On the road to Mount Fujikasane, Kurozawa and the others encountered no unexpected incidents.
Two days after leaving Mount Sagiri, on a cloudy afternoon, the group of fourteen arrived at the foot of Mount Fujikasane just in time.
At this moment, Mount Fujikasane, usually sparsely populated, was far livelier than usual.
Swordsmen carrying Nichirin Blades could be seen walking along the mountain paths everywhere.
Of course, most of them were trainee swordsmen. Full-fledged swordsmen rarely came to Mount Fujikasane.
Except for those who had completed capture missions and were escorting demons into Mount Fujikasane.
Just as Kurozawa and the others arrived at the foot of the mountain, someone came to greet them.
It was a girl wearing a cherry blossom kimono, who looked to be around sixteen or seventeen.
"Please follow me."
After glancing at Kurozawa and the others' attire and the Nichirin Blades at their waists, the girl bent forward in a light bow, then gestured for them to follow.
As he followed her, Kurozawa asked, "When exactly does the trial begin?"
The girl replied softly, "Gather at noon tomorrow. You will enter the trial grounds at night."
Beside Kurozawa, Makomo, who had been looking around, withdrew her gaze and asked curiously, "Big sister, are you also a full-fledged swordsman of the Demon Slayer Corps?"
The girl's expression dimmed slightly, and she sighed. "I'm not a swordsman."
"I belong to the Hidden Slayer Corps. You could say we're the Demon Slayer Corps' logistical department."
"Although I also want to fight demons, I don't have the courage or talent for it. I can only serve the swordsmen in this way."
Seeing that the girl was in low spirits, Makomo comforted her. "Big sister, you're simply fighting demons in your own way. And don't talk about talent—I've only ever been trained to fight demons. I can't do anything else."
A smile appeared on the Hidden Slayer Corps girl's face. "Thank you. I understand."
Besides courage, swordsmen also needed talent. Not everyone had the physique required to use a Breathing Technique.
Breathing Techniques placed great demands on the human body. Most people could not learn them no matter what they did.
What a kind little angel. Kurozawa stopped paying attention to their conversation and turned his gaze toward Mount Fujikasane's beautiful scenery.
Clusters of Wisteria Flower bloomed in every direction, and the air was filled with a fresh floral fragrance.
Whenever a strong wind blew, it would sweep up purple petals and send them whirling through the air, creating a breathtaking sight.
This was a beautiful world overflowing with shades of purple.
But for demons, it was a terrifying hell.
No demon would want to approach such dense Wisteria Flower.
And within the rings of Wisteria Flower groves lay the true prison of Mount Fujikasane.
Only by being led by someone from a hidden location could one find the entrance—unless they charged straight into the Wisteria Flower groves and hacked out a path.
This place actually can't hold powerful demons. After silently observing it, Kurozawa came to that conclusion.
First of all, demons were more instinctively repelled by Wisteria Flower and unwilling to approach it.
What could truly harm demons was specially made concentrated Wisteria Flower poison, not the flowers themselves.
Some powerful demons, if they were determined to break through the Wisteria Flower blockade, should not find it impossible.
Well, to make an analogy, it was like a person swimming through several dozen meters of a cesspit. It could be done, but no one would want to do it.
"May I ask something? Have the demons in Mount Fujikasane always obediently stayed in the mountain?"
"Have any of them ever tried to escape?"
Kurozawa looked toward the girl leading the way and asked after a moment of thought.
The girl tilted her head, thought for a few seconds, then answered uncertainly, "I think there have been some. But I heard from a few swordsmen that demons with such intentions all fainted in the Wisteria Flower groves, then turned to ash when the sun rose."
Thinking that Kurozawa was worried about the demons of Mount Fujikasane escaping, the girl explained, "Don't worry. The demons in Mount Fujikasane aren't particularly strong. They don't have the ability to leave the Wisteria Flower groves."
They aren't particularly strong? Little sister, you're wrong about that.
Kurozawa nodded. "That's good."
