Chapter Text
The Kamado bloodline has existed for hundreds of years, based on what remains of the family register that has been passed down to the firstborn child for generation after generation.
Their bloodline is so strong that all firstborn children in the family are male, with the same distinct burgundy hair, burgundy eyes, and an exceptional sense of smell. Relatives would often joke that the other parent's genes did not even try.
But their lifespan seems to be very, very short.
Tanjiro would often wonder if his family had been cursed hundreds of years ago. In his fifteen years of living, he had attended numerous funerals, all belonging to members of the same clan.
His aunts, grandmothers, and cousins would either die unfortunate deaths or pass away peacefully. The only recorded family members to have lived long lives were the eldest children.
His grand-aunt, his grandfather's sister, had lived a long life alongside her brother. Sometimes, Tanjiro would wonder if being a sister and the second-born child of the eldest line was enough to survive the curse.
As he stood beside his father during his aunt's funeral, he realised that no matter your position in the family, death would always find its way to you.
But that did not stop him from cherishing his family.
He had always been devastated by the thought that one day his family might die and leave him behind. As a child, he had developed the mindset that he needed to watch over his siblings, forcing him to grow up far too quickly.
He wasn't able to enjoy much of his childhood. He only hoped that he could ensure his siblings enjoyed theirs.
He had tried his best for years, and he felt as though he had been rewarded for it. None of his siblings had perished yet.
Yet.
The movers arrived to deliver the valuable antique belongings his aunt had left behind to their ancestral home.
His father had moved out of the main residence when he got married, while his aunt’s husband moved in with her to live in the ancestral home with their family. But when his aunt passed away, his father had to relocate overseas for work and brought their daughter along. Now, no one would inhabit the house except for a few housekeepers from time to time.
It was wise to move some of the valuable items tied to their family’s history to the place where the firstborn lived. And when Tanjiro decided to settle there in the future, he could always bring these belongings with him.
He found himself drawn to an old, tattered yet well-maintained photograph set within a brown wooden picture frame.
It had been tucked away inside a dusty, worn-out box alongside countless other items. There were various old books and scrolls filled with both ancient and modern Japanese writing. There were more picture frames containing faded grey photographs of people who seemed to be his ancestors, judging by how strikingly similar they looked, and many other relics besides.
But what truly caught his eye was a black wooden box marked with a single red line running along its sides. Unlike the other antiques, it appeared exceptionally well maintained.
Yet the moment he touched it, he knew the box had existed for a very, very long time.
He moved the items he had unpacked aside to make space for the box and gently laid it on the floor. It felt heavy, as though it contained a long, thick metal rod. Slowly, he slid the lid off and let out a quiet gasp.
Inside was a black katana with a sword guard shaped like flames. Its colours were a vivid orange and red. A Japanese character Metsu meaning "Detsroy/Slay" was embossed along the blade. It looked as though it had been forged only yesterday, judging by how pristine and well maintained it was.
‘Is this a real sword?’ He thought. Curious, he ran a finger along the blade and recklessly nicked himself on the edge.
He bit back a wince and quickly pulled his hand away as tiny droplets of blood rolled down the polished steel.
Immediately, he wiped the blade clean with his shirt. He didn't want to damage a family heirloom and get himself into trouble.
He glanced around to make sure none of his family members were nearby before grasping the sword's handle and lifting it from the box.
Tanjiro wasn't sure if it was merely excitement, but he could have sworn the sword trembled in his hand.
Rising to his feet, he lifted the katana to eye level.
What had initially felt like a heavy sword now rested snugly in his grip. It felt surprisingly light, as though it had been crafted specifically for him. He could probably wield it with just two fingers.
It felt light.
It felt right.
"Tanjiro."
A smooth, familiar male voice called from behind him.
He whipped his head around, heart hammering in his chest. For a moment, he feared he had been caught swinging a real weapon around the house.
But there was no one there.
He blinked. He could have sworn the voice had come from directly behind him.
"Tanjiro! Go help move the remaining boxes to the garage. We have to sort through them today!" He snapped out of his stupor when he heard his mother's voice calling from the garage.
Gently but quickly, he placed the sword back inside its box and carefully packed away everything he had taken out. Grabbing the box, he rose to his feet, ready to dash towards the garage when his foot bumped into something on the floor.
There, a picture frame lay on the ground.
