Chapter 5: The Hashira!

"Oi - Oi wake up! wake up!" A male voice yelled as a man slapped a boy on the ground a couple of times. The man was wearing black versions of the standard Demon Slayer uniforms consisting of a gakuran jacket and hakama pants, along with a blackhead covering and a black and white mask.

The boy in question who was slapped slowly opened his eyes to see a man wearing a mask continuously slapping him. The boy had ruffled, black hair with burgundy tips, combed back to expose his forehead, and wide, dark red eyes with white pupils that appear lighter around the lower section of his irises. He also had a scar on the top left of his forehead that looked like a flame pattern.

"Where am I?" the boy questioned as he tried to process what was happening.

"What a bummer, I heard that he was a demon slayer with a demon in tow, I was expecting someone Flamboyant but that is one drab-looking dude, huh?" The man with a muscular build and broad shoulders with lightly-tanned skin and white hair said.

His hair was of an uneven length, the longest strands reaching his shoulders, and is styled with three more notable, shorter clumps arching up to fall as bangs between his eyes and on either side of his face.

He had quite thin, maroon eyes that appear to slant inwards, each with one long eyelash flowing to the far side of his face. He was wearing a sleeveless and dark turquoise version of the standard Demon Slayer uniform, along with a wrap of burgundy cloth around his calves with his tattsuke-bakama pants tuck in, and white-strapped Zōri.

He was also wearing two thick, golden rings around his upper arms and what appears to be a pair of finger-less blue gloves, secured around his middle finger with a band of white and his wrists with another set of thinner gold rings, this time with two on each side.

---{Uzui Tengen: Sound Hashira!}---

"and now we will put this boy on a trial!" The man with tall stature and a muscular-athletic build said with a bright charismatic smile.

He had long bright yellow hair with red streaks akin to flames along with two shoulder-length bangs and two chin-length bangs on the side of his head, black forked eyebrows, and golden eyes that fade to red with white pupils.

He was wearing a paler brown version of the regular Demon Slayer uniform, which consisted of a brown gakuran jacket, a white belt around his waist, and tattsuke-hakama pants. Over this, he wore a haori with a white-yellow gradient pattern and red flame-like ridges at the end. Finally, he wore red kyahan with yellow flames erupting from the bottom up, pale brown tabi socks, and a pair of white zōri with red straps.

---{Rengoku Kyojuro: Flame Hashira}---

"I see" The boy of light complexion with long, straight hair of a black color that fades to mint green as it approaches his waist said with a calm voice as his eyes continued to stare towards the sky.

He was wearing his hair loose with two clumps protruding slightly from each side of his head, a set of marginally shorter hair left down to frame his face, and unruly bangs over his forehead. He also possesses large, empty-looking mint-green eyes.

He was wearing a dark, slightly turquoise-tinted version of the Demon Slayer uniform. His uniform had longer, looser sleeves that are more reminiscent of those of a kimono than of the standard cuffed uniform. Along with this, the lack of bands of cloth wrapped around his calves gives his uniform an overall loose and sizable appearance. Finally, he had dark blue tabi socks and a pair of white zōri with dark blue straps.

---{Tokito Muichiro: Mist Hashira}---

'To think that he has been protecting his sister who is now a demon now that's beautiful sibling love! how brave' The woman with a curvaceous body of average height and muscular build with a slightly pale complexion and round, pale green eyes with long eyelashes, a small beauty mark beneath each of them thought as she but her chin between her fingers.

She had long, light pink hair that fades into a lime green color at the halfway point, which she wears in three thick braids. She also had five shorter, choppy clumps hanging over her face as voluminous bangs, the tips lime green as well.

She was wearing a heavily modified pink tinted version of the standard Demon Slayer uniform along with a plain white haori. The chest area of her uniform is left unbuttoned and she wears a short pleated skirt in place of the usual tattsuke-hakama pants. Additionally, she was wearing a pair of navy blue thigh-high socks layered with the vertically striped lime-green socks and a pair of white zōri with pink straps.

---{Kanroji Mitsuri: Love Hashira}---

"Just who are these people?" the boy questioned as he looked around him.

"Don't address them just yet you moron! Just who do you think you are talking to!?" The man in the mask yelled as he slammed the boy's head on the ground.

"You are in the presence of the Hashira!" The man yelled as he berated the boy.

"I imagined the would be more rabid and wild, however, he seems like a docile house cat," The man with pale skin, a tall and muscular man with long and white hair with orchid tips that he kept in a ponytail, said as he looked towards the boy with a solemn gaze.

The man was wearing a pale black nagagi kimono that had a light purple crescent moon at the back and black umanori-styled hakama pants tied with a white uwa-obi. He carried a katana at his waist that had a golden hilt.

