The chamber was eerily quiet in the wake of the Forgotten King's defeat. Dust hung in the air, catching the dim light that filtered through the cracks in the stone walls, and the last remnants of the ancient ruler's dark energy dissipated into the atmosphere. Tanjiro, still catching his breath, stood alongside Nezuko, Gon, and Killua, his mind racing from the battle they had just survived.
They had won, but the weight of what they had uncovered lingered heavily in the air.
"We did it," Gon said, his voice breathless but filled with triumph. He wiped the sweat from his brow and turned to Tanjiro with a wide grin. "That was amazing!"
Tanjiro smiled weakly, but his body still trembled from the intensity of the fight. His thoughts were scattered, but one feeling remained clear—relief. They had stopped the Forgotten King from wreaking further havoc, and yet, the story didn't feel finished. Something was still missing.
Killua, his silver eyes sharp, scanned the room, his instincts telling him there was more to this ancient chamber than what they had seen so far. He stepped forward cautiously, his hand resting lightly on his side, still on guard. "It's not over yet. There's something here… something we haven't noticed."
Tanjiro frowned and turned his attention to the far side of the chamber. His sharp senses picked up on the strange energy that lingered in the air—a faint, pulsating power, like a heartbeat. "I feel it too."
Nezuko, her eyes glowing faintly in the dim light, hummed softly, her gaze drawn to the far corner of the room. She pointed silently toward what appeared to be a cocoon-like structure hidden in the shadows, half-buried behind fallen debris and stone.
Tanjiro's heart skipped a beat as he followed Nezuko's gesture. The cocoon was unlike anything he had ever seen. It was delicate yet shimmering, as if spun from threads of light and shadow. The air around it seemed to pulse with an ancient energy, similar to what they had felt from the Forgotten King—but different. Softer, almost gentle.
"Is that…?" Gon began, stepping closer, his voice trailing off as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing.
Killua narrowed his eyes, moving with caution as he approached the cocoon. "I've never seen anything like this before. Be careful."
Tanjiro's breath quickened as he and Nezuko moved closer, his instincts telling him that whatever was inside this cocoon was connected to the ancient kingdom they had just uncovered. "It feels… alive."
Nezuko hummed in agreement, her hand gripping her brother's sleeve as they stood side by side, gazing at the strange structure. Something about it called to them, as if it had been waiting for this moment.
Suddenly, the cocoon shuddered, a faint crack appearing along its shimmering surface. Tanjiro's eyes widened in shock. "It's breaking!"
Gon and Killua took a step back, their bodies tense as they prepared for whatever might emerge. But Tanjiro's instincts told him this wasn't a threat. He could feel it—this presence wasn't like the king or the cursed warriors. It was something… pure.
The cocoon trembled once more, and with a soft, almost melodic sound, it began to crack open, piece by piece. Light spilled out from within, bathing the room in a warm, golden glow. The air grew thick with anticipation, and time seemed to slow as the last pieces of the cocoon fell away.
Inside, standing motionless at first, was a girl—a beautiful girl, with delicate features and long, dark hair that cascaded down her back like a waterfall. Her skin was pale and smooth, and she was dressed in a simple yet elegant gown that seemed to shimmer in the golden light. Her eyes, still closed, fluttered gently as she took her first breath outside the cocoon.
She looked no older than Tanjiro, her presence ethereal, almost dreamlike. Her appearance was unlike anyone they had seen before, her beauty reminiscent of the ancient murals they had discovered. But there was something different about her, something that felt untouched by the darkness that had plagued the ancient kingdom.
Tanjiro's breath caught in his throat as he gazed at her. There was an unexplainable connection, a pull that he felt deep within his chest. He couldn't look away, and though she had yet to open her eyes, he knew instinctively that she was important—vital to understanding the truth behind the ancient breathing techniques and the curse of demons.
Nezuko, standing beside him, watched the girl with quiet curiosity. Her instincts told her that this girl was no ordinary person, and though she didn't sense immediate danger, she remained protective, standing close to her brother.
The girl's eyes slowly opened, revealing deep, dark irises that seemed to hold the weight of centuries. She blinked, her expression soft and almost confused, as though she were waking from a long, dreamless sleep. Her gaze drifted around the room, taking in her surroundings, but when her eyes fell on Tanjiro, something flickered within them—recognition.
Tanjiro stepped forward hesitantly, his heart racing. "Are you…?" His voice was barely a whisper, but the girl's eyes locked onto his, and for a moment, the air between them seemed to still.
The girl's lips parted, and she spoke, her voice soft and melodic, yet filled with an ancient weight. But the words were unfamiliar—an ancient language that none of them understood.
