~# Keep the chapters coming — Support with Power Stones!
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Hey everyone, hope you're having a good day. I just want to clarify something about Chapters 3 and 4... those speculations and theories have absolutely no impact on the main storyline. At the end of the day, they're just AU additions!
Enjoy!
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"The Master has arrived."
A young man emerged, supported by the two white-haired girls. As he stepped under the eaves, Kaidō finally got a clear look at him—Kagaya Ubuyashiki, current leader of the Demon Slayer Corps.
The Master whom all the Hashira served had severe facial disfigurement above the cheekbones, and both eyes were blind. In his youth he'd been handsome, but progressive illness had gradually ravaged his features.
The same disease left him constitutionally frail—he couldn't even swing a sword ten times. Yet he possessed natural leadership qualities and a magnanimous heart, speaking with calm warmth and treating everyone with courtesy.
His voice and the rhythm of his movements had a way of putting people at ease—a gift possessed only by those capable of moving the masses.
He valued his subordinates deeply, memorizing the life story of every fallen Demon Slayer. Before his condition deteriorated to the point where he could no longer walk, he'd visited the graves of fallen Corps members daily.
Every member of the Demon Slayer Corps respected him like their own father—even the hot-tempered Wind Hashira, Sanemi Shinazugawa.
"Good afternoon, my beloved children." Kagaya's voice had an almost hypnotic quality that lifted the spirits of everyone who heard it, making their heads feel light and pleasant.
'So this is Kagaya Ubuyashiki. His voice really does have that effect—makes you feel relaxed, almost floaty.'
"Hey! You bastard—why aren't you kneeling before the Master??" Sanemi's roar shattered the peaceful atmosphere.
Kaidō simply bowed slightly at the waist. "My apologies. My family's teachings forbid kneeling to anyone—we only kneel to our parents. I hope you'll understand."
"You piece of—" Sanemi started forward, fists clenched.
Kagaya raised his left index finger to his lips, signaling for silence.
Sanemi froze mid-step and dropped to his knees, though fury still radiated from every line of his body.
"I understand. I've told my children they don't need to do this, but they kneel of their own free will, so I respect their choice. Just as I respect yours." Kagaya's tone remained gentle. "After all, my ancestors had dealings with your family. I'm aware of your traditions."
"Thank you." Kaidō bowed again in gratitude.
'The system must have connected my new identity to the Ubuyashiki clan's history. That works out—at least my background is covered.'
"Today's Hashira meeting has a single purpose: I wish to make Ryūjin Kaidō the tenth Hashira, and I hope all of you will recognize him."
"I refuse." Sanemi was first to object. "I won't acknowledge anyone who doesn't respect the Master."
"I don't care either way. I'll forget about this soon anyway." Muichiro's tone was completely flat.
"I'll follow whatever the Master decides!" Mitsuri chirped.
"Either way works for me." Giyu's contribution was characteristically minimal.
"If he can prove his strength, I'll recognize him." Rengoku's voice boomed across the courtyard.
"Exactly! As long as he can flamboyantly demonstrate his abilities!" Tengen agreed enthusiastically.
Rengoku's proposal won unanimous support.
Kagaya turned toward Kaidō. "The Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps possess formidable strength, earned through hellish training and countless battles. The choice is yours. Whatever you decide, I will respect it."
"I accept the proposal. No objections."
"Good! Then I'll go first. Listen up, kid—becoming a Hashira isn't some walk in the park. I won't be holding back!" Sanemi stepped forward as the other Hashira retreated, leaving ample space for combat.
Several meters separated the two fighters. Kaidō lowered his fox mask over his face—the gesture had become habit by now. He shifted his right foot forward slightly, right hand gripping the greatsword on his back, settling into combat stance.
Sanemi's left hand closed around his scabbard, right hand on the hilt. Battle-ready.
"Wind Breathing, First Form: Dust Whirlwind Cutter!"
Sanemi exploded forward in a high-speed assault, leaving rotating wind blades in his wake—blades sharp enough to carve through solid ground. The attack came with a devastating shockwave.
Kaidō's response was immediate. He drew his greatsword.
"Dragon Breathing, Second Form: Dragon Claw!"
He launched himself upward, bringing the blade down in a devastating vertical slash—like a dragon's talon striking prey.
Since this was only a sparring match, Kaidō didn't stack the First Form enhancement.
