"Ah? A Demon Slayer Corps member being hunted by a demon?" Fang Hao hadn't originally wanted to take on this mission, but a Demon Slayer Corps member being hunted by a demon was indeed a very serious matter and needed to be dealt with quickly. Fang Hao had been thinking of crossing worlds during the time Tanjiro and the others were training, but unfortunately, he now had to go on a mission.
"By the way, do you have any information on that demon?" Fang Hao asked casually.
"His name is Kaidake. Before he became a demon, he was a member of the Demon Slayer Corps…"
Fang Hao couldn't hear anything after that. As soon as he heard the demon's name was Kaidake, rage surged in his eyes, and the spreading killing intent made the Tool Bird tremble.
"You dog!" Fang Hao's heart was filled only with fury and killing intent at this moment. He had always known what kind of person Kaidake was.
Kaidake was an orphan from a young age, homeless, surviving on muddy water and stealing. During this time, Kaidake gradually developed a selfish and self-centered personality, believing that no matter the process, as long as he was alive, he could change his situation.
Later, Kaidake was brought back to the temple by Gyomei Himejima. While living with Gyomei Himejima and the other orphans, Kaidake temporarily behaved like a normal child, but this life did not last long.
One day, Kaidake was driven out of the temple by the other children, behind Gyomei Himejima's back, because he had stolen money. That night, Kaidake encountered a demon in the mountains. To save his life and get revenge on the other children, he didn't hesitate to sneak into the temple, extinguish the wisteria incense burner that Himejima had lit inside, leading the demon into the temple, while he himself took the opportunity to escape.
In the end, all the children in the temple, except for four-year-old Sayori, perished. Himejima, to protect Sayori, fought the demon to the death until dawn, when he finally eliminated it. However, due to people's misunderstanding of Sayori's account, Gyomei Himejima was unjustly imprisoned. It was also because of this experience that Gyomei Himejima could not trust children, and his agreement to kill Nezuko at the Pillar Meeting was for this reason.
After escaping the temple, Kaidake, having learned of the existence of demons, decided to become a demon slayer to make himself stronger. Later, Kaidake went to Peach Mountain, became a disciple of Kuwajima Jigorou, the former Sound Pillar of the Demon Slayer Corps, and studied Thunder Breathing together with his junior disciple, Zenitsu.
During his training on Peach Mountain, although Kaidake was recognized by his master for his intelligence and even became a role model for Zenitsu, Kaidake could never learn the First Form: Thunderclap and Flash. Therefore, he both despised and envied Zenitsu, who was not only weak but could only use the First Form. As a result, Kaidake often bullied Zenitsu and repeatedly demanded that he leave.
And according to the original story's subsequent events, while on a demon-slaying mission, he encountered Upper Moon One · Kokushibo. Kaidake, in order to survive, allowed Kokushibo to turn him into a demon. After learning that his disciple, or rather his grandson, had betrayed the Demon Slayer Corps and become a demon, Kuwajima Jigorou chose to commit seppuku.
The reason Fang Hao was so angry was also because Kaidake might implicate Kuwajima Jigorou. After all, he and Kaidake were only fellow disciples in name and had never met. He had always despised Kaidake, so why would Kaidake's betrayal make him angry? At most, he would just kill him. What truly ignited Fang Hao's anger was simply the consequences brought about by Kaidake's betrayal.
In fact, Fang Hao had previously considered whether to kill Kaidake in advance. However, he gave up for several reasons. Firstly, the person was hard to find; Fang Hao simply did not have the authority to inquire about other members' missions. Could he just go from place to place to look for him?
Secondly, although Fang Hao knew what kind of person Kaidake was, he was still Kuwajima Jigorou's disciple, meaning Fang Hao's senior brother, and Fang Hao still had some reservations in his heart.
Thirdly, although Kaidake was despicable, if he hadn't become a demon, Fang Hao wouldn't have bothered with him, as Fang Hao simply didn't want Kuwajima Jigorou to commit seppuku. The previous butterfly effect had caused Fang Hao to receive a mission that should have been taken by Tanjiro, which also made Fang Hao feel lucky, believing that this time Kaidake would not encounter Kokushibo and thus would not become a demon.
But he was wrong.
"I'll take it." Fang Hao suppressed the rage in his heart. Although he now wished he could sprout wings and fly directly to slay Kaidake, he still had to go to Peach Mountain before completing the mission. If the old man still committed seppuku as in the original story, Fang Hao truly didn't know what he would think then.
He didn't say goodbye to Tanjiro and the others, and directly rushed towards Peach Mountain, using his breathing technique.
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Kuwajima Jigorou stared blankly at the letter delivered by the Kasugai Crow. When he first read it, he was full of disbelief, and he rubbed his eyes several times, but still couldn't believe that his proud grandson had fallen into depravity and become a demon, and was now chasing and killing Demon Slayer Corps members everywhere…
He had never imagined such an outcome. For his several disciples, Kuwajima Jigorou hoped they would all succeed, but even if they couldn't, it didn't matter. They had all become members of the Demon Slayer Corps, working tirelessly for the great cause of demon slaying, especially Fang Hao, who had inherited his title of Sound Pillar, which brought him great comfort.
But for his other two disciples, or rather, grandsons, his heart was also proud of them. Kaidake diligently completed his missions, step by step advancing in rank. Kuwajima Jigorou believed that with Kaidake's talent, becoming a Pillar in the future was just around the corner.
And Zenitsu had gradually overcome his timidity. A few days ago, Kuwajima Jigorou received news that Zenitsu had slain a demon during an exploration mission, and he couldn't have been happier.
He had also thought about the future of his disciples: perhaps they could kill Muzan and completely eradicate demons; perhaps like him, they would withdraw from the frontline of demon slaying after being injured and focus on being trainers; or perhaps it was the outcome he least wanted to see, dying on a mission. The thought that this outcome might happen made Kuwajima Jigorou's heart feel as if it were being cut by a knife, in excruciating pain. For an old man like him, losing a grandson in old age, a white-haired person sending off a black-haired one, was simply… too cruel.
But he had never imagined such a possibility: his disciple, his grandson, Kaidake, had fallen into depravity and become a demon during a mission, just to survive!
"It's my fault, this useless old man! Even death as an apology isn't enough; only seppuku can barely atone. And having no second is also my punishment, isn't it?" Kuwajima Jigorou's words were filled with determination.
He meticulously wiped his nichirin blade, his old companion for many years. Today, letting his old companion send him off was worth it. He didn't miss a single corner, just wiping it carefully and thoroughly.
Kuwajima Jigorou put down the cloth, picked up his old companion and examined it carefully, then a hint of resolve flashed in his eyes as he turned the blade towards his abdomen…