4

His big brother is always so strong, so dependable, so loving.

Ever since he could remember, his big brother is always smiling at him and their siblings with that kind smile. Like their father, he is always quiet and composed, like a slow hot flame burning quietly within the charcoal.

His big brother is kind. Like him, he has the same keen sense of smell that he can use to differentiate the emotions wafting from other people. All he can smell from his big brother is a sense of protective kindness, the will to protect the entire family.

And when he was nine, his big brother left the family because he said he found work as a beast hunter, one that would pay a lot and help feed the family. His big brother told him that he is the man of the house now that he isn't around. Their father's health is not getting any better and so, he has to take on the responsibility to hold the family together. He agreed, not wanting to disappoint his big brother.

He can tell that his big brother is lying about his new job. His scent said it all. Still, Tanjiro did not expose the lie. His big brother must be doing it for a reason. He's still the same strong and kind big brother he knows.

Over the next two years his big brother would often come back to visit. He now has a black sword that he carries with him all the time. That further affirmed Tanjiro's belief that his big brother is no mere beast hunter. There are better and more practical ways to hunt beasts than using a sword. His brother always has a faint smell of blood on him too whenever he comes for a visit, obviously having hunted something before making his way back home.

His big brother is a hunter, just not a beast hunter.

The little bags of good luck charm that he made for all of them are a little weird too. All that is inside the bag are flowers. Their mother said that those are wisteria flowers and that they should all bring it around with them at all times. Their mother also started to burn wisteria incense every night before going to bed, saying that it will help ward off evil spirits.

Every single time his big brother returns he will dance the Dance of the Fire God for them to see because they all love to see him dance. His big brother had truly inherited and mastered the Dance of the Fire God to an extent where even their father said that Haruto had surpassed him. After every time his big brother ended the dance he would turn around and ask him if he had seen and understood it all. It's like his big brother wants him to be the one to be the successor of the Dance of the Fire God. He doesn't want to disappoint his big brother, so he practiced hard in doing the dance. Tried as he might, he could never do it as well as his big brother. He couldn't even complete half of the dance.

That night wasn't supposed to be any different from other nights. He and Nezuko had just tucked their siblings into bed. Of course, they still weren't asleep, instead busy gossiping about the Kanae onee-san that Haruto had brought back but at least they are now lying in their futons. That lady has to be his girlfriend, right? Why else would their onii-chan bring her back home to meet them? That had been the topic of their conversations for a few days now, ever since the both of them had left all of a sudden in the middle of the night.

Then, they heard it, a loud screech that gave them the chills just by hearing it. That was no ordinary animal. He jumped out of bed, ready to fight whatever that might threaten his family even if his legs are shaking just by hearing that frightening cry.

He ran out of the room, telling Nezuko to make sure that she keeps the rest of their siblings safe inside the house. He met his father at the front porch, who is already armed with an axe.

"F-Father! W-What was-"

His father merely ruffled his hair fondly with a gentle smile on his face.

"Stay here, Tanjiro, I will handle it. I will dance till sunrise if need be. You make sure that the wisteria incense keeps on burning, okay?"

They saw it, that horrifying looking abomination. His father ran up to it without a shred of hesitation with only an axe in hand and Tanjiro can do nothing but watch helplessly. He remembered his father's words and quickly brought out the small pot that is burning the wisteria incense. It is still burning. He added more of the incense and quickly fanned the fumes towards the monster. There must be a reason why his father told him to keep burning the incense. Maybe the monster hates it?

His father beheaded the monster many times but no matter how many times he did it the monster simply reattached its head back without a single scratch. Tanjiro can only watch with bated breath. His father is not in the pink of health and he always coughed himself to sleep. There's no way he can continue to hold back the demon for long.

Is there nothing else he can do?

His father's coughing fit made itself known again. It made him falter. The demon took the opportunity and punched its fist through their father. Tanjiro remembered shouting in worry and rage as he ran up to his father, calling after him in worry and ready to fight that monster with his bare fists. The monster turned its attention to him, claws outstretched and ready to kill him too.

