Act 15: Demon Queen

Rise of the Demon King Tanjiro VS Demon Slayer Nezuko

**Originally posted in Fanfiction and Archive**

Published: 04-24-20 - Finished: 07-16-22

Important note from the REAL author of this fanfic Rise of the Demon King Tanjiro VS Demon Slayer Nezuko: Please report Gaby_Dagohoy who reposted my fanfic here in WEBNOVEL, without my permission...what more he claimed he own this fanfic that I wrote with blood and sweat.

Kanon58: visit tapas dot com to support my own manga titled 'Paradox Mansion' lolz do subscribe! Yes am alive, like I said I havent drop the fic. Though am sad we had few people who reacted on Sanemi's captivity but oh well! Am reading my own fanfic too lol.

As Said English sucks so do Not Except it to be written beautifully or whatever. I'm doing this out of pure fangirling and fantasy.

No Flames you are not a Breath Flame User xD

My fan cover songs please check them, type on youtube:

Kimetsu No Yaiba From The Edge English [JeanaSama] (Full version!)

"Kamado Nezuko No Uta Nezuko Theme Song Demon Slayers" I use it to inspire myself on writing this fanfic...hope you like it too!

No Flames you are not a Breath Flame User xD

COME ON BARE WITH ME IM SORRY D:

REVIEW To inspire me to update. ROLF

Visit my dying chicken Gurenge Eng Cover thanks type youtube "Gurenge English Lyrics - Kimetsu No Yaiba [JeanaSama]"

.

.

.

.

.

.

2 days later.

It was another peaceful morning, well for the demons but not for the abducted wind and flower pillar.

Finally the demon king acts well...normal and not a beast the least.

"Come on and eat~" Tanjiro tells Kanao whose facing him. The table was a bit long, as if it was a meeting table not a launch table.

"Tsuyuri Kanao-san!"

The food is only serve at Kanao's range of table and Tanjiro has nothing to eat, it was not necessary for a demon to eat human meal so Kanao did not question that.

They are currently outside the garden. Outdoor breakfast usually nice but...

"Uh..." Kanao stared at the spoon and fork, she is actually not yet ready to adjust to the modern tools of food. Shinobu and Kanae had kept the old tradition to use Japanese cup and chopsticks. Not that she never used spoon before, she did use spoon a lot in fact. But this fancy spoon, fork, plate, modern chair and white table cloth...then an aristocratic teacup.

Kanao feels like she isn't in japan, 'Am definitely taken somewhere else.' She gulps at the sight. Tanjiro kept his smile as he is actually admiring her black hair...down, the pink kimono he picked for her set up with the white haori. 'She looks cute.' Tanjiro is very happy. "Do not be shy, you can eat a lot!" Tanjiro ponders out for her. "Or did you perhaps did not like the food?" Then he moved his hands to signal a plate.

"Sabito, please give Kanao-san a different dish-"

Kanao cuts him off. "U-UM...!"

Pausing, Tanjiro did not expect her voice can be actually loud if she wanted to. "Y-Yes?" A bit nervous that she might be angry at him again, Kanao grabs the utensils.

"The food is fine..." hesitant to move them but she did slice the sunny side-up. "I'm just surprise that you are not treating me like a prisoner...to serve me a nice food.." Kanao trails off as she had somehow recalled again her childhood with a dirty food, then a memory of how Kochou sisters gave her food but she wouldn't touch it unless said so. "T-thank you..." Kanao felt like a lot of things had changed too much that she is overwhelmed to adjust at any moment.

"I-I see..." Tanjiro cleared his throat. "Please make yourself at home." He sweet talk her. "Like I said you are mine now." Kanao is listening but she decided not to response as she started eating.

Chewing the food. 'It is delicious but...' she did not have the joy that suppose to be while eating. 'It felt like I reverted to those days of emptiness...'

Tanjiro kept talking though. "I know you may want to go back to the Demon Slayers, but am afraid you cannot go back. You are the compensation for the deaths of my demon guards Kanao-san, I do hope you understand...I do not wish to kill any of your friends out of spite. So let us keep this as a peace treaty~"

The other party did not agreed with this but whatever.

Kanao heard him all but she was not really disturb on the fact that she cannot return, or about how Tanjiro is kind onto his enemies.

'If I recall correctly...the demon Yushiro said that somehow Tanjiro-kun is in between good and evil. If he remember too much of his past he might try to eradicate the antibodies that I stabbed him before...' staring at her eyes to the fork's reflection. 'Meaning, rather than making him remember the past...I should get along with the present him and convince him to drop his ideals for Kibutsuji Muzan.'

