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It was another normal year for the Kamado family..
Well..Not really.
Tanjiro never felt as if things were normal.
He looked at his family, wondering in silence on who the grave was meant for.
Father was still with them, after all.
He was there, hugging his mother as usual and trying to cheer up the crying Rokuta in Nezuko's exhausted arms.
But they couldn't see him, they couldn't hear him.
Tanjiro couldn't hear him either, but he can see him.
He can smell his emotions still, even if they were fainter than usual.
" Tanjirou !
You're not ready yet !"
His mother wrapped a scarf around his neck, wiping soot from his cheek.
" Make sure to come back safely, yes ?"
Tanjiro nodded, ready to go before being stopped by Takeru.
" Let me come too !
I wanna go !
I can't stand Rokuta crying for any second longer !"
Hanako ran to his side as well, near tears as well.
" Please !
We'll behave!"
Tanjiro smelled the distress from his siblings and couldn't help smiling bitterly.
" Takeru, Hanako..
You know I can't..
I promise to come back home as soon as possible."
He meant what he said, as their mother called the 2 children inside.
It was getting colder this time around.
Very cold.
Nezuko and Rokuta were the last to enter inside.
Rokuta was always crying when Tanjiro had to leave, and it annoyed Nezuko to no end.
Her friends stopped hanging out with her, and even suitors are starting to doubt their interest in her.
It was a small relief for Tanjiro, as he knew that Nezuko was far too young for marriage.
Ever since they weren't able to see father, Rokuta has clung to him despite the fact their mother and siblings were there.
With a sigh, he went to work to sell coal, following his father down the mountains.
His father was fast, and it took a lot to keep up with him.
But he always did, as his father knew the best times and places to sell coal.
He felt offended that no one can see him though, confused as everyone talked to him about being the sole breadwinner of the family now.
" He's always with us, ma'am. "
" That's right, you're such a mature young man."
The conversation always ended like that, and he never understood why.
Why can't nobody see his father at his side ?
After a hard day of selling coal, he went back on the trail to go home.
He was tired and father was getting harder to keep up with.
On his way however he was stopped by a concerned man, Sabato.
" What are you doing outside?!
Come in, the sun is setting!"
Tanjiro tried refusing, but his father nudged him yo go.
Tanjiro trusted his father, so he entered the house silently.
He looked behind one more time before closing the door, witnessing him continue on the way up the mountain before getting ushered inside.
" Thank goodness you listened.
Demons come out at night, you should know."
Tanjiro accepted the food offered, ignoring the ramblings of the old man.
'Demons...More like the cold..
That's the true demon here..'
He thought before going to sleep.
But one thing he should've known, was that happiness ended with the scent of blood.
He woke up with the scent of bitter metal.
The smell of blood.
Human blood.
It horrified him, did the old man kill himself?!
He hurried to check on the man, but when he saw the man alive and well his fear grew worse.
He grabbed his basket and ran up the mountain, his muscles burning from both the cold and the strain.
Once he made it in front of his own home, all he saw was red.
Blood.
Everywhere.
And his family was nowhere to be seen.
" Mom !?
Dad ?!
Hanako, Takeru, Nezuko !?!?"
He ran inside the house only to see a man seated inside.
His hair was white as snow, and his hair was as colorful as the rainbow.
But he couldn't smell nothing.
No anger, no malice, no joy and no sadness either.
" Oh !
It seems she missed one !
Poor boy.."
" W-wha... ??
L...Look sir I don't know who you are, b...but where is my family !?"
The man laughed, his expression full of pity and sympathy.
" Can't you see them ?
Oh poor thing, I'll help you."
He grabbed his arm in lightning speed, and before he knew it he was outside.
He saw something horrifying.
Nezuko was eating a limp Rokuta, and the scent of Rokuta's emotions was fading
" N...
Nezuko !?
What the hell are you doing ?!
Stop!"
Tanjirou tried to stop her, but the grip was firm.
He couldn't break out of it even if he dislocated his wrist.
" Ah ah ah ", The man tutted as if reprimanding a small child, " You'll end up like the poor child if you get close."
Tanjirou couldn't hear him however, blood was rushing in his brain as his sense of smell grew sharper.
Nezuko's scent was warping into something horrific.
Something even he himself couldn't handle.
" Nezuko !
Please stop!
Is this because I took too long to come back ?!
I'm sorry !"
The words made Nezuko freeze, and to his relief made her approach him with the crying toddler.
