also on edge watching this battle. Tanjiro going into battle while injured was bad enough, but on top of that he was facing an ex-member of the Kizuki.

“I just thought of something.” Kyojuro realized, disrupting her train of thought. “If Tanjiro kills this demon, would it qualify him to be a Hashira?”

“Well… that’s an interesting idea!” Tengen agreed, sitting up. “I don’t think anyone’s fought an ex-Kizuki before! Would we follow the standard in that case?”

“Fuck no!” Sanemi snarled. “That runt is not becoming a hashira while he carries a demon on his back!”

“I don’t think he should be a hashira yet.” Gyomei said cautiously. “At his skill level, making him a hashira would only be throwing him into the deep end before he’s ready.”

“Hopefully one of us learns of it though and takes him on as a tsugoku.” Mitsuri said cheerfully. “Then we could properly get him on the path to be a hashira!”

Tanjiro flips around with the room and is very careful to not land on the scattered pages, hopping around in empty spaces until he can stand somewhere else. It’s enough to make Kyogai pause for a second so Tanjiro can finally collect his thoughts. The moment doesn’t last long though, but this time Tanjiro is more prepared. “Now that I’ve dodged his strikes without stepping on those papers, I can protect my wounds, because I know how to move around and breathe.”

“Are those papers important?” Muichiro asked. “He had to go out of his way to not step on them. What was the point?”

“Tanjiro is a weird kid doing weird stuff.” Tengen shrugged. “Maybe he’ll explain why in a minute.”

“Take quick, shallow breaths. Use that breathing technique to reinforce the muscles around your broken leg! Also, right before the claw attack, there’s a strong scent of mold.” Tanjiro is now able to dodge Kyogai’s attacks, stunning the demon and only making him angrier.

“Okay, so Kyogai’s scent is mold.” Tengen blinked.

“Interesting.” Shinobu mused. “Do all demons and their attacks carry different scents to Tanjiro? Can he track individual people by smell?” So many questions to ask, but she won’t be able to remember. It was so frustrating!! Wasn’t there a way to change that?

If she saw the demon who killed her sister, watched the outcome of that fight… only to be forced to forget it…

Tanjiro dashes towards Kyogai, using Water Breathing, Ninth Form: Splashing Water Flow, Turbulent. Kyogai realizes that Tanjiro has adapted to the flow of the room as the demon slayer pushes himself even closer and is finally able to see the opening thread. As Tanjiro follows the thread, he praises Kyogai’s blood art. As Kyogai’s head falls to the ground, Tanjiro’s face is reflected in the red of his eyes.

“Don’t fucking praise the demon!” Sanemi shouted. “For fuck’s sake Tanjiro!”

Obanai narrowed his eyes at the screen. “He’s just lucky no one’s been around to see or hear this. Otherwise, rumors would start about him being a demon lover.”

Mitsuri gasped in shock at hearing those words. “Iguro that’s vile! You can’t just throw those words around casually!”

“Is that how you feel?” Giyu asked, a fire in his eyes that Shinobu had rarely seen.

Shinobu took a deep breath to calm herself, an anger she hadn’t felt in years coursing through her at those words.

Demon Lover. It was a grave accusation in the corps, and not one to be made lightly, and especially not to be used as a common insult. Ever since the beginning of the corps, there were people who would try to hide demons in their houses out of a desire to save them, or even to marry a female demon.

While such an event had never occurred during her tenure as a Hashira, the scenario was still known for enough members to know the implications. Kanae had been called it several times for her beliefs that humans could befriend demons. Shinobu had begged her sister to report the slayers to the Master, but Kanae never did.

“They can say what they will. Everyone important to me knows the truth, and my actions prove those rumors wrong.”

Still, it was a relief when those accusations stopped…after Shinobu told Sanemi and Gyomei about them.

Tanjiro takes a deep breath and finds himself in immense pain, having to sink to his knees. Kyogai calls out to Tanjiro, asking if his blood art was actually incredible. “I truly did. However… I can’t forgive you for killing.”

“Well, there you have it.” Kyojuro said firmly. “Tanjiro’s actions and words prove himself. He will never forgive a demon who hurts a human and will always prioritize human lives. There is no reason for any of us to accuse him of such things.”

“I understand.” Obanai said. “I won’t say anything more.”

Tanjiro pulls out a strange tool and stabs it into Kyogai’s body to collect a blood sample for Lady Tamayo. A cat meows and suddenly appears, wearing one of Yushiro’s eye paintings on his chest. Tanjiro makes sure to pet the kitty as he places the blood sample into the satchel on its back. The cat takes off and meows once more, turning invisible. Tanjiro then gets up to let the siblings know it’s safe.

“Oh, I almost forgot about the promise of blood samples.” Shinobu said. “That’s a clever method Yushiro devised. I was worried Tanjiro would be running around with a fragile syringe. This whole system is very clever actually.”

“That cat is so cute!!!” Mitsuri cooed. “Awww!! He must be Tamayo’s pet kitty!!”

Shinobu turned to look at Gyomei and had to stifle a giggle at the look on his face. He seemed to be trying very hard to resist the urge to join Mitsuri in fawning over the cat.

Kyogai thinks back to his editor/father’s cruel words and how he carelessly stepped on the pages. “M-my writing… it wasn’t worthless. At the very least, that child didn’t believe so. He respectfully avoided trampling upon my work.” Tanjiro prays that Kyogai is able to rest in peace before leaving. The drum demon cries as he slowly turns to ash and fades away. “Both my blood demon art and my drum playing… have been recognized.”

“All he wanted was to be recognized!?” Sanemi snarled. “If he wanted some praise there were better ways to go about it then kidnapping and killing a bunch of innocent kids! There were better ways than becoming a demon!”

“Pisses me off that the demon is able to die happy now.” Tengen scowled. “Tanjiro shouldn’t have said anything to it.”

Eyecatchers

Tanjiro runs through the halls, calling out for Kiyoshi and Teruko. He's able to find the right room and opens the door, only to get things thrown at him by the scared siblings. The kids are quick to apologize and explain that they panicked after the drum disappeared. Teruko begins to cry once Tanjiro tells them they’re safe, and the demon slayer is quick to comfort her before bringing the kids outside.

“Think we have future demon slayers in the making?” Kyojuro asked.

“Doubtful, but anything can happen in a few years' time.” Shinobu replied, amused at the thought.

Tanjiro guides the kids out, a much easier task now that the house is back to normal. He can smell the scent of Zenitsu and Shoichi, but worryingly, he can also smell blood. Tanjiro only tells the kids to hurry, not wanting to worry them.

“Blood?” Mitsuri repeated in concern. “Why would there be blood? None of them were injured when we last saw them!”

“Last time we saw Zenitsu he was falling out a window.” Tengen recalled. “He may not have had a good landing.”

“Who’s Zenitsu again?” Muichiro asked.

Shinobu paused the episode to give him a quick rundown. She couldn’t help but look at him with pity. How much had he forgotten this time? How long had he just been sitting there, not processing anything they were watching?

Perhaps it was a good thing they wouldn’t remember this. Muichiro would have forgotten it all anyway.

