The Sibling's Train

It's been a year and a half since Nezuko and Takeo made it to Mount Sagiri where they successfully found Master Urokodaki. At first, he was reluctant to train the young girl because of his fear of losing yet another student, a pain he did not want to bare again. But after her constant begging and persistence that he trains her, he eventually gave in. But he did not make it easy for her. He was especially tough on the eldest Kamado daughter, thinking that maybe if he pushed her hard enough that she would eventually give up. But of course she never did. Currently, they were performing their last training session and Urokodaki thought that he had taught her everything he possibly could, making her one step closer to becoming a full-fledged member of the Demon Slaying corps. "Nezuko. There is nothing left for me to teach you. You're nearly ready to take on the Final Selection Process." Urokodaki said as he stood adjacent to Nezuko, who looked like she was worst for wear. She was covered in dirt with scratches and scrapes all over her body, and her hair a disheveled mess. But upon hearing that their training was finally about to come to an end, her tired expression turned to one of joy.

"Really master?! Do you think I'm finally ready?" She said as she started jumping up and down in excitement, but Urokodaki raised his hand up to stop her. "Now I didn't say that. I still have one last test for you to perform before I give you approval. Come this way, there is something that I must show you." The older man said as he turned his back to her and started walking away, expecting her to follow him. Nezuko chased after him deeper in the woods on the mountain where they now stood in front of a giant boulder wrapped in a temple rope. Nezuko stood in awe at the sight of the giant rock wondering what this had to do with her last test. "Before I can give you permission to participate in the Final Selection Process, there is one last thing I need you to do before I can determine if you are truly ready or not. Your last test will be to cleave this boulder in half using the sword I gave you and using all the knowledge I've passed down to you over the last year." He said as he turned to face her and witnessed as her faced twisted into that of disbelief. Nezuko stared at the boulder with her mouth agape as she clutched the handle of her sword tightly that was still sheathed to her hip. No way, she thought to herself. It was impossible! How could she possibly cut a boulder with just her sword?

"If you don't think you can do it then I suggest that you give up. All of my students who I have deemed worthy have all completed this task. So it's not impossible. But if you think you're not up to the challenge, then leave and never come back." He said sternly as he started to leave her behind without uttering another word. Nezuko looked on as she watched her master walk away. She did have doubt in her heart, but she didn't want to let her resolve weaken. She was doing all of this for her brothers and she couldn't allow herself to forget that. There was no way she could quit now! Not after putting her body through so much hell and honing her skills! "Alright Nezuko!" She said as she slapped her cheeks to wake herself up more and focus. "Looks like I've got more training to do!" She drew her sword and started swinging it, practicing on the strength of her swing and her endurance. She then ran over to the boulder and struck it hard, but she couldn't even leave a scratch. Her sword vibrated violently as it sent the sensation up her arms and throughout her entire body causing her to cry out in pain. "This is going to prove to be more difficult than I thought. But I refuse to give up!" She declared boldly as she tried once more.

Back at the house, Takeo was performing his regular chores and sweeping up around the house when he heard the door slide open and Urokodaki walked in and sat down, where Takeo immediately went to serve him tea. "Welcome back master! How was the training session with my sister?" He said as he sat down next to Urokodaki with a wide grin. The old water hashira smiled underneath his mask which he raised slightly to take a sip of his tea, after he patted Takeo on the top of his head. "It went well little one. Your sister is a tough one to crack. But she still has a long road ahead of her. She's already onto her final test, and it's up to her whether she finishes or not." They then sat in silence as they continued sipping their drinks together before Takeo leaned over to rest his head on Urokodaki's arm. "Do you think I'll ever be ready to start training with you too?" He asked sadly. He was told to be patient, but Takeo had grown considerably in size and as a person in the last year. He didn't know just how much longer he was supposed to wait before he was allowed to start his training. He knew he was ready! Even though he wasn't allowed to train himself, he watched from afar as Nezuko did her drills with their master and he had picked up a thing or two just from watching them. If he was allowed to train, he knew that he would be a very capable student.