Her serious plans of thinking were cut off when she heard Tanjiro's friendly normal voice changed to somewhat sadistic ones.

"~Ah, you are finally here Sanemi-san."

Snapping her eyes wide open, even with unbalance eyesight...Kanao knows this person.

Though the person was no longer wearing a demon slayer uniform instead Sanemi wore a black kimono, but it was not properly closed, still his chest with scars are exposed. His hakama pants were longer and covering most of his legs. The haori was color dune and most importantly he had his nichirin blade at his belt waist.

"Eh..? The wind pillar...? No...way..." not understanding why he was here, Sanemi had some pearl earrings with a white feather attached to it. It gives you the same vibes of hanafuda earrings.

Other thing that made Kanao greatly disturb is the sight of Shinazugawa Genya behind Sanemi whose wearing the exact same clothes from the last time she saw him.

'H-he was also captured?! And...G-Genya-kun had a replica too!?'

Kanao sealed her lips not to open, she did not want to speak at all in fact.

'How and when did this happened...?'

...

"Come here, My Marechi~"

Tanjiro patted his side with a soft giggle. Sanemi who just now realize there was another person on the table, sitting in a chair that reminds him of Kochou Kanae.

"Wait!" He exclaimed as his eyes widen at the sight of Kanao sitting at the chair with hair down and she was not wearing a demon slayer uniform. Like him she looks trapped. Sanemi is not slow to understand what it meant for her to be here, so he instantly glared at Tanjiro and said.

"What the fuck is this suppose to be? Weren't you satisfied on having me?!" Seeing his fist bawling in rage, Tanjiro clears it up for him. "The Flower Pillar is the compensation for one of my recent demon guard's death." He eyed Kanao to agree in order to calm Sanemi down. "She is unharmed and I won't feast on her. That is not her purpose~" smiling at Sanemi. "So do not be mad. Both of you are at home now!"

Sanemi doubt that and looks at Kanao with an intense eye contact. Kanao felt nervous but she made a small nod and opened her mouth to speak up.

"I-It is ok...Wind Pillar," she actually forgot his name despite hearing it. "I willingly stayed..." but she shook her head.

Sanemi's face were suddenly dark.

Tanjiro has not notice, he simply put his hands to cup onto Sanemi's cheek and pull them close to his level and space. He stared at his ears with the flashy earrings swinging.

Tanjiro chuckles, "You look beautiful and wild with those feather earrings~" he praised the taller man. "Hhm~hm! I was not mistaken that it would fit you like mine~! Hehe!" Sanemi didn't react, Kanao couldn't see his expression since his back is faced to Kanao's when Tanjiro took his head for attention.

Kanao had more sweat drops and felt uneasy, she badly want to know why Sanemi is here and why he isn't escaping. More on he was same as her...wearing different attire.

She dared to interrupt Tanjiro's delight on pressing fingers to Sanemi's cheeks.

"W-wait...Tanjiro-kun what is the meaning of this?" She manage, but then.

WHOOSH!

CLANG!

Kanao jumped at her chair, because...just now Shinazugawa Sanemi's demon slayer sword was on Tanjiro's neck.

The said neck was not even wounded.

Still smiling, Tanjiro was calm.

"What is the meaning of this Sanemi-san?" He asks, Sanemi roared with the obvious answer. "I did agreed to be your freaking pet but I didn't say I wont try to kill you! Let her go!" Kanao panics for Sanemi's safety, clearly Tanjiro is not on their level anymore to slay.

Seeing how useless the blade on Tanjiro's neck. Tanjiro gently touch the edge of the sword and pushed it off away while wearing a mockery. "Hehh~ That's really admirable. You cant kill me with the nichirin blade...that is outdated." Sanemi narrowed his eyes at his taunts. Deep inside Sanemi does know how the nichirin blade is like a solar panel, it gains solar heat from the sun that kills the demons.

Tanjiro cut his deep thinking with confidence. "You guys can kill my demon guards but it is not enough...you guys are hiding something else right? What could it be?" The demon boy grips on the blade, purposely making his blood drop.

Sanemi inertly panic that Tanjiro might replicate another one from his memories but he acted tough as he sensed that this abnormal king is not ready for another use of blood demon art. "As if we will tell you!" Sanemi hissed.