Inside was a pair of hanafuda earrings depicting the rising sun. Though worn with age, they were exceptionally well maintained.
Tanjiro blinked in confusion. He was certain he hadn't taken them out of the box. In fact, they had originally been sitting beneath the sword box.
"Tanjiro!"
His mother called out to him once more.
"Coming!" he called back.
Picking up the box from the floor, he hurried towards the garage, where his parents and siblings were sorting through their aunt's belongings and deciding who would keep what.
"All right, that's all for today. Make sure to hand those forms over to your parents and get their signatures giving you permission to attend the field trip. And again, no forging signatures! I would know!"
Their teacher's warning earned a chorus of acknowledgements from the class.
"Stand!"
Tanjiro called out, and everyone rose simultaneously.
"Bow!"
"Thank you for today!"
The entire class bowed before erupting into excited murmurs, some eager to head home while others chatted enthusiastically about the upcoming field trip.
"Tanjiro~!"
He looked towards the classroom entrance and spotted his cousin standing in the doorway, waving excitedly at him.
Smiling, Tanjiro quickly finished packing his belongings. He stood up and calmly made his way towards his cousin.
Agatsuma Raiden is his cousin who grew up with him and his siblings. Much to Raiden’s dismay, they had been put to separate classes for the first time since kindergarten.
"Raiden, are you ready to go?" he asked. Raiden nodded excitedly.
"Yeah! I can't wait to get Grandpa's signature for the upcoming field trip! I'm sooo excited! I finally get to see where "The Legend of Zenitsu” happened!"
He pumped his fist into the air dramatically, his eyes sparkling. Tanjiro sweatdropped.
The Legend of Zenitsu was a memoir written by Raiden's ancestor from a hundred years ago, Agatsuma Zenitsu. The book recounted the adventures of a hero, a Demon Slayer, the husband of Kamado Nezuko, and a survivor of countless near-death experiences.
According to Raiden, it was an entirely factual historical account.
According to everyone else, it was heavily exaggerated.
Raiden, naturally, refused to believe the latter.
Growing up with Raiden, Tanjiro had often seen him carrying around a battered family copy of The Legend of Zenitsu, which had been passed down through generations, much to everyone else's embarrassment.
So far, the only people immune to that embarrassment were members of the Agatsuma bloodline themselves. They practically worshipped the memoir and proudly embraced their "heroic" ancestor.
Tanjiro had read the book once before. Or rather, he had been enthusiastically read to by Raiden, who excitedly recited passages to him as if it wasn't the thousandth time he had gone through them.
However, the information was nowhere near as detailed as he had expected. Then again, that was hardly surprising.
Agatsuma Zenitsu seemed far more interested in writing about himself and his wife, Kamado Nezuko, than anyone else.
In fact, nearly every other chapter somehow circled back to how brave he had been, how beautiful Nezuko had been, or how the two of them had saved the day together.
He realised that the relationship between the Agatsuma and Kamado families stretched back hundreds of years.
The more Tanjiro read, the more he learned about the ancestor with whom he shared the same name: Kamado Tanjiro.
Even if the memoir seemed overwhelmingly focused on Agatsuma Zenitsu, it still managed to tell the story of how respected Kamado Tanjiro had once been. It spoke of the many things he had done and sacrificed for the sake of others, and how his actions had allowed the Kamado and Agatsuma families to forge ties with several influential families for generations.
Kamado Tanjiro had been remembered as a great friend, a kind and caring older brother, and a selfless individual who always put others before himself.
Growing up, Tanjiro wanted to be like him.
He wanted to become someone just as selfless. Someone who cherished his family, protected his siblings, and was loved by those around him. Someone who treasured his friends and comrades just as deeply as they treasured him.
Whenever he looked through the family register, he would always find himself searching for his ancestor's photograph.
It was honestly a little unnerving how similar they looked.
The same burgundy hair.
The same eyes.
The same gentle smile.
The only notable difference was the pair of hanafuda earrings hanging from the ancestor's ears.
"You don't even know whether the actual location of the final battle is anywhere near Saitama or Okutama," Tanjiro pointed out with a wry smile as he bent down to put on his outdoor shoes and return his indoor pair to his shoe locker.
"But the historical sites ARE located in Saitama and Okutama!" Raiden exclaimed, stepping in front of Tanjiro and throwing his arms into the air excitedly.
"We might not know where the final battle actually happened, but we're visiting some of the most famous locations connected to the war against the demons!"
