Chapter Nine:
Lighten up! Be nicer!

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Yahaba's body fell onto its knees as Tanjiro fell with a thud. "You bastard! As long as I bring your head back, I can get our master's acceptance! Unforgivable! You let my head touch the filthy ground! Unforgivable! You're going down with me!" Yahaba exclaimed. Y/n's eyes widened as arrows appeared on Tanjiro. "Tanjiro! Damn it... How is he still moving?!" Y/n exclaimed. "Tanjiro! I'm not allowed to interfere! Soften the impact using your forms! You have to use them consecutively. 'He's already disintegrating! I can speed up the process.' Y/n noted. "Breath of flowers, third form: Sakura waltz, " Y/n chanted. She circled around the demon, dropping Sakura petals on him. The petals fell on his face, making him disintegrate even faster. Y/n stopped circling, dodging the arrows. "Oh so now you show yourself?!" Yahaba exclaimed. Just as his head was about to completely dissipate, he hit Y/n with an arrow. "Not enough!" He exclaimed. "Breath of water, first form: water surface slash, " Y/n chanted, softening the impact. The arrows dissipated, signaling that he was gone. "Tanjiro!" Y/n called. She ran over, catching him before he hit the ground. Unfortunately, she lost her footing, causing her to trip. 'Gah! I heard a tear! A crack too! The crack was from Tanjiro's bones... I might have torn a ligament when I caught Tanjiro.' Y/n noted. She got up, pain striking her nondominant arm. 'At least it isn't my sword arm...' Y/n noted. "Come on. We have to help the others, " Y/n said. She held out her uninjured arm, helping Tanjiro up. Y/n noticed Tanjiro's predicament. 'Right... He used his forms consecutively... He doesn't know how to recover from that... It's not like I can carry him. His initial body weight plus his muscle mass is something I can't really carry in my condition. My arm is torn cause I used it to cushion several falls, plus I caught Tanjiro and Nezuko while being hit with this arm...' Y/n noted. Y/n kneeled down, helping Tanjiro pick up his sword. She boosted him up, helping him walk. She such his arm over her shoulder as they slowly walked over, with Y/n making sure that she doesn't hurt Tanjiro. When they got close enough, Y/n saw Tamayo using her blood demon art. Y/n immediately covered Tanjiro's mouth and nose then held her breath. "Don't inhale. This part of Lady Tamayo's blood demon art is harmful, " Y/n said. Tanjiro nodded, then proceeded to cover his mouth and nose himself. "... No! Not lord Kibutsuji!" Susamaru exclaimed. "You said his name. The curse will activate, " Tamayo said, causing Susamaru to gasp. Y/n's eyes widened. Susamaru began running screaming apologies. "I'm so sorry! Please forgive me!" Susamaru exclaimed. 'No... Not this again..! I've seen this already!' Y/n said to herself, a look of horror casting onto her features. She squeezed her eyes shut, burying her head into Tanjiro's chest. "No... No..! I don't wanna see it again...!" Y/n muttered. A look of horror placed itself onto Tanjiro's boyish features as three arms grew out of Susamaru. One through her mouth, and the other two through her stomach. Tanjiro's grip on Y/n tightened as he pulled her closer. Y/n buried her face even deeper into Tanjiro's chest, attempting to block out the sounds. "Demons like her can die... But not like this..!" Y/n muttered. Tanjiro's arm moved to Y/n's waist, wrapping around her protectively. About a minute later, the sounds stopped. "Is she dead..?" Tanjiro asked. "She'll die soon. This is a curse. The cells of Kibutsuji that remained in her body killed her... Generally, it is a waste of time for demons to fight each other. It is meaningless. Because we can't kill each other. Only sunlight and the sword of a demon slayer can do so. However, Kibutsuji can destroy the cells of a demon, " Tamayo said. "Hey... Y/n... It's okay now..." Tanjiro muttered, rubbing her back. "A-ah, I see... S-sorry..." She muttered. She moved away slightly, adjusting their position so that she could help Tanjiro walk. "Oi! Hashira! Catch!" Yushiro exclaimed, throwing over two handkerchiefs. "You know what to do!" Yushiro exclaimed. Y/n nodded, handing Tanjiro the other handkerchief. They covered their mouths and noses then walked closer. "Y/n... You were right... She isn't a member of the twelve Kizuki, " Tamayo said. "I see... I have to admit... It was hard fighting them without having the ability to immediately decapitate them. If they were actually a member, I'd have permission to behead them on my discretion, " Y/n said. "They were too weak. If they were actually a member, I'd probably be heavily injured due to the fact that I can't interfere, " Y/n said. Tanjiro darted his eyes towards her. "Too weak?! They're considered weak?!" Tanjiro asked. "Miss Hashira's right. But I can't believe such brainless demons dare injure the precious body of Lady Tamayo. They deserve this, " Yushiro said, his frown shifting into a smile. "I hope this blood sample can give us a lead in creating the cure, " Tamayo said.

