Demon Slayer 3 (kny x oc)

5- A Ten Year Old's Training

"Kotetsu-kun!" Tanjiro shouts as he looks around for Kotetsu, "Kotetsu-kun! I'm going to find you! I've got a great sense of smell! Even if it's not in good shape right now. I think he went this way" he says =, sniffing the air as he looks up and spots Kotetsu, "Kotetsu-kun! Could you have climbed any higher, Kotetsu? If there's anything I can do, I'll help you out. You can't give up on your doll! You have a future ahead of you! You have to try hard now for your future self... ten, twenty years from now! Someday, you'll be able to do what you can't do now!".

"No, I won't!" Kotetsu says as he lifts his head, "I don't need anyone to tell me I'm a loser! It's going to end with my generation! All because of me! Huh?" he says as he looks to his right and sees Tanjiro there, Tanjiro's flicking his forehead, "ouch!".

"You can't give up and stop caring" Tanjiro says as he hangs from one of the branches, I wish you wouldn't talk about yourself that way. Even if you can't do it yourself, there's always someone who will carry on for you. You have to do what you can so it gets passed on. Even if it's beyond you, maybe your kids or grandkids might find a way, right? I want to defeat Muzan Kibutsuji and free Sakura-san from her eternal suffering. I want to save Nezuko, my little sister, who's been turned into a demon and take revenge for my family who were ruthlessly murdered by him. But I might die before I can fulfil my goals. But I have faith that someone will surely finish the job for me. Maybe it's one of my friends, one of the Hashira, a demon who has a vendetta against Muzan Kibutsuji, or maybe it'll be Sakura-san herself. Just like we were able to beat an Upper Rank demon with the lives that were connected for us, someday, for sure, the lives we've connected will bring down Muzan Kibutsuji!" he says as he grabs Kotetsu's hand, "let's do our best together!".

"Okay!" Kotetsu says as tears spill from underneath his mask, "I didn't want to see the doll break down, but my mind is made up now. The combat training shoulder last until nightfall, so I'm going to brace myself and see it through. To the end".

Tanjiro smiles as he and Kotetsu make it down the tree.

"Really?" Tanjiro says as he and Kotetsu make their way to where Muichiro was training, "so you're ten, Kotetsu?".

"Yeah" Kotetsu says with a nod.

"My little brother is--" Tanjiro says as Muichiro walks past the two of them, "what? You're done?".

"I'm done" Muichiro says as he stops in his tracks, "that was a good training session. Who are you again? Oh, right. My sword snapped, so..." he says as he shows them an arm from the doll, the sword in its hand, "I'll be taking this one with me".

Kotetsu gasps as he runs off to go to the doll.

"Kotetsu!" Tanjiro says as Muichiro throws his old sword at Tanjiro.

"Dispose of that one for me" Muichiro says as the sword hits Tanjiro on his head.

"Not even a whiff of malice" Tanjiro says as he rubs his forehead, "he must not be doing that on purpose. But the thing is..." he says as Muichiro's crow lands on his shoulder, glaring at Tanjiro, "that crow is just oozing spite. She's so condescending... towards me. Kotetsu-kun!".

Tanjiro runs back to the training ground where he sees Kotetsu kneeling down next to the doll that's laid on the ground.

"Kotetsu-kun. Let's make sure" Tanjiro says as he walks over to Kotetsu, "see if it still works or not".

Tanjiro stands the doll up and holds it in place as Kotetsu uses the key to turn on the doll. He twists the back of the doll's neck as the two of them look at the doll.

"Nothing" Kotetsu says disappointedly, "so it must be...".

The doll starts to work again as it spreads its arms.

"Alright! It's working again!" Tanjiro says happily as he punches the air, "that's great--".

"Yes, it is, Tanjiro" Kotetsu says as he looks down, "I want you to train with the doll and become stronger than that little indifferent jerk, no matter what! And you will have my full support!".

"Do you mean right now?" Tanjiro asks, completely stunned.

Kotetsu brings some wooden bats out of the doll's box as he swaps the swords over. He starts to doll up at Tanjiro starts his training. The doll swings for Tanjiro which knocks his back. The doll then tries to stab Tanjiro but Tanjiro rolls out of the way, continuing on as the doll continues to try and hit him.

"I'm gonna die! Six arms is too much!" Tanjiro says as he lies in front of Kotetsu.

"There are only five arms" Kotetsu says as he kneels down to Tanjiro, "since that jerk broke one off, it's less functional now! Tanjiro, please become stronger. And this is what you're going to say to him... 'is that all you've got, you scumbag?'".

"Huh?" Tanjiro says as he gets up.

"'Your hair's too long! Get a haircut, seaweed head!'" Kotetsu says as he balls his fists, "puissant. You're ugly, and your legs are short! Commit hara-kiri! You shameless jerk!'".

"No!" Tanjiro says as he looks at Kotetsu, "Kotetsu-kun! That's going a little too far!".

"Better to put his head on public display, don't you think?" Kotetsu says as he tilts his head.

"No! I can't say those sorts of things!" Tanjiro says panicked.

"You're going to say them!" Kotetsu says confidently.

"No!" Tanjiro says as he looks away.

"Please say them!" Kotetsu says as he pulls on Tanjiro's face, "please!".

The training continues on throughout the day, into the evening.

Even without my saying so... Tokito-kun was incredible! Despite being smaller and younger than me. I've got to train just as hard! I've got to become stronger, too! And Kotetsu-kun wouldn't let me have anything to eat or drink either. Not until I defeated the doll. Ah, the highly analytical Kotetsu-kun. But as a swordsmanship instructor, he's a complete amateur. Since he had no idea about the limits of human life, his training sessions were brutal! So tyrannical... he continued refusing to feed me until I met his demands. If this keeps going, I might die. Pure tyranny born out of ignorance. Though I was able to survive thanks to some rainfall. All throughout these ghastly training sessions, I went without water and food... without an inch of rest. If I was knocked down, I was forced to get back up straight away. After a while, I started to cross the river to the afterlife. I was walking across a bridge, feeling indescribably blissful... only to get dizzy from hunger... and fall into the river. It was dark in the water... and heavy... but then it felt as though... I were being massaged by some warm hands. I saw something shiny when I glanced over at the bottom of the river, so I went to get it, all while being massaged. Strangely enough... I could smell this shimmering stone, even underwater. What is this? This smell? It smells different than the opening thread.

Tanjiro says as he looks at the doll in front of him.

"Left side of the head!" Tanjiro says as he looks at each arm, "neck! Right side of the chest! Left side! Right thigh! Right shoulder! Here it comes!".

Tanjiro manages to dodge the doll's attack as he jumps into the head, readying his attack, just before hesitating.

"Strike!" Kotetsu yells as he looks at Tanjiro, "I don't care if it breaks! I'll fix it, no matter what!".

Tanjiro strikes the doll as he lands on the ground.

"Tanjiro! Are you okay?" Kotetsu asks as he runs over to Tanjiro.

"Ow, ow, ow..." Tanjiro says as he rubs his butt, "sorry, I broke the sword you lent me!".

"Don't worry about that! It's okay!" Kotetsu says as he kneels down next to Tanjiro.

The doll's entire head comes off as the two of them look at the doll. The spot something rolled up inside of the doll as they stand up. Tanjiro grabs it and opens it to reveal a picture of something. The two study the picture and realise it's a drawn picture of Sakura in the middle of a village, some kind of celebration being held, Sakura extremely happy. Sakura... but human.