Raiden placed his hands on his hips before continuing proudly.
"And! We get to see the Butterfly Estate, where modern medicine we know supposedly began! It's where they developed cures for illnesses and viruses that were considered untreatable at the time, and—"
Raiden dramatically pointed a finger into the air.
"It's recorded that the nurses who used to work there were incredibly beautiful. They should have photographs of them somewhere that we can see, right?!" he asked, eyes sparkling..
He puffed out his chest as if he had made an excellent point, causing Tanjiro to sweat-drop internally.
He was already starting to dread the trip and wondered if it was too late to back out if it meant spending four days listening to Raiden.
Shaking his head, he followed the flow of students out of the school and through the gates. Behind him, Raiden trailed along excitedly, rambling on about the pretty Taisho-era girls who had once worked at the Butterfly Estate.
"How about you?" Raiden asked suddenly. "Is there a particular place you're looking forward to visiting?"
Tanjiro hummed thoughtfully. The field trip would last four days and three nights, taking the first-year students to both Saitama and Okutama.
The two locations were nearly ninety kilometres apart, and travelling back and forth would take several hours. As a result, the students would be staying overnight at hotels throughout the trip.
Unlike the school's usual large-scale excursions, this trip was exclusively for first-year students. The second- and third-year classes had their own field trips scheduled for different dates and destinations.
The Butterfly Estate was located on the outskirts of Saitama, while the Ubuyashiki Estate Memorial stood in the mountains of Okutama.
Tanjiro recalled the lessons they had learned about the two sites.
The classroom lights dimmed as the projector flickered to life.
A photograph of a vast forested mountain appeared on the screen, followed by an image of an old memorial stone surrounded by carefully maintained gardens.
“Our destinations for this year's field trip are the Ubuyashiki Estate and Memorial site in Okutama and the Butterfly Estate in Saitama. It will be a three-night, four-day overnight field trip." their teacher began, adjusting her glasses.
"I hope all of you have passed your projects this week.. If not, you'll be spending the days here doing worksheets while everyone else is sightseeing."
A collective groan echoed throughout the classroom. The teacher ignored it and clicked to the next slide.
"The Ubuyashiki Estate marks the location of the famous Ubuyashiki Incident, an event that took place over a century ago during the late Taisho Era."
Several students perked up immediately.
"According to surviving records, an unidentified threat to Japan was confronted at this location. Unfortunately, many details surrounding the incident have been lost to history, which has resulted in numerous theories and debates among historians."
Another image appeared on the projector. This time, it was a reconstruction of the original estate.
"Despite these uncertainties, scholars agree that the event significantly influenced the course of modern Japanese history. Because of this, the site has been preserved as one of the nation's most important historical landmarks."
Tanjiro listened quietly from his seat. Beside him, Raiden was practically vibrating with excitement.
“We will not be able to step foot into the grounds of the memorial site, but we will be able to see them from afar.” The teacher moved on to the next slide.
"Additionally, the estate served as a meeting place for several individuals who would later become celebrated historical figures," the teacher continued. "Many influential families can trace part of their history back to this location."
A hand shot into the air.
The teacher sighed.
"Yes, Agatsuma?"
"Sensei, are you going to mention how my ancestor, Agatsuma Zenitsu, played a crucial role in saving Japan?"
The classroom erupted into laughter.
"No, Agatsuma, because our lesson is about the Ubuyashiki Estate."
"But The Legend of Zenitsu clearly states—"
"And we will not be using your family's favourite bedtime story as our primary source."
More laughter filled the room.
Raiden looked personally betrayed.
Tanjiro could only smile wryly at him as if to comfort him.
Truthfully, though, he was looking forward to the trip.
"I can't wait to visit the Ubuyashiki Estate," he found himself saying, causing Raiden to blink in surprise.
Tanjiro looked up at the sky, where hues of orange and red painted the horizon as the sun began to set.
"What's there to see at the estate?" Raiden asked.
"A lot of things. I know it used to be a residence, and there isn't much to sightsee anymore, but many important events happened there. I just... want to be there." Tanjiro replied.
He smiled at Raiden, who hummed thoughtfully and rested his hands behind his head as they walked. Of the two locations, there was one that interested Tanjiro far more than the other.
The Ubuyashiki Estate.
It wasn't because of its historical significance or because it had become one of Japan's most famous landmarks. It was because Kamado Tanjiro had once stood there.
