Kaede/Story

Past
He was the son of a warrior named Gaisei. Gaisei was a master swordsman who trained him with two other orphans, Moriya Minakata and Yuki. As he grew, he became an avid swordsman and powerful warrior. One day, when he was twelve, he and Yuki returned from an errand to discover their master slain and Moriya standing over his corpse. Enraged, Kaede physically attacked him for the (presumed) killing of their master. Moriya withstood the attack and left in silence.

The Last Blade
Shortly thereafter, Kaede and Yuki depart their foster home to avenge the death of their master and confront the killer. Five years on their quest, he still searches for Moriya. He eventually discovers that the real killer of his master was one of the four guardians of hell, Shinnosuke Kagami. He engages him, but the guardian's superior skill quickly overpowers him. However, it is revealed that Kaede possesses the power of the legendary dragon Seiryū, one of the Four Sacred Beasts of Chinese mythology. He can transform with the beast's power, changing various physical aspects and giving him additional power. With his transformation into “awakened Kaede” (, Kakusei Kaede), he defeats Kagami.

The Last Blade 2
After honing his skills and learning to control the power of the Seiryū to a greater extent, Kaede and Yuki set off for Okina in order to find more information. When they arrive, they discover that the “Sealing Rite” needs to be performed, for a great evil threatens the world. This rite is to be performed by a special maiden, but a warrior named the “Messenger From Afar” seeks to assassinate her and prevent her from performing it. Kaede sets out to protect the maiden and to allow her to accomplish her mission.

Neo Geo Battle Coliseum
Non-canonically settled between The Last Blade 1 and 2, Kaede enters the Neo Geo Battle Coliseum tournament hosted by Goodman in order to get enough information about Hades' Gate Yuki is looking for. When the tournament ended, Kaede returns with no information about it, then, the duo decided to find Genbu no Okina and ask him where is that thing, and when he reveals about The Sealing Maiden, the duo decided to investigate further, leading to the events of The Last Blade 2.

Gekka no Kenshi Drama CD
Although frequently mentioned, Kaede plays only a minor character in the Drama CD, appearing only in Yuki's dreams, a flashback and in a miscellaneous scene. The original character, Hojo Souma, conjures an illusion to disguise himself as Kaede causing Yuki to mistake him for the real one.