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Cheers erupted as the Demon Slayer Corps watched Kibutsuji finally disappear as the sun glowed on the horizon. They did it. They finally did it.
He was dead. Muzan Kibutsuji, the man who killed his family, who turned Nezuko into a demon, who ruined so many peoples lives… he finally died. It had taken countless lives to take his, but he was finally dead. He was.. dead.
Tanjiro breathed heavily, trembling as his adrenaline wore off and his wounds finally caught up with him. It hurt.. It hurt so, so much. His vision was spacing in and out. But, but Muzan was dead! He was finally dead! He's finally died like he deserved to be.
If he strained his ears, he could hear the voices of the Kakushi echo through the battlefield, desperately trying to save the wounded slayers.
When his vision finally cleared up, he looked up and choked back a sob, seeing the broken bodies of the Hashira surrounded by frantic kakushi.
Another painful tremble ripped through his body and Tanjiro snapped his eyes closed and looked back down.
"It wasn't fair—!" Tanjiro thought brokenly. "The hashira had given everything, and they didn't even get to reach the new age. Why.. Why did they deserve that? They didn't— they didn't deserve to die. Ms. Shinobu, Muichiro, Genya, everyone… Why did they have to die?"
Tanjiro gasped painfully as a voice echoed from within.
"YOU! YOU, KAMADO TANJIRO. YOU WILL CONQUER THE LIGHT OF THE SUN AND I WILL TAKE YOUR BODY FOR MYSELF—"
"Was that.. Muzan?" Tanjiro thought desperately. "No, no, NO, he is supposed to be dead.. why is he in me? Get out. Get out!"
"YOU WILL MAKE MY DREAM COME TRUE——"
"No— no, no. I won't let you." Tanjiro thought desperately. "He's right.. I can feel myself burning in the sun. He's turned me into a demon.. but! But, but I can feel myself regenerating already.. I've almost conquered the sun!"
Tanjiro looked up desperately, seeing Giyuu in front of him. "I'm sorry Mr. Giyuu." Tanjiro lurched forwards involuntarily and felt like his eyesight in his right eye disappeared. "He's taking over.."
As Tanjiro warred with his own body, trying his hardest to prevent Muzan from taking his own body, he breathed a sigh of relief as Giyuu screamed for someone to help kill him. He could see his friends.. they were okay.. they're moving.
Tanjiro smiled desperately at his friends grabbing one arm back as it tried to rip off Giyuu's head and felt tears run down his left eye as Inosuke ran toward him with both swords.
But his heart jump and sputter as Inosuke froze in front of him.
"He can't do it…" Tanjiro threw himself away from his friend.
"What.. what should I do?" Tanjiro thought desperately.
…
….
…..
"I know what to do. I know what I have to do." Tanjiro whispered to himself before he smiled weakly at his friends and mentor, regaining control of his body for precious few seconds. "Please… please take care of Nezuko for me. I love all of you.."
And with those final words, Kamado Tanjiro ended his journey as a member of the Demon Slayer Corps. With the arm that remained intact, Tanjiro lit his blade crimson for one final time. To kill the last demon humans would ever take the life of.
Himself.
That is where this grand story ends, my dear readers. As the curtains close, as final bows take place, this is the end of our story. A romantic, heart-wrenching story of a boy named Tanjiro journey to avenge his family and turn his sister back into human. How that boy went through countless trials, warmed the hearts of many, and finally was forced to take his own life so that a new dawn could grace the remaining members of the Demon Slayer Corps.
Fond memories of a kind, redheaded boy who smiled brightly at everyone he met, (as long as they were kind to his sister and friends), of a boy who wielded a dance to the sun and swore to kill Muzan. His memory would be passed down by everyone who fought through this battle.
Yet, as the curtains closed, many would call this an unhappy ending.
A horrible one indeed.
For the one who brought the sun to the slayers, who ushered in the new dawn of the world was dead.
He would never go back home to Mount Kumotori. Never reunite with his sister. Never take a breath in the living world ever again.
This is an ode to the fallen.
To Kocho Kanae, the late Flower Hashira, older sister of Kocho Shinobu, Tsuyuri Kanao, Kanzaki Aoi and the countless butterfly girls who she helped raise. To the kindness she showed to everyone she met. To the love she held for her loved ones she never got to hold.
