-Tanjiro POV-
I wasn't sure what to expect when I arrived at the Swordsmith Village. Yes, there were other swordsmiths aside from Haganezuka, and seeing two Hashira wasn't too surprising either. Even fighting a battle doll designed to replicate the strongest Demon Slayer wasn't the most shocking part. No, what caught me off guard was seeing Ryou-sensei getting yelled at for doing something wrong.
"You did it wrong again! Why can't you get it through your thick skull to stop striking it when it's not hot enough?!" one of the swordsmiths yelled. From a distance, I could see the veins bulging in Ryou-sensei's neck, and the hammer in his hand cracked under the pressure of his grip.
'He looks really mad... Maybe I should come back later.' I thought, slowly backing away. But luck wasn't on my side as Ryou-sensei turned and spotted me. I froze.
-Ryou POV-
I was just about ready to knock this old geezer's head off when I saw familiar hair in the distance, Tanjiro. Leaving the still yelling swordsmith behind, I walked over to the now frozen Tanjiro. 'Good, he's finally here. I need to blow off some steam.'
"Tanjiro-kun, good to see you again. How've you been?" I asked, ruffling his hair.
He chuckled nervously and scratched the back of his head. "I've been better, Ryou-senpai. How about you?"
I hummed, giving his hair another ruffle. "Same here. How about we take a walk?"
Tanjiro moved away from my hand but nodded, and we began walking along the outskirts of the village. "Hotaru-san seemed pretty worked up earlier. What happened to the new katana?"
He slumped for a second but chuckled. He started explaining his recent mission with the Sound Hashira, Uzui Tengen, and how they fought the Upper Rank Six demons, Daki and Gyutaro. Once he finished telling his story, I ruffled his hair again, despite his reluctance.
"Don't beat yourself up over the lives lost. It could've been much worse if you hadn't fought. What you and your team did will probably send shockwaves through Muzan's forces. He'll have to make a move now, and I'm sure the Demon Slayers will be ready to take advantage of that."
Tanjiro frowned, then looked at me seriously. "Will you help us?"
I raised an eyebrow.
"You fought Akaza. If you fight with us, we'll be able to stop Muzan faster, won't we?"
I looked away, staring at the trees around us. "Perhaps... It could be faster. Maybe I could help the Corps. But I don't think it's necessary for me to get more involved."
He looked confused, so I explained further. "I'm not saying I won't help people if I see demons. If Ubuyashiki-san asks for my help, I might assist with training Demon Slayers. But beyond that, I don't see myself actively hunting down demons."
We walked in silence for a moment until we reached Kotetsu and the Yoriichi Type Zero doll.
"Ryou-sensei?" Tanjiro called out, breaking the quiet.
"Hmm?"
"What if Nezuko and I asked for your help? Or if we needed you?"
I paused, thinking about that. I'd grown attached to the Kamado siblings, forming a bond I wouldn't want to see broken. After a moment, I placed a hand on his head.
"I'm your sensei. If you or Nezuko ever need my help, I'll be there."
I ruffled his hair one last time, and we continued walking.
It had been about two hours since we had that talk. Afterward, Tanjiro started sparring against Yoriichi Type Zero. Why? Apparently, Kotetsu wanted to use Tanjiro as a way to spite the Mist Hashira, Muichiro Tokito.
Tokito had destroyed one of the battle doll's arms and taken the katana it wielded for himself, which greatly upset Kotetsu. To get back at him, Kotetsu decided to help Tanjiro train with the battle doll but added some harsh conditions. Restricted food and water, and no breaks unless he was knocked unconscious. I, on the other hand, watched the whole thing from a tree, sipping some plum wine I had borrowed from the chief. 'Not like he'll miss it.' I thought, watching Tanjiro get smacked in the stomach by the doll's wooden clubs.
While this sort of training was fine, the restrictions bothered me. Yes, having motivation is important, but depriving the body of the very things it needs, like food and water. while expecting it to perform well is counterproductive. It's like trying to run a steam engine without fuel and expecting it to move.
I wasn't going to step in, though, for two reasons. First, they needed to realize for themselves that this method would have the opposite effect. Second, I was focused on something else, trying to locate a demon. 'They shouldn't know this place exists.' It was strange, but I was certain I had sensed one earlier. Before I could confirm it, the presence had disappeared. 'Maybe I imagined it?' I idly thought.
Six days had passed, and Tanjiro was finally able to land a blow to the battle doll's head, revealing a katana that looked over three hundred years old. Hotaru, who had spent the past few days in seclusion training, approached them when they discovered the katana was dull. He declared. "I will restore it!" Grabbing it with one hand, he handed a different katana to Tanjiro. "Use this for now, but don't break it!" And with that, he walked off.
Tanjiro and Kotetsu, over the moon with excitement, started doing a little dance, which amused me. I chuckled, catching their attention. When they looked up, they saw me grinning, not the kind of grin I usually have when training others.
"Good job Tanjiro-kun, you did well." I said, then glanced over at Kotetsu. "Your ancestor would be proud of you, Kotetsu."
Both of them beamed with pride.
"It's getting dark. You should head back." I continued. "I'm sure Nezuko-chan and Eri-chan have dinner almost ready."
They both nodded, and as they started to leave the training spot, Tanjiro asked. "Aren't you coming with us?"
I gave him a reassuring nod, taking a gulp of plum wine. "I'll be there soon. I just want to watch the stars alone for a bit. Go on ahead."
Tanjiro nodded, and I watched them leave. Once they were gone, I started coughing up blood. 'Seems like I still haven't perfected it.' I thought, referring to how I was dampening the effects of the Wisteria and Nichirin blades on me. After my coughing fit subsided, I took a few more gulps of wine.
But I was forced to stop when I suddenly sensed multiple presences. 'Two? Three? No… four.' It was hard to tell, but two of them were much more powerful than the others. And I recognized one of them, Akaza.
I finished the plum wine and jumped down from the tree as I felt the two weaker demons leaving the group. 'What are they planning?' I wondered, making my way toward Akaza and the other powerful presence.