The first thing they see outside is Zenitsu, who’s wrapped as much of his body as he could around Nezuko’s box. Inosuke has made it outside as well, and is kicking Zenitsu, demanding that he draw his sword and fight. “Tanjiro… the box, I protected it.” Zenitsu lifts his face, revealing the smell of blood came from him. “You told me… this was more important to you… than your own life. That’s why I did it.”

“What the fuck?!” Tengen exclaimed. “Did the boar kid do all that?!”

“It’s because of the box.” Giyu realized, closing his eyes for a moment. “He realized there was a demon and tried to kill Nezuko. Zenitsu is protecting her from him and probably hasn’t drawn his sword since it’s against corps rules.”

“I can’t really be mad at the boy for following corps rules and dealing with what seems to be a traitor.” Kyojuro sighed. “But I also can’t agree with letting him hurt young Nezuko. I never thought I’d be in this kind of situation.”

We flash back in time to maybe twenty or so minutes before. Zenitsu lays sleeping on the ground. “The fact is, I’ve always had really good hearing. There have been times when I knew what people said, even though I had been fast asleep. That really creeped everyone out.” Zentisu can’t hear any demons, realizing Tanjiro must have won and he can hear everyone is safe.

Shinobu looked at Tengen from the corner of her eye and smiled widely. She could see the look of interest in his face. No matter how much he tried to deny it, she could see how attached he was becoming.

Actually… the hearing just reminded her of Kanao. She had enhanced sight. And then Tanjiro had scent. Were there two other slayers out there with enhanced touch and taste? And how would that work? Surely, they weren’t going around eating everything they could get their hands on.

Shoichi tearfully calls for Zenitsu to wake up and is utterly relieved when the blonde boy does. He explains that when the room moved and they were thrown outside from a second story window, Zenitsu shielded Shoichi to protect him, but fell right on his head. A frightened Zenitsu tearfully asks if he’ll die but is cut off from his woes by Inosuke’s voice.

“Concussion.” Shinobu said matter of factly. “Definitely a concussion. Frankly, I’m amazed he’s alive. It’s very easy to lose your life from a fall like that.”

“If he had died, at least his final action would have been protecting the boy.” Gyomei replied.

“Poor Shoichi!” Mitsuri whimpered. “The poor boy must have been so scared when he saw the blood and Zenitsu wouldn’t wake up!”

Inosuke headbutts his way out of the house, making Zenitsu scream and call Inosuke a terrifying boar monster. Inosuke picks up on a demonic presence and Zenitsu realizes that Inosuke is the fifth survivor of final selection. “During final selection, he was the first to rush up the mountain and the first to come back down. What a force of nature!”

“Ooohhhhh.” The Hashira exclaimed in unison as that mystery was finally solved.

“So, he wasn’t too injured or anything, he was just impatient.” Sanemi huffed.

“I can’t imagine being so eager to fight demons that you would just rush in headfirst. Or even leave without listening to the instructions.” Gyomei shook his head, looking displeased.

“Wait but then… how did he get his swords?” Muichiro wondered.

“That… is an interesting question.” Shinobu replied, curious about it as well. “He has the uniform pants as well but if he didn’t wait for measurements… something’s not adding up.”

Inosuke notices Nezuko’s box and charges at it with the intent to strike. Zentisu quickly slides between the box and Inosuke, shouting at the boar boy to stop. Inosuke is only pissed off by this, demanding to know who Zenitsu is and telling him to move. Zenitsu introduces himself as a fellow demon slayer in hopes of making Inosuke stand down.

“He’s not stopping to hear a fellow slayer out?” Gyomei asked, confused.

“Even I would at least ask if he was bringing the demon to final selection.” Sanemi admitted. “It would be the only reason I would excuse a slayer carrying a demon around.”

Inosuke points out that as demon slayers, they need to kill the demon in the box at all costs, and once again demands that Zenitsu moves. Zenitsu refuses, saying the box belongs to Tanjiro, but is cut off when Inosuke snaps at him and decides to deal with Tanjiro as well.

“What a loyal boy.” Kyojuro praised. “He’s only known Tanjiro for a few hours, but he’s going out of his way to defend the box. He doesn’t know what’s in it, but it’s important to Tanjiro and that’s all that matters.”

“I think he knows exactly what’s in there actually.” Tengen corrected. “If his hearing is as good as it seems, then he knows there’s a demon.”

“I think we have all terribly misjudged this poor boy’s character.” Gyomei wept. “Namu Amida Butsu, first impressions should never be believed.”

Inosuke holds one of his blades right at Zenitsu’s neck. The boy shakes and whimpers but doesn’t move an inch. Inosuke asks him if he wants to die. “This box, I won’t let you touch it! I don’t know what’s inside, but I know that it’s precious to Tanjiro!” Inosuke tells Zenitsu there's obviously a demon in the box. “Of course I do! I’ve known that from the very start!”

“So, he did know.” Giyu nodded to himself.

Shinobu found herself awfully impressed with this young boy. Perhaps he needed some gentle (or harsh) correction on love for women, but he was clearly a good person. She looked forward to seeing how he’d grow.

This boy in the boar mask was interesting as well. What was his story? He seemed more like a feral animal than a boy.

The screen changes to show Tanjiro carrying the box under an endless blue sky as Zenitsu narrates over it. “I knew he was traveling with a demon, because the sounds demons make aren’t anything like a human. That said,” The screen changes to show Tanjiro’s face. “The sounds I hear from Tanjiro are so kind and gentle, it makes me want to cry.” The camera switches to show Zenitsu with an awed expression on his face. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything like it before.”

Tengen whistled. “Now I wanna meet this kid and hear him for myself.”

The scene switches to show figures of a man and woman and several animals. “All living creatures constantly give off vibrations. The world is full of sounds ringing out…” The screen switches back to Zenitsu. “Breathing, heartbeats, the rhythm of blood circulating. By listening closely, I’m able to tell what kind of thoughts are going through someone’s head.”

“Is your hearing capable of that?” Kyojuro asked his best friend.

Tengen shook his head. “I’m good, but it looks like the blonde surpasses me.”

“Your future Tsugoku~” Kyojuro teased.

“Don’t push it.” Tengen warned.

The image changes to several women, their faces shadowed. “Even so, I’ve been deceived by others many times. That’s because I’ve always stubbornly believed in whomever I wanted.” The screen changes to show Nezuko’s box. “Tanjiro, despite being a demon slayer, is traveling with a demon, but I’m sure he has a good reason for doing so. Whatever that reason may be, I’m sure I can put my faith behind it.”

“So basically, he stubbornly puts his trust in people who ultimately take advantage of him over and over.” Mitsuri sighed sadly.

“I wonder if he’s an orphan?” Gyomei said. “He must not have anyone looking after him if he’s so easily and repeatedly deceived.”

“Poor thing.” Shinobu said, pity heavy in her tone. “No wonder he won’t just quit the corps no matter how scared he is. If his trainer paid off his debts and took him in, then Zenitsu must feel like he has to pay him back.”