"I'll go check on Nezuko. Y/n, you work with medicine too, correct?" Tamayo asked. Y/n nodded. "Alright. Please tend to Tanjiro's wounds while I make sure Nezuko's okay, " Tamayo said. Y/n nodded then helped Tanjiro into the remains of the house. "Temari..." A voice muttered. "Wait, " Tanjiro said. "Temari..." Susamaru muttered. "The temari..." Tanjiro trailed. He looked at Y/n asking her to help him. Y/n sighed, then helped him place the temari beside Susamaru. "Let's play..." Susamaru muttered. "She must have loved playing with a temari when she was still human..." Y/n muttered. "Come on. I need to take care of your injuries, " Y/n said, helping him into the house. She sat him down near a wall then dug into her bag. "Fortunately, I keep medical supplies here, " Y/n said. She eventually pulled out bandages, then turned to Tanjiro. "Take your uniform off, " Y/n said. Tanjiro's eyes widened as blood rushed to his cheeks to the point where almost his entire face was red. "Wh-what?! Why?!" Tanjiro asked, slightly backing away. "What do you mean 'why'?! I-" Y/n said, stopping herself as she realized what he meant. "What the heck?! I didn't mean it in that way!" Y/n exclaimed, her face heating up. "I just needed you to take off most of it! Leave your pants on for fuck's sake! Take off your top and your shoes so I can help you with your broken bones!" Y/n exclaimed. "S-sorry!" Tanjiro exclaimed, complying with her orders. He slipped off his uniform, then the polo under it, leaving him shirtless. Y/n's face burst into flames as she looked away. 'C-crap..! I let the uniform fool me but damn, does he have a body- Gah! How am I supposed to focus now?!' Y/n cursed silently. "Alright, my zoris are off now, " Tanjiro said. Her hands trembled as she began to wrap bandages around his abdomen up to his chest. 'Focus... Stop... Staring... At... His... Toned- stop!' Y/n scolded herself. Once she finished wrapping the bandages around the area of his broken ribs, she moved to his foot. She quickly wrapped bandages around his foot, tying it up. She reached into her haori, bringing out a box. She opened it, revealing several syringes. "I'm surprised these aren't broken yet, considering how many times I've been thrashed into trees and walls, " Y/n said, preparing the syringe. She took hold of Tanjiro's wrist, injecting a healing serum. "That should help you heal faster. It should also ease the pain and help you fight normally, " Y/n said. She took out another syringe, preparing it. "What's that one for?" Tanjiro asked. "It's for me. It should help with my arm. I have to ask lady Tamayo to help me with my arm and my back since I have trouble using only one arm when bandaging, " Y/n said. "I understand your arm... But your back?" Tanjiro asked. "Internal bleeding. I stopped the bleeding earlier but it still needs to be treated, " Y/n said. "Alright. Stay here, " Y/n said. She walked out of the house, making Tanjiro raise an eyebrow. Less than a minute later, she came back with his haori. She draped it over his shoulders, then helped him up. "Thanks, " Tanjiro said. Y/n nodded. They went deeper into the house, looking for Tamayo, Yushiro, and Nezuko. "We're down here! You don't have to come, but come if you want!" Yushiro exclaimed. "Yushiro!" Tamayo scolded. Y/n and Tanjiro went down, Nezuko immediately running up to them once they made it. Nezuko engulfed Y/n and Tanjiro in a hug, then ran back to Tamayo to give her one too. "Nezuko's been acting like this ever since she woke up, " Tamayo said. "It must be the hypnotic suggestion oto-san used, " Y/n said. "But... I thought it only worked on humans..? We're demons..." Tamayo said. Y/n and Tanjiro glanced at each other, smiling. "It seems to us that Nezuko determines you as human, " Tanjiro said. Tears filled the corners of Tamayo's eyes, making Tanjiro panic. "Ah! I'm so sorry! Nezuko! Let go! That's..!" Tanjiro exclaimed, then stopped himself once Tamayo hugged back. "Thank you, Nezuko..." Tamayo said.

When Tamayo and Nezuko let go of the hug, Nezuko ran to Tanjiro's side. "We need to leave this place. This place is near Kibutsuji. If we don't hide immediately, we'll be in great danger. Even if we try to hide, I'll be in contact with many people as a doctor. Inevitably, they'll find out I'm a demon. Especially children and the elderly, who are more perceptive, " Tamayo said. "Tanjiro, " Tamayo called. "Yes?" Tanjiro asked. "Leave Nezuko in our care, " Tamayo said, shocking Yushiro, Tanjiro, and Y/n. "Although we can't guarantee her safety, it's safer than you bringing her into fights, " Tamayo said. Yushiro looked at them with widened, pleading eyes, shaking his head as if he's begging them to disagree. 'She isn't entirely wrong... But this isn't my decision... Though, I'm sure Tanjiro wouldn't agree. After what had happened, it's irrefutable that he wouldn't want to be separated from Nezuko.' Y/n noted. "Lady Tamayo, I appreciate the kind offer, but I don't wanna leave Nezuko. We'll never part ways. No, never again, " Tanjiro said. Tamayo smiled, then nodded. "I understand. I wish you the best of luck in your future battles, " Tamayo said. "See you. We'll leave after removing all the traces. You three better leave now, " Yushiro said. "Of course. Please take care, lady Tamayo, Yushiro, " Tanjiro said. "Let's go, " Tanjiro said. Nezuko nodded, then ran towards and up the stairs. "Wait! Nezuko! You don't have to run!" Tanjiro exclaimed, following after her. "Tanjiro!" Yushiro called, making Tanjiro stop. "I suppose you're right. Your sister is a