The Demon and her Twin | KNY Fanfic

Episode 2: Final Test

(Always play this at the beginning of chapters as I post them as if they're episodes of the anime)
(Also my dumbass forgot to renew my crunchyroll subscription so I have to wait until I get paid from work Thursday to watch season 4, in the mean time I'll rewatch season 1-3 + the movie so I can refresh my memory for this story)

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"Is Tanjiro-nii somewhere else?" I ask as Urokodaki-San and I walk down a path leading to a rock of my own.

Urokodaki nods but says nothing as we continue or trek to another opening where Urokodaki had placed another rock for me to slice in half, how he expects me to cut a rock in half when I'm not psychically strong.

"I want you to cut this rock in half for me, I'll be back In a year and a half to check on you, I'll have Kauai crows since you and your brother food and water daily to keep you guys alive and healthy." He says

I just simply nod as he begins walking away down a pathway eventually disappearing into the foggy woods. I take a deep breath and let it out, I remove the pink ribbon I have tied on a strand of hair and use it to pull back my hair since it's grown longer, long enough to be in a ponytail.

Once I tie the ribbon into a bow I'm satisfied with I remove my haori laying it on a small stone that's shaped like a stool nearby. I take out my katana and steady it in my hands, I deep breathes like Tanjiro and I were taught and wing my sword down, a loud metallic clang sounds from the contact but not a single dent shows up on the massive boulder. How am I possibly going to slice this boulder?

I sigh and examine it trying to see if I see any signs of existing cracks I can use to my advantage, but alas there's not a single crack I could use, seems Urokodaki knew we'd try this strategy.

I could keep trying from different angles and try and combine 2 of the 10 water breathing forms together, but whether or not that'll work out and how long it could take to figure out is unknown.

-6 months later-

My arms are screaming in pain

My legs are screaming at me to rest

My hands are calloused and rubbed raw

I can feel my palms stinging each time my rashes and blisters run across the handle of my katana.

I'm covered in dirt and but, my hair severely unkempt and reaching just past my shoulders.

My face hurts from being knocked back on my face from the impacts of my katana

My effort are practically useless at this point. Nothing I do will even cause a small crack in the boulder.

Did I also mention I've had a young girl named "Makomo" helping me out? She explained to me how this other boy "Sabito" was helping Tanjiro-nii. I hope Tanjiro-nii is doing better than I am.

Makomo has taught me to imagine a thing thread connecting to a weak point when it comes to cutting off a demons head or something as simple as a tree, she said I'll know I have an accurate cut when the thread straightens out.

But no matter what I can't seem to get that imaginary string to straighten out to my liking, like it's unable to find something to latch onto.

When she noticed I was having trouble she offered to spar with me using wooden swords, she said that my posture was lacking and that the hold on my katana was tight enough, like i was holding on too loosely.

Her fighting style mixed with water breathing is mesmerizing to watch and look at, it's almost like watching stones skipping along the water after tossing them, it also gives the illusion of walking on water.

I've also adapted her fighting style after watching and observing her movements for months.

After my fighting style changed to her own, I found myself being able to move around easier and more gracefully, was the style I was using before too hard on me?

I noticed she's also quite agile and fast like me which would explain why her fighting style matches me better than what Urokodaki taught me.

-1 and 3 months later-

I'm unsure how long it's been since I've seen proper sunlight or seen my brother properly, Urokodaki came back once to see my progress. He said there's was room for improvement but he could see my determination.

Makomo and I have been sparring together for a long time not, we switched to real katanas a month ago. It was hard at first as I wasn't used to blocking and deflecting attacks with a katana as I was with the wooden sword.

"You're doing amazing Misaki-Chan." Makomo says when i Successfully block one of her more strong blows, a surge of confidence and pride enters me at the compliment and achievement.

"If you keep successfully blocking my strong blows you'll be able to cut that boulder in no time."

As she's saying thing she attacks me using Constant Flux, one of the stronger forms. I barely manage to block the attack.

I notice the connecting thread appearing infront of me, everything moves as if someone froze the entire space.

Once Makomo is in my line of view I see the string straighten and I take my chance and slice through.

Makomo smiles a warm and kind smile, one that's different from the other times she's done so. I stand there amazed as I see my sword has cut through the boulder cleanly, I notice Makomo is now gone but I think nothing of it.

I'm broken out of my trance when I hear clapping and approaching footsteps from behind me. "Well Done Misaki" Urokodaki says appearing beside me.

"I was expecting you to not be able to slice through those boulder. It's the smoothest and toughest one I could find besides Tanjiro's." He says "I never intended to send you to final selection as I can't bear the thought of seeing any of my children die."

He embraces me in a hug shocking me, I snap out of my shocked state and hug him back.
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"How's tanjiro?" I ask as I'm sitting on a cushion cutting of my hair which had fell just above my butt, black strands of hair falling on the floor in large clumps

"I expect him to be done soon."

I hum and put the shears down once I'm finished, I get up grabbing a towel and clean kimono before grabbing my bath supplies. "I'm going to go take a bath Sensei." I say

He nods allowing me to continue to the bathroom, I take a bucket of water from the pile that Sensei must've set out for me already and pour them all into the much larger metal bin.

I strip off my soiled and ripped clothes and sit down in the water, sighing as it hits my sore muscles.

I hope Tanjiro-nii finishes soon

Word count:1205