"𝑾𝒉𝒐 𝒂𝒓𝒆 you? Where did you come from?" Tanjiro yelled as you both rose to your knees the best you two could. "What are you two doing?" The boy asked. "Doing?" Tanjiro said confused. "We are training." You said as if it was obvious. "How long do you two plan to have your butts stuck in the mud? Take a stance!" You and Tanjiro both looked down and saw the mud you two were standing in. You both quickly got up and got into stance. You couldn't help but notice the wooden sword in the boy's hand.
"Now attack!" he yelled at you and Tanjiro. "But... You have a wooden sword! And we have real ones!" You shouted at him. The boy stood and looked at you and Tanjiro, his mask looking at you instead of his eyes. The silence seemed to be cut with the large sound of laughter from the boy and you and Tanjiro looked at each other.
"How sweet! Thanks for worrying about me! You two think you can hurt me?" The boy said as he laughed, the boy took no time but to jump to you and clash swords with you. He was fast, very fast.
The boy's mask was nose-to-nose with you. The eyes of the mask were sharp just like a fox. The person who created the mask took their time with the sculpting of it.
"Rest your poor soft heart girl. You can't hurt me! I'm stronger than you'll ever be! I've already split the boulder!" Your eyes widened at his words. "You split the boulder?" You exclaimed, your sword was in a tight block with his wooden one. Tanjiro tried to act quick and swung his sword behind the masked boy. The masked boy ducked his head then sweeped his legs under Tanjiro's causing him to fall onto his back.
"You've gained nothing. You haven't mastered anything!" The maske boy spoke, you couldn't describe how but the boy was able to flip you over by just tilting his sword a way you have never seen before making you do a backflip motion onto your back. You were now lying by Tanjiro holding your back as you squirmed on the ground in pain.
"Certainly not... the breathing technique taught by Urokodaki! Total concentration breathing!" The boy yelled, Tanjiro questioned how this random masked boy knew about Urokodaki, and when he turned his head to you he only saw the same confused expression on his face on yours. "You two memorized this as a fact! But your bodies don't understand anything!" He barked.
Tanjiro watched Y/n sit up and rise to her feet while holding her back. Your brows were furrowed in what Tanjiro had to guess was anger.
"I do understand it! He teached me when I was young! He basically raised me! You don't understand anything!" You yelled at the boy. Tanjiro's eyes were wide as he sat up. "You obviously don't you fool! You only think of the breathing as a fact! You don't know how to feel the breathing technique run through you!" The masked boy said.
The boy swiftly ran towards you, Tanjiro jumped to his feet and blocked his hit with his swords, he thought you had had enough of taking the blows and stood in between you two.
"Look at this! A knight and shining armor for the stubborn girl!" The masked boy yelled, he began constantly hitting Tanjiro's sword, tanjiro trying his best to keep up with blocking the blows the masked boy was making.
"Beat it into your guys flesh and blood!" He screamed, You quickly began to help Tanjiro block blows that he was going to miss, it was beyond the thought of both of you on how this boy could possibly try and hit you two at his speed. "More! More! More! So that you two become the embodiment of the secrets of Urokodaki taught you two!" The boy screamed, passion was in his voice. The masked boy sounded determined to make you two strong.
"Beat it into the marrow of your guys bones!" He yelled, "We do! We do it every day! As hard as we can!" Tanjiro yelled, as he stuck up for the both of you. Trying his hardest to prove you two were trying your hardest to become strong. "But, no matter how hard I try... I can't process any further! I can't keep up with Y/n! I try every day but I can't!" Tanjiro yelled.
"Tanjiro! You are strong! You have a heart of gold! You are stronger than I'll ever be! You know how to fight through things like with your family and Nezuko! I don't think I could ever fight as hard as you do for her!" You yelled back, you were letting out your thoughts in screams though they weren't anger. "Y/n I don't think I could protect myself if it came to it! I'm weak! I can't do it!" He screamed, the both of you still blocking the masked boy's blows.