beauty, " Yushiro admitted, making Tamayo, Tanjiro, and Y/n smile. As Tanjiro walked up the stairs, Y/n turned to Tamayo. "Pardon me, lady Tamayo, but could you please help me with my arm and my back?" Y/n asked. "Of course. Yushiro, please leave the room for a bit, " Tamayo said. Yushiro hesitated, but he couldn't turn down the request of the one he loved, so he left the room. "Alright, I'll get the bandages. You should take your top off so I can bandage you up, " Tamayo said. Y/n nodded. She took off her haori, then the top of her uniform, leaving her in her bra. "Y/n?" Tanjiro called, walking down the stairs. His breath hitched as his systems seemed to have shut down. "Wah! Baka! Out, now! Wait for me upstairs!" Y/n exclaimed, her face turning red. Tanjiro gulped, nodding profusely. He ran up the stairs, releasing the breath he had involuntarily held. His breathing was uneven and his face was red. Nezuko raised an eyebrow as blood fell from Tanjiro's nose. He took out the handkerchief that Yushiro gave earlier, using it to wipe his nose. His head began spinning as images of earlier flashed into his mind. He slapped himself, hoping to regain his focus. "Oi, let's go, " Y/n said.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

They walked in silence, that is until Tanjiro's crow came up to them. "Southeast! Your next destination is southeast!" The crow exclaimed. "Okay! I get it! Now please quiet down!" Tanjiro exclaimed. "PLEASE!" A masculine voice exclaimed, startling them. "PLEASE MARRY ME! I'LL BE DEAD SOON! SO PLEASE MARRY ME SO THAT I WON'T DIE ALONE!" The same voice exclaimed. Y/n turned away, covering her ears. As a sparrow flew over to Tanjiro, Y/n walked away. She approached nearby flowers, admiring their beauty. Butterflies fluttered around her as she crouched down, caressing the petals. About five minutes later, she stood up from her spot, the butterflies following her as she walked up to the two boys. "You two seem to be done chatting. Shall we go ahead, Tanjiro?" She asked. "WAAAAHHH! A GODDESS APPROACHED US! SUCH BEAUTY! PLEASE! PLEASE MARRY ME!" Zenitsu exclaimed, running up to Y/n. He kneeled in front of her clutching onto her uniform. Her face scrunched up in disgust. "No! She will not marry you!" Tanjiro exclaimed, pulling him away. "Insolent nincompoop, " Y/n spat, shocking Tanjiro and Zenitsu. "Y-Y/n!" Tanjiro called. "Such an ill-mannered scoundrel you are. Why in the world would you run-up to a female asking them to marry you?" Y/n said. "Hey! Y/n! Lighten up! I get it, he made you angry, but please! Be nicer!" Tanjiro encouraged. Y/n crossed her arms over her chest, turning away. "I suppose you're right. I wasn't professional myself. Apologies, " Y/n said aggressively, turning back to them. She shot Zenitsu a glare, making him cower in fear. "Well, since you're a member of the corps, I suppose I should introduce myself. I'm L/n Y/n, " she said. "A-Agatsuma Zenitsu, " he said. "Get up. We should get going. Southeast, was it?" She asked, turning to Tanjiro. Tanjiro nodded. Y/n gave him a close eyed smile, making Zenitsu sweatdrop. 'She looked so peaceful when she walked up to us. She was like a Goddess as butterflies surrounded her. I must have triggered a fuse, getting on her bad side. She must know Tanjiro really well then. If not, she might not have smiled so carelessly in front of him. What a lucky guy... He's been traveling with a Goddess, and he's the only one she acknowledges as a friend...' Zenitsu thought to himself, getting up from the ground. The three of them began to walk, Zenitsu stealing a few glances at Y/n, who was beside Tanjiro. Unlike earlier, her eyes were gentle, admiring the butterfly on her finger. He looked down, spotting Y/n and Tanjiro holding hands. He looked away, a scowl present on his features. He kept quiet, knowing that Y/n would get mad if he made a scene. "Lucky..." Zenitsu muttered. "You two are hungry, aren't you? I can hear it, " Y/n said. "Ah, now that you mention it, I guess I am, " Tanjiro said, his free hand scratching the back of his neck. Zenitsu nodded. The butterfly on her finger flew away as she used the same hand to reach into her bag. "Here, " she said, handing onigiri to Tanjiro and Zenitsu. "Aren't you hungry, Y/n-chan?" Zenitsu asked.

"It's L/n, to you. And no. I'm not hungry, " Y/n said. "Y/n..." Tanjiro called, looking at her with sad eyes. "Don't look at me like that. We've talked about this before. I'm not getting all buddy-buddy with people I just met. Especially someone as insolent as he is, " Y/n said. "But..!" Tanjiro trailed. "You can't change my mind, Tanjiro. I don't need new people, " Y/n said. "But... Zenitsu's a demon slayer..! He can protect himself, so it's not like you're gonna lose him!" Tanjiro argued. "Don't bring my thantophobia into this!" Y/n exclaimed, shocking Zenitsu. 