|| 𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐣𝐢𝐫𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐫𝐲 - 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐞 ||

♧︎︎︎

|| 𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐣𝐢𝐫𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐫𝐲 - 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐰𝐨 ||
005

ꨄ︎

tanjiro kamado pov

"i am a cultivator, like what the word describes, i cultivate swordsmen."

"there are a lot of 'cultivators' who cultivate swordsmen with a variety of techniques in a variety of places."

"if one wants to enter the demon killing corps then they must survive in the 'final selection' on 'fujikasaneyama', i get to decide whether you are allowed to enter the 'final selection'."

✰★✰

i began writing a diary today for nezuko. she had been asleep ever since we arrived at urokodaki-san's home, i thought that maybe writing down my experiences daily would be beneficial as when i'm far away she could read the diary and see what had happened to me, y/n, and rokuta in our every day life when she was asleep.

y/n on the other hand had been excelling in training. i nearly thought that she's a natural when it comes to hardcore trainings. she would always be ahead of me but i never once became jealous of that, i am kind of relieved knowing that someone who excels in martial arts could protect nezuko when i'm far away and such.

everyday we would descend the mountain, training ourselves hard so that we won't pass away during the final selection. y/n had easily avoided the traps while descending the mountain, there are times wherein she rushed too much that she get caught by some of the traps laid out. i on the other hand had been slowly adjusting, i was able to avoid the traps as we had been doing this repeatedly everyday.

my stamina had increased, my nose is able to detect smells even swifter than before. the same as y/n, she had sharp eyes that could see the threads even from far away, she had enhance her skills and therefore could see threads even if she's a bit far from them. she would always guide me on the threads so i wouldn't end up stepping on them which usually works everyday.

however, the difficulty of the traps began to slowly increase and are filled with a heavy stench of killing intent. i don't know if it is just me but i think urokodaki-san is trying to kill us just before we could join the final selection.

few days after descending the mountain empty handed. urokodaki-san had given us a blade that we could wield when we descend the mountain. that is really annoying, i would end up getting tangled or getting hit by the logs as the sword is a huge distraction, y/n had easily descend the mountain not even breaking a sweat. she must have known how to wield a blade before.

after descending the mountain with a blade. urokodaki-san had taught us the sword swinging, i had been swinging my blade nonstop and it does exhaust my arms. the training had been continuous, it would always start with us descending the mountain to us swinging the blade until we get the hang of it.

he had also warn us about the blade. he told us that the blade could easily snap. even though the force of the strike of swinging vertically is strong, the force of swinging horizontally is very weak. when using a blade, one must swing along with the blade. the position of the blade, and the direction one applies the force to swinging the blade must be exactly the same. urokodaki-san had very good explanation but if i had manage to break a blade and so did y/n, our bones would be broken as well. that is what he had threatened us.

we also learned about the wrassling festival, a training devised to allow us to get up quickly no matter what position we fell to the ground. we had a blade with us, we swung it towards urokodaki-san but he is empty handed, he only used his hands yet he's really strong. we would always fall to the ground after being flung out. well that was y/n after a few days, she had manage to cope up with urokodaki-san and just by a few days she had manage to avoid being thrown in the ground and easily standing up after falling.

after those training, we practiced breathing and positions to do it in. weirdly, y/n is a little natural to it, it's just like she had been trained to do breathing techniques. i would always fail and urokodaki-san complaining that i'm not putting strength towards my abdomen and would start slapping my stomach.

also, nezuko haven't woken up. even though urokodaki-san asked for a doctor for a diagnosis immediately, there weren't any signs of irregularity. but the fact that she continued sleeping itself shows that something is irregular. i'm afraid that she would wake one morning and die just like that.

and rokuta, he had turned 3. he had become closer to y/n as months pass. he wouldn't be able to sleep when she's not by his side so whenever we're training, y/n would leave just before midnight so she could put rokuta to sleep and then continue training after knowing that he had fallen asleep. he would always be left behind whenever we train so i worry as someone might break into the house, sometimes urokodaki-san would bring him to training which eases my worries.

me and y/n had been training nonstop, the training of us descending the mountains needs to be conducted in more dangerous and more oxygen lacking places. sometimes i thought a bunch of times that i was going to die here but y/n was always there to encourage me to do my best, she would give me those smile of hers which gives the message of 'you're not alone, let's carry this burden together.' and that encourages me to push pass my limit and to go beyond.

but then when reaching the bottom of the mountain, we come across urokodaki-san who stood just a few meters away from us.

