Mount Fujikasane,
It has now become a living hell.
The sounds of ghosts wailing and wolves howling echoed one after another in the cold, dark forest.
The occasional piercing screams of dying humans added a bloody touch to this hellish symphony.
Most of the swordsmen who came to participate in the Final Selection chose the safest way to survive after dark – to hide.
They searched for hidden caves and dense tree canopies, holding their breath and concealing their presence like startled rabbits, praying not to be discovered by hungry hunters, and struggling to get through the long night.
However, the Kocho Sisters were an anomaly among their prey.
Under the moonlight, two figures, one pink and one purple, were like elves flitting through the night, actively searching for traces of evil spirits in this forest where every step was fraught with pitfalls.
"Flower Breathing - Fourth Form - Crimson Hanagoromo!"
With a soft shout, Kanae's figure swept forward like a tornado, her Nichirin Blade unleashing a spiraling crimson slash that firmly wrapped around the neck of a monstrous creature that had just emerged from the ground.
Before the ghost could even roar, its head flew into the sky, and its enormous body vanished with a "bang" in the moonlight.
Kanae sheathed her sword, looking at the pile of ashes blown away by the wind, her gentle eyes still carrying a trace of indelible pity.
Behind her, Shinobu Kocho was carefully wiping her Nichirin Blade with a clean handkerchief.
She was responsible for restraining it from the side, and with incredible speed, she used the tip of her knife to leave several bloody marks on the ghost's limbs.
Although it couldn't be killed, the precise and swift slashes severely restricted the demon's movements, creating the perfect opportunity for the sister's final blow.
Despite his restraint, a burning anger still simmered within him.
It's happening again.
He could only assist, only restrain, and could only watch helplessly as his sister personally chopped off the demon's head.
She looked down at the Nichirin Blade in her hand, a hint of resentment flashing in her purple eyes.
When~
Only by possessing the power to single-handedly kill evil spirits can one person truly have this ability?
Just then, a powerful aura, completely different from the surrounding minions, suddenly erupted from the depths of the forest!
That aura was both fierce and arrogant, and it also carried a hint of a powerful presence that made people uneasy!
The two sisters stopped what they were doing almost simultaneously and looked in the direction from which the aura was coming without thinking.
"Such a powerful Demon Aura ~"
Kanae frowned, and her expression became serious.
"Elder sister,"
Shinobu sheathed his Nichirin Blade, but a fire of excitement ignited in his purple eyes.
"Let's go take a look!"
"Um!"
Kanae nodded.
Without the slightest hesitation, the two figures transformed into two beams of light and rushed towards the source of that aura!
At the same time.
On the other side of the forest, in a clearing that had been smashed to pieces.
Kirikawa knelt on one knee, panting heavily, blood dripping down his arm where he gripped the knife.
His once-impressive team uniform is now tattered and covered in claw marks of all sizes, some so deep you can see the bone.
Opposite him, a demon covered in eerie blue stripes stood with its arms crossed, watching him with an expression of amusement, as if admiring a toy that was about to be ruined.
Kirikawa's heart had turned completely cold.
"No way, sir! How could a mere Final Selection possibly include a monster that can use Blood Demon Art?!"
He stared intently at the demon before him, his voice filled with resentment and despair.
As one of the few swordsmen in this selection who had mastered the Flame Breathing, Kirikawa was bursting with confidence.
In his view, these small fry in Mount Fujikasane were nothing more than appetizers.
He was already planning how to pass the assessment without taking any damage in the most dazzling and shocking way, so that those who looked down on him at the foot of the mountain could see who the real strongest was!
However, reality slapped him hard in the face, shattering all his pride!
He never dreamed that he would encounter such an outrageously powerful monster here!
"Haha! An alien?"
The demon opposite seemed to have heard some hilarious joke and let out a terrible laugh.
"Kid, you're too naive!"
It stretched out its long tongue and licked the blood off its claws; its blood-red eyes were filled with contempt and mockery.
