Chapter 20: Ascending the Mountain
"Behind me is the location for your upcoming assessment..."
Ubuyashiki Kagaya's gentle yet powerful voice echoed across the now-silent platform. The rules had already been explained when he first invited Kanzaki Akira and Himejima Gyomei to join the Demon Slayer Corps, and Akira remembered them clearly from his past life as well.
Still, Kagaya placed special emphasis on one final warning. He stressed that anyone lacking confidence in their own strength could withdraw now and return to their training. If, during the trial, they felt their abilities failing them, they were permitted to retreat early. Though they would fail the assessment, they would at least preserve their lives.
Unfortunately, most who joined the Demon Slayer Corps were driven by blood feuds with demons. Having come this far, they were naturally unwilling to turn back now. Few took the Master's final caution to heart.
And once they entered the mountain, it would be far too late by the time they realized their strength was insufficient.
As Kagaya announced the start of the Final Selection, the assembled candidates, each a storm of their own emotions, stepped onto a small path beside him and began their ascent. They passed through the final, fragrant barrier of wisteria flowers, arriving at the foot of a mountain teeming with captive demons.
Taking advantage of the sun that had not yet set, the hopefuls scattered in small groups to find a defensible place to wait out the first night. Some loners, uncertain of their own skills, began to form temporary alliances. Those with true confidence in their abilities, however, simply walked away alone.
As a swordswoman who had earned her place here under the notoriously strict tutelage of Urokodaki Sakonji, Makomo was naturally confident in her own strength. She, too, stepped into the mountain forest by herself, searching for a suitable place to spend the night.
Akira followed a moderate distance behind her.
He had to admit, she lived up to her reputation. In the original story, her incredible flexibility had allowed her to initially overwhelm the Hand Demon. Even now, her ordinary running speed was faster than that of most other participants. It was a tragic shame that the demon's psychological warfare had shattered her composure, creating a fatal opening that led to her brutal death.
Makomo quickly noticed Akira, who had made no effort to conceal his presence. Her pace immediately quickened. She wasn't accustomed to teaming up with strangers.
But she soon discovered that no matter how much she accelerated, she couldn't shake the figure trailing her. If she pushed any harder, she risked compromising her stamina for the night ahead.
Left with no other choice, she stopped and turned to face him.
She remembered this man. He was the one who had been able to converse so familiarly with the Master of the Demon Slayer Corps. That alone told her his strength was anything but simple. Now, seeing how effortlessly he had kept pace with her only confirmed her suspicions: he was very, very strong.
"You've been following me," she stated, her voice crisp and carrying a hint of detached coldness. "Is there something you need?"
"Nothing urgent," Akira replied with a disarming smile, standing a respectful distance away. "I just saw that you have decent skills and wanted to ask if you were interested in teaming up."
What else could he say? I've read the script, and following you will lead me straight to the hidden final boss? That probably wouldn't go over well.
"Not interested," Makomo refused without a moment's hesitation.
Her parents had been taken by demons when she was just a child. Having grown up lonely and helpless, she harbored an instinctive wariness toward anyone she didn't know.
Without waiting for Akira's response, she turned and continued on her way.
Seeing this, Akira didn't press the matter, merely falling back to ensure she remained within his line of sight. With his uniquely gifted vision, that "line of sight" was an exceptionally large area.
He was also using his ability to keep an eye on the other participants within his range. After all, he now considered Ubuyashiki Kagaya a friend. The man had provided him and Kuwajima Jigoro with excellent care in every regard, so Akira was more than willing to lend a hand where he could.
And so, the candidates, whether in groups or alone, all found suitable places to settle in before the sun dipped below the horizon.
While everyone else waited, their hearts pounding with fear or nervous anticipation for the coming onslaught, Akira found a sturdy tree branch and sat down cross-legged, perfectly at ease. The night was warm, a gentle early summer evening.
Soon, the faint sounds of crying and startled screams drifted to his ears.
"Sigh..."
Opening his eyes, Akira pinpointed the source. It wasn't too far. With a soft, weary sigh, he launched himself from the branch, rushing toward three figures being chased by a demon.
"Help—!"
These three were clearly the type Kuwajima had described—perfectly capable during daily training, but unable to even hold their swords steady when faced with a real demon.
Amidst their panicked flight, they saw only a flash of movement like lightning. In the next instant, the ferocious demon's head was rolling on the forest floor.
"If your swordsmanship is lacking, go back and practice. If you don't have the courage to draw your blade, go to logistics. But if you refuse to leave, then you're on your own the next time you meet a demon. I won't save you again."
Leaving them with those blunt words, Akira turned and left without another glance.
That demon's strength was far weaker than the so-called "River God" from the village. Akira couldn't fathom how these candidates could be so terrified by such a low-level threat. This was, in fact, the state of most demons on Fujikasane Mountain. They had been captured, wounded, and weakened before being released here. Combined with prolonged starvation, they had become little more than starving ghouls—full of ferocity but lacking any real power.
Except, of course, for the Hand Demon.
If they couldn't even handle this, they were better off giving up on the idea of slaying demons entirely. There was no shame in joining the support staff; without reliable logistics, how could those on the front lines fight with any peace of mind?
After returning to his perch, Akira noted that no one else within his sight was being hunted. Some had already dealt with their own encounters and were moving to new locations, wary of other demons being drawn by the sounds of battle. Others had been lucky and hadn't encountered a demon yet.
But the mountain was only so large, and the number of demons was not small. To these starving creatures, the scent of humans was as enticing as a world-class delicacy—no, it was a "demon-enticing" aroma. Everyone would surely face a demon tonight.
Akira didn't mind saving people in passing, so long as they were within his range. As for those outside his sight, they would have to fend for themselves. It was impossible for him to go to the trouble of clearing out every single demon on the entire mountain. Since these people chose to participate in the Final Selection, they had to take responsibility for their own choices.
Besides, he had a more important task: keeping an eye on Makomo, his "Hand Demon Bait." To truly help Kagaya, eliminating the outlier that was the Hand Demon was far more valuable than ushering a batch of under-qualified swordsmen through the trial.
And so the night wore on. Akira would occasionally leap into action, saving one or several candidates from a demon, leaving them with the same harsh advice. In between, he watched as Makomo cleanly dispatched the demons she encountered before moving to a new resting spot.
The first night of the Final Selection passed just like that.
The moment the first rays of sun broke over the mountain, a collective, secret sigh of relief was breathed by many.
At the base of the mountain, Ubuyashiki Kagaya fell into thought as he watched the departing figures of the few who had chosen to voluntarily withdraw from the assessment. From their descriptions, he knew that Kanzaki Akira must have stepped in to save them, his words prompting those who recognized their own insufficient strength to leave on their own accord.
For this, Kagaya felt a quiet, deep gratitude in his heart.
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