'Thantophobia..? If I remember correctly... That would be the fear of losing people you love and care for... Is that why she has a hard time opening up..?' Zenitsu questioned silently. Tanjiro gave Y/n's hand a squeeze, looking at her with the same sad eyes. "Sorry..." Tanjiro trailed. "Still, at least be a little nicer!" Tanjiro said, smiling at her. Y/n's cheeks reddened. She looked away, avoiding eye contact. "I'll be nicer when he deserves it..." Y/n muttered. "Close enough, " Tanjiro said, looking straight ahead as he bit into his onigiri. "Tanjiro! Zenitsu! Y/n! Run!" The crow exclaimed. "Wah! The crow can talk?!" Zenitsu exclaimed in shock. "Run towards your next stop! That is where your next mission will take place! Y/n L/n will remain a supervisor unless she needs to fight!" Y/n's Robin exclaimed. "Supervisor..?" Zenitsu asked. "I'll explain later. Come on, " Y/n said. She and Tanjiro began running, Y/n making sure to slow down a little to match Tanjiro's pace. They ran down the path, eventually reaching a forest. Once they made it through, they spotted an eerie mansion. "I smell blood... But this scent..." Tanjiro said. "Hmm? What scent?" Zenitsu asked. "I've never smelled it before..." Tanjiro trailed. "I can't smell anything, but can you hear that?" Zenitsu asked. "Hear what?" Tanjiro asked. "Nevermind. Y/n, how bout you? Do you hear what he's talking about?" Tanjiro asked, turning to Y/n. "Well, from the mansion, I hear a tsuzumi. I also hear several heartbeats. Four demons, the rest human. I hear quivering behind us, " Y/n said. Tanjiro raised an eyebrow, then turned around. There were two kids. One boy, one girl. They shared the same features, hinting that they were siblings. "Children..?" Zenitsu questioned. "Hey, what are you doing here?" Tanjiro asked, walking up to them. Y/n followed. The two kids backed away, making Tanjiro stop. "Hey, wanna see something cool?" Y/n asked, stepping up. She kneeled in front of them, holding a hand out. She gave a quiet whistle, her Robin landing on her palm. "Look. Isn't she cute? Her name is Iro. She's a tamed Robin, " Y/n said. Iro chirped, fluttering her wings. Tanjiro stepped up from behind her, presenting Zenitsu's sparrow. "And this is a tamed sparrow. Cool, right?" Tanjiro asked. The two calmed down, tears filling their eyes as they fell onto their knees. "So, could you please tell us what happened? Do you live here?" Y/n asked. "N-no. This house belongs to the monster. They- they took nii-chan. We were on the road one night, then suddenly, this monster we've never seen before appeared and took him. It didn't notice us. It only took nii-chan, " The boy said. "They went into that house, right?" Tanjiro asked. "You followed them all the way here? That's great, you two were very brave, " Y/n commended. "We followed nii-chan's blood trail because he was injured, " the boy said. "Is that so..? Don't worry, we'll save your brother, " Y/n said. "R-really? You'll do that?" The girl asked. "Sure thing, " Tanjiro said. He and Y/n got up, readying themselves.

"L/n-chan, you hear that sound, right? What is it?" Zenitsu asked. "I said this before, it's a tsuzumi, " Y/n said. Everyone turned their attention to the house once the sound got even louder. Several beats erupted from the house, making everyone flinch. Not long after, a heavily injured man fell through the window. "Cover their eyes!" Y/n exclaimed, running over. Her nondominant arm ached as she caught the man, laying him down on the ground. 'Crap! His wounds are incredibly deep!' Y/n noted. Her hand jolted to grab his wrist, checking for his pulse. 'It's still there but is incredibly weak.' Y/n noted. Y/n's hands trembled as she reached into her haori. "I-I finally escaped... I had... So much trouble... And now, I'm finally... Out... Am... Am I going to die..?" The man asked. "No! You're not going to die! I promise! Listen to my voice and just hang on a little longer!" Y/n exclaimed, readying a syringe. 'This is the first time I'm using this, and it hasn't been properly tested. Let's just hope it works.' Y/n said to herself. "Come on, sir. Just breathe! Listen to my voice, everything will be alright. Just breathe, " Y/n said, grabbing his wrist to inject the serum. The man obliged, taking as many breaths as possible. "Alright, you're doing great. I injected you with a special healing serum. It's one of a kind. It should help keep your heart beating until I can patch you up, " Y/n said. "Keep breathing. You're doing great, " Y/n said, taking out another syringe. After Y/n finished preparing the syringe, she injected the serum into him. "Alright, I injected you with a special blood clot serum. It should speed up your blood clotting, " Y/n said. "Hold on a minute, okay?" Y/n said. The man nodded, taking deep breaths. She took out bandages, a brush, ink, and parchment paper. She quickly jotted down a letter, then whistled for her robin. "Alright, Iro. This is incredibly important. I want you to give this letter to the closest hospital, okay?" Y/n said, handing her the letter. Iro nodded, taking the letter before flying off. She began pulling off the top part of the man's clothing, taking a look at his wounds. 'The serums working. I just have to assist the serum by bandaging his wounds.' Y/n noted. She quickly began bandaging his wounds, making sure it's not too loose, and not too tight. "Alright, you did great, sir. Keep breathing. I sent a letter to a nearby hospital. Help should be on the way. The serum is working great. Just keep breathing and remain calm, " Y/n said. She reached into her haori again, taking out another box. She opened it and grabbed a syringe, injecting it into the man again. "That should help you regain energy. It should also boost the previous serums I injected, " Y/n said. "Y/n... Isn't that the two kids..." Zenitsu trailed. Tanjiro turned to the kids. "Is that your brother?" He asked. The two kids shook their heads. "No. That's not him. Nii-chan wore an orange kimono, " the boy said. Y/n lifted him up, sitting him by the wall. "Am I going to die..?" The man asked again. "No, you aren't gonna die, sir. You're in a stable condition. Your pulse seems to be alright thanks to the serum, and your wounds seem to be healing quickly, again, thanks to the serum, " Y/n said.

