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Corps headquarters.
"How am I supposed to hide this thing?? Why is this tail so massive?? I can't conceal it at all!"
Kaido stared at the golden tail protruding from his lower back with mounting frustration. The dragon transformation boosted his combat capabilities by a factor of two or more, but this appearance felt completely wrong—like wearing someone else's skin.
He'd tried using his longer coat to hide the tail, but the thing was thicker than his own legs and impossible to conceal.
"This is all Kaigaku's fault! When I find him, I'm going to crush him! Wait—no, Kokushibo turned Kaigaku into a demon. Kokushibo works for Muzan. So technically... this is Muzan's fault!"
"Muzan, I curse you to get—"
"Oh my! Kaido-kun! What are you doing?"
"AAAH!"
Someone appeared behind him without warning and tapped his shoulder. Kaido jumped a foot in the air, spinning around to find Mitsuri grinning at him.
"Mitsuri-nee! You scared the hell out of me!"
"Kaido-kun, what happened to you? Why do you look like this?"
She stared at the horns on his head and the golden tail swishing behind him with fascinated curiosity.
But combined with his petite frame, the effect was... adorable. Mitsuri couldn't resist—she crouched down and reached for the tail.
"Ah! M-Mitsuri-nee, don't touch... my tail!"
The moment her fingers brushed against it, Kaido let out a surprisingly sensitive yelp—one that sounded decidedly off.
That only encouraged Mitsuri further. She started stroking the tail enthusiastically, running her hands along its length, even pressing it against her cheek.
"Wow! This is amazing! It feels so good!"
"Mitsuri... nee..."
"Ah! Sorry, sorry! I didn't mean to—it was just so fun I couldn't help myself!"
"Fine, whatever—just please keep this secret! Don't tell Kanae-nee, or I'm dead!"
"Why not? You look adorable like this!"
"Don't ask why—just please!" Kaido pressed his palms together in desperate supplication.
"Alright... but can I touch your tail one more time?"
Kaido met Mitsuri's "sincere" puppy-dog eyes and felt his resistance crumble. He needed her to keep quiet—at least until he figured out how to reverse this transformation before the Kocho sisters found out.
Otherwise, god only knew what would happen next.
"Fine... one more time. That's it!"
"Yay!"
What Kaido didn't know was that around a nearby corner, a pair of eyes watched the entire exchange with delighted interest.
"Ara, how adorable~ Fufu~"
A chill ran down Kaido's spine. An overwhelming sense of impending doom washed over him.
━━━━━━━━
Kaido hadn't escaped Kanae's "demonic clutches" after all. She intercepted him on his way back, took his hand, and led him straight to the Butterfly Mansion.
She dressed him in something similar to Kanao's uniform—a pleated skirt that showed off the horns on his head and the tail emerging from beneath the hem. The overall effect had a certain charm to it.
This time, though, Kaido didn't resist. He sat obediently on the tatami while Kanae styled him.
Seeing his uncharacteristic compliance, Kanae sensed something was wrong. She moved closer, concern evident in her voice. "Kaido-kun, what's bothering you? You can tell me."
Kaido shook his head with a faint smile—neither confirming nor denying anything.
Understanding he needed comfort rather than questions, Kanae had him lie down with his head in her lap. She began gently stroking his hair and the small horns protruding from his forehead.
"Kanae-nee."
"I'm here."
"After we defeat Muzan... what will everyone do?"
"I don't know."
"And if... if I left this world, what would happen to everyone?"
Kanae's heart clenched at the question. She didn't understand why he'd say something like that, but the pain in his voice was unmistakable.
"Maybe... no. Everyone would be heartbroken. You're our comrade. Our family."
"Comrade... and family..."
Under Kanae's gentle ministrations, Kaido's eyes slowly closed. Sleep claimed him.
"Rest well, Kaido-kun."
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Inside the dream.
Kaido stood alone, surrounded by absolute darkness. Then a familiar voice echoed from all directions.
'Are you truly going to leave this world?'
"Who's there??"
'Can you really abandon everyone? Can you abandon Retsuki?'
"Who's speaking??"
A figure materialized in the darkness, standing with its back to Kaido.
Something about that silhouette felt achingly familiar—as though he'd seen it a thousand times before.
"Who are you?"
"What? After living in this world for years, you've forgotten who you are?" The figure turned around with a knowing smile.
Kaido's breath caught. He was looking at himself—or rather, at Yukimura Kaido, the person he'd been before dying and being reborn in this world.
"Can you honestly say you want to leave?"
"I... I don't know."
"If you didn't know, you wouldn't be seeing me right now. I'm you—or more accurately, I'm your heart speaking." Yukimura gestured, and the darkness dissolved into an endless field of flowers. Kaido's appearance shifted back to his original form.
They stood facing each other like reflections in a mirror.
Yukimura spoke first. "Why did you give Mukago the name 'Retsuki'?"
"I..."
"Because of Reika, right?"
"Yes."
"Then let me ask you one final question: Are you willing to atone for Retsuki? To atone for all the people she killed when she was Lower Rank Four—Mukago?"
"I am."
"Coming to this world changed you in ways you never expected."
"Changed me?" Kaido's memories surfaced—Tanjiro's family, Tamayo, Yushiro, Urokodaki, Sabito, Makomo, the Corps members, the Ubuyashiki family. Scene after scene played through his mind.
"Yeah... I really have changed, haven't I? I didn't even realize how much."
"It's time to wake up."
CRACK—
The flower field shattered like glass. Yukimura began fragmenting into countless pieces, dissolving into nothing.
"One more thing—Reika loved you deeply. She prayed every day that you'd live well, even in another world."
"Wait... you said you were my heart! How would you know about—" Kaido reached for his vanishing self, but his hand closed on empty air.
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Reality.
Kaido's eyes snapped open. He found himself still resting in Kanae's lap.
"Kaido-kun, you're awake! Did you have a nightmare?"
"No... just dreaming about the past. How long was I asleep?"
"A full day. It's already evening." Kanae gestured toward the window. "I've been your pillow this entire time, you know~"
Kaido bolted upright. "I'm so sorry, Kanae-nee! I didn't mean to make you suffer like that!"
She simply smiled and ruffled his hair.
"If something's weighing on your heart, you should talk about it. It helps."
"Thank you, Kanae-nee."
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After Kaido left, Kanae stood by the window gazing at the star-filled sky.
She didn't fully understand what Kaido had meant by "leaving," but she could sense the turmoil in his heart—the weight of a choice he was struggling to make.
"Kaido-kun, whatever you decide... I believe everyone will understand."
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