Final Selection

As they walked along the road, Chiba Yo and Kanao did not exchange a single word, even though they knew each other.

She's a Hashira's Tsuguko too, so we're fellow trainees, in a way. Wouldn't it be rude not to say hello?

Chiba Yo thought this to himself, then turned to look at Kanao. Her expression was unchanged, a smile on her face and not a flicker in her purple eyes.

"Um... hello. My name is Chiba Yo. Your name is Tsuyuri, right?" Chiba Yo greeted Kanao after all.

(In Japanese anime, people seem to address those they aren't particularly close to, or their elders, only by their surnames.)

At his words, Kanao turned and smiled at Chiba Yo, then turned back and continued on her way.

Seeing this, Chiba Yo focused on walking as well. Neither of them said another word afterward.

By the time a crescent moon hung in the black night sky, Chiba Yo and Kanao had reached Mount Fujikasane, where the Final Selection was held. Wisteria covered the mountain, giving off its distinctive fragrance.

What a magnificent sight!

Looking at the scenery, Chiba Yo could not help marveling inwardly.

They climbed the steps. Quite a few swordsmen with blades at their waists had already gathered on the platform at the top. Among them, a yellow-haired boy stood out, trembling all over and looking terrified.

A red torii gate stood ahead of the platform. Beneath it were two adorable children who looked almost identical, apart from their hair color: one had white hair, the other black. Both wore a sprig of wisteria in their hair and carried a lantern.

There really are a lot of people here. That also means... there must be countless people who've suffered at the hands of demons.

Hatred showed in Chiba Yo's eyes. Since his encounter with the Green-Skinned Demon, he was finally about to face demons again.

This time, I'll cut down every demon I encounter!

Chiba Yo looked up at the central region of Mount Fujikasane, encircled by wisteria, and silently made his resolve.

A short while later, a red-haired boy wearing a blue haori patterned with clouds arrived as well.

At that moment, the two children in front of the torii gate spoke in unison, drawing Chiba Yo's attention.

"Thank you all for coming tonight to take part in the Demon Slayer Corps' Final Selection."

Then the white-haired child continued, "Here on Mount Fujikasane, we confine demons captured alive by demon-slaying swordsmen. However, the demons cannot leave."

The black-haired child followed, "That is because the wisteria that demons despise blooms all year round, from the foot of the mountain to its middle slopes."

The white-haired child continued, "But beyond this point, there is no more wisteria, and demons roam freely."

The black-haired child added, "Surviving in there for seven days is the condition for passing the Final Selection."

Then the two children bowed together and said in unison, "Now, please go safely."

After speaking, the two children stepped aside, and the swordsmen gathered there began entering the mountain one after another.

Chiba Yo followed the other swordsmen inside, but his goal was different from theirs. He did not intend merely to survive for seven days-he intended to wipe out every demon here!

About an hour after entering Mount Fujikasane, Chiba Yo encountered his first demon.

"Hahaha! A human finally came in! I'm practically starving to death here."

A demon with an extraordinarily long tongue dangling from its mouth crawled out from behind a tree, drooling. Its eyes gleamed green as it stared at Chiba Yo, like a gray wolf that had gone a long time without catching any prey.

But it seemed to have mistaken the hunter for the prey.

"Do you want to eat me that badly?" Chiba Yo asked as he drew his Nichirin Blade, his cold gaze fixed on the demon before him.

"Enough talk! Be a good boy and become my food!" The long-tongued demon shouted and lunged at Chiba Yo, thrusting its sharp claws straight at his throat.

Shing-

Chiba Yo walked past the long-tongued demon, flicked the blood off his Nichirin Blade, and slid it back into its sheath.

A thin line of blood appeared across the long-tongued demon's neck while it was still in midair. Then its head slipped free of its body and fell to the ground, followed by its body with a thud.

The decapitated demon crumbled to ash before it could even scream.

"So weak..."

Chiba Yo glanced back at the long-tongued demon as it turned to ash, and his last trace of worry about the Final Selection vanished.

"Aaaah!!!! Help!!!"

A piercing scream rang through the night sky, startling a large flock of nocturnal birds into flight.

Is someone in danger? There should be a demon over there, right?

The scream immediately gave Chiba Yo a direction, and he raced toward its source.

In the forest, a yellow-haired boy wearing a yellow haori patterned with triangles was running for his life, tears streaming down his face. His terror was plain in every movement.

"Stop running! Come here and let me eat you!"

Behind the yellow-haired boy, a gray-skinned demon was pursuing him on all fours.

"Eek!!! No! My meat doesn't taste good at all! Please just let me go!"

The gray-skinned demon's words made the yellow-haired boy scream in even greater terror. He shouted as he ran, his tears never stopping.

Just then, another demon appeared ahead of the yellow-haired boy.

"A living human... food... I'm going to eat you!"

The demon ahead charged at the yellow-haired boy the moment it spotted him. His earlier screams had already alerted the other demons nearby.

"Aaaah!!! Help!!!"

Seeing this, the yellow-haired boy immediately turned and ran to the right.

Thump! Rumble, rumble, rumble.

Focused only on fleeing, the yellow-haired boy failed to notice an exposed tree root underfoot. He tripped over it and went tumbling with a scream.

The two demons chasing him took the opportunity to catch up.

Chiba Yo arrived just then. Seeing what was happening, he immediately drew his Nichirin Blade and charged forward.

Thud!

After rolling some distance across the ground, the yellow-haired boy suddenly slammed headfirst into a large tree. His eyes rolled back, and he passed out.

The second and third demons.

Chiba Yo silently kept count as he closed in on the two demons.

"Thunder Breathing, First Form: Thunderclap and Flash!"

Just then, a firm, solemn voice rang out, and a yellow flash of lightning streaked past Chiba Yo's eyes.

That boy from before?

Chiba Yo got a clear look at the yellow flash. It was the yellow-haired boy who had just been fleeing the two demons. Now, however, his eyes were closed and his expression was solemn. The Nichirin Blade in his hand, patterned with yellow lightning, sliced through both demons' necks in an instant.

Thud! Thud!

Two heads dropped to the ground.

The yellow-haired boy stood behind the two demons with a huge lump on his head, his Nichirin Blade already back in its sheath.

"He beat me to it?" Chiba Yo sheathed his Nichirin Blade, feeling a little disappointed.