"So... so scary... but that girl is so pretty... but she's still so scary!!!"
Zenitsu looked at Chinatsu nearby, who had just been yanking someone else's hair, and couldn't help reaching up to touch his own.
His hair was golden yellow, but he hadn't been born with it that color. In the fantasy-tinged world of Demon Slayer, absurd things were perfectly normal.
Speaking of hair color alone, Zenitsu's hair had turned golden yellow after a bolt of lightning struck him from the sky.
Another similar example was the Love Hashira, one of the strongest members of the Demon Slayer Corps. Her hair was cherry-blossom pink with grass-green tips. Supposedly, it had turned that color because she ate 170 sakura mochi every day for eight straight months.
That was every bit as ridiculous as Zenitsu's hair changing color after being struck by lightning.
After the commotion, the twins came together again, then lifted the cloth covering the table behind them.
Stones of uneven sizes and varying shapes lay on the table. These stones were called "tamahagane," the raw material used to forge the Demon Slayer Corps' signature weapons, "Nichirin Blades."
"Now, please choose your tamahagane. This will become the blade you use to slay demons and protect yourself, so you must choose it yourself."
The two spoke calmly, and everyone fell silent as they looked at all the tamahagane before them... no, there was one exception.
Chinatsu stepped out of the group without hesitation. She calmly glanced over the tamahagane on the table, then picked out a piece that looked slightly larger than the others.
Her reason?
There was no reason.
There wasn't much difference between the pieces of tamahagane to begin with. A Nichirin Blade's properties depended on its wielder, not the quality of the raw material.
In the original story, Tanjiro had used his exceptional sense of smell to pick out a piece of tamahagane. Everyone thought that, as the protagonist, he must have lucked into some top-quality material!
Who knew his blade would break not long afterward, and the higher-ups would issue him a replacement? Choosing tamahagane at the beginning was really just about ceremony.
"I'll take this one. Tanjiro, don't overthink it either. Just pick whichever feels right," Chinatsu said, turning to him.
Tanjiro paused, looking a little puzzled. "But this will become the blade we use to fight demons. Shouldn't we give it some careful thought?"
"Careful thought, my foot. Do you know how to judge tamahagane? Besides, if our blades break later, we can have new ones forged. It's not like the Demon Slayer Corps would leave us to kill demons with our fists just because a blade broke, right?"
Chinatsu directed the first half at Tanjiro, then turned toward the twins for the second half. The twins nodded, confirming what she had said.
If a blade broke, headquarters would have a new Nichirin Blade forged for the member. Besides, these pieces of tamahagane hardly differed in hardness. Rather than pinning their hopes of killing demons on the material, they were better off honing their Breathing Styles and swordsmanship.
Tanjiro nodded, then stepped forward and chose a piece of tamahagane that felt right to him. The others followed the procedure and each took a piece as well.
Next, everyone would head home, and their chosen tamahagane would be handed over to specialized smiths for forging. Once finished, the blades would be delivered to them. That part deserved a five-star review.
Meanwhile, at Demon Slayer Corps headquarters, a crow perched on the arm of a frail man whose voice sounded remarkably similar to that of a certain fiercely wife-protective man. When he learned how this Final Selection had unfolded, a pleased smile appeared on his face.
"This year's recruits are so strong. The Demon Slayer Corps has worthy successors now. I hope they can grow quickly... cough, cough..."
After leaving Mount Fujikasane, Chinatsu and Tanjiro retraced their route home. In the original story, Tanjiro had been aching all over at this point, limping home with a wooden stick as a crutch. Now, however, he was simply walking along the road like normal. Passing the Demon Slayer Corps' Final Selection still felt a little like a dream to him.
"What are you thinking about? You're walking so slowly. Maybe Nezuko has already woken up, you know~"
"Nezuko... Nezuko's awake?!"
"Maybe. Only maybe. But I have a feeling." Chinatsu raised a finger and pointed at her forehead.
Chinatsu had previously told Tanjiro that she could sense Nezuko's physical condition, perhaps because they had consumed blood from the same demon. Tanjiro believed her completely.
Hearing Chinatsu say that now instantly filled Tanjiro with motivation. Two puffs of air shot from his nostrils, and he felt strength surge through his entire body.
"Then let's hurry home!"
"All right."
Chinatsu and Tanjiro started running again, retracing their route from the foot of Mount Fujikasane. At first, Chinatsu ran faster and with greater ease, leaving Tanjiro far behind even as he pushed himself to the limit. As time passed, however, Tanjiro caught up and even pulled slightly ahead.
This body tired more easily than an ordinary person's. Perhaps it followed the principle of equivalent exchange, trading greater stamina consumption for superior physical capabilities.
After all, before Chinatsu reincarnated, the body's original owner had barely exercised and had been physically frail. Yet after Chinatsu regained her ability to move, her body hadn't held her back while learning her Breathing Style. Instead, it had displayed exceptional talent.
If every transmigrator had a special cheat of their own, this constitution could just about count as hers. It might not be absurdly powerful or invincible, but Chinatsu felt it was enough.
I don't know whether I can become someone who terrifies Muzan the way Yoriichi Tsugikuni did, but I'll definitely bring back that flash of "red" that made him afraid!
Chinatsu followed behind Tanjiro, panting lightly, but her gaze remained clear and bright.
They ran all the way from the foot of Mount Fujikasane to the foot of Mount Sagiri before finally stopping. By then, night had fallen and the moon was high in the sky.
"Maybe we can still catch dinner if we go home now." Chinatsu tilted her head up toward the moon and roughly estimated the time.
It was around six in the evening, with twilight having only just faded. As they passed through villages, they had already smelled all sorts of aromas coming from the houses. Neither was particularly hungry; they were mostly craving something tasty. After all, they had eaten nothing but coarse grains to fill their stomachs throughout the Final Selection.
Chinatsu and Tanjiro walked slowly up the mountain. When Urokodaki's little wooden house came into view, a light was already glowing inside.
Chinatsu reached the door and raised her hand to knock gently, while Tanjiro opened his mouth beside her and shouted, "Master Urokodaki, it's us! We're back!"
Before Tanjiro had even finished speaking, hurried footsteps sounded from inside the house. The door opened, and a little "dumpling" rushed out and threw her arms around Chinatsu.
"Mmph, mmph, mmph!!!"
Before you continue