"I wasn't dragged in here by those useless hunters. I walked in on my own!"
"Three months ago, I heard that they were going to hold some kind of 'Final Selection' here, so I had a sudden idea. I pretended to be a lowly henchman who didn't know Blood Demon Art, and deliberately let them capture me and send me to this mountain."
"Guess why?"
A cruel smile appeared on the demon's face.
"Of course, it's to enjoy this buffet that was specially prepared for me!"
"I must say, the meat of you so-called 'swordsmen' really tastes much better than that of ordinary people outside! I've already eaten more than a dozen in just a few hours."
It greedily eyed the battered and bruised Kirikawa, its gaze as if it were looking at a top-grade dish.
"And you—without a doubt, are the most nutritious of all these ingredients! A user of Flame Breathing is truly a rare find! Eating you will definitely make me stronger!!"
Two extremely arrogant individuals met in this small forest as if by fate.
Unfortunately, one of them is about to become the other's meal.
"You bastard--!"
The fire in Kirikawa flared up instantly!
He roared, squeezing out the last bit of strength from his body, and the Nichirin Blade in his hand blazed with fierce flames once again!
However, the monster he called Speed Demon was even faster than him!
Blood Demon Art: Azure Flash!
With a low growl, the eerie blue stripes on the Speed Demon's body suddenly burst forth with blinding light!!
Its figure suddenly vanished from the spot!
The next second, streaks of blue afterimages, like ghostly shadows, appeared in all directions around Kirikawa!
The extreme speed created a sharp whistling sound as it cut through the air!
Kirikawa's pupils contracted instantly!
His eyes couldn't keep up with his opponent's movements at all, so he could only rely on his fighting instincts, activating the Flame Breathing to its maximum and wildly swinging the knife in his hand!
"Flame Breathing: Fourth Form - Blooming Flame Undulation!!"
Whirlpools of fiery blade light burst forth from his blade, protecting him fiercely and barely managing to withstand the storm-like attack!
"Ding! Ding! Ding! Clang! Clang!!"
The incessant clanging of blades against claws filled the air, sparks flying everywhere!
Kirikawa's defense appeared impenetrable, but he knew it was nothing more than a slow death!
With each parry, the mountain-like force transmitted through the blade made his hands go numb and his blood surge!
His physical strength is being rapidly depleted!
"Too slow! Too slow! Too slow!!"
The mocking voice of the Speed Demon seemed to come from all directions at the same time, relentlessly eroding his already collapsing will.
"Is this the Flame Breathing? What a disappointment! It's so limp, just like your sword!"
"Pfft!"
A beam of blue light broke through the flames' blockade, leaving a deep claw mark on his back, so deep that the bone was visible!
"Ugh!!"
Kirikawa screamed in pain, staggered, and almost fell to his knees!
He gritted his teeth, whirled around, and unleashed a powerful horizontal slash behind him!
"Flame Breathing, Second Form: Rising Scorching Sun!"
However, the fiery slash, fueled by endless fury, only struck a blue afterimage in the air!
"It's useless!!"
A cold voice rang in his ears.
Kirikawa stared in horror as the Speed Demon appeared before him, its hideous face almost touching his nose!
(Danger)
From the bushes not far away, two pairs of eyes were quietly watching all of this.
"Hey? Isn't that the arrogant guy from the foot of the mountain?"
Shinobu Kocho perched on a tree branch, watching the figure struggling desperately under the demon's claws, a hint of surprise on her face.
"I didn't expect him to actually be quite capable. He managed to hold out against that ghostly hand for so long; he seems pretty strong!"
Although he said that, he secretly curled his lip in disdain.
'Hmph, but compared to Mr. Giyu, he's still far behind~'
Her thoughts began to drift uncontrollably to who-knows-where again.
"Sister, we~"
Shinobu turned her head, about to say something, but noticed that Kanae's expression had become extremely serious at some point.
Those eyes, which were usually always smiling, were now filled with solemnity.