He was wearing a dark, slightly orchid-tinted version of the Demon Slayer uniform, which consisted of a dark, slightly orchid gakuran jacket, a white belt around his waist, and tattsuke-hakama pants.

---{Anzhong: Moon Hashira}---

'Hashira?'

'What is a Hashira?'

'What is he talking about ?'

'and who exactly are these people?'

The boy on the ground questioned as he tried his best to remember anything that resonated with the word Hashira.

"This is the Demon Slayer's headquarters. And you are about to be put on a trial...Kamado Tanjiro." The woman of petite build with a pale complexion and large, compound-like eyes that lack pupils, only a haze of gradient purple, making her eyes appear similar to those of insects.

She had black wavy hair that fades to dark purple, styled at the back of her head into a flat yakai-maki bun, fastened with a white, turquoise, and light purple butterfly ornament. She also had center-split, ear-length, voluminous curtain bangs that flow down to frame the sides of her face, with two slightly thinner chin-length locks of hair in front of her ears below them.

She was wearing a dark purple standard Demon Slayer uniform with gold buttons, consisting of a dark-purple tinted straight-lined black jacket and matching colored tabi socks and hakama pants, tucked into white butterfly patterned Kyahan fading into pale turquoise then pink around her lower legs, fastened with white ribbons. Over her uniform, she wore a white haori.

---{Kocho Shinobu: Insect Hashira}---

"Why don't you explain the crim you have commi-" Shinobu's words were cut off by Rengoku.

"There is no need for a trial!" Rengoku exclaimed with a huge smile.

"Protecting a demon is a clear violation of the codes! We are within our rights to deal with him on our own!" He continued.

"We are going to behead him along with the demon!" He declared with an optimistic voice.

"In that case, I will be glad to behead him flamboyantly," Uzui said as he adjusted his headband.

"I will show you the most flamboyant blood spray you will ever see!" He exclaimed proudly.

'what? they will kill such an adorable child? It pains my heart it fills me with anguish!' Mitsuri thought as she looked at Tanjiro with pity.

"What a pitiful sight this boy is. The poor soul...I pity him for being born at all" The man with a power full built and extremely muscules. He had spiky black hair and a prominent scar running horizontally across his forehead. Having been blind since childhood, he has white eyes with no visible irises or pupils.

He was wearing a black and white uniform typical of a Demon Slayer, with bandages over his shins resembling kyahan and white zōri with an olive green happi draped over his shoulders. He also sported a large-beaded necklace around his neck and carried an ojuzu.

---{Himejima Gyomei: Stone Hashira}---

'Nezuko?'

'Where is Nezuko' Tanjiro thought as he looked around him with no sight of his sister.

"The Hashira's are speaking where are you looking at?" The man with the mask questioned as still kneeled before the Hashira.

"These are the Ten highest-ranking swordsmen in the Demon Slayer Corps," The man said in a low voice.

"Nezuko!"

"Nezuko where are you!" Tanjiro yelled as he struggled in his bindings.

"Nezuko!"

"Zenitsu!"

"Inosuke!"

"Murata!" Tanjiro yelled the names of his friends but received no answers.

"Forget that what will we do with Tomioka? Seeing him without restraints is giving me a headache" The man laying on a tree branch said as he pointed toward another man.

He had straight-edged black hair of varying lengths, the longest reaching down to his shoulders and the shortest stopping at his cheekbones, which he wears down with two shorter strands hanging between his eyes. His eyes are almond-shaped and tilt upwards on the far sides, and are unusual due to him possessing heterochromia—his right eye is yellow and his left eye is turquoise.

He was wearing a navy blue version of the standard Demon Slayer uniform, along with a black and white pinstriped haori, the hem and cuffs of which are striped lengthways rather than vertically, which covers his hands. He also sported bandages in place of the leg wraps around his calves giving the resemblance of kyahan, as well as another set of bandages that cover his mouth, and white with blue-strapped zōri on his feet. He was also seen with a white snake wrapped around his shoulders.

---{Iguro Obanai: Serpent Hashira}---

"Based on what Kocho has told us he is as guilty as the boy, How should we make him take responsibility, What kind of lesson should we teach him?" Iguro said.

"Don't you have anything to say Tomioka?" Iguro said as he pointed toward a man.

The man had a muscular stature and pale complexion and was seen wearing a serious and emotionless expression. He had unruly black hair of uneven lengths that sticks up in tufts around his head, which he wears tied back in a low messy ponytail at the base of his neck. His bangs fall over his eyes in an uneven fringe. His eyes are sharp and moderately large, their irises a deep sapphire that fades to a lighter blue and their pupils a bluish-black, and are framed by thin eyebrows.

