Daiko: "To kill Muzan. That's what you want right? HIHIHI"
You suddenly wake up to Daiko talking as he sits down on a chair in the middle of the room.
Y/n: "Where the hell are we?" You ask as you sit upright on your futon.
You look around as to this place was not familiar with you.
Daiko: "Where else?HAHAHA. We're currently in your mind."
Y/n: "In my mind? I've never seen this place in my entire life."
Daiko: "This place isn't familiar, it's because it is based off how I imagine how a decent room would look like. Not everything has to be a specific memory. Oh, how you amuse me."
You proceed to stand up and walk right towards him.
Daiko: "Stop right there," he says with smile as he raises his right at you signaling you to stop.
All of a sudden, an aura of darkness in the shape of mulyiple arms emerge from the ground and binded to the spot preventing you from moving.
Y/n: "What's the big idea?!"
Daiko: "I need your answer first, HEHEHE."
Y/n: "On what?!"
Daiko: "Do you want to kill Muzan?" He aasks with a grin.
Your eyes widen as you put on an angry expression on your face.
Y/n: "What kind of a question is that?!"
Daiko: "Oh?" He reacts as he looks even more amused.
Y/n: "Of course I want to kill him! He's the only reason why I suffer a lot now!"
Daiko: "HAHAHAHA. After achieving your goal, what will be next? What will be your next move?"
Y/n: "What the hell do you mean?"
Daiko: "You'll find out what I mean soon enough."
He slowly starts walking towards you. You try, with all of your might, to break free from those arms that Daiko had binded you with. He finally stands right infront of you as he looks straight in your eyes.
Daiko: "Don't forget. I'll take any chance of mine to control that body of yours. HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
He laughs maniacally as he raises his left hand towards your forehead. He rests his left index and middle finger on your forehead as you hear his laughing slowly fading.
You jolt upright as you wake up with deep breaths and cold sweat around you. You look around you as you notice that everyone had already fixed their futons and that they are eating breakfast in the next room. You roll up your futon and put it with the rest as you head to the next room to join them.
Tanjiro: "Oh, good morning, Y/n!" He greets you with a big smile.
Y/n: "Mmh," you nod in response.
Zenitsu suddenly stands right beside you as he leans in closer to you.
Zenitsu: "Help me make Nezuko like me," he whispers into your ear.
Y/n: "U gotta be fucking with me," you say inside your thoughts as you roll your eyes.
As you glance around the table, you notice that there is only one chair left and it's beside Inosuke. You head to that seat as Inosuke munches his food down. You take your seat as you give a side glance at Inosuke. Afterwards, you reveice your breakfast and you start eating it.
As the four of you finish your breakfast, the old lady tells you to proceed to the other room for the doctor to check on all of you.
~Timeskip~
Doctor: "You've all recovered."
Tanjiro smiles in relief as both Zenitsu and Inosuke look at him. You, on the other hand, look outisde staring at the sky.
As you were staring outside, you notice Tanjiro's crow flying right towards you guys. He flies by you and lands right beside Tanjiro and jumps on his hands. You then start walking to where Tanjiro was.
Tanjiro's Crow: "Northeast! Your next stop is northeast!"
Y/n: "Hm?" You hum as you stand beside Tanjiro.
Tanjiro: "You four are going to Mount Natagumo. Go to Mount Natagumo."
As a result, all of you change into your uniforms and start prepping yourselves for the journey ahead.
As the three of them start wlaking outside the room to the gate, you approach the old lady as she was walking to the gate as well. You walk beside her as she heads to the gate.
Y/n: "I'm curious, I didn't see Hana this morning."
Old Woman: "Oh? She went back to the Demon Slayer Headquarters. She was only visiting for a week, and yesterday was the last day of her week-long stay."
Y/n: "Oh, what does she do there?"
Old Woman: "She takes care of the injured and the sick there. She is actually working under a Hashira, as what she had told me."
Y/n: "Oh, a Hashira. Kazudaira-san told that they're one of the most powerful slayers."
Old Woman: "Indeed they are."
Both of you arrive at the gate as Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke were wating for you outside.
