Aki Hayakawa: Demon Slayer

Prologue: Limbo

???: Ack!

A young child was hit in the head with a snowball. He chuckled after getting hit, but soon found himself getting hit by many more snowballs.

???: Uwaaaaah! Ahahahahahahaha!

Soon, the barrage of snowballs ceased. The kid looked up, his face cold due to the snowballs, and laughed.

???: Great attack! Now take this!

He formed a massive snowball with his hands before raising it above his head, preparing to throw it at his opponent. However, he hesitated.

???: Oh...

The smile on his face vanished as he dropped the snowball he was carrying. In front of him was his opponent, a blonde-haired boy with notably sharp teeth. He was sobbing, desperately throwing snowballs at his opponent. Said opponent could only ask one question while getting hit by the snowballs.

???: Why are you crying... I've never seen you... cry before...

A final snowball knocks the kid onto the ground. He stares at the sky, wondering what just happened, before finally accepting defeat.

???: Alright... I lost...

He then gets up, patting the snow off his clothes.

???: Whatever, I never liked snowball fights anyway. Your hands just end up getting cold.

Suddenly, he comes to a realization. He begins looking around, only to find that his opponent is gone.

???: Huh? Denji?

The blonde kid, now known as Denji, has disappeared. The kid stands there in confusion before being snapped out of his trance by a voice.

??? 2: Onii-chan! I got the ball and gloves!

The boy looks beside him to find his little brother in front of their house, holding a pair of baseball gloves and a baseball.

???: That's right... I... wanted to play catch.

The little brother runs over to his elder sibling and gives him a baseball glove. The latter wears it as his little brother prepares for a throw.

???: Ready when you are, Taiyo.

Taiyo: Alright! Here I come, onii-chan!

Just as he says that, he throws the ball. However, this left his brother confused.

???: Huh? Taiyo... you do realize that you threw the ball backwards right?

Taiyo could only look down in sadness. He didn't respond to his brother's words.

???: Taiyo? You alright?

Taiyo: Onii-chan, please, stop... You know that none of this is real... You're... You're...

Taiyo then proceeds to cry. His brother, realizing that he knew everything happening was all an illusion, proceeded to hug him.

???: I... I'm sorry, Taiyo... I let everyone down...

As he said this, the surroundings around the two brothers began to crumble. Eventually, the two were standing on an empty black void, still hugging each other. The difference being that this time, the elder brother now looked older. His black hair was now at a medium length and was tied into a topknot style. He was wearing a black suit and tie, as well as black earrings and blue sneakers.

Taiyo: No, onii-chan! You didn't let us down... You let yourself down!

???: Wh-What do you mean, Taiyo?

Taiyo: Are you dumb?! You got yourself killed trying to avenge our deaths! If you never went after the Gun Devil, you would never have died!

Taiyo shouted at his brother angrily before once again sobbing. This made the elder brother come to a realization. His family would never have wanted him to put himself in so much danger just to avenge their deaths. They would have wanted him to live a long life. Knowing this, he began to cry, too.