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Tanjiro’s life changed, irrevocably, after that day.
He became a Demon Slayer. One of night’s mysteries, protecting mankind from the evils of Kubutsuji Muzan. The demon who had ruined his life- cut short the lives of his family.
He did with a single goal in mind: turn his sister back into a human. Oh, and kill Kibutsuji Muzan. That might have been ambitious, a fact the other Demon Slayer let him know a plenty through the barely concealed amusement on their usually stern - depending on person - features.
He met the Hashira. The strongest of the strongest, and realised the gap between him, and what it would take to meet his goals. A fact that was constantly hammered in him through every failure, every demon that nearly took him out, and all the times Nezuko had to jump out and save him, never mind the fact that he was supposed to be her protector.
Not that she minded. “Mnh,” she said adorably, speech a thing long gone ever since she took on her new form.
Not that she looked different. She looked the same, except for when she grew, or shrunk herself, because superpowers just seemed to be part of the ‘demon package.’
“Let’s go Nezuko,” he murmured, petting her head softly.
“Mhm-hm!”
Tanjiro had a new mission, one that brought Inosuke and Zenitsu with him. Apparently, a Hashira would be there to greet them, a surprise that pleased them tremendously. Zenitsu collapsed in relief, weeping gratefully as he cheered, “I won’t die!”
He wouldn’t have died. He never did, they never did, though there were multiple close calls so maybe his friend had a point. Their luck was bound to run out eventually- it was just- he never expected it to be Rengoku-san’s that ran out first.
He stared, they all stared. The demon’s fist, that demon, upper moon, black stripes, pink hair, that twisted, twisted-
Rengoku-san, the strongest person he knew, fell.
“A shame,” the demon tutted, genuinely regretful like he wasn’t the one who broke Rengoku-san’s ribs, like he wasn’t the one that punched a hole in Rengoku-san’s torso. Tanjuro felt a hate, so strong, a burgeoning reminder of-
He didn’t hate demons. His sister was one. But he hated Kibutsuji Muzan, and he hated-
The world coloured grey.
Rengoku-san’s death heralded the start of something. For better or worse, that was what they all waited with bated breaths for.
The future held the answers, but whether they liked it or not-
The gods had eyes. Please, please-
“My sister was slaughtered by a demon,” Kocho Shinobu had said, head lowered like she couldn’t bear the silent whispers of the stars - the omnipresent sentinels of the night sky. She remembered it clearly, her sister’s dying form, bleeding out in her arms as nothing she did made a difference.
She didn’t know the demon. She couldn’t even name the demon. All she knew was that it was strong, Strong enough to fell her sister, a hashira, without any difficulties. Leaving her sister’s defeated form alone, devastated, for her to find.
She wasn’t the first, nor was she the last.
Rengoku-san—
Tanjiro wept. He cried for the fallen, for the dead and for the living.
This battle between demons and humans- it was never going to end. Not until Kibutsuji Muzan fell.
And fall he did.
But the price- the price they all paid.
Tanjiro closed his eyes.
Maybe, in the next life, he would meet them again. All of them.
A happy ending they didn’t experience here.
Everyone, let’s meet again, okay?