Urokodaki stiffened up by the sudden contact, but then he started to relax as he wrapped an arm around the young boy's shoulders and pulled him in closer. "I would love nothing more than to be your teacher, but you are aware that I was already against the idea of me helping out your sister to begin with. This war between the demons is not something I believe that children should partake in." He said as he recalled the faces of the many students who used to study underneath him, students that he never saw again. It was cruel how many children have lost their lives to fight for the sake of this secret war between humanity and the demons. So many have been condemned to march towards their deaths before they've even had a chance to truly experience life. The thought saddened the old water hashira greatly, which is why it was so important that he tried to deter Nezuko from continuing down her path of wanting to become a demon slayer. He knew it wasn't his place, but all he wanted to do was to be able to protect them. He gave Nezuko the task of cutting that boulder because he knew it was near to impossible to cleave a boulder of that size. He predicted that she would probably start to give up once she admitted she couldn't do it. Which is what he was counting on, but he knew her spirit was too strong to admit defeat that easily.

Back at the boulder, Nezuko was still hard at work training and was exhausted, but continued on even late into the night. Her master tasked her with cutting this giant rock in the early morning, and now night fall had come in the blink of an eye yet she didn't even notice because of how focused she was. She took on another fighting stance and rushed forward to slice the boulder again but was met with the same results. She sighed in aggravation as she dropped to her knees. "This is hopeless! I don't understand what I'm doing wrong!" She yelled out as she roughly started tugging at her hair. She was beginning to think that Urokodaki was just messing with her by asking her to do this, no doubt to try and get her to quit. And she hated to admit it, but it was kind of working. Around her, the mist on the mountain started to thicken and she began to sense an eerie aura almost as if something wasn't quite right. There was something magical waiting in the mist almost as if it wasn't part of this world. She then heard the jingle of a small bell which caused her to look up, and seemingly out of nowhere a mysterious boy with an odd shade of pink hair wearing a white fox mask had appeared in front of her, sitting atop the boulder. "The real question is, what aren't you doing wrong?" He asked with a judgmental tone.

Nezuko quickly stood up and jumped backwards to create distance between them, not sure if the boy in front of her was a friend or foe. "Your stance is sloppy; your movements are too slow and you still show far too much restraint with your strikes. You dare say you want to become a demon slayer, but I guess you were all talk!" He yelled at her while jumping off of the rock to land on the ground, drawing out a wooden sword which he raised to point at Nezuko. "I challenge you. Face me and show me what you're truly made of. Let's see just how determined you are to actually become a demon slayer." He said as he too took on a fighting stance. Nezuko gulped but then shook her head violently. Now was not the time to get nervous! She didn't know who this person was, but as arrogant as he might be, his attentions seemed pure enough. Where was the harm in accepting his challenge? "Alright, I'll fight you. But I am reluctant to start. I don't want to hurt you considering your sword is made of wood while mine is real." She heard the pink haired boy chuckle as soon as she spoke her words and he smirked underneath his mask. "You? Scared that you're going to hurt me? Don't make me laugh! That's especially funny coming from someone who can't even cut their boulder. When I already have!"

The boy then took off with speed as quick as lightning as he started jumping and propelling himself from tree trunk to tree trunk, increasing his speed with every jump until he looked like nothing more than a blur through Nezuko's perspective. She gritted her teeth and raised her sword to anticipate his next move when she sensed him approaching her from behind. She quickly spun around and barely clashed blades with him, but the force of his strike was hard enough to knock her off of her balance. With her weight shifted onto the wrong foot, the boy retracted his sword and prepared for a counter strike. Nezuko again tried to deflect it, but he surprised her by using the butt of his blade to pound into her stomach, causing her to spit up blood before he thrusted his wooden sword upward and hit her chin, knocking her head backwards as she fell back unconscious. The pink haired boy watched her sleeping form as he put away his wooden blade, and from the mist, another person emerged. But this time it was a much smaller girl with black hair and blue eyes wearing a flower patterned kimono, and a white fox mask propped on the side of her head. "You could have gone a little easier on her Sabito." She said with an innocent giggle.

