KNY Fanfic: Priceless Smile

Chapter 83: Good Morning!

     As they kept on dreaming, Nezuko suddenly fell out of her box. She stood up and looked at Kyojuro holding a girl by her throat, then to her sleeping brother. She tugged his haori wanting to be headpatted but Tanjiro remained still. Nezuko frowned and head butted him, unfortunately, it was her forehead that bled instead of his. This only made Nezuko cry and angry that she used her blood demon art setting Tanjiro on fire. As this happened, Tanjiro in his dream was set on fire.

"Onii-chan!" Hanako exclaimed seeing Tanjiro on fire.

"What should we do?! Fire! Tanjiro!" Takeo exclaimed with a horrified look.

'Nezuko's scent.... this is Nezuko's blood!.... Nezuko!!!'
Tanjiro called in his mind.

As the fire enveloping Tanjiro slowly disappeared, his clothes changed back to his original ones. His uniform, haori, and his sword.

'A corps uniform! A nichirin sword! I'm waking up little by little!'
Tanjiro thought as he look at his self.

"Onii-chan, are you alright?" Hanako asked.

"Tanjiro...." Takeo said.

".... Sorry, I have to go." Tanjiro replied as he stood up.
"I have to go back right now. Sorry."

Tanjiro jumped out of their home as he ignored his siblings calling his name behind. As he run, Nezuko appeard and called him.

"Onii-chan, where are you going?" Nezuko asked.
"I picked a lot of wild vegetables today!"

Shortly, Kie and his youngest brother, Rokuta, appeared.

"What's wrong Tanjiro? Why are you dressed like that?" Kie asked.

'Yes.... I want to stay here forever. I want to turn around and go back. I should have.... I should have been able to live here like this forever. Everyone should still be alive and well. Nezuko should be in the sunlight.... under a blue sky. I should.... I should be making charcoals here and not swinging a katana.... But I already lost all that! And I can't go back!'
He thought sadly as he continued to run.

"Onii-chan! Don't leave us!" Rokuta called.

Tears brimmed down Tanjiro's eyes as he continue to run further. As he run, he kept on apologizing to them in his mind and thanking them yet he continued to run. Running knowing that everything he sees now is just a mere dream with a very agonizing reality. The boy who was assigned to Tanjiro then cut on a tree bark and was welcomed by a bright, clear blue sky.

'Such.... beauty. So vast and so warm.'
The boy praised as he looked up the sky.

On the other hand, the girl assigned to Inosuke was very unfortunate.

'Where's his spiritual core?'
She asked herself in her mind as she crawl in a stiff and small passageway.
'What a weird subconscious realm! That gross half-naked boar!'

Just as she crawl in further more, a person with a boar head appeared in front of her.

"GRAH!!!" the board head shouted.

The boar head opened his mouth revealing his sharp teeth and fangs.

"KYAAAAH!" The girl shouted in fear as she turned around and crawl back.

'It's pitch-black. I can't see anything. Argh! What's with that blonde kid's subconscious?'
The boy assigned to Zenitsu thought in frustration as he search for the core desperately.
'Do I have to find the spiritual core by touch?! Urgh! Gimme a break! It's hard to breathe and I feel weighed down. It's like everything is covered in ink!'

The boy soon heard the sound of what seemed like scissors coming closer. As the boy turned around, Zenitsu appeared behind him holding a giant grass cutter with his hands.

"What's a boy doing in here, you pest! Only Nezuko-chan can be here so I'll kill you!" Zenitsu threatened.

Usually, there shouldn't be anyone else in the subconscious realm. But when it comes to someone strong willed, someone with a strong ego, there are cases when a person may exist in another's subconscious.

While everyone's still struggling to wake up from their dream, Kazumi's standing on the car where they are sleeping in. She sat there still holding the two birds.

"It seems like the demon girl's awake Master and is currently using her blood demon art." Take said looking down.

"Yeah, I do hope they all wake up quickly." Kazumi replied.

As Enmu kept on standing at his original position, he felt uneasy.

'I made sure everyone's asleep, so why....'
He thought as he tilt his head looking in front.
'.... why does it feels like someone's still awake?'

Tanjiro's now frantically looking around as he saw no demon. He kept on looking but he can't tell the demon's location.

"Tanjiro, draw your blade. There is something you must cut." Tanjiro's father said as he appeared behind him.

Tanjiro turned around but saw no one. Beads of sweat soon formed on his face as he slowly realize what he must cut. He gathered all his strength as he held the hilt of his sword and unsheathed it.

"HRAAAH!" Tanjiro screamed as he cut his own throat with his blade.
"AAAH!!!" Tanjiro shouted as he woke up in reality.

Seeing that he's awake, he held his neck as he huff in fear and shortly sighed. Nezuko who was surprised looked at him in worry. Tanjiro then looked at his wrist and saw the burnt rope.

'What's this? It's burned through! Nezuko's burning blood? It's faint but it smells like demon.'
He thought as he examine the rope around his wrist.
'Oh right! This! My ticket! Just as I thought! This smells faintly of demon too. Punching the ticket puts us to sleep. This is a demon's work.'

Tanjiro then noticed Kyojuro's position and was shocked seeing him holding a girl by the throat.

"Rengoku-san! Zenitsu! Inosuke!" Tanjiro called.

Tanjiro stood up and went to the other seat where Inosuke and Zenitsu are sleeping. As this happened, Kazumi listened above and slightly nodded as she hears Tanjiro telling Nezuko what to do.

"Seems like the kid's not that stupid after all." Take said closing his eyes.

"Caaaw! An enemy!" Taro warned.

Kazumi tilted her head to the side just to see Enmu.

"Oh.... so someone really is awake. I'll put you in a dream then." Enmu said.

Kazumi jumped away from her original position but Enmu's blood demon art still caught her as the mouth on his hand spoke. She fell on her knees as she still held Take and Taro. This alarmed the two birds but they didn't move, they knew she got a plan. Just as Enmu's slowly walking towards her, he held the same awl on his hands. The two birds tensed up when he got close and lifted up his arm ready to stab her, but she jumped away making him stab nothing but air.

"To think that you can kill me easily...." Kazumi said opening her eyes.
".... is utterly stupid."

Enmu was shocked at what just happened but he got his composure back and knowing that the other slayers are starting to wake up, he went back to the front car.

"Aren't we going to go after him?" Taro asked.

"No need, let someone do that." Kazumi said as she jump further and back to the previous cars just in time as Tanjiro climbed up.

This time, Tanjiro could smell Enmu and went to where his scent is coming from. He followed to the front car.

"Oh, you're awake? Good morning!" Enmu greeted.
"You should have stayed asleep.

'It's him!'
Tanjiro thought as he look at Enmu.

"I was showing you such a good dream. You should thank me– I could've shown you your family being slaughtered." Enmu said which made Tanjiro's eyes widen.
"Next time, shall I show you your father coming back to life?"