The ancestor he had admired for as long as he could remember. It was the closest thing he had to meeting him.
"I want to see if there's anything I can learn about my family there." Tanjiro finally said.
"The Kamados have always been closely connected to our ancestors." Raiden nodded in understanding.
"Well, yeah. Your family is ridiculously attached to its traditions and ancestors. It's like watching a traditional family live in modern-day Japan!” he exclaimed.
“You still even dance that sacred ceremonial dance called uhh… Hino…Hino kagura?" Tanjiro could only shake his head. “Hinokami Kagura.” Tanjiro filled in.
“Yeah, that one!”
"Not quite like your family and The Legend of Zenitsu." he said.
Raiden immediately let out an offended squawk. "That's entirely different!" He practically shouted the words, making Tanjiro giggle.
"Big Brother!"
Tanjiro's ears perked up at the sound of his little sister calling out to him.
Looking towards the intersection, he saw her waving enthusiastically from the other side of the road. Raiden gasped and immediately began waving both arms in greeting.
"Nezuko-chan!"
"Raiden-kun!"
Nezuko waved back excitedly before crossing the road once the pedestrian light turned green.
Kamado Nezuko.
Really, how could he forget the extent of his father's antics and obsession with family history? The man had gone and named his second-born after Kamado Nezuko herself.
Tanjiro was honestly surprised he hadn't named their other siblings after Kamado-san’s brothers and sisters as well.
Then again, there weren't many surviving records about them. Most of them had died young.
Nezuko reached them moments later, and she and Raiden immediately exchanged a high five.
Smiling, Tanjiro reached over and gently patted her head. "How was school?" he asked.
Nezuko giggled. "It was great! Classes ended early today, so my friends and I went to karaoke!" she exclaimed excitedly as she linked her arms with both her brother and Raiden.
His sister attended an all-girls middle school near their home, a choice she had made herself when she was younger because her childhood friends planned to study there as well.
Their father had happily agreed without hesitation. In fact, Tanjiro suspected their father had simply been unable to refuse anything Nezuko asked for.
“I’m glad you had fun, Nezuko.” Tanjiro smiled warmly at her as she giggled. The group eventually dispersed, waving goodbye to one another. Raiden then bolted down the street opposite theirs while the others made their way home.
Getting his parents’ approval wasn’t as hard as he thought it would be. His father supported the purpose he presented — “to get more in tune with their family’s history” — while his mother simply wanted him to take a break and relax once in a while.
He managed to finish his projects and worksheets before the deadline and submitted his permission slip on time. As a result, his spot on the trip was secured.
A few days passed, and it was finally time to leave. Oddly enough, the school had decided to depart at dawn, while the night was still dark, so they could arrive in time for breakfast.
Tanjiro woke up at 3 AM to prepare his bag and take a shower, dressed in the freshly ironed school uniform he had laid out the night before. He made his way down to the kitchen, where his father was groggily cooking breakfast.
“Good morning, Dad.” he greeted. His father turned around and gave him a tired but warm, sleepy smile.
“Good morning, Tanjiro.” he replied.
Sumihiko Kamado. His father looked like a carbon copy of Kamado-san, except he was more carefree and carried a livelier personality — more like one of his childhood friends, Rengoku Enji.
‘If it weren’t for his looks, he would be mistaken for a Rengoku.’ he thought.
“You’re up early, Dad. Where’s Mom?” he asked, sitting down at the table. Only one plate was served, seemingly just for him.
“Your mom had to work long hours until late last night. I wanted her to get more sleep, so I decided to cook breakfast for you and your siblings.” his father said with a quiet yawn. Tanjiro smiled in appreciation.
“Thank you, Dad!” he chuckled, starting to dig into the breakfast. His father leaned against the counter, sipping coffee but still nodding off, clearly sleepy. Tanjiro knew his dad wasn’t a morning person, but he is thankful for waking up early to see him off.
A few moments later, his phone let out a ding. He glanced at the notification. It was Raiden. He’s already waiting outside their house.
‘So early?’ he thought, then looked at the clock. It was already 5 AM! Their call time was 5:30!
Tanjiro choked, snapping his father awake. “I’m gonna be late!” he exclaimed, chewing the last bite of bread and gulping down his milk. He quickly washed his hands and ran toward the door to put on his shoes, his father’s footsteps thumping behind him.