"Thank you... So much, young lady..." The man said. Y/n smiled, heaving a sigh of relief. "No need to thank me. I promised you wouldn't die, and I don't break promises, " Y/n said. "Y/n... You're incredible..!" Tanjiro praised. Y/n stood up, dusting off her uniform. "Stay here, please. There should be people coming to rescue you by now. My robin flies incredibly fast, so she should be leading medics here as we speak. I've done all I can. The rest is up to you. Just hang in there until help comes, okay?" Y/n implored. "Of course... I'm forever in your debt, ma'am, " the man said. Y/n nodded, then flinched at the sound of the tsuzumi. "Tanjiro, Zenitsu, let's go, " Y/n said. She walked up to the door, waiting for the two. Tanjiro turned to Zenitsu. "Well then, let's go, Zenitsu, " Tanjiro called. Zenitsu looked at him, shaking his head. "But, only we can save them, " Tanjiro argued. Zenitsu shook his head again. Tanjiro looked down, a shadow cast over his features. "Alright. If that's what you want, " Tanjiro said, looking down, even more, shocking both Y/n and Zenitsu. Tanjiro turned around, walking away. Zenitsu ran up to him, clinging onto the box. "WAH! DON'T GIVE ME THAT LOOK! I'M COMING, OKAY?! I'LL COME!" Zenitsu exclaimed. "I don't wanna force you..." Tanjiro trailed. "I SAID I'LL COME!" Zenitsu exclaimed. Tanjiro went up to the kids, placing Nezuko's box in front of them. "As a precaution, I'll leave this with you. It will protect you if anything happens. Well, we're off now, " Tanjiro said. Tanjiro and Zenitsu walked up to Y/n, Tanjiro nodding at her. She opened the door, then entered first. They walked around, Zenitsu quivering behind them. "Ne, Tanjiro, L/n-chan, you'll protect me, right?" Zenitsu asked. "I'd hate to burst your bubble, Zenitsu, but Tanjiro has a fractured rib and a fractured leg. I tore a ligament in my nondominant arm, and my back is heavily bruised. Tanjiro isn't fully healed yet. I'm close to getting healed, " Y/n said, frightening Zenitsu. "WHAT?! TANJIRO HAS BROKEN BONES AND YOU INJURED YOUR BACK AND ARM?! HOW COULD YOU?! HOW ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO PROTECT ME IN THAT CONDITION?! I'M TOTALLY DONE FOR! COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY DEAD! HOW CAN YOU HAVE INJURED YOURSELVES?! THAT'S INEXCUSABLE! THERE'S A NINETY-NINE PERCENT CHANCE OF ME DYING!" Zenitsu exclaimed. "Calm down, Zenitsu!" Tanjiro exclaimed. "I DON'T NEED YOUR CONSOLATION!" Zenitsu exclaimed. "No! We know what we're doing!" Tanjiro argued. "Huh?" Y/n questioned, looking up. "What are you two doing here?" Tanjiro and Y/n asked in unison. "Onii-chan, that box was making scratching sounds!" The boy said. "Still, you shouldn't have left it, " Tanjiro said. Y/n sighed, picking the girl up. "That box is more precious to me than my own life, " Tanjiro said. The mansion began shaking, scaring mostly Zenitsu. Zenitsu covered his ears, screeching as he bent over, his bottom hitting Tanjiro and Y/n, who was carrying the little girl. "A-ah, sorry, my butt just..." Zenitsu trailed. Everyone's eyes widened once the room Zenitsu and the boy was just in changed. They were no longer in front of them. Y/n, Tanjiro, and the girl were in a different room. Several other beats played, changing the room whenever the sound of the tsuzumi echoed. 'What the hell..?' Y/n questioned silently. The little girl clutched onto Y/n's uniform, burying her face into her shoulder as she cried. "Hey, sorry you got separated from your brother. But you have nothing to worry about. We'll protect you, and I'm sure Zenitsu can protect your brother, " Y/n reassured, rubbing circles in her back. "What's your name?" Tanjiro asked, wiping away a tear from the girl's small face. "Teruko..." She muttered. "Oh, Teruko... You have a nice name, " Tanjiro and Y/n said. Y/n's eye twitched as she heard the crashing of huge feet onto the ground. Whoever was making those footsteps was huge.

Y/n turned to Tanjiro, who seemed to have picked up his scent. The two of them glanced at each other, nodding. Y/n, who was still carrying Teruko, ran behind a wardrobe, sitting down as she covered Teruko's mouth. "Shhh... Be quiet, okay..? The bad guy's coming, and he might hear you. Onee-chan will protect you, while onii-chan will deal with him, okay?" Y/n reassured. Teruko nodded, squeezing her eyes shut. "Shhh... Everything will be all right... Onee-chan and Onii-chan will protect you... You're safe... Don't listen to the bad guy's voice... Just listen to mine..." Y/n whispered. Y/n removed her hand from Teruko's mouth, moving it to her head. She gently caressed Teruko's head, making her less tense. Tanjiro unsheathed his sword. "Hey, you! I'm a Mizunoto-ranked demon slayer! Kamado Tanjiro! I'm here to defeat you!" He exclaimed. Tanjiro dashed towards the demon, immediately aiming for his neck. The sound of the tsuzumi echoed, causing the room to tilt. Teruko yelped. Y/n pivoted her body, making it so that she was the one who hit the wall. She groaned in pain as her back hit the wall. "Teruko! Y/n!" Tanjiro called. "We're all right!" Y/n exclaimed. 