Palingenesia // Demon Slayer Deku

The Twin Demons

Yuichiro's POV:

July 2, 2432; 4:00 a.m.

I desperately ran and ran, tears streaming down my cheeks and body coated in sweat and blood as I struggled to pull along my injured younger twin brother. "Come on, Mui!" I shouted, hyperventilating as I panicked more and more, as we were both beginning to get surrounded by eight of these... things.

I swallowed deeply, eyes landing on the large gash on Muichiro's side, blood continuing to pour out, my twin brother's legs trembling in exhaustion. "Just g-go on w-w-without me... Yui..." Muichiro clearly struggled to say that short sentence, fighting to keep his half-lidded eyes open.

"I'm not leaving you, idiot!" I immediately shut him down, pulling him along into an alleyway, but in an instant, a sharp pain spread out through both of my legs, my body failing and falling to the ground with a pained thud.

I wanted to shout in pain, but I didn't, gritting my teeth in an attempt to ignore the pain.

Unfortunately, the pain didn't stop there, my arms and back overcome with excruciating pain. I looked over at my dying brother, throwing myself over him to take all of the injury. It was a last ditch attempt, and I knew it wasn't going to stop us both from dying, but I needed to protect him. I had to.

I slowly turned my head to look at the eight green creatures who were funneling into the alleyway, shooting out more and more scales, my left arm getting fully chopped off in the process. At this point, I couldn't help it anymore.

I screamed. Screamed at the top of my lungs as I brought my right hand over to the large injury, blood spraying everywhere.

"Please God... please, please..." I muttered to myself, tears streaming down my face. "Take me. Take me and not him. Please."

I slammed my eyes shut, entire body tensing, barely feeling Muichiro's chest heaving up and down from breathing, preparing myself for death, preparing myself for the pain of death. But the only pain I felt was the pain already inflicted on me beforehand. I didn't feel anything else.

For a second, I thought that meant that I was dead, but that line of thinking was quickly shut down after the loud crashing and shattering noise had echoed out behind me and the unconscious Muichiro.

I flinched when I felt several sharp objects hit my back, but none of them actually injured me.

My body trembled, fear overtaking me, not wanting to turn around and see what had happened.

"Children?" an older male voice spoke, the sound of his footsteps echoing out through the alleyway, a bit of what sounded like worry in his voice. It was the same kind of worry that mom and dad would have over Muichiro and I's well-being. "I sense that you are both alive. Unfortunately, not for long."

I dared to turn my head around to face whoever this was, to face the person who must've killed those creatures. He looked like an older teenager, red hair and dark red eyes. Flame-like marks stretched along his face, two from his forehead and one from just underneath his chin. He had a sword in his right hand, the metal tinted a perpetual shiny red, a flame piece around the bottom of the blade itself.

He wore traditional clothes, a kimono and green-black checkered haori.

"S-stay ba-"

But before I could finish that sentence, I instantly recoiled in pain, the pain in my lost arm only increasing.

"Don't worry, little one," the man said, continuing to approach us both, crouching down in front of us. I positioned myself defensively in front of my dying brother. "I'm not here to hurt you."

"You are far too young to be battling against death. You and your brother," he continued, reaching a hand out, a small, caring smile on his face. "I can save you both. Protect you both. I can heal you both. All you have to do is agree to my help."

I didn't say anything, eyes darting over to Muichiro. He was still breathing, but barely. My breathing was also slowing down too. I met this person's gaze again, noticing the caring look in his eyes as my own vision began to blur.

"Life is too precious to be lost at such a young age. I will make sure that you will never have to experience this feeling ever again. You simply have to accept. Become a demon like me. And rise through the ranks."

My eyes widened slightly, not understanding what he meant. Not understanding what he meant by demon. But that didn't matter. I had no choice. I had to save Muichiro, and if this was the only way of doing it, then...

I slowly and cautiously reached a hand out, placing mine in his much larger one.

"Good choice." He wrapped his hand around mine, grasp tightening slightly as he dug his nails into my flesh.

He smiled at me. "The process is unpleasant. You will be in pain for a while. The both of you will. But, I'm certain you can power through it. You and your brother."

My body convulsed, veins popping from underneath my skin as my eyes remained wide eyed. Before I knew it, my vision rapidly began to darken and darken and darken.

I fell down onto my stomach, hearing the faint noise of mutters and whispers in my head.

"I'll save your brother as well. I'll make sure that no one will find you here. While you undergo this transformation, I'll be taking care of something important. Don't leave from this spot."

That was the last thing I heard before completely blacking out.

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Author's Note: Welcome to Palingenesia, the second book of Demon Slayer Deku. I have a lot of plans for this book especially. Let's just say that Muichiro and Yuichiro won't be the only ones to make a return to the current era. 

Reiwa Era Secret~

Tanjiro Kamado often holds a soft spot for children, finding it disheartening whenever one's life is taken from them at such a young age. Due to this, it isn't out of the ordinary for him to turn any dying children he may find into demons. Whenever he does, he tends to watch over them and ease them into their new lives as demons. He is always deeply saddened whenever one of them is killed by the demon slayers. ~~

Next chapter: Hashira Training