Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba: Hinokami Flames

Chapter 12: The Lethal Webs of Mt. Natagumo

After many days of recovery, Tanjiro, Nezuko, Zenitsu, and Inosuke were clear to return to duty. Then suddenly, Tanjiro's crow arrives shouting their mission. "NORTHEAST! NORTHEAST YOU MUST HEAD NORTHEAST TO MT. NATAGUMO!! HEAVY CATUALTIES HAVE BEEN REPORTED!!" They returned into their uniforms and bid farewell to Hisa the Wisteria Housekeeper. "I will now light sparks to grant you the best of luck." She scrapes the rocks together and it causes Inosuke to freak out. "What are you doing you old hag?!" He tried attacking her, but Tanjiro and Nezuko hold him back while Zenitsu acts as a human shield. "Don't be stupid!!" he shouted. "These sparks are to help fend off evil spirits! We are assigned to a mission!" "No matter what may come your way, live your lives with you heads up high." she says. "I only wish you the best of luck in battle."

The four slayers began to head northeast jogging to the mountain. "What did those words she said mean?" Inosuke asked. 'This guy is completely clueless.' Zenitsu thought. "I honestly believe that she's praying for our safety." Nezuko answered. "I kind of agree with Nezuko." Tanjiro replied. Every night of the new year, the oldest male of the Kamado family performs the dance of the Hinokami Kagura granting us good luck." "I would really like to see that dance." Zenitsu said. "What kind of beliefs are those?" Inosuke wondered. "What that old hag says has nothing to do with us. She should understand her own place." That made Tanjiro and Nezuko angry and they started running separating from the boar head slayer and the Thunder Tsuguko. "Why are guys running?!" "You are just so dense man." Zenitsu says as he begins to use his breathing to catch up to the siblings. "Hey!! No man left behind!!!!" Inosuke runs after the other three.

(Nighttime)

After many hours of running, it was now night and the four arrived at Mt. Natagumo. "So, this is where our mission is huh?" Nezuko asked nervously. "Apparently." Tanjiro answered. 'Our crow said that there were heavy casualties here, but I can smell a number of demon slayers fighting."

Then they see a slayer crawling from the clearing. Tanjiro went over to try and help him. "Are you alright?! What happened?!" "This place! It's a deathtrap. We're being sent here just to die." Suddenly, the slayer was viciously pulled back into the mountain. "HEEELLP MEEEEE!" He was gone. "Five." Zenitsu confirmed. "Are you saying there are only five slayers left?!" Nezuko asked. "No. There are still plenty of our comrades fighting. The five heartbeats I feel are demon. They're spread throughout the mountain. I can feel the pulses of several humans getting slower and slower. I'll rescue the captive humans on my own." 

"So, you're saying that we'll only get in your way if we follow you?!" Inosuke shouted. "No. I'm going a separate so you guys can face strong demons. You want to grow powerful and become Hashiras, right?" Tanjiro and Nezuko both nodded yes. "Ok then. Hopefully, I'll see you guys alive at daylight." Zenitsu then vanished towards the ominous mountain. "Let's go help save our comrades." Tanjiro said with confidence.

The three slayers enter the mountain finding spiders and webs everywhere. Just then they spot another slayer all alone. "We're here to support. I'm Tanjiro Kamado, Mizunoto rank!"

"The slayer fell into deeper despair. "Mizunoto? Are you kidding me?! If anything, they should've sent over a Hashira! The results will always be the same no matter how many Mizunoto they send. We're all dead!!" Feeling annoyed by his cowardliness, Inosuke punched him. "If you think this mission is pointless, then you're just as pointless! Hurry and explain the situation!"

"After we received our orders from the crow, 10 members arrived. However, the moment they stepped into the woods, the other demon slayers started to kill each other!" Suddenly the slayer that was pulled back appeared again in a zombie like state. Somewhere in the forest, a demon with spider markings with webs on the edge of her fingers is responsible for controlling the slayers. "It's time my little dollies. Dance with death before your limbs are torn apart!" The controlled slayers swing their swords at the four. "What's wrong with these guys?!" Inosuke shouted. "Don't they realize it's forbidden for demon slayers to fight each other?!"