We transition back to the present, where Zenitsu declares that he’ll ask Tanjiro himself about the demon in his box and orders Inosuke to leave it alone until that happens. For all his troubles, Inosuke kicks him in the face. Inosuke kicks Zenitsu out of the way but the blonde tackles him before he can approach the box. Inosuke grabs Zenitsu by the hair and tosses him off, but everytime he approaches the box, Zenitsu gets in the way.

“Okay fair enough.” Sanemi shrugged.

“Shinazugawa!” Mitsuri gasped.

“What?! He can’t draw his sword against another slayer so might as well use his fists!” Sanemi defended.

“That explains how Zenitsu was so injured though.” Giyu muttered.

Zentisu quickly hugs the box protectively and declares Inosuke won’t lay a finger on it until Tanjiro gets back.

“And this seems to be the scene that Tanjiro walked in on.” Kyojuro summed up. “I feel bad for the boar boy; I’m sure Tanjiro is going to use one of his headbutts!”

This is how we get to the scene that Tanjiro stumbled upon. Inosuke only increases his kicks, demanding that Zenitsu draw his swords to back up his bluster. Zenitsu falls down with the box, reminding Tanjiro of how he found Nezuko two years ago. Inosuke continues to kick and stomp on Zenitsu, demanding he move out of the way.

“You know… it’s almost like he doesn’t even care that much about the demon.” Obanai said. “It’s more like he just wants to fight.”

“There’s been others like that in the corps.” Sanemi replied. “Punks who just wanna get stronger and have good fights. They don’t tend to go very far though.”

Tanjiro takes a moment to process everything he’s seeing before getting furious. Inosuke finally declares that if Zenitsu won’t let him do his job as a demon slayer, he will simply take Zenitsu out as well. Before he can bring his sword down, Tanjiro yells at him to stop, before running at Inosuke with an expression of rage. “I SAID STOP!”

“Oh man, I wanted to see Tanjiro go nuts on this guy.” Tengen sighed.

“Next episode, I’m sure.” Shinobu assured him.

End theme

Taisho era secret!

“Will we finally learn boar boy’s name?” Muichiro asked.

Tanjiro talks about Kyogai’s blood art and wonders if a demon is more powerful the closer they are to Kibutjusi.

“Yes.” All the Hashira said in unison.

“I know we have to fight the twelve Kizuki, but I honestly dread the idea of facing upper moon one.” Muichiro admitted.

“I understand how you feel.” Gyomei consoled him.

He wonders if he really has a chance of beating them.

“Please write to me.” Giyu begged. “Please write to me and I will help you.”

“Now it’s time for a Taisho Era Secret! That demon, Kyogai, likes the story of the Eight Hounds. And I hear that he was writing a short story of his own!”

“What the hell is that?” Sanemi asked.

“A really really long book about samurai.” Kyojuro replied.

“See, I’m kinda curious about what exactly a demon would write about.” Tengen admitted.

Tanjiro tells Nezuko that they should work hard too. “Next episode! The House with a Wisteria Family Crest.”

“Oh, thank god!!” Shinobu cheered. “Finally, he’ll get to rest and see a doctor!” She sighed in relief.

“Your brother’s gonna do a lot of-” Tanjiro flinches and leans over, hugging his chest. “Ouch ouch ouch! I forgot I still have broken bones!”

“At least Tanjiro will finally get a break, but I wonder what’s next.” Shinobu mused. “Usually, we’ve heard where he’s going next, but if the next… chapter of this viewing is him resting…”

“He may finally write to me.” Giyu suggested.

Chapter Text

Recap

Theme

Obanai was privately deciding to himself that he hated all three of these boys. He refused to believe that the future revolved around them. He also rejected the idea that most of them would die. Obanai had no problems with his own death but… not them. Mitsuri, Kyojuro, Muichiro… more than anyone else, they deserved to live.

They would live. He would make sure of it, even if it killed him.

Tanjiro flies towards Inosuke and punches him in the chest. We briefly see an x-ray of Inosuke’s chest to see three of his ribs crack from the force Tanjiro uses. The force of the punch is so strong that Inosuke is knocked back, dropping his swords and falling on the ground.

“How are we seeing that his ribs broke!?” Shinobu gasped in surprised.

“How strong is he?!” Mitsuri exclaimed in shock.

“Maybe it's a Tokito situation.” Tengen mused. “Absolute baby face, but a six pack under the clothes.”

Zentisu is shocked to hear that Inosuke’s ribs were broken, still clutching the box protectively. Tanjiro calls Inosuke out for being part of the demon slayer corps and fighting Zenitsu without provocation. “But here you are giving him a completely one-sided beating. Is that fun for you? You are the lowest of the low!”

Obanai thought to himself about this dilemma. Technically the boar headed kid was in the right to try and kill a demon, and to fight a corps member who was protecting the demon. Personally, Obanai didn’t see anything wrong with his methods.

Wait, why was he weighing in on this? He hated all three of these idiots.

Inosuke begins to cough or laugh, or both at the same time as he stares up at the sky. He says he didn’t realize Tanjiro felt that way and will fight him bare handed instead. Tanjiro asks if Inosuke was even listening to him, smoothly dodging all of Inosuke’s punches.

“He… he really doesn’t care about any of it.” Kyojuro said in surprise. “The demon, the little girl, and even Zenitsu. It’s like he’s treating this all as a game.”

“It’s like he’s just going around looking for his next fight.” Tengen agreed.

“What the fuck is wrong with this kid?!” Sanemi demanded.

Inosuke shows off an almost inhuman fluidity as he and Tanjiro fight. Stuck on the sidelines, Zenitsu wonders how he can move like that with broken ribs. Having no other choice, Tanjiro begins to fight back. Tended to by Shoichi, Zenitsu points out that Tanjiro is also guilty of going against corps rules by breaking Inosuke’s ribs.

“Oh wow!” Mitsuri gasped. “Look at the way he moves!”

Obanai grit his teeth, reminding himself she was only praising him because she was the most flexible Hashira due to her breathing style.

“I think we can excuse Tanjiro’s actions in the fight.” Kyojuro mused. “The boar boy started this fight overall, everything Tanjiro has done has been an attempt to calm him down and stop the fight.”

Tanjiro struggles in his fight, having to deal with Inosuke’s strange flexibility and fighting style. “The attacks he’s using…” Inosuke fights crouched low to the ground, reaching up to punch Tanjiro and trying to kick his stomach or sweep his legs. “They’re unusually low. The way we’re fighting, it’s almost like I’m battling a fearsome four-legged beast!” Inosuke is briefly replaced with the image of an actual boar.

“Hmm.” Tengen tilted his head. “If he's self-taught, you think he watched animals in the woods to make his forms? Maybe he’s the son of a hunter and that’s why he’s so uncivilized.”

“Or he may be an orphan.” Gyomei suggested. “Even now, with how much Japan is changing, there are still some villages so far out that they don’t receive much outside contact. He may be from one of those villages, which is why he seems so uncivilized.”

