However, when the two reached the mountainside, Sakonji Urokodaki, who had been leading the way, stopped and turned around.
"Now, return to the house at the foot of the mountain by yourself..." With that, he vanished into the thick fog without a trace.
Hearing this, Tanjiro looked around, intending to rely on his keen sense of smell to follow Sakonji Urokodaki's scent back.
With two light sniffs, he determined the direction.
"Over here!"
He had only taken two steps when Lin Fan's warning rang out in his mind.
"Be careful. There are traps here!"
No sooner had the warning ended than Tanjiro stepped on a rope.
The next moment, several pebbles came flying at him and slammed into his face. Caught off guard, he staggered back a few steps and happened to fall into a deep pit that had been dug beforehand.
The fall left him dizzy and disoriented.
The Final Selection Begins
But he still struggled out of the pit. Though his face was bruised and swollen from the blows, his expression remained resolute.
"Ajuramaru, thank you for the warning."
Lin Fan was truly speechless at that, so he could only continue.
"The path down the mountain has been filled with traps. Charging straight down like that is just courting death."
Only then did Tanjiro realize how difficult this so-called test truly was.
"Although there are many traps along the way, isn't your sense of smell extremely sharp? Any trap set by human hands will leave behind a scent!"
With Lin Fan's guidance, Tanjiro immediately understood. "I understand, Ajuramaru. Thank you so much!"
He cleared his mind and used his nose to gather every scent around him. Before long, he sensed something unusual.
He immediately moved forward and spotted a slightly bent bamboo stalk tied down with rope. If he stepped on it, it would probably send him flying.
A chill ran down Tanjiro's spine.
"Don't let your guard down. Keep going!"
Lin Fan struck while the iron was hot and continued urging him onward.
Tanjiro gradually adapted and began making his way down the mountain. But even if he could smell the danger beforehand, his body simply could not react in time.
He still triggered several traps along the way, adding a few more wounds to his body.
Every time he triggered a trap, a system notification sounded in Lin Fan's mind.
[Ding! Detected that Tanjiro has developed negative emotions. Obtained 7 Emotion Points!] [Ding! Detected that Tanjiro...]
After struggling all the way back to the wooden house at the foot of the mountain, he pushed open the door.
Tanjiro nearly collapsed from exhaustion at the entrance. Looking at Sakonji Urokodaki, who was inside caring for the sleeping Nezuko, he said with difficulty.
"I'm back—"
Sakonji Urokodaki froze beneath his mask. He truly had not expected Tanjiro to return so quickly.
This was completely beyond his expectations.
According to his estimate, he would have been surprised if Tanjiro made it back before dawn. How could he not be shocked when Tanjiro had returned so far ahead of time?
"I acknowledge you, Kamado Tanjiro."
Having received his approval, Tanjiro finally could not hold on any longer and fell asleep.
The next day.
On Mount Sagiri.
Sakonji Urokodaki spoke unhurriedly.
"Demons have existed since ancient times. The Demon Slayer Corps is an organization unknown to the public and unrecognized by the government, dedicated to hunting demons!
"As for me, I am a cultivator. Just as the name implies, I train swordsmen. If you wish to join the Demon Slayer Corps, you must survive the Final Selection held at Mount Fujikasane!
"As for whether you are qualified to take the Final Selection, that will be decided by me! If you have no objections, then from today onward, I will be responsible for guiding your training!"
"Alright!"
Tanjiro answered without hesitation.
Then.
The long and tedious training began. Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, two years had passed.
Not only did he undergo physical training, but he also learned Breathing techniques and ten Water Forms sword techniques!
Finally, on this day, Tanjiro received Sakonji Urokodaki's approval and was given a fox mask.
At the same time.
Lin Fan also received an epic enhancement.
"System, open my status panel!"
Host: Lin Fan Template: Ajuramaru! Demon Power: 100 Drawn Ability: Eternal-grade buff Indestructible! Template Abilities: Blood Cry (Unlocked), Devour (Unlocked), healing (Unlocked), Body Control (Unlocked) Nourishment (Can distribute part of the power Devoured to the blade's wielder, strengthening their body. Requires 10,000 Emotion Points to unlock!) Demon Curse (Can inflict a Demon Curse upon striking a target, poisoning them! Requires 10,000 Emotion Points to unlock!) Aerial Control (Can control the blade to fly. Requires 10,000 Emotion Points to unlock!) Demonification (Can infuse the blade's wielder with a massive amount of Demon Power, enhancing them in every aspect. Theoretically has no upper limit! Requires 30,000 Emotion Points to unlock!) ... Golden Horn (Blowing it can activate Seraph of the End's Seraph Form, codename Salt King! Requires 500,000 Emotion Points to unlock!) Emotion Points: 8000
Looking at the panel, there were many basic abilities, but none caught Lin Fan's attention like the last one.