The boy whose name was revealed to be Sabito, turned around and started heading back to enter the mist. "If I had gone easy on her, then she wouldn't have learned anything. Her loss will give her knowledge that she didn't have before. Now it's your turn Makomo. Take care of her for me." Sabito then vanished while Makomo walked over to kneel beside Nezuko and poked at her cheek to try and get her to wake up. She started stirring and opened her eyes slowly, with Makomo leaned forward staring at her right in the eyes. Nezuko sat up abruptly and gasped while she blushed in embarrassment. Makomo smiled at her warmly as she giggled. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. And Sorry about Sabito, he doesn't know restraint sometimes." She said as she rubbed Nezuko's chin which was already starting to bruise. So that's what his name was? Nezuko asked herself. "I want to do that too." She said randomly, which made the smaller girl tilt her head in confusion by what she could mean by that. "I want to do what he did! He was absolutely incredible! His moves were inhuman! Tell me, do you know how I can get strong like that?" She said with a wide grin as she admired her opponent's strength.

Makomo giggled again as she helped Nezuko to stand back up on her feet. "That's what I'm here for. To help you access your hidden potential. You want to know what the difference was between you and Sabito? You were using absolutely zero Total Breathing Concentration while he has already mastered it." Nezuko nodded her head as she listened. Her master had mentioned it briefly, but failed to explain how she was meant to perform it. It was just like him to withhold information like that from her, no doubt to try and get her to quit. "To perform Total Breathing Concentration, you must start by taking a long deep breath so that the oxygen flows into every cell of your body. This will enhance your healing ability and stabilize as well as energize your spirit." Makomo stated to clarify what Total Breathing Concentration was, but Nezuko was now more confused than ever. None of that sounded like it had any scientific reasoning behind it at all. "It sounds ridiculous when you hear it at first, but this is the true power of a demon slayer. With this ability, even a human can fight on equal footing with a demon. It's the one thing that can shift the balance between life and death, so you must put all your energy into mastering it." And with that, Nezuko finally understood how she was going to slice the boulder. This was Urokodaki's true test. As soon as all the prep was out the way, Nezuko started training even harder with Makomo as her guide.

It took a whole six months of intense training with Makomo by her side before she saw Sabito again for another challenge. She finally understood what Total Breathing Concentration was and how to do it, and as soon as Makomo said she was ready for the final test, just like a ghost, Sabito came out from the mist. But this time, his sword was real. "You're starting to appear like you finally belong. I'm glad to see how much you've improved. Just from looking at you I can tell how much stronger you are now. But you won't be able to slice that boulder and prove your worth to Urokodaki until you can defeat me in combat." He said harshly with that stern voice of his as he withdrew his sword. Nezuko was beyond excited. Ever since her defeat in their last match, she could not wait for another opportunity to face him again and now that time has finally come. The two went to their positions and took on a fighting stance, waiting for either one of them to make the first move. The atmosphere was silent, neither one of them still yet to budge an inch. Nezuko did what she had been training for the last six months and took a deep breath, strengthening her muscles. Sabito rushed forward, and Nezuko didn't hesitate and started running at him herself. They were now inches from each other with their blades raised, and for the first time ever when they were ready to strike, Nezuko's blade made contact first.

Sabito stopped moving as a clean line cracked down the middle of his mask, breaking it and revealing his charming face underneath. He had soft baby blue eyes and a scar running down his cheek near the right side of his mouth. After his mask broke, he smiled at her with eyes full of pride and joy. He lowered his sword and sheathed it, and then proceeded to rub the top of her head. "Well done Nezuko. You are ready. I knew you could do it. Now use this strength to continue to grow and to survive. We'll all be rooting for you." He said almost like she was never going to see them again and this was their final goodbye. Nezuko hesitated but smiled back at him. The mist started to grow incredibly thick to the point where she could no longer see anything, but it soon went back to normal and she glanced around wondering what had just happened. "The mist here is crazy! Why does it get like that anyways?" She asked out loud but was given no response. "Uh… guys? Where did you go?" She asked inquisitively and looked around, but they were nowhere to be found. When she looked forward at the place where Sabito was once standing, instead of him and his broken mask which she had sworn was what she had cut, the boulder was in front of her and sliced clean in half. She had completed her final test without even realizing it.

