Kyojuro Rengoku

Kyojuro Rengoku was a major supporting character of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and a major character in the Mugen Train Arc. He was a Demon Slayer of the Demon Slayer Corps and the former Flame Hashira.

Appearance
Kyojuro was a young adult of tall stature and athletic build. He is known have an air of great optimism about him, having an enthusiastic smile plastered on his face nearly all the time. He had long bright yellow hair with red streaks akin to flames along with two shoulder-length bangs and two chin-length bangs on the side of his head, black forked eyebrows, and golden eyes that fade to red with white pupils.

Kyojuro wore a paler brown version of the regular Demon Slayer uniform, which consisted of a brown gakuran jacket, a white belt around his waist and hakama pants. Over this, he wore a haori with a white-yellow gradient pattern and red flame-like ridges at the end that his father Shinjuro once worn and more than likely his father worn when they were the Flame Hashira respectively. Finally, he wore red Kyahan with yellow flames erupting from the bottom-up, with pale brown tabi socks and a pair of white zōri with red straps.

When he first joined the Demon Slayer Corps, he only wore the regular Demon Slayer uniform but as he rose up the ranks, Kyojuro started wearing a completely white haori before donning on his signature flame-patterned one.

Personality
Kyojuro was greatly enthusiastic in regard to his duties as a Hashira, and often came across as cheerfully eccentric. He was amiable, pure of heart and boasted extraordinary technique and swordsmanship stemming from strict practice and discipline. He was an honorable warrior who adhered to his code of morals and principles that was instilled into him by his mother at a young age—the most significant being his belief that those who were born strong have a duty to protect the weak.

Kyojuro also loved his family immensely, displaying great respect and worry towards his father, Shinjuro Rengoku, despite him growing slowly more aggressive and apathetic towards Kyojuro. He is incredibly encouraging and optimistic towards his little brother, Senjuro Rengoku, believing in him and wishing him the best no matter what. This is further accentuated during his death where his final words for his father and his little brother were "take care of your body" and "follow your dreams no matter what". Kyojuro also believes that if someone lacks immense skill, their hard work towards their dreams and desire to help people doesn't count for nothing.

Beneath his enthusiastic demeanor, Kyojuro is very logical and tactically intelligent, acting quickly and precisely in battle, especially when the lives of others are on the line. Kyojuro also is great in seeing talent in others, even in Nezuko, a Demon which he wanted to kill beforehand after seeing her risk her lives to fight Demons. Though he is extremely optimistic, Kyojuro does sometimes have a sense of foreboding that those he believes in might die, especially his friends which he care deeply for. Lastly, he, like most Demon Slayers, absolutely detest Demons, usually because of their heinous deeds or because of their clashing morale values.

Abilities
Overall Abilities: As a former Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps, Kyojuro was a very powerful swordsman. Even Demons as strong as Akaza, Upper Rank Three and the fourth-strongest of the known Demons, acknowledged Kyojuro's strength. He even went as far as to offer to turn Kyojuro into a Demon so he could surpass his human limits and become stronger, something he only offered to swordsmen whose abilities he believed were refined to their utmost. Akaza also complimented his battle spirit and stated that it is getting close to the "Realm of the Highest," which implied that he was incredibly close to obtaining the Transparent World (きる) and the Selfless State (の), if only he could awaken his Demon Slayer Mark. His father, Shinjuro Rengoku, stated that, after his son abandoned what he taught him, Kyojuro trained himself into the level of a Hashira after reading through an instruction book of the Flame Breathing style, a book which only had 3 volumes.

Extrasensory Perception: Kyojuro had incredibly honed senses and extrasensory perception, such as when he was able to sense and perceive Akaza's immense presence and Demon aura which he uses to discern that he was an Upper Rank. Kyojuro was also capable of sensing demonic presences faster and more accurately than Tanjiro Kamado, who harbors an acute sense of smell, when he detected two Demons right after another on a train before anyone else noticed. This ability also allowed him to precisely gauge the regenerative abilities and weaknesses of most Demons, like Enmu. Kyojuro was also able to perceive Tanjiro's injuries and torn blood vessel accurately, which allowed him to teach him how to plug up that wound and prevent him from dying of blood loss. Furthermore, he was able to detect malice in Enmu's spells and prevented himself from getting incapacitated and dying through his senses and pure instinct.