"SHIT—!" Sanemi felt the power behind that strike and immediately raised his blade to block.
But blocking it completely was impossible. Kaidō's greatsword weighed over a hundred pounds. He'd consumed two Body Reinforcement Serums and trained relentlessly in his spare time. His current strength was several times what it had been.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM.
Sanemi flew backward, feet carving furrows dozens of meters long across the courtyard. But years of combat experience kicked in—he recovered quickly, already adapting.
"Wind Breathing, Eighth Form: Primary Gale Slash!"
He surged forward and spun around Kaidō in a circular slashing motion, unleashing a powerful spiral of wind blades designed to shred the target from all angles.
"Dragon Breathing, Seventh Form: Eight-Directional Blitz!"
Kaidō became a whirlwind, his greatsword carving through the air with blinding speed. Eight separate blade projections shot outward simultaneously, nullifying Sanemi's attack.
Each projection carried significant destructive force. After canceling the Wind Breathing technique, they continued expanding outward, forcing Sanemi to abort his advance and leap backward to escape their range.
"What a flamboyant guy—he's actually matching Sanemi blow for blow. Hell, he's got the advantage!" Tengen watched the exchange with obvious appreciation.
"Do I even deserve to be called his senpai?" Giyu muttered to himself.
"Wind Breathing, Fifth Form: Cold Mountain Wind!"
A wide-area attack—massive rotating wind blades launched from above. Sanemi had once used this technique to counter Giyu's Water Breathing Seventh Form.
After countless exchanges, Sanemi was getting frustrated. He unleashed this large-scale assault directly at Kaidō.
"Sanemi, are you insane?? STOP!" Tengen shouted.
"Dragon Breathing, Fourth Form: Coiling Dragon."
Kaidō immediately switched to a defensive technique. He gripped the sword handle with both hands, planting the blade's tip into the ground. A translucent barrier formed around him, blocking the attack completely.
Then, without missing a beat: "Dragon Breathing, Third Form: Divine Dragon's Tail!"
The horizontal slash expanded into a massive fan-shaped wave of cutting force—like a dragon's tail sweeping everything before it.
Sanemi flew backward again, hitting the ground hard. His Nichirin blade shattered from blocking Kaidō's strike.
Defeated...
"What's the situation?" Kagaya asked.
"Shinazugawa-sama couldn't block Kaidō-sama's attacks. He's been defeated." Hinaki Ubuyashiki reported.
"Thanks for the match." Kaidō drove his greatsword into the ground and walked over to Sanemi, extending his hand to help him up. He bowed apologetically.
"Hmph." Sanemi grabbed Kaidō's hand and pulled himself upright. He wasn't happy about losing, but he'd acknowledged the kid's strength. He rejoined the other Hashira without another word.
"Young man, you're strong! I'd like to test myself against you as well!" Rengoku stepped forward, voice booming with enthusiasm.
"Let's do it."
Perfect—the system quest required defeating any three Hashira. Rengoku would be number two. He'd figure out the third opponent afterward.
They established distance. Kaidō drew his greatsword, gripping it with both hands. Rengoku's hand moved to his hilt, settling into stance.
After several seconds of eye contact, Kaidō attacked first.
"Dragon Breathing, Eighth Form: Serpent's Pierce!"
He charged straight forward, greatsword cutting through the air in rapid succession, unleashing blade projections. To the watching Hashira, it looked like a serpentine dragon launching itself forward—unstoppable momentum given physical form.
"Flame Breathing, Fifth Form: Flame Tiger!"
Rengoku thrust forward, his strike taking the shape of a burning tiger—massive and devastating.
CLANG!
Their weapons collided. The shockwave exploded outward, forcing even the Hashira to brace themselves.
They all knew Rengoku's strength intimately. Among the nine Hashira, he was second only to Stone Hashira Gyomei Himejima.
Yet here was someone—a rookie who'd joined the Corps less than a month ago—matching Rengoku blow for blow without losing ground.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Steel rang against steel in a relentless rhythm.
"Flame Breathing, First Form: Unknowing Fire!"
Rengoku dodged Kaidō's strike, leapt backward, then rocketed forward with explosive speed—closing the distance in an instant to deliver what should have been a finishing blow.
"Dragon Breathing, Sixth Form: Tornado Maelstrom!"
