Disclaimer: Demon Slayer is not mine. This fanfic is a translation.
Enjoy Reading!
---
Five days later.
"Tweet! Chirp chirp!"
Early morning.
In the small town at the foot of Mount Kamado.
Early-rising birds lifted their heads and sang, occasionally turning to preen their feathers with their beaks.
The sky was just beginning to lighten, and a layer of dew clung to the bluestone pavement of the streets.
Along the orderly rows of houses, residents gradually opened their doors and windows and stepped outside. Merchants began setting up their stalls.
An elderly woman swept fallen leaves from in front of her door with a bamboo broom.
"Hm?"
Her ears, no longer as sharp as they once were, caught the sound of approaching footsteps and conversation behind her down the road.
She turned and looked toward the far end of the street.
In her blurry field of vision, a group of people were walking down the street, chatting and smiling. Their faces were deeply familiar.
A child's youthful voice drifted over faintly.
"Finally, we're almost home."
Shigeru carried his little brother Rokuta, following behind Kie. He let out a yawn and remarked, "So tired."
His mind wandered back, to the night their mother had hurriedly led them away from their home.
Shigeru still couldn't help but shrink his neck a little, a shiver of fear running through him.
Tanjuro walked ahead of the group, side by side with Kie.
When the elderly woman's blurry eyes finally recognized the figure at the front of the group.
Clatter.
The broom in her hands fell to the ground. "...Tanjuro-san? Is that you?"
Hearing the old woman's voice, Tanjuro paused his conversation with Kie and turned around, waving as he walked over. "Yes. It's been a long time."
Tanjuro nodded with a smile. As a charcoal seller living up in the mountains, he knew most of the townsfolk well.
However, as his health had gradually failed and he became unable to descend the mountain, his contact with the town's residents had faded. His eldest son, Tanjiro, had taken his place instead.
The commotion drew the attention of a shopkeeper across the street.
The shopkeeper curiously lifted the curtain over his doorway and poked his head out to look.
Upon recognizing the visitor, he froze for a second, then shouted in delighted surprise.
"Tanjuro!"
"You're finally able to get out of bed again?!"
The joyous shout drew out one town resident after another.
Thanks to the Kamado family's ever-warmhearted nature, nearly everyone in town had received help from them at some point.
Hearing news of Tanjuro, they emerged from the buildings lining both sides of the street, encircling the Kamado family in layers.
"It really is the Kamados!"
"It's been so many years since you've come down the mountain, Tanjuro-san!"
"Kie is here too! Oh! Tanjiro! The whole family's here!"
"Long time no see!"
Someone approached Tanjuro with the familiarity of an old friend, clapping a hand on his shoulder and laughing heartily.
"In your absence, Tanjiro did an amazing job! Everyone here adores him!"
He turned back to the gathered crowd as he said it. "Right?!"
"That's right! Absolutely!" The crowd exchanged glances, nodding with smiles.
"Thank you."
Tanjuro, as reserved with words as ever, simply smiled and nodded at everyone in gratitude.
Beside him, Tanjiro seemed somewhat embarrassed, scratching the back of his head incessantly.
Kie noticed that Hanako, standing beside her, had furrowed her brows as if worried about something.
"What's wrong?" Kie turned to Hanako and placed a gentle hand on her daughter's head. "Are you feeling unwell?"
Hanako hesitated. "Mom."
She looked up and tugged at the hem of Kie's clothing, her other hand clenching anxiously against her chest. Her eyes were filled with concern.
"We just left without a word. The Butterfly Mansion still has injured people... We didn't even say goodbye... Won't it seem too sudden? Won't everyone feel..."
Hanako glanced at the townsfolk surrounding them. Her gaze flickered with uncertainty, and her voice grew hesitant.
"Don't worry."
Tanjuro turned around and crouched down, bringing himself to Hanako's eye level.
At the same time, he subtly tugged on the arm of Tanjiro, who was still grinning goofily beside him, positioning his body to block the residents' view.