Urokodaki walked out from the tree lining, having watched Nezuko from afar and stood dumbfounded only for a moment by what he witnessed. He approached behind her, clearing his throat to gain her attention. "I must say. I'm very impressed. I had no intention of ever letting you pass, but the evidence that you have major talent is irrefutable. Congratulations Nezuko. I am sending you to Final Selection." He said full of pride. Nezuko dropped her sword and blinked one time and then once more, trying to let what he had just said sink in. She then took off running and jumped into her master's arms enveloping him in a hearty embrace while laughing. "Thank you master! I promise! I will not let you down!" The two then started heading back to their house, where Nezuko immediately smelt how delicious the air was. When they entered the home, Takeo was helping to stir a large pot of stew and was actively grilling fish at the same time. Nezuko swallowed her drool back. She had been training so hard over the last six months that she had been neglecting to feed herself, so it was a great surprise to see that they had went out of their way to make a celebration dinner just for her. "That's a lot of food! Is it really okay for us to eat all of this?" She asked as she eagerly sat down and Takeo poured her a bowl.

"Why of course! Why should we not indulge ourselves to honor your victory? So let's take this opportunity to unwind and relax, and just enjoy ourselves before you head off for the Final Selection tomorrow." They all sat down around the table, ready to stuff their faces and said a little prayer before they started digging in. Nezuko was absolutely famished! Even though the food wasn't special or fancy in any way, every bite was like a small slice of heaven. "Now let me remind you, just because your training is over doesn't mean that you should let yourself become weak. This is only the beginning to a much darker path. So before you head off, I want you to truly enjoy this moment with us like it was going to be your last. Do you understand what I am trying to say?" Urokodaki asked mindfully to his student. A serious expression befell Nezuko's face. She understood exactly what he meant. She could very well die in these next few days if she wasn't careful during the Final Selection. Up to forty people will attend the Final Selection, but only two to five people ever make it out alive. She was going to refill her energy tonight, and then head off into battle in the morning. "Yes master. I understand. I will take this with extreme caution moving forward." She said as she continued to eat hastily.

Morning had come incredibly fast and before she was to depart, Nezuko was getting a quick haircut from Takeo while Urokodaki prepared everything she needed for her travels. After her little brother was finished cutting her hair which had grown almost down to her knees, she tied her hair up in a neat tight bun and slipped on a cloud Haori instead of her pink star patterned one to honor her master. Urokodaki walked over to her and handed her a white fox mask similar to the ones Sabito and Makomo were both wearing. "Here. Take this with you. It's called a warding mask. It will provide you additional protection." She took it from him and bowed before she slipped it on and propped it on the side of her head. "Thank you master. I will take great care of it!" She said happily before they accompanied her to the road. She turned to look at them one last time, especially her little brother who watched her with hot teary eyes. "Well, I'll be going now." She said with a sad smile before she started to leave, But Takeo ran towards her and hugged her tightly from behind. "You better come back! If you die, then I will never forgive you! So if you don't want me to be upset with you, then you better come back okay?! You have to promise!" He said as he continued to cry.

Nezuko chuckled as she turned around and leaned forward to hug Takeo back. "You have no reason to be afraid. You know me, I'm strong!" She said before she winked and flashed off her biceps. "Actually, I have one last thing to say to you before I go." She knelt down and kissed her little brother on the forehead before she placed something in his hands. It was her hair ribbon pin that she always wore. "To ensure my return, I'll be coming back for that. So make sure to keep that safe for me. And one more thing too… I think it's time. You are twelve years old now. You are finally my age when I first started training under master Urokodaki. So, while I'm gone, I am going to allow you to start training!" She proclaimed while giving him a thumbs up. Takeo's face instantly lit up as he hugged her even tighter. "Really big sister?! Thank you thank you thank you!" Nezuko giggled as she stroked his hair, and soon the two separated. "Okay. Now it really is time for me to go. Please master, take good care of Takeo for me. I will be back soon." Urokodaki wrapped his arm around the twelve year olds shoulders. "Don't worry. I will protect him. Have a safe travel Nezuko, and please, come back to us alive!" She bowed one last time before she started walking down the road to Mount Fujikusane. "Oh! And tell Sabito and Makomo goodbye for me and tell them I said thank you!" She said as she waved and sprinted away, leaving Urokodaki speechless. How was it that she was able to recall the names of the dead?