'I hear footsteps... Smells human... A male...' Y/n noted. Bursting through one of the doors was a male with a built body, wearing a boars head to hide his face. "Hey, demon. I'm gonna make a stepping stone to a higher rank in the demon slayer corps my cutting you into pieces! Here I come, rushing in like a boar!" The mysterious man said. He charged at the demon, baring his pair of nichirin swords at him. The room tilted in response, causing the feral boar man to lose his footing. Y/n pivoted her body once more, landing on her feet this time. The undomesticated man stepped in Tanjiro, using him to get momentum for another charge. "That demon has a blood demon art! You can't just slash at him without a plan!" Tanjiro exclaimed. The boar man laughed, almost maniacally, charging at the demon once more. The room tilted again, twice this time. Y/n pivoted her body, wincing in pain as she felt her back getting stepped on. She threw Teruko to the side, landing on her stomach with a thud. She groaned as the foot of the boar man pressed onto her back, bruising it even more. "Get off her!" Tanjiro exclaimed, pulling his foot up. He threw the boar man to the side, immediately helping Y/n up. "T-Teruko, are you all right?" Y/n asked, glancing behind her. Teruko nodded, getting up. "What the hell?" The boar man questioned. "You just stepped on a girl! What's wrong with you?!" Tanjiro shot back. "Onee-chan, you're back..." Teruko trailed. Y/n picked her up. "Why? Is it bleeding?" She asked. Teruko nodded. Y/n caressed her head. "Don't worry. I've dealt with worse. I'll be fine, " Y/n reassured. Tanjiro pulled Y/n and Teruko behind him, looking at the boar man. The boar man cackled. "That was the first time someone threw me down!" The boar man exclaimed. He charged at them, making them jump back. "My swords are amazing, aren't they? They aren't for normal people like you. They can make mincemeat out of anybody. They are my pride and joy, " the man said. "Stop it! The demon's over there!" Tanjiro exclaimed. "I don't care!" The man retorted. Y/n's eye twitched. Using her free hand, she grabbed the back of Tanjiro's collar, pulling him with her as she jumped back, dodging an attack from the demon. Another slash attack appeared, aiming for the boar. 'Right.' Y/n noted. She jumped, the room tilting as she did so. She landed on both her feet, eyeing the demon. 'Left.' She noted. She jumped again, the room tilting as she does so. Again, she landed on her feet. 'Right and forward.' Y/n noted. She jumped, pivoting her body as the room tilted twice. She landed on her feet, the wood of the cupboard creaking as she lightly stepped on it. Tanjiro landed beside them, nearly falling through the door. The boar man had fallen through the door already. 'This is good. I can predict his movements, and Tanjiro seems to be getting the hang of it.' Y/n noted. Their eyes widened as the room changed again. 'But how?! The demon didn't even try to hit his tsuzumi. Come to think of it, he seems to be missing a drum that was on his back. Someone else must have it.' Y/n noted. Y/n took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of blood. Including a marechi. "Tanjiro, " Y/n called. Tanjiro glanced at her, seeing her pointing at the door. Tanjiro nodded, pulling them behind him. Tanjiro approached the door, opening it. He turned to the side, seeing the remains of a body. Tanjiro shook his head, closing his eyes.

"What is it?" Teruko asked. Y/n pursed her lips. 'Tanjiro must have spotted a corpse. A woman, I believe. She isn't a marechi.' Y/n noted. "It's nothing. The demon isn't here anymore. Come on, let's go somewhere else, " Tanjiro said. Teruko nodded as Y/n walked out. Y/n pressed Teruko's forehead against her shoulder, making sure she doesn't see the corpse behind them. "Don't look up, okay, sweetie?" Y/n implored. Teruko nodded, remaining still. 'Blood... It smells just like Y/n's... But I'm positive it's not hers...' Tanjiro noted. Y/n followed behind Tanjiro, who stopped in front of a door. Teruko perked up, looking at the door in front of them. Tanjiro quickly opened the door, revealing a boy wearing an orange kimono. He was holding the missing tsuzumi. He panicked, raising his hand to beat the tsuzumi. He stopped when Teruko called him. "Kiyoshi-nii-chan!" Teruko exclaimed. Y/n put Teruko down, allowing her to run up to her brother. "Teruko!" The boy called, taking his sister in his arms. "Who are they?" Kiyoshi asked. "I'm Kamado Tanjiro, " he said. "L/n Y/n. Tanjiro's friend and supervisor, " she said. "We're here to defeat the demons, " they said in unison. "Could you show us your wound?" Y/n asked, kneeling in front of Kiyoshi along with Tanjiro. Kiyoshi began crying, making Y/n and Tanjiro frown. Not long after, an idea struck Tanjiro. "Here's an amazing wound cream! My master made it for me!" Tanjiro exclaimed. Y/n raised an eyebrow as he took it out, opening the container. Y/n smiled as he rubbed the familiar cream on Kiyoshi's wound. "He's also Y/n's sensei. He always wears a tengu mask, " Tanjiro said. Y/n took out some bandages, placing it beside them. "Tengu mask? Really?" Kiyoshi asked. "Yes. His cream is so amazing that it works the second you rub it, " Tanjiro said. "He's really good at making that cream. In fact, I got my first bits of knowledge about medicine from him. As of now, my medical experience has helped me save thousands of lives, " Y/n said, taking his leg as she wrapped it with bandages. "Really? That's so cool, Y/n-nee-chan!" Teruko exclaimed. "There you go. Better, right?" Y/n asked. Kiyoshi smiled, nodding. "Now, could you tell us what happened?" Tanjiro asked. "A monster caught me. As he was about to eat me, some other monsters came out of nowhere. They started fighting each other. They were arguing over who among them could eat me. Then, there was one who grew tsuzumis on his body. When the others beat him up, this tsuzumi fell off him. Picked it up and beat it, then the room changed. I still have it now, " Kiyoshi said. "The demon with tsuzumis..? Is it that one? The one that talks about marechi?" Tanjiro asked, making Y/n flinch. "Yes! That's the one! He keeps calling me a marechi!" Kiyoshi exclaimed. "Oh, that means we're the same, " Y/n said, smiling. "W-what..?" Kiyoshi asked. "I'm a marechi too, " Y/n said. Tanjiro's eyes widened. "Does that mean..?" He trailed. Y/n nodded. "There are different types of blood in this world. One of which, is extremely rare. One of a kind, really. It's almost impossible to encounter someone that's a marechi. Marechis are people who have that extremely rare blood I mentioned. Their blood contains the nutrients of fifty