To Rengoku Kyojurou, the late Flame Hashira, older brother of Rengoku Senjuro, who inspired the slayers and marked the first dawn facing upper moon three. To the spark who let the next generation light their hearts ablaze.
To all the fallen leaders of the Demon Slayer Corps, of the Ubushiyaki family who lead the charge and mourned the fallen. To them, the family who was cursed for creating the demon Muzan, and who dedicated their life and children to stop him.
To Tamayo, the demon who turned away from Muzan with a hatred that only few could rival. To the women who lost everything and still chose to give everything she had left to kill the monster who had taken away thousands of lives instead of giving up and submitting. To the women who would walk willingly into the inferno to face her dues.
To Kocho Shinobu, the Insect Hashira. For the young lady who healed the Demon Slayer Corps, for the woman who was never physically strong enough but was mentally strong enough to match all of her colleagues. The women who poisoned herself just so she could avenge the fallen.
To Tokito Muichiro, the young late Mist Hashira, twin of Tokito Yuichiro. To the life he never truly to experience and the memories he never had the chance to keep. To the child who lost his childhood and never got to have a dream.
To Shinazugawa Genya, the late younger brother of the Wind Hashira. To the slayer who could not use breathing styles, yet chose to risk his life to save humanity. To the brother he followed, and left behind in the land of the living.
To Himejima Gyomei, the late Stone Hashira. To the man with unwavering strength, the man who gave up his chance of life to let others live another day. To the unwavering anchor of the Demon Slayer Corps of the Taisho era. To the gentle giant of the corps.
To Iguro Obanai, the late Serpent Hashira. To the one who felt incomparable betrayal from those who were supposed to love him, to the one who chose to save as many lives as he could despite the horrors he experienced. To the man who never had the chance to marry his wife.
To Kanroji Mitsuri, the late Love Hashira, a big sister to many siblings and a dear daughter. To the women who greeted life with a smile, and a desperation to find love, while giving everyone kindness no matter the person. To the one who saved swordsman village, and ripped off Muzan's arm. To the women who never had the chance to marry her husband.
To the countless nameless Demon Slayers, to those whose stories would likely never be told. To those who chose to save others, and who lost their lives during their missions. To the slayers who kept the Hashira alive with their last breaths. To those, whose sacrifice will never be forgotten.
To everyone who died to the hands of a demon. May you rest in eternal peace, and reunite in a land where the west wind always whistles.
To Kamado Tanjiro. He who ushered in the dawn, who pulled everyone forward. To the one who was weak, to the one that was strong. To the boy who smiled and fought, for the boy who dragged everyone's dreams forward. To he who helped everyone stop surviving and start living. Your actions and sacrifice saved too many lives to count.
To our dear Demon Slayer Corps. To the Fallen.
May you rest in eternal peace, in the land where flowers will always bloom, and let the west wind carry your dreams forward.
We thank you.
To those who lived we ask this of you; do not forget. Never forget. Pass the memories, the words, the kindness on. Into the new Dawn we walk.
May those who fell await their loved ones in paradise with open arms.
May the Dawn warm your souls. For the Demons have been slayed and Humanity has prevailed once more.
Welcome to your new lives. Please live with the happiness you always deserved.
But this isn't our ending just yet. A story has ended, yet those who have fallen still have words they would like to say.
***
Tanjiro smiled as he felt his head give way, and his life disappear. This time.. this time he will succeed.
"NO. NO—-! KAMADO JUST THINK OF YOURSELF! TAKE THIS INFINATE LIFE I'VE GRANTED YOU—"
"No." Tanjiro smiled. "I will die a human. I will die like everyone always will. I do not want to live forever. All I want.. is to see them again. But I know I can't. So I will die, and I will accept it."
Muzan snarled. "TRASH—! You.."
"You are right. You are trash." He responded.
"No. NO! IF I MUST DIE- IF I MUST DIE, I WILL BRING YOU ALONG WITH ME KAMADO! INTO THE CURSED PITS OF HELL!—"
Tanjiro breathed in and out as Muzan's flesh tried to engulf him, reaching to submerge him completely and drag him into the inferno before him. But.. what was that scent? It was.. warm. Warm like firewood, warm like gentle sun rays on his back. What?