Tanjiro decides to fight at Inosuke’s level, crouching low to the ground. He almost kicks Inosuke in the head, but the boar headed boy dodges by breaking into the splits and ducking his head. Flipping into a handstand, Inosuke kicks Tanjiro’s head into the dirt. Struggling to move, Tanjiro wonders how a human could possibly be so flexible.

“There is no way any human can be that flexible.” Sanemi grumbled.

“I’ll just have to challenge him to a contest and see!” Mitsuri offered brightly.

“Does he even remember why this fight started anymore?” Giyu wondered.

Inosuke backflips a few feet away and asks what Tanjiro thought about his move, calling it amazing. As the siblings have a tearful reunion in the background, Zenitsu is annoyed at Inosuke singing his own praises.

“These poor kids.” Shinobu sighed. “Haven’t they been through enough today? Now they have to watch a couple of slayers pick a fight.”

“I don’t think they really care right now.” Kyojuro pointed out.

Inosuke further demonstrates his flexibility by bending over backwards and tucking his head between his feet. If this was real life, it would be horrifying. Luckily for us, he is animated.

“And now he’s just showing off?” Obanai clenched his fists. “This cannot be the future of our corps. We might as well fall on our swords.” Kaburamaru twisted and slithered around his neck, hissing in agreement.

“Oh, come on Iguro, not even you can be that pessimistic.” Tengen rolled his eyes in annoyance. “We didn’t come out of final selection as flawless flashy gods. Well, I did, but I don’t know about the rest of you.”

“Tengen has a point Iguro.” Kyojuro agreed. “No one is perfect when they first begin. You’re far too harsh on the rookies.”

Obanai merely glared at his brother for the minor betrayal and turned his gaze back to the screen.

Baffled and angry, Tanjiro tells Inosuke that these stunts will only worsen his condition. Inosuke claims to not care as he charges at Tanjiro, only focusing on the pleasure of the moment. Tanjiro grabs Inosuke and gives him a solid headbutt to make him calm down. Zenitsu shrieks at the sound and wonders if their skulls fractured.

“Why didn’t he do that sooner?” Kyojuro wondered. “He could’ve ended the fight pretty quickly.”

“The boar boy was too on guard.” Muichiro guessed. “And his fighting style was too unpredictable.”

Inosuke stumbles back, his mask falling off his head. Zenitsu shrieks in bewilderment, wondering if that’s really his face. Inosuke asks if Zenitsu has a problem with his face, revealing that Inosuke has a surprisingly soft and feminine face. Zenitsu replies that he has no idea what to make of a man with a ripped body but feminine face.

“Oh well that’s unfortunate!” Kyojuro chuckled.

Tengen had to lay a hand on the floor to support himself as he laughed hard enough to fall over. “He looks like a woman!!!” He wheezed.

“Man, if I had a body like that paired with that face, I’d hide under a mask too.” Sanemi mocked.

Underneath the bandages, a small grin spread across Obanai’s face.

Inosuke wonders why he’s so obsessed with his face, causing Zenitsu to go hide with the children. Luckily Tanjiro speaks up next. “There’s nothing wrong with your face. In fact the girlish shape, size, and complexion are quite attractive.”

Tengen laughed even harder, now laying out across the floor and slapping it. Kyojuro’s hands were buried in his face as he laughed, Mitsuri’s braids bounced amidst her giggles and even Gyomei let loose a chuckle. Giyu and Muichiro had matching bewildered expressions as they tried to take in the scene. Shinobu was biting her fingernail to keep from laughing too loudly and even Sanemi had a wide grin.

Obanai let out a small chuckle.

Inosuke declares him a dead man in response. Tanjiro and Inosuke go back and forth about continuing the fight. For some reason, Inosuke decides to finally introduce himself, which prompts Tanjiro to randomly ask how it’s spelled. A now confused Inosuke admits to not being able to read or write. He starts to say the name was written somewhere but suddenly gasps and stops.

Tengen panted softly, trying to catch his breath.

“Well, it’s a good thing the crows can speak then.” Shinobu said. “Otherwise he’d never get anywhere.”

“What’s with Tanjiro and asking people their names?” Muichiro asked in confusion. “It’s strange that it’s worked on two different opponents.”

Everyone stares at Inosuke, wondering what’s wrong before the boar boy’s eyes roll back in his head as he passes out, foaming at the mouth. Zenitsu wonders if he died and Tanjiro is quick to assure the others he’s fine. It seems the concussion from Tanjiro’s headbutt finally kicked in.

“And that’s a concussion.” Shinobu sighed. “They need to roll him on his side or he could choke.”

“Let him.” Obanai declared. One less future pain in his ass.

“Iguro!!”

Teruko asks if Tanjiro is okay after that headbutt, and asks to touch his forehead after hearing he’s fine. Zentisu is horrified to see that Tanjiro’s forehead is completely fine as Teruko pats it. “That’s insane. There’s not a single drop of blood from Tanjiro’s head. How hard could it possibly be? I mean, look at what it did to him.” Inosuke twitches on the ground.

“Hmm…” Shinobu tapped her chin. “Now that Zenitsu mentions it, I am worried about internal damage. But I’ve seen him headbutt a demon before with no pain, so I suppose he’s fine.”

Eye catchers

Inosuke is asleep, tucked in with Tanjiro and Zenitsu’s haoris. There is calm for only a second once he wakes up, and then he begins to scream, jumping up into the air. Zentisu screams as well before running away from Inosuke, who is chasing him down and demanding a fight.

“How cute that they tucked him in!” Mitsuri beamed.

“Not this again.” Giyu rolled his eyes.

“I wonder if the orphanage he was in kicked him out then.” Sanemi scoffed. “Too much trouble.”

“I would certainly hope that wasn’t the case.” Gyomei frowned. “What a horrible thing to do to a child.”

Zentisu tries to hide behind Teruko, making Inosuke pause as he takes in the scene. The others are making graves for all the people who died in the mansion. Tanjiro explains to Inosuke what they’re doing, and that he should be helping out as well. Inosuke doesn’t want to help, not understanding the point of burying the dead.

“That’s strange.” Kyojuro blinked. “This is a Kakushi job. Why aren’t they here? Surely one of their crows would’ve sent to them.”

“I think…” Giyu started before going silent. “I think since the master knows about Nezuko, he’s keeping the corps away for as long as he can.”

“You think the Master wouldn’t have told us once Tanjiro passed final selection?” Mitsuri asked.

“To be fair… we probably wouldn’t have reacted well.” Tengen admitted. “Shinazugawa and Iguro probably would’ve immediately went off to seek out Tanjiro.”

Obanai had to admit that Tengen had a point.

Tanjiro says he understands Inosuke is in too much pain to help. As Inosuke gets angry, Zenitsu privately thinks to himself that both boys are crazy. Tanjiro continues to comfort Inosuke and tells him to get some rest, only enraging the boar headed boy more. A furious Inosuke jumps in the air and decides to bury more bodies than the rest of them.

“I can’t tell if he’s being genuinely sincere, or if he’s just tricking Inosuke like he’s speaking to one of his younger siblings.” Mitsuri said.

“From what we’ve seen, he may genuinely be sincere.” Tengen sighed.