to one hundred normal people. Marechis are a demon's most exquisite meal. A marechi is practically a favorite. But of course, there's a difference between male and female marechis. A female marechi generally contains more nutrients because of their body's nature, " Y/n explained. Y/n's eye twitched as Tanjiro inhaled the scent of a demon. "I'm about to leave this room, " Tanjiro said, making the kids flinch. "Don't worry. Stay calm. Y/n will stay here to protect you from any other demons. Once I leave, beat the tsuzumi, " Tanjiro said. "Y/n has very keen senses. When she tells you to beat the tsuzumi, beat it. She'll keep you safe if ever something goes wrong, okay?" Tanjiro said. The two nodded. Tanjiro turned to Y/n. "I'm leaving them in your care, " Tanjiro said. Y/n nodded. He around, about to walk away. He stopped when Y/n grabbed his hand. Tanjiro glanced behind him, looking at Y/n. "Promise us you'll come back safe, got it?" Y/n implored. Tanjiro smiled. "Of course, " he said. Y/n pulled him back, embracing him. "If you don't come back five minutes after that tsuzumi in Kiyoshi's hands disappears, I'm taking the kids and we're looking for you, " Y/n said, burying her face into his chest. Tanjiro chuckled, placing a hand on her head while he wrapped the other around her waist. "Just make sure they're safe, " Tanjiro said. "No shit, Sherlock, " Y/n jested. They pulled away from the hug, Tanjiro immediately dashing towards the direction of the demon. "Beat it!" Tanjiro exclaimed. Kiyoshi nodded, the sound of the tsuzumi echoing as he obliged. Y/n sighed, turning to the kids. She walked up to them, sitting in front of them. "You two are really brave. That's a good quality to have in this world, " Y/n commended, smiling at them.

"Y/n-nee-chan, why are you letting Tanjiro-nii-chan do all the work?" Teruko asked. Y/n tensed up, then shook off the feeling. "As much as I'd like to help him, I can't. I'm under strict orders. I can choose between assisting him or protecting the bystanders. Without talking about it, it's obvious that we both agreed that I'd protect both of you, " Y/n said. "What do you mean by 'strict orders'?" Kiyoshi asked. "Well, as Teruko had probably heard earlier, Tanjiro is a Mizunoto-ranked demon slayer. I'm part of the Hashiras, " Y/n said. "Hashiras?" Teruko asked. Y/n nodded. "Hashiras are the elite group of the demon slayer corps. The members stand out because they're much stronger than the other members. They're even stronger than the highest member rank, which is kinoe, " Y/n said. "Woah! And you're part of it, right? Does that mean you're stronger than Tanjiro-san?" Kiyoshi asked. Y/n chuckled, then nodded. "Of course, he has a chance of becoming stronger than me, " Y/n said. "Ne, Y/n-nee-chan, what did Tanjiro-nii-chan mean when he told us you had keen senses?" Teruko asked. "Well, while Tanjiro has a keen nose, I have good eyes and ears. Just like him, I have a keen sense of smell too. I also have a good sense of touch. By that, I mean I can feel even the slightest vibrations, " Y/n said. "Woah! That's cool!" Kiyoshi and Teruko praised. Y/n chuckled. Her eye twitched as she turned to the door. "Beat the tsuzumi, " Y/n said. Kiyoshi nodded, then did as told. 'Not good. The demon's still nearby even if we changed rooms.' Y/n noted. "Beat it again-" "waah!" Kiyoshi exclaimed, cutting Y/n off. Y/n turned to him, seeing the tsuzumi disintegrating. Y/n sighed. "It's alright. That means Tanjiro defeated the demon, " Y/n said. "Really?" Kiyoshi asked. Y/n nodded. Her eye twitched again. "Both of you. Hide. I want you to stay as quiet as possible. There's one more demon remaining, and it's nearby, " Y/n said. The two gulped, then nodded. They hid at the back of the room, covering themselves using nearby things. Y/n unsheathed her sword. The door opened, revealing a female demon. She had a pale complexion, an average stature accompanying it. She had dark purple eyes, the kanji for 'lower moon zero' etched into her irises. Her titanium blonde hair fell freely, reaching until her back. She was wearing a pink kimono, kept together by a black obi. Not completely barefoot, she wore traditional tabi socks, but no zoris. 'And I thought there was only upper moon zero. Who knew upper and lower moon zero weren't counted in the twelve kizuki, but are still a part of it.' Y/n said to herself. "Well look what we have here. Pink flower haori, similar thigh high socks, altered demon slayer uniform, flower crown, most importantly, e/c eyes and h/c to pink hair. You're that female demon slayer that cousin Kaito fought, " the demon said. "Oh, so you two are related. Not much of a surprise now that you think of it, " Y/n said. "Well, let's make this quick, " Y/n said. She reached into her haori, grabbing a knife. She threw it, almost hitting her. The female demon looked at the knife, a sinister grin spreading on her features. "Ha! What an amateur! You missed!" The female demon exclaimed. "Jokes on you, I never miss, " Y/n muttered into her ear. The demon's eyes widened as she spotted Y/n behind her. She jumped away, avoiding her slash. "Oh, so you're faster than most lower moons. That's nice. What's your name?" Y/n asked. "It's Aina! And you better remember it!" She exclaimed. "Blood demon art, duplicate!" She exclaimed again. Several clones of her appeared beside her. "Oh, I see. You and your cousin are alike. You two focus on illusions. Say, why don't you draw your weapon and get serious?" Y/n asked. Aina smiled sinisterly. "With pleasure, " she said. She and her clones took out their weapon, revealing a simple spear. "Alright. Make your move, " Y/n said. All of the clones charged at her, while Y/n just stood still. Once they got close enough, she made her move. "Breath of flowers, fifth form: Boton of futility, " Y/n muttered. She made quick of all the clones, quickly using all nine slashes.

