Kuwajima Jigorou was about to stab himself in the abdomen with his nichirin blade when his expression suddenly changed.
He stood up abruptly; though his legs were inconvenient, he stood as firm as a pine, radiating an imposing aura, and his nichirin blade also shifted, slashing towards the enemy.
The newcomer likewise unleashed his blade, and the cold gleam of the blade illuminated the room, making the temperature inside seem to drop a few degrees.
The sunlight, at this moment, seemed to lose its effect; although the room was still brightly lit by the sun, there was no warmth whatsoever.
"Clang, clang, clang!" The long blades clashed, and scorching sparks flew from the edges, scattering everywhere.
Kuwajima Jigorou secretly glanced at the opponent during this furious exchange, and his old face instantly darkened.
"Brat!" Kuwajima Jigorou shouted impolitely, "Did you come back just to ambush this old man?!"
His offensive slowed, and both of them simultaneously took a step back, retracting their blades, and the atmosphere in the room eased.
Fang Hao chuckled, "Old man, you weren't trying to commit seppuku just now, were you?"
He secretly breathed a sigh of relief; he had made it in time.
Kuwajima Jigorou's emotions had been suppressed due to facing an enemy, but upon seeing Fang Hao, the desolate pain of Kaidake becoming a demon resurfaced.
"Kaidake becoming a demon is my fault.
Committing seppuku is an atonement, so you don't need to say more.
Since you have already become a Hashira, you should fulfill your duties."
Kuwajima Jigorou's tone was very firm; for him, death was nothing.
The key was that since Kaidake had fallen into demonhood, as his master, he was responsible, and seppuku was the best way.
Fang Hao raised an eyebrow, "Old man, you can try, but you're not my opponent anyway, so you won't have a chance to commit seppuku."
His tone was very flippant, but his mind raced, trying to figure out how to persuade the old man.
Hearing Fang Hao's words, the Issho-unyielding Kuwajima Jigorou could not swallow this insult.
Veins popped on his forehead, no longer showing the resolute expression from before.
"Are you looking down on this old man?!
Have you gotten arrogant since becoming a Hashira?
If you're not convinced, let's fight another three hundred rounds!"
Seeing Kuwajima Jigorou in this state, Fang Hao did not respond to his words and instead said, "Master, what are you trying to escape?"
"Nonsense..."
"Then why don't you report to headquarters?
Are you trying to uphold some so-called honor by deciding to die and commit seppuku privately?"
"I..." His face no longer showed its usual stubbornness.
"I, I am a sinner.
My disciple has fallen into demonhood and attacked members of the Demon Slayer Corps.
What face do I have left...?"
As he spoke, his eyes welled up a bit more; what else could he do besides die?
"The judgment of guilt is the Master's business.
Your guilt should also be decided by the Master.
Go to headquarters."
Seeing that Kuwajima Jigorou still wanted to say something, he quickly interrupted, "Old man, you don't need to say more.
I will have my Kasugai Crow inform the Master of this matter.
Go and confess your sins!"
As he spoke, he took out a pen and recorded the matter, then tied the letter to the Tool Bird's leg.
"Let's go.
Although I have an urgent mission, it will be delayed to take you, old man, there," Fang Hao said casually to Kuwajima Jigorou with a wave of his hand.
Kuwajima Jigorou's face grew even darker than before.
"Brat, you are a Hashira, do you understand what a Hashira is?
A Hashira has their own responsibilities; you must be responsible for the entire Demon Slayer Corps..."
One hundred thousand words omitted here.
Facing Kuwajima Jigorou's accusations at this moment, Fang Hao appeared submissive, but inwardly he was chuckling.
His attempts at seppuku had been interrupted repeatedly, and he had even written a letter to the Master.
Given the old man's nature, he would surely not commit suicide again but would definitely go to headquarters to confess his sins.
"Kaidake, you dog, I will personally cut off your head!"
A cold glint flashed in Fang Hao's eyes and quickly vanished.
He had made up his mind to erase this stain on the old man.
That way, no matter what happened at the future Hashira meeting, considering the old man's past achievements and the fact that the culprit would be slain, plus Kagaya Ubuyashiki's character, Kuwajima Jigorou would be fine.
"With Kagaya Ubuyashiki's emotional intelligence, he can definitely resolve this matter, right?"
Fang Hao thought gleefully.
He wasn't worried about the punishment; the key was the old man's mental hurdle.
However, Fang Hao still had great faith in Kagaya Ubuyashiki.
How could someone who could subdue so many strange Hashira not have some tricks up his sleeve? (All Hashira: ?)
"Brat, be serious with this old man," Kuwajima Jigorou said sternly, as if he had returned to the time when he was teaching Fang Hao.
Fang Hao also felt like he was back in that time.
Back then, Fang Hao, having just transmigrated, couldn't adapt to this world and his mindset wasn't good enough, so he was tormented by this old man every day, euphemistically called 'tempering'.
Seeing the old man return to his old state, Fang Hao felt utterly hopeless.
————————
"Hehehe, just let me kill you.
I'm going to make a name for myself, so die, and don't stop me from raising my standing in that person's eyes!"
A young man laughed maniacally, with black hair, cyan beast eyes, pale skin, and black Marks on his face.
As he cackled, he revealed his sharp fangs.
"Kaidake, you have fallen into demonhood and harmed fellow members of the Demon Slayer Corps!
The Hashira will definitely slay you!"
"Kaidake, you will die a terrible death!"
...
"Hehe, as long as I kill you all, that person will surely appreciate me even more.
Maybe soon, I'll become one of the Twelve Kizuki!
You all will become my stepping stones!"
He raised the dark golden long blade in his hand, "Thunder Breathing, Second Form:稲魂 ."
The originally golden lightning of Thunder Breathing became an eerie black when he, now a demon, used it.
Five lightning-shaped slashes attacked the Demon Slayer Corps members...
"Thunder Breathing: Inadama."
Five golden bolts of lightning met the 漆黑 black lightning head-on.
Dust rose from the ground, and the wind pressure from the slashes made the Demon Slayer Corps members unable to open their eyes.
The golden electric light, meeting the 漆黑 black lightning, seemed to pass through without hindrance, directly heading towards Kaidake, while the 漆黑 black lightning had no effect whatsoever and dispersed within the golden electric light.
"Thunder Breathing! How is this possible!"
Kaidake was greatly alarmed when he saw the golden lightning, which resembled natural lightning.
He had clearly become a perfect being far surpassing humans; how could his breathing technique be so vulnerable?
"It must be because I didn't use my full strength!
How could anyone's Thunder Breathing surpass mine?"
He thought of Kuwajima Jigorou and Zenitsu, and his junior disciple whom he had never met.
"They are all just trash!"
He started cackling again, "Watch me crush him!
Thunder Breathing, Fourth Form: 遠雷 !"
His body instantly erupted with Extreme Speed like lightning.
He chose not to confront that lightning bolt but instead charged towards the direction from which it came.
The wind pressure generated by his Extreme Speed acted upon him, yet it did not slow him down by half a step.
"Didn't expect this, did you?
I said I would crush that lightning, but in reality, I'm attacking the user!
Trash, pay the price for your naivety!"
Thinking this, his expression grew even more sinister, until a figure emerged from the dust.
Kaidake's lips curled up even further.
His dark golden blade, coordinated with his arm, slashed at the figure at high speed...