Tanjiro was sitting atop the waterfall, meditating with his eyes closed. He took in a deep breath to control his breathing and allowed his senses to tune in with nature. He could hear the soft wind purr into his ear and flow through his locks, and he could feel as the earth beneath him slightly shook because of the strong current of the river near him. While he was in serene peace, he could sense malice behind him and with his eyes still closed, he fell backwards when Akaza's fist came crashing at him, and if he had not dodged the blow could have easily taken his head off. Tanjiro backflipped away and landed on his feet a few paces away, and then opened his eyes and beamed a grin towards his uncle. "Not bad huh? You were as silent as a mouse but I still caught onto your presence!" He said gleefully which earned a smirk from the ranking third Moon. "Yeah. Good job." He said as he ruffled the young demon's hair. The two continued training for a little while longer and then called it quits after Tanjiro was able to successfully dodge ten of Akaza's attacks in succession, and afterwards they rejoined Kokushibo at the bottom of the falls. The demon with the six eyes sat near a fire where he was sharpening his sword on a rock. "Welcome back. You're back earlier than I anticipated." He said without leading his attention away from his blade.

Akaza plopped on the ground and leaned backwards with his head tilted back nonchalantly. "Yup. Our nephew sure has come along way. I don't know about you but I think it's time we contacted Lord Muzan. It's about time we showed him just how much the young prince has improved." Tanjiro felt his butt wag, almost like he had an imaginary puppies tail. His heart was starting to beat out of his chest! He hadn't seen his father in a little over two years since he awakened as a demon. And it was nerve wracking to even think that the two were about to be reunited after these few years apart. He was nervous, but he couldn't have been more happy to know that he was about to see his father again. Almost as if the Demon King was listening, a double sliding bamboo door opened up beneath all of them and they all fell through and started falling endlessly through a black sky. Tanjiro couldn't help but scream as his body was being tossed around aimlessly as he fell through portal after portal. It was in this moment that he realized just how large and vast his father's domain truly was. It had been quite some time since he was in the walls of the infinity castle, and even back then he only saw a small portion of the grand building. Miss Nakime's blood demon art was truly something to behold!

The last bamboo door opened and even though Tanjiro was falling headfirst, he was able to correct himself midair and landed on his feet. Two more doors opened near him and out came his uncles Kokushibo and Akaza who immediately kneeled in the presence of their Demon King. Tanjiro swiveled his head and he felt the corners of his mouth lift when he saw his father sitting on that familiar red velvet chair. "Father!" He said happily and started trotting over to greet Muzan but felt when Akaza grabbed the hem of his pants leg. He looked down and saw his uncle glaring at him and gesturing for him to kneel as well. Tanjiro got the hint and kneeled to his father. "It is an honor to see you again, father. It has been far too long." He could feel Muzan's piercing gaze on him and gulped back his anxiety. Muzan looked down at his son and leaned his head on his hand which was sitting on the arm of the chair. "There's no need for that. We're family, Tanjiro. Now, come and give me a proper greeting." He said as he raised his hand forward. Tanjiro stood back up and cautiously walked over to his father before placing a gentle kiss on top of his hand. "It is good to see you son. I've thought of nothing but you over these last two years. It is great to see you doing so well." The Demon King said with a soft smile.