"I left a letter for everyone."
Tanjuro smiled gently.
"We all worked together to finish rebuilding the Butterfly Mansion before setting off for home. We've done everything we could do."
He patted his daughter's head. "So you can put your mind at ease."
"Okay..." The worry on Hanako's face eased somewhat, though she still seemed a little downcast.
Tanjuro rose to his feet. Maintaining his smile, he turned to face the encircling townspeople.
His gaze swept over them.
He noticed more people were still gathering from further down the street, more and more of them. Even passersby unaware of the situation were drifting closer with curious looks.
Left with little choice, Tanjuro shook his head slightly. Then he took a shallow breath.
"Cough... cough cough!" His face suddenly paled, and he broke into a violent coughing fit.
He stumbled, reaching out to steady himself against Tanjiro. "Forgive me, everyone."
Tanjuro raised a trembling arm, as though he were still the frail, dying man he once had been. His tone was subdued. "It's been a long journey. I'm rather tired... I'm afraid I can't stay and chat for long..."
"Ah! I'm so sorry... I completely forgot..."
Several of the closest bystanders started in alarm and carefully stepped aside to clear a path, their eyes filled with concern as they looked at Tanjuro.
"Don't push yourself. Hurry home and get some rest."
Kie watched Tanjuro's back with a hint of newfound fascination. She saw right through him; he was putting on an act.
But... it had been a very long time since she had seen this side of Tanjuro. The side that had the energy for a little jest, the side that wasn't so perpetually stoic and calm.
Kie stepped forward and took hold of Tanjuro's trembling hand.
Her deep purple eyes reflected his slightly startled expression. Kie smiled softly.
"Let's go."
…
"This mountain looks pretty good! Let's live here!"
Clean sunlight spilled onto the speaker's face. He stood smiling, arms akimbo, nodding with satisfaction as he looked at the mountain before him.
It was Yuichiro.
"Father, look!"
His finger pointed toward the crowd surrounding the Kamado family.
"Is someone important over there? Why are so many people gathered around?"
The puzzled, youthful voice came from a boy with cyan-tipped hair.
It was none other than the one who had been unconscious throughout the final battle, Muichiro.
He looked up at his father with curious eyes.
Soichiro turned and scratched his head with a vague laugh, his voice noncommittal. "Hmm... maybe."
Fortunately, Muichiro didn't dwell on it.
"Speaking of which." Muichiro withdrew his gaze and turned to his older brother, who stood beside him. He folded his arms and tilted his head.
"Why aren't we going back to our old home? Why are we wandering around looking for a new place closer to a town?"
"I actually miss our old house a bit."
Yuichiro couldn't help but roll his eyes. He clicked his tongue impatiently. "Are you an idiot?"
He jabbed a finger toward his foolish younger brother.
"According to what the Master said, all the demons in the world are dead. So we can go home." He explained with impatience.
"But!" Yuichiro's tone grew emphatic. He subconsciously glanced toward his mother, Kaoru, a hint of worry surfacing on his face.
"What happens if we go back to that isolated house deep in the mountains and something like that happens again?"
"Are we just going to be helpless all over again?"
His mind flashed back to that pitch-black, storm-ravaged night.
Father away. Mother is gravely ill.
The damp wooden house with only a single dim, yellow oil lamp had offered no warmth.
The despair spreading between the two brothers had flickered with every draft of cold wind that seeped through the gaps in the door, just like the flame of that lamp.
"I don't ever want to go through that a second time."
The angrier Yuichiro got as he spoke, the more worked up he became. Finally, he stepped forward and grabbed Muichiro's stunned face with both hands, squeezing his cheeks. He took a deep breath.
"Learn something from past mistakes, you idiot!"
His voice echoed faintly in the surrounding area.
'If there had been medical care like that at the Butterfly Mansion back then, Father wouldn't have had to go out into that storm to pick some useless weeds when Mother had her fever.'
