The Gift of Umbrakinesis

Together Forever

~At Tamayo's mansion~

Tanjiro faces off against Yahaba. Yahaba: "It's about time for you to die!" Yahaba sends several attacks toward Tanjiro. He dodges them and charges toward Yahaba. Tanjiro: "Urahhh!!" Twist! Envelop! Twisting Whirlpool Flowing Water! Yahaba: "Ngh... Ugh!" Yahaba sends more attacks toward Tanjiro. Tanjiro: "Grrr...!" My sword's so heavy! But...! Second Form... Improved... Lateral Water Wheel! Yahaba is beheaded. Yahaba: "Gah..." Tanjiro: "Ugh...!" I did it! The Whirlpool move loses force when it's not underwater! But thanks to my opponent's attack, it gained power, and I was able to envelop the arrows! Yahaba's head lands on the ground. Yahaba: "Ngh...! Curse you! Curse you! Curse you! All I had to do was bring back your head, and I would've won his approval! I'll never forgive you! I'll never forgive you! Shoving my face into this vile dirt! You're going down with me!" Yahaba's hands send an attack to Tanjiro. Several arrows appear through Tanjiro's body. Tanjiro: "Ah...!" Oh no! He's gonna get me! Tanjiro is sent flying by the arrows. Tanjiro: "Ah!" I'm getting pulled by a force stronger than the arrows he's hit me with! I gotta unleash move after move and go on the defensive, or my body's going to get smashed! "Fourth form! Striking Tide!" Tanjiro releases an attack, and he hits the ground instead of a tree. Tanjiro: "Ugh..." Another arrow sends Tanjiro flying into the air. Tanjiro: "Ah... Ngh...!" The pressure is bearing down on my body, and I can't swing my sword! Unleash one! Unleash a move! Not here! Don't let yourself get beat! Second Form, Water Wheel! Tanjiro unleashes an attack and stops in the air, but another arrow sends him flying down. Tanjiro: "Ahh!!" Waterfall Basin! Tanjiro unleashes an attack and stops himself from hitting the mansion, but he's sent flying back up. Tanjiro: "Ahh! Water Surface Slash! Drop Ripple Thrust Curve! Whirlpool!" I've never made this many consecutive moves before! It feels like both my arms are about to get torn off! Yahaba's head starts to dissolve. Yahaba: "Nowhere near enough! More... Suffer more!" Tanjiro continues to be tossed around in the air. Tanjiro: How many more times? How many? Don't think about it! Just keep unleashing moves! Keep throwing them out! Yahaba: "Not yet! It's still not enough yet!" Yahaba's head completely dissolves. Tanjiro falls from the sky and lands on his back. Tanjiro: "Gah..." Tanjiro catches his breath and gets back up. Tanjiro: Nezuko... Miss Tamayo... Yushiro... "Ngh..." I've got a broken rib and leg. Tanjiro reaches for his sword but can't grasp it. Tanjiro: N-No good! I'm too exhausted to grip my sword! I gotta get over there! There's still one more demon! Tanjiro takes the sword into his mouth and begins crawling forward. Tanjiro: I'll be there soon! I'll be there soon! So be safe, all right? Please... be safe!

