"You want Tanjiro to fight at his absolute limit against a demon—and then observe how he responds under that kind of pressure?"
"Exactly." Uzui nodded.
"During the last test, both sides held back. There was no way for either of them to go all out. If Iguro had fought seriously from the start, Tanjiro wouldn't have had the opportunity to release his Blood Demon Art. And Tanjiro himself held back as well—he never once aimed for Iguro's vital points. But against a demon, neither side needs to show restraint."
"And when it comes to uncertain variables, there's no such thing as being overly cautious."
"Hm… Then let's find a Lower Moon. If anything goes wrong, a Hashira can intervene immediately."
Hiru gave a thoughtful nod.
"I have a reliable source of information. I'll handle the search myself. Once I locate a target, I'll notify whichever Hashira holds jurisdiction in the area so they can observe. The hunt itself can also serve as training for Nezuko and the others."
The remaining Hashira voiced no objections, and the plan was approved.
After the meeting, Hiru adjusted Ubuyashiki's medicine during his routine examination and instructed Kanae and Shinobu, who currently oversaw the infirmary, to monitor his condition closely. If there was the slightest sign of deterioration, they were to inform him at once.
With that settled, Hiru wasted no time heading toward Mount Fujikasane.
Taking advantage of the few days before the Final Selection, he personally herded several additional demons into the mountain, barely managing to bring the total within its boundaries to fifty.
Next year, I'm claiming this task first, no matter what. This is exhausting. Has Ubuyashiki really left the whole thing to me? Don't the others hunt demons too?
Perched high within dense branches, concealed among the leaves, Hiru looked down at the candidates gathering below, his thoughts slowly drifting.
There were quite a few familiar faces this year—Nezuko and Takeo, Tsuyuri Kanao, who had been taken in by Kanae and Shinobu, and Genya, Sanemi's younger brother.
Off to one side, he also spotted Zenitsu—the disciple of that irritable old man from Momoyama—with a distinct handprint on his cheek and eyes red from crying.
Hiru's gaze lingered on him.
This kid didn't want to come and got beaten into it, didn't he?
As if sensing something, Zenitsu suddenly shuddered violently. Terror flooded his eyes as he frantically scanned his surroundings—until his gaze locked onto a specific direction. His entire body began trembling uncontrollably.
This is the Final Selection, right? Then why is there a demon with a voice that terrifying?! I'm going to die—I'm definitely going to die!
I can't do this! I'm so scared! I want to go back to Momoyama and stay with Gramps! And those two kids over there are scary too—why do they talk like that?! It's terrifying! I'm absolutely going to die! I'm sorry, Gramps! I can't live up to your expectations!
Even shaking like a leaf, Zenitsu still followed the other candidates into the mountain.
But when the first demon lunged at him, he let out a shriek loud enough to split the air and scrambled wildly across the ground. Then, when another demon charged straight at him, his eyes rolled back—and he collapsed on the spot, fainting from sheer terror.
That was the scene Hiru arrived to witness after following into the mountain to keep watch over the children.
…Is this kid here for comic relief?
Hiru sighed, preparing to suppress the demons and throw the unconscious Zenitsu out of the testing grounds before checking on the others.
Yet just as he was about to intervene, the boy who had fainted suddenly rose to his feet.
White vapor streamed visibly from his mouth. Lowering his stance, he vanished in a blur—
—and in a single motion, cleanly beheaded both attacking demons.
Then he promptly collapsed again.
Hiru froze.
…?
???
He stood there stiffly for a long moment, utterly unable to process what had just happened in the span of a breath.
How did those two demons just die?
Driven by curiosity, he stepped closer. The boy's eyes were rolled back, his breathing steady.
He was completely, thoroughly unconscious.
Unbelievable. When he's awake, he's timid as a mouse, screaming at the slightest provocation. Yet once he faints, he fights like that? How do you even cultivate a combat style like this? What on earth did that old man do to his disciple?
Hiru drew in a sharp breath and covered his mouth as he looked at the fallen boy.
This one might be unexpectedly formidable…
Well, no need to interfere. I'll check on the others.
The second child he encountered was Tsuyuri Kanao.
The gentle-looking girl wore a soft smile as she cleanly severed a demon's head without hesitation. Yet her eyes remained hollow.
Hiru watched as she paused at a fork in the path. After a moment of stillness, she took out a coin, flipped it into the air, caught it—
—and only then chose her direction.
Not a serious issue.
But she still hasn't stepped out of her trauma.
Hiru shook his head lightly and moved on.
Along the way, he encountered a bare-chested boy wearing a boar's head, rampaging recklessly through the forest and frightening quite a few candidates in the process.
Out of curiosity, Hiru followed him for a while—just to confirm that he was indeed human and not some mountain spirit masquerading as one—before continuing on.
This time, he found Nezuko and Takeo.
The siblings appeared to have just finished a fight. Nezuko was seated against a tree, pale-faced, one hand covering her mouth. Takeo stood beside her, concern written plainly across his face.
"Are you alright, Sister?"
"I'm fine…" Nezuko replied, still covering her mouth, her complexion drained of color. "It wasn't noticeable during the fight… but remembering it afterward makes me feel sick. I just need a moment."
"Then I'll find some water. Maybe drinking a little will help."
"No, it's alright. Just let me settle myself." Nezuko looked up with a faint smile—though it was clearly forced. "Sorry. I was supposed to take care of you… but I ended up holding you back instead."
"No. I feel sick too." Takeo glanced around cautiously. "But since we chose this path, even if it makes us uncomfortable, we have to get used to it as soon as possible, right? Let's find somewhere sheltered from the wind and rain next. We'll be in these mountains for seven days."
"Alright… mm—!" Nezuko suddenly pressed her hand tighter over her mouth. "Sorry, Takeo. I think I need to… find somewhere to throw up…"
Hiru watched silently as Takeo anxiously patted her back.
He shook his head slightly. A faint ripple of emotion stirred in him—but his worry eased.
Quietly, he shifted direction once more to search for Genya.