“Don’t forget your lunch box!” Sumihiko called out. Tanjiro mumbled a quick thanks before standing up and was about to slide the door open when his dad called out once again.
Tanjiro halted and looked back, patiently waiting for his father to return to the door. After a few minutes, Sumihiko appeared, holding a pair of items in his hands.
Tanjiro gasped. It was their family heirloom — the Hanafuda earrings!
“Dad, why did you take them out?” he asked, alarmed. Sumihiko sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck.
“Since you’ll be going to the Ubuyashiki Mansion and the Butterfly Estate, I thought it would be nice for you to wear these earrings. It’s as if our ancestors have finally returned to the place they considered home.” he explained.
Tanjiro huffed softly, smiling warmly. He felt he wasn’t much different from his father or Raiden in cherishing their family’s traditions and history.
He leaned forward as Sumihiko carefully placed the earrings on his ears. Tanjiro glanced up and noticed his father’s own pierced ears. He had never seen his father wear the earrings, but it had always been a family tradition to pierce the ears of the firstborn son — the reason his ears were pierced as well.
He could feel the weight of the earrings as he leaned back, Sumihiko’s hands resting on his shoulders as he studied his son. Smiling with glistening eyes, Sumihiko gently booped Tanjiro’s nose.
“You look just like the real Tanjiro,” he murmured. Tanjiro sheepishly rubbed his cheek, smiling up at his father.
“Now, you don’t want to be late. Go on, take care, and keep us updated, okay?” Sumihiko said. Tanjiro nodded.
“I will! I’ll message you once I’m there. Take care!” he replied, waving before running down the steps of his home to the gate, where Raiden was waiting.
“Took you long enough! Come on, we’ll be late.” Raiden exclaimed as the two boys dashed down the path, laughing excitedly at the field trip that was about to begin.
After almost three hours on the bus, they finally arrived at the hotel in Okutama City. The students excitedly dispersed to their respective rooms after a brief session with their teacher in the hotel lobby. Much to his joy, Tanjiro found himself rooming with Raiden and three of their classmates.
Once the students had settled in and rested, they assembled again by lunchtime and boarded the bus to begin the first itinerary of their field trip: the Ubuyashiki Estate.
“When are we going to the Butterfly Estate?” Raiden whined, slumping in his seat.
“I think that’s scheduled for tomorrow. Today we’ll only visit the Mansion and the art museum before heading back to the hotel.” Tanjiro replied, scrolling through their class group chat where the teacher had sent the day’s schedule.
Raiden continued to sulk, while Tanjiro smiled comfortingly at his cousin and turned to look out the window. He couldn’t explain the twisting feeling in his stomach as they neared the mansion. He wasn’t sure if it was excitement or something entirely different.
After a short while, they arrived. The class and teacher met their tour guide and exchanged pleasantries. The teacher reminded them of respect and safety protocols: no touching, no rowdiness in the halls, and no wandering away from the group. As class representative, Tanjiro was tasked with helping keep his classmates in check alongside the other first-year class rep, ensuring no one got lost.
He didn’t expect that he would be the one to get lost in the process.
Tanjiro was listening to Raiden talk until he realized it had been quiet for some time. He looked around — he was alone. Blinking, he whipped his head from side to side. He didn’t remember passing through these halls.
“Did I get lost in thought?” he wondered out loud as he continued walking down the corridor, opening door after door only to find himself in the same kind of room. Finally, after opening one more door, he saw an open engawa. He took a few steps forward and noticed a stone courtyard outside, with a single bare tree branch standing in the middle.
That twisting feeling in his stomach returned. The place looked strangely familiar, though he was certain this was his first time here. A gust of wind picked up, making his earrings chime softly.
“Tanjiro?” a voice whispered in quiet disbelief behind him. Startled, he whipped his head around.
Standing before him was a man of short stature, pale skin, lavender eyes with slit pupils, and hair shaded from mint green to black. He wore a striped button-down shirt and black sweatpants. His eyes widened, then softened into something like resignation and calm.
“Hi! I’m sorry, I got separated from my class and ended up here.” Tanjiro said, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck in apology. The man didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he turned and beckoned Tanjiro to follow.
“No worries. This place is off-limits, restricted to the Ubuyashiki family. I’m not sure how you got in here, but I’ll guide you back to your class.” he offered. Tanjiro beamed.