"i don't have anything more to teach you."

"from now on you're going to have to prove yourselves. see if you can improve yourselves upon the basics i have taught you."

"if you are able to cut these boulders in half then i will allow you to join the final selection."

he suddenly blurted out. for a year after we arrived at the narrow mist mountain, he had suddenly said that he had nothing more to teach and that we have to cut the boulders in half to be able to join the final selection.

from that moment, urokodaki-san didn't taught us anymore. me and y/n continued to practice the things we've learned every day. jotting down basic things like holding my breath and flexibility training, in my notebook had helped a lot. once a week, we would always come back to the boulder and try cutting it in half but to no luck we couldn't.

though after months of training the same thing, we still couldn't. i was getting anxious, not enough. my training is not enough. if i don't work harder, i'll have to work even harder to be able to cut that boulder.

and then one day, i watched as y/n stood in front of the boulder. she had a stance that i could not recognize, i heard her mumbling something and before i knew it the boulder was cut in half. my jaw drop and immediately approached her.

"how?!" i questioned as i stared at the huge boulder cut in half in front of me.

"breathing." she said as she face my way, she wiped the sweat that had dripped down her skin as she had trained a while ago before coming here to cut the boulder.

as i was about to respond, urokodaki-san came by and saw the cut boulder y/n had done. he approached her before ruffling her hair.

"i knew you could do it. from the moment i saw you, there is something special within you. you were able to keep up with me after a few days of training, you also knew the breathings when i first taught you and tanjiro. you must have known a breathing and trained for it, did you?" questioned urokodaki-san as he stared at y/n who gave out a small nod, i then stared at the both of them back and forth trying to understand their conversation.

"i was trained by my father, he had taught me a breathing." answered y/n, i never knew she could do a breathing before, she didn't mention it.

"i will not push any further, this breathing of yours must have been something secretive as you didn't share it with me nor tanjiro."

"i will allow you to join the final selection but you must return safely with your limbs still intact, i have high expectations from you."

after those words, urokodaki-san left without glancing my way. i then felt a little bit pressured, what if i couldn't cut the boulder? i can't do it? nezuko will maintain her current state and die just like that? i'm getting depressed with these thoughts, i should seek advise from y/n.

"i need to work harder!!"

"harder!!"

"work!"

"harder!!"

i exclaimed as i bang my forehead on the giant boulder. y/n panicked from the side trying to stop my actions by pulling me away from the boulder but even still, i manage to get back to the boulder and continue my banging actions.

"shut up!!"

y/n kamado pov

have he gone insane?

i watched as tanjiro banged the boulder with his forehead. surely that would leave a bruise and there are also possibilites of it bleeding but there are none showing. just how strong is that forehead of his?

every time i tried dragging him faraway from the boulder, he still manages to break free and run back towards the boulder before continuing his reckless behavior.

that was until i spotted another presence, i glance on top of tanjiro's boulder and noticed a fair-skinned young man who wore a white warding mask which took the shape of a fox's face, the decoration of the mask had a large scar which leaves me questioning. the boy had thick, spiked, peach-colored hair of varying lengths, the longest reaching his shoulders, that he wore messily down with side micro bangs over the left of his forehead. he had also worn a green yukata, patterned with a geometric hexagon design of a yellow and a darker green, tied off at the waist with a piece of black fabric, and below which he sported a pair of hakama pants and over his body which a plain white haori laid.

"shut up!" said the lad as he sat on the boulder.

"such a shameful dispray of a man shouting nonsense."

