For Shinichi, he could walk through Mount Fujikasane with ease but for these young and inexperienced swordsmen, Mount Fujikasane was a perilous hunting ground—both for them and for the starving demons lurking within.
"AHH!!"
A short scream rang out as a swordsman had his throat torn open by a demon before he could even activate his Breathing Technique.
Blood splattered and the thick scent of it instantly attracted more hungry demons.
Soon, a group of demons were tearing into each other, fighting over the flesh.
The Final Selection was cruel in this way—either the swordsmen slayed the demons, or the demons slaughtered the swordsmen.
In the sky, a Kasugai Crow witnessed this scene clearly, but it was powerless to stop it.
All it could do was observe from above, ensuring no uncontrollable factors arose during the Final Selection.
Thus, for the swordsmen participating in the Final Selection, the only thing they could rely on to pass was the Nichirin Blade in their hands.
****
"Flower Breathing, Fourth Form: Crimson Hanagoromo!" Two peach-colored slashes flashed out left and right in an instant, decapitating two snarling demons before they could react.
Kanae Kocho tightened her grip on her Nichirin Blade, a hint of regret flashing across her face.
"What a shame. These two demons have completely lost their sanity. There was no way to communicate with them."
"Sister! They're demons! Stop always trying to talk to them, okay? How could demons possibly be reasoned with?" Shinobu Kocho said in frustration, having only half-drawn her Nichirin Blade.
Compared to her sister, her reaction was far too slow.
"Ara, Shinobu, you don't have to say it like that. I believe there are demon gentlemen out there who can be communicated with peacefully. Just as there are good and bad people, since demons can have emotions, there must also be good demons who can be reasoned with." Kanae smiled as she sheathed her blade.
Shinobu had argued with her sister about this more than once, but Kanae stance was firm.
Gradually, Shinobu gave up trying to persuade her and instead brought up another matter.
"Sister! I've been training hard too—stop protecting me like a child! I can slay demons as well!"
As she spoke, Shinobu patted the Nichirin Blade at her waist.
Kanae blinked in surprise.
"Eh? But, Shinobu, a demon neck isn't like the wooden posts we've cut before. They're very tough. You..."
Kanae and Shinobu master taught them Flower Breathing, a derivative of Water Breathing.
While inheriting the strengths of Water Breathing, Flower Breathing elegant and beautiful techniques were better suited for female swordsmen.
Moreover, the dazzling visuals accompanying each Flower Breathing attack could confuse enemies, allowing for more strikes to be unleashed—effectively compensating for the disadvantage of female swordsmen generally having less physical strength than their male counterparts.
However, as their master had said, even Flower Breathing which didn't demand much strength, wasn't very suitable for Shinobu.
Her arms were too slender and her strength was lacking—she could barely cut through wooden posts, let alone a demon neck.
"Hmph! I'll prove it to you, Sister!" Shinobu huffed angrily before turning and running deeper into Mount Fujikasane.
"Wait, Shinobu! Wait for me!" Kanae exclaimed, immediately chasing after her sister figure.
Perhaps she had indeed been overly protective of Shinobu, but that wasn't her intention—it's just that Shinobu was her last remaining family and instinctively, Kanae wanted to keep her safe.
Grrrr...
Not long after the Kocho sisters left, a low growling sound faintly emerged from the roadside bushes.
****
Time passed quickly and before they knew it, half of the Final Selection had elapsed.
Yet for the swordsmen still surviving on Mount Fujikasane, every second felt agonizingly long.
Under the watchful eyes of the Kasugai Crows, more than half of the swordsmen might have already fallen prey to the Demons.
Tap, Tap.
The sound of specially-made wooden sandals stepping on dried leaves rang out crisply, standing out starkly in the silent mountain forest.
A small figure groped her way forward through the woods, her violet eyes filled with obvious tension.
Her slender hand gripped the hilt of her Nichirin Blade tightly, her fingers turning slightly pale from the force.
Though it seemed surreal, Shinobu Kocho had indeed accidentally gotten separated from her older sister, Kanae.
This wasn't intentional—though she sometimes resented her sister's overprotectiveness, Shinobu knew deep down that facing Demons alone would be a struggle for her.
All Shinobu had wanted was for her sister to ease up on the coddling so she could show off her training results.
She never meant to get separated!
After all, she was just a little girl barely over ten years old.
Once parted from her sister, Shinobu was quickly overwhelmed by anxiety and confusion.
Walking alone through the mountain forest, she felt powerless, as if abandoned and swallowed by darkness.
"Sis..."
Still just a child, Shinobu murmured her sister name in a low voice, her large violet eyes growing misty.
The little girl was clearly frightened.
It was at that moment Shinobu faintly heard someone screams.
Without hesitation, she immediately ran toward the source of the sound.
Having gone nearly an entire night without seeing another living soul, Shinobu was desperate upon suddenly hearing voices.
"Ahhh!! Help!! Help me!! No! Don't eat me!!"
As she drew closer, the screams grew clearer, eventually turning into desperate, agonized wails—as if the person had encountered a truly terrifying Demon.
Though the screams sent chills down Shinobu spine, she still tightened her grip on her Nichirin Blade and rushed toward their origin.
When she pushed aside the obstructing bushes, the scene before her made Shinobu eyes widen in shock.
Under the moonlight, a Demon—easily eight times Shinobu size—was stuffing a screaming young man into its millstone-sized mouth with its stubby arms.
The swordsman was a young boy, already terrified out of his wits.
His Nichirin Blade had fallen to the ground during the earlier struggle and now he flailed his arms uselessly while screaming for help.
The Demon clutching him resembled a massive lump of rotting mud, its body covered in layers of pockmarked, uneven skin. Its limbs were absurdly short, but most horrifying of all was its gaping, millstone-sized mouth.
At this moment, the boy lower body had already been stuffed into the Big-Mouthed Demon jaws.
Crunch! Crunch!
The horrifying sounds of chewing and grinding continued relentlessly, with bright red blood and shredded flesh constantly oozing from the corners of the demon's mouth.
Damn it! This demon was actually eating someone alive!
Swish!
Without a second thought, Shinobu immediately drew the Nichirin Blade from her waist.
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