Zenitsu: "Oh, there you are, Y/n."
You nod in response to Zenitsu.
Tanjiro: "We'll be going now. Thank you for your accommodation," he says as he bows.
The old woman also bows in response to Ranjiro.
Old Woman: "Here is a flint."
Tanjiro: "Thank you, ma'am."
You, Tanjiro, and Zenitsu turn around as Inosuke looks at the three of you in confusion.
Inosuke: "Huuh?"
Inosuke: "WHAT THE HELL, OLD WOMAAAAN?!"
He tries to beat up the old woman as you and tanjiro hold him back.
Zenitsu: "You fool! IT'S A STONE USED TO LIGHT UP SPARKS TO CHASE EVIL SPIRITS BECAUSE WE'RE GOING ON A DANGEROUS JOB!!!"
As everything settled down, the old woman starts speaking again.
Old Woman: "You should be proud of yourselves and strive to survive at all times."
Y/n: "Mmh."
Old Woman: "Good luck in your journey."
You, Tanjiro, and Zenitsu bow as Inosuke looks at the three of you confused again.
Now, finally, the four of you run down a path as you start your journey to Mount Natagumo.
Old Woman: "Y/n, stay strong and don't lose sight of who you are meant to be," she says softly as she watches all of you run down the path.
Inosuke: "Proud of ourselves? Good luck in your fight? What does that mean?"
Y/n: "Dumbass."
Zenitsu: "What a blockhead."
Tanjiro: "He has a point. It sounded quite cryptic to me."
Y/n: "Actually, yeah."
Zenitsu: "Hm?"
Tanjiro: "To be ourselves... is to fully comprehend our own position, to be able to bear it with a clear conscience, and to do what is right."
Y/n: "Something like that."
Inosuke: "Huuh?"
Tanjiro: "Besides, the old lady wished us a safe journey."
Inosuke: "What kind of position is that? What does clear conscience mean?"
Tanjiro: "Well..."
Inosuke: "What is doing the right thing? Why did the old woman have to wish us a safe journey?"
Tanjiro: "..."
Zenitsu: "What an idiot!"
Inosuke: "She's not even my relative, so why did she do that? She didn't comprehend her position didn't she?"
You control your speed as you match Inosuke's pacing so ou can run right beside him.
Y/n: "To put it simply on what Tanjiro said, just don't die and fight until you kill the demon."
Inosuke: "Huuh? Ahh! That makes much more sense!!! HAHAHA!"
Y/n: "Mmh."
Inosuke: "Also, why are you covering your left eye? Did you lose it?"
You stop running as soon as Inosuke asked that question.
Tanjiro: "Y/n?"
This causes everyone to stop running as well as they all look at you.
Y/n: "I haven't explained this to all of you properly."
You take off the cloth that you wrapped around your left eye as you reveal your demon eye.
Y/n: "I have demon-like traits with me."
Inosuke: "Huuh?"
Y/n: "Way before me and Zenitsu met, I was on a mission with Tanjiro. I accidentally consumed human blood while we were fighting two demons. I have insane strength and immense speed if I focus on enhancing my body with my demonic blood. But I don't like using it. If I use it too much, I lose control and I kill anyone I see."
Zenitsu: "Oh..."
Y/n: "And no, I don't crave human flesh nor blood."
You wrap the cloth back up to cover your left eye as you finished your explanation.
Inosuke: "NOW I REALLY WANT TO FIGHT YOU!"
Y/n: "Shut up."
Tanjiro then walks toward you and puts his left hand on your right shoulder. He then gives you a determined look and nods. As a response, you nod back. He starts walking away as he looks down the path.
The four of you travelled and travelled until all of you could already see Mount Natagumo. By the time you arrived at the foot of the mountain, it was already night time.
Zenitsu: "Wait!"
Tanjiro: "Hm?"
Zenitsu: "Can you guys wait for me?"
Tanjiro: "What is it, Zenitsu?"
Zenitsu: "I'm scared! We're getting closer to our destination and it's freaking me out!" he says as he sits on the ground hugging his knees and tearing up from the fear.
