Assaulted by Memories (
Summary[]
As Giyu readies to fight Akaza once more, he realizes the direness of his situation; his left ear hearing is gone, his right hand is numb, and he can't tell how much strength he has left. As with how sprinting can only be done for so long till the point of exhaustion, reaching past one's physical limits results in precision being lost and heavy strain on the muscles, hands, and feet. Demons on the other hand, don't feel pain, nor do they tired; it is a miracle anyone can battle an Upper Rank with just a Breathing Style. Despite the odds, Giyu resolves to save Tanjiro and prevent the death of another person who saved him.
The woman urges Akaza to stop and holds onto his hand, who demands she let go and asks who she is. She begs him to leave but the demon wishes to kill Giyu and Tanjiro. When asked why he wants to kill them, he answers that he must become stronger, and when the woman asks why he must, Akaza responds, "Because... if I'm not strong, I can't bring it back. Medicine for my father." As his life flashes before his eyes, he remembers he wanted to get stronger so that he could steal money, fight back against his victims when they retaliate, and endure beatings at the magistrate's office when he is caught.
Tied up and bloody from his lashings, Akaza, then known as Hakuji, is presented before the magistrate, who warns him after getting tattooed for his crimes, the next punishment is losing a hand. Hakuji laughs and dismisses the threat, claiming that without hands, he can still use his feet, vowing to never get caught again. The magistrate reminds him even at the age of eleven, he is already a repeat offender and endures beatings severe enough to make a grown man faint, calling him a 'demon child'. After leaving the office, Hakuji laughs off being insulted as a demon child and claims he was born with teeth. Suddenly, a man informs him that his father had hung himself upon learning he was caught.
At the cemetery, holding a letter from him in his hand, he finds his father's headstone. The letter he wrote to him reads: "Dear Hakuji. Live a righteous life. You can still change. I didn't want to live if it meant stealing from people. I am sorry for troubling you". Clutching his headstone, Hakuji mourns his father, angrily asking if the poor were even allowed to live and cursing the world for his death.
Hurt and enraged, Hakuji walked into a town and started a brawl, brutally beating several men as they tried to fight back against him, all while denouncing them for being alive as his father dies. He yells out that he wasn't a bother who needed to apologize for anything, and for his sake, he could take any punishment they give him no matter the severity. His father's condition had begun to worsen but he was sure he could save him, yet he chose to hang himself and die, a choice he was prepared to make himself and do for him. As his victims lay unconscious and Hakuji takes time to breathe, a martial artist offers him a slow clap and commends his skill. He notes he had been summoned with the news that a child was about to be killed, only to instead see that said child has knocked seven grown men unconscious.
The man tells Hakuji he has promise and is impressed by his skill to fight bare-handed; Akaza wonders who he is as he realizes he is seeing his memories. When the man asks if he could come to his dojo since he has no students, Hakuji angrily dismisses his offer and threatens to kill him. He notes that he has tattoos branding him as a criminal from Edo, meaning he was banished and came here, but Hakuji pays no heed and claims it has nothing to do with him. The man tells him it is time he is reborn and takes a fighting stance; Hakuji lunges at him with all his rage but the man throws numerous rapid punches at the boy, knocking him unconscious.
When he regains consciousness, the man is amazed at his toughness despite the severe beating he received, only waking up after an hour. He introduces himself as Keizo, a martial teacher at a dojo that teaches the Soryu Style, though he earns a living through odd jobs due to having no students. As Hakuji follows behind him, Keizo explains his new job is to nurse his sick daughter whilst he is away; his wife grew tired of having to care for her and drowned herself, and burdened by her death, he became weak-willed. Hakuji questions if Keizo would want a criminal to care for his daughter, but Keizo notes that since he had defeated him, it is okay with him now.
It is then that Akaza realizes the reason he dislikes Tanjiro is because he reminds him of Keizo, a figment of his worthless life's story. Keizo introduces him to his daughter Koyuki, and her condition reminds Hakuji of his father's own illness. He asks if she is feeling better than before and introduces her to the boy behind him, who refuses to give his name. Keizo asks that she get it before he comes back and leaves to go to work. Alone with Hakuji, Koyuki asks if he is okay, seeing his injuries; Akaza remarks that his worthless life was nothing but lies.
Characters in Order of Appearance[]
- Akaza
- Giyu Tomioka
- Tanjiro Kamado
- Sabito (Flashback)
- Keizo (Flashback)
- Koyuki (Flashback)
Events[]
- Tanjiro Kamado and Giyu Tomioka vs Akaza.
- Akaza remembers his past:
- Once known as Hakuji, he was a young criminal who stole provisions for his sick father.
- He was caught and branded for his crimes, causing his father to commit suicide.
- In a fit of rage, he started a brawl, where he meets Keizo, a martial artist who defeats him.
- Keizo introduces him to his sick daughter.