Shadow demon Slayer

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It was early afternoon on a snowy, cloudy day. A young boy around the age of 13 was finishing up making charcoal. All the charcoal that he made was put into a massive basket when it was warm enough to be held witout buring his hands. By the time he filled the basket it would've of weighed half as much as himself. He put the basket on his back by the two straps and as he was putting out the fire he heard someone calling, 

"Tanjiro!"

The boy, now known as Tanjiro, instantly knew who it was. It was his mother Kio. He quickly put out the rest of the fire and hurried over to his mother.

"Tanjiro, you're all coversed in soot come here. Are you sure you want to go down today? It's very snowy out"  "It's fine, i want everyone to eat their fullest on new years"  "I know but, you can always go tomorrow you dont have to today" "new years is in a few days, if i want to have everyone eat their fullest, I have to get enough money. Dont worr-"  "Onii-chan!!" Tanjiro was cut off by his little sister Hanako. "Onii-chan we can help you!" Tanjiro glanced over to his little brother, Shigeru. "Please onii-chan! I promise to be helpful!"  "No, Tanjiro's not bringing the cart so he cant carry you when you get tired" "Onii-chan!-" Tanjiro interrupted  her. "That's very kind of you" Hanako's face lit up with a giant smile. "But your staying home today" Hanako's smile vanished in a blink of an eye, "But Onii-chan!" Tanjiros face changed into a look of guilt. Tanjiro never liked the look of sadness on his siblings face and Kio knew that, "Your anwser is no and thats final" Kio butt in before Tanjiro could say anything else. "Tanjiro can handle the cold easier than you can, and if he gets back late, it will be freezing cold and you two will freeze no matter what you wear!" Kio was very serious about them staying home today especially in this weather. 

Kio knew she couldn't get Tanjiro to stay. When he has his mind made up, there's no way to change it. "Hanako how about when i get home I'll read to you?"  Hanako's smile from before came back and she instantly nodded "and Shigeru?" Shigeru loved helping Tanjiro for just being able to but, he was still a kid never the less "I'll bring back lots of goodles for all of you" Tanjiro's siblings loved goodies and enjoyed them whenever they could but that wasn't often.  "OK Onii-chan! " Tanjiro was about to leave when Takeo, Tanjiro's other younger brother, came around the house. "Onii-chan are you leaving?"  "Yes, hes going to the town to sell charcoal today along with Nezuko" "How come Nezuko gets to go but not us?!" Hanako questioned "Nezuko is going with him so he doesn't get caught up helping everyone he sees, you three will just end up helping him, help them. It's also so Tanjiro doesn't home and start to train again in the forest after just coming home." Kio shot Tanjiro a look of concern. "Nezuko will make sure of that after all, they have the same bedime." 

Tanjiro, at the age of 5, started taking training from his father to master the 'hinokami kagura' or, the 'dance of the fire god' it took him only 1 and a half years to master it so ever since his father, Tanjuro died, he has been taking on the dance. The dance is something the kamados do every year on new years. The dance is a repeated dance of 12 forms. It starts at dusk and ends at dawn. The one performing the dance, dances all the 12 hours without breaks. The dance is a offering the Kamados give to the fire god to fend off any bad luck and illnesses for the year to come. 

Ever since Tanjuro died, Tanjiro has been taking on the responsibility of doing the dance. The year before Tanjuro died though, he had already taught Tanjiro about 'total concentration breathing'.  'Total concentration breathing' increases the users capabilities beyond that of a normal human. This breathing expands the users lung capacity allowing more oxygen to reach every cell in the users body, increasing their blood circulation and heart rate.

Tanjiro, because of knowing this knowledge, has been taking responsibility of going down the mountain to the town to sell charcoal so his siblings could have a easier life. Mastering 'total concentration breathing' is a painful process in some cases so Tanjiro doesn't want his siblings to go threw it. Tanjiro knew without being taught by his father about total concentration breathing, he would have never been able to sell as much charcoal as he could today. Never the less, every night no matter what time it was, he always practiced hinokami kagura. 

"Takeo how about I also bring back some goodies for you as well? I'm already getting some for Shigeru."  "Really?! I-I mean sure what ever..."  "Does that mean no?" Tanjiro asked in a playful manner and smirking. "Wh-What?! No No I mean Yes? OK fine I also want goodies..."  "See was that so hard to say?"  "N-No"  "If you want something just ask you don't have to hide it"  "OK Onii-chan"

"With all that done, Tanjiro could you go get Nezuko? She should be finishing up chopping wood"  "Of course"  "Thank you Tanjiro"  Tanjiro proceed to walk around the house to try and find Nezuko to go to the town.

WHACK! Tanjiro heard the sound of Nezuko chopping down a tree. "URGGH!!"  Nezuko sounded angry and smelled angry as well. When Tanjiro got close enough, he looked over to Nezuko looking very pissed and hachet in hand. Nezuko's face showed Tanjiro that she was having trouble chopping down the tree. Nezuko dropped the hachet on the ground  and heavily sighed. "Stupid tree. Stupid hachet why can't I cut down a singular tree? I guess I can leave it here today after all I have a basket full of wood already" Tanjiro's eye's wandered to the basket Nezuko was picking up. The basket was indeed full of wood, in fact, it was sticking outside of the basket from the top.

"Hey Nezuko ready to go?"  "Oh! Hi Tanjiro didnt see you there, and yes I'm all ready to go!"  "Let's go bid goodbye to the others"  "You're right, better let mother know we're leaving" Tanjiro and Nezuko were going around the house once more to bid farewell. On the way, they saw Hanako with Rokuta, their youngest brother and sibling overall, sleeping peacefully on her back covered by a blanket wrapped around him and Hanako. "Nee-San, Onii-chan how do you always carry Rokuta and make it seem so easy?!" Hanako questioned while obviously having trouble carrying Rokuta. "Well Hanako, its takes a lot to hold, let alone carry, some one half your weight but to us, Rokuta is one thrid of our weight so its easier to carry him" responded Nezuko. "Also Hanako keep your voice down. You dont wanna wake Rokuta up do you?"  "No..." "One more thing Hanako,"  "What's that?"  Hanako asked curiously "Can you inform mother we left for the town?"  "Of course Onii-chan!" Hanako was filled with a massive emount of energy for Nezuko and Tanjiro to leave to get read too sooner.

"Well with that me and nii-san will be on our way" Tanjiro and Nezuko waved as Hanako went back to the house to tell mother the news about their departure. "Well the wood and charcoal wont sell itself!" Tanjiro said to lift the mood of fatigue for the journey ahead. "You're right Onii-chan it wont" with that, the two Kamados left home headed for the town at the foot of the mountain.

"We're about half way there Nezuko" Tanjiro said with a cheerful tone. "Onii-chan how do you do this every thrid day?! Its so tiring!"  "If you cant we can a break to take to recharge?"  "Yes please. Thank you Onii-chan" "It's no biggie" Tanjiro laughed right after. His laugh was enough to melt the coldest of hearts melt instantly. Nezuko knew he was to pure for this world. And that she had to protect him, just like he did for her for the 'incident'.