"Not good… Looks like I lost them."
Haruto gripped his blade tightly, moving cautiously through the forest as his thoughts raced.
What's with those two fox-mask kids? Are they some kind of demon-fighting fanatics? He scowled.
The moment they hear a demon's wail or a Demon Slayer-in-training's cry, they bolt faster than rabbits.
All he did was hesitate for a second, debating whether to stay closer to them, and the next thing he knew, they had vanished.
"Great. Now it's just me." He sighed deeply.
Should've just reported this to the Ubuyashiki family's liaison back then. Forty-year-old demons in Mount Fujikasane for the selection? That's outrageous! But the thought of explaining how he even knew about it before the trial started made his head hurt.
As Haruto mulled over his predicament, something darted through the trees nearby.
A foul, rancid stench hit his nose, making him flinch.
No need to expand my senses for this one, he thought grimly, gripping his sword tighter and scanning his surroundings.
The scent of a demon.
With a rustle of leaves, a dark shadow burst forth, claws slicing through the air straight at Haruto!
He leapt back two steps, reversing his grip on his blade as he drew it, the steel flashing in an arc through the night.
"Slash!"
The blade sang as it cleaved through the demon's arm, the severed limb falling with a thud. The demon howled in pain, leaping back while glaring at Haruto with needle-sharp pupils full of malice.
Compared to the Hand Demon he'd encountered before, this one was weak.
Haruto hadn't even used a breathing technique—just pure swordsmanship—and the creature's arm was already gone.
He steadied his breathing, his gaze meeting the demon's ravenous, bloodshot eyes.
"So… hungry…" the demon rasped, its tongue lolling out, drool dripping to the ground. After a brief hesitation, it lunged again, claws extended.
"Flame Breathing, First Form…"
Haruto shifted his weight forward, dragging his blade behind him. The fiery energy surged in his chest as he whispered:
"Unknowing Fire."
The Nichirin blade ignited with flames as he darted forward, the blazing edge slicing through the air like a comet.
"Thunk!"
In a single swift strike, the demon's head separated from its body. The grotesque head rolled to the ground as the headless corpse collapsed, both disintegrating into ash.
Haruto slid his blade back into its sheath with practiced precision, sparing the fading remains one last glance before exhaling in relief.
"Alright! First demon kill. When I'm out of here, I'm treating myself to a feast!"
The first night in Mount Fujikasane was always the toughest of the seven-day trial.
Everyone had to stay sharp, nerves stretched taut, desperately waiting for the first light of dawn.
Haruto relied on his sharp senses as he navigated the dense forest. Aside from the Hand Demon, none of the other demons posed much of a threat.
He followed the mountain path, steering clear of the area where he'd last seen the Hand Demon.
As he moved through the shadows, a figure emerged from the gloom—a boy carrying an unconscious swordsman on his back. The unconscious swordsman wore a dark red haori, and Haruto recognized him instantly.
It was one of the fox-mask boys.
The mask was gone now, revealing a surprisingly delicate face under the tousled black hair. Even unconscious, the boy carried an air of arrogance. Typical, Haruto thought wryly.
The boy carrying him had a middle-part hairstyle and a panicked expression.
"What happened?" Haruto asked, stepping forward to steady them.
The boy flinched but answered, "I… I don't know. A kid wearing the same fox mask handed him to me and ran off. I'm trying to find a safe place to hide."
Haruto's brows furrowed. "Was his hair pinkish? Which way did he go?"
The boy nodded, wiping sweat from his brow. "Yeah, sounded pretty young. He went up that slope over there."
Looks like the good-looking ones are always the kind-hearted ones, Haruto mused, then asked, "What's his name?"
"Giyu. Tomioka Giyu. The boy who handed him over introduced himself as Sabito."
Ah, so that's how you pronounce that kanji. Haruto nodded in understanding and clapped the boy on the shoulder.
"Then I'll leave this Giyu kid in your care!"
"H-Hey! You're leaving me alone with him?!"
"Of course! You've already promised to protect him, right? A promise is a promise!" Haruto said cheerfully, giving the boy an encouraging thumbs-up before heading up the slope.
What drove Haruto forward wasn't just the eerie memory of Sabito's last attempt to save him in his previous life. It was the thought of Sabito potentially dying in his place this time.
He couldn't accept that. Not when Sabito had once tried to pull him out of despair.
Following the trail of whispers and hints from other swordsmen, Haruto pressed on.
"That soft-spoken boy? He helped us earlier. Without him, we wouldn't have survived."
"He headed down the mountain, but he looked exhausted. I think he's been fighting nonstop."
"I saw him a moment ago. He's incredible. I hope we all pass this trial."
The frostiness from the start of the selection had melted. Whatever Sabito had done, he'd earned the respect of everyone he encountered.
Haruto wiped the sweat from his brow. Up ahead lay the territory of the Hand Demon.
Why is a monster like this on Mount Fujikasane?!
Sabito gripped his sword, every muscle trembling from exhaustion. His silver eyes locked onto the grotesque Hand Demon, its body pulsating with sickly green muscles and countless arms.
"Little fox…" the demon sneered, its voice dripping with venom. "Come join your friends in my belly!"
Sabito's heart seethed with rage. So many of Master Urokodaki's students… eaten by this thing…
With a sharp flick of his blade, he severed several outstretched arms, his movements fluid despite his fatigue.
"Water Breathing, Third Form: Flowing Dance!"
He darted forward, his blade cutting through the demon's defenses like a stream cascading through rocks. Just as he reached the demon's head, his sword snapped with a sickening crack.
Sabito's chest tightened as he saw one of the demon's hands racing toward him, claws gleaming.
Then came a burst of scorching wind.
A fiery blade cleaved through the demon's arm in a single motion, stopping the attack inches from Sabito's face.
A voice called out from behind him:
"Haruto Takanashi, reporting for duty!"
...
Pls drop some Power Stones