Word count: 2749
<—>
[—>★Final Selection
The final Selection is a test where the Demon Slayer Corps sends its recruits on a suicide mission to survive for seven days on a mountain swarming with demons. being the tough man you are, you are ready for the challenge.
Main Objective: Complete the Final Selection
Bonus Objective: Kill 15 demons (14/15)
Bonus Objective: Rescue 5 Participants (5/5)
Main Reward: 50,000 XP
Bonus Reward: 10,000XP - 5 STR - 5 DUR - 5 AGI - 5 END
Bonus Reward: 10 CHR]
[—>Prey to Hunter
In a world where demons prowl about, you're weak and pitiful, but you're determined to live your life to the fullest and show those who oppose you that you are not to be trifled with.
Main Objective: Kills 50 Demons (28/50)]
[Unarmed Martial Arts (Active) (LV 20/100): A codified system and traditions of combat have existed for centuries, doesn't use weapons. Increases your proficiency and damage done to opponents by 5%]
[Swordsmanship (active) (LV 14/100): Whether it's a large sword or a small one, unique or ordinary, swords have long been humanity's weapon of choice for combat throughout history, right up to the modern age. This skill boosts your proficiency and increases the damage you deal to opponents by 3.5%.]
[Name: Fujino Yuki
Level: 28 (1230/8400)
Race: human
Health: 330 / 330 (+2.2/sec)
Stamina: 370 / 370 (+2.5/sec)
STR: 45
DUR: 34
END: 33
AGI: 37
INT: 13
CHA: 17
Attributes Points (AP): 26]
Fujino smiled contentedly as he gazed at the screen. It was the last night of the final selection, and everything had gone remarkably well.
The choice of partaking in a glorified suicide mission turned out to be a great investment. In less than a week, he had taken down demons equivalent to two months' worth of work and had significantly leveled up in the process.
Moreover, he had made considerable progress in both Swordsmanship and Unarmed Martial Arts. He noticed that his skills improved much faster when he was engaged in battles with demons rather than practicing alone, leading him to realize that sparring or fighting was the key to quicker skill enhancement.
Regarding the quests, he was thrilled with his achievements, especially with the Final Selection quest. Although taking down 15 demons was challenging due to the risks involved and the sheer number, he managed to pull it off successfully.
As for the second bonus objective...
Let's just say it didn't quite go as planned.
<—>
(Flashback)
"Th-thank you! Thank you so much! When that demon showed up, I was so scared I thought I was gonna die! You're the only one who came to save me. I can't believe I'm still alive! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
Fujino was lamenting how he found himself in this situation
It was just another night on this cursed mountain; battling demons and searching for a place to rest. Then, he encountered a truly bizarre scene during his adventure.
A boy he recognized, dressed in a yellow and orange haori with a white triangle pattern, sporting an orange-yellow bowl cut and yellow eyes, was clinging to a tree and bawling his eyes out.
"Just stop! Please, I don't want to talk! Leave me alone! I can't deal with this right now!" the boy screamed, his eyes red and tears streaming down his face.
The kid, Zenitsu, Fujino recalled, was trembling in front of the demon he was supposedly "fighting." The demon, of course, could only watch in confusion at this display of "courage."
"...Is that thing supposed to be a demon slayer? This thing is just a crybaby."
"For once, I actually agree with a demon"
The demon nodded, only to whiplash to Fujino who beside it, casually draping an arm around his neck as if they were the best of friends.
"Yo."
"Wha-"
[2430 XP earned.]
Fujino seized the, drew his Nichirin Katana, and quickly beheaded it.
"Hey kid, it's done. You can come down now," Fujino shouted at Zenitsu, who was too busy crying to respond.
Seeing it had no effect, Fujino raised his voice again. "Oi, you fucking idiot, get down here! The demon's dead!" but it still didn't get through to him.
"GET THE FUCK DOWN HERE YOU STUPID PIECE OF SHIT!" he bellowed, startling Zenitsu out of his tears.
And that's how he ended up in this predicament, with Zenitsu sobbing all over his shirt, which was now soaked from the tears.
"If you hadn't come when you did, i would've died with no friends or a wife!" Zenitsu exclaimed, which only confused Fujino and pushed him over the edge.
"Get off." he said, pushing Zenitsu away, grimacing at his now snot-covered shirt. 'This kid is fucking disgusting' but Zenitsu, with his endless intelligence, misread the expression.
"W-what's with that look? Why are you looking at me like I'm a creature or something? It's totally reasonable to not want to die before getting married!" he shouted in his usual loud manner.
Fujino, however, was no longer focused on the annoying kid he regretted helping. His mind was on the bonus objective of the Final Selection quest.
[Bonus Objective: Rescue 5 Participants (2/5)]
'Shouldn't the count be 3 instead of 2? Why hasn't it updated?' The objective required him to save the participant's lives from demons, and this situation should have counted, unless...
'...Are you kidding me? All that bitching and whining when he could've defended himself? Did I really waste my time and favorite shirt on this whiny brat who could have taken care of it himself?'
