Rebirth

The next day

Yami was sitting in front of the swordsmith who made his sword. His lower face was covered by his scarf full of ugly stitching and off colored patches. He held out the cloth bag with the sword pieces as his hands trembled and he teared up saying "Please... Please fix him."

The swordsmith was initially extremely angry but he looked at Yami's tears and the pristine condition the sword sheath and handle were in. Everything was polished and clean as if it were forged yesterday, it wasn't even touching the ground at this very moment.

Yami laid down his kimono and placed the broken sword on top of it. The swordsmith couldn't be angry at that, the kid was more devastated than he was. He took the pieces from Yami and looked at them, the blade was still sharp.

He looked at Yami and said "What happened?" Yami said softly "I put too much stress on him and with my breathing technique being overexerted at the same time... The internal structure of him wasn't solid enough..." Yami looked at the sword sadly and added "He held together long enough to finish the Form... He went through so much pain..."

Yami touched his forehead to the ground and said "Please... Fix him!" The swordsmith sighed and tied the cloth back into a bag as he said "I don't know if I can..." Yami grinded his teeth and tears dripped from his eyes, splashing onto the wooden floor.

The swordsmith didn't know what to say, in the end he sighed and said "I will try..." Yami replied "Thank you." he grabbed the sword and sheath and presented it to the swordsmith with both hands. The swordsmith took it with both hands and bowed, saying "Thank you for taking such good care of him."

Yami just nodded and didn't reply, the swordsmith got up and bowed again before saying "It might be a bit longer this time." Yami nodded and the swordsmith left. Eri walked inside and hugged Yami saying "Are you okay?" Yami wiped his eyes and nodded, Eri hugged him and said "You don't have to be strong all the time..."

Yami stood up and smiled lightly "Eri, I'm fine. Really." Eri sighed and smiled "Well, if you say so. By the way... I have a secret for you." Yami looked at her and she said "There's this thing called Total Concentration: Constant. It's constantly breathing your Breathing Technique at all times even when you're sleeping."

Yami looked at her saying "You can do that?" Eri blushed and scratched her head before shaking it, saying "I... I can't. I've tried Insect, flower, water, etc. breathing but none of them worked for me." Yami dug into his backpack and said "Try this one."

Eri grabbed the book and said "Huh? Oni Breathing style? Where did you get this?" Yami replied "Dad gave me an empty book and I made it myself." Eri gasped "Wow! A magical Item from Daddy!" she read through the book and memorized all the words in it.

Yami added "It's not complete or perfect, I work on it as the days go by..." she smiled and closed the book, saying "I'll try this one~ Thank you, brother." Yami smiled and took the book back, replying "No problem, love you." Eri smiled happily and hugged him "Love you too~! By the way, the other boys are training."

Yami waved and said "I have my own way." Eri smiled and said "Okay~! I'll be here whenever!" she waved and left the room. Yami smiled and walked outside, he said out loud "Dad? Mom?!" nobody answered him and Yami looked down before asking "Can I have some wood?!"

A log appeared in front of him along with a note that said 'Do not call for me again. I will not help you, even if you're on the verge of death. -Dad' then the writing changed 'I love you baby, Mommy's always watching you <3' Yami smiled softly and folded the paper, keeping it in his backpack as he picked up the wood and went to grab a knife.

He sat down on a rock in the garden and rested the end of the log on the grass as he slowly started carving the wood and using his breathing technique at the same time. His strokes were slow and gentle, he carved out perfect wood curls and they drifted to the grass as he continued breathing.

Time slowly passed

Yami sat on the rock, breathing slowly and carving the log all day and all night, sleeping for only 4 hours a night before continuing. His lungs hurt, his ears rang, but he was slowly getting used to it as the 'breath' in his body constantly increased his body strength and Oxygen capacity in his lungs.

He didn't need or want to stop.

Days passed like this

2 weeks passed

Yami looked at the wooden sword in his hand. He made the sword for a practice sword and to train his breathing while doing something monotonous. He succeeded in breathing at all times and he was now constantly getting stronger passively by just breathing.

He collected the wood shavings and gave them to Eri for starting fires, then he went to the courtyard and started practicing his sword swings. He swung the sword all day. He never stopped, except when he was sleeping.

He continued to swing the sword even when his hands bled.

Time continued to pass

20 days later

Yami was swinging his sword when Tanjiro ran over saying "Yami! Yami!" Yami looked at Tanjiro, who pointed and said "Our swords!" Yami's eyes widened and he grabbed Tanjiro before running to the gate. He grabbed Inosuke on the way and Eri said "Yami! Wait!" Yami waved Tanjiro over his shoulder in response as he disappeared.