"You don't have too, it doesn't really concern me." Tanjiro said with a shrug, then he pulled the blade closer making Sanemi stumble, "Ah?!" he almost hit his nose to the demon lord. "Sanemi-san, sanemi-san~ you are very tasty and pretty." He said teasingly and before Sanemi know his hand weakened on his sword that it was no longer in his possession.

He was being a sore loser and cursed. "Do you have to always do this? Just suck it up!" He was been ignored. Tanjiro placed the bloodied nichirin sword at the white tablecloth where Kanao's almost finish plate were.

Tanjiro's bloodied palms travelled to Sanemi's exposed chest and it went up to his collarbone. Feeling Sanemi's stiffening body he laughs. "Why shy? Were both male, don't be ashamed to be seen naked when you already are wearing previously a demon slayer of yours with chest exposed."

Sanemi blushed and shot a glance to Kanao whose actually watching them but thankfully she didn't had any facial expression except the sweat-drops on her cheeks.

Death glaring the plum irises. "That is the damn point Tanjiro. You are fucking creepy." Tanjiro sighs. "Bad words. Can you stop it?" Sanemi smirks. "Make me."

Tanjiro's smiling face drops.

"Ok then.."

Suddenly Sanemi was thrown to the table.

SLAM!

"Ahh..!"

Kanao stood up from her chair to dodge, the plates shattered and she gasp upon the sight that Tanjiro hovers above the wind pillar whose back aching and resting at the dining table.

"Urgh.." his eyed rolled, Tanjiro seductively hush his lips by his index finger.

"Shh~" Sanemi eyed Kanao again whose visibly confused and a bit scared...Sanemi promised Kanae that he will be kind to Shinobu and Kanao before she suddenly died and until now that did not change. Though he wasn't expressive upon that hidden promise, Kanao is shock on how Samemi admit defeat. She had no idea it was for her. "Alright already! I will stop!" Tanjiro gave Sanemi a suspicious look and said, "Not convince, say sorry."

Sanemi grit his teeth.

"...grr."

Tanjiro ordered him by his so called 'title' in this prison. "Marechi." Sanemi snaps before he soften his words, but then the volume raised a bit at the end. "Dammit! I truly apologize for my actions for being foul mouthed. It wont happen again you have my respect...!" Tanjiro hummed and frowns with a smile. "That's...sarcastic but I accept." Sanemi had a delay of response when he move his eyes to scan on the corner that Kanao still there doing nothing.

CRUNCH.

Sanemi gasp loud upon the fangs just stabbed his neck.

"Wait!"

Moaning and choking a bit, Sanemi was embarrass and tried to struggle. "Ghh..."

But it was futile anyway, so he remained behave as Tanjiro drinks his blood.

The flower pillar trembles on her legs but convince her self not to avert her eyes...it is the last thing she would wish to turn completely blind.

'I see...so he is indeed captured like me as his feeding...source.' She understood the situation even though Sanemi had not explained. It was obvious now what on earth Tanjiro keeping them for. Indeed, a payment from the lost of his army.

The slurping sounds stops as Tanjiro doze off. He was relieved from thirst.

"Now let me go. Are you done?" Sanemi pointing about him sitting on his abdomen and still glued at the table. Tanjiro wipes his own mouth with his expensive sleeve and grinned down at Sanemi.

"Yes absolutely." When he got off, he was polite to the Marechi. "Thank you." Sanemi closed his eyes as he got off laying from the table. "...yeah." fixing his clothes and wiping the traced of saliva in his neck he secretly perks his eyes to Kanao's.

Kanao noticed and stared back at him.

Sanemi is taken back but tried to hide it. 'That look on her face...its like the original flower pillar.' Kanao resembles Kanae now that her hair is down, and how she looked serious and concern for him. Sanemi looks away and tried to focus his vision to Genya and Sabito who did not bother to defend their king when he attempted to disobey him.

The bloodied edges of the nichirin blade had stained the white table cloth with Tanjiro's blood.

Disgusting.

Taking the sword back to his waist, Kanao fidget her hands together. She debated to converse but then again they were not close or anything to even ask if he was alright upon how Tanjiro just abused him.

Tanjiro notice the tension from Kanao to Sanemi. Somehow he felt jealous, only then he noticed her clothes were stained by some small droplets of blood and the remaining wasted food had also dirtied her sleeves when it blown in-front of her.

So he told her. "Kanao-san, please go back to your room. Shinobu-san will take care of you okay?" Kanao looks at herself and understood that she was dirty right now. A nod without protest, she mumbles. "O-ok then..." then immediately she runs off.