Later into the day, the group prays at the graves they made. Inosuke however is spending his time running at trees to headbutt him. Teruko starts to ask but her brothers tell her to look ahead and ignore him.

“What the fuck is he doing?” Sanemi asked.

“Like the boy said, ignore him.” Obanai replied.

Tanjiro’s crow arrives, telling everyone to descend the mountain. Inosuke demands to know where Tanjiro is going, saying their fight isn’t over yet. Tanjiro points out Inosuke is most likely exhausted and invites him to follow the group. Inosuke tries to protest, following after Tanjiro.

“Hmm, wonder if there’s a wisteria house nearby.” Kyojuro guessed. “It’s about time they had a safe place to rest.”

Zenitsu, still believing that Shoichi saved his life, clings to the boy and begs him to stay with them. Tanjiro pulls them apart and is so frustrated by Zenitsu that he knocks the blonde out. (In the background, Inosuke continues to headbutt trees)

“Oh, come the fuck on!” Tengen shouted. “Someone needs to whip that boy into shape.”

“Like you?” Muichiro asked.

“God no.” Tengen immediately denied.

Matsuemon flies down to oldest brother and gives him a pouch of wisteria incense to ward off any demons. The three siblings thank the demon slayers for their help, assuring them they can head home themselves. Matsuemon leads the demon slayers off to their next destination. (Inosuke is still headbutting the trees)

“Well, he phrased that wrong.” Shinobu sighed. “The pouches don’t entirely ward off demons, but it’ll make weaker ones avoid him.”

Shinobu was one of the Hashira’s who always kept a packet of wisteria on them to give it to a civilian whenever they saw fit. Gyomei was the other, and Obanai was fairly sure Mitsuri did on occasion as well.

Inosuke demands that Tanjiro fight him, insisting he will find a way to take his fellow demon slayer down. Tired of being called “you”, Tanjiro reminds Inosuke of his name. “All right, Kanpachiro Kamapoko. I’m gonna bring you down!” The two begin to bicker more until Zenitsu shouts at them to be quiet.

“What did he call him?” Kyojuro asked.

“Definitely not his name…” Tengen snorted.

That night, the three slayers come upon a house with a wisteria family crest on the door. Matsuemon tells them it’s time to rest after such a hard day. Tanjiro asks if it’s really okay to rest, even if he’s been fighting with injuries. Inosuke decides to eat Matsuemon, making the bird panic.

“God tell me this dumbass didn’t eat his bird.” Obanai facepalmed.

“He couldn’t possibly have gotten away with doing that could he?” Mitsuri gasped in horror.

“Well… we haven’t seen his crow yet…” Shinobu reluctantly pointed out.

“Maybe the crow is okay, and they’re just too scared to approach Inosuke now?” Muichiro guessed.

Luckily, before any bird eating can happen, the front door is opened by an elderly woman, HISA. Tanjiro is polite, Zenitsu believes her to be a ghost, and Inosuke prepares to fight a little old lady. Hisa takes this all in stride and welcomes the demon slayers inside.

“Oh!” Kyojuro sat up. “I recognize this woman! I believe her name is Hisa, I once rested there. She was such a kind lady. The boys are in good hands.”

Obanai shifted, a little uncomfortable. Thankfully, the Master had arranged for him to only be sent to wisteria houses tended by men if he ever had to stop anywhere. It wasn’t that he was like the blonde brat, it was just… being tended to by women, and being brought food… it only served to remind him of that place…

Hisa gives the boys a change of clothes and a warm meal, convincing Zenitsu that the woman was a ghost. Tanjiro hits him for it before they start eating.

“Seriously he’s even afraid of little old ladies?” Tengen groaned. “She’s just being a polite host with incredible timing.”

Inosuke eats like a boar and despite being scolded by Zenitsu for it, he merely laughs and steals Tanjiro’s food. Tanjiro just offers more of his food up, frustrating Inosuke. Zenitsu is baffled by how easily Inosuke forgot about the box despite how hard he was trying to fight them.

“Yeah, is this kid’s priority not killing demons?” Sanemi asked. “Or did Tanjiro headbutt the memory out of him?”

“I’m honestly tempted to go with the latter theory.” Kyojuro replied.

Hisa has prepared them beds in the meantime and has arranged for a doctor. After a quick examination, all three boys are lying down in bed. “Who would’ve guessed? All three of us have broken ribs.” Zenitsu broke two, Tanjiro three, and Inosuke four.

“Oof.” Everyone collectively winced, all having broken at least one rib in their careers.

Inosuke moves his hair to reveal a massive bruise on his forehead and complains it hurts the most. Tanjiro apologizes and Zenitsu demands an apology from Inosuke. Inosuke refuses and Tanjiro has to stop an argument between his new friends once more.

“Hopefully they’re all split up so we don’t have to see these idiots again.” Obanai grumbled.

Zenitsu threatens not to eat with Inosuke anymore if he keeps his behavior up. Inosuke is utterly confused how that’s related and the other slayers explain how meals taste better when they’re shared.

“That’s true.” Kyojuro agreed. “Nothing tastes better than a meal with my family or my comrades!”

“I gotta agree, there’s a big difference when I have to eat alone on a mission, and when I eat with my wives.” Tengen added.

The screen flashes to the Wisteria Family Crest surrounded by wisteria on a purple screen as Tanjiro narrates. “According to what the crow told me, this house with the wisteria family crest belongs to a family that was once rescued by demon slayers. That’s the reason they’re housing us free of charge here. Still, I didn't think they would show us this much kindness.”

“And we have a whole network of them set up almost entirely across the country.” Mitsuri chimed in eagerly. “So many kind people willing to return the favor, even generations later!”

The screen cuts back to the three slayers in bed. Tanjiro decides to ask Inosuke why he joined the corps. The screen changed to Inosuke in the woods, holding a terrified slayer up by the collar. “A member of the demon slayer corp barged in on me on my mountain so we competed to see who was stronger. I took his blade as a reward.” Tanjiro and Zenitsu both look disturbed by this revelation. “And then, I heard of this thing called final selection and the fact that demons really do exist.”

“Jesus fucking Christ!” Tengen shouted in surprised.

“So that’s how he has two swords.” Shinobu realized.

“Boy I’d hate to have to explain that to my swordsmith.” Kyojuro said with pity.

“I don’t know which one that was, but whoever lost a fight like that is just pathetic.” Sanemi spat.

Tanjiro tries to bond by revealing he grew up in the mountains too. Inosuke refuses to be “lumped in” with Tanjiro, only taking comfort in testing his strength against others.

“Well fighting demons is one way to do that.” Tengen agreed. “Guess that explains why he’s so eager to throw down with corps members too.”

“Oh god he’s going to be such a pain in all our asses if he finds out about us being the strongest.” Obanai realized.

There was a moment as everyone processed this before groaning at the thought.

After a moment of silence, Zenitsu sits up and asks why Tanjiro travels with a demon. Tanjiro is surprised Zenitsu knew that and still protected the box, praising him for it. A now flustered Zenitsu squirms happily on the futon, insisting he doesn’t need to be complimented. Tanjiro keeps praising Zenitsu, calling him kind and strong. Zenitsu cuts off the praise there, insisting he’s weak and that’s why he wanted to bring a small child with them.