Fujino hated this notion, evident by the veins bulging on his forehead.
"Not like you'd understand me or anything! In fact I don't think you've ever been chummy with a girl be-" Without hesitation, he delivered a swift kick to Zenitsu's crown jewels .
The blow sent him airborne for a second before he crashed face-first into the ground, completely unconscious. Fujino then grabbed him by the leg and dragged him back to the starting area. There was no way he was going to let this kid get through the Final Selection.
Not on his watch.
<—>
Thinking about it just makes him seethe with anger.
Fortunately, everything else went smoothly. The thought of the 10 CHA he'll earn fills him with excitement. How could Xeno dare to call him an "Unpleasant person to be around" and claim he has no friends?!
Even if that was true, he'll show him!
Regardless, he was already on the hunt for any demon to take down before the trial concluded. It would be a real shame to stumble at the finish line.
As if fate was on his side, he suddenly heard cries for help. A smirk spread across Fujino's face; it looked like he would snag that bonus after all.
He dashed toward the source of the noise, twigs and leaves crunching beneath his feet. Soon, he arrived at the scene, spotting a wannabe demon slayer fleeing in terror, his eyes wide and sweat pouring down his face.
"What the hell is that thing?! I didn't sign up for this!" he yelled as he bolted away. Fujino watched the slayer retreat until his gaze fell on the creature he was escaping from.
"Uhhhhh...?" was the most intelligent thing he could say.
He wasn't quite sure what he was looking at—grotesque, veiny, bulky, and a revolting shade of green. It had multiple arms coiled around itself and was clutching a lifeless human in its grasp. That thing was so hideous it could give the demon in that village a run for its money.
'H-holy shit, that thing smells!' The stench was so overwhelming that Fujino nearly gagged.
His stomach turned as the demon opened its enormous mouth and devoured the corpse in one gulp.
Watching this unfold made Fujino tremble slightly. He couldn't help it; his mind flashed back to his first encounter with a demon and that terrifying experience in the village, both of which had nearly cost him his life.
Seeing his worst fears come to life right before him made him want to flee.
'Shit, get it together man, you can't chicken it out now, You've come a long away for this.' His fear morphed into resolve. 'Observe'
[ —> The Hand Demon
Name: N/A
Level: 32
Health: 900/900
Stamina: 300/300]
'Let's do this!'
<—>
Tanjiro watched in horror as the Hand demon seized the fleeing slayer. His hand trembled as he gripped the katana tightly. He longed to rush in and help, but the demon's overpowering scent made his instincts scream for him to run away.
'No, Don't wimp out. You've come a long way. Save him! Save him! Save him!'
With determination, Tanjiro forced his legs to move, leaping at the demon just as it was about to claim its next victim. "Water breathing, second form: Water wheel!"
He spun vertically in the air, slicing through the demon's hands and freeing the slayer from its grip. "Don't just stand there, go!" he urged the slayer, who immediately obeyed.
The Hand demon, annoyed to see its meal escape, turned its attention to Tanjiro. A wicked glee spread across its ugly eyes as it noticed the mask he wore.
"Another sweet little fox has come to me," it taunted, its arms beginning to regenerate.
"Another?"
"Little fox, what is the year of Meiji now?"
"Meiji? it's the Taisho-era now."
"...Taisho?" the demon echoed, before erupting in fury.
"Are you kidding me? Again! Another era have passed since I've been stuck here?! Unforgivable! Unforgivable! Damn you, Urokodaki! Damn you, Urokodaki! Damn you, Urok-"
The demon's rant was abruptly interrupted as a figure appeared above it, slashing at its neck. Unfortunately, due to the awkward angle, the attack only cut its hands, forcing the figure to leap back.
"Damn, I missed!" he muttered as he landed beside Tanjiro.
Tanjiro's eyes widened in recognition as he took in the newcomer. It was the man from start of the Final Selection who had known his name!
"W-wait, you're--"
"Hey, Tanjrio! Glad to see you alive and kicking, how've you been? Hope the Final selection wasn't hard on ya," the newcomer greeted Tanjiro with a casual smile.
Tanjiro was stumped. Although he appreciated the assistance against the Hand Demon, he had numerous questions for this stranger. The most pressing one was,
"How do you know my name?" This question had been nagging at him for a while. Ever since their first encounter, he couldn't shake the thought of this person from his mind. He was certain he had never met him before, and he didn't recognize his scent at all.
"magic."
Since he was born, Tanjiro had an exceptional sense of smell. He could detect the faintest scents and even pick up on things beyond the ordinary, like thoughts and emotions. He could tell when someone was lying.
Until this moment, he had never doubted his sense of smell before.
Before he could ask more questions, they both had to defend themselves as the Hand Demon launched multiple attacks at them. "Enough! Don't ignore me!"
"Water breathing, Fourth Form: Striking Tide!" Tanjiro executed several slashes at the hands, cutting through them and leaping back before closing in again.
His eyes caught sight of Fujino doing the same, slicing through the hands before retreating. However, what intrigued him was that he didn't seem to be using any breathing techniques.
