Kanroji Noe

At 7:30 AM, following the instructions of Shinobu Kocho and others, Han Zhiqi arrived at the plaza at the foot of Mount Fujikasane.

At this time, many people had gathered in the plaza, men and women alike, all with swords at their waists, exuding an air of high spirits.

Some stood alone to the side, while others clustered in twos and threes, discussing teaming up for the upcoming selection assessment. Many were also looking for suitable companions.

After all, surviving alone for seven days on Mount Fujikasane, which was filled with demons, was not easy. If they had help, their chances of passing might be greater. If there were more people, they would be even more confident.

In the center of the plaza, a team of ten had already formed, and the team was even expanding.

The team members were like street vendors, each shouting to recruit more lone individuals from the surroundings. Judging by their demeanor, they wished everyone in the plaza would act together.

Soon, many of the lone individuals joined their ranks. Even if a few were unwilling at first, seeing their team grow larger while they were alone made them anxious. After a moment's hesitation, they also joined.

Finally, besides the massive team, only a few scattered individuals remained in the plaza.

The moment Han Zhiqi stepped into the plaza, he instantly attracted everyone's attention. Dressed in white, with silver hair, a handsome face, and a cold expression, he exuded an extraordinary aura.

Following behind him was a cute girl.

She had a round face, large eyes, and appeared to be around Han Zhiqi's age. She wore a pink haori embroidered with several beautiful butterflies, and her shoulder-length hair was simply tied back with a hair tie.

If it were just this, there wouldn't be anything special. After all, as long as a girl wasn't too unattractive, she would be quite appealing when dressed up.

However, this girl was different. She seemed to have the face of a teenager but the body of someone in their twenties. Especially her proud chest. Standing in front of people, both men and women would feel embarrassed looking at her. It seemed as if her face and body were grown separately.

Han Zhiqi's appeal lay in his attire, hair, and demeanor, while the girl's appeal was in her chest.

The two met at an intersection not far from the foot of the mountain, and afterward, the girl followed him unhurriedly.

Now, with both of them appearing at the same time, everyone mistakenly assumed they were together.

Facing the uniform gaze of everyone, the girl shyly lowered her head, stood still, and nervously fiddled with her fingers.

The group in the central plaza seemed to huddle together and discuss something. Before long, a man and a woman walked up to the two.

The man was about Han Zhiqi's height, handsome, with a calm and capable demeanor. At such a young age, he already possessed the bearing of a leader. His attire was also different from ordinary people, clearly indicating he was from a wealthy family.

The woman was equally sweet-looking, graceful, and also wore fine clothing. Every smile and glance revealed her confidence.

"Hello, I'm Kimura, and this is Eimi. May I know your names?" the man asked, introducing himself first and then quietly waiting for their response.

"H-hello, my name is Nohime, Kanroji Nohime. You can call me Nohime."

The girl was a bit nervous, her clear, watery eyes flickering as she shyly looked at the two in front of her.

The two paid no mind to this self-conscious and timid girl. What could you expect from someone who was afraid to even speak to people?

The fact that such a person could participate in the Demon Slayer Corps selection was practically offering themselves as food to demons.

The two weren't originally there for the girl. Considering the girl's attire and speech, and the fact that she came with the boy beside her, they couldn't help but guess that this girl was likely the boy's attendant, or at least someone he knew.

Therefore, their true purpose in coming was to invite the boy to join them, as they felt the aura he exuded was extraordinary.

After the girl finished introducing herself, the three of them looked at the boy beside her.

Kimura noticed that the boy standing opposite him was staring intently at him, showing no intention of replying, which made him uncomfortable.

Kimura and Eimi looked at Kanroji Nohime, puzzled.

Kanroji Nohime also shook her head, looking bewildered.

Han Zhiqi ignored the three of them. Seeing the wisteria flowers planted along the courtyard wall, he walked directly towards a secluded, deserted corner, cupped a wisteria flower in his hand, and admired it closely.

Everyone thought this person was very strange. A boy who refused to speak but inexplicably liked flowers, did he have some kind of problem?

But who knew what the wisteria flowers represented in Han Zhiqi's heart?

"What's going on? Weren't you two together?" Kimura's questioning voice could be heard from not far away.

"N-no, we weren't together. We just met on the road."

"So, you don't know each other at all?"

Kanroji Nohime shyly nodded.

Kimura and Eimi exchanged a glance, then looked back at Han Zhiqi, who was standing by the wisteria tree. His aloof demeanor was truly irritating, and they ultimately abandoned the idea of inviting him.

With so many of them, they were already enough to last seven days. Inviting him was merely to gain an additional helper. Since he didn't appreciate it, they decided to let him fend for himself.

"Nohime, would you like to..."

Eimi attempted to invite Kanroji Nohime, and Kanroji Nohime was already prepared to accept, her bright eyes flickering, her mouth half-open, just waiting for Eimi to finish speaking so she could readily agree.

But Eimi's words were cut short as Kimura, standing beside her, grabbed her arm and stopped her.

Kimura gave Eimi a look, and Eimi immediately understood.

After a brief exchange of glances, although reluctant, Eimi turned back, offered a fake sweet smile, patted Kanroji Nohime's shoulder, and encouraged her, "Nohime, you have to do your best! You'll definitely pass the selection assessment and successfully join the Demon Slayer Corps."

Then, pulled by Kimura, the two walked towards the crowd in the center of the plaza, arguing as they went.

"Why didn't you let her join?"

"She's too scared to even talk to people. What use is she if she joins?"

"But she's all alone, it's too pitiful. She'll be eaten by demons if she goes into the mountain by herself."

"Who here isn't risking getting eaten by demons to participate in the selection assessment? Since you dare to join the assessment, you must be prepared to die."

"With so many of us, we don't lack her."

"Please understand, we're forming a team to increase our chances of surviving seven days and passing the assessment, not to be a shelter for the weak. If we encounter demons then, and we can barely protect ourselves, are we supposed to divert our attention to save her? Enough with the nonsense, put away your compassion; you can't help everyone."

Seeing the two walk into the crowd without looking back, Kanroji Noe lowered her head in disappointment. Then, she raised her head again and scanned the area around the plaza, seemingly looking for a fellow participant to team up with.

But there was no one else. Several participants who hadn't joined Kimura's team had already given up before the selection assessment even began.

A few others had also formed small groups, but when Kanroji Noe's gaze fell upon them, everyone chose to look away. In the end, only she and Han Zhiqi were left alone in the plaza.

After a moment of hesitation, Kanroji Noe lowered her head and silently walked over to Han Zhiqi's side.