“Man, he’s one of those types, huh?” Tengen rolled his eyes. “No wonder he keeps getting conned. Give him a little praise and he’s putty in your hands.”

Suddenly, Nezuko’s box starts to rattle, scaring Zenitsu. Completely ignoring Zenitsu’s latest freak out, Inosuke wonders why Tanjiro won’t react to him and fight. It’s revealed that Inosuke doesn’t even remember what started the fight in the first place.

“Oh, Nezuko is finally awake!!” Mitsuri cheered.

“Has she spent this whole time healing from the fight with that swamp demon?” Shinobu wondered.

“No, she was awake before and scared the kids…” Giyu recalled. “Maybe she went quiet out of fear when Inosuke and Zenitsu were fighting and now that everything seems calm she wants out?”

Nezuko’s box begins to open, ramping up Zenitsu’s freakout and sending the boy to Inosuke for protection. Inosuke kicks Zenitsu in the face, knocking him back over to the box. Nezuko starts to come out as Zenitsu runs to the closet to hide.

“Oh, come on, don’t ask about the demon if you’re going to freak out.” Sanemi chastised.

“At least grab your sword!” Tengen said. “Even if you don’t pull the blade out right away, it’s better than not being prepared at all.”

Zenitsu freezes as Nezuko fully emerges and grows to her full height. Inosuke decides he’s had enough for one day and goes to bed. Tanjiro starts trying to introduce his sister but is cut off by Zenitsu, a strange yellow glow surrounding him as he sparks with lightning.

“Great. So, one idiot is sleeping, and the other is only now deciding to react to the demon.” Obanai grit his teeth.

“Why is he only angry now that he’s seen Nezuko?” Giyu wondered, dread in his voice.

Zenitsu is furious that Tanjiro has been traveling around with someone so cute, apparently believing that Nezuko is Tanjiro’s girlfriend. Zenitsu rants and raves at a very confused Tanjiro, not letting him defend himself.

“He thinks that Tanjiro is-!?” Giyu cut himself off. Obanai was genuinely surprised at the sheer rage in Giyu’s expression.

“Well…” Tengen started reluctantly, moving to a kneeling position. (Most likely to run after finishing his sentence.) “To be fair… Tanjiro and Nezuko don’t exactly look that alike, especially with Nezuko being a demon…”

Giyu looked ready to launch himself at Tengen for the insinuation. “So the immediate presumption is that Tanjiro is carrying Nezuko for his own benefit?!”

“It’s happened before.” Sanemi pointed out. Why, Obanai didn’t know. Maybe to just piss off Giyu more. “The kid’s probably heard a story or two about this kind of thing and is reacting appropriately.”

“You boys are missing the obvious.” Shinobu immediately cut in. All eyes turned to her, and she shot them an annoyed look through her smile. “He’s girl crazy. He’s gotten an instant crush on Nezuko and he’s just jealous he doesn’t get to carry her around all day on his back.”

“I think that’s worse.” Giyu grit out.

Finally Zenitsu grabs his sword and swears to make Tanjiro pay for “ruining his marriage” and “sending his protector Shoichi home”. Inosuke continues to sleep through all the racket as Zenitsu chases Tanjiro around the room.

“Please tell me this is over.” Tengen groaned. “I need a fucking break.”

End Theme

“Next, episode 15, Mount Natagumo.”

“No taisho era secret?” Mitsuri asked. “Not even a mention of it? Weird.”

“Well, break time.” Kyojuro stood up and stretched. “We can watch more later.”

Chapter Text

The break was relatively short, just allowing everyone to stretch their legs and take a moment to process things.

“I feel like something bad is about to happen.” Muichiro admitted, drawing everyone’s attention. “It’s… hard to describe honestly. But there’s this tension to the air. I don’t think I’m going to like whatever happens in this next part.”

“Oh thank goodness I’m not the only one!” Mitsuri sighed heavily in relief. “Something major is going to happen to Tanjiro, I just know it.”

“In that case, let’s get back to watching.” Giyu decided. He was the first to enter the room again, to no one’s surprise. They all saw how protective he was of the Kamado siblings.

Late in the evening, Nezuko crawls out from her box. A clearly smitten Zenitsu greets her, chasing her around the room. An annoyed Tanjiro tries to stop him but Zenitsu decides to butter up to his new future brother in law. All three chase each other in a circle as Inosuke sits outside away from the chaos.

Tengen sighed. How irritating. Zenitsu just seemed to switch back and forth between being impressive and being annoying. What was with this kid? He either needed self confidence or a smack upside the head. Maybe both. Both is good.

“He needs to leave Nezuko alone, I swear to god.” Giyu grumbled to himself.

“I’m actually jealous of the pig.” Sanemi sneered. “Getting to ignore all that annoying crap.”

Inosuke’s stomach growls and on cue, Hisa appears; offering clean clothes in exchange for cleaning Inosuke’s current ones and offering tempura for dinner. Inosuke is clearly touched by the gesture.

“The wisteria houses sure can be hospitable.” Kyojuro said.

“It’s like he’s not used to kind gestures like this.” Shinobu noticed. “Or maybe he just really likes tempura?”

After changing, Inosuke rushes into the room and headbutts Tanjiro, adding to the chaos as they all chase one another with Nezuko now left alone.

“Well they must be feeling better if they can all run around like this.” Tengen noticed. “Guess we’ll be getting back to demon slaying sooner rather than later.”

Title Card

The three boys are finally declared ready to return to duty by the doctor and a crow arrives shortly after, flying into Tanjiro’s palms. Zentisu kneels by Nezuko’s box as she sleeps, offering her a flower.

“Awww Zenitsu’s so smitten!” Mitsuri cooed.

“How long do you think they had to rest up?” Tengen asked Shinobu.

The Corps doctor hummed to herself as she thought it over. “I’d give it at least two weeks, honestly. It’s possible they’ve rested for more but I’m not sure.”

Tanjiro’s crow assigns them on a mission to Mt. Natagumo. The boys thank Hisa for her hospitality and she offers to light some sparks for luck. Inosuke is confused and threatened by the gesture at first but Zenitsu and Tanjiro quickly intervene and explain. “Always live your lives in a fashion where you are able to hold your heads up high. I wish you luck in battle.”

“Mt Natagumo…” Gyomei recited. “I believe that’s one of the areas not particularly in anyone’s patrol area.”

“This kid doesn’t even know about lighting sparks?” Sanemi raised an eyebrow. “Where the hell did he grow up?”

The three boys run through the woods to get to their destination and Inosuke asks for an explanation on what exactly Hisa meant. Tanjiro does his best to explain but only seems to confuse Inosuke more and gives him more questions. Annoyed, Tanjiro just runs faster to dodge the questions with Inosuke now wanting to race.

“Honestly, I do the same with my younger brothers.” Mitsuri admitted. “They’re so curious, especially when they were really younger and going through their ‘why’ phase.”

