3rd POV. Bamboo Grove, Kyoto.

The duel between the Demon Slayers, Akito and Masato against Kokushibo, the Upper Rank One......

Concluded in a draw, but at the cost of someone's life, Masato's life.

Kokushibo retreated when he noticed that Akito possessed the power of the Former Upper Two. When he left, Masato who is in Akito's arms, parted with his bestfriend in the most painful way.

And there, holding on the corpse of his best friend, Masato, Akito lets out his tears.

Akito: Why? Why?

Akito: Why do I always lose the people important to me?

Akito: Suzuki.......

The face of his friend flashed through his mind........

Akito: I'm sorry, if I wasn't able to protect Masato............

As much as Akito wanted to mourn, he had to move on.

He carried Masato's body and carried it to the same place, where Suzuki was buried.

He dug a grave next to it as Masato carefully places Masato's corpse. Once that was done, he solemnly buried his friend, and used his sword as a grave marker, just the same as they did with Suzuki.

Akito: ..........

Akito: *sigh*

Akito: We had no time to say goodbye...........

Akito: I promise, Masato, I will avenge you.

Akito left burial site, and went back to the city, found an inn, took a reservation, went to his room, and sleep, despite that he is still mourning.

The next day however, he returned to the Rengoku Household with a gloomy expression on his face.

He noticed that Shinjuro, his mentor's father is out of the house. He proceeded to the dojo, and found his mentor, having a friendly spar with the new tsuguko, Mitsuri.

Akito: ..........

Akito still wore his gentle expression as he silently watches the spar, but Kyojuro suddenly stopped the spar as he sensed Akito by the rustling of the leaves.

An obvious sign that Akito has returned.

Kyojuro looked at the direction where Akito was standing.

Kyojuro: Akito! Welcome back! How did the mission go?

Akito: It's fine. I settled it within the day.

Kyojuro: I see.

But Kyojuro didn't buy it, as for Mitsuri, she's still unsure what is happening that she asked her mentor.

Mitsuri: Um, Rengoku-san, what just happened?

Kyojuro: Something must've happened.......

Kyojuro: We don't know what it is, but even though I am not as sharp as Akito, I can sense the heavy wind within him.

Mitsuri: W-What should we do, Rengoku-san?

Kyojuro: Ah, I know! Kanroji, since you are the new one here, why don't you take this chance to know more about him!

Mitsuri: I-I'll try my best!

Kyojuro faced Akito with his usual bright smile.

Kyojuro: Akito! Since you came back from your mission! I'll buy some onigiris for you!

Akito: Mm. Thanks, Rengoku-sensei.

Kyojuro leaves the dojo as Akito sits down at the veranda staring at the maple leaves that were falling one by one.

Akito: Why........? Why...............?

Akito let out his tears as he mourns about what happened......

Akito: Why did he have to die? Why did Masato have to die?

Mitsuri, who was quietly listening to the cries of her senior, couldn't even know what she will do in this kind of situation.

Mitsuri: W-What should I do? Senpai really is going through something! Also, did he say Masato!?

Mitsuri: I know I heard that name from Rengoku-san but! From what Kaedehara-senpai's words just now!? B-But how!?

Mitsuri: Rengoku-san said that Masato-senpai is probably on the level of the Water Hashira!

When Mitsuri inquired about Akito and his friends, Kyojuro said that within the Corps, three miracles has appeared. The Trio of Miracles.

And the three miracles that Kyojuro was talking about, were Suzuki, Masato, and Akito. The three survivors of their batch in the Final Selection.

Suzuki, is a Breath of the Wind User and she is known as the calm before the storm. She is elegant, but once she gets into her stances, she will unleash hell to demons.

The only thing that was holding Suzuki back, was her illness which she contracted at the age of 13, which eventually caused her to die.

Masato, a Breath of the Water User. Said to be a calm sea.......but once in battle, he is like the deep ocean and the deeper the ocean is, the dangers are also unknown. He even created a 12th Form of the Water Breathing which he called, "Ocean's Call."

