(Demon Slayer world)
Mount Natagumo, Tanjiro's POV.
Tanjiro stood at the base of Mount Natagumo, his nose wrinkling at the thick, suffocating scent of blood that hung heavily in the air.
Tanjiro is a young boy of average height with fairly tanned skin and an athletic, muscular physique. He has ruffled black hair with red tips (and being entirely only burgundy in the anime), combed back to expose his forehead, and wide, dark red eyes with white pupils that appear lighter around the lower section of his irises. He also has a scar on the top left of his forehead.
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The stench was so intense, it made Tanjiro's stomach churn, but he couldn't let that stop him. A fellow Demon Slayer had just been dragged into the forest, disappearing into the shadows of the mountain, and Tanjiro's knew he couldn't hesitate.
Not when lives were at stake.
He stared up at the dark, looming forest ahead, his hand tightening around the hilt of his Nichirin blade. His heart raced in his chest, but his resolve was firm.
"I'm going in," Tanjiro said, taking a deep breath to steady himself.
Before he could take his first step, a force slammed into him from the side, knocking him off balance.
He stumbled, catching himself just in time to see Inosuke, his wild eyes glinting from beneath his boar mask, already storming past him.
Inosuke is a man of average height and pale complexion with an extremely toned and muscular build for his age.
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"Out of the way, Tanjiro!" Inosuke yelled, his voice rough and filled with reckless excitement. "I'm going first! You can stay here, trembling like a scared little animal if you want!" He brandished his dual Nichirin swords, swinging them in the air as if preparing to cut through anything that stood in his way.
Without waiting for a reply, he sprinted toward the shadowy forest at the base of the mountain, disappearing into the thick trees.
Tanjiro watched him go, his eyes narrowing slightly. Inosuke always acted first, never thinking things through. Charging into danger like that without a plan—it wasn't safe. But trying to stop Inosuke was like trying to stop a raging bull. There was no point.
Before Tanjiro could move to follow, a soft, whimpering sound caught his attention.
He turned to see Zenitsu crouched on the ground a short distance away, his entire body trembling uncontrollably.
Zenitsu is a man of average height with fair skin and downward-sloped, worried-looking eyes that fade from soft brown to gold and golden, forked eyebrows that sharply fade into a warm orange color.
He has short, yellow hair of varying lengths, cutting off squarely at the ends where it fades to a darker orange color, that falls in front of his face in uneven bangs, loosely resembling a bowl cut.
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Zenitsu's face was pale, and his golden eyes were wide with fear as he stared at the forest, his mouth quivering as if he was on the verge of tears.
"W-Why does it have to be us?!" Zenitsu muttered, his voice shaky and full of despair. "Why do we always get stuck with the dangerous missions?! I don't want to die! I'm too young to die!"
Tanjiro paused for a moment, glancing at Zenitsu with sympathy. He understood the fear that gripped his friend—it was only natural to be scared in a place like this.
The mountain felt alive with a sinister energy, the air thick with the presence of demons. But there wasn't time to comfort Zenitsu right now. The longer they stayed here, the more danger their fellow Demon Slayer was in.
He knew Zenitsu was strong, despite his constant fear. Tanjiro had seen it firsthand. But Zenitsu had to find that strength within himself, and right now, Tanjiro needed to act. He couldn't wait for Zenitsu to gather his courage.
"I have to go," Tanjiro thought, his eyes flicking back to the dark forest where Inosuke had disappeared.
Zenitsu was still mumbling to himself, frozen in fear. "Why does this always happen? I didn't sign up for this…"
Tanjiro clenched his jaw, giving Zenitsu one last glance. "I'll come back for you, Zenitsu. Just stay safe."
With that, Tanjiro turned away, sprinting after Inosuke, his feet pounding against the dirt as he entered the forest.
The trees rose up around him, thick and ancient, their gnarled branches blocking out the sunlight, casting long, eerie shadows across the ground.
The further he went, the darker it became, the oppressive scent of blood growing stronger with each step.
Tanjiro's sharp senses stayed on high alert as he moved, his eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of demons.
Inosuke's wild cries echoed through the trees ahead, and Tanjiro pushed himself to move faster, hoping to catch up with him before he did something reckless.
"Inosuke's going to get himself killed if he's not careful," Tanjiro thought, his brows furrowing in concern.
Suddenly, Tanjiro skidded to a stop as something caught his attention. A flicker of movement to his left—his instincts screamed at him to be cautious.
He lowered his stance, his hand steady on the hilt of his sword as he prepared for whatever might emerge from the darkness.
His heart pounded as the silence stretched on, broken only by the distant sounds of Inosuke crashing through the forest. But Tanjiro didn't relax. He could feel it—the presence of something sinister, lurking just out of sight, waiting for the right moment to strike.
"I can't lose focus," Tanjiro reminded himself, his grip tightening on his sword. "I have to find that Demon Slayer."
Without warning, a shrill, high-pitched scream pierced the air, sending a chill down Tanjiro's spine. It came from deeper in the forest, where the shadows seemed even darker and more menacing. His eyes widened.
"That's a Demon Slayer!" Tanjiro realized.
Without hesitating, he dashed toward the source of the scream, his feet barely touching the ground as he sped through the trees.
His breathing quickened, his heart racing with urgency. Every second mattered. He couldn't let another life be lost to the demons.
As he neared the source of the scream, the stench of blood became overpowering. Tanjiro could see it now—the faint outline of a person ahead, slumped against a tree, their uniform stained with blood.
His heart clenched at the sight, but he couldn't afford to slow down.
Before he could reach them, a shadow moved in the corner of his vision. He spun around just in time to see a grotesque, spider-like demon leap at him from the branches above, its limbs outstretched, claws gleaming in the dim light.
Tanjiro reacted instinctively, drawing his sword in a fluid motion. "Water Breathing, First Form: Water Surface Slash!"
His blade cut through the spider demon with precision, slicing it in half before it could even reach him. The creature let out a shriek as its body disintegrated into ash, the wind carrying the remains away.
Panting slightly, Tanjiro sheathed his sword and rushed over to the injured Demon Slayer. They were unconscious, but still breathing—barely.
Tanjiro's jaw tightened. He needed to get them out of here, but with demons lurking everywhere, that would be easier said than done.
"Hang on," he whispered to the unconscious slayer, lifting them gently. "I'll get you to safety."
~~~
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