The Demon Queen

Kamado Tanjuro

When I told Muzan about Hantengu and Gyokko's reports, I was relieved to hear that he also thought we should ask Kokushibou. We did ask him about the name Kamado and Fire God rituals, but unfortunately, he did not know anything. Kokushibou was unfamiliar with any peculiarities connected to a Kamado family, and to his knowledge, there was no Fire God ritual associated with Sun Breathing. However, he had to, as he said, "shamefully" admit that he only know of Sun Breathing through what Yoriichi told him, which was certainly lacking in all the details.

Kokushibou suggested that the three of us go witness the Fire God ritual in person to get a sense of whether or not there was any potential connection to Sun Breathing. Muzan and I agreed, and so I found out from Gyokko when he saw the Fire God ritual. He and Hantengu were there to see it during the New Year, so we waited until next year.

We went up to Mt. Kumotori the evening of the New Year. It was easy to find the Kamado residence based on a map Gyokko had drawn us from his memory. As well, there were few families living on the mountain itself. The majority of the people living in the area were residing in the small village at the mountain's base.

A small, modest house awaited us. I could sense the presence of several humans -- two adults and several young children. Something about their scents bothered me, as if hot coals were attached to their auras. I assumed it to be due to some residue from whatever charcoal and firewood work the family did on their property.

I looked to Muzan. He seemed to be thinking the same as me.

"I shouldn't have worn my hat out to this Hell in the sticks," Muzan said.

Kokushibou turned to us and put a finger to his lips. His eyes all blinked, one at a time like a falling row of dominoes from his uppermost left eye down to his lowest right eye. "Please. I suggest we all keep quiet, Muzan-sama."

With a wave of his fingers, Muzan brushed off Kokushibou's advice, but he did heed his words as we slowly inched further on to the property.

It was cold and wet. There was an annoying amount of snow on the ground, but there wasn't so much that it made walking difficult. Still, I sensed how irritated and angry Muzan was from his exposure to the elements. Frankly, I was annoyed, too. Only Kokushibou, who had lived a short period of his human life as a samurai and later as a Demon Slayer, appeared to be unbothered.

Following the scents of the humans and the sounds of their voices, we ended up hidden amongst some bushes and trees in the lot behind the house. Within the range of our vision was a circular, flat open spot of land. A ring of flame torches created another circle within the open piece of land.

An adult male, who must have been Kamado Tanjuro, was dressed in ritualistic garb and dancing within the torch circle. A flat, white mask lay over his face, preventing it from being seen. Off to the side, towards the direction of the small family house, stood a woman holding a baby and several other children. The older boy and girl seemed to be close to 10 years old. The older boy was carrying a younger sibling on his back, and another younger boy stood holding the hand of the older girl.

I didn't like the sight of them. Something about their energies and their togetherness got under my skin. Was it that there was something special int he scents of their blood?

No, not special. Unique.

Troublesomely unique.

I was about to rub my forehead but didn't. I sensed that Muzan and Kokushibou were also disturbed by this family. However, Kokushibou seemed to also find them to be rather curious.

Then it's not just me. It's them, I thought. I came to the possible conclusion that I was angry with them because they were poor but happy, while Gyutaro grew up in misery.

I looked to Kamado Tanjuro. He was dancing, yet he was weak. He was very weak. I could sense that he suffered from some kind of sickness. Because of Muzan, I was extremely sensitive to picking up on other's illnesses.

This man will die in a few years.

And then?

I looked to the older boy carrying his younger sister on his back.

Then he will take on this ritual.

I looked to the older girl beside him.

She won't.

Because she doesn't matter.

Just like I didn't matter.

The thoughts were causing my head to ache.

I matter. I matter now and I have mattered for almost 1000 years. I win. First born or not. Girl or not. I win.

I took a breath.

That's right. There's no need to envy some pathetic human rituals and hierarchy.

I'm better than that. We --

I took Muzan's hand.

We are better than that.

"Do you sense it, too?" Muzan asked me in a whisper.

I looked at him. "Sense what, exactly?"

Muzan's widened eyes remained locked on Kamado Tanjuro. "The way he controls his body ..." he said. "It reminds me of ..."

"Sun Breathing," Kokushibou said.

Muzan's eyes grew redder. "That bastard ... that damn bastard with those earrings ..." His fangs grew larger.

"Shall we kill them, Muzan-sama?" Kokushibou asked.

"I can't ... bring myself ... to do it ..." Muzan growled.

"Then I will --" Kokushibou began.

"No!" Muzan hissed. "I will not have you die at hands like that. Not you." He started to breathe heavily.

"Muzan." I squeezed his hand. "Let's wait a few years. That man dancing by the torches -- I get the sense that he'll die in a few years. And besides, we can send Hantengu back here to find out more about Tamayo's connection with these people."

Muzan calmed down a bit, though he remained jittery out of fear of Kamado Tanjuro. "You are certain about that?"

"Yes."

"Fine. We'll continue to send Hantengu here. I don't care if he dies." He held my hand tighter and took a deep breath. "Let's go home."

"You don't wish to see more?" Kokushibou asked.

"No." He looked at Kokushibou. "That you also got the impression that his family is connected to that Sun Breathing is more than enough. They all shall die." He turned to me. "I don't wish to feel my heart race in my chest any longer. Let's go."

I looked into his eyes and nodded. With that, the three of us silently left the area and made our way home.