Tanjiro frowned, his mind racing as he tried to grasp the meaning of her words. "I don't understand… What is she saying?"
Killua, ever analytical, shook his head. "It's an ancient dialect. She must be from the same time as the Forgotten King—one of the last remnants of the kingdom."
Nezuko, her eyes sharp with understanding, nodded silently, her expression focused. She knew that the girl was trying to communicate something important, but the language barrier stood in their way.
The girl's gaze shifted between the group, her brow furrowing as she realized that they didn't understand her. She placed a hand over her chest and bowed her head slightly, her eyes filled with a quiet sadness.
Gon, ever empathetic, took a step closer, his voice gentle. "Hey, it's okay. We'll figure it out." He smiled at the girl, trying to reassure her, though he, too, was unsure of what to do next.
Tanjiro, his heart aching for the girl, stepped forward cautiously. He couldn't explain it, but he felt a deep connection to her—a bond that seemed to transcend time and language. "We want to help," he said softly, though he knew she couldn't understand him.
The girl's eyes flickered with recognition again, and she gestured toward the murals on the walls, her movements slow and graceful. She pointed to the images of the ancient warriors, her voice rising slightly as she spoke in her unfamiliar language.
Tanjiro's eyes widened as he followed her gesture. "She's connected to the breathing techniques," he murmured. "She's trying to show us something."
Killua crossed his arms, his mind racing. "If she's from the same time as the Forgotten King, she might have knowledge of the true breathing techniques. But if we can't understand her, it's going to be hard to figure out what she knows."
Gon nodded, his expression serious. "We'll have to help her learn our language. It might take time, but she's the key to understanding the ancient breathing techniques."
Nezuko stepped forward, her eyes soft but determined. She, too, felt the weight of the girl's presence, and though she couldn't speak, she reached out to her, offering her hand as a gesture of peace.
The girl looked at Nezuko with wide eyes, her lips parting slightly in surprise. For a moment, she hesitated, but then, slowly, she reached out and took Nezuko's hand, her touch gentle and warm. A soft hum escaped Nezuko's lips, as if to reassure the girl that she was safe.
Tanjiro watched the exchange, his heart swelling with both relief and curiosity. "We'll find a way to communicate," he said softly, his eyes meeting the girl's. "You're not alone anymore."
The girl's gaze lingered on him, her dark eyes filled with unspoken emotions. She still didn't understand the words, but something in Tanjiro's tone seemed to resonate with her, and for the first time since she emerged from the cocoon, she allowed herself to relax.
The Princess of the Lost Kingdom
As the group sat down in the chamber to rest and recover, they tried to piece together what they had learned. The girl—who they assumed was a princess from the ancient kingdom—remained close to Tanjiro and Nezuko, watching them with quiet curiosity. Though she couldn't speak their language yet, there was a sense of understanding in her gaze, as though she was slowly beginning to grasp their words.
"We'll need to take her with us," Killua said, his voice matter-of-fact. "If she really is connected to the true breathing techniques, she's our best chance at understanding how to master them."
Gon nodded in agreement. "And maybe she can help us figure out what caused the kingdom to fall. There's still so much we don't know."
Tanjiro, sitting beside the girl, looked at her thoughtfully. "She's been asleep for centuries, waiting for this moment. There's so much she can teach us, but… it's going to take time."
Nezuko, who had remained silent, hummed softly in agreement. She could sense the girl's gentle spirit, and though they didn't share a common language, there was a bond forming between them.
The girl, noticing their attention, looked down at her hands and then back at the group. She pointed to herself and spoke softly, her voice like a whisper of the past.
"Yūka…"
Tanjiro's eyes widened slightly. "Yūka… Is that your name?"
The girl—Yūka—nodded slowly, her dark eyes filled with a mixture of hope and uncertainty.
Gon grinned brightly. "Nice to meet you, Yūka! I'm Gon, and this is Killua, Tanjiro, and Nezuko!"
Though she didn't understand the names fully, Yūka smiled softly, bowing her head slightly in acknowledgment.
Tanjiro's heart raced as he looked at her. There was something about Yūka that stirred feelings deep within him—feelings he couldn't quite explain. She was more than just a remnant of the past; she was a link to the knowledge they had been searching for, and perhaps… something more.
As the golden light of the setting sun filtered through the cracks in the stone walls, Tanjiro and the others knew that their journey had taken a new turn. With Yūka by their side, they were one step closer to uncovering the true power of the breathing techniques, and perhaps, the way to break the curse of demons once and for all.
But with every new discovery came new dangers, and as the shadows of the ancient kingdom grew longer, they knew that the challenges ahead would test them in ways they had never imagined.