Mount Natagumo

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"Purged immediately! Don't ever underestimate the Corps! A guy like you!"

-Small Time Skip-
Nezuko exits her box and regrows to her original size. Zenitsu says, "Nezuko-chan! Nezuko-chan!" Zenitsu waves around, getting Nezuko's attention. He giggled as he got close to Nezuko, making her uncomfortable. Nezuko begins to run away as Zenitsu follows behind. Zenitsu says, "Nezuko-chan! Nezuko-chan!" Nezuko stops in search of a way to get away from him. Tanjiro slides in front of Zenitsu and says, "Zenitsu! Stop that already!" Zenitsu's face softens into a weird face and says, "Tan... Ji... Ro." Zenitsu grand Tanjiro's hands and Tanjiro backs away in fear. Zenitsu chases Tanjiro as he yells, "Let's be friends, Tanjiro!" Tanjiro begs, "Zenitsu! Don't keep chasing us! I beg you!" Zenitsu said, "Oh, don't be like that, Tanjiro!" This keeps going on as Inosuke sits outside, stomach growling. "Man, I'm hungry," he says. The old woman approached Inosuke with a clean set of clothes and says, "Pardon me, sir. Those clothes of yours are quite soiled, I see. I'll clean them for you, so please wear these in the meantime. These are pleasant to the touch and are quite comfortable." Inosuke begins to feel fuzzy inside as the lady asks, "How does tempura for dinner sound? You know, something covered with batter and fried." As Zenitsu chases the two, Inosuke slams the shoji door open, he screams and slams his head into Tanjiro's back. Tanjiro, on the ground, asks, "Wh-What was that for?" Inosuke screams as he chases Tanjiro, while Zenitsu chases the two.