'Finding a new place closer to town is an extra layer of security.'
That was Yuichiro's reasoning.
"I agree with Yuichiro." Soichiro raised a finger and smiled, joining the brothers' conversation.
In his view, the world no longer required them to hide from the vengeful pursuit of a clan feud that dated back centuries.
So moving out of the remote mountains seemed like a wise choice.
"Huh?" Yuichiro glanced at his usually airheaded father with some surprise. "...That's rare."
Their mother, Kaoru, stood behind them, covering her mouth to suppress an irrepressible smile as she quietly watched the exchange between father and sons.
She simply thought it was absolutely delightful.
"Oh! Look!"
Muichiro suddenly broke free from his brother's grasp. He turned his head and pointed across the street in astonishment, his voice gradually dropping in volume.
His cyan-blue eyes reflected the figure of the man leading the group. It was unmistakably...
"Uncle Kamado!"
Muichiro froze for a split second, his eyes widening. Then he shouted in joyful surprise.
His voice, subconsciously laced with breathing technique, came out incredibly loud.
It caused the people at the other end of the street to whip their heads around in his direction, drawing the Kamado family's attention as well.
Before long, the Kamado's made their way over to where the Tokito family stood.
"Uncle Kamado! Takeo! Shigeru! What are you all doing here?"
Muichiro called out excitedly, his eyes bright with happiness as he exchanged glances with each member of the Kamado family.
"Are you looking for a place to live, too?"
After waking from his sleep, the brothers had learned that Upper Rank One and even the Demon King himself had been slain.
Their reason for remaining in the Demon Slayer Corps had vanished. They had felt a profound sense of loss.
In such an emotional state, running into familiar faces made Muichiro happier than he could express. He wanted to give Takeo and Shigeru a huge hug.
After all, he was more familiar with those two.
Hearing Muichiro's question, the Kamado family members turned to each other, exchanging glances.
"Didn't any of you tell him?"
Takeo and Shigeru stepped forward.
"No, no, no."
Takeo shook his head rapidly several times, then pointed toward the mountain peak not far away and stated matter-of-factly.
"Our house is at the top of this mountain."
"You live on the mountain?" Muichiro tilted his head in confusion. Even Yuichiro looked equally puzzled.
"That's right!" Shigeru chimed in, spreading his arms wide as if illustrating something grand.
"Our family sells charcoal, so of course we live in the mountains where it's easy to cut trees..."
He was cut off by Yuichiro's astonished voice.
"Your family sells charcoal?!" Yuichiro stared, wide-eyed and speechless. He glanced up at Tanjuro, who stood silently smiling, and then down at Tanjiro, who was smiling just the same.
His mind replayed images of the so-called "Hinokami Kagura" and "Sun Breathing" he had witnessed.
It felt as if a bolt of lightning had struck the back of his head.
'These people... sell charcoal?'
Shigeru missed the implication in Yuichiro's tone entirely. He simply nodded. "That's right."
His younger brother Muichiro, however, had caught up. He scratched his head and remarked with wonder.
"What a coincidence... My family are woodcutters."
"No way!"
This time it was the unsuspecting Shigeru's and Takeo's turn to be shocked.
"Are you all looking for a place to settle down?"
Tanjuro had been quietly watching the children converse, finding it quite entertaining. He raised his head and looked kindly at Soichiro.
"If you don't mind modest accommodations, you're welcome to rest at our humble home first."
Yuichiro was about to decline, but he saw his own father step forward eagerly, grinning broadly.
"That would be lovely!"
Yuichiro clapped a hand over his own face. "Idiot father!"
And so, the group heading up the mountain grew by a few more.
As time approached noon, the group walked along the winding mountain path.
A sturdily built wooden house gradually came into view.
Despite having been away for so long, it appeared someone had been tending to it regularly. It looked remarkably clean and well-kept.
Swish, swish.
