After a night of rest, they were all in the best of spirits. They said goodbye to their master, Sakonji Urokodaki, and reached Mt. Fujikasane in nearly three days, ready to take part in the Final Selection.
"So many wisteria flowers. They're beautiful."
Makomo crouched down and picked up a wisteria flower that had fallen to the ground, intending to weave it into a wreath to wear on her head.
"Wisteria is toxic to demons. They planted it all around Mt. Fujikasane, where the Final Selection takes place, to keep the demons penned inside and make them our whetstones.
"On top of that, the Demon Slayer Corps often sends swordsmen to clear out the demons here, so only demons that have eaten one or two people remain. They're perfect for our first test."
Sabito, the eldest among them, explained everything as Giyu Tomioka and Suzuki Mufeng listened beside him.
When they climbed Mt. Fujikasane, a large group of Demon Slayer Corps members who had trained under cultivators had already gathered, waiting for the Final Selection to begin.
Then Hinaki Ubuyashiki and Nichika Ubuyashiki stepped forward. The two children, as delicate as dolls, spoke.
"Thank you all for gathering here tonight to take part in the Demon Slayer Corps' Final Selection." x2
"Demons captured alive by members of the Demon Slayer Corps are confined on this mountain. Because of the wisteria, they cannot leave."
"To pass the Final Selection, you must survive on this mountain for seven days."
"Then we wish you all the best of luck." x2
As soon as they finished speaking, everyone rushed into Mt. Fujikasane. Since it was still night, the demons' time to roam, the smell of blood and the stench of demons were unusually strong.
The four of them entered separately. Sticking together would certainly have been the easiest way to survive, and the best plan.
But then what would be the point of the Final Selection? In the end, they would still have to face demons alone. Acting independently would also test the years they had spent training on Mt. Sagiri.
"Seven days? That's too long. With the combined strength of four Mufengs, my goal should be to clear every demon off Mt. Fujikasane. Now that would be a challenge."
As Suzuki Mufeng chose a direction, three demons sprang from the bushes around him and lunged at him.
"Scared stiff, little brat? You're mine!"
"This is my prey!"
"We haven't eaten a human in months. No one's taking this one from me!"
The three demons threatened one another, but their bodies were honest enough: they bit at his shoulder, arm, and thigh.
"Six Powers: Iron Body."
The moment the three demons bit down, they thought they had him. But reality played a cruel joke on them.
Blood poured from the demons' mouths, but it wasn't Suzuki Mufeng's. Their teeth had shattered, and the blood was theirs.
They all had the same thought: which of us is the demon here? His body's harder than a demon's!
A moment later, a few breezes seemed to brush past. As Suzuki Mufeng sheathed his sword, its hilt knocked against the scabbard. The three demons' heads had already been cut off. They died before they even realized what had happened.
"Shared abilities don't always suit me perfectly. You still need to forge your own strength. The best way is to build on what you're good at and make something of your own."
The spots where the demons had bitten Suzuki Mufeng had suffered a few small wounds. Their bite strength was about the same as a dog's. In One Piece Mufeng's memories, animals' bites had already been harmless by the time he mastered Iron Body. But on Suzuki Mufeng, the technique was far less effective.
"I need to step up my Breathing Style training."
A cloying presence filled the air. The commotion from killing those three demons had already drawn plenty of monsters. Better to leave.
There were plenty of demons on the mountain. Having gone so long without human flesh, they had grown unusually vicious. But aside from their strong regenerative abilities and their recklessness, they were still easy enough to deal with because of their low intelligence.
After saving a boy who had nearly been killed by a demon and preparing to leave, Suzuki Mufeng suddenly felt the boy tug at his sleeve.
"Wait! There was another black-haired boy wearing a fox mask. He lured the demon away to protect us. Please help him!"
Giyu was in trouble. He had to go help him.
"The sun's almost up. Take care of yourself. I'm leaving."
Suzuki Mufeng immediately set off in the direction the boy had pointed, leaving the other candidates to watch his back with admiration.
Over the next few hours, Suzuki Mufeng roamed Mt. Fujikasane, helping anyone whose life was in danger.
Gradually, stories spread among the candidates about a swordsman who used Water Breathing to easily slay demons and rescue people in danger. At first, they didn't believe a newcomer could be that strong.
But once they saw Suzuki Mufeng in action, they realized just how vast the gap between people could be.
A cold wind howled through a clearing in the mountain forest. Three claw marks had torn across Giyu Tomioka's chest, and blood ran freely from the wounds. His breathing was starting to falter.
Across from him stood a demon like a savage out of a primeval forest. It licked the blood from its claws, which were nearly fifteen centimeters long. Its face was flushed, like that of a drunken man.
"Heh heh. Where should I eat you first, kid? Should I start with your head or your feet? Or do you want to pick a spot?"
An ability-wielding demon. Its claws could unleash invisible slashes. What should I do? My body's getting heavier and heavier.
If I don't stop the bleeding in my chest, I'll die from blood loss. Is it really my time to see you already, sis?
"Giyu, how'd you get so pathetic in just a few hours?"
Suzuki Mufeng's voice came from behind the demon, silent as a whisper. The demon jumped in fright, spun around, and slashed with its claws. The fierce attack struck empty air, leaving three deep furrows in the ground.
In the blink of an eye, Suzuki Mufeng was in front of Giyu Tomioka. He tore off a strip of his clothing and carefully bound Giyu's bleeding wounds.
Though surprised by Suzuki Mufeng's speed, Giyu Tomioka tried to tell him to deal with the demon first.
"Don't talk. You might reopen your wounds. I don't want to carry you out of here later."
"You brat! You dare ignore me? You're dead!"
The furious demon tried to slash again. Only then did it notice a bubble floating in front of it.
Pop—
The bubble burst, splashing water across the demon's face. Its vacant stare showed it had no idea what was going on.
"Are you mocking me?!"
The demon lashed out with its claws. Without hesitation, Giyu Tomioka stepped in front of Suzuki Mufeng. If he could protect Mufeng before dying, he would be content.
"Quit moving around. Stay put, you're injured."
That last slash had felt like three breezes brushing past. Was this demon so worked up that it couldn't even use its Blood Demon Art?
"Why? My claws disappeared. You—"
While the demon was still confused, Suzuki Mufeng had already rested his hand on his sword's hilt. There was a sound as the blade left its scabbard, and the demon's head was severed.
Even Giyu Tomioka, who rarely showed his feelings, widened his eyes. His face practically spelled out the word astonishment.
As casually as if he'd stepped on an ant, Suzuki Mufeng returned to Giyu Tomioka's side and teased him.
"Giyu, are you mesmerized by me?"
"That's not what I meant. Let's go find Sabito and the others."
He was curious about how the demon's claws had disappeared, but he wouldn't press Suzuki Mufeng about it. Everyone had secrets of their own.
To him, they were family, and he trusted Mufeng. If Mufeng wanted to tell him, he would. If not, then he wouldn't.
"This Final Selection isn't simple. Sabito should be fine with his current strength. The only one I'm worried about is Makomo. Let's look for her, but first we'll rest for the night."
Considering Giyu Tomioka's condition, Suzuki Mufeng wanted to wait until morning before moving on.
Suzuki Mufeng seemed calm on the surface, but he had been tense the whole time.
In this brief moment of peace, he couldn't help reflecting on how different reality was from the anime. Five or six people had already died within just a few hours.
And this was only the first night. Even greater challenges awaited them.
This time, Sabito and Makomo wouldn't die, and he would be the one to cut off the Hand Demon's head.
Before you continue