(I have to become stronger, or I won't be able to stole someone's wallet and run away. I have to become stronger, or I won't be able to win when my victims will get revenge. I have to become stronger, or the magistrate will catch me and punish me.)
In the magistrate, a boy had been tied up. In front of him, there was a man. "As a thief, you already have three lines on both arms. The next time, we'll cut one of your hands," said the man. "Ahahah! If that's your goal, do it! If you cut my hands, I still have my feet! I'll use my feet to steal! And anyway, you won't catch me next time!" exclaimed the boy, laughing. "At the age of eleven, you are a repeat criminal. Even thought you've received one hundred lashes, you continue to be a rebel," said the man. "You are a little demon."
(Say what you want. That's true, I'm a little demon. After all, they say I was born with teeth.)
As the boy was returning in his village, two old men ran to him. "Hakuji!" said one of them. "When your father found out you'd been arrested once again, he hanged himself! He's dead!" he continued. Then, shocked, Hakuji went to his father grave and found a letter, which he read.
("Dear Hakuji, live a virtous life, you can still change. I don't want to live if this means robbing. Sorry if I caused you any problem." Don't the poor people even have the right to live? Father... Fuck this world, fuck everything! Why these horrible people continue to live, and why did my father have to die? He wasn't a problem, why did he have to apologize? He did nothing wrong! I can resist punishments. They could brutally lash me or break all of my bones... But I would resist for the sake of my father, even for a hundred years! My father was quickly losing weight, I wanted to feed him with something nutritious. I was sure I would be able to heal him one day. Why did he hang himself? I'd be happy to die, if for his sake.)
After knowing his father died, Hakuji started a brawl with seven men, and he knocked all of them off. Then, the boy heard a voice. "Whoa, you're strong!". It was a muscular man. "I came here because a kid was about to be killed, but you knocked these seven men off by yourself!" he said. "You're talented, you did it without a weapon, fantastic!" he continued.
(Who's this man? Am I seeing my memories?)
"Do you want to join my dojo? I have no students!" said the man. "Shut up, old man! I'll kill you!" shouted Hakuji. "Those tattoees means you're a criminal of Edo, so you're banned from Edo and you came here?" asked the man. "What if I had? That's none of your business, old man!" said Hakuji. "Oh, it's time to change, boy. Let's go!" said the man. "Die, old man!" exclaimed Hakuji, attacking the man. But the man punched him with ease, knocking him off.
Later...
"Wow, you're strong! I beat you up, but you woke up in less than a hour!" said the man. "My name's Keizo. I'm the owner of a dojo, but I have no students. I brought you here for another reason though. I want you to look after my sick daughter," explained Keizo. "Are you sure you want to bring a criminal like me in your house with your daughter?" asked Hakuji. "I beat that criminal up earlier, so no problem!" said Keizo.
(Keizo and Goku... were similar. I understood why I find you so annoying, Goku. Because you remind me of this boring story. An insignificant memory.)
"She is my daughter, Koyuki," said Keizo, once they arrived in the room. In that moment, Hakuji saw her, and it felt something strange. Was it love? No, impossible. "Today you're less pale than usual, are you any better?" asked Keizo. "Yes," replied Koyuki. "This boy doesn't want to tell me his name, sodiscover it before I come back," said Keizo. Thus, Hakuji remained alone in the room with Koyuki. "Your face... You're hurt. Are you okay?" she asked. But Hakuji didn't say nothing.
(I'll be better... I'll protect you... I'll save you... For all my insignificant life, I've done nothing but spit lies... Why do sick peoeple always apologize? They're sorry for creating problems, or because their coughing is too loud. They're sorry because they can't work. They would like to do things on their own, they can't stop coughing and they want to breathe normally. Koyuki was very fragile and her health got worse. I stayed the whole night changing her sheets and towels. And of course, I had to assist her when she went to the toilet. I took care of my father, so it wasn't hard for me. The only thing I hated was when Kyouki started cry when we talk.)
"Sorry. Because of me, you can't train or have fun," said Kyouki. "I never think about having fun. In free time I train, so don't worry," said Hakuji. "But... sometimes, you have to take a break. I've heard there will be fireworks tonight, you should go watch them," said Koyuki. "I can carry you until the bridge, so, do you want to come with me?" asked Hakuji. "Even if you can't go tonight, there will be fireworks the next year and the year after that, so you still have the possibility to go watch them."
"Oh, I understand!" said Keizo, when he and Hakuji were talking in free time. "So, the kanji of "Haku" is the same of "Koma" in Komainu, huh? I knew it. We're the same. We both have something to protect, like a Komainu that protects a sanctuary."
(My master wasn't a samurai, but he had this dojo because he saved an old man from some criminals. The old man remained impressed by the soryuu style, and since he had no successors, he decided to give this ground and the dojo to my master. However, the ones who wanted the dojo weren't so happy with the decision, and a dojo nearvy started to annoy the dojo. Because of this, the dojo soryuu didn't manage to have any other students aside me, but training here and take care of Koyuki saved me. Three years passed and I turned eighteen. Koyuki was sixteen and he was healed and could live normally. One day, my master called me.)
"Hakuji, do you want to be the successor of this dojo?" asked Keizo. "After all, Koyuki says she likes you." In that moment, Koyuki blushed, and so did Hakuji.
(I had been branded a criminal, so I couldn't imagine a good future, let alone a future where someone liked me. Could I be able to live a virtous life, like my father wanted? Inside me, the hope of changing my life in better intensified. At the time, I would have died to protect those two people... And I could never imagine they would be poisoned. One day, I went to my father's grave to tell him there would have be a wedding. But then, when I came back at the dojo, before sunset, and before even acknowledging it, I felt nauseous. I had goosebumps and a bad feeling. Then, they informed me. Everytime the people important for me are in trouble, I'm never there for them.)
One day, before the tragedy...
During fireworks, Hakuji and Koyuki were alone, watching them. "Am I really worthy of it?" asked Hakuji. "When we were younger, we said to go see fireworks together. Do you remember?" asked Koyuki. "Those stupid chats made me happy, Hakuji-san. Even thought that year I wasn't able to see fireworks, you said I'd be able to the next year. I couldn't imagine living until the next year, let alone the year after it. But you were I would. It was as if you were able to see my future, even after my father started to give up," said the girl. "Yes, you're worthy. Do you want to marry me?" she asked. "Yes. I'll become stronger than anyone else, and I'll protect you," said Hakuji.
(In the end, those were only words. The magistrate's records accurately described those murders. After the master of the dojo soryuu and his daughter had been poisoned, the only student survived attacked the dojo nearby and killed sixth-seven people bare-handed. That student was me. Destroyed heads, squashed organs... Most of the bodies were missing parts, and the scene was infernal. The survived made went crazy. After thirty years, the documents were burned because they were too brutal and were believed to be false. After that, I met a strange man.)
"I've heard there was a demon here who messed up things, so I came to control, but you're just a human," said the man. That man was Muzan. "Go away, or I'll kill you...." muttered Hakuji. Muzan dashed forward, and Hakuji attacked him. But then, Muzan dodged and stabbed his face with his hand, crushing both his eyes. "I was thinking about crating twelve powerful demons. Can you handle the amount of blood I'm giving you?" asked Muzan. "I... I don't care... anymore... about anything..." muttered Hakuji.
(I became a demon and lost my human memories, and I continued to search for strength. I had nothing to protect. I didn't even want to keep living in a world without my family... This is a sad, ridicoulous and useless story. Even if I were to die, I won't go in the same place as them. You made me remember my past. Humans are fragile, weak. They break, disappear and easily die.)
Chapter 57 - End.