In only a blink, Muzan was thrown away, dark reaching hands pulling the body into the inferno.
"..What..?" Tanjiro hesitated before looking up. "You… you are..?!"
"Yorichii." The strange yet familiar man greeted him. "And this is Sumoyoshi. Your ancestor… and my dear friend."
Tanjiro giggled brokenly, as he leaned into the beautiful haori of the first sun breather. "Hello.. I'm Tanjiro. You.. you look more like me then my actual ancestor."
Sumoyoshi let out a deep chuckle, gathering his descendant into his arms and walking away from the horrible flames. "Yes.. we still aren't sure how exactly that happened. We can only guess it's a side effect of being a sun breather."
Tanjiro looked up and sagged into Sumoyoshi's arms, finally feeling the exhaustion of his actions hitting him. "..Okay. Can.. can I go see them? My family?"
Yorichii smiled gently, walking alongside them and patted Tanjiros head. "That is exactly where we are going sweetheart. Back home."
Tanjiro exhaled deeply, settling into the familiar scent of charcoal and pine. It so was warm and gentle… and with Yorichii right beside nothing could drag him into those horrible flames. He was safe. Everyone was safe.
"Maybe.. Maybe I finally did enough.. maybe I can finally rest." Tanjiro whispered to himself.
"You did do enough. Off to sleep with you little one— when you wake up you'll be at your home."
With those comforting words, Tanjiro sank into slumber, carried by his ancestor and the dear friend who his family loved for eras on end.
"I told you, y'know." Sumoyoshi chuckled.
"Hmm?" Yorichii looked at him with confusion.
"Do you not remember old man?" Sumoyoshi teased. "I told you to never be so cruel to yourself because you were a kind man who saved those who needed it. You told me you were an abomination who had failed his only duty. So I told you—-"
"I will pass on your beautiful dance." Yorichii smiled softly at his friend. "And my family will always love you, our Hinokami, our saviour. You told me that."
"I did. My family certainly did suceed. We remembered, because my family loves with all of their hearts. The Kamado family never forgot you, even when your name disappeared, your dance we remembered. You were never an abomination Yorichii. You were a man who only needed more time. Time and love is what you needed. So my family will always be there, in life and death."
"Fine, fine.. whatever. Thank you. Come on you sap, Uta will want to eat lunch so we should hurry."
"Of course." Sumoyoshi sighed and rolled his eyes.
***
Tanjiro awoke lying on Sumoyoshi and pushed himself off of the ground from where he was laying. Sumoyoshi pointed at a house in the distance, and patted his head one last time in a goodbye before walking away with Yorichii.
His hand began to shake as he heard the laughter of children and a deep voice that he last heard when he was twelve. A voice that he heard long before he became someone who could stand on their own two feet.
Tanjiro scrambled to his feet desperatily and stumbled towards the house. It looked so familiar.. like the home he lost when he was thirteen.
"Please.. please be there.."
Tanjiro stumbled forward, falling to his knees over and over. The damage Muzan has etched on his body, while healed still lingered in his body. It hurt. It hurt so incredibly much, but he couldn't stop. It had been three years of his life without them.
Three years of relentless training, of growing up, of fighting demons deep in the night to dawn.
They were there… he could smell them. They were so close.. only, only a few more step.
"Come on Tanjiro.. just one foot in front of the other.." he whispered to himself.
Suddenly the front door swung open when he was reached for the gates handle, revealing a face he remembered, but unmarred by relentless sickness.
"Daddy..?" Tanjiro whispered, reaching out desperately. "Daddy?"
"..My baby? My sweet Tanjiro.. is that you, baby?" Tanjuro rushed at his son and held his face gently.
Tanjiro started to cry again at that, fat tears rolling down his cheeks as a comforting hand wiped them away. "I'm home.."
"Oh my precious Tanjiro… welcome home." Tanjuro shushed his son, wiping away the tears rushing down both father and son's faces. "You're home now. You're home. Come on sweetheart, your mom is making lunch."
So son and father entered their home once more, together hand in hand. A father and his precious son who he couldn't see for four long years. His eldest child, who sacrificed his comfort for his siblings, who fought endlessly to save Nezuko. His sweet precious eldest child.
He was home.