That was the Golden Horn. Once he activated Seraph Form, wouldn't he be able to slaughter anything with ease? But the price was simply beyond what he could afford.
There was also something Lin Fan really wanted to complain about.
Although I like the Golden Horn, it isn't Ajuramaru's ability at all. Still, I have to admit, this system really knows how to deliver!
Thinking about how he would be heading to Mount Fujikasane tomorrow for the Final Selection, Lin Fan was so excited he could hardly contain himself.
Although Tanjiro had provided him with quite a few Emotion Points over the past two years, the efficiency was still too low. It was nowhere near as fast as killing demons!
This time, when he reached Mount Fujikasane, he had only one principle!
Kill every fucking one of them!
No one was getting out alive!!!
Still, it would be better to improve himself a little more. After all, ever since coming to this world, he had never drawn from the lottery before.
He selected the Golden Roulette and went straight for an eight-pull!
[Ding! Consumed 8,000 Emotion Points. Beginning draw... Congratulations, you have obtained... Silver Ability A Perfect Match (Whoever holds you will feel that you are their perfect match), Silver Ability Wielded Like an Arm (When wielded, you will feel just like an extension of the user's arm), Gold Ability Perception (You can perceive the surrounding area), Silver Ability Sharpness (You will become sharper)... Better luck next time... Better luck next time...]
Eight pulls, four abilities, and four better-luck-next-times.
Half and half!
Lin Fan had no idea whether his luck was good or bad, since this was his first time drawing. Still, those three abilities were decent enough. At least he felt he had not lost out.
Now that everything was ready, all he had to do tomorrow was massacre them all.
The next day.
Tanjiro wore a fox mask and a blue kimono patterned with white clouds, with Ajuramaru hanging at his waist. He bid farewell to Sakonji Urokodaki.
Before leaving, he glanced at Nezuko, who had been asleep for two years without showing any signs of waking. He also left behind the Nichirin Blade he had used during training.
He then headed straight for Mount Fujikasane.
By the time he reached his destination, dusk was approaching. The outskirts of Mount Fujikasane were covered in blooming wisteria, resembling a sea of flowers.
When he arrived at the foot of the mountain.
More than twenty people were already waiting there, clearly swordsmen who had come to participate in the Final Selection.
Just then.
A pair of twin girls emerged from the entrance. Their hair was different colors, one black and one white. Carrying lanterns, they spoke in unison.
"Thank you all for coming tonight to participate in the Demon Slayer Corps' Final Selection. Mount Fujikasane contains many demons captured alive by Demon Slayers. You must enter and survive for seven days to meet the requirements for passing the Final Selection!
"Then, we wish you a safe journey."
Lin Fan had long since grown impatient and hurriedly urged him, "Tanjiro, stop dawdling. Get inside already. I can't wait to start slaughtering!"
"Alright."
Tanjiro did not hesitate at all and charged into Mount Fujikasane first.
Lin Fan said excitedly from the side.
"Tanjiro, you don't want these people who came here for the Final Selection to die, do you? Then join me in slaughtering every man-eating demon here!
"For those demons, it will be salvation as well!"
Old Man, Do You Really Want to Know Me?
"Although I don't know whether I can do it, I'll work hard!"
Tanjiro did not have much confidence in his own strength, and this was also one of the few times in the past two years that he had fought using Ajuramaru again!
As he continued deeper inside.
The scent of demons began to emerge around him. Tanjiro immediately stopped, gripping his blade in one hand, and instantly felt as though he could wield it like an extension of his arm!
It was simply incomparable to the sword he had used before!
Lin Fan also sensed the surroundings and immediately warned him, "A demon is attacking from above!"
Tanjiro immediately looked up, leaped into the air, and drew his blade to meet the enemy. The blade locked onto the demon's neck and, in an instant, severed it completely!
The moment he landed.
Another demon appeared behind him and tried to launch a sneak attack. Lin Fan immediately warned him.
"Behind you!"
Tanjiro spun around and struck again, precisely severing its head.
The corpses of the two demons turned to Ember just like that.
[Ding! Detected negative emotions from a man-eating demon before its death. Obtained 100 Emotion Points!] [Ding! Detected negative emotions from a man-eating demon before its death. Obtained 80 Emotion Points!]
He had easily gained 180 Emotion Points. In the past, he might not have earned that much in an entire day.
Lin Fan could not help but sigh.
If you wanted to earn Emotion Points, killing demons was still the fastest way!
After landing, Tanjiro looked at Ajuramaru in his hand, disbelief written across his face.
Not only did the blade feel like an extension of his arm, it was also incredibly sharp. He had not even used a Breathing technique or sword form. He had merely swung it like that.
Yet he had easily severed the demon's head.
Before you continue