Chika and Tanjirou stood outside the wooden cabin, with Urokodaki beside them.
He held a mask in each hand and offered them to Chika and Tanjirou.
“These are Warding Masks.
They may protect you from calamity.
I will take good care of Nezuko while you are away for the Final Selection.
Go with peace of mind,” Urokodaki said solemnly.
Chika and Tanjirou accepted the oddly shaped masks and nodded.
At this moment, Tanjirou was wearing the blue uniform symbolizing Water Breathing, but Chika was not.
This touched upon a matter that left Chika utterly speechless.
That matter was Urokodaki’s miscalculation of Chika’s bust size, which resulted in the chest area of Chika’s female uniform being a bit…
roomy?
Unlike Nezuko’s impressive bust, her older sister Chika’s chest could only be considered as having barely escaped being flat.
When she first received the uniform, Chika even suspected it was born from Urokodaki’s ‘malice’ towards her.
Urokodaki’s response to this was, ‘The person who made the clothes said it was based on the average female bust size.’
Hearing this answer, the corner of Chika’s mouth twitched slightly, though her reaction wasn’t all that intense.
“Having a smaller chest isn’t so bad, is it?
Imagine how uncomfortable it would be to fight with a large chest.
I’m quite grateful mine is small.”
Chika’s words were truly not an excuse.
However, to Tanjirou and Urokodaki beside her, it sounded like a cry of despair.
Tanjirou, in particular, somehow produced two large steamed buns from nowhere…
But just as Tanjirou opened his mouth to undoubtedly say something terrible, Chika delivered a ‘fist of love’ to his incredibly hard forehead.
At the cost of losing eight hundred to inflict a thousand damage, she made Tanjirou shut his mouth.
Chika: D-don’t go too far!
The matter ended there without further discussion.
As for the uniform, it was taken off.
While such clothes serve to prove one’s identity, having Tanjirou wear his was enough.
At worst, she could fold the uniform, carry it with her, and present it if inspected.
Tanjirou gave a slight bow to Urokodaki before turning to leave for Mount Fujikasane.
Chika merely gave a faint nod towards the mountain.
Just as she was about to turn away, whether it was an illusion or reality, she saw two figures, a boy and a girl, in the distance behind Urokodaki.
Sabito and Makomo?
In the blink of an eye, the two figures vanished completely from Chika’s sight.
Sabito and Makomo were Urokodaki’s former disciples, people who died during the Final Selection.
If that scene just now wasn’t an illusion, then it was definitely like in the original story where Tanjirou saw their spirits.
Pure souls of the deceased, remaining in this world instead of passing on, likely due to their lingering attachments…
Don’t worry, I will tear that demon to pieces!
With a confident smile, Chika waved towards the direction where the two had appeared, then turned and left Urokodaki’s side, leaving behind a somewhat puzzled Urokodaki and an even more confused Sabito and Makomo.
“Sabito, did that girl see us?”
“Perhaps.
Tanjirou and…
Chika.
Perhaps they might be able to avenge us.”
Standing together, the two silently offered their blessings.
In truth, they…
especially Sabito, originally had the strength to kill the demon that took their lives.
But before encountering that demon, Sabito exhausted a great deal of stamina clearing out numerous low-level demons in the mountains to allow more examinees to survive.
His sword was severely worn down, leading to its blade shattering during the clash with that demon, and he had his head crushed by the demon…
That demon used the Warding Masks carried by Urokodaki’s disciples as a signal.
If it saw a bearer of the Warding Mask, it would turn to attack Urokodaki’s disciple even if other prey were before it.
In the battle awaiting them at Mount Fujikasane’s Final Selection, Chika and Tanjirou would undoubtedly become that demon’s targets.
While the final outcome wouldn’t change, Chika felt there was ample room to alter the process.
Killing it with a single slash felt a bit too merciful.
Walking beside Tanjirou, Chika lowered her head slightly, a demonic smile appearing on her face.
Mount Fujikasane wasn’t far, or rather, given their current speed, the distance wasn’t considered great.
Feeling the strong wind blowing against her face during their swift run, Chika felt wonderful.
Although she could feel the breeze on her face while being pushed in a wheelchair, the sensation of running with her own two legs was entirely different.
The two ran across the ground at speeds surpassing Usain Bolt’s, not stopping even as they neared Mount Fujikasane.
In the eyes of the others who had also arrived near Mount Fujikasane to ascend and participate in the Final Selection, it was, to exaggerate, like two gusts of wind blowing past.
More accurately, by the time they realized it, they could only see the two figures’ backs receding into the distance.
The path was lined with ‘Wisteria Trees’ bearing purple flowers resembling willow catkins.
The blooming Wisteria Flowers were like potent poison to demons, which was precisely why Mount Fujikasane was chosen as the site for the Demon Slayer Corps’ Final Selection—it was quite safe.
Upon reaching the mountainside, the two finally stopped.
The area was crowded with people like them, preparing to participate in the Final Selection.
Most wore grave expressions, clearly having made considerable resolve.
With just a casual glance, Chika immediately recognized several key characters from the original story.
Compared to the background extras, they were far too distinctive.
Blond hair, intense gaze—Zenitsu Agatsuma.
Scarred face, fierce eyes—Sanemi Shinazugawa.
Smiling face, pink clothes—Kanao Tsuyuri.
“Sister, we must pass the Final Selection!”
Uncertain of his current strength, Tanjirou was slightly nervous, worried about whether his abilities were sufficient to pass the Final Selection, so he was psyching himself up.
Chika remained silent.
Although she currently had no clear measure of her strength, she would soon find out.
The two stood together, quietly awaiting the start of the Final Selection.
As time passed second by second, more and more eyes turned towards them.
On one hand, it was because Chika beside Tanjirou wasn’t wearing a uniform similar to theirs and had an outstanding appearance.
On the other hand, those who arrived later than Chika and Tanjirou realized that the two gusts of wind seemed to be them, drawing attention to their strength.
After about half an hour passed, a man and a woman in kimonos (though one was a boy) holding lanterns walked up before them.
“Thank you all for coming tonight to participate in the Demon Slayer Corps’ Final Selection…”