Akaza sat on the ground, his posture casual, both of his arms gone. The flesh at the severed points repeatedly wriggled but could not regenerate his broken hands.
Too strong! He had become even stronger!
Among the three, Kokushibo was the most severely injured, with half of his body turned to ash. Next was Douma, who, after being cut in half at the waist, could not even move. Akaza was undoubtedly the least injured, having only lost both of his arms.
However, this was not the correct way to calculate it. The three individuals' different fighting styles determined how much strength they retained. Douma's Blood Demon Art mostly consisted of long-range attacks; although losing his legs was fatal, his ability to resist was still very strong. If it were an ordinary Hashira, he could even handle two or three.
Kokushibo was even worse off; he was a swordsman, and his right hand was his dominant hand. Having lost the right half of his body, many of his sword techniques could not be performed. However, his Blood Demon Art still allowed him to have simple counter-attack capabilities.
As for Akaza, he had almost completely lost his combat ability. He was a martial artist, and while a martial artist's entire body was a deadly weapon, his hands were the most important. Having lost both hands, his combat power was now less than one-tenth of what it was. Although his remaining feet could still attack, it was difficult to maintain balance.
Especially since he had not yet mastered Transparent World and could not control every inch of muscle in his body.
The only advantage of still having his feet was that he could still escape.
His speed had decreased significantly due to his severe injuries. He could escape ordinary Demon Slayer Corps swordsmen, but it would be difficult to shake off a Pillar.
Two sets of footsteps approached from a distance, moving very quickly, with light and steady strides. Undoubtedly, they were experts!
Akaza stood up, preparing to leave the area first.
"Water Breathing — Third Form: Flowing Dance!"
A splash of water shot out, a massive current like a rushing stream, blocking Akaza's path forward.
Standing before the water wall, Akaza sighed. He knew he couldn't leave.
Should he fight? It would be difficult.
This hesitant style was unlike Akaza's personality. He felt a bit strange now, as some images faintly surfaced in his mind.
What was that, my memories? Why did I never know?
Tanjiro and Giyu Tomioka on the opposite side had already gripped their Nichirin Blades. Even though this Upper Moon Three was severely injured, and even though their two individuals had become much stronger.
However, carelessness could very well mean death.
Akaza ignored them and simply sat down on the ground.
"I want to tell you a story."
Once, there was a young man born in Edo. Because he was born with sharp fangs, he was called the 'Demon Child' and was named Hakuji.
As he grew up, his relatives passed away one after another, leaving only his father. However, his father was gravely ill, so Hakuji had to try every possible way to buy medicine for his father. Yet, at that time, medicinal herbs were something that children from poor families simply could not afford.
Therefore, to save his father's life, Hakuji had no choice but to resort to stealing money to buy medicine for his father.
Hakuji believed that as long as he became strong, he could escape the arrest of the Magistrate's Office, so he continuously honed himself. Thus, several years passed in a life of continuous crime.
Until one day, Hakuji's father hanged himself. He felt that he had burdened his son, making him commit crimes endlessly and become a sinner hated by everyone.
Hakuji was in immense pain. He hated this world, which, even after he had chosen to become a sinner, was unwilling to let him go. He began to vent his anger on passersby, and it was at this moment that someone stopped him.
This person was named Keizo. Keizo recognized Hakuji's martial arts talent and brought him back to his dojo. The dojo was empty, with only Keizo and his daughter. Keizo needed to work and had no time to take care of his sick daughter, so he entrusted Hakuji with caring for her.
Hakuji hesitated, believing he was a sinner and unworthy of caring for others.
Keizo told Hakuji, "I have already punished you for your crimes, so it doesn't matter."
Hakuji agreed and began to care for Keizo's daughter, Koyuki. In this process, Koyuki gradually fell in love with Hakuji.
Time slowly passed. Hakuji was already 18 years old, and the dojo still had not recruited any disciples other than Hakuji, but the neighboring dojo often came to cause trouble.
Keizo found Hakuji and asked if he was willing to inherit the dojo and marry Koyuki. Hakuji then realized Koyuki's feelings. Hakuji agreed to Keizo, promising to protect Koyuki for his entire life.
Fireworks sparkled. At the fireworks festival, Hakuji confessed to Koyuki, saying that he would become stronger than anyone else and protect her for his entire life.
Hakuji returned to his hometown to visit his father's grave, telling him that he was getting married and had fulfilled his father's long-held expectation—to start his life anew.
However, when he returned to the dojo, what he saw were the cold bodies of Keizo and Koyuki. He trembled, broke down, and used every means to find the truth of what happened.
It was merely the jealousy of the neighboring dojo that led them to poison and kill these two.
Hakuji went mad. Once again, he failed to protect what he wanted to protect. He alone slaughtered everyone at the neighboring dojo and then wandered this area, not a demon, yet worse than one.
"Until he met Muzan Kibutsuji. He became a true demon, forgot his past, and changed his name to — Akaza."
Two lines of clear tears flowed down Akaza's cheeks.
"It turns out what I longed for wasn't to become stronger, but to protect Koyuki. How could I have forgotten, how could I have forgotten…"
Akaza murmured to himself, as if blaming himself.
Tanjiro was deeply moved after hearing this, while Giyu Tomioka remained expressionless, though Tanjiro could sense that he was equally touched.
"I understand your past, but your crimes will not change because of it."
Tanjiro's eyes regained their resolve. Whether it was Gyutaro or Akaza, they both had tragic pasts. Tanjiro deeply sympathized with them as humans, yet deeply hated them as demons.
His Nichirin Blade gradually heated up, turning crimson like blood.
"I should have gone to Koyuki long ago. She's waited so long, I wonder if she'll blame me…"
Thinking of Koyuki, Akaza, or rather, Hakuji's eyes became very gentle.
"You must kill Muzan Kibutsuji."
Hakuji did not willingly become a demon; he was forcibly injected with blood by Muzan Kibutsuji and became a demon.
"We definitely will!"
Tanjiro responded firmly.
Nodding, Hakuji closed his eyes. Tanjiro slowly stepped forward, a flash of fiery red blade, and Akaza's head flew off.
In the firelight, Hakuji seemed to see Master Keizo and Koyuki waving to him, and his father looking at him with a reproachful gaze.
"I'm sorry… everyone…"
The dust settled.
Upper Moon Three Akaza, dead!