He was wearing a dark cyan-tinted version of the standard Demon Slayer uniform with buttoned white leg-wrapped kyahan and a pair of white zōri with dark blue straps and tabi socks underneath being the same cyan color as his uniform. Over this, he had a haori that's split down the middle into two different patterns: the right one a solid red, and the left one geometrically patterned with squares of green, orange, and yellow.

---{Tomioka Giyū: Water Hashira}---

"Oh? what is the harm? he came without resisting after all we can decide the penalty later" Kocho said.

"What I am interested is in hearing the boy's story. The reason he is going on missions with a demon in tow despite being a demon slayer." She continued.

"No need to ask," Tengen said as he tried to cut in the conversation.

"The demon is my younger sister! While I was away my family was attacked by a demon and by the time I got back they were all dead"

"My sister was turned into a demon but she has never devoured anyone," Tanjiro said desperately.

"Spare us your absurd ravings. If she is family, no wonder you are defending her. I can't trust a single word you are saying."

"I, for one, don't believe you," Iguro said as he pointed toward Tanjiro.

"She has been possessed by a demon. So let us kill this poor child, so she can be liberated!" Gyomei said.

"Your story is spinning in the most drab way possible, idiot. The fact that she has not eaten anyone, that she won't from now. Don't just give us lip service prove it to us with max flamboyance." Uzui said in a berating voice.

"I have my own doubts about the situation you know. I just can't imagine Master being in the dark about this situation." Mitsuri said in a slightly caring tone.

"Do you guys really think that it is okay to deal with the situation without his permission? Should we not wait until he arrives, at least" she continued trying to delay the situation.

"I for once agree with Mitsuri we should wait for Kayaga-san to arrive we were called here for a reason," Anzhong said as he sat under a tree.

"Well, well I see you have some fun brewing here," A hoarse voice said as it took everyone's attention.

The man had a tall and muscular man with spiky long white hair and large pale purple eyes. His face and body were covered with scars, accrued over his many years of fighting demons.

He was wearing a green-tinted version of the standard Demon Slayer uniform, unbuttoned to expose his chest and abs with a white long-sleeved shirt over it with the kanji for kill etched on the back, white buckles around his shins, and tabi socks with a pair of white zōri with green straps.

---{Shinazugawa Sanemi: Wind Hashira}---

"Is that the moron who had a demon with him?" Sanemi questioned with a crazed smile while holding a wooden box.

"What the hell were you trying to pull here?" Sanemi asked again.

"Shiazugawa! please don't act out of order" Kocho scolded as she glared at Sanemi.

"What did you say, kid? That she can fight alongside the demon slayers to protect humans? You know what we call that! A TOTAL DELUSION YOU MORON!" Sanemi said a pulled out his Katana and in a swift motion stabbed towards the box.

*Cling!*

The sound of two blades clashing resounded in the courtyard as Sanemi's forest green blade was blocked by another Katana with an orchid hue.

"Respect the rankings Shinazugawa. Kagaya-san has yet to arrive don't do anything out of line" Anzhong said as he sheathed his blade back.

"You have been warned, but you are free to take the next strike," Anzhong said as he resumed his position.

'Anzhong-san so cool!' Mitsuri squealed in her head.

"Oi, Anzhong are you now defending the demon as well!" Obanai yelled as he pointed toward Anzhon.

"I am merely warning you all to not do anything that might be detrimental to you. " Anzhong replied simply.

"Who cares!" Sanemi yelled in slight frustration and proceeded to stab the box anyways. Blood spurted from where the box was stabbed as it covered his bade.

"Heheheheheh" Sanemi laughed with a crazy expression as Tanjiro started to charge toward him.

"Stop! the master is going to arrive soon don't do anything foolish!" Giyu yelled as he tried to diffuse the situation.

Sanemi was a little shocked by Giyu's outburst as he stopped for a moment giving Tanjiro the opening to get close to him. In pure reflex, Sanemi swung his blade towards Tanjiro's legs to stop his attempt.

Determined Taniro leaped in the air dodging the strike and with a loud band smashed his head with Sanemi's. Sanemi's nose started to bleed a little as they both fell to the ground.

The hashira were standing there speechless on the display.

"pfft-" Mitsuri let out a little giggle as she tried her best to cover up her mouth.

"Pardon me," She said as she continued to giggle.

"If you cannot even tell the difference between good and evil! you should quit being a Hashira!" Tanjiro yelled as he stood back up.

"You brat! I will destroy you!" Sanemi said as he let out a crazed smile.

"The Master ... has arrived" Two voices resounded putting a halt to the actions of all.

------

This is a time skip of about 10 years. Anzhong's official age is 14 while his apparent age is around 18-19. He is also seen as an 18-19 year old by his fellow hashira.