"Tanjiro! Don't you understand? In order to be a demon slayer you need to have the mindset you do! I may act like it but I don't think I will ever be as strong as you!" You screamed. "Enough of you two! You both don't just need to 'try' just do it! If you both are a man and a woman! The only other choice... is to lie down and die! Make yourselves progesse!" The masked boy yelled at you two.
"Attack! What do you two have? Show me... Your guy's strength!" The boy yelled the command. You and Tnajiro both let out a scream. The boy stopped swinging and you and Tanjiro raised your blades letting out an almost war cry. But with his two arms tightly bundled into fists he swung his fists under you and Tanjiro's chins causing you two to pass out from the contact. Both of your bodies falling to the cold dirt like flies.
The masked boy looked at you and Tanjiro lying on the ground. He shook his head at the sight of you two.
"I leave the rest to you." He spoke, turning his head slightly to look at the black haired girl behind him. The girl hummed in response at his words.
•·.·''·.·•·.·''·.·•·.·''·.·•·.·''·.·•
Tanjiro opened his eyes, he was laying on his side as he saw you still passed out. You were also on your side, your hair draping over your face as you looked peaceful. Dirt and scratches all over your face, Tanjiro frowned slightly looking at your once clean and smooth face now dirty. Tanjiro slowly brought his hand up to your face and moved the hair out of your view. A small smile creeping onto his lips as he did so, getting a better look at your features.
"Are you alright?" Tanjiro heard a soft voice speak. This made Tanjiro shoot up from laying down and saw a black haired girl with a mask like the boys brought to the side of her face. "It wasn't what it looked like I swear-" The girl giggled at Tanjiro. "You're alright, you are just looking out for her." She smiled.
Tanjiro balled his fists up out of embarrassment, but his thoughts of being caught touching your face were soon cut short when a sprung of energy and questions bursted through him.
"Did you see what happened? That was an incredible blow! Not a bit of unnecessary motion! It was truly beautiful!" Tanjiro yelled, his thoughts going back to the way the masked boy hit him and you and was able to knock you two out so clean and swift.
"That's how I want to be! But is that even possible? Can I do it...?" Tanjiro exclaimed at the girl, her face still soft even though Tanjiro was screaming. Your eyes fluttered open as you heard Tanjiro yells, your hand being brought to the bottom of your chin in pain. "I'm sure you can. I'll watch over you." She spoke softly. Your eyes went to Tanjiro's face, a light blush spread across his cheeks.
You looked at the girl and saw how feminine and pretty she looked, her hair was to her shoulders and her smile was sweet like candy. You realized Tanjiro was blushing most likely because of how pretty this girl who appeared like the masked boy. For some reason this made your stomach angry, you couldn't put the feeling into words but it made you upset at the girl though she didn't say anything to you.
"What's your name?" Tanjiro asked, his cheeks filled with a light pink tint.
The girl said her name was Makomo, though she wouldn't tell us the boy's name saying it wasn't her place to say. Though a part of you was upset with her for something you couldn't put into words for some odd reason, she was very helpful. She would point out defects in you and Tanjiro's style. She corrected you and Tanjiro's unnecessary movements and bad habits.
You couldn't help but wonder why she was doing this for you and Tanjiro. Where did she come from? You and Tanjiro always ask but she never tells either of you no matter how many times you two bother her.
"We really like Urokodaki."
She often says this, almost like a catch-phrase. She said her and the masked boy aren't siblings, but they were both orphans. Urokodaki took them in and raised them. Just like how he raised Y/n and Giyu she says. Though you didn't understand how she knew this, you never told her any of this.
"There are other children too, they are all around. Watching you." She would say.
Makomo is a bit of a strange girl. She says weird things in a weird way.
"Total concentration breathing... Accelerates your blood flow and heartbeat. And your temperature shoots up." She spoke, "You both are still human, but you get strong like a demon. And you expand your lungs... and bring... lots of air into your blood. Your blood gets excited and your bones and muscles thrill. You get hot and strong!"