Y/n: "We'll get ourselves killed trying to protect you," you say as you continue walking towards the mountain.
Zenitsu: "That's not very comforting!!!"
Inosuke: "Why is he sitting? It's disgusting."
Zenitsu: "You have no right to rebuke me, you pig head!"
Y/n: "If you're going to be like this the whole time, I suggest killing yourself right there right now."
Zenitsu: "WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS SAYING THINGS LIKE THAT?!?!?!"
Y/n: "Cause I can."
Zenitsu: "Can't you guys feel anything coming out of that mountain up ahead?!" He exclaims as he points right at the mountain.
Tanjiro and Inosuke turn around as they look at the mountain.
Tanjiro: "But still, you can't just sit here."
Inosuke: "You're disgusting indeed."
Zenitsu: "I'm not disgusting, I'm normal!"
As you continue walking, you ignore the conversation that the three are having. You then remember what Daiko said.
Y/n: "You'll find out soon enough? What the hell is he talking about?"
You stay about only 5 meters from the group as you look at the mountain.
Y/n: "I'll try using it once."
You close both you eyes as you concentrate. As you gradually close your eyes tighter, small black veins start appearing around your left eye.
Y/n: "Dammit. Stay calm, Y/n, don't lose your humanity."
Your sensing range increases as you were enhancing it using your demonic blood. As you sense the demons, you open your eyes as they slightly widen.
Y/n: "5? Wait..."
Your eyes widen even more as you look up at the mountain.
Y/n: "Humans?...And there are....multiple...."
You then proceed to cover your left eye back as you head back to the trio.
Y/n: "There are 5 demons in that mountain."
Zenitsu: "HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH?!?!?!?!?!"
He then dashes towards you as he stands close to your face.
Zenitsu: "Y/n, how did you find out?"
Inosuke: "RAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! TIME TO FIGHT!!!"
Zenitsu: "YOU'RE CRAZY!" He says while yelling at Inosuke.
You then turn back and face the mountain.
Y/n: "I have somewhat of an ability to sense someone's life force. I can tell them apart from humans and demons."
You then slightly turn your head back while your body is facing the mountain.
Y/n: "In this case...I sensed 5 demons. But, that's not all."
Tanjiro: "Hm?"
Y/n: "There are humans in there too."
Tanjiro's eyes widen as you said that.
Tanjiro: "We have to help them! They might be in danger! Can you tell their locations?!"
Y/n: "No, as surprising at it is. I don't see where they are, I merely feel their presence. And in fact, some of them, I could feel, were dying."
All of a sudden, Tanjiro's facial expression turns from shocked to alarmed as he looks at the mountain.
Y/n: "Tanjiro?"
Zenitsu: "What's going on, hey?"
Tanjiro: "What smell is this?"
He then runs down the path which leads to the entry into the mountain.
Zenitsu: "Tanjiro, wait!!!"
As Inosuke sees Tanjiro running, he also runs and follows him. You then proceed to run with Inosuke as well.
Zenitsu: "Don't leave me alone, damn iiiit!!! Don't leave me alone!" He yells at the three of you as he stands up and runs to catch up to you guys.
Tanjiro then stops running as it looks like he might have seen something.
He sees a fellow slayer on the ground with his face covered in blood and tears falling from his eyes.
???: "Help..."
Tanjiro: "He's wearing a Corps uniform. He's a demon slayer. Something must have happened," he says as he rushes to the slayer lying on the path.
You and Inosuke quickly follow.
Zenitsu: "Wait!"
Tanjiro: "Are you all right? What happened?"
Tanjiro then tries to touch him, without any warning, he gets pulled in back into the forrest like a puppet.
Slayer: "They're taking me away too! Help meee!" He shouts as he gets pulled back into the forest of the mountain.
As all of that unfolded, Zenitsu stood there frozen in fear as he covers his mouth whereas you, Tanjiro and Inosuke stare at the area where the slayer was pulled back into. A brief moment of silence was observed until Tanjiro caught a whiff of a specific smell.
Tanjiro: "I have to save him.," he says as forms fists with his hands.
Y/n: "Did I see that correctly? There were string-like things attached to his back as he was pulled."
