The selection ends

Lin Guang and Kanao passed through the sea of wisteria and arrived at the clearing from before.

More than a dozen people stood in the clearing. Apart from Zenitsu Agatsuma and Genya Shinazugawa, they were all people Lin Guang had rescued.

When they saw Lin Guang emerge, the people he had rescued came over to him.

"Thank you for saving me. Could I ask your name? I was so scared back then that I forgot to ask."

"Same here. You saved me three times. I'm starting to feel a little embarrassed."

"Then I did pretty well. I only needed saving once. That proves I've got some skill!"

"I was actually saved by the girl beside you. Since you're traveling together, do you have the same teacher?"

Facing the people he had rescued, Lin Guang smiled inwardly.

Though I mainly did it for the treasure chests, saving people feels pretty good too.

Just then, Tanjiro emerged and spotted Lin Guang surrounded by the crowd. He called out loudly, "Lin Guang!"

Hearing Tanjiro's voice, Lin Guang told the people before him, "We'll all be members of the Demon Slayer Corps from now on. It's only right that I help."

"My companion is calling me, so I'll be going over there."

Everyone said that was fine and cleared a path for him.

Watching Lin Guang and Kanao emerge from the crowd, Tanjiro was a little surprised. That girl seems to be the only girl in this Final Selection. Could the thing Lin Guang had to do have been...

"Tanjiro, you look a little worse for wear." Seeing Tanjiro's dirty, disheveled clothes, Lin Guang couldn't resist teasing him.

At Lin Guang's words, Tanjiro rubbed his head sheepishly.

"Yes, I ran into a little trouble."

"I encountered a few demons, but I couldn't get any of them to tell me how. There was no way to communicate with them." Tanjiro looked dejected as he finished.

Lin Guang smiled gently and placed a hand on Tanjiro's shoulder. "I believe we'll find a way."

"Right!" Tanjiro nodded firmly.

"Welcome back."

As the soft, delicate voices rang out, the two little girls from before emerged from beneath the wisteria trees.

The two little girls walked up to everyone and continued, "Congratulations, everyone."

"We're delighted that you returned safely."

"So? What am I supposed to do next? Where's my sword?"

Genya Shinazugawa spoke impatiently.

Lin Guang looked Genya Shinazugawa over and smiled faintly. His temperament really is just like his brother's.

"First, we will issue your uniforms. We will take your measurements, then engrave your ranks."

"There are ten ranks in total."

"Kinoe! Kinoto! Hinoe! Hinoto! Tsuchinoe! Tsuchinoto! Kanoe! Kanoto! Mizunoe! Mizunoto!"

"At present, you are all Mizunoto, the lowest rank."

The two little girls spoke in turns.

Seeing that the two little girls had ignored him, Genya Shinazugawa grew even more impatient. "Where's my sword?!"

"Today, you may select the tamahagane for your swords, but it will take ten to fifteen days for the swords to be completed."

"Before that..."

The white-haired little girl on the left clapped her small hands twice.

Then, numerous crows flew out from beneath the wisteria trees. They circled overhead for a while before each landed on the shoulder of its chosen master.

"From now on, Kasugai Crows will accompany you."

"Kasugai Crows are primarily used to relay messages."

"A crow? Isn't this a sparrow?" Zenitsu Agatsuma stared at the little sparrow on his shoulder, utterly bewildered.

Looking at the well-behaved crow perched on his shoulder, Lin Guang couldn't help reaching up to pet it.

"Stop messing around!" Genya Shinazugawa flung his crow away and stormed toward the two little girls.

"I don't care about crows! Give me a sword! A sword! Give me a sword right now! A Demon Slayer Corps sword! A Color-Changing Sword! Do you hear me?!" Genya Shinazugawa raged, then grabbed the white-haired little girl by the hair and gripped it hard.

The white-haired little girl showed no emotion at all, allowing Genya Shinazugawa to hold her by the hair as though she were a wooden doll.

Angered by Genya Shinazugawa's outrageous behavior, Tanjiro was about to step forward, only to discover that Lin Guang had already gone over.

"Hey, if I remember correctly, you're Sanemi Shinazugawa's younger brother, aren't you? Don't you think you're going too far?" Lin Guang seized Genya Shinazugawa's hand and tightened his grip slightly.

"Argh!"

Genya Shinazugawa cradled his wrist and stared at the masked man who had grabbed him.

"Who are you?"

"Lin Guang, Sakonji Urokodaki's disciple," Lin Guang said, removing his mask.

Genya Shinazugawa glared viciously at Lin Guang, committing his face to memory. "I'll remember you."

"Have you finished speaking?" the black-haired little girl asked.

When Lin Guang and Genya Shinazugawa fell silent, she pulled the red covering cloth off the table and continued, "Then please select your tamahagane from here! You must choose for yourselves the steel that will become your swords, with which you will slay evil demons and protect yourselves."

At her words, Lin Guang led Kanao and Tanjiro over to choose their steel.