~Elsewhere on the property~

Yushiro faces off against Susamaru. Susamaru bounces her Temari balls, causing dust to be stirred up. Susamaru: "Hahaha!" Yushiro: "Ngh..." Susamaru starts throwing her Temari balls at Yushiro. Yushiro dodges them. Yushiro: "Ridiculous! It's child's play for me to evade a linear attack like this! Locating you is a breeze, as well!" Yushiro disappears. Susamaru: "Heh..." The same goes for you! No matter how well you might conceal yourself, I can see you clear as day! Susamaru throws a Temari ball straight for Yushiro's head. Yushiro: "Ngh...!" Nezuko blocks the ball with her foot and kicks it away. Susamaru: "Haha! What fun this is!" Nezuko: "Mm..." Yushiro: "Hey, you! Don't be so rash just because you're immortal!" Nezuko sees her younger brother in Yushiro. Yushiro: "Wh-What's wrong?" Nezuko pats Yushiro's head. Nezuko: "Mm..." Yushiro: "What do you think you're doing? Here it comes!" Susamaru throws another Temari ball at Yushiro and Nezuko. Nezuko kicks it away. Nezuko: "Mm!" Susamaru: "Hahahaha!" Susamaru continues throwing Temari balls at Nezuko, but Nezuko keeps kicking them away. Nezuko: "Ngh... Ngh... Ngh!" Yushiro: "Look at her... Lady Tamayo..." Nezuko: "Ngh!" Nezuko kicks a ball back at Susamaru. Susamaru: "Ah...!" Susamaru catches the temari ball. Susamaru: "Ngh..." You little brat! You little brat! So, now you can kick my Temari back at me? How insolent! Susamaru drops her Temari ball and kicks it to Nezuko. The two kick the ball to each other. Susamaru: "Ngh... You damn brat!" Nezuko: "Ngh...!" Yushiro: "Unbelievable. Lady Tamayo, is this..." Tamayo: "I used a healing serum on her, nothing more. Made exclusively for demons." Nezuko: "Ngh!" Tamayo: "It doesn't make one physically stronger. What we're seeing is Nezuko's own power. Without devouring human blood, solely on her own..." Y/n: "Tanjiro saysshe sleeps to regenerate." Nezuko is gaining strength at a rapid rate. Nezuko: "Ngh... Ngh!" Nezuko kicks the temari ball at Susamaru's head. Susamaru narrowly avoids it. Susamaru: "Ah..." Tamayo: However, her opponent is also formidable. If she were to go all-out, Nezuko wouldn't stand a chance. I've got to... do something. Tamayo pulls up her sleeve. Susamaru: "Hahahaha! You're an amusing little girl! This time, I'm going all-out against you! I wonder how long you can hold out!" Nezuko: "Ngh..." Y/n: "Would now be a good time to say she's not one of the Twelve Blood Moons?" Yushiro: "How can you tell?" Tamayo walks in front of Nezuko. Tamayo: "Twelve Kizuki demon girl there..." Susamaru: "You're in my way! Step back, you damn fugitive!" Tamayo: "Just tell me one thing please. Are you aware of Kibutsuji's true identity?" Susamaru: "Ah...! What the hell did you say?!" Y/n: "Eh. He's okay. He stoped me from being trampled." Tamayo: "That man is nothing but a coward. He lives in constant fear of something." Susamaru: "Stop it! Damn you! Stop it!" Tamayo: "Do you know why it is that demons can't band together? The reason why demons cannibalize each other? It's to prevent other demons from banding together and attacking him. He manipulates demons to act this way. Demons like you." Susamaru: "Shut up! Shut up, shut up! No way is he that petty!" Yushiro: "Ah..." Lady Tamayo... is casting a spell. Yushiro