Inosuke: "Let me go first," he says as he slightly shoves Tanjiro aside. "You may follow my lead and tremble," he declares as he gets ready to unsheathe both his blades. "I'm starving," he says in an ominous tone.
Zenitsu: "He can't wait to get into action, can he?" He says while sitting on the floor again.
You start walking forward as you stop right beside Inosuke.
Y/n: "I'd like to see you fight, boar head."
As a response, Inosuke laughs and starts running towards the entrance of the forest. As a result, Tanjiro then follows closely behind him.
Y/n: "Hm," you say as you show a barely noticeable smile.
You then proceed to run to try and catch up to Tanjiro and Inosuke. Which leaves Zenitsu all alone.
Zenitsu: "I'm really gonna die now," he says while looking at all of you enter the forest.
As the three of you were walking in the forest, you then notice cobwebs everywhere in the forest.
Y/n: "Wait."
Tanjiro: "Hm? Something wrong, Y/n?"
Y/n: "Take a look around you."
Everyone then starts looking around the area by turning their heads.
Inosuke: "Cobwebs? Those things are on my hands," he says as he raises both of his hands to show to you and Tanjiro.
Tanjiro: "Hey, look there."
Y/n: "Hm?"
You then see that he was pointing at a spider web.
Y/n: "A spider web."
Inosuke: "Tch, there are webs everywhere. It's getting in ourway!" He exclaims as he starts swatting them around.
Tanjiro: "Right."
Inosuke then continuously swats the webs around him.
Tanjiro: "Inosuke."
Inosuke: 'What?"
Tanjiro: "Thank you."
Y/n: "Hm?"
Inosuke: "Huuh?"
Tanjiro: "You agreed to follow us. That makes me feel safe."
Inosuke: "Huh?"
Inosuke just stands there brain dead as he looks at Tanjiro.
Tanjiro: "Also you, Y/n. Thank you."
Y/n: "Hm??"
Tanjiro: "The ominous warping smell from the mountain made me a little nervous and stiff. Thank you."
Y/n: "How about you save all of that after our mission," you say as you put a hand on his shoulder.
Tanjiro: "Oh, right. We still have to help the people in this area."
Y/n: "Mmh."
Inosuke then remembers all the things the old woman said to him as he feels a sense of bliss.
Tanjiro: "Y/n. Inosuke."
Y/n and Inosuke: "Hm?"
You then look at what Tanjiro was staring at when he called for yours and Inosuke's attention.
Y/n: "A person?"
Tanjiro: "Let's go."
The three of you then approach the area to where you found a person walking. You three quietly sneak behind him in order not to startle him.
Y/n: "Oi."
The slayer looks back in panic as if he was not letting his guard down. Tanjiro then walks closer to him while crouching to speak to him.
Tanjiro: "We're here to back you up. We're Mizunoto-ranked Slayers. I'm Kamado Tanjiro. That's L/n Y/n and that's Inosuke."
???: "Mizunoto...Mizunoto? Why not Hashiras?"
Y/n: "Hashiras?"
???: "No matter how many Mizunoto are here, it's hopeless."
Inosuke then proceeds to punch him in the face which causes Tanjiro to hold Inosuke back.
Tanjiro: "Inosuke!"
Inosuke: "You're fussy!"
You then walk towards the Slayer. You grab him by the collar of his uniform and lift him up high.
Tanjiro: "Y/n!"
Y/n: "Listen here. We're not your normal type Mizunoto-ranked Slayers. If anything, I'm stronger than a Hashira. Witness what we can do while we're on this mission."
You then let him go as he falls to the ground.
Inosuke then walks towards him and grabs him by his hair.
Inosuke: "Only planning can do us good. Your existence doesn't do us any good."
You then grab Inosuke's left shoulder and pull him back.
Y/n: "Save it for when a demon appears."
Inosuke then steps back as you step forward.
Y/n: "Now, tell us." You demand as you crouch down to his level.
You look him straight in the eyes as he looks like he's been swallowed in fear by you.
Y/n: "What the hell is going on in this forest?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FIND OUT IN THE NEXT CHAPTER!~