The sound of sweeping reached their ears. The Kamado family immediately turned toward the source of the noise.
"Grandpa Saburo!" Tanjiro turned, froze for a second, then called out in surprise.
Saburo flinched slightly and turned around in astonishment.
What met his eyes was Tanjuro and the others, waving and smiling.
His gaze lingered, stunned.
His vision suddenly blurred. He reached up with a calloused hand and wiped his eyelids, finding them slightly damp.
Saburo's brow trembled uncontrollably. His eyes stung with emotion. He nodded firmly, his voice hoarse.
"You're home... That's all that matters..."
After everyone entered the house, they found the interior just as spotless and tidy as the outside.
"We're finally back!"
Shigeru and Takeo leaped and flopped down onto their respective futons, reveling in the familiar comfort.
Nearby, Nezuko rubbed her forehead with a touch of exasperation.
The Tokito brothers stood out in the garden, looking thoughtfully at the charcoal kiln. They nodded, murmuring to themselves.
"...They really do sell charcoal."
Clear sunlight streamed beneath the eaves and through the open door, falling upon the faces of Shigeru and Takeo as they wrestled playfully on the bedding.
"Time to get a meal ready."
Tanjuro stretched, savoring the lightness in his body.
He picked up the groceries they had bought in town earlier and made his way toward the cooking hearth.
"I'll help out too." Soichiro immediately rose and followed after him.
This left Kie and Kaoru sitting beneath the eaves, watching the children frolic in the garden.
...
A short while later.
Knock knock!
The front door was rapped upon.
"Who is it?"
Takeo, still a bit drowsy, got up and walked to the door, pulling it open.
He peered outside.
Standing at the door was a young man with a clean, gentle face and a youthful appearance.
He inclined his head slightly in greeting.
"Pardon the intrusion."
The young man wore a haori that faded from purple to white. Smiling, he bent down and patted Takeo on the head, his voice soft and gentle as he asked.
"Is Kamado Tanjuro-san here?"
Takeo felt a pleasant fuzziness in his head. He looked up at the young man before him with a slightly dazed expression, then turned and called back into the house.
"Father! Someone's here to see you!"
Tanjuro poked his head out from the kitchen area and looked toward the door.
In the next instant, his eyes filled with question marks.
"Ubuyashiki-san?"
The young man's clean-shaven face gradually overlapped with the image in his mind of Kagaya, whose features had been marred by purplish scars.
"Indeed."
Kagaya stood outside the door, smiling and nodding, confirming Tanjuro's suspicion.
"With the death of the Demon King Muzan, the curse upon the Ubuyashiki family has lifted considerably."
He produced a letter and unfolded it.
"I read the farewell letter you left behind, Kamado-san."
"So, please forgive me, or rather us, for this presumptuous visit."
Kagaya's brows softened, and he smiled as he stepped aside and gestured toward the garden.
Tanjuro's gaze followed his hand.
"Kamado! Long time no see!"
Tengen waved his arm high in the air, his face beaming with a smile.
Beside him, the three kunoichi waved just as cheerfully.
"Tanjuro-san!" Mitsuri Kanroji peeked out from behind Kyojuro, shouting in the same energetic tone as Tengen. "I'm here too!!"
"Put more spirit into it!" Kyojuro stood with arms akimbo, shouting at Mitsuri.
"Yes, sir!!"
"Ha ha ha! Excellent!" Kyojuro nodded vigorously.
"..." Shinjuro stood nearby, looking at his son like he was an idiot.
His younger brother, Senjuro, scratched his cheek with a helpless, dry laugh.
Obanai lurked in the shadow of a tree, silently observing from afar.
"Namu Amida Butsu." Gyomei stood with his hands pressed together in prayer.
Behind him, Sayo peeked out and sent a small smile toward the house.
Shinobu stood beside Giyu. Neither spoke; they merely exchanged a silent glance with those at the door.
"Tch."
Sanemi picked at his ear with an irritated air, looking away and folding his arms across his chest. He clicked his tongue.