Immense Speed & Reflexes: Kyojuro possessed great speed and reflexes that even a trained and gifted Demon Slayer like Tanjiro couldn't perceive or register. Kyojuro could even cause tremors to the ground and nearly launching a train off its tracks by running at speeds faster than the eye can see. His reflexes were so fast that he managed to cut Akaza's hand in half moments before the Upper Rank was going to kill Tanjiro. Kyojuro also managed to keep up with Akaza's high-speed techniques, which even the Hashira remarks is faster than the blink of an eye, sometimes even managing to out-speed him. Inosuke Hashibira himself noted that Kyojuro was in a different dimension due to his blinding attacks and speed. Kyojuro's phenomenal movement speed and reflexes even surprised and impressed Akaza, who openly expressed his amazement over.

Immense Stamina & Endurance: Kyojuro displayed superhuman stamina and endurance during his battles over the course of the series. In his Special One-Shot, Kyojuro ruptured his eardrums, yet didn't flinch in the slightest, ignoring the pain and continuing to fight and win. In his Gaiden, he suffered dozens of severe wounds and injuries from gunshots and explosions coming from the former Lower Rank 2, Hairo, but continued to stall enough time for all the bombs he planted to be disarmed without showing any signs of pain or fatigue, which shocked Hairo, who questioned himself on whether the person he met in the past was really the same person he was fighting now. Furthermore, his battle against Enmu when he fused with an entire train, he was able to keep him at bay in 5 different train carts without tiring. Lastly, he managed to keep up with Akaza, one of the strongest Demons in existence despite physically and mentally exert himself beyond his limit and sustaining multiple irreparable and fatal wounds, like a smashed eye, shattered ribs and damaged internal organs. Most impressively, he managed to keep Akaza at bay despite having his vital spot, his Solar Plexus, pierced by the Upper Rank's arm and bleeding out. Despite all of his fatal wounds and injuries, he never once flinched or showed signs of pain or agony.

Immense Strength: As a former Hashira who spent years perfecting his physical prowess, Kyojuro possessed amazing physical strength, being capable of swinging his katana at speeds faster than the eye can see incessantly and terrifying accuracy while engaging in combat and even send Akaza flying an astonishing distance into a forest with a single blade swing. Kyojuro could also lift an entire train off its tracks by simply dashing forwards with his legs. Even when he first became a Demon Slayer, he had enough strength instantly rupture his own eardrums by hitting his ears with his hands. Kyojuro also possessed exceptional grip strength that enabled him to hold down Akaza, one of the physically strongest characters in the series, despite having his Solar Plexus pierced earlier and multiple other near-unrepairable wounds, which Akaza expressed his disbelief and shock over Kyojuro's strength which he describes as "unbelievable".

Indomitable Will: Kyojuro had an undaunted spirit, which even impressed the likes of Upper Rank 3, Akaza. Ever since he was a child, he had inculcated indomitable will and passion in himself due to his promise to his late mother. Even when the Upper Rank overwhelmed him with powerful attacks, giving Kyojuro insidious wounds, he remained steadfast resolute. After Kyojuro lost an eye and had internal wounds caused by Akaza, he still persisted, vehemently expressed his unwavering will and determination, saying that he will protect the lives of the other innocent people no matter what. Finally, when Akaza's fist pierced his solar plexus, it triggered a memory in his psyche, reminding Kyojuro of his mother again, giving him the final push to cut the Upper Rank's head, even stopping his fists from moving. But alas, his efforts were in vain, but because of the incredible determination Kyojuro displayed, it affected Tanjiro Kamado greatly, giving the incentive to push on.

Keen Intellect: As a swordsman who came from a lineage of Flame Hashira, Kyojuro had access to generations of combat knowledge and tactics as well as training from previous Flame Hashira, like his father, Shinjuro Rengoku. Kyojuro could also master the entire Flame Breathing style just from reading 3 volumes of a book on it. During the battle against Akaza, he displayed keen judgement like after being attacked by Akaza's Destructive Death, Air Type, he realizes that he must fight at close range with he wanted to increase the chances of cutting of his head. Even when the usually deductive and sagacious Tanjiro Kamado was at a loss of how to kill Enmu, Kyojuro instinctively knew that, no matter what form a Demon takes, it will always have a weak spot. He also possesses great knowledge in the use of the Total Concentration Breathing (の), knowing how to plug minor wounds and hemorrhaging and saved Tanjiro from dying of blood loss. As another testament to his tactical intellect, Kyojuro could instantly read his allies' sign language at indicating the Flute Demon's abilities despite being unable to fully control their movements and execute it before the Demon's Blood Demon Art befell him.