"GET AWAY FROM HIM!"

The furious shout of a familiar voice saved him. His older brother descended from the skies in fury, sword drawn. In one strike, he cut the demon down. The demon never got back up and disintegrated into dust before their eyes.

"FATHER! FATHER! It's me, Haruto! Father!"

They kneeled by his side with his big brother supporting their father. The entire family had emerged from the hiding spots in their house after hearing the commotion and had run up to them in worry upon seeing the large amount of blood.

"Ha… ruto."

"It's me. It's me." Their big brother had never looked so frantic before, using his hands to try and stop the bleeding. "Don't talk. Just l-let me d-do something to stop the bleeding. Y-You'll be okay. You-"

"It's fine. I'm glad I can see you one last time. I'm glad I can see all of you one last time." Their father said weakly, that same smile still on his face. With some difficulty, he managed to remove the hanafuda earrings from his ears and slowly held them out in front of Haruto.

"Wear these. You are now the successor of the Dance of the Fire God."

"I'M NOT ACCEPTING IT!" His big brother roared out, still trying to stop the blood from flowing out. "I DON'T CARE ABOUT SOME STUPID EARRINGS! I JUST WANT YOU TO BE ALIVE! YOU KEEP IT!"

"I want… to see… you wearing these earrings… before I go. Please..."

His big brother froze. He saw how his big brother's expression changed into despair at those words.

He could never forget how haunted his big brother's face looked like at that moment when he wore those hanafuda earrings for their father. It was the first and last time their father would ever see his big brother wear their family heirloom.

His big brother all but forced them to move out of their ancestral home after laying their father to rest, saying that this place is no longer safe to stay. It was then they knew the truth about his job. Their big brother is a Demon Slayer. Demons are real. The one that killed their father is a true demon. Not only that, their big brother is one of the strongest Demon Slayers currently in existence, a Hashira.

He brought them back to the HQ of the Demon Slayer Corps. The leader, Ubuyashiki Kagaya, welcomed them with open arms and even gave them a place to stay in the HQ. Their big brother said that this is the safest place away from demons and tell them to live their lives happily however they want to.

But after seeing how their father was killed, Tanjiro made up his mind.

"I-I want to be a Demon Slayer too, onii-chan! Teach me!"

"No."

The refusal was swift and decisive.

"W-Why?!"

"I became a Demon Slayer so that nobody else in our family has to be one." His big brother explained. "To be a Demon Slayer is to sign away your life and accept the fact that you will die young. That's the last thing I want to see happening to any of you. That is why I cannot be the one to succeed the hanafuda earrings, I probably will not live long enough to pass it down to the next generation."

"Big brother!"

His big brother looked at him with an unreadable look on his face. However, his eyes betrayed the inner conflict he is having.

His big brother sighed.

"If you truly want to become a Demon Slayer, then master the Dance of the Fire God. I got this far because of the dance. Be capable of dancing it from sunset to sunrise without stopping, then we will continue this conversation."

His big brother turned to leave and Tanjiro could smell it. The grief, sorrow, regret, and self-loathing. The smell is so strong that it is practically emanating out from his big brother.

He made up his mind as he watched his big brother's departing back. He will be a Demon Slayer so that his big brother would not need to do this alone. He will dance the Dance of the Fire God alongside his big brother and protect their family.

He will grow stronger, starting from learning how to dance the Dance of the Fire God.

"Hello, Haruto-kun! It's my first time attending a Hashira Meeting, please take care of me!"

It's been a year since that day. She had become a Hashira in this period of time, finally reaching the goal she had set for herself and is now standing alongside him as an equal.

"You can handle yourself."

"Oh my, oh my, the fiery Fire Hashira is still as cold as ever, eh?" She said with a laugh, knowing that there's no real bite in his words. On the contrary, what he said had meant that he had acknowledged her strength. She had spent enough time with him in the past year to know what the hidden meaning behind his words are. She daresay that they are friends now, even if he is the reluctant party in this matter.