Tanjiro returned the smile and was joined by Kokushibo and Akaza who now stood behind him. "It has come to my attention that you think that my son is worthy and has finished his training." Muzan brought up briskly. It was a known fact that he had an active curse on all demons. It was only moments ago when they were discussing about contacting him, and the minute that came to their thoughts he was instantly alerted which is why it didn't take too long for him to summon them, because he is always watching and listening. It was his way of keeping a leash on every demon that was created through his blood. Kokushibo nodded his head as he withdrew his sword. "Yes, my lord. That is correct." Muzan stood up from his chair and walked over to his son, grabbing a hold of his son's hair and playing with it between his fingertips. "I see. Well then, I would like to see for myself. Kokushibo, I want to see a sparring match between you and Tanjiro. All he has to do is leave one scratch on you. If he can do that, then I will consider your mentoring of him to be a success." Tanjiro felt his blood run cold. As much as he's improved, he's never been able to beat his uncle Kokushibo. But this was finally his chance! He was being given an opportunity to prove to his father once and for all that he was ready, and he wasn't about to back down and mess it up.

The two took their positions and held their swords. Tanjiro felt a bead of sweat dripping down his face, and his hands just wouldn't stop shaking. It's not like he thought that he wasn't able to hold his own against the number one ranking Moon, but performing in front of his precious father was giving him anxiety. Muzan was now sitting back in his chair with Akaza next to him. He lifted his hand to signal for the match to commence. "Start." He said, and immediately, Kokushibo was on the offensive. He was swinging his blade aggressively showing that he was not holding back and was really giving it his all. Tanjiro used all the skills he was taught as a swordsman and blocked every attack, but this time around it was very different from their training. "Total Concentration! Moon Breathing, first form, dark moon! Evening Palace!" The six eyed demon yelled out as he swung his sword forward and slashed swiftly in a singular horizontal motion in a crescent shape. All the while his blade, which was made from his own flesh started to transform and splintered off making extra crescent moon shaped blades. Tanjiro deflected the initial strike but was cut in the side by one of the extra blades.

He gritted his teeth as he clutched his wound which was already starting to heal. But Kokushibo wasn't going to give him a chance to recuperate as he continued with his barrage, and Tanjiro was barely able to keep up. He saw a small opening and took that as his opportunity to deliver his first attack. He repositioned himself as he took a deep breath and his sword started enveloping in black flame. "Sun breathing! Third form, raging sun!" He swung his sword down and performed two powerful horizontal strikes with the first strike being deflected, but the second one made it passed Kokushibo's defenses and for a moment he thought he finally caught him off guard, but the Upper Moon spun around and barely dodged the attack by the tips of his hair and lifted his leg up and kicked Tanjiro straight in the stomach and sending him flying. Tanjiro crashed into the wall and slumped down with blood dripping down from his mouth. He coughed a little as he clutched his ribs and proceeded to wipe his mouth. He was starting to get incredibly frustrated. His uncle was just dancing around him, without even an ounce of fear. At this rate, he was going to lose for sure.

He looked up at his father who was watching him with judgmental eyes. He gritted his teeth as he clutched his blade and felt a vein start to pop out on his forehead. Kokushibo wiped the blood off of his blade and then propped his sword on top of his shoulder. "Are you done already? We just started. Do you really intend to give up just when the fight is starting to get good?" He said mockingly, trying to provoke the young demon into a sense of aggression. Tanjiro always had a bad habit of holding back against his family. When it came to slaughtering humans, he let his true demon nature come out, and that was one of this greatest weaknesses. Determining the proper situation when to let loose or not. Regardless of if they were family or not, when it came to life or death, you must always fight with all your might if you want to survive. Which was something Tanjiro failed to have a firm grasp on. His kindness was a strength when it came to being a good leader, but it was his downfall whenever it came to combat. Tanjiro's gaze sharpened as his eyes started to burn with hatred. He stood back on his feet and the aura surrounding him was drastically different. Akaza, who was still standing beside Muzan, felt that same sense of darkness whenever his nephew got like this. The switch in his mind was now flipped, and his adorable nephew was gone. Instead of his loveable Tanjiro standing in front of him, he was currently the demon prince in a murderous fit.