A form of where Masato will unleash a heavy slash at the enemy, so heavy that as if they were being dragged to the ocean's depths. A prodigy of the Water Breathing Technique and in fact, he was Tomioka Giyuu's Tsuguko, but life is really cruel.

Last but not the least, Kaedehara Akito, he is said to be the most skilled among the trio. From his speed, strength, and sharp senses, he is known to be a person who can perceive everything. His breathing style may all be just about being carefree, but leaves can also signal calamities, and when he strikes.......he will decapitate the demon's head with the perfect precision.

But.......as of now........

There is only one remaining of the Trio of Miracles.

Mitsuri, seeing her senpai in a depressed state is something really shocking for her. Because she barely interacted with Akito but now..........

Mitsuri came closer to the mourning Akito.......and she decided to commit something drastic.

She stood in front of the weeping Akito and called his attention.

Mitsuri: U-Um......senpai?

Akito gently wipes his tears.......as he looks up his kohai.

Akito: U-Um, yes. What is it, Kanroji-san?

In a action that no one really never expected, Mitsuri slapped Akito right in the face and the result, Akito went flying to the direction of Mitsuri's slap.

This alone shocked both parties. Mitsuri who just realized what she had done to her senpai, quickly regretted what happened.

Mitsuri: A-a-a-a-a-ah! W-What did I do!? Wait, what if I just forcefully reunited the Trio of Miracles in heaven!?

Mitsuri: No! No! No! I just slapped my senpai! T-This is unbecoming of a kohai!

As Mitsuri is in distress, Akito on the other hand, really thought that he was about to cross the Sanzu River but luckily, he sensed what was about to happen and blocked Mitsuri's hand.

But the force was strong enough to throw him in the direction of the slap and since he's still wasn't really on guard, he was thrown and considering that he didn't inherit a demon's ability to regenerate, his body is in pain.

Now, he's suffering emotionally, mentally, and physically. This is not Akito's day. Not to mention, it was his junior who did such a thing to him.

Now he really feels bad.

Akito: Ah, great. I think the heavens are punishing me for whatever it is that I've done in my life.

Akito weakly get on his feet........

Akito: Damn, when Rengoku-sensei said that she is strong, I never expected her to be this strong. Now that I take a closer look.........

Akito: I can sense the wind around her is strong.......this girl is not just an ordinary girl. The fact of what just happened is the proof of that.

Mitsuri hurriedly went to check on her senpai and found that Akito is getting on his feet slowly.

She was flustered and worried because she thought that her senpai will definitely hate her for this.

But unknowingly to her........

Akito, just regained his first supernatural power.

Before he even discovered the blood demon art that he inherited from his mother........

Akito inherited something rare from the Kaedehara Clan, and that is the ability, to hear the voices of the heart, in other words, he can hear and read a person's thoughts.

Ever since he was five, he always heard and read people's inner voices and he desperately tried to end it but in the end, it was in vain.

Not until he discovered his demon blood through his father. According to his father, Akito's mother had the ability communicate with the wind even before she became a demon.

This ability was even enhanced when she became a demon and was able to command the winds to do her bidding.

Because of this, Akito exploited his other power in order to nullify the effect of his other ability. He commanded the wind, to cut off and erase the inner voices that he can see and hear.

This somehow made Akito comfortable because the voices that tormented him, are now gone. But.......

Then.......a voice just got through his barrier.

Mitsuri: A-Ah! I just disrespected my senpai! M-Maybe I'll just go and commit seppuku!

Akito quickly panicked and waved his hands.

Akito: N-No! Kanroji-san! Please, don't commit seppuku! Y-You did nothing wrong! M-Maybe you just overexerted your strength! I know what your intention from the very beginning and please, it's my own fault but please, don't worry too much about me!

Akito almost ran out of breath as he panicked because now, he got himself into this weird situation.

His first ability was reawakened, and he heard the voice of Mitsuri's heart......