The moment the man let go in what seemed to be surprise, Tanjirou was already wrapping his baby brother as best as he could to stop the bleeding.
His whole arm was missing, it was a miracle Rokuta was still breathing at all.
'W...Why would she do this ?!'
" Oh ?
Now this, is new.
I've never seen a demon obey a human before."
" ...D..Demon..
No..
I..It can't be.."
" Oh it can be, and it is !
But save the useless tears, we should get this little one to the doctor, however.
Before he passes."
Tanjirou couldn't help to agree and quickly followed the man down the mountain.
Nezuko followed as well, but for fhe first time in his life Tanjirou wished she didn't.
His muscles were aching, and Rokuta's scent was growing fainter.
He needed to reach safety as fast as he could, preferably away from the one who caused this.
On their way he suddenly smelled a new presence, one which tried attacking the man with a katana.
Before he could even speak, the man was already moving, holding him and Rokuta like a father holding their children.
It was comforting, despite the fact Tanjirou couldn't smell any care or concern.
" ...Shit..
Water breathin-"
" Ah ah ah !"
The man tutted the katana wielder, grinning softly.
" You shouldn't be fighting when these 3 are here hmm ?
Oh ?"
In a second the katana wielder tried slicing Nezuko to pieces.
If it weren't for the man saving her as well, she would've been killed in cold blood.
" N..Nezuko !!
Y...You.."
" ..."
The man smelled heavily distressed, and Tanjiro couldn't understand why.
'Was what others were talking about true ?
Do demons...Actually exist ?!'
" ...Oh dear !
No need to kill her yet, she's quite interesting.."
With a flash of a lightning strike, Tanjiro was dropped with Rokuta in his arms.
" U...Ugh !"
Tanjiro couldn't keep up with what happened, but he smelled the concern of the man lower before grabbing him and Rokuta, bringing him to a village below.
Nezuko however didn't follow, she for some reason went back up the mountain and inside the barren home.
It relieved Tanjirou, but deep down he knew he had to report her to the authorities.
He couldn't, however.
He couldn't betray his family like that.
The man's scent of concern made him feel sick.
He felt like he was a horrible brother.
At the village things didn't get any better.
He was overwhelmed, so many scents of concern and Rokuta was catching a fever.
By the time a doctor came it was too late.
Rokuta Kamado died in the hands of his big brother, the cold air and the blood loss was too much for a child so young to bare.
As he saw his baby brother die, he couldn't help but to cry.
The child was taken by the villagers, who decided to bury him after Tomioka paid for it's expenses up front.
Why would he do such a thing after attempting to kill Nezuko ?
Tanjirou however wasn't the only one asking questions.
" Who are you ?!"
" What happened to the Kamados ?!"
" Why are you walking around with a katana ?!"
Accusations and demands were met with silence.
The man was not interested in explaining himself nor submitting himself to get arrested.
Before Tanjirou could do something he was knocked out cold.
'Why...
Why am I so weak ?'
Was the last thing he thought of before his vision faded to black.
....
Douma was amused today.
Very amused.
He sat in his temple, grinning softly as a servant faithfully cleaned up after his recent meal.
'A human that can overthrow Muzan-sama's authority over demons ?
Now that's interesting...'
He could handle Muzan's anger for not killing the remainder of that poor family.
And he was 'happy'.
More souls are now in paradise with him, forever.
He was quite charitable today, letting the new demon stay make the toddler a part of her, forever while he enjoyed to feast on the rest.
But...
He felt strange after that meal, he concluded.
Was he poisoned ?
He frowns as he put his finger in the sunlight, being used to do so in order to feel pain.
But it didn't hurt.
He was slightly surprised, while his servant watched in huge levels of awe and unhealthy devotion.
" D...d..Douma sama !
T...The sun has blessed you !!"
Douma glared at the servant, 'annoyed' at the human's stupidity.
" ...Indeed.
It would seem so."
He was definitely keeping this a secret from Muzan, as he doesn't really want to end up as a meal to further the king's cruel reign.
Now that he was thinking about it, he realized Muzan hasn't summoned him for what he was thinking even if he could read all demon's minds.
Did..
Was he free from Muzan's control ?
If so...
Maybe...He can make a better life for humans and demons alike.
'If I overthrow Muzan-sama, humans and demons will definitely get along.'
He concluded, a charming smile entering his as he saw his humans go throw a grand celebration in his honor.
He finally reached godhood, just like the prophesy one of those silly humans said hundreds of years ago.
He could make a whole better world now that he has concurred the sun, one that will be just like his temple.
Forever.