Kaidō spun with his greatsword extended, becoming a human cyclone. Tornado-like blade projections spiraled outward from his position.
"Flame Breathing, Fourth Form: Blooming Flame Undulation!"
Rengoku immediately adapted mid-strike, switching techniques. He spun in place, unleashing a vortex of flame slashes designed to counter wide-area attacks.
The battle intensified. Kaidō showed no signs of fatigue—if anything, the fire in his eyes burned brighter with each exchange.
This was exactly the kind of experience he needed. When he eventually faced powerful demons, he wouldn't be helpless.
But the system quest demanded completion. Time to end this.
"Dragon Breathing, Second Form: Dragon Claw!"
The downward strike came too fast to dodge. Rengoku had no choice—like Sanemi before him, he raised his blade to block.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
Rengoku flew backward, feet carving through dirt before he managed to stop himself several meters away. His blade was planted in the ground, and he used it to pull himself upright.
"I've lost! Young man, you're incredibly strong—I recognize you completely!" Rengoku's voice rang out as powerfully as ever, completely unbothered by defeat. He sheathed his sword and stepped aside.
"Senpai, I'd like to spar with you. How about we settle it in one exchange?" Kaidō turned to Giyu.
"Giyu, you're not going to recognize him just because he's your junior, are you? If that's the case, you really are unlikable." Obanai's voice dripped with sarcasm.
"I'm not unlikable..."
Giyu stepped forward, stopping a few meters from Kaidō. He drew his blade. "Show me what you've got, junior brother."
"Let's do this, senpai."
Once again, Kaidō struck first. "Dragon Breathing, Fifth Form: Violent Tempest!"
He swung his greatsword forward in rapid succession, unleashing nearly a hundred blade projections—violent, consecutive strikes, each one carrying significant destructive power.
"Water Breathing, Eleventh Form: Dead Calm."
Giyu's original technique. He entered a state of perfect tranquility, like the surface of still water—and every attack that entered his blade's range was nullified.
Almost all of Kaidō's blade projections were neutralized by Dead Calm. But the sheer force behind them still managed to tear Giyu's uniform in several places.
'As expected of Giyu Tomioka—his self-created Eleventh Form is incredible. It negated almost all my blade projections.'
"I've lost." Giyu sheathed his sword and returned to the formation.
"Thank you for the match." Kaidō removed his fox mask, hanging it from his head.
"What's the current situation?" Kagaya asked.
"Kaidō has defeated three Hashira. His strength has been recognized." Kanata reported.
"Ryūjin Kaidō, my beloved child—you've proven yourself. Will you become the Demon Slayer Corps' tenth Hashira?"
"I will."
"Have you decided on your title?"
"I use Dragon Breathing, which I created myself. So my title is Dragon. I am the Dragon Hashira."
"Then from this day forward, you are the Demon Slayer Corps' tenth Hashira. Your title: Dragon Hashira."
Kaidō bowed deeply. "Thank you, Master. I will use this blade to slay every demon."
The Demon Slayer Corps' tenth Hashira: Dragon Hashira. A swordsman who'd joined less than a month ago.
The Hashira meeting would continue, but Kaidō had exhausted most of his stamina during the three consecutive fights. Kagaya excused him from the meeting, telling him to rest.
"Rengoku-san, could I maybe crash at your place for a day? I don't know where else to go, so..." Kaidō hadn't even finished the sentence before Rengoku's booming laugh cut him off.
"Of course! Come rest at my home, young Kaidō! We'll have plenty of time for more sparring! Hahaha!"
"Oh my, why not come to the Butterfly Mansion instead? After the meeting ends, I can give you a proper examination. I heard you were injured fighting that Lower Rank demon—we should make sure you're healing properly!" Shinobu's smile was as sweet as poisoned honey.
"No problem at all! Young Kaidō, go rest and recover. When you have time, come visit my home—I'll give you a proper welcome! Hahaha!" Rengoku strode off to the meeting, still laughing.
"Well then, I'll have a Kakushi escort you to the Butterfly Mansion."
Shinobu summoned one of the black-clad Corps members before heading to the meeting herself.
"Dragon Hashira-sama, please follow me."
"Thanks. I appreciate it."
"Not at all—it's my duty." The Kakushi's thoughts raced beneath the mask. 'Dragon Hashira is incredibly strong, yet so kind and humble!'
...
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