-Time Skip-
The doctor informs the three, well two, that they are healed. Tanjiro sighs in relief as Zenitsu looks at Tanjiro with a 'what's wrong with you?' Look.
Tanjiro's crow flies in with new orders for their next mission. Zenitsu gives Nezuko flowers, as Tanjiro looks at his crow. The crow says, "North-northwest! North-northwest! Your next mission is north-northwest! The three of you are to go to Mount Natagumo! Head to Mount Natagumo!"
The three head out, all dressed up, as they turn around. Tanjiro says, "We're heading out now. Thank you for everything." Both Tanjiro and Zenitsu bow as the lady does so too. She pulls out something and says, "Now then, for good luck." Tanjiro says, "Thank you so much!" Both Zenitsu and Tanjiro turn around as Inosuke stays put. The lady hits the rock and generates sparks. Inosuke took this the wrong way and screams out, "What do you think you're doing, old hag?" Tanjiro grabs Inosuke and Zenitsu yells, "Are you stupid? She's striking sparks for good luck! It's a purification ritual! Because we're going on a dangerous mission!" The lady says, "Always live your lives with great pride. I wish you luck in battle. The three finally runoff as Inosuke looks back at the lady as she bows.
Inosuke asks, "'Great pride'? 'Luck in battle'? What does that mean?" Zenitsu thought to himself, "This guy is totally clueless." Tanjiro says, "Well, yeah, now that you mention it, it's difficult to explain. 'With great pride'... I guess it means to understand your position and to behave properly so that you're never ashamed of yourself. And the old lady is also praying for our safety." Inosuke asks, "So, what is this 'position'? And why should I be ashamed? What exactly does it mean to 'behave properly'? Why is the old hag even praying for our safety? She has nothing to do with us. Then, why? She has no idea where we stand, does she?" Tanjiro finally had enough with the questions and sped up. Both Zenitsu and Inosuke gasped as Zenitsu thought, "He sped up!" Inosuke groans as he yells, "I won't lose!" Zenitsu falls behind as he yells, "Wait up!"
The three almost make it to their next mission as Zenitsu shouts, "Wait up! Would you mind waiting a second?" Tanjiro asks, "Zenitsu, what's wrong?" Zenitsu balls up and yells, "I'm scared, all right? Now that we're nearing our destination, I'm so scared!" Inosuke asks, "Why is he sitting down? How creepy is that?" Zenitsu shouts back, "Who are you to talk, Pig Head? Don't tell me you're not sending anything at all from that mountain!" Zenitsu points at the mountain as the two looks. Tanjiro says, "Well, now that you mention it, I do sense a couple of strong presences. Still, what good will it do to just sit here?" Inosuke agrees and says, "I told you, he's creepy." Zenitsu fires back, "I am not in any way creepy! I'm normal! I'm the normal one! You guys are abnormal!" Tanjiro catches a scent and looks towards the mountain. Zenitsu asks, "What? What's wrong? Hey..." Tanjiro speaks, "What is this smell?" Tanjiro runs off as Inosuke follows and Zenitsu calls out, "Tanjiro! Come on! Don't leave me here all by myself! Don't leave me!" Zenitsu follows suit. Both Tanjiro and Inosuke come to a halt as they see another swordsman lay there crawling away. The swordsman begs with tears in his eyes, "H-Help me. He's got our uniform on! He's a Demon Slayer! Something must've happened!" Zenitsu catches up as the two make their way to the other swordsman. "Hold up!" Zenitsu yelled. Tanjiro asks, "Are you all right? What happened?" The man was then taken away from something they couldn't see. As he was dragged away, he screams, "I was connected, too! Help me!" He finally disappeared into the forest. Zenitsu whimpers as Tanjiro caught the same scent he smelled before. He clenched his fist and said, "I'm going." Inosuke walks up and says, "I'll head in first. You can tremble in fear and follow me. I'm hungry." Tanjiro says, "Inosuke..." Zenitsu, shivering in fear, says, "You mean, you're hungry for battle." Inosuke laughs while yelling, "Here I come!" He dashes off as Tanjiro follows behind. Zenitsu sits there, still shivering, gets left behind.
Inosuke and Tanjiro walk through the forest as Tanjiro asks, "Spider webs?" Inosuke curses, "Jeez, this place is full of spider webs! They're in my way!" Tanjiro says, "You're right." Inosuke waves his hands as Tanjiro says, "Inosuke..." Inosuke yells, "What do you want?" "Thanks," said Tanjiro. When you said that you'd come with me, I was glad. That twisted and ominous scent I was picking up from the mountain... I was a little scared. So thank you." Inosuke stammers as he remembers how he felt against the old. Tanjiro says, "Inosuke..." "hm?" They both look up the mountain to see another lone swordsman. They both approach him as he looks around in fear. The Demon Slayer shudders as Tanjiro touches his shoulder. He reaches for his blade as he noticed the two. Tanjiro whispered, "We've come to help. I'm Tanjiro Kamado, Rank Mizunoto." The swordsman said, "Mizunoto... Mizunoto? Why didn't they send a Hashira? No matter how many Mizunoto they send, it won't help! It's pointless!" Inosuke punches him in the face as Tanjiro yelled, "Inosuke!" Inosuke said, "Shut up! As far as pointless goes, your existence itself has no point at all!" Tanjiro holds Inosuke back as he grabs the swordsman's hair and says, "Now, tell us what's going on, you weakling!" The man asks, "Who the hell is this guy? I'm supposed to have seniority! Th-The crow gave us the order!"

-Swordsman's Brief Memory-
"And ten of us Demon Slayers came here." Ten swordsman make their way up the mountain as they are on the lookout for any demons.
"Not long after we entered the mountain... some of the members..."
The Demon Slayer who led the group suddenly stopped. He turned around and drew his sword. The Demon Slayer sliced another Slayer as they all begin to fight each other.
"They started killing each other!"
The Slayers stab and cut each other as the surviving Slayer runs away before another Slayer killed him.

-Meanwhile-
A crow lays in a man's lap, tired from his long journey to report what had happened during the 'Natagumo' incident. The man says, "You did well to return. So, most of my children have been slaughtered? We might find the Twelve Kizuki there, then." The man looks as if he has an angered, but calm expression. He finished, "It seems I'll have to send in the Hashira. A male and a female sit behind the man in a seiza position. The man was Giyu Tomioka and an unnamed female corps member. The man speaks, "Giyu... Shinobu." Both Giyu and Shinobu say, "Understood!" The lady, Shinobu, says, "If only humans and demons could get along. Don't you agree, Tomioka-san?" Giyu speaks, "Impossible... as long as demons eat humans."

Chapter 30: End.

-A Little Secret-
Tanjiro felt all the power on Mount Natagumo and was surprised to see all that power in it. One, in particular, caught his attention, which frightened him.

1,455 words (disregarding everything after 'Chapter 30: End').

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