"Infinity Castle, Akaza's Past" "Impossible." Akaza's neck had been severed by Tanjiro Kamado's Nichirin Blade, signifying his imminent deat
"Infinity Castle, Akaza's Past"
"Impossible." Akaza's neck had been severed by Tanjiro Kamado's Nichirin Blade, signifying his imminent death.
"Analyzing unexpected events in a short time is commonplace for me, but this time… in that brief battle, he clearly grasped something, achieving a speed far surpassing mine. My centuries of martial arts training… defeated so cleanly."
"His eyes held no hatred, anger, or killing intent, not even battle ki. The state he reached might be the 'highest realm' I sought, the 'state of no-self.' Though I sensed its existence, I never reached it myself."
Akaza then grabbed his severed head and reattached it. "It's not over! I can still fight! I can still become stronger!"
"He put his head back on?!" Tanjiro was astonished.
Giyu Tomioka swiftly intervened, piercing Akaza's head with his blade. Akaza's head fell to the ground again.
"I can't fall here! I must become stronger! Stronger than anyone in this world!" Akaza's unwavering determination burned fiercely, even as his head disintegrated into dust.
"It's finally over! We won!" Tanjiro breathed a sigh of relief.
But then, they noticed that while Akaza's head was gone, his body remained standing, showing no signs of fading.
The next moment, the Compass Needle reappeared beneath Akaza's feet.
The three were shocked. His neck wound healed, and Akaza targeted Tanjiro, the closest one.
He swung a hand, but before he could strike, a flash of flame appeared; Akaza's arm was severed.
"Flame Breathing, First Form: Unknowing Fire!"
It was Kyōjurō Rengoku, who had swiftly pulled Tanjiro back as Akaza prepared to attack with his legs.
Tanjiro, still shocked, said, "How… how is this possible? His head is gone, yet he's still alive? Does he have some special ability like Gyutaro and Daki? No, that's wrong. His head is gone. Akaza, as an Upper Moon, is trying to transform himself."
"He's trying to eliminate his neck weakness, like Muzan. This battle is far from over."
Giyu Tomioka attacked Akaza.
"Water Breathing, Tenth Form: Constant Flux!"
As before, Giyu Tomioka's attack didn't reach Akaza, who countered with a punch. Giyu Tomioka, using his Nichirin Blade to deflect most of the force, stood firm.
"Unwavering spirit. Never give up, no matter the situation. We are not samurai, so we cannot fight with swords, but we can have a sword in our hearts. Our weapons are our fists."
Facing Giyu Tomioka, Akaza heard a voice in his mind. He thought it was Giyu Tomioka and felt annoyed, preparing to attack, only to be grabbed by a pair of hands.
Then, a familiar yet strange, pleading voice emerged.
"Please stop, Hakuji-niisan."
Akaza froze. "Let go! Who are you?"
"Please stop, Hakuji-niisan." The voice pleaded again.
"No, I must kill them."
"Why?"
"Because I must become stronger. Those who stand in my way… die!"
"Why? Why am I so obsessed with becoming stronger?"
"Because if I don't become stronger, I can't get medicine for Father."
Akaza's memories as a human surfaced.
At age 11, his name was Hakuji.
His family had died, leaving only his sick father. Hakuji desperately sought medicine, but it was unaffordable for a poor child.
To save his father, Hakuji resorted to stealing.
He believed that weakness would lead to retribution from victims and arrest by the authorities.
So, while stealing, he relentlessly trained. He was often caught but released due to his age.
At 15, Hakuji endured one hundred blows, a punishment that would kill a grown man.
His rigorous training had strengthened him, allowing him to remain conscious despite the brutal beating. Numb to the pain, he returned home to learn from a neighbor that his father had hanged himself.
His father, heartbroken by his son's crimes, believed he was holding Hakuji back. To allow Hakuji a fresh start, he had chosen to end his own life… Soon after, Hakuji was banished from Edo. He wandered alone.
Remembering his efforts to save his father, his willingness to do anything, yet his father's tragic end…
Hakuji realized that his father had been driven to death by the cruel world where the rich could do as they pleased, while the poor struggled to survive.
Driven by grief and hatred, Hakuji beat seven adults who had angered him.
Then, he met his mentor, Keizo.
Keizo saw Hakuji's martial arts talent and, unwilling to let him fall into despair, easily defeated him and took him to his dojo.
At the dojo, Hakuji discovered he was the only student.
Keizo sadly explained that his lack of skill had caused his wife and daughter much suffering, his wife even committing suicide.
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