"Oniichan you okay?" Is Genya's worried voice, Sanemi was not angry this time. Instead he felt some sadness that it was not really Genya who cared for him.

"I'm fine. I'm hungry." He made a small huff to change the atmosphere. Genya barks an excited smile. "Ok!" Then he turned to Sabito. "Sabito! Let us go to the kitchen!" Sabito just okayed and they left the two.

There is no need to be alarmed.

Tanjiro clearly can take care of himself.

Silence...

Sanemi refuses to leave and so is Tanjiro.

As if he sense that Tanjiro had something to say to him until he did...

"Say...Sanemi-san," he calls him with rather a depressing tone. Sanemi cock his head with no expression. He waited for the next sentence to complete. "...you have a girl you like somehow in your life?" That was unexpected that he literally just let out a big, "Huh..?" He blinks to confirm that Tanjiro is asking him a normal question!

Tanjiro fidgets, he shyly rubs his head.

"I...I think I like someone, but my body is a kid. Do girls like manly guys?" He ask innocently and purposely moved his body to emphasize his current form is a 15years old version.

Sanemi thinks this is laughable, he had a grinned on his lips but immediately forced them to act angry. "How the fff...ugh I mean, should I know?" He scratches his hair and avoided eye contact that he was laughing inside his mind.

"I never confessed to the girl I like anyway. I don't have time for that sss...err." deciding to peek a reaction from Tanjiro when he answered him with a very honest opinion...Tanjiro laughs now and noted Sanemi's try hard attempt to speak polite to him.

Sanemi is actually very polite to be exact if he wasn't angry at Tanjiro. Just like how he was formal to Kagaya, and of course Tanjiro doesn't not recall that.

"I guess bad words are already part of your vocabulary hehe." Furious blush, Sanemi barks to warn. "Don't make fun of me!" Tanjiro turned his back now though and muttered. "Well then, time to use the power hidden within me. Shape shifting."

He concentrated.

Sanemi was terrified as he watched Tanjiro's height grows!

'His powers are the same as Kibutsuji Muzan...so is he Muzan?!'

Tanjiro is transforming but he cannot see his face if they were demonic.

Sanemi gulps down and continued his thoughts. '.. or is he individually as Tanjiro's evil version...?'

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Kanao was just chilling at her room. The moonlight was beautiful yet she couldn't appreciate it at all.

This place is cold.

Suddenly a shadow figure emerge from the other side of the hallway were her room is wide open.

It was...

"Tanjiro-kun...?"

Kanao blinks twice as Tanjiro approaches with his actual age, taller than her. Tanjiro had a gentle smile on his face with hopes that he will be accepted. "I growth for you, do I look good?" Tanjiro is standing there closer to her vision but same time not too close, he clearly tries enough to give her private space unlike the other day.

"Ahh...you are tall." Is all Kanao complimented. Tanjiro tried to push a conversation to extend. "Don't you like it?" It was a question actually. Kanao avert her eyes and is hesitant to response but..."I cant answer that even if you ask me...but that is your real age I believe." She assumes while imaginary counting numbers in her head. Tanjiro was curious about it.

"Really?" A nod..."Yeah..."

There is nothing else he can say.

"I see."

Because of the majority of people saying he was Kamado Tanjiro, he thought instead of denying it maybe knowing more about it would help him to comprehend the strange things happening to his life.

"Umm...so you said we know each other. How did we met? What was the human me...?"

Kanao was taken back before she composed herself to answer with a rather serious expression. "I wasn't human back then." She says.

"Eh?"

Tanjiro looks at her and did not find any traces of being a demon or what.

Kanao elaborates further as she gaze up to the wild moon.

"I was a still doll but you opened up my eyes to the point that I can do anything even if I loose my vision..." then her eyes drops to the adult Tanjiro.

"Tanjiro-kun, your little sister Nezuko is waiting for you. Don't you want to come back or try to know her? Us...?" She steps forward, "You don't have to be human today, but you can live with us." To get closer to his and this action made Tanjiro frozen at his feet as Kanao is just between his reach to embrace if he would dare to invade her privacy.

"You said yourself you want peace treaty...So why not come with me?"

Tanjiro is speechless.

.

.

.

.

.

.

It has been 1 week since Tanjiro has changed to his adult form and for some reason he had stopped imposing himself to their captive's room.

The female, the flower pillar named Tsuyuri Kanao. The other prisoner Shinazugawa Sanemi,or the wind pillar of marechi, he was not able to escape Tanjiro's hunger.