covers Y/n's mouth and nose with a cloth tied at the back of her head. Tamayo's hand bleeds as a scent wafts from it. Susamaru: "The power he wields is mind-blowing! There's no one stronger than him! Not Lord Kibutsuji! Ah...!" Susamaru covers her mouth. Susamaru: "Ah!" Tamayo: "You've uttered that name out loud, haven't you? That will trigger the curse." Susamaru: "Ah... Ah...!" Yushiro: Magical Aroma of Daylight. It weakens its target's brain functions, rendering that person unable to lie or keep secrets. It's immensely potent, Lady Tamayo! Tamayo: "I do feel sorry for you, but... farewell." Susamaru runs off. Susamaru: "Ahh... Ahh!! Please forgive me! Please forgive me! I'm begging you! Please! Please forgive me!" Susamaru's body begins to degrade. Susamaru: "Ah... Ahh... Ahhh!!" Arms burst from Susamaru's mouth and upper body. Y/n whimpers. Tanjiro: "Ah..." Tanjiro covers Y/n's eyes. Yushiro: "A-Ahh..." The arm coming from Susamaru's mouth crushes her head. Tanjiro: "Ah...!" Yushiro: "Ahh..." Susamaru's body is broken apart until only an arm and eyeball are left. Tanjiro: "Did she just die?" Tamayo: "She will die momentarily. That's the curse. Her physical body will be destroyed by Kibutsuji's cells still in her body." Tanjiro: "Ah..." Tamayo: "In general, battles between demons are futile. It's pointless because they can't inflict fatal wounds on each other. Only sunlight and the swords of Demon Slayers can do so. Kibutsuji alone appears to be able to destroy demon cells." Yushiro runs over to Tanjiro and shoves a cloth in his face. Tanjiro: "Ah...!" Yushiro: "Don't go inhaling Lady Tamayo's spell! It's harmful to the human body! You got that?" Tanjiro nods. Tamayo: "Tanjiro... She is not one of the Twelve Kizuki. The Twelve Kizuki have numbers engraved on their eyeballs, but this demon doesn't have one. Most likely, the other demon isn't a member of the Twelve Kizuki, either. They're too weak." Tanjiro: "Huh? Too weak? At that level?" Yushiro: "If Lady Tamayo says so, there's no mistake. Still, who knew there were suck stupid demons? She physically injured Lady Tamayo. She got exactly what she deserved." Tamayo retrieves a blood sample from Susamaru's arm. Tamayo: "I hope this blood will be instrumental in developing the healing serum. I'm going to take care of Nezuko. Not only did I medicate her, but she also inhaled my spell inadvertently. I'm so sorry." Yushiro: "Ah! Don't move a muscle! You're on your own now! I don't want to leave Lady Tamayo's side! Not even for a second!" Yushiro runs off with Tamayo. Susamaru: "Ma... ri..." Tanjiro: "Huh?" Susamaru: "Mari... Mari..." Tanjiro gets up and brings the Temari ball to Susamaru. Tanjiro: "Here's your mari." Susamaru: "Play with me. Play with me." Y/n: "Next time." Tanjiro: You're just like a little kid. Even though you must've murdered scores of people. The sun rises, and Susamaru's arm disintegrates. Tanjiro: You were deluded into thinking you were in the Twelve Kizuki. Deceived... Compelled to fight... And now, you were killed by the Kibutsuji curse. There's no salvation. Even after you die, not even your bones will remain. Is this the price you pay for killing others? "Ngh..." Kibutsuji... This is how that man treats even those who revere him! He's a true... demon!