The three arrived at the gate and Yami dropped Inosuke and Tanjiro, holding the wooden sword in his belt as he watched his swordsmith walk over. His swordsmith carried an extra bag, making Yami tense up in anxiety.

He didn't know what was in the bag but it wasn't making a sound.

The swordsmiths were welcomed into the mansion and Yami took his to the training ground. He sat on his legs and looked at his swordsmith, who said "I've done the best I could." Yami tensed up and the swordsmith unraveled the cloth on his back, presenting the sword to Yami.

Yami looked at it and took it with both hands. It looked exactly the same as before on the outside. Yami held it and slowly unsheathed it, he held it in his hands and the blade buzzed. Yami's eyes widened and looked at the blade that was slowly turning purple with a lighter purple color on the blade edge and a darker on the flats.

But there was something more!

Yami shed tears listening to the joyful song playing in his ears. The swordsmith said "I reused the materials from the broken sword and added more metals making a blend. Normally, I wouldn't do this, but I felt a calling from the broken pieces themselves! I've never experienced something like this before. The chief of the village told me that only when a blade that has an incredible bond with it's master can even produce any effects! But he admitted that he had never seen anything like this, even from blades that he forged personally."

Yami looked at the blade and the swordsmith added "My name is Konzo Kitetsu. As you can see..." he paused before adding "I can't do anything about the pattern on the blade. I've tried everything and asking everyone. My apologies." Yami looked at the blade and placed it on his lap, running his fingers over it softly as he said "This is where it broke."

There were pink lines along the entire blade, almost as if it was pieced back together like a puzzle.

Konzo nodded and said "Exactly! I knew you would notice! This is exactly what it looked like when I put all the pieces back together and see where I went wrong! When I pieced it back, I could feel it telling me to give it another chance. Hence the re-forging with broken materials." he punched his palm and added "Ah yes! I almost forgot!"

He took out the bag he brought with him and placed it in front of Yami, undoing the knot as he said "You're very famous in Swordsmith village, Master Yami. The Village chief asked me to gift this to you on his behalf." he revealed a sharpening set that looked a bit old, but well maintained.

Yami said "This..." Konzo said "This belonged to the first Swordsmith's son. The first swordsmith made a sharpening kit for his son when he was a boy, when the First Master died, strangely all his equipment broke at the same time. The First Master's son was devastated and made a sword for his father using the sharpening kit his father made for him."

Konzo stroked the kit as he continued "The sharpening kit broke during the making of the sword. The master's son had no choice but to use the Sharpening kit of his late father. Miraculously, the Sharpening kit worked for the master's son and he made a legendary blade that was buried with his father long ago."

Konzo tapped the stones and kit as he said "This, is that sharpening kit. The Master's son kept using it until he finally passed it down to his son, but..." Konzo looked sad about it as he continued "The Sharpening stones never worked for anyone else..." he looked at Yami and added "The Chief wanted you to have this as well as let you know that you are welcome to come to the Swordsmith Village whenever you like."

Yami was stunned and said "I couldn't possibly!" Konzo bowed and said "Master Yami, please. This is the will of our entire village. Never before has a sword reacted so strongly, or at all, for a Demon Slayer. You cannot refuse!" Yami choked his words back and Konzo added "Also, the gift is sadly more decoration than use. The Village Chief was curious if you could use the stones..." he shook his head, obviously not believing it to be possible.

Yami gawked and sighed before bowing "Thank you, please send your Village Chief my thanks as well." Konzo nodded and said "No problem." he looked at the sharpening kit and said "So..." Yami smiled and asked "Could you teach me?" Konzo said "With pleasure!"

Konzo taught Yami how to properly sharpen the blade, obviously not using the sword to do so. Yami got the hang of it and wet the stone before taking his sword and running it on the sharpening stone.

Konzo watched in shock as the sharpening stones gleamed! Yami stopped and said "Wha-" Konzo shouted "DO IT AGAIN!" Yami continued sharpening and Konzo started laughing "It's true! You can do it! Hahahahaah!" Tanjiro, Inosuke, Zenitsu, Eri, and the rest looked over at the maniacally laughing Konzo weirdly but he didn't care.

He danced around and said "Hahaha! Yami, you're my hero! I have to tell the rest of the villagers about this!" he rubbed his chin and chuckled "Heh. They'll be SO jealous. Heheheheh~" Yami was in his own world and Konzo didn't disturb him, leaving with the other swordsmiths, telling Tanjiro to tell Yami that he left when Yami 'wakes up'.

Yami continued sharpening the blade for over an hour in a daze.

He finally stopped and looked at the sharpening kit in awe. He gently wiped them down and packed them into a cloth before putting it in his backpack. He sheathed his sword and hugged it, listening to the happy song that it was singing as he sat on a rock and stared at the night sky.