"no matter how difficult and painful it may be, you shut your mouth and deal with it. if you call yourself a man, if you are a true man."

stated the latter as he jump down the boulder before attacking tanjiro with his wooden blade, he then kicked which sent tanjiro flying and on the ground.

"slow."

"weak."

"rusty."

"your state is not a man by any definition."

"compared to the lady who had cut the boulder. you're nothing but a tiny peck of dirt that when brushed off would disappear into thin air. if you have the time to whine and shout like a spoiled kid who had not gotten what it wanted then i say you should train yourself more."

said the young lad as he stared at tanjiro who was laid on the floor. i must say, he's a pretty powerful lad, he must have been trained before. what does he even want suddenly popping out of nowhere and picking a fight with tanjiro.

"what do you want, jumping out like that all of a sudden!" shouted tanjiro as he stared at the young lad who had stood in front of him with such confidence.

"i should be the one asking that question, what are you doing?" questioned the young lad.

"doing? i'm training." exclaimed tanjiro as he remained seated on the ground.

"how long are you going to sit on the ground like that? prepare yourself." stated the young lad as he watch tanjiro stood up.

i let out a sigh knowing that they'll be fighting, i decided to not let myself involve in this situation. tanjiro can handle himself, he had been training nonstop although i've seen the difference of power between the two, i think it will be best if i leave tanjiro to him, the young lad.

✰★✰

arriving at urokodaki-san's home. i made sure to at least take a quick shower before visiting rokuta who's probably in nezuko's room. whenever i arrive back from training, i would always find rokuta in nezuko's room either snuggled on her body or busy playing with toys that urokodaki-san had bought for him.

for this past few months i had felt like my soul left my body. it was tiring, i would train in the morning then come back down the mountain to put rokuta to sleep and then back at the mountain to train once again. it was a cycle of my everyday life, whenever i asked for urokodaki-san's advise in training he would ignore my presence, i don't know the reason as to why he had stopped training us but at least he could enlighten us when we're bothered about something.

sighing, i put my haori on before making my way towards nezuko's room. nezuko had been asleep, she never once showed a sign of waking up. rokuta would always accompany her whenever we leave for training. i usually find him either snuggled on nezuko's body or playing a few toys that urokodaki-san had bought for him.

"rokuta." i exclaimed, opening the sliding door and is greeted by the scene, rokuta on top of nezuko snuggling closer to find comfort.

upon hearing my voice, rokuta lifted his head from nezuko's chest. noticing that i had stood in front of him, my back leaned on the wall as i stared at him. he then quickly move out of nezuko's body, running towards my direction and jumping to be picked.

"hello rokuta." ruffling his bowl cut hair, he giggled before nuzzling on my neck wrapping his small arms on my shoulders.

"nee-chan." mumbled rokuta, i laughed as his breath had tickled my neck.

every time i come home from training, i would see his eyes who held loneliness. he must have wanted to spend more time with me and tanjiro but we were busy with training that's why he had always been left alone. even if he went to nezuko for comfort, it's not like she's awake and that she could entertain him which causes the loneliness lingering in rokuta's eyes to worsen.

he's not a noisy kid. he would keep quiet when needed and would make noise once he's happy. he followed orders obediently and stay out of trouble, whenever he comes to training, it's either him watching on the sidelines or would play with the squirrels to keep him entertained.

whenever i had a time to spare, i would bathe and feed him. other than that there's no time to spare for me to hang out with him. last year, we would always go to town together with nezuko to buy a few things or just stroll around the village as rokuta had enjoyed being out. but today, he had been locked inside urokodaki-san's home as it is not safe for him to go outside alone.

"done training?" questioned from urokodaki-san who stood behind me, he had such a strong presence that even if i didn't heard his footing i could sense his presence which he didn't concealed.

"yes, i was about to ask if me and rokuta could stroll around the rice farm." i said, today is the day where i'm free and decided to spend the time with rokuta.

"of course. do be careful on your way, do not stay out too late." said urokodaki-san, he then left the room and went to who knows where.