"Say, shall we go spar after the meeting is over? It's been a long time since we've crossed blades!"

"I'm going on a mission right after the meeting."

"Oh? Where to? Can I tag along?"

"No."

"Haruto-kun, that's not very nice."

"I'm not here to make friends."

"And yet, here we are!"

"It's a one-sided affair on your end."

She smiled, knowing that this man often said the very opposite of what he meant. If he truly doesn't want to befriend her there are many things that he could have done, like chasing her away from his side, for one. He never did that no matter how she talked his ears off. Despite what he often claims, that his only motivation in joining the Corps is to protect his family, she knows better. She saw how he often willingly put himself in harm's way to protect fellow Slayers and civilians from demons. He's actually selfless to a fault.

He's someone worthy of the title of a Hashira. He's still the same person who she looks up to, the same person who she strives to be.

The Hashira Meeting didn't take long. They ended up making a detour to the Butterfly Estate. She knows that he is visiting his mother and siblings before he leaves for another mission. His mother and some of his siblings who are a little older had volunteered to help out in the Corps wherever they can, be it cooking, doing the laundry, or other menial chores. Nothing Haruto did can stop them, so he let them be.

"Haruto? Oh, Kanae-chan! Do you two need anything?"

"No. I just want to see you before I leave for my next mission. I will probably be gone for at least a month." Haruto replied as he helped to hang some of the laundry Kie was hanging out in the sun to dry.

"Stay safe, Haruto."

"I will. Don't worry too much about me."

"Kanae-chan, look after him for me, okay?"

"Will do, Kie obaa-san!"

"Mother."

"I don't care if you are one of the strongest Demon Slayers in the Corps. Even you need someone to look after you every once in a while." Kanae watched on in amusement as Haruto's mother pulled on his ear and began to tell him off. "You haven't been rude to her when I'm not around, are you?"

"No-"

"Yes, he was." Kanae spilled the beans without a single moment of hesitation. "I asked him if I could tag along and he just refused immediately!"

The glare Haruto gave her made her laugh with a hand over her mouth. She continues to watch as Kie starts to tear into her eldest son without mercy. Ah, it's so fun to mess around with Haruto from time to time!

"I only agreed to bring you along. She wasn't included in the deal."

"There's no way I can let you and nee-san go on missions alone! Who knows what you might do to her!"

"Trust me, you should instead be worried about what she might do to me."

"Oh my, oh my, the two of you should get along and stop fighting!" She cheerfully got in the way of the argument of her sister and Haruto. "Oyakata-sama said that this mission may be a difficult one because more than 60 people had gone missing and none of our Slayers that were sent out had returned, so it might be an Upper Moon we will be going up against. So don't fight among ourselves, okay?"

"Tch. Just don't get in my way, shorty."

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"

"I said-"

"Alright, that's enough from the both of you." Kanae covered both their mouths with her hands before dragging them along with a smile on her face. "Let's get going, shall we? I know Kie obaa-san will be looking after Kanao in our absence, but I don't want to leave Kanao's side for too long if I can help it. Let's just finish investigating this matter and be on our way, alright?"

"See how I did my Sunflower Thrust? Yes, I know we use different Breath Styles but this, is how you do a proper thrust of the sword. Do it again."

"Crazy stupid-"

"Say that again and I will increase the number of repetitions."

Kanae tried her best to stifle her laughter as she witnessed how Haruto is teaching Shinobu how to properly do a sword thrust. Shinobu is probably the only Slayer in the Corps who cannot behead a demon, relying on her poison and speed to kill them instead. Her sword's purpose is to inject her poison into them, which means that she has to be an expert in thrusting her sword if she wants to be stronger.

Thus, leading them to their current situation, with Haruto teaching Shinobu the more complex bladeworks that Haruto felt that she should know.

"Ah, the both of you are getting along so well~"

"Like hell I am getting along with this emotionless brick!"

"Hn. Ungrateful matchstick."

"What did you say?!"

Yup, they are getting along swimmingly well.

"So, you are the prodigy that I had been hearing about?"