“Oh yes, Senjuro had a particularly long one. We practically lived at the library in our town most days to find the answers he wanted.” Kyojuro laughed.

Huh, that was pretty different from Tengen’s upbringing. Questions weren’t allowed at all, they were seen as talking back to their father. And their father hated being disrespected. Too bad that the bastard saw disrespect everywhere.

His body ached and throbbed at the memories of past punishments.

As the sun sets the trio finally makes it to their destination. Zenitsu demands they pause, sitting on the ground and declaring he’s too scared to go on now that they’re so close. Inosuke calls him weird but Zenitsu protests that he gets bad vibes from the mountain and refuses to keep going. Tanjiro smells something and takes off, Inosuke on his heels and Zenitsu reluctantly following.

“I thought his thing was sound, not feelings.” Obanai hissed.

“To be fair, he might hear something the other boys can’t and that’s why he’s so on edge.” Kyojuro pointed out.

“He’s just a coward.” Sanemi scoffed. “Tanjiro and Inosuke are better off on their own than having to babysit him.”

The three boys find another slayer lying injured in the dirt. He begins to cry once he sees them, begging for help. Tanjiro and Inosuke rush to his aid only for silver threads to pull the boy up in the air and back into the woods. “They were attached to me, too! Please, don’t let me die here!”

Everyone was silent for a moment, horror and sorrow choking the room.

“I… I think I knew him.” Mitsuri whimpered, a hand coming to her mouth. “I’m pretty sure I’ve been on a mission with that boy before.”

Shinobu laid a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Tengen glanced over at Obanai, gesturing at Mitsuri. The serpent Hashira gave him a confused look back, making Tengen roll his eyes and mouth out “comfort her”. Obanai glared back before scooting closer to Mitsuri.

“We might be able to change it, Kanroji.” Obanai said as softly as Obanai could ever manage to. “We’ll watch more to get information and maybe when we go back, we might be able to tell the Master that Mt Natagumo requires a Hashira on the mission.”

“Those were strings that dragged him, right?” Kyojuro said quietly to Tengen.

“What I’m concerned about is that he said “too”,” Tengen replied, equally as quiet. “If there are multiple demon slayers on that mountain, and they just sent three more, that means this situation has definitely escalated to Hashira worthy.”

“So then, where are we?” Giyu asked, jumping into the conversation. “I’m worried which one of us will be there too. If it’s me or Kanroji or maybe even Rengoku, the Kamado’s should be fine… but if it’s anyone else…”

Tengen understood the implications. This version of himself that would appear on screen didn’t have the knowledge his current self did. He would kill both Kamado’s with no hesitation.

All is quiet for a moment before the red scent of a demon hits Tanjiro. He declares he’s going in only for Inosuke to declare he’s entering the woods first, hungry for battle. Zenitsu sits on the ground and shakes, watching as his friends go on without him.

“Oh my god this little fucking coward!” Sanemi groaned.

In the woods, hundreds of tiny white spiders scurry across the forest floor. High up in a tree, a demon girl looks down at slayers webbed up in the air. Another group of slayers is shown along with half the face of another demon. A massive hulking demon lurks on a cliff before running into the woods. A demon with long white hair sits on a stone in the middle of the forest.

“Four of them?” Shinobu said in horror.

“Where are we?” Muichiro wondered. “Looking at all these slayers who were defeated, we really should’ve arrived by now.”

“Do you think the problem is just four demons, or a Kizuki?” Tengen asked. “Because my money is on a Kizuki lurking here.”

“It’s the most likely option.” Gyomei agreed. “So many losses just guarantees that one of them has made their home on the mountain.”

As Inosuke and Tanjiro make their way into the woods Inosuke’s hands get tangled in threads from a spider web. The boys note that there’s spiders and their webs all over the place. Tanjiro thanks Inosuke for coming with him as he was scared and Inosuke made him feel better. Inosuke is clearly flattered and flustered.

“So the blood art must make those little spiders, and they web people up for the demons.” Tengen guessed. “Wonder which of the four those belong to?”

The two boys notice another slayer nearby and approach them. MURATA is startled at first by their presence, and then horrified to learn that Mizunoto were sent instead of a Hashira as the threat has evolved far past their level. Pissed by his cowardice, Inosuke punches him in the face and demands an explanation on what’s happening.

“Oh.” Giyu blinked, his expression otherwise not changing. “I know him.”

“Yeah?” Tengen looked over at him, interested in learning more about their usually silent water Hashira.

“We did our final selection together.” Giyu explained. “His name is Murata.”

“Was he one of the boys who protected you when…” Shinobu trailed off, none of them wanting to see a repeat of his earlier meltdown.

“Yes.” Giyu replied curtly.

A flashback occurs on screen as Murata explains. A group of Kanoe entered the mountain to investigate together when suddenly they all began to pull out their swords and kill one another. Murata was terrified by the experience and ran off, escaping with his life.

“That’s terrible!” Mitsuri looked ready to cry. “To have your comrades turn on you!”

“Those demons must’ve turned them into puppets.” Kyojuro realized in disgust.

“I don’t blame Murata for running away.” Tengen nodded. “I would’ve booked it too if you all started fighting each other. Especially if Gyomei was there, I do not want to be on the other end of his flail.”

“Be serious.” Gyomei scolded.

The scene changes to a panting and exhausted crow in a man’s lap, the man praising it for returning with a report. The master of the corps, Kagaya Ubayashiki is surrounded by his daughters HINAKI and NICHIKA as he realizes that a member of the Twelve Kizuki is likely lurking on the mountain for so many slayers to have died. Kagaya decides to send in two of his Hashira, calling out for the two behind him: Giyu Tomioka and SHINOBU KOCHO.

All the Hashira instinctively straightened up at the sight of their Master.

“He looks well.” Sanemi said, relief clear in his tone.

“Well it looks like i get to meet Tanjiro and Nezuko!” Shinobu said cheerily.

Tengen could hear Giyu’s heart quicken at the idea. Even he had to let out a shiver a dread. Shinobu hid it well behind a sweet smile, but the girl was unhinged some days. He really hoped poor Nezuko would survive the encounter.

Shinobu asks if Tomioka agrees that things would be better if demons and humans got along. Giyu, despite his actions two years ago, declares her statement to be nothing more than a pipe dream.

“You say after sparing a demon.” Sanemi snarled.

“Well I’m hardly going to admit that in front of the Master, now am i?” Giyu snapped back. “For all we know, the rest of us are nearby listening in.”

We cut back to Zenitsu, who is wondering if the others hate him since they left him behind. “If they both had tried to convince me to go, I would have, I’m sure of it.” Chuntaro chirps at his human and subtitles pop on screen to translate. “Sulking doesn’t do any good! Go help your friends! Quickly!”

“Come on, at this point i won’t even be mad if you pass out because at least then you’ll be useful.” Tengen griped.

“I can’t believe I’m agreeing with a sparrow, or that i even just said that sentence!” Kyojuro exclaimed, laughing a bit.