"So damn noisy."
"Tanjiro! Where's Tanjiro?!" Inosuke's boar head pushed through the crowd as he shouted.
"Idiot! Don't shove like that! You ruined the formation we finally got set up!" Zenitsu's scolding followed right behind.
Thud!
The sound of bodies colliding echoed.
Ao and Kanao stood in a corner, whispering to each other about something.
"Long time no see." Sakonji and Jigoro waved from the crowd.
"This old man came too!" A short, elderly figure wearing a Hyottoko mask folded his arms and declared with immense pride.
"Chief!" Tecchin looked mortified.
Kotetsu bounced around energetically beside his father, looking left and right.
Tanjuro's gaze swept over each face in turn.
"...Everyone's here."
"Pfft!"
"Ha ha ha ha ha!"
"What kind of response is that?!"
His words drew a wave of unanimous laughter.
"Ah! That's right!"
Mitsuri clapped her hands together, remembering something. She shouted with delight. "Since everyone's here, let's take a group photo together!"
"A group photo?" Confused voices rose from several people.
"What's that?"
The question came from the residents of the Swordsmith Village and a few members of the Rengoku family.
"Well, it's..." Mitsuri floundered for a moment, flustered sweat beading on her face as she gestured wildly, trying to explain. "It's a new kind of, uh, um..."
"A group photo..."
Standing in the corner, Giyu murmured the words to himself. Suddenly, a light seemed to flicker in his eyes as an idea had struck him.
"I'll be right back."
He spoke briefly to Shinobu beside him.
Before Shinobu could even grab hold of him,
Whoosh!
Giyu vanished in a blur of motion.
"Throb 💢." A vein pulsed at Shinobu's temple.
A delicious aroma wafted from the direction of the hearth, catching everyone's attention.
"Cooking?"
"Let us help too!"
Kagaya simply watched, smiling. He did a quick headcount of the people present and gently waved a hand. "I'll go down to the town and buy some more food and sake."
Sanemi immediately moved to stop him. "Mast—Ubuyashiki-san! I can handle something like that!"
"No, no, it's fine." Kagaya shook his head, his smile gentle.
"I've recovered quite well. I'd like to move around a bit more."
"Then I'll go with you!" Sanemi's mind worked quickly this time. He sped up his pace and fell in step right behind him.
...
A long while later, night gradually descended.
Everyone gathered in the Kamado family's garden. A large wooden board had been set up in the center, laden with an array of various dishes.
"Cheers!"
Every face was lit with a smile that came straight from the heart.
All except one.
Shinobu gently swirled the sake cup in her hand, glancing sideways at the empty spot beside her.
'Tomioka-san still hadn't returned.'
Right on cue, footsteps sounded from the direction of the mountain path.
Shinobu set down her cup and looked toward the moonlit trail leading up the mountain.
The figure drawing nearer was revealed to be a young man with pale green hair that darkened to black at the tips.
The young man's expression was melancholic, his gaze downcast. He clutched a hairpin in one hand, and a calico cat rested on his shoulder.
The laughter and cheerful chatter ceased abruptly.
Shinobu's pupils contracted. Her hand moved almost by instinct toward the sun-forged blade at her waist. Years of ingrained battle instinct screamed at her.
The young man before her was a demon!
"Don't be alarmed, Shinobu-san."
Kagaya's voice rang out, halting Shinobu's defensive reaction.
"This is Yushiro-san, the one I mentioned before, who helped provide assistance during the final battle."
Tanjiro looked toward Yushiro.
Sniff, sniff.
His nose twitched twice.
'Such a sorrowful scent...'
Tanjiro's eyes widened. His reddish-brown irises reflected Yushiro's swaying figure.
'Just a hint of it, and my nostrils sting like I'm about to cry.'
'What on earth happened?'
Yushiro made no response to Kagaya's words. His upper body swayed slightly with each advancing step.