You and Tanjiro both looked at one another defeated, neither of you really understood what she just said to you.
"How can that be?" Tanjiro asked, trying to get an answer he would understand. "You must train so hard that you could die, basically, I don't think there is anything else you could do."
You and Tanjiro swung your swords... so hard... you both thought your arms and legs would fall off. And that your lungs... and hearts would burst in your guy's chests. But... you both still couldn't beat the masked boy.
Another six months passed until one day... when you and Tanjiro went face to face with the masked boy... he held a real sword.
"After half a year... you've both got the faces of a man and woman." The masked boy spoke, drawing his sword. You and Tanjiro both looked different. Your bodies both went through puberty. Tanjiro's hair was longer, and so was yours. Your guy's hands were rough from calvases.
"Today, we will win." Tanjiro spoke. You nodded after his words. The contest you three were having was simply the stronger, faster blade wins. The fight was over in an instant. You and Tanjiro's blade hit the ropes that held his mask on his face. The ropes cut clean, a gasp letting out from you and Tanjiro's lips.
Your hand dropped out of your hand and went to your mouth, the boy behind the mask, was Sabito. He looked at you and sabito with a smile.
"My name is... Sabito." He said with a large smile. "Sabito..." You spoke softly, tears pooling out of your eyes as you began to sob. The boy you thought of as a brother who died six years ago stood in front of you with a smile on his face.
You and Tanjiro finally had won, against the boy who you now knew was Sabito. But the smile on Sabito's face seemed sad, or maybe a proud and reassuring smile.
"Win. Tanjiro and Y/n, against them too." Makomo spoke, but as you looked at Sabito with his smile he waved at you and disappeared into the fog. You watched him fade with tears in your eyes, Tanjiro watched as Makomo faded along with sabito. But the cuts you two used and thought was Sabito's mask you two cut... turned out to be the cuts you both cut the boulder with.
You looked at the spilt boulder, with tears in your eyes. Your body fell onto your knees as you cupped your hands onto your face and sobbed into them. Tanjiro getting on his knees next to you and embracing you into a tight hug. As you cried in Tanjiro's arms, Tanjiro looked at The now spilt boulder with wide eyes, but Tanjiro couldn't help but cry with you.
•·.·''·.·•·.·''·.A Mountain Of Hands.·''·.·•·.·''·.·•
A demon's weak point is it's neck.
However, when using a normal blade, even cutting it's neck won't kill it.
The swords that Demon Slayer Corps use are made from a special steel. We call them Nichirin Swords.
Thanks to you and Tanjiro's training with Makomo, Tanjiro and you have learned how to use "Opening Thread." Tanjiro is able to smell out the opening with his strong sense of smell while you are able to feel it with your strong feeling of being able to feel and see others emotions. That's how you two won against Sabito.
When you are fighting someone and you feel and see that emotion you see the thread. Guided by the thread, your blade cuts into that spot.
"Tanjiro, I did not intend to send you to the final selection." Sakonji said to Tanjiro, you knew his words were true though harsh. He made this clear with Giyu he didn't have any intent on sending him there even though he never flat out said this.
You felt the hot emotions coming from Tanjiro's body, it was the feeling of sadness and maybe even betrayal. You sucked in your teeth at his burst of emtion, the feeling of his emotions made your head spin.
"I just had no wish of seeing more children die. I didn't think you two would split that boulder together. I only imagined Y/n splitting it on her own. But Tanjiro..." Sakonji brought his hand to Tanjiro's head, and patted his head. "You did well." Sakonji spoke. You smiled at their encounter.
"Tanjiro... you... are a amazing child." He said, you looked at Tanjiro's face and saw tears pooling down his dirty cheeks. You felt a hand be brought to your head causing you to look at Sakonji, though it was hard to feel Sakonji's emotions because of his mask. You could feel the proudness and happiness pouring out of him.
