The Good Demon [KNY]

Part 51: A Revelation

For the next week, Righty spent his time helping Tanjiro in his fights against the teaining doll. And by helping I mean shouting positive reinforcement as Tanjiro got beaten to death by the six armed robot.

Lefty spent every moring sparring with Muichiro. Though no matter how hard they tried, they always ended in a draw. Every. Single. Time. Afterwards he'd either join Mitsuri at the hotspring or sit with Righty and laugh as Yoriichi: Type 0 beat the ever living crap out of Tanjiro.

Today was one such day. It was late afternoon, and the sun would set very soon.

"So what is this, day seven?" Lefty asked.

"Day eight." Righty answered. They were both perched high up in a tree. They were watching Tanjiro fight with the battle doll.

"So, is he getting close?"

"In a way. Earlier, he landed a weak ass blow, but a blow nonetheless, on the doll's leg. You should've seen it man, Tanjiro almost died! Anyways, Kotetsu thinks that today is the day, so he switched the doll's training paddles for actual swords."

"Think he's got what it takes?"

"I dunno, but I believe in him either way." Righty smiled and leaned forward, keen to observe Tanjiro's tactics.

Tanjiro could either only defend himself or try to maintain distance. The six arms of Yoriichi: Type 0 meant he almost never had a chance to strike. Over the course of a week, Tanjiro had gotten better, his perception, dodging and parrying skill was most likely just a few levels bellow a pillar.

Tanjiro was cutting it close. He was so close now that his clothing was getting nicked by the doll's blades. Tanjiro jumped, hopped, rolled, sidestepped, and twirled his way towards victory. In one last deciding moment, Yoriichi: Type 0 brought down all six of its swords towards Tanjiro. Tanjiro was in the midst of a flip, so he'd be too late if he wanted to land and then attack. His only option was a middair attack, so he did just that. Tanjiro gripped his sword and swung it at the doll's neck, right bellow its chin. Unfortunately, the porcelin that made up the neck was too thick, and Tanjiro's sword snapped. Tanjiro landed flat on his butt and braced for the swords, but the swords never came. While his sword strike wasn't strong enough to cut through, its blunt force was strong enough to break it open. The porcelin on the doll's neck, face and chest cracked and broke away, revealing a sword inside of it.

"WHOA!!! SOMETHING CAME OUT! SOMETHINF CAME OUT!" Tanjiro and Kotetsu started dancing around the sword like a pair of riled up apes.

Kotetsu: You should take it Tanjiro!

Tanjiro: N-no! I can't! This doll's been enduring damage for hundreds of years, I just happened to be the one who struck the final blow!

Kotetsu: Well then Righty should-

Righty: I got plenty of knives.

Kotetsu: Well then-

Lefty: My whole body' a weapon at this point.

Kotetsu: Then it's decided! Tanjiro gets it!

Tanjiro: No no, I can't!

Kotetsu: You can! My family made this weapon, so I have a right to give it to you! And didn't you came here cause you weren't having a sword forged for you, right?

Tanjiro: Well I suppose...

Kotetsu: Here!

Kotetsu pulled the sword out of the doll and handed it to Tanjiro.

"Should... Should I unsheathe it?" Tanjiro stared at the anchient sword. It most likely belonged to Sun Breath user Yoriichi.

"Go for it! I want to see what's inside!" Kotetsu got really close as Tanjiro reached for the sword's sheathe. Lefty and Righty jumped out of the tree they were sitting in and scurried over to get a closer look.