Sometimes they will see him feeding on Sanemi's neck and thankfully the Marechi is not struggling as he used too.

They thought he was becoming a obedient pet.

However it bothers Gyomei that he is not able to see a future to tell what is wrong. Even though everything seems to be going as planned something just doesn't sit right until Gyomei approaches the sighing demon insect guard Shinobu.

"Shinobu...how is Tanjiro-sama?" He firmly asks, Shinobu whose at the veranda where a fence to see the koi pond does another heavy sighs. "~ahh, Tanjiro-sama is love sick." Sabito whose just behind Gyomei joins the conversation. "Really? To whom?" He tried to guessed, "To the flower pillar...?" Shinobu sighs once more and rested her elbows at the veranda and her chin to her palms.

"Yup~,,,Muzan and Tanjiro-sama had a thing for flowers...so I guess he was captivated on a real blooming flower~!"

Shinobu smirks but her eyes had some lonesome feelings about this.

"Ahh~ahh, Our Tanjiro-sama is growing up..."

'Something should be done.'

.

.

.

.

.

.

The fragments of Kibutsuji Muzan, he was not happy at first that his Tanjiro had been doing self decisions instead of asking him first for permission. '~This isn't good.~' He thought to himself and watch within the shadows of the human Tanjiro's life line.

'~He is starting to like the idea of becoming a human.~' Every conversation Tanjiro has, Muzan is able to see and hear them like a spy he is inside him.

Especially these kind of behavior for a puberty virgin boy, this is definitely something as love. Muzan is however not capable of love or such...every time he seeks to have a wife or husband whichever favors the situation to hide from deadly Pillars and annoying Demon Slayers to report where is he about.

Muzan is just using them as someone to fit in, but that is not the case with Tanjiro.

Tanjiro had this wanting to make a connection, to make a family.

Muzan doubt if he can make a child with someone since no demons was able to create one. Muzan is the best sample, he couldn't make any of his wives obtain his genes unless he makes them suck his blood. Another proof is the upper moon Daki whose working at Red Light District. She had made a lot intercourse and there is noway an accident will not pregnant her.

But there is none.

Lately Tanjiro had been sad and gloomy when the flower pillar ask him to be human.

'~How annoying...stealing my Tanjiro, my heir to my demon legacy.~'

Which is why it finally clicked to Muzan.

A very evil idea.

Why not make it a reverse situation?

(("~Tanjiro-kun..."))

He calls him, Tanjiro whose at his room and staring blankly at the whole body mirror jumps a little when he had whispered to his ears.

"M-Muzan?" Tanjiro was feeling uncomfortable when Muzan just simply touches behind him like a ghost.

It is not a first but seeing Muzan's lips were upward...it was surely be another argument.

Tanjiro prepared himself to hear his counsellor butting in his decisions.

(("Tanjiro-kun~If you want her...just turn her into a demon~"))

This time Tanjiro shrieks louder. "Muzan?!"

He couldn't believe his ears had heard the brightness idea but for some reason he did not like it either.

It feels wrong. Muzan smiles playfully like a devil he was messing with Tanjiro's kindness to be evil as his. (("~You haven't even tried it...to feed your blood to someone~ why not test it now~?")) Tanjiro still doubting he heard it correctly so he repeated to make sure. "Y-you mean...to turn Kanao-san to a demon?" Muzan chuckles and added, "Not only any demon...but your Queen~"

((Badump.))

Tanjiro's heart leaps a beat when Muzan proposed something he should have. "Kanao-san...my queen...a demon queen...?"

His heart was in pain as Muzan delaying his answers to clarify things for him, his body...his mind...his soul... (("Yes."))

Tanjiro growls and answered differently. "Everything itches...!" Because he felt the urge inside him. "Hahh..!" Tanjiro fells to the floor.

Muzan knows what is happening to him, Tanjiro is basically trying to stop his more demonic side, and because he denies it...the blood of Muzan, it tortures him to obey. "Argh..! S-stop it Muzan!" Panting, throbbing veins, Tanjiro is irate. Growling to the ground, he punched the mirror in proceed.

CRASH!

The shattered glass...it scratch him. The blood dripped...Tanjiro stared at the color of his blood.

"Hahh...?" confuse...he was always confuse.

"What is this...?" the blood reflected Kanao's face. Her pitiful eyes, her small smile. "...Every time I face that girl...my heart goes crazy...Even though I know, I must only love Muzan...only Muzan should be in my heart...in my mind..but her eyes...something about her very being makes me crazy...? What is happening to me...?"

Tanjiro kept on suffering.