~Sometime later~ 

Tanjiro walks into Tamayo's mansion. Tanjiro: "Tamayo! Yushiro?" Yushiro: "Over here! Over here!" Tanjiro: "Huh?" Yushiro: "Not that you need to come at all. But if you want to, then get down here." Tamayo: "Yushiro!" Yushiro: "Only joking!" Tamayo: "Hurry down, then, Tanjiro!" Tanjiro: "Oh, right!" Tanjiro heads down to the basement. Tanjiro: "Ah... Nezuko!" Nezuko runs up to Tanjiro and hugs him. Tamayo: "I moved her to this basement, where the sunlight won't reach her, ahead of daybreak." Nezuko pulls away from Tanjiro. Tanjiro: "Oh... Nezuko?" Nezuko hugs Tamayo. Tamayo: "Ah..." Yushiro: "Ngh...! Why, you! Step away from Lady Tamayo! That's so rude!" Tamayo: "Stop it, Yushiro. I don't mind at all." Yushiro: "Yes, ma'am!" You have such a kind heart, Lady Tamayo. You're too beautiful to believe! Nezuko: "Mm... Mm~..." Nezuko pats Yushiro's head. Yushiro: "Cut... that... out!" Tamayo: "Nezuko has been acting this way since she awoke. Do you think she's all right?" Tanjiro: "There's nothing to worry about. She's fine. She probably thinks you're someone in our family." Yushiro tries pushing Nezuko's hand away. Yushiro: "Cut it out!" Tamayo: "Family? But I thought the spell Nezuko is under causes her to see humans as her family. And Yushiro and I are demons." Yushiro: "Cut it out!" Tanjiro: 'But Nezuko has perceived you two as humans. That's why she tried to protect you." Nezuko gives up and goes back to hugging Tamayo. Y/n: "Never surrender! Y/nn tackles Yushiro. Y/n: "Now Nezuko!" Nezuko quickly runs over and pats Yushiro's head. Yushiro: "Ahh! Get off!" Tamayo: "Ahh..." Y/n and Nezuko hug Tamayo. Tanjiro: "At first, I didn't like the idea of Nezuko being under a spell, but since it looks like she has a will of her own, I'm glad that --" Tanjiro looks up to see Tamayo tearing up. Tanjiro: "Ah...! I-I'm so sorry! Nezuko! Nezuko! S-Step away from her! It's rude, all right?!" Tamayo returns Nezuko's hug. Tamayo: "Thank you... Nezuko... Thank you..." Yushiro: "Ah..." Yushiro remembers back to when Tamayo saved him. Tamayo: (Flashback) Do you still wish to live? Do you still wish to live even if you're no longer human? If this goes on, you will most likely succumb to your illness. However, losing your humanity will cause you pain and grief. Do you still wish to live? "Yushiro and I will leave this region." Tanjiro: "Huh?" Tamayo: "We've gotten too close to Kibutsuji. We must conceal our whereabouts soon or the risk will be too great. Not to mention, even if I think I've concealed my identity, when I interact with humans as a doctor, people sometimes see through my disguise as a demon. The young and the elderly are particularly perceptive. Tanjiro..." Tanjiro: "Yes?" Tamayo: "Would you like us to take Nezuko in?" Yushiro: "Wha...!" Tanjiro: "Huh?" Tamayo: "I can't give you an absolute guarantee that she'll be safe, but I believe it will be less dangerous than taking her into battle." Tanjiro: That might be true. She's right. It would be better for Nezuko to be in their care. Nezuko takes Tanjiro's hand. Tanjiro: "Ah... Ahh..." Y/n: "We'll have to respectfully decline. Whenever Tanjiro's in trouble Nezuko rescues him." Tanjiro: "Y/n!" Tanjiro squeezes Nezuko's hand in return. Tanjiro: "Miss Tamayo, thank you so much for your concern. But... Nezuko and I are staying together. We're not going to live apart from each other. Never again." Tamayo: "Very well. In that case, I wish you long-lasting good fortune in battle." Yushiro: "All right. We'll be leaving after we erase all traces of ourselves. You two get going now!" Tanjiro: "Right! Okay, Miss Tamayo, Yushiro, we wish you well!" Tanjiro bows to Tamayo and Yushiro. Tanjiro: "Let's go, Nezuko." Nezuko runs off. Tanjiro: "Ah...! Don't go rushing off like that!" Tanjiro follows after Nezuko. Yushiro: "Tanjiro!" Tanjiro: "Huh?" Yushiro: "Your kid sister... is a beauty." Tanjiro: "Ah... Hahaha!"

~On the road~

Tanjiro and Nezuko set off. A kasugai crow flies overhead. Crow: "South-southeast! South-southeast! South-southeast! Your next location is south-southeast!" Tanjiro: "I heard you! I heard, so give me a break and quiet down! I'm begging you! I got the message, so please!" Zenitsu: "Please!!" Tanjiro: "Huh?!" Tanjiro and his kasugai crow turn to see Zenitsu harassing a girl. Tanjiro: "Huh?" Zenitsu: "Please! Please! Please! Please marry me! I could die any day, you know! That's why I want you to marry me! So please! Please, I'm begging you!" Tanjiro: "Wh-What's up with that? What on earth?"