"I never said I was giving up. Who gave you that idea? I'm just getting revved up. Prepare yourself uncle, because I'm not holding back anymore!" From Tanjiro's back, two boney tendrils that looked like they were made from a spinal cord erupted from his back and Tanjiro launched himself forward as he clashed blades with the older demon's sword once more. Muzan smirked as he watched them continue to fight. He wasn't expecting his son's blood demon art to be so similar to his. Tanjiro really was his most perfect creation. Just what ability didn't he inherit from him? Kokushibo now not only had to deflect against the demon princes sword, but his tendrils as well. Tanjiro knelt down and used one of his boney spines to ram into Kokushibo's side which sent him flying, but otherwise didn't physically hurt him because at the last second he was able to deflect. Tanjiro smirked as one of his spines, which he had dug into the floor, erupted beneath Kokushibo's feet in a surprise attack, which caused him to jump into the air. With lightening fast movement, Tanjiro jumped and inverted himself in the air so that he was upside down and he took another deep breath. "Total Concentration! Sun breathing, fifth form! Setting Sun Transformation!" He swung his sword horizontally, with his jump building momentum into his swing which resulted in an even heavier attack. And although Kokushibo was able to push the attack back from leaving a fatal wound, his sword snapped in half. When the two landed on the ground, Tanjiro stood adjacent to him while breathing heavily. Kokushibo smirked, surprised that his nephew was able to break his weapon like that. And then he felt a warm trickle on his neck when a cut opened in his skin and blood started to pour out from his wound.

Tanjiro was now back to his normal self, the blood lust and rage leaving his system as he ran over to make sure that his uncle was okay. "I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean too!" He said as he applied a handkerchief to his uncles throat, momentarily forgetting that his uncle was a demon who could regenerate instantly. The six eyed demon laughed as he pushed the handkerchief away and patted Tanjiro's head. "Stop apologizing. You did good kid. You passed; you realize that right?" From behind them, Muzan stood up and started clapping slowly. "That was a spectacular show! To think you were able to draw Kokushibo's blood, let alone break his sword! I am truly impressed!" Muzan walked over and grabbed ahold of his son's hand, which made the young demon smile. "This is cause for a reward I think, as proof for all of your hard efforts." He said mischievously as he pulled Tanjiro's sleeve up and dug his nail into his skin, pumping him with even more of his blood. Tanjiro gasped as he felt his vein's start to fill with more of his father's powerful demonic blood, and his body felt warm all over as he could feel his power increasing. Tanjiro fell to his knees as his vein's pulsed, and a look of pure pleasure accompanied with a deep red blush streaked his face. "You're ready, my son. I give you permission to finally start looking for the Blue Spider Lily. After seeing your fight, I am no longer worried about the Demon Slayers hunting you."

"I will also inform the Lower Moon's that they have a new leader. If you are ever in need of assistance, let Nakime know and she will gather them for you. I am so proud of you, my precious day walker." Muzan said as he pulled Tanjiro in a fatherly embrace, to which the demon prince relaxed in his arms. His ears were still pounding due to the adrenaline from the convergence of power, but he thinks he heard what his father had said to him. He was finally ready to leave the nest and become an independent demon who will continue to make his father proud. "Thank you. I will not let you down." The two separated and Tanjiro gasped when he felt Akaza wrap his arms around his waist and started swinging him around, which made the young demon start to feel dizzy. "Man am I going to miss seeing you every day, you little brat! You used to annoy me, but now I can't imagine a day where I'm not waking up to your ugly face! Ahh, how the time just flies by." He set him down and Kokushibo joined them to also praise Tanjiro once more before they all started heading their separate ways. Tanjiro frowned, not even having considered that he wouldn't be needing his uncles anymore. "I know that while I'm on my journey, I won't be able to see you guys. But is it alright if I stop by every now and then for a visit if I ever start to get lonely?" The two Upper Moon's smiled at him before they pulled him into a hug, which was an unusual act of affection coming from two murderous demons. "We'll be there for you whenever you need us. Now give those Demon Slayer's hell!" They said in unison with Tanjiro snuggled into their arms still. He really couldn't have been more happier in his life than he was in this moment. He was going to miss them so much!