More than ten minutes later, following the girl's footsteps, the group arrived at a cluster of buildings.
Most were wooden houses, simple and plain, but practical.
Besides Kurozawa and the others, other Hidden Slayer Corps members had also led trainee swordsmen participating in the trial here.
"Any unoccupied house here may be used."
"After moving in, just turn over the sign outside the door to show that the house is occupied."
"There are bedding and some simple utensils inside the houses for you to use."
"If you have any problems, you can find me in the easternmost area, or ask any of the other Hidden Slayer Corps members."
"If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving first. More swordsmen will be arriving soon."
After leading Kurozawa and the others to the temporary residential area, the girl dipped slightly in a bow.
Kurozawa smiled as well. "It's fine. Thank you for your hard work."
"You may all become pillars of the Demon Slayer Corps in the future, constantly fighting vicious demons. Compared to that, you're the ones working hard."
After saying that, the Hidden Slayer Corps girl stepped back and left.
She was right. What Makomo had said was really just psychological comfort, and the girl herself understood that.
The swordsmen who faced death directly would always be the foundation and pillars of the Demon Slayer Corps. Everything else existed to serve the swordsmen.
"You can all go find a house you like. Dismissed."
Kurozawa wanted to look around, so he signaled for his junior brothers and sisters to leave.
After speaking, Kurozawa headed down the path to his left.
But before he had taken more than a few steps, one of his junior sisters hesitated for a moment before following him.
Looking at the petite junior sister before him, whose face was innocent and childlike but whose figure was remarkably well-developed, Kurozawa asked kindly, "Shizuka, is something wrong?"
Among Kurozawa's thirteen junior brothers and sisters, there were nine junior brothers and four junior sisters.
Hanada Shizuka was one of Kurozawa's four junior sisters, and she had just turned thirteen this year.
Now twenty-one, Kurozawa often felt as though he were mixed in with a group of middle schoolers, or even elementary school children.
But there was nothing to be done about it. The Demon Slayer Corps mostly began cultivating swordsmen from a young age.
Moreover, due to the existence of Breathing Techniques, these boys and girls developed quickly. In Hanada Shizuka's case, although she was only thirteen, she already gave off the impression of a girl of sixteen or seventeen.
Hanada Shizuka lowered her head and kept twisting her hands together. After quite a while, she finally said with a flushed face, "Senior Disciple Danryu, can you take me into Mount Fujikasane tomorrow? I'm a little scared."
Danryu... Kurozawa's face darkened. How had they all learned it from Makomo? Such an arrogant name did not suit his personality at all.
"Ahem, just call me Senior Brother Kurozawa."
As soon as he finished speaking, Hanada Shizuka's expression darkened, and a misty layer of tears formed in her doe-like eyes.
"O-okay."
"But Sister Makomo can call you that..."
Her aggrieved voice gave Kurozawa a headache.
Seeing how she looked as though she would burst into tears the next second, Kurozawa said helplessly, "Fine, do as you like."
Who knew why not letting her call him Danryu meant he was being distant?
I just don't want to hear the words Senior Disciple Danryu! Kurozawa shouted inwardly.
"Then tomorrow?"
Hearing Kurozawa relent, Hanada Shizuka's expression changed from cloudy to sunny in an instant. She raised her head and looked at him with a cheerful smile.
Good grief. I was wondering why someone usually so mischievous was so easily upset today. She did it on purpose. I shouldn't have started this.
At that moment, Kurozawa understood. Makomo must have taught her this.
"Since you were the first to ask, I'll look after you."
"Follow me tomorrow. I'll show you how capable your Senior Disciple is. Those demons you're afraid of are nothing more than chickens and dogs before your Senior Disciple."
Kurozawa raised his head, looking extremely proud.
In any case, he had planned to bring one junior brother or sister into the mountain with him. Anyone besides Sabito and Makomo would do.
"Mm, Senior Disciple is the best!"
Hanada Shizuka clapped her hands, her face filled with admiration.
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