Aged 7 Years Old

Haneto was born in a wealthy family of the Fūryūki, though they live far away in a small town rather than a much more prosperous cities such as Tokyo. Haneto had a brother named Tobuto, who’s five years older than him and is often away from their estate but despite the short interactions they made with each other, they became fairly close and tight-knit, Haneto even idolizes him a lot. In their time together, Tobuto would say cryptic things that left Haneto curious and be even more amazed of his Onii-san. Tobuto was kind and mellow but he held a strong fierce of determination whilst the younger son; Haneto, was bright and proper, he enjoys playing along his childish whims from time to time. Haneto always wondered what his Onii-san did every time he went out when the Sun haven’t risen yet, the little boy asked his brother one time and he answered ”Ah don’t worry so much of that, Hane. I’m just hanging around with our Oji-san. ” after that, Haneto wishes to come with him as he had only seen their Grandpa once or twice so far, Tobuto didn’t let him unfortunately because the Matriarch of the family, their Oka-san, doesn’t want them talking with their Grandpa due to unknown reasons. Tobuto’s visits with the old man was a secret as their Oka-san only know that Tobuto is merely playing outside like a troublesome first son. If Haneto were to follow him in his visits, their Oka-san would surely be suspicious of his activity. Haneto promised to keep it a secret.

Aged 9 Years Old

Years has passed and Tobuto came home adorning a black uniform, a beautiful haori and a katana sword hung on the white belt of his waist. He also had a scar running across his cheek down to the neck, hiding in his collar. Haneto didn’t understand why his Oka-san and Onii-san started yelling, arguing and crying, the little boy hid behind the shōji of the room. The next thing he sees is his Onii-san turning away and casts a glance towards the shōji, meeting Haneto’s confused Sapphire-Gold eyes before promptly leaving the estate. Haneto cried and asked his Oka-san what happened and why did Tobuto leave, the Matriach merely answered ” He’s no longer your brother Haneto, he’s not coming back here, he left us to be a selfish man like your Oto-san!” Haneto was shocked, even more so that she mentioned about his Oto-san, all Haneto knew of his father was that he died long before he was born, it was the reason why they live in a secluded town. After that, Haneto was banned from stepping foot outside the estate.

Aged 10 Years Old

That stayed for only a year until Haneto became restless and managed to run away from his family’s estate with only a bag of coins and breads for him to last a few weeks at most. He wasn’t sure where to start to even find Tobuto, for now, all he remembered of his Onii-san is his strange uniform and figured he should find someone of the same. He tried asking to people he meets along the way but he was unsuccessful of getting any information of it. It was as if what he’s saying never existed at all. He slept at inns when his feet can no longer hold himself upright before journeying again for another set of days without rest, he trudged on stubbornly and determinedly, there were people who got worried upon seeing a young boy on his own but Haneto declined their offer of help ”Thank you but I’ll be fine, Oji-san, Oba-san. I can sense danger if that were to ever happen to me.”

The moon was high and the streets are empty and deserted, people have gone home and slept warmly. It was a chilly night and Haneto only has a thin gold scarf wrapped around his neck and face to keep him from the cold winds. Despite the frigid temperature, the ache in his legs, the burn in his lungs when he breathes- he continued to move, he promised himself he’ll find his Onii-san no matter what may happen to him. It was quiet but then the next there was a scream. Haneto only stood frozen in his place, tremble wrecked his form that he knew it wasn’t because of the cold. The scream was only a few steps away from him and before he realized anything, there was a figure running towards him in an inhumane speed. Haneto twisted his body to dodge the figure, he landed on a heap of boxes and trash, there were some broken glasses too and he winced, feeling a sharp pain in his arm.

The figure… was not human at all. It had piercing sharp eyes and grotesque appearance, horns protruding in its forehead and a bleeding wound on his neck but Haneto blinked once and the bleeding was gone. The thing grinned so wide it showed its sharp teeth, hungry eyes watched him as he lay still in frozen and shock. It was nothing he had ever seen before, it was like its something out of some silly myths and legends! Yet here he is staring at the thing that he refused to call a human.

It surged forward to him again, hands with sharp nails ready to strike him and Haneto only let out a pathetic scream of his own as he curled in himself. His eyes closed tightly as he waits for the thing to cut him but it never came and only heard a deep yell, prompting the little boy to open his eyes. Sapphire-gold eyes widened at the sight, there was someone standing between him and that thing, shielding him away from any harm. When Haneto looked up- he gasped. The person protecting him has golden blonde hair, an old scar running from his cheek down to his neck to hide in the collar of the black uniform and he held a blade in defense, ready to swing. Haneto wanted to cry and call for him but his Onii-san cried out first. ”Don’t you dare touch my Brother!”

His Onii-san battled with the thing, each swing, each movement was smooth and graceful despite the gore and blood it finishes with. Haneto watched in awe, his eyes wide as he tries to keep up with their fight but it was too fast for him to comprehend- to understand who has the upper hand. Tobuto moved with so much agility, challenging the speed of the monstrous figure. Next there was a cry, Tobuto finally approached him and took Haneto’s frigid body in his warm embrace. He wanted to ask his little brother why he’s here, alone in the middle of the night! But that can wait, Haneto’s freezing and sobbing, he’ll get sick soon if they stay any longer.

