Chapter 3: The Man in the Mask
The trek to Mount Sagiri was longer than Tanjiro remembered—but this time, he knew the path.
Each step through the thick forest was faster, more confident. The cold air nipped at his cheeks. He'd packed lightly—just some rice balls, a bamboo canteen, and a handmade practice sword. His nerves were steel.
As dusk fell, fog curled through the trees. Tanjiro stopped at the base of a steep slope.
"This is it," he muttered, gazing up at the mountain that had once changed his life.
He took a breath. Total Concentration: Inhale. Exhale. Then he started climbing.
Hours passed. Snow deepened. But Tanjiro kept going, guided by memory and scent.
Halfway up, he paused. Someone was watching him.
He dropped low into a defensive stance, senses sharp. The trees were quiet—too quiet.
Then came the voice. Low, measured.
"You walk like a warrior. But your hands are those of a boy."
Tanjiro turned. A man stood in the mist, cloaked and still as a stone. His face was hidden behind a tengu mask.
Urokodaki.
Tanjiro's heart leapt. "Sakonji Urokodaki!" he said, bowing quickly. "My name is Tanjiro Kamado. Please—teach me."
There was a long pause. Then a grunt. "You know my name. You must also know what I am."
"A former Water Hashira," Tanjiro said. "And a man who trains Demon Slayers."
The masked man said nothing. Tanjiro could feel his gaze—even behind the mask.
"Why come here? You don't even carry a real blade."
"I don't need a blade yet. I need to learn first." Tanjiro stood firm. "Something terrible is coming. My family... this world… I want to protect them. And to do that, I need strength."
Another pause. Then, finally:
"Follow."
---
Urokodaki led him up the rest of the mountain. No words. Just snow crunching underfoot. They arrived at a wooden home nestled near a stream. Tanjiro stared—it was just as he remembered. Simple. Clean. Quiet.
"Sleep inside," Urokodaki said. "Training starts at dawn."
Tanjiro bowed again. "Thank you, sir."
As he laid down on the futon, exhaustion hit him like a hammer. But before he drifted off, he whispered to himself:
"I made it. This time, I'm early."
---
The Next Morning…
Tanjiro stood in the snow, ready. Urokodaki, arms crossed, raised an eyebrow.
"Take this." He tossed a heavy boulder toward Tanjiro's feet. "Push it up that hill. Without stopping."
Tanjiro stared at it.
"…That hill?" He looked up.
It was nearly vertical.
"Yes," Urokodaki said calmly. "If you die, I'll bury you at the bottom."
Tanjiro didn't argue. He just bowed.
And started pushing.
By midday, Tanjiro's arms trembled. The boulder hadn't moved more than ten feet uphill. He was drenched in sweat, snow sticking to his skin.
But he didn't stop.
From the porch, Urokodaki watched silently.
"He's persistent," he murmured. "But will, alone, isn't enough."
Still, something about the boy's eyes gave him pause.
They were the eyes of someone who'd seen death—and come back stronger.
---
Bonus Mini-Scene: "Tea of Terror: Part 2"
Back at the Butterfly Mansion, Shinobu stared down a small table with dread.
Nezuko's Second Batch of Tea was ready.
This time, it was… glowing purple.
"Nezuko-chan," she said sweetly. "What, exactly, did you use this time?"
Nezuko beamed. "Only natural ingredients! Snow moss. Frog eggs. Two drops of Inosuke's mystery sauce."
A silence.
"…Frog eggs?"
Zenitsu passed out before even drinking it. Inosuke drank his, belched fire, and declared it "THE DRINK OF GODS."
Shinobu, still smiling, quietly poured hers into a flower pot. The pot turned black. The plant screamed.
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