He moved like a man drunk, though not a trace of alcohol clung to him.
Step by step, he walked into the midst of the group.
The rims of his eyes were red. Dried tear tracks still seemed visible on his cheeks. He mumbled incoherently.
"Tamayo-sama... when she learned Muzan was dead..."
"...she stepped into the sunlight..."
Yushiro slowly raised his head. He had stopped directly in front of Kagaya. His voice trembled.
"...and vanished."
"...I'm..." Kagaya opened his mouth slightly.
He had made a pact with Yushiro before the battle. After the fight was over, he would help stabilize Tamayo's emotions and protect her from any harm by humans or the Demon Slayer Corps.
His words were cut off by Yushiro, who wiped at his tear-stained face.
"You don't need to apologize. It has nothing to do with you."
Yushiro lifted his head and looked at the moon in the sky, struggling to collect himself. "It was Tamayo-sama's own choice... We... should respect her choice..."
As he spoke, he bit down hard on his lower lip, his voice beginning to hitch and break again.
The assembled group exchanged uncertain glances.
"Alright, alright..."
"I can understand how you feel..."
"Don't cry!"
The first to break the silence was the Rengoku contingent.
"A demon that cries... I've never seen that before."
"Stop making things worse!"
One after another, they tried to console the grieving demon.
Then—
Gyomei brought his hands together with a resounding clap and rose to his feet.
"Namu Amida Butsu." He slowly stepped over the low table, walked to Yushiro's side, and crouched down.
He placed a broad, thick hand on Yushiro's shoulder.
Yushiro lifted his tear-streaked face and looked up at the towering man before him with confusion.
"Tamayo-san recognized her sins and chose to atone for them. Once her atonement is complete, she will be able to re-enter the cycle of rebirth."
"...What... do you mean...?" Yushiro asked, his voice still thick with sobs.
"...You... and we... shall meet again one day. "Gyomei patted Yushiro gently on the head, leaving behind cryptic monk advice.
But after all the commotion and the group's intervention, Yushiro's mood seemed to lift somewhat.
"...Thank you."
Yushiro quietly stood up, found a corner, and sat down.
Soon, the sounds of laughter and cheerful conversation once again filled the garden.
More footsteps came.
"I'm back."
Giyu poked his head in, interrupting the gathering.
Shinobu pressed a hand to her forehead and shook her head in exasperation. "What have you been doing?"
The corner of Giyu Tomioka's mouth twitched imperceptibly. He stepped aside, revealing who was behind him, Nana Mizuki.
He pointed at the wooden box camera cradled in Mizuki's arms and stated. "Group photo."
"...You..." Shinobu stared at the camera, momentarily speechless.
Mitsuri's voice rang out from behind. "Ah! You actually found one! (≧▽≦)"
"That's amazing, Tomioka-san!"
Then Mitsuri turned around and called out to the others with cheerful enthusiasm.
"Everyone! Tomioka-san brought a camera! We can take a group photo!"
Mizuki stood helplessly to the side, the corner of her mouth twitching. 'Do all these Demon Slayer Corps people talk the same way?'
The look in Giyu's eyes grew increasingly smug (though it was hard to tell). He turned to Shinobu before him, as if wanting to say something.
But in the end, what came out was simple. "Let's take a photo together."
Everyone gathered together, using stones, wooden planks, and each other's shoulders to stand taller, the rows rising higher toward the back.
The Kamado family. The Tokito family. The Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps. The Tsuguko. The Kakushi. Yushiro.
Even the residents of the Swordsmith Village.
Everyone stood together, their faces alight with heartfelt, carefree smiles.
They all looked toward the camera lens opposite them.
Mizuki, her head ducked behind the wooden box, camera, called out loudly. "Alright! Everyone look this way!"
"What's 1+1?"
"Nii!" (two)
Click!
As the shutter sounded.
Everything was frozen in that single instant, preserved forever as a gently yellowing, old photograph.