When Haneto got better, Tobuto demanded his reasons for going out alone and away from the estate. This resulted in a heated fight between the brothers, calling Haneto childish and reckless while the little boy replied and cried that he’s a horrible Onii-san for leaving him alone, letting him be caged. Then Tobuto told him the reasons why it happened, why there’s a creature that resembles a human exists and why he wields a blade. He told him of everything, about man-eating demons and the Demon Slayers that Tobuto himself was. The Family’s true nature was that they’re a wealthy family line of Demon slayers with the Breath of Wings. After their father’s passing from a battle, their Oka-san naturally became the head of the Fūryūki, she was stricken with grief and heartache and she made an oath to not let her own children follow the same fate by running away to live in an isolated town. She kicked out their Oji-san from the estate, for he is the last living Breath of Wings and he might influence her children. But despite that, Tobuto was five years old, old enough to understand to what had happened to their Oto-san. Young Tobuto would create trouble wherever he goes inside the estate until Oka-san told him to play outside as so he won’t to break any more valuable things. Tobuto searched for Oji-san and when he found him, he begged him to take him to carry on the Breath of Wings, wishing to follow his father’s will. His absence in the estate was spent with training continuously and determinedly. His hard work paid off as passed the Final Selection exam and a week after that, that’s when he was disowned by their mother.

Tobuto originally planned to bring Haneto back in their estates but after hearing his side, his little brother only became even more stubborn to stick on his side and begs him to mentor him along the way. With so much arguing, Tobuto lets him join him in his mission and train him as well, quietly grumbling ”Jeez, I never thought I’d be mentoring an apprentice already at this age….”.

Aged 13 Years Old

Tobuto was on a mission and of course Haneto trailed along, Tobuto never minded as his little brother was quick to adapt and learn, he can already fight against a demon by himself and aid him in each battle. Tobuto feels pride for Haneto’s growing talent, faster than what he can when he was still training. But he still worries a lot for his little Hane, he was just 13 years old after all. The kaisugaigarasu crow informed them of a powerful demon creating misery and death in the next town, upon reaching the town where the supposed demon prowls, they were only met with wrecked deserted houses and shops, fresh and dried blood stained the ground everywhere. There were pieces of corpses and no doubt the demon has already eaten their missing parts; some even wore the same black uniform of Demon Slayers. It was the most cruel and gruesome sight, then there are other Demon Slayers arriving at the scene. With these much corpses and Demon Slayers, Tobuto doesn’t want the death count to pile more, the demon has to be beheaded tonight. Tobuto tried to leave Haneto behind but failed, Hane shares the same stubborness as he had and decided he’ll just have to die protecting him if it comes to it.

When Haneto opened his eyes, it was too bright and it burns and when his senses are slowly coming to life, he feels a throbbing pain around his body, especially his head. His head was wrapped securely as well as his chest and left leg. He was confused, he didn’t know what happened prior to result in him all banged up with mind hazy and spotted and feeling so, so empty. He looked around and realizes he’s at home in his room alone and when his Oka-san found him awake and alive, she cried and quietly mutters ”I will never let him take you from me again.”, Haneto wonders mutely, ’Who’s him’?

As Haneto recovers, he was quiet. Like a dwindling fire of a matchstick but inside him was the complete opposite, there was a feeling settled inside his empty shell after a week and it grows heavy and burning in each passing day. He comes to realize it was a mix of Anger and Regret but… to what? That’s what he doesn’t understand. His past memories are forgotten in a thick fog and he couldn’t reach it, with these feelings he felt fear. Fear that these emotions growing in him will one day take hold of him and lose himself- so he stayed meek and placid. It worried his Oka-san but she never asked him of it, seemingly content for her son to stay as it is. Haneto never asked of who he was like before the 'accident'; he was told that he got hit by a fast-moving car and that’s it. Though he wondered again can such accident leave him with a scarred back? Almost as if a wild beast clawed him.

One day, he was cleaning his room. It was bare for the most part but he was getting bored with doing nothing but rest for weeks. He was looking around his closet when there was a reflected light hitting him upon opening the closet door, he reached for it and cradled it in his arms. It was gold and shaped like wings with a hole… a hilt? Why would there be a hilt in his closet? As he tries to rack his brain, he was suddenly struck by a piercing headache- it was as if he got stabbed right in the head! He whimpered and the burn in his chest didn’t help as it grew aflame, fiercer than ever before. He curled in himself as he clutches his head helplessly, then there are series of visions-’No, memories.’ flooded his mind. It all came fast and fleeting, emotions passing him through in each scene and there was a Shadowed man in most of his memories. Seeing that man ignites the fire inside him to ablaze and it hurts him so much that he cried. Then there are things-’Demons.’ the back of his mind supplies- attacking and killing and Haneto himself wields a sword, bloodied by the handle. His memories are coming back but why is the Shadowed man never revealed his face and the moment before he got hurt from the 'accident' was still missing?

Upon having his memories back -albeit limited- he has a new matchstick inside him, burning steadily but bright and burning as the other feeling; Determination. The hilt he holds belonged to that Shadowed man’s Nichirin blade and for some reason, he has the need to find him. It wasn’t a good idea but he has nothing else to do, he’s apparently caged and trapped in here by his mother and whatever reason she has of it has something to do with the Demon Slayers… So that’s when Haneto decided to catch up for the final selection next year. He ran away once more from the estate and stayed in a village far away where he could train once more with only fleeting memories to guide him.

Aged 14 Years Old

It only took Haneto a year to completely grasp what he had learned, he might not remember most of his moves but his body does very well. He relied on his senses and feelings to move as he swings his blade. Though his limited memories didn’t help provide what breath he was training so he called mistakened it as Breath of Feathers | 羽の呼吸 (Hane no kokyū).

At the final selection, they are about 50 people but after a week passed, only few remained and Haneto was one of them. Exhausted but he felt stronger than before. He received his nichirin blade and it turned bright gold upon holding it, there weren’t that many Gold Nichirin Blades but it isn't as rare as Black or red, his swordsmith tells him. All’s left for Haneto was to accomplish missions his kaisugaigarasu gives him and search for that shadowed man.