3rd POV. Three months after Akito and Giyuu met the Kamado Siblings.

Three months have passed since that encounter in the mountains.

Within those three months, Akito still continued receiving missions.

And everytime he kills a demon, the demons would always say......

"You traitor, just like her.........you won't find her, you never will.........for she's already a lost cause."

Akito heard their inner voices, and the demons always particularly referred to his beloved mother.

Hoping that he could find at least a clue about his mother by interrogating each demon he encounters, but it will always lead to those words, and to more questions.

As of now, Akito is out on a mission once again.

There has been a sighting of a demon in that specific town.

And it's been a week since he came into the town.

Surprisingly, the day where he came to the town, the murders stopped.

And when Akito asked the villagers about the murders, they say that the people will be missing and on the next day, they will just find the corpse of the said person, on the exact same spot where they went missing.

Akito: Just what the hell is going on, not to mention, this demon doesn't have any preferred targets......

Akito: Men, women, young, and old.......

Akito: There is no trace of mercy about this demon.......

Akito still on a dead end, decided to patrol at night and see if he can find any clues.

He also used his wind communication in order to sense it out even further.

Jumping from roof to roof without making any noise, Akito went around the town but to no avail.

Until he heard a blood curled scream......

Akito: !?

Sensing the direction, Akito summoned his sword and quickly went to the source of the voice with blinding speed, and when he arrived, he saw the demon who is about to attack the child, and immediately cut down the demon's arm.

Demon: !?

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

The said demon is wearing western clothes, white hair, golden eyes with pupils resembling a cat.

Akito: How low you demons can get?

Demon: ......!?

The demon is still in a trance can't believe that his arm just got cut off........

He stared at Akito who is pointing his sword towards the demon.

Akito: Well, it doesn't matter, the voice of your heart tells me.

The demon, in a fit of rage, regenerates it's arm and picks up his sword.

Demon: You........

Demon: You.............

Demon: You who would defy the shogun........!

Akito: The shogunate already ended hundreds of years ago!

Akito: As of now, the Emperor has gained back his right to rule.

Demon: What........!? No.......! No..........!

Demon: Tokugawa-sama..........no! No! No!

Demon: I promised! I PROMISED! THAT I WON'T LET ANYONE GET IN YOUR WAAAAAAYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!

Demon: I WILL DESTROY THEM! I WILL KILL THEM! NO MATTER WHO THEY ARE! CHILDREN, ADULTS, I DON'T CARE!

Demon: AS LONG AS THE REIGN OF THE TOKUGAWA SHOGUNATE! I WILL SACRIFICE ANYONE!

Akito turned to the child who is terrified by what she is witnessing.

Akito: Young one, get away from here. Now. Run! Return inside your home!

Child: Y-Yes!

The child quickly ran away as Akito takes a stance.

But surprisingly, the demon takes a tanegashima (Japanese matchlock gun) which seems to be aiming at Akito but.........

The demon's true target was the child and the child was shot in the back of her head.

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

Demon: Gahahahahahaha!!!!!!

Kazama: I am Kazama! The Tokugawa Shogunate's most loyal retainer and strongest samurai! WHEN I SAY THAT I WON'T LET ANYONE GET AWAY! I MEAN IT! HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Akito quickly checks upon the child who was lying face flat, as a pool of blood is coming out from the young child.

Akito saw the bullet wound on the back of the head..........

Akito: Gh............

Akito: Unforgivable..........

Akito: You dare kill a child because of your belief of being the lapdog of the shogunate..........!?

Akito: Kazama was it? Even though you're a human or a demon, your actions will be unforgivable.

Akito: And you even pride yourself as a samurai!? You don't even have the right to call yourself as such.

Akito gently put the child's corpse, facing up the night sky, and he closed the eyes of the child.

Akito: Rest in peace.

Akito stood up and took his sword.

Akito: My name is Kaedehara Akito. I will take you down!

Kazama: A Kaedehara? Hmph. Weaklings, they're just a bunch cowards for not accepting the offer of the shogunate to share the power!

Akito: My ancestors didn't want to become part of the tyranny of the past shoguns.

Akito: And we didn't to serve those who are just drunk in power. We serve the people, and no one else.

Kazama: Pffft! Pathetic. You know what, you should just die, along with your pathetic ancestors!

Kazama: Blood Demon Art! Hell fire of pain!

Kazama fires his gun but this time, the bullets are imbued with fire and are scattered around the are.

Akito: I got to deflect all those dangerous bullets or they'll cause a huge mess.

Akito gathers the wind to change the trajectory of the bullets and in worked.

Once he did that, he jumped into the air, along with the scattered bullets, and that is when Akito modified Midare Ranzan of instead of slashing from above, in mid-air, he slashed through the exploding bullets and created a chain explosion.

This of course, wasn't left unheard as the townsfolk were curious of what happened, as for the demon......

Kazama: What!? What!? HOW!? HOW DID YOU—

Akito suddenly appeared behind him, and severed his limbs.

Akito: Breath of Leaves, First Form: Fall.

Kazama: Bastard! Blood Demon Art—

Akito: Breath of Leaves, Fourth Form: Kaedehara.

Akito unleashed his signature fourth form, a field of maple leaves and autumn winds that scatter any demon.

Kazama: AGGGGH!

Akito: Breath of Leaves, Third Form: Chihayaburu.

Akito beheads the demon in an instant, as for the demon's head.........

It flew a few inches from it's body.

Kazama: N-No.......it can't end like this........! NOOOOOOO!

Akito: Everything will come to an end.