Muzan had limits too to convince Tanjiro, he was still a fragment.

So Muzan just...back outs and let Tanjiro alone for a while. His job to poison him was done anyway.

'~Tanjiro is mine.~'

Everything went more blurry.

.

.

.

.

.

Another 1 week passed.

Tanjiro had been thinking about it, Kanao's proposal and Muzan's suggestion.

Both haunted him, which is why today while the sun is so bright, for him to see more clearly of the flower pillar's features and emotions.

He man up and visit Kanao's room once more, out of the batt, "How...do I become human...Kanao-san? For you to like me...?"

Kanao eyes widen before she is able to properly answer with a straight face. She doesn't want Tanjiro to think she was fooling him so she spoke with honesty. "Yushiro. We have the antidote to revert you back to your human self...Tanjiro-kun, release me, together let's go back to Nezuko-chan's side."

Seeing how Kanao did not even try to lie or hide the facts about the antidote that had killed his demon guards, Tanjiro is willing to know more about this. "If I agree to be cured...Will you love me back Kanao-san...?"

Of course he intend to get something from it. He was still influenced by Muzan's greedy blood.

Tanjiro wanted to be selfish right now and Kanao frowns. "Tanjiro-kun..."

Tanjiro furrowed his eyebrows and held up his hands as he explain, more like confess his wanting's. "I love you Kanao-san, I do not know why but, I just feel it in my heart...I do not want to be separated. I want your eyes and your everything...I'm so thirsty...Now that I have obtain the Marechi of Shinazugawa Sanemi, I will never be hungry again. Yet my heart...is so thirsty for your affection. Why won't you love me as me? A demon King...I want you to be my Queen..."

Offering his desperate hands with the demonic nails, Kanao feared to take those hands and backs away a little to shrink her body to protection.

After all she was still chained up in her waist. "I-I can't. I want to be with you as a human." Tanjiro didn't like her response and tried to reason with her.

More like whining. "Even if you reach 25years old you will die...? Sanemi-san shared me, Demon Slayers will die at that age...soon you will be, and soon I will be if I agree to be human again. We will not be together. That would be tragic. How about become a demon?"

Tanjiro thought she will agree but it betrayed him when Kanao was having crystal eyes yet they were determined to stick to her beliefs. "Indeed it is sad to part ways...But like I said, I rather love you with a short life, as long as...it was humane."

Tanjiro tried to make a puppy face, it was his last resort. "Kanao-san...won't you reconsider?"

Kanao remained cold and welcoming.

"Tanjiro-kun, won't you instead reconsider...?"

Tanjiro is lost for words.

"...I.."

Out of nowhere an image of dissolving Rengoku Kyoujiro appears in his head and made his body stiff.

He gasp loud. "Huh?!"

Kanao pops a question mark in her head but she stay quiet.

'W-what is this?!' Tanjiro is not understanding why he is receiving a message...no...it is a memory of what is happening on his demon guard.

Flashes of orange, flashes of a Smoke pillar with his flame demon guard.

They parted ways.

'Rengoku san...killed himself!?'

Automatically Tanjiro reaches out and yelled his name in panic. "No! Aniki!" Kanao steps another backwards in process to defend herself but then Tanjiro is not actually trying to pull her. "Eh? Tanjiro-kun?"

Tanjiro turns his back with a distressed voice. "I got to hurry and save him...! No! Don't go Aniki...!" He yells that and runs away.

"Wait! Where are you going Tanjiro-kun...!?"

Leaving Kanao hanging at her room with more puzzle. "Whose Aniki...?"

That is what happening morning how Tanjiro ditches Kanao just for him to save his favorite demon guard.

...

Meanwhile...

Shinobu had been thinking.

'I...I want to do something against Tanjiro-sama's wishes.'

Shinobu is not dense.

She is fully aware when Tsuyuri Kanao has came to Tanjiro's life he was rather unhappy and it is not healthy for her.

Even though it is obvious that Tanjiro is being selfish, it is Shinobu's just to take care of her king.

Which is why she lured the best person to make this stop.

Flying around and around she finally found the person she wanted to meet.

It was no other than the Fire Pillar. 'Kamado Nezuko...~' she smirks as she lands to where she stood.

Earlier Nezuko received a strange letter from the wrecked Butterfly mansion. That place is currently under construction...yet Nezuko whose already back in shape wonder how weird it is to see a butterfly with a piece of paper with it.

The paper includes a map and Nezuko, even it sounds stupid and dangerous she had this urge not to tell anyone and followed the traces of that map and found herself in a forest.

