Two nights went by quickly, and neither Ishida nor Sakura faced any real trouble. Ishida spent his time wandering through the forest, occasionally running into demons. However, most of these demons were pretty weak, like level 6 or below, so they weren't really a big deal for him.
Meanwhile, Sakura had a few minor skirmishes but mostly stayed put in one spot. She focused on defending herself against the demons that occasionally showed up around her.
On the third night of the Final Selection, things took a turn. Sakura, who had been sticking to one spot for quite a while, finally decided to move on and explore a bit further.
It wasn't long after she started walking that she heard someone yelling for help. "Help...! Help...!" echoed through the trees. At first, she hesitated, unsure of what to do. But curiosity and concern got the better of her, and she chose to investigate the cries.
After some time, she arrived at the source of the screams. What she saw made her freeze in shock, her face turning pale. There stood a terrifying demon, much taller and more menacing than any she had encountered before. Right before her eyes, it devoured a human, leaving her completely stunned.
She was utterly shocked, trembling with a mix of fear, disgust, and anger as she watched the demon devouring a human right in front of her eyes.
Before she could gather her thoughts, the demon turned its gaze towards her, noticing her presence.
"Ah, another meal has arrived, huh? Why don't you come over here and put up a fight, unlike the coward I just ate?" the demon taunted, its voice sending shivers down Sakura's spine. She felt paralyzed and uncertain about what to do next.
"Can I really fight it? Or will this be the end for me? I don't want to die. What should I do?" Sakura's mind was a whirl of confusion as she struggled to decide whether to stand her ground or retreat. She realized that escaping wouldn't be simple, especially now that the demon had spotted her.
The demon let out a disappointed grunt, "Another cowardly human. I can't stand weaklings. But hey, I won't turn down a meal that walks right up to me," it said, its words dripping with contempt.
Sakura, on the other hand, tried to calm her racing heart. She focused on taking deep breaths, recalling everything she had learned over the past few years. "Water Breathing, Third Form: Flowing Dance," she murmured, readying herself for the fight as she charged towards the demon.
With graceful movements, she swung her blade in a winding motion, her body moving in sync as if she were performing a dance. Her blade aimed straight for the demon's neck, slicing through with precision.
Once she landed back on the ground, she took a moment to catch her breath, trying to process what had just happened. "Did I defeat it? Did I really get it?" she wondered, glancing back to see the outcome of her attack.
What she saw next left her even more stunned. The demon stood there, completely unharmed, without so much as a scratch on its neck or anywhere else. Her attack had failed utterly.
"Well, at least you're not a coward," the demon said, its voice dripping with malice. "But you're definitely foolish for trying to take me on. Now, I'll enjoy turning you into my next meal even more."
Sakura found herself frozen in place, paralyzed by fear and disbelief. In the past two years of training, she had never encountered anything like this. Though she had faced only a handful of demons during her training, none had been this formidable.
The demon wasted no time and started advancing, its hands reaching out to grab her.
Sakura was aware of the danger, but her body refused to respond to her mind's desperate commands. "Why can't I move? I have to get away. I don't want to die like this," she thought frantically, yet she remained frozen in place, unable to budge as the demon's hand drew closer. She shut her eyes tightly, bracing for the inevitable.
But the impact never came. Tentatively, she opened her eyes, curious and confused about what had happened in front of her.
"I hope I wasn't too late. Are you okay?" asked the person now standing in front of Sakura. He held his sword firmly, effortlessly blocking the demon's attack. With a simple swing, he pushed the demon back, showing his strength.
The demon sneered, "Another nuisance. You people have no manners. Interrupting a meal is quite rude. You could have waited your turn."
Ignoring the demon's taunts, Ishida turned his attention back to Sakura. "Are you alright?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.
"Yes, I'm okay. Thanks for helping me," Sakura replied, still catching her breath. "But... he already killed the boy before I got here," she explained, knowing that Ishida must have heard the same scream that had drawn her to the scene.
"I see," Ishida said with a nod, understanding the situation. He stood up and faced the demon, determination in his eyes. "Stay here; I won't take long to deal with this," he assured her.