Akito: That's reality.

Kazama: Kaedehara Akito, was it.........

Kazama: Hahahahahahahahahahahaha! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!

Kazama: That power.......!

Kazama: I see! You're related to that traitor!

Akito: ......!?

Akito: Speak up, what do you know about my mother?

Kazama: Her? She's nothing but a piece of trash! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kazama: She may have the power but she's not even worth it! Your mother is an utter garbage!

Kazama: HAH! AND NOW HER CHILD!? HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! YES! I SEE! SO THAT'S HOW IT IS!

Akito: Speak sense!

Kazama: Just like your mother who was cursed to suffer for all of eternity, so does you who are also cursed to suffer the same fate!

Kazama: Now, enjoy your trip to your everlasting hell!

Kazama's head and body turns into dust......

Akito: You're the one who's going to hell.

Afterwards, Akito returns to the body and plans to bury the child, but unfortunately, the police arrived along with some civilians and saw the scene.

A child's dead body, Akito still holding a sword, and a gun lying just behind the scene, this is the very bad timing to be seen.

Akito could just run away but it will make matters worse.

Police 1: You there! Drop your sword and raise your hands!

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

Akito complied, he sheathed his sword, and dropped it to the ground. This shocked the police as to why he surrendered so easily.

Akito: Come on, what are you waiting for? Arrest me.

Police 2: ........

Police 3: You're under arrest.

The police arrested Akito on the charge of murder. The evidence? The gun that was lying near the scene, and the fact that they saw Akito with a sword.

The police threw Akito in the jail without even much of a resistance.

Akito only gave his name, he didn't mention his family name, as for the Kaedehara crest that is usually attached to his scarf, he quickly hid it under his kimono, in order not to drag his family into the mud.

But what was the reason why Akito let himself be arrested?

No one knows, but I guess it is just a misunderstanding on the part of the police.

When Akito was thrown into the jail, on the window, Hayate managed to fit as Akito quickly wrote a letter to the Master, and pinned his clan's crest upon the letter.

Akito: Until the time is right. Please, deliver this to Oyakata-sama, I'm sure, he of all people will understand what I have to do.

Akito securely put the letter and Hayate flies to the Ubuyashiki Estate, and when Kagaya and Amane, sensed Akito's crow......

Amane read the letter.

Amane: "Oyakata-sama, I'll be on a self-imposed exile...... "

Amane: "My reason for this is........I was accused of a murder I didn't commit, and this is my atonement, for I failed to protect an innocent child."

Amane: "So please, don't pay for anything to let me out of prison. I'll serve my sentence."

Amane: "And also, please, don't tell Mitsuri, Rengoku-sensei, and my father about all of this."

Amane: "If they will ask, just tell them that I finally found a trace of my mother, and it will be a long journey ahead."

Amane: "Please, this is my simple request, Oyakata-sama."

Amane herself couldn't believe what Akito just wrote.

Kagaya: Akito.......

Though he is blind, Kagaya gazed upon the moonlit sky.

Kagaya: Do you really have to hurt yourself?

Kagaya: ..........

Amane: Is it because of his ability? To hear the voices of the heart?

Kagaya: ........

Kagaya: He's been suffering ever since he was young.

Kagaya: By hearing the voices of the heart, his sanity could've broke there, but he discovered his demon powers.

Kagaya: But, I guess, he eventually got tired.

Amane: ........

Kagaya: Akito even asked me this question.......

Kagaya: "Why is it, I wonder? Ever since I knew I can hear those voices, within the flow of time, the world remains unchanged."

Kagaya: "Tell me, can someone like me, even laugh, to find happiness in this world?"

Kagaya: Those are the words that even I myself couldn't even answer.

Kagaya: His heart already suffered too much..........

Kagaya: Akito.......

Amane: What should we do?

Kagaya: We have no choice. I will honor Akito's wishes.

Amane: W-What—

Kagaya: Please, for his sake. This is something that Akito alone can overcome.

Amane looks back at the letter and saw the Kaedehara crest pinned on the letter.

Amane: The Kaedehara Crest..........

Kagaya: Hmmm........

Kagaya: He really went into a self-imposed exile.

The next day, a Hashira meeting was held, and when the Hashira asked about Akito, Kagaya said that he's on a long journey of looking for his mother as he had a lead.

Kagaya: So, he will be on a long, long journey.

Kyojuro and Mitsuri who are worried immediately asked the Master.

Kyojuro: O-Oyakata-sama, wait, can you explain the reason why he decided to go on a mission alone?

Kagaya: It is a mission he imposed upon himself.

Mitsuri: B-But! Oyakata-sama! Why didn't he told us anything! Wait, he didn't day when he will be coming back!?

Kagaya: Unfortunately, he didn't. In fact, even if I look upon his future.......

Kagaya: He's the one capable of blocking my foresight.

Hashira: !?

Sanemi: What!?

Kaguya: Whenever I try to look upon his future, all I can see, are maple leaves swirling on a distant place.

Mitsuri: Akito.......

This sudden goodbye shocked Kyojuro and Mitsuri.

Kyojuro, who treated Akito like a brother......

And Mitsuri, who fell in love with Akito at first sight......

As for Akito, who is in prison........

It breaks his heart to leave his mentor, and Mitsuri, his dearest friend.

Akito: I'm sorry, Kyojuro-sensei.......

Akito: Mitsuri.

Akito: This is the only way for me to protect you.

But there must be a deeper meaning of Akito's self-imposed exile.

No one knows what it is, not even the Master.

That burden, that suffering, was Akito's alone.