'Does he not practice concentrated breathing? If not, how can he hold his own against demons?' This was yet another question he desperately wanted to ask.
"Hey man. We were having a conversation here, don't butt in"
"I don't care! You and Urokodaki's brat have annoyed me long enough!"
"Is that so..." Fujino replied, then turned to Tanjiro. "Hey tanjiro, i want you pay close attention, alright?"
He then raised his blade and licked the blood off it, shocking both Tanjiro and the Hand Demon, who soon found themselves in disbelief as he began to take on a more demonic appearance.
"I want you to witness how badly this demon is getting their ass kicked" he grinned, revealing his sharp teeth as he stomped the ground, shattering it and launching himself toward the Hand Demon at incredible speed.
Tanjiro was utterly stunned. During his time on the mountain, he had encountered all sorts of demons, big and small, but he had never witnessed anything like this. He had never seen a human transform so... casually into a demon.
This also made him ponder whether this mysterious slayer could revert back to being human, and if he could...
A vision of his sister flashed in his mind, causing him to gasp. 'Nezuko!'
Another individual was having a similar thought process as Tanjiro, but for different reasons. 'Did he just become a demon?! How is that even possible?!'
The Hand Demon couldn't muse on it for long; he saw the demon-turned slayer charging at him and sent multiple hands his way, which he effortlessly sliced through.
The demon then stomped the ground, cracking it and sending some of its hands underground, hidden from Fujino's view.
As he got closer, he felt tremors beneath him and leaped high into the air. Hands erupted from the ground, chasing after him as he soared.
The demon grinned with delight and sent a hand from its body to crush this human/demon. Tanjiro felt a surge of worry as he witnessed the attack. "Look out!" he shouted, ready to jump in and save him.
But that wouldn't be necessary.
Fujino, upon spotting the hand, stored his sword into his Inventory and grabbed it as it came within reach. With a firm grip on the fingers, he pried the hand open and pulled himself up. He then used the arm as a direct path to the demon.
The demon, seeing the threat, panicked and attempted to unleash more attacks to defend itself, but they were all effortlessly sliced apart. As Fujino reached the demon, he dove straight at it.
"No, please—" the demon's plea was abruptly silenced as he severed its neck, decapitating it and leaving it to perish.
Tanjiro stood there, slack-jawed, unable to process what he had just witnessed. When he confronted the demon, he prepared himself for the possibility of his own death. However, seeing this stranger come and effortlessly beat the demon threw him off.
"Well, I hope you enjoyed the fight! Anyway, I'll be on my way now. Until we meet again," Fujino said casually as he began to walk away, snapping Tanjiro out of his daze.
"Wait!" Tanjiro called out, sprinting after Fujino, his mind racing with questions he needed answered.
"Please, tell me your name?"
"...Yuki Fujino."
Tanjiro opened his mouth to ask more, but it was too late; he was already gone, moving too quick for him to keep up.
As he watched Fujino disappear into the distance, a wave of disappointment washed over him for not getting the answers he wanted. But that feeling quickly transformed into determination. He might not have the answers right now, but his nose told him that he would find them soon.
<—>
[Objective updated: Prey to Hunter: (29/50)]
[Quest Completed!
—>★Final Selection
The final Selection is a test where the Demon Slayer Corps sends its recruits on a suicide mission to survive for seven days on a mountain swarming with demons. being the tough man you are, you are ready for the challenge.
Main Objective: Complete the Final Selection
Bonus Objective: Kill 15 demons (15/15)
Bonus Objective: Rescue 5 Participants (5/5)
Main Reward: 50,000 XP
Bonus Reward: 10,000XP - 5 STR - 5 DUR - 5 AGI - 5 END
Bonus Reward: 10 CHR]
[Name: Fujino Yuki
Level: 35 (652/11,000)
Race: human
Health: 380 / 380 (+2.5/sec)
Stamina: 420 / 420 (+2.8/sec)
STR: 50
DUR: 39
END: 38
AGI: 42
INT: 13
CHA: 27
Attributes Points (AP): 40]
Fujino grinned as he glanced at his status, feeling pleased with a week's worth of hard work. Now, he was making his way home, passing by the wisteria tree he had noticed on his way down the mountain.
When the final day of the Final Selection arrived and concluded, he ultimately opted out of attending the ceremony and joining the demon slayer corps. He had already showcased his Demonic Assimilation to others, and he was certain the Corps was aware of it. For his own safety, he decided to steer clear of the snake pit.
With that, Fujino left the mountain behind, heading straight for the bath he had longed for.
<—>
Taisho-era secrets!
The moment he saw it Fujino couldn't help but fall for that dark long-sleeved black shirt he wore. It was a rare find in the countryside, as western clothing was hard to come by. So he bought it because it brought back memories of his past life and felt much more comfortable than the typical attire around him. Getting it ruined likely played a big role in his choice to sabotage Zenitsu from completing the final selection.
<—>
Holy hell, that took a long time to write, but I hope it was worth it in the end. By the way, how did you guys like my writing of Zenitsu? I'll admit I'm not good at writing of his caliber, so I hope I did him justice.