She travelled there from morning to sunset until...a bit late time.

'I wonder why I think this paper will lead me to a clue...?'

As she marches forward the bushes, trees and leaf fell to her nose.

She stops upon seeing a somewhat magical house in the center of deep forest?

"A mansion? This place..."

It is about to be very dark to be honest, but that does not fear Nezuko. All demon slayers are required to be brave and daring.

Her hunch did not betray her, she saw at the corner of her eyes...a butterfly wings.

It flaps.

"Good eve~ Fire Pillar...wait that is wrong," Shinobu lands with a poise to bow and greet. "You are Kamado Nezuko-san right...?"

Nezuko just seized her eyes. "I-Insect pillar..."

Shinobu softly smiles back. "I'm happy you took the bait. Also to let you know trying to get blood on me for sample wont work.. am poisonous after all."

She feels close? Nezuko doubts it. "Why are you telling me this?" With a small threat at her voice, Shinobu widens her warm greetings with ideas of her.

"You want to rescue your friend right?"

Nezuko did not answer, she did not even nod.

So Shinobu drops her smile with a stern face. "I lured you here because I have a request."

Nezuko asks. "What is it?"

What she hears next made her pupils gasp.

"Kanao-chan!"

She pulls the wrist of the flower pillar whose visibly shock. "What the? Nezuko-chan...?! How...?" Kanao was in her room, and for some reason she woke up at this night without the chain binding her.

She thought it was weird or it was somehow forgotten.

Careless it sounds, Kanao did not bother to risk that it might be a trap so she stayed at her room like an obedient girl she was always been.

"Lets escape."

Only for Nezuko suddenly appearing here, Kanao did not want to ruin her plans.

Nezuko looks well enough to be at her demon slayer uniform and trademark pink haori bought by Zenitsu for her, and well equipped nichirin at her waist.

It is dangerous. 'Where is Sabito and Gyomei?' Kanao thinks then shrugs it.

"Not yet." She says to Nezuko whose confused. "Why?" Still holding her wrist tight in a gesture to escape, Kanao explains.

"Tanjiro-kun promise he wont hurt anyone if I stay..." Nezuko is startled. "What...? My brother said such thing...?" But clearly she didn't trust it and Kanao can only apologize for making her efforts wasted for coming here. "I'm sorry." Nezuko whose trying to understand what her words meant, she just couldn't get it and made a sad face.

Kanao smiles though, "Its not your fault, also I have a plan of course." She assures her by patting her hands that had been binding Kanao's right wrist. Nezuko frowns in disapproval. "That better be not dangerous plan."

Kanao stops smiling and insisted. "Its not." Then she scanned around her eyes to see none of the demon guards are around when Tanjiro left urgently early in morning..., "Also if someone needs to be rescued that would be the Wind Pillar."

Nezuko bounces. "So he was here?!" She was happy to have two birds in one stone...it is just Kanao for some reason of her so called plans doesn't want to come with her. "Yes...however if you see him, it will be not what you wanted to see." Kanao says rather dark.

It makes Nezuko anxious now.

She gulps. "Did my brother hurt him?" She didn't want to think of the possibility it is just...obvious if a Marechi is involve to a demon.

It is definitely a meal.

Kanao tried to lie a bit but same time she isn't really sure how was the wind pillar, she did see him look happy with Genya yet sometimes she finds him so angry at Tanjiro or punching a tree whenever she strolls with Shinobu. 'I do not get him, he is scary.' Since she was behaving herself at her room if Shinobu or Tanjiro wont ask her out to walk or stroll in the garden, she cannot really comment much except what she can tell now. "I...I cant say. But he doesn't seem sane. Help him." Kanao instructs her.

Nezuko nods and has let go of her wrist. 'Kanao-chan really had something in her? Maybe I should trust her.' They were sisters so she should learn to believe in her right? Finally smiling, Nezuko obeys. "Ok. I understand. I will wait for you Kanao-chan...stay safe!" Then runs off to search for Sanemi at the mansion. Sanemi whose happen to be out of his cage or room...he finds it weird that demon Genya isn't with him to guard.

Usually at night Genya will insist he take a bath so that when Tanjiro suddenly comes to invade his room for midnight snack he will be presentable.

"Where the hell are they?" Sanemi actually became more passive lately. It is not like he forgot his mission, it is just he thought Genya's replica really does act like his little brother and somehow it calms him.