Mitsuri: N-No, wait, huh? How did he? Maybe this is what Rengoku-san was talking about, senpai's ability to read one's wind.

Akito realized that he maybe nullified his first ability, he used the wind to read people's actions and intentions instead, though it may be not as efficient as his original ability.........

It could help him focus in his own thoughts, and also as a way to cope at the trauma he received as a child.

Because he only ever heard were cruel voices, that despite the sweet words of others, he can sense the venom in those words.......

And the only voice that Akito ever trusted, was his own father, because his father is an honest and kind man.

As for Mitsuri who is still flustered about what happened.........

Is now panicking because things escalated to this way.

Mitsuri: U-Uh, Senpai, c-calm down for a while.

Mitsuri: R-Rengoku-san, help me! I don't know how to console Kaedehara-senpai!

And as if his prayers were answered, Kyojuro arrived and saw what was happening, but being the person he is, he just totally ignored it.

Kyojuro: Kaede, it seems like you managed to test Kanroji's strength! Hahahaha! Don't worry, I was the first one who saw her strength!

What Kyojuro means that, when he and Mitsuri were sparring, the moment that Mitsuri's wooden sword struck his wooden sword, it snapped into two.

Akito: O-Oh.......

After settling down the mess of Akito being unintentionally thrown away by Mitsuri, and when Akito calmed down......

He told what happened during his mission at Kyoto.

Kyojuro: What!? An Upper Rank Demon!? Not to mention the Upper One!?

Akito: And Masato had to pay the ultimate price just for that encounter..........

Akito: Tell me, sensei, why do the people that I really care about, always disappear right in front of my eyes?

Akito: Suzuki and Masato........

Akito: They both died in my arms.........

Akito: Why...............?

Kyojuro can really feel the sadness of his student and friend.........

As for Mitsuri, she's fell really bad for what is happening to her senpai.

Mitsuri: I-If only, I could do something to cheer him up.

Kyojuro: Kaede, I'm sure......

Kyojuro: Masato didn't die without any regrets. Have you seen his face.......when he died?

Akito: .........!?

Akito: He said that, Suzuki was waiting for him...........

Akito: I've known for a while but those two, really love each other.

Akito: Masato didn't even show it but he's the one who was hurt the most when Suzuki died.

Akito: Masato was totally depressed, much more depressed than I am. In fact, I was the first one who knew that they were engaged.

Kyojuro: !?

Mitsuri: Engaged!? Really!? That's so wonderful! But..........

Akito: But it's a real tragedy that both of them died.........

Akito: In fact, they even died in my arms........

Akito: So, Kyojuro-sensei, can I ask for a favor?

Kyojuro: Hm? What is it, Kaede?

Akito: I want to take a break from my missions right now, and also, the letter I received from Oyakata-sama a couple of weeks ago.........

Akito: About him promoting me to become a Hashira..........

Akito stood up, as he looked upon the sky.

Akito: I'll be leaving the Corps for a while.........

Akito: I want to go to a pilgrimage...........

Akito: Because I feel like heaven's been punishing me severely.

Akito: Sensei, please, relay this message to Oyakata-sama.

Akito: I am not worth it to be a hashira.

Akito: I can't even become a hashira if I can't even protect the people dear to me.

As if the leaves and the wind heed his command, the leaves began to swirl around him and blocked the views of Mitsuri and Kyojuro of him.....

And when it settled down, he disappeared.

Kyojuro: Kaede........

Kyojuro couldn't even gave a single advice to his student, as for Mitsuri, it was only just a couple of days ever since she met her senpai and now.......

Mitsuri: Say, Rengoku-san, from the tone of Kaedehara-senpai's voice.........

Rengoku: I never heard his tone to become that heavy....

Rengoku: When he was mourning for Suzuki's death, his voice was already heavy but now, that he lost another person close to him..........

Rengoku: And his horrible encounter, it could've taken a toll on his mental fortitude........

Rengoku: Maybe I know someone who could help him but......

Rengoku: I don't even know how will Oyakata-sama even respond, to Akito's sudden leave.