When the first rays of dawn pierced the clouds and fell upon Mount Fujikasane, the symphony of bloodshed and screams that had lasted seven days and seven nights finally drew to a close.
Sasuke emerged from the mountain forest and returned to where he had started.
His dark blue training clothes were spotless.
Apart from the Hand Demon's blood, still wet on his wakizashi, he looked like a passerby who had come here merely for an outing.
He was utterly out of place in his surroundings.
The wisteria in full bloom remained eerily beautiful.
A handful of people already stood scattered before the sea of flowers.
They were the survivors of this brutal trial.
Sasuke glanced over them.
Including him, there were five.
Of more than twenty spirited youths, only five had survived in the end.
One of them was the timid senior fellow disciple who had drawn his blood during sparring, Zenitsu Agatsuma.
Zenitsu looked utterly wretched.
He was covered in wounds, his clothes were in tatters, and tears and snot still streaked his face. He hugged his arms and trembled, endlessly muttering, "I'm saved. I'm finally saved."
When he saw the unscathed Sasuke, his eyes, already filled with terror, instantly widened further.
He opened his mouth, as though he had seen a savior-or something more terrifying than a demon.
He wanted to run over, but did not dare.
In the end, he merely shifted his feet and let out a meaningless "Ah, ah."
Sasuke's gaze lingered on him for less than a second.
Then he looked away.
Weakling.
That was his only assessment.
Another was the girl in the Butterfly-wing-patterned Haori, who always wore a smile yet gave off a sense of distance.
Kanao Tsuyuri.
She seemed to have noticed Sasuke too, but simply stood there quietly without reacting.
Just then, the black-haired twins in white, Kiriya Ubuyashiki and Hinaki, stepped before them once more, as though they had appeared out of thin air.
"Welcome back."
"Congratulations, everyone."
Their young, calm voices announced the end of the trial.
"We are sincerely glad that you survived."
Next came the formal procedures for becoming swordsmen of the Demon Slayer Corps.
Uniforms were distributed, ranks assigned, and ore selected for their own Nichirin Blades.
Sasuke looked at the ores laid out on the ground, which supposedly absorbed sunlight, with little interest.
His power came from the system, from chakra.
To him, a blade was more often merely a medium for performing ninjutsu.
He casually picked a piece of ore that looked the most unremarkable.
The final step was the assignment of Messenger Crows responsible for communication.
One by one, Kasugai Crows flew onto their respective masters' shoulders.
Yet when Sasuke's turn came, the bird that flew over was no ordinary crow.
It was noticeably larger, with feathers as glossy as black jade and eyes as sharp as a hawk's.
It circled once, then landed steadily on Sasuke's shoulder without making a single unnecessary cry.
The other survivors all cast astonished looks his way.
With steady steps that belied his age, Kiriya Ubuyashiki made a point of approaching Sasuke.
He raised his head and quietly regarded Sasuke with eyes that closely resembled those of Oyakata-sama, Kagaya Ubuyashiki.
Then he spoke softly, in a voice only the two of them could hear.
"The Master is very interested in you."
"He hopes to witness your 'ninjutsu' firsthand someday."
Sasuke's eyelids twitched slightly.
He did not answer, merely returning the other's gaze calmly.
Was I being watched?
As expected.
After all, his system of power was indeed unique in this world.
Having delivered the message, Kiriya withdrew as though nothing had happened.
The surviving swordsmen set out on new journeys, each carrying their own exhaustion, hopes, and pain.
Sasuke also turned, preparing to leave.
His gaze turned toward the distant sky.
Just then, the system's cold notification sounded in his mind.
[Ding.] [Core mission: pass the final selection. Completed.] [Sasuke template proficiency increased.] [Calculating rewards...]
Sasuke ignored the subsequent notifications.
The trial on Mount Fujikasane was over.
But for him, everything had only just begun.
Life in the Demon Slayer Corps.
Clashes with the true powerhouses of this world, the Twelve Kizuki.
And the ultimate enemy hidden behind all demons...
Muzan Kibutsuji.
Cold killing intent flashed through Sasuke's eyes.
This would be a long road of vengeance, paved with blood and bones.
Before you continue