Haruto merely sent the newly appointed Wind Hashira a disinterested glance before walking off.

"Hey! At least answer when I'm talking to you!"

"Oh, he's always like this, Shinazugawa-san, don't take it to heart." Kanae chirped as she waved her hand flippantly before calling after the departing Fire Pillar.

"Hey~ Haruto~"

There was no response, further proving Kanae's point.

"There, see?"

"Tch. Arrogant asshole." Shinazugawa Sanemi clicked his tongue in annoyance before stomping off. Kanae merely giggled at the sight before heading towards the Butterfly Estate.

"-and it was like thissss big."

She found her youngest sister right away, who was listening to Tanjiro's story in total fascination. Ah, the both of them are just so cute together! Love is already in the air!

"Kanao-chan! Tanjiro-kun!"

"Ah, Kanae-san!" Tanjiro's face lit up upon spotting her. Kanao's facial expression is as passive as ever, but Kanae can see how her eyes had lit up as well upon her appearance.

"Aren't you two just adorable~~ When are you two getting married to each other?" Kanae cannot help but squeal over their cuteness as she knelt down and hugged the two children close to her. Both the children's faces turned bright red in a matter of seconds, even brighter than what her Nichirin blade could glow when heated.

"K-K-Kanae-san!" Tanjiro squirmed indignantly in her arms, futile trying to escape her grip. Hah! Stronger beings than him had tried and failed! He's not getting away so easily for stealing her younger sister's heart!

"I would appreciate it if you could stop tormenting my younger brother, Kanae."

"I knew you would appear if I did this!" She said with a laugh and released the two children in her arms the moment she heard that familiar voice. She stood up and turned around, spotting her friend immediately.

"What do you want?"

"Aw, can't I just be here to visit a friend?"

He let out a soft sigh before walking away. She followed after him with a skip in her steps, continuing to pester him like how she always does.

"Lemme guess, training again?"

"Hn."

"You don't mind if I become your sparring partner for today, right?"

"Hmph."

"Alright, thanks! Don't worry, I'm sure I can last a lot longer against you as compared to before!"

Haruto suddenly paused in his tracks, as if remembering something.

"That Wind Hashira did try to get me to fight him just now, right?"

"You only just realised?"

"I wasn't paying attention." He replied before changing direction and headed to where they know Shinazugawa will be right now.

"Oh? And what were you thinking back there? What got you so distracted?"

"Mum's steamed buns, but they would only be ready in about an hour. I might as well go for a spar against another Hashira to pass the time."

"Ah, Kie obaa-san's steamed buns! No wonder!" She exclaimed in realisation. Everyone in the Demon Slayer Corps loves Kie's cooking, especially her steamed buns. She continues to walk alongside her friend, her motormouth still doing enough talking for the both of them.

"So, so, what would it be? You taking us on two-on-one? Or a one-on-one match against him? Or?"

"I'm fine with anything as long as I get to cross blades with him. I won't even care if it is a free for all."

"F-Fuck! How the fuck are you so damn strong?!"

"I practiced." I replied in a monotone as I sheathed my sword. Shinazugawa is still struggling to stand up from where I had just beat him into the ground. I recalled very clearly just how powerful he was in canon, but he is nowhere near that level of strength right now as far as I could tell in our earlier spar. He still has some ways to go.

But it won't be long before he gets to that level of strength. Shinazugawa is strong, there is no doubt in my mind regarding this issue.

"Tch, just you wait. I will fucking defeat you one day."

"I'll be waiting." I replied as I turned and walked away. I would be very happy if he can defeat me. After all, the only Hashira who can match me in strength right now is Himejima. If Shinazugawa can defeat me, it means that he has surpassed what he could achieve in canon. The stronger the Hashiras are, the better our chances are in erasing Muzan from existence as soon as possible.

Come to think about it, I should really start preparing in advance by gathering all the elements needed to kill Muzan as soon as possible. In canon, that demon lady was a key player in ending Muzan, wasn't she? What was her name again?

Ah, Tamayo. It's time I seek her out.

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