Fighting Style
Master Swordsman: As he was a Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps, Kyojuro was one of the most powerful and skilled swordsmen in the entire organization. His mastery of the blade is best showcased during his battle with Akaza, in which he is able to hold his own against the Upper Rank even when gravely injured.

Swordsmanship
Flame Breathing (の): Taught to him by the previous Flame Hashira, Shinjuro Rengoku, and later mastered by reading the instruction books left behind by previous Flame Hashira in the Rengoku Family, Kyojuro became extremely proficient in fighting with this Breathing Style, being able to go toe-to-toe with the former Lower Rank 2, Hairo and later Upper Rank 3, Akaza.


 * First Form: Unknowing Fire (ノ) - The user charges towards their opponent at high speed and decapitates them in one slash.


 * Second Form: Rising Scorching Sun (ノ り) - The user releases an arching slash attack upwards.


 * Third Form: Blazing Universe (ノ) - The user swings their blade downwards in an arc.


 * Fourth Form: Blooming Flame Undulation (ノ のうねり) - The user swings their blade in a circular motion that can defend them from all incoming attacks or decapitate multiple enemies at once.


 * Fifth Form: Flame Tiger (ノ) - The user unleashes a powerful series of sword slashes that seemingly takes the form of a rampaging tiger engulfed in flames that charges towards the enemy at blinding speeds.


 * Ninth Form: Rengoku (ノ) - A devastating dashing slash that the user initiates from a high stance, the technique had enough power to carve a deep impression that burnt the ground where it was unleashed.

Equipment
Standard Nichirin Katana: Kyojuro carries a standard sized and shaped katana made from Nichirin that is a deep shade of reddish-orange in color with the words Destroy Demons engraved on the side. There is also a noticeable flame pattern on each side of his katana with a white handle. Kyojuro's katana's hilt is shaped like a flame with a red core and golden border. He also carries a standard sword sheath that is white and grey in color.

Trivia

 * Kyojuro's surname means "purgatory". His first name contains the kanji for "apricot" (杏), "longetivity" (寿)", and "son" (郎).
 * Kyojuro's rankings in the popularity polls are as follows:
 * Kyojuro ranked 7th place in both the first and second popularity poll with 1,021 votes and 8,000 votes respectively.
 * Kyojuro loved to watch sumo wrestling.
 * Kyojuro's favorite food was sweet potatoes. When eating them, he said "tasty/delicious" (い) each time he puts one in his mouth.
 * His favorite side dish was salt grilled bream.
 * Kyojuro was never allowed to have a pet because his father hated animals.
 * Kyojuro's very distant ancestor, as stated by Kyojuro, ate a lot of tempuras causing their descendants' and their own hair to become quite abnormal.
 * During his first mission, Kyojuro ruptured his own eardrums to counter the Flute Demon's Blood Demon Art. It is unknown but highly unlikely that this permanently affected his hearing. It is also likely that this if the reason for why he talks very loudly.

Quotes

 * (To a Demon) "However, if you bare your fangs at innocent people, my bright red flame blade will burn you to the bone!"
 * (To Senjuro Rengoku) "And, Senjuro, you're different from me! You have a big brother! And he believes in his little brother! Whatever path you walk you'll be a great person! You have a burning passion in your heart! So let's do our best! Let's work hard in life! Even if we're lonely!"
 * (To himself) "To think that all of this happened while I was dozing... How could this be? I'm ashamed as a Hashira. If only I could crawl under a rock!"
 * (To Akaza) "Growing old and dying is what gives meaning and beauty to the fleeting span of a human life. It's precisely because we age and die that our lives have value and nobility. Strength is not a word that means much in regard to the flesh."
 * (To Akaza) "I will fulfill my duty! I won't allow anyone here to die!"
 * (To Tanjiro Kamado) "Go ahead and live with your head held high. No matter how devastated you may be by your own weakness or uselessness, set your heart ablaze. Grit your teeth and look straight ahead. Even if you stop and crouch down, time won't wait for you or snuggle you and grieve along with you. Don't feel bad that I'm going to die here. As a Hashira, of course I would shield my juniors."
 * "Life is a series of decisions. You never have unlimited options or unlimited time to think, but what you choose in that instant defines who you are. Warriors who strive to save other people's lives are precious. Their pure and single-minded dedication is separate from their natural talent. They don't risk their lives to earn praise. They simply feel that they must. What they choose in that moment, is a cry from the depths of their souls. Isn't that right... my friends?"

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