Aina's eyes widened. She gulped, preparing another attack. But before she knew it, her vision moved from in front of her, to the roof of the room. Her head had been cut off. "Reality check, you're far weaker than your cousin, " Y/n said. Aina gritted her teeth. "You'll pay for this! Cousin Kaito will get back at you!" Aina exclaimed. Y/n rolled her eyes, pulling out the blood extraction device Yushiro had given her and Tanjiro. She threw it at Aina's body, immediately extracting her blood. "Yushiro's craftsmanship skills are impressive..." Y/n muttered, taking the device. She watched as Aina cursed at her, her body disintegrating. "How uneventful..." Y/n muttered. "It's safe now. You two can come out, " Y/n said. A meow was heard as a cat appeared in front of her. 'This must be the cat Yushiro mentioned.' Y/n said to herself. She kneeled in front of the kitten, putting the device in the small bag. She rubbed the cat's head, then let it set off. "Did that cat... Just disappear..?" Kiyoshi asked. "Don't worry about it, " Y/n said. Her eye twitched. "Y/n-san, is there something wrong?" Kiyoshi asked. Y/n shook her head. "Tanjiro's here, " she said. On cue, Tanjiro opened the door. "Are you guys okay?" Tanjiro asked. Kiyoshi and Teruko nodded. Y/n walked up to Tanjiro, placing a hand on his chest. Tanjiro's face reddened. "You broke another rib, and you inhaled too deep, didn't you?" Y/n asked. Tanjiro chuckled. "You can tell?" He asked. "Of course, " Y/n said. "I'll fix you up later. We should get going, " Y/n said. Tanjiro nodded. Tanjiro and Y/n walked up to the two. Y/n picked Teruko up, while Tanjiro kneeled in front of Kiyoshi. "Get on my back. I'll carry you, " Tanjiro said. Kiyoshi obliged, climbing on. They walked out of the room, Y/n's eye twitching. 'How come I didn't notice this before? I smell blood in the direction where Zenitsu's scent is coming from.' Y/n noted. Y/n glanced at Tanjiro, who glanced back. "Do you sense something?" He asked her. Y/n nodded. Tanjiro looked in front, sniffing in an attempt to find what Y/n sensed. Tanjiro's breathing hitched when he inhaled the scent of blood. "What's wrong?" Kiyoshi asked. Tanjiro and Y/n smiled at him. "It's nothing. Come on, let's hurry, " Tanjiro said. They nodded. Y/n and Tanjiro began speeding up, making their way towards Zenitsu and Shoichi. "So, could you tell me what happened while I was gone?" Tanjiro asked. "Y/n-san told us a few things about the corps. There was also this demon that came to the room. It sounded like she recognized Y/n-san, " Kiyoshi said. "Is that so?" Tanjiro asked. Kiyoshi hummed. "She said that Y/n-nee-chan had met her cousin, " Teruko added. "Y/n-san killed the demon almost immediately! She was really fast!" Kiyoshi said. Teruko nodded, making Y/n and Tanjiro chuckle. Their breathing hitched once they finally got outside. The boar man was giving Zenitsu a beating, while Zenitsu stayed still, protecting the box Nezuko was in. "Tanjiro... I protected it..." He said.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•
1) Y/n learned about Tamayo's blood demon art after introducing herself.
2) initially, Yushiro did not respect Y/n. After accepting the fact that she was a Hashira, he called her "miss Hashira" as a sign of respect.
3) puberty can really get to people. Even those who are extremely polite.
4) Y/n hates the fact that Zenitsu regards himself as weak, even though he isn't.
5) Y/n has yet to see Zenitsu in action, but she is well aware of his unconscious state. That would be that thanks to Iro, who told her about the abilities if the survivors of final selection.
6) without knowing it, Y/n and Zenitsu actually have something in common. They both call their assigned bird by name. Both of them also have the ability to fight in their sleep. Except Y/n trained herself to do so, while it was natural for Zenitsu.
7) Tanjiro was naturally pissed when Zenitsu clung onto you. He set his anger aside and minimized it.
8) thanks to Y/n's efforts, the man that fell through the window was brought to a hospital. He's currently in a hospital room, healing up.
9) The doctors questioned how he was healing so fast.
10) he intends on writing her a thank you letter. Problem is, he doesn't know how to give it to her.
11) it is noted by Zenitsu that Y/n and Tanjiro look like a couple.
12) while Y/n and Tanjiro walked around, Teruko in Y/n's arms, they could easily be mistaken for a family.
13) Teruko calls Y/n 'Y/n-nee-chan' and Tanjiro 'Tanjiro-nii-chan' because the author of this book is following the Japanese dialogues, editing them a bit.
14) it is noted by Kiyoshi that Y/n's eye twitches when she senses something without the use of her eyes.
15) when Zenitsu first met Y/n, he had noticed that she sounded different. Stronger, even. He knew she was different. He just couldn't put his finger on it.
16) Y/n finally views Zenitsu in a different light.