"let's go out okay?" i exclaimed staring at rokuta who had clinged on to me, not wanting to let go as i might leave him behind once more. with a small nod, i had left the room and made my way outside.

✰★✰

it was late at night that tanjiro decided to show up. he was covered with bruises and dirt as he pant on the floor where he had laid. his breathing is uneven, probably trying to catch his breathe from all the training he had done for today.

"i got knocked out."

i smiled a little, reaching for the basin on the side as i had filled it with warm water. i grab a cloth before dipping it on the water, lightly crumbling it to lessen the water absorbed by the cloth. i wiped his dirty face and heard him hiss a little as it brushes off his newly found bruises.

"i also met someone. her name is makomo, she's quite lovely. i think you'll get along with her." mumbled tanjiro as his eyes started closing.

"is that so? i'll gladly meet her tomorrow then." i answered giving him a close-eyed smile, continuing to clean his now decent looking face as i brush my other hand on his hair.

"you must be tired, get cleaned up then head to bed." i said before placing the cloth in the basin, tanjiro thanked me before reaching a certain room that contains the bathing supply.

i went to throw the water outside before drying it with a clean cloth, left both the cloth to dry off outside with the basin and went back to the room where rokuta and i stay.

✰★✰

it had been a year after urokodaki-san stopped teaching us. tanjiro had been training non-stop, he would sometimes challenge sabito, the man who wore a fox-shaped mask with a scar on the side. sabito would always have a wooden sword with him, even still tanjiro would always lose.

this time, tanjiro had challenged sabito again. this time sabito had a real sword with him, he looked just the same like last year, he didn't even change and i have not seen his face, not once. i stood at the side carrying rokuta, and there at my right side stood makomo who held a blank expression.

"after a year, you finally began to have the appearance of a man." said sabito as he unsheathed his blade.

"i will win today." blurted out tanjiro confidently.

i stared at him dumbfounded but then changes as his expression had a pure intention of victory. i let out a small smirk knowing fully well who'll win the battle. i felt a tug on my haori and notice rokuta pointing at tanjiro who held his sword.

"nii-chan!" said rokuta as he continued pointing at tanjiro who hadn't notice rokuta staring at him.

"yes rokuta, it's tanjiro!" i said as i tickled his side earning a giggle from him, his hand had stopped pointing at tanjiro and focused on keeping my hand away from his side.

"n-no!" said rokuta between giggles, he continued shooing my hand away but i never listened as hearing his giggles is music to my ears.

"go!" said makomo, this stopped my actions and focused on tanjiro and sabito who're about to fight.

the both of them stood still before jumping from behind, rushing towards each other. tanjiro who held a fierce expression shows how confident he is in winning. whenever one is full of confidence and will, one will win no matter the obstacle. that is what is written on his face.

in just an instant, tanjiro had struck first before sabito could leaving us shocked. well not me, i knew what is coming, tanjiro had gotten strong. the blade had sliced sabito's mask causing it to fall apart into two pieces. then his face had been shown, a smile plastered on his face. a fascinating sight to see, leaving me, tanjiro and even rokuta to be mesmerized.

"you must win tanjiro. against that person too." said makomo as the place had been filled with mist, makomo and sabito started fading away leaving me questioning, all this time?

are they not real?

then i noticed, the blade that struck open sabito's mask had also sliced open the boulder tanjiro had a hard time slicing.

"eh." i heard rokuta mumbled, of course he had been confused.

he had seen tanjiro struck open sabito's mask and not the boulder. this must have been confusing to him, but i must say, those people who had shown themselves to us a year ago must have been dead long ago. there must be a reason why they had came and help tanjiro overcome the giant obstacle that is blocking his path on joining the final selection.

✰★✰

third person pov

there stood the kamado's.

one stood in front of a sliced giant boulder, while the other two stood in the sidelines watching the battle from before.

tanjiro kamado who had sliced the boulder, stood in front of it with a confusing gaze. he had wondered where sabito and makomo went.

y/n kamado held an