44. Swordsmiths Village

Hana stood in the middle of the training ground, her wooden practice sword cutting through the air with a sharp whoosh. Her ribs still twinged with a dull ache, and her breathing was a bit heavy, but she refused to stop.

​Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Tanjiro’s pale face when he fought the upper moon. She saw him gasping for air, his lungs nearly bursting from the strain.

She remembered nezuko and tanjiro's terrified faces when she woke up after the battle.

​I have to be stronger, she thought, her jaw tightening. I have to take the lead so Tanjiro doesn't have to push himself to the brink of death every time we fight.

"Again." she whispered as she swung her sword again and again.

No matter how hard she pushed herself, she felt weak, defeated, and frustrated.

"I am so useless," she muttered, the words tasting bitter in her mouth. "Why am I so slow?" She increased the pace of her practice, her movements becoming frantic.

"Why am I so weak?" she cried out, her voice finally breaking. She felt tears prickling at her eyes, but she blinked them back angrily. Tears were for the weak. Tears wouldn't bring their family back or turn Nezuko human again.

She swung the sword again, and again, and again. She thought of the mountain where they grew up, the cold snow and the smell of charcoal. She remembered the warmth of their home the sound of her mother’s voice, and the laughter of her siblings before everything was destroyed. That warmth was gone, replaced by the cold steel of a nichirin sword and the suffocating smell of blood.

Hana looked down at her hands. They were trembling. Fresh slashes from the wooden sword’s grip had opened on her palms, and blood was beginning to bead on her skin.​

She sighed wipping sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand, she walked over to the wooden porch and picked up a small paper bag. Inside was a piece of sweet mochi Giyuu had brought it for her during his visit in the morning.

As she took a bite of the soft, chewy treat, she felt her face turn a deep shade of red. ​She wasn't sure if the heat in her cheeks was from the intense training or the memory of Giyuu’s forehead against hers. She shook her head quickly, trying to focus.

No, she thought, shaking her head No. I can’t. I can't have these feelings...I have to be there for Tanjiro and Nezuko. I have to avenge our family. Besides... why would someone like Giyuu Tomioka ever actually like me? I can't..

​"Hana! What are you doing?!"
​Hana jumped, nearly choking on the mochi. Aoi was marching toward her looking absolutely furious.

​"I told you! No training for at least another five days!" Aoi shouted. "You’re going to rip your stitches! Do you want to end up back in a coma like your brother? Get back inside right now! This is an order!"

​"I feel much better, Aoi, I promise!" Hana said, holding up her hands in defense.

"No you're not! Get back inside right now!" Aoi scolded.

Hana was about to argue when a sudden, frantic sound broke through the tension.

​"Hana-san! Aoi-san!"

"Tanjiro! He’s awake! Tanjiro-kun has regained consciousness!" a Kakushi shouted, running toward them with a look of pure excitement on his face.

"Tanjiro?" Hana’s heart skipped a beat. Her wooden sword clattered to the floor and a brilliant smile broke across her face.

She wasted no time and rushed towards the hospital room as fast as she could.

When she burst through the door, she saw Tanjiro sitting back against his bed. He was pale and had bandages wrapped around his head and arms, but his eyes were open and clear. He was surrounded by Kanao, Sumi, Kiyo, and Naho, who were all crying tears of joy or cheering.

"Tanjiro!" Hana cried.

Tanjiro turned his head toward her, a weak but warm smile appearing on his face. "Hana..." he whispered.

She ran to the side of the bed and pulled him into a gentle hug. "Oh tanjiro..I was so worried.." she cried softly.

Tanjiro reached up with a shaky hand and softly patted her back. "I’m okay, Hana. I’m okay now. Don’t cry."

​"I can't help it, you idiot," she sobbed, laughing through her tears as she pulled back to look at him.

Suddenly, they heard a loud voice coming from above them.

"So you're finally awake, Monjiro!"

They looked up in surprise to see Inosuke hanging from the ceiling looking at Tanjiro with excitement. "I've been waiting for you to get up so I can show you how much stronger I've become! I woke up seven days before you." He said proudly, grinning at the siblings.

Hana blinked, wiping her eyes and sighing in annoyance. Her hand remained clutched tightly in Tanjiro's. "Not again," she muttered.

"Inosuke! What are you doing up there? Get down this instant!" Aoi shouted from the doorway, having finally caught up.

Inosuke laughed. "The great Inosuke Hashibira does not take orders from anyone! I will stay up here as long as I want! I am the king of the mountains! HAHAHAH..!"

Tanjiro chuckled softly, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "It's good to see you too, Inosuke. I’m glad you’re alright."

"​Hmph! Of course I am! I’m invincible!"

Days passed, and soon Tanjiro was finally back to his rehabilitation training. He was getting better, his body healing with the help medicines and the girl's care. However, a new problem arose for Tanjiro.

He had received multiple mean letters from a certain swordsman. Haganezuka was absolutely furious that Tanjiro had chipped his sword again during the fight with the Upper Moon.

One letter was just the word "Die" written over and over again in thick, angry ink. Another letter contained a drawing of a person being chased by a man with two knives.

"He's really mad this time," Tanjiro said, looking at the stack of letters with a nervous sweat drop on his forehead.

Hana looked over his shoulder, her eyes widening at the threats.

They were sitting in the common room with Sumi, Kiyo, and Naho, who had brought a plate of rice crackers to cheer them up. The girls looked at the letters with wide, sympathetic eyes.

"He hasn't sent a new sword for the last two months." Sumi said softly, her voice full of worry.

"Okayyyyy but I only chipped it this time...maybe beacuse I had actually brocken the one before this." Tanjiro groaned.

"And the one before that." Hana reminded him with a sigh.

"But people break their swords all the time, right?" Kiyo asked, tilting her head. "Maybe Haganezuka-san is just being difficult?"

"I think you should meet him in person and talk to him." Naho said.

"Yes! you should go to the village" Sumi agreed.

"The village?" Hana asked curiously.

"All the swordssmith live there." Sumi added.

"Wait, we can actually go there?" Tanjiro asked.

Hana and Tanjiro drafted a formal request that evening. To their surprise, the response came quickly. Given the circumstances of the Kamado siblings, the Master granted his permission. They would be allowed to travel to the hidden Swordsmith Village under the strictest security protocols.

And so Hana and Tanjiro started preparing for the journey to the Swordsmith Village.