'What am saying? He is still fake!' Getting angry at himself, he scratches his neck and happen to touch the bitemarks he receive from Tanjiro.

"Ahh..." currently out in the garden he stared at his hands, or his countable fingers. "...Am still alive." Feeling rather lame, Sanemi laughs to mock himself. "Am nothing but a blood bag now huh...?"

Sanemi knows on the back of his mind he wanted to stay a bit longer with the fake Genya...yet of course he had this proud slayer within him. 'Forgive me, your big brother will have to kill you again.' Fisting with glares of strong will. 'At the right time, till the antidote is done...I have to hang on-'

Running footsteps to the grass, Sanemi looks around quickly and found- "Sanemi-saaan!" A happy running Nezuko to hug him!

"N-Nezuko?!" Receiving a bear hug, Nezuko starts crying in joy. "You are alive and well! Am very glad! Thank goodness!"

Sanemi dumbfounded, gently pushes her off to make sure that he is facing and talking to the real Nezuko and not some demon replica. "Are you her?" Seeing doubts from him,Nezuko pouts and cross her arms. "How rude, am the one and only Kamado Nezuko!" Sticking out a tongue to make a joke, she smiles friendly next. "You are safe now Sanemi-san."

Sanemi is bewildered and all. "HAHH?! DID YOU KILL THEM ALL!?" Is that why the fox demon, Gyomei's and Shinobu's replica not around because Nezuko defeated them?

Isn't that the only answer why she is here without any battle scars at all.

Or did she sneak?

"Is the antidote done?" He asks. Nezuko who got off guard from sudden question instead of agreeing to run away...she answers a bit hesitant. "S-sort of." Sanemi glares. "MAKE IT CLEAR!" Raising her hands in defense. "Just please let us escape!" Nezuko doesn't want to hear crap of staying behind after hearing it from Kanao.

Sanemi stares at her and Nezuko nervously sweats.

"Fine."

"Hmmp?"

Sanemi agrees with one condition.

"I will go with you. But let me end my brother first..."

Nezuko gasps her mouth and she covers them. "Y-you mean even...Genya-kun was...?" there is no need to explain further, obviously her brother been replicating people they know...surely even Sanemi's little brother. "I-Is that why you stayed because..."

Sanemi admits it. "Yeah...sort of."

The wind blows, Genya appears behind and is alarmed. "A demon slayer?!"

Nezuko grabs her sword and look sorrowful. "Genya-kun..." but Sanemi blocks her way. "I'll do it."

Genya arches an eyebrows as he watches Sanemi unsheathe his nichirin blade. "Genya...forgive me."

Sanemi took a deep breath and utter a move that both Nezuko and Genya did not hear it was a very faint whisper.

SLASH!

So fast like the gust of wind, Genya was beheaded.

"E-eh..?" Too surprised, Genya then notice Sanemi's nichirin blade had strange liquid. "...This is?"

The sound of sword lock back to the sheathe.

Catching Genya's body, Sanemi hugs it and stared down at the rolling head of Genya on the grass. "Thank you for making me feel like you are my real brother, so do me a favor and rest okay?"

Genya's replica felt tears on his eyes even though it wasn't suppose to be.

'I don't get it but...I couldn't get myself to complain when he just killed me.' Where his final thoughts.

"O...niichan.."

Sanemi smiles the saddest peace he can depart with him. "Rest in my memories Genya."

Patting the head...the demon Genya turns to liquid.

The blood of Marechi makes a puddle of blood and Nezuko protects her throbbing chest to feel the sympathy within the blowing wind.

"Sanemi-san..."

Sanemi quickly stands up and looks at Nezuko without any anger nor sadness. Not even a smile...but his voice sound peaceful.

"Let's go and end this charade."

As for Tanjiro, Sabito and Gyomei...they all went ahead to go at the Shinobi Clan.

Where Uzui Tengen and Senjuro with his father is right now.

Most importantly, "Rengoku-san!"

Tanjiro fears to loose him and this shall trigger some memories from his human days.

What is the end of this thread...?

To be Continued

.

.

.

.

.

Kanon58: I'm having author block help, give me inspiring words-

And PLEASE visit tapas dot com to support my own manga titled 'Paradox Mansion' lolz do subscribe! HELP.

Next: While this is happening to Kanao and Tanjiro, what is happening to Senjuro is revealing it's self...Something calls it 'homura'. And it makes the father and son very sad. The Shinobi Clan village, a reunion of tragedy occurs. The Smoke Pillar VS the Former Flame Pillar, a brother's love is stronger than anything else.