“Thank you so much!” he exclaimed, relieved that he wasn’t in trouble.
As they walked together, Tanjiro felt something brush against his leg. Looking down, he saw a calico cat. It meowed at him, and Tanjiro broke into a smile. He crouched down to rub its head, earning a soft purr in return.
“Wow, you’re so pretty… or handsome? A male calico cat? That’s so rare! What’s your name?” he asked, receiving a series of meows from the cat.
“Chachamaru.” the man said. Tanjiro looked up. The man was watching him with a complicated expression before smiling faintly. “His name is Chachamaru,” he confirmed. Tanjiro smiled warmly at him, then back at the cat.
“Is he yours? Hi, Chachamaru!” Tanjiro patted the cat, who pawed at his chest as if asking to be picked up. Tanjiro glanced at the man, who quickly turned his head away and began walking.
“You can carry him. Let’s get going.” the man said, making Tanjiro nod. He scooped up the cat and followed the man out of the restricted halls. Tanjiro studied him carefully — aloof, almost untouchable.
‘Is he a resident here? Maybe an Ubuyashiki?’ Tanjiro wondered, gently caressing the meowing cat. After a short walk, he heard the bustling murmur of his classmates. The cat leapt from his arms, and Tanjiro waved to catch their attention.
Raiden spotted him and waved back, gesturing for him to come over. “Where were you? I’ve been looking for you this whole time!” he shouted. Tanjiro gestured for him to wait, turning back to thank the man — but no one was there.
Startled, Tanjiro looked around. The man couldn’t have disappeared so quickly; there were no hiding spots, and he hadn’t heard any footsteps. It was impossible for him to vanish in mere seconds.
Raiden ran over, swinging an arm around Tanjiro’s shoulders. “What are you looking at? I’ve been calling you! Why are you wandering around alone?” he asked, pinching Tanjiro’s cheeks. His words made Tanjiro freeze.
“Alone? I wasn’t alone. I was with someone — a man with silver hair and a calico cat.” Tanjiro insisted. Raiden gave him a strange look.
“No way. You came out of those halls alone. And what cat? Animals aren’t allowed here. See?” He pointed to a poster by the entrance listing the rules for tourists.
“Come on! We’re heading back for a quick break before continuing the sightseeing later. I’m starving!” Raiden exclaimed, stretching as he walked ahead.
But Tanjiro couldn’t move. He stared back at the empty halls of the Ubuyashiki Estate before finally running after Raiden.
‘Did I just see a ghost?’ he thought, goosebumps prickling his skin. The estate was notorious for past incidents that claimed the lives of many Ubuyashiki family members and unnamed people. He shook his head. It wouldn’t do him any good to be scared like this in broad daylight.
From behind the shoji door at the entrance, a man emerged, a calico cat nestled in his arms. Behind him, another man with straight black hair, pale skin, and striking plum-colored eyes peeked out with interest and amusement.
“He’s the only one who could see through your Mekakushi.”
The silver-haired man merely huffed and turned back toward the quiet halls, the other man following close behind.
“Out of all places, he returns to where it all began.” The black haired man could only hum in agreement. He knows this wouldn’t be the last time they will see the young boy.
☆ It's time for Taishō Era Secrets!
• Reiwa 8 (令和8年) is the year 2026 in Japan's imperial era calendar. The Reiwa era began on 1 May 2019, so the year count is: Reiwa year + 2018 = Gregorian year. Therefore, Reiwa 8 = 2026.
• Modern! Tanjiro is the son of Kamado Sumihiko and unnamed Mother, making him the great-great-great grandson of Taisho! Tanjiro.
• Agatsuma Raiden is the son of Tōko Agatsuma and an unnamed father. He currently lives with his parents and grandfather in the same house. During the Field Trip Arc, his parents are away on a business trip, making his grandfather the next in line to provide parental consent and permissions.
• The Rengoku, Agatsuma, and Kamado families have remained closely connected for generations. As a result, their descendants grew up alongside one another, continuing a long tradition of childhood friendships.
• Growing up, Tanjiro often heard snippets about his family's connection to the Ubuyashiki family. Whenever he asked why such an influential family remained close to theirs, his grandfather would simply say that the Ubuyashikis were repaying an old debt. Tanjiro figured it must have been a very large debt if they had been paying it back for over a hundred years.
• September is a transitional month that bridges summer and early autumn. Sometimes past and future.