"Young Y/n... you as well are an amazing child. Giyu and I are so proud of you... Sabito... and your sister... are proud of you too." Tears welled in your eyes quickly as he brought up the four people you loved the most in the world. You and Tanjiro were both now sniffing in the cold air while tears rolled down your cheeks. Both of you are feeling a mix of many emotions.
"Both of you, go to the final selection... but be sure to return alive." Sakonji spoke, pulling you both into a hug. "Tanjiro, your sister and I will be waiting. Y/n, Giyu and I will be waiting." He said.
After you and Tanjiro both fixed your appearances- Tanjiro cutting his long hair even though you said you liked it- Sakonji gave you both masks. He said it's called a warding mask. It apparently offers protection from evil. Tanjiro's mask had a red sun in the corner where his scar laid, and two red dots at the corner of the fox's mouth.
Your mask had a blue wave on the left cheek and a smile on it's lips unlike Tanjiro's, your mask also had a blue nose. Sakonji said that your mask had a smile on it because of how much he saw you smile even during the roughest times.
He also gave you and Tanjiro matching Kamado's. They were both blue and had clouds on them just like Sakonji's own Kamado.
Tanjiro couldn't bring Nezuko with him, so he planted a kiss on her cheek and hand. You placed a hand on his back and told him she was cheering him on even in her sleep, but instead of him saying thank you he corrected you and said she was cheering the both of you on.
"We are on our way Urokodaki! We will give it our best for Sabito and Makomo!" Tanjiro yelled, you nodded your head at Tanjiro's words agreeing with him and waving goodbye. Sakonji waved goodbye to the both of you but he couldn't help wondering, How did Tanjiro know the names of Sabito and Makomo?
Sakonji knew he knew Sabito from you and him, but he never told Tanjiro sabito wasn't with you guys anymore and Sakonji knew you didn't tell him either knowing you didn't like bringing up your loved ones who passed. But what baffled him was how the both of you knew Makomo, a girl he taught who was also deceased. How did you two know her? How did Tanjiro know Sabito was Deceased?
•·.·''·.·•·.·''·.·•·.·''·.·•·.·''·.·•
Mount Fujikasane: Site Of The Final Selection.
"Wow! Look at this Wisteria Y/n!" Tanjiro spoke as he touched the vines of the purple flowers. "It's beautiful!" You spoke, a smile hidden by the mask you wore. "But wisteria... shouldn't be blooming this time of year." Tanjiro spoke as he walked his hands touching the vines of Wisteria. You and Tanjiro walked in a comfortable silence up the stairs, you two quickly reached the top where you saw many faces of people.
You saw a boy with a scar on his left cheek that carried onto his nose, a boy with yellow hair; his face covered in dirt, then you saw a girl from the butterfly mansion. You smiled at her but you quickly remembered the mask covering your face.
"Greeting everyone, thank you for gathering tonight for the final selection." A small black haired girl spoke, "Mount Fujikasane holds demons that Demon-Slayer swordsmen have taken alive and trapped here." "Demons hate wisteria flowers, which bloom here even out of season. They cover the mountain from it's foot to halfway up the slope." The white haired girl spoke, who stood close to the black haired girl.
"However, from that point on the wisteria does not bloom. So the demons roam free. You must survive there for seven days." "If you do, then you will have passed the final selection. Now go." It was hard to tell which girl was speaking since they both looked and sounded similar. But instead of focusing on that you listened to their words.
You and Tanjiro marched into the path behind the two girls, you both were determined to pass and come out alive for not only the both of you- but for the people you loved.
•·.·''·.·•·.·''·.·•·.·''·.·•·.·''·.·•
Wow! That was a big chapter haha, my google doc said that was 7 pages! But I tried to fit in chapter six in here to because I don't want 207 chapters of this story haha. That means I'm almost down with volume one of this book! But I really hope you both are enjoying this story so far, I promise Y/n and Tanjiro learn more about one another over the course of this selection even though they just spent two years together haha. But hey slow burn books are better in my opinion! But much love and stay safe!!