Since he doesn’t understand bird language, Zenitsu declares the sparrow must have an easy, carefree life. Enraged, Chuntaro pecks at his hand causing Zenitsu to yell in pain and asks why the bird can’t be like Nezuko. Horrified, Zentisu realizes that Tanjiro took his sister into danger with him and rushes into the forest, declaring he would save Nezuko.

“That’s what does it?!” Sanemi shouted, punching the floor.

“Well if it motivates him…” Shinobu shrugged.

“He’s going to die in there.” Muichiro predicted.

Deep in the woods the trio of slayers hear a strange creaking sound. A terrified Murata explains he heard it right before his comrades began killing each other. Out of the woods a group of blood and beaten slayers emerge, charging at them with their swords drawn. Their bodies move stiffly and none of them seem to be aware and in some cases, alive.

“Revolting.” Obanai grimaced. “Humiliating them even after death.”

“That sound… it must be their bones forced to move in unnatural angles, snapping and breaking.” Shinobu theorized.

“Fuck Kocho, do you have to be this morbid?” Tengen sighed. This was hard enough to watch without her add-ons.

Tanjiro realizes their enemies are being manipulated and forbids Inosuke from cutting them apart. Angry, Inosuke headbutts Tanjiro before going to help Murata. Tanjiro realizes threads are manipulating the slayers and orders the others to start cutting them.

“Good, good.” Kyojuro nodded.

“Will it be enough though?” Mitsuri wondered. “This seems like a problem that could only be solved by finding the demon responsible for the blood art.”

Tanjiro gets wind of a sickening scent but can’t tell where it’s coming from. Spiders wrap around his arm to attach threads to him, but he notices in time and gets rid of them. As he puts the clues together the attacking slayers begin to rise once more in unnatural and inhuman positions. The long haired spider demon laughs and declares them her precious little dolls, ordering them to dance until their arms and legs fall off.

“It's sickening.” Gyomei wept. “To see our comrades used and tossed aside like this. Namu Amida Butsu.”

“At least Tanjiro noticed before he could end up like the others.” Kyojuro said.

“But there’s too many spiders for any of them to deal with right now.” Tengen countered. “They need to get to that spider witch. If I had to guess, she’s the demon in charge of all this.”

“Do you think she’s the Kizuki?” Mitsuri asked.

Tengen thought on it for a minute. “Nah. I don’t think she is. I don’t think we’ve seen the Kizuki yet. Who knows, maybe Tanjiro will never encounter him and Tomioka and Kocho will handle it.”

Tanjiro realizes the biggest threat is watching for the spiders. Inosuke asks if they have to cut the spiders but Tanjiro points out that there’s too many. They need to find the demon controlling the spiders and the threads instead. Inosuke agrees but stabs at the spiders anyway.

“He just said!” Sanemi cut himself off with a growl. He mumbled something about idiots under his breath. Tengen couldn’t blame him.

Tanjiro asks if Inosuke can pinpoint the demon. The wind has been against Tanjiro tonight and his sense of smell isn’t helping. Tanjiro asks Murata to help him hold off the puppet slayers so Inosuke can work.

“Oh? Does Inosuke have some kind of flamboyant talent hidden up his sleeve?” Tengen asked. “This boat kid is just full of mysteries.”

Another demon appears, balancing high above them on an intersection of threads, watching them with a cold indifference. RUI warns them that he will not allow them to disturb his family’s way of life. Rui declares that “Mother” will make short work of all the demons.

“That’s the Kizuki.” Everyone agreed in unison. There was no need for debate. All of them had stood in the presence of a Kizuki at some point or another. There was an aura to them that made them stand out.

“At least it’s a lower rank.” Mitsuri sighed in relief. “I just wonder what rank he is but his eye is covered.”

“So he called her mother? Doubt it’s his actual mom.” Sanemi sneered. “I fucking hate it when demons play family.”

Inosuke jumps off of a puppet slayer to reach the demon but just barely reaches. Rui ignores them and walks off on his tightrope of thread as Inosuke plummets back down. Tanjiro asks Inosuke not to concentrate on the boy as he’s not the one with the threads.

“He must be powerful, if he walked away without ever really considering the slayers beneath him.” Kyojuro fretted. “I’m afraid they may be in over our heads.”

“They just need to focus on one demon at a time, I’m sure we’ll have arrived by then to take care of the Kizuki!” Shinobu tried to lift the mood.

Inosuke stabs his swords into the ground and holds his arms out wide. “Beast Breathing, Seventh Form: Spatial Awareness.” Inosuke concentrates throughout the woods and manages to detect the Mother Spider Demon’s location.

“So… if Tanjiro is smell, and Zenitsu is hearing… does this make Inosuke touch?” Mitsuri wondered.

“Uh… your guess is as good as mine.” Tengen shrugged, baffled but impressed.

“Tanjiro smells?” Muichiro asked in confusion. “When did that happen?”

“It’s nothing Tokito.” Tengen sighed.

Rui plays cat's cradle with his threads and stands high above the forest. “I won’t let anyone get in our way. The five of us are going to live in happiness as a family. No one on this mortal plane will tear us apart.”

Sanemi grit his teeth, the sound an annoying buzzing in Tengen’s ears.

“What is up with you?” Tengen asked.

“Nothing.” Sanemi snapped. “I just hate demons who try to play pretend like this.”

“At least we know there’s only five of the demons.” Giyu added.

Taisho Era Secret!

Zentisu calls out for Tanjiro and Nezuko. Chuntaro chips and tells him to calm down and listen for the sound of them. Chuntaro’s words are subtitled on screen.

“Why does he have a sparrow again?” Muichiro wondered. “Did I forget something?”

“No, they still haven’t explained that.” Gyomei consoled him.

Zentisu tells his bird to hurry up and help him find Nezuko. Chuntaro argues back that he told Zenitsu to calm down.

“Well if it motivates him, I suppose it works.” Shinobu sighed.

The bird delivers the Taisho era secret. “My real name is Ukogi. That’s because my favorite food is ukogi rice. But Zenitsu hasn’t noticed yet, so all I get is beans.”

Mitsuri cooed. “That’s adorable.”

Zenitsu wonders what his bird is so mad about and offers him an ukogi rice ball. He asks that his bird help him look for Nezuko. Chuntaro decides you can’t really hate Zenitsu after seeing how worried he is.

“You really can’t.” Tengen rubbed the back of his head. “When the chips are down, he’s on your team.”

“Next, Episode Sixteen: Letting Someone Else Go First.”

“I believe we should take an actual break now.” Gyomei decided.

“Oh yes please!” Mitsuri shot up to her feet. “I’ll be right back! Pardon me!” She rushed out of the room.

It was quiet for only a few seconds. Tengen heard it before anyone else and was out the door first, swords drawn. Obanai and Kyojuro were right on his heels as the others followed one by one.

“Kanroji!!!” Tengen slid to a stop by her. “What’s wrong?! Why are you screaming!?”

Mitsuri didn’t reply, looking up at the sky in horror. One by one the Hashira mirrored her gaze, dread settling across them.

For the first time since they had arrived here, in this place of only day time.

The

Sun

Began

To

Set