Early this morning, Kanzaki Kumo woke up as early as usual.
After eating breakfast amidst Kuwajima’s concerned exhortations, Kuwajima handed him his nichirin blade and stepped forward to straighten his clothes.
Looking at the boy before him who was not yet fourteen—a child who should have been playing carefree—embarking on the cruel path of demon slaying from this day forth, Kuwajima’s heart wavered.
Those rough hands pinched the corner of Kanzaki Kumo’s clothes for a long time without moving, as if he wanted to keep him there just like that.
“Teacher, we had an agreement.” Kanzaki Kumo placed his hand over Kuwajima’s, separating it from his clothes bit by bit.
His movements were slow but firm.
He knew Kuwajima’s thoughts, but he didn’t think he should take advantage of his young age to hide behind others with a clear conscience.
If his strength were insufficient, it would be one thing, but now that his strength far surpassed the vast majority of swordsmen in the Demon Slayer Corps, his conscience would bother him if he continued to hide.
Moreover, as long as demons existed, there was no such thing as an absolutely safe place in this world.
Becoming an official swordsman early, growing through actual combat, seeking opportunities to rewrite tragedies, and trying to plan for a better future—this was what Kanzaki Kumo believed he should do.
Since he had been reincarnated into this world, he had to do something.
Not for some grand ambition like saving all living souls, but simply so he would have no regrets.
“Go then, go, Brat.
Your wings have hardened after only a year, and now you’re taking flight…” Seeing Kanzaki Kumo’s determination, Kuwajima turned away as if in a huff, pulling his hand from Kanzaki Kumo’s grasp.
“I’m leaving, Teacher.
Wait for my good news.” Kanzaki Kumo bowed deeply to this old man who was a teacher, a friend, and an elder all in one.
Kuwajima said no more, only waving his hand with his back turned to Kanzaki Kumo.
Straightening up, Kanzaki Kumo turned and strode out of the small courtyard where he had lived for over a year, heading toward Fujikasane Mountain.
The distance between Peach Mountain and Fujikasane Mountain wasn’t particularly far.
Combined with the fact that he didn’t need to worry too much about stamina consumption during the day, Kanzaki Kumo arrived at Fujikasane Mountain before it was even noon.
Fujikasane Mountain was a very special peak, with a full circle of wisteria flowers planted around its mountainside.
Furthermore, the wisteria flowers here never withered throughout the four seasons.
Wisteria flowers were plants that demons loathed intensely.
Toxins extracted from them could even directly poison weaker demons to death.
It was for this reason that this mountain was chosen as the site for the Final Selection.
Because the demons in the mountain were weak creatures specifically captured by high-ranking swordsmen of the Demon Slayer Corps, the dense wisteria flowers ensured they could not escape.
Those participating in the selection only needed to survive in the mountain for seven days to pass.
Kanzaki Kumo recalled the rules of the Final Selection in his mind while admiring the sea of purple flowers along the way, stepping onto the plateau halfway up the mountain at a steady pace. This chapter was copied from novelping(.)com without permission.
This was the gathering place for those participating in the selection, and also the place they needed to return to after the selection ended.
At this time, many people had already gathered here, mostly in groups of twos and threes.
They likely came from the same Cultivator’s tutelage or knew each other before joining the Demon Slayer Corps.
There were also a few people standing alone to the side, clearly having no companions.
As the chief examiner, Ubuyashiki Kagaya stood on a small platform closest to the wisteria flowers, accompanied by his two daughters.
“Kagaya-san, long time no see.”
Kanzaki Kumo walked up and greeted him in a low voice.
After more than a year of correspondence, he had truly become friends with Ubuyashiki Kagaya, this young man who carried a heavy burden at such a young age.
In this era that placed extreme importance on hierarchy, such a situation shouldn’t have occurred.
However, Ubuyashiki Kagaya was too young, and burdened by heavy pressure, he also yearned for someone who would befriend him without caring about his status.
And Kanzaki Kumo, precisely because of the influence of his past life’s memories, fundamentally believed in the concept of equality for all.
Thus, the two of them could be said to have hit it off immediately.
“Kumo-kun, you’ve come.
I thought Mr.
Jigoro wouldn’t let you come.” Seeing Kanzaki Kumo, the gentle smile already on Kagaya’s face gained a bit more joy.
“It couldn’t be helped.
If I truly lacked ability, I could naturally hide behind others by virtue of my age.
But since I have the strength to kill demons, yet still hide in the rear enjoying the peaceful times upheld by the swordsmen of the Demon Slayer Corps, it just doesn’t feel right.” Facing Kagaya’s teasing, Kanzaki Kumo merely shrugged.
Just then, Kanzaki Kumo was slightly stunned.
He saw a faint but hideous purple mark hidden by the hair at Kagaya’s temple.
Kagaya only gave him a look suggesting he shouldn’t say anything, and both sides tacitly refrained from mentioning the matter.
Ubuyashiki Hinaki and Nichika watched their father chat so closely with this boy they had only met once before, their bright eyes blinking.
However, the education they had received was to never show their emotions in front of outsiders.
Therefore, even though they were very curious, they still didn’t ask, and even maintained the same gentle smiles that had initially matched Ubuyashiki Kagaya’s.
Kanzaki Kumo also knew that Kagaya needed to maintain his image in public, so after a brief chat, he walked to the side to find an empty spot to wait for the examination to begin.
All the participants cast either curious or scrutinizing glances at him, but he ignored them all.
He simply scanned the crowd on his own.
Relying on his powerful observation skills, he could see the marks left on their hands from training in swordsmanship and their subconscious body movements. Read the latest chapters at novelping . com.
From these details, he could glimpse something of their strength.
After a brief scan, Kanzaki Kumo discovered someone who surprised him.
It was a petite girl with black short hair that barely reached her shoulders.
She wore a slightly modified pink cherry blossom kimono that revealed her fair calves, with a sleeveless black haori over it.
Her delicate hands were still pressed against the hilt of her nichirin blade even while resting.
A smiling fox mask with a blue flower pattern concealed her face, but Kanzaki Kumo had already roughly determined her identity based on this outfit and the mask.
The disciple of the former Water Hashira Urokodaki Sakonji, Makomo.
A similarly talented and cute girl who had passed away early because of the Hand Demon, that overpowered’starting village’ boss.
He just hadn’t expected that he would be participating in the same Final Selection as this girl.
But this was fine too; he didn’t have to worry about not being able to find the Hand Demon.
After all, that thing had been able to hide in Fujikasane Mountain for decades; its ability to hide must not be weak.
Kanzaki Kumo really couldn’t guarantee he’d find it on his own.
But since Urokodaki Sakonji’s disciple was participating in the selection, he only needed to follow her.
That Hand Demon was personally captured and brought to Fujikasane Mountain by Urokodaki Sakonji, so its hatred for Urokodaki Sakonji’s disciples was already maxed out.
That fox mask was the key item for identifying a disciple of Urokodaki Sakonji.
When Kanzaki Kumo thought of the relevant memories, he couldn’t help but complain.
Urokodaki Sakonji’s disciples were killed batch after batch by the Hand Demon, yet this former Water Hashira only doubted his own teaching ability instead of wondering if a demon that novice swordsmen almost couldn’t contend with had appeared in Fujikasane Mountain.
As a former Hashira, could he not judge the level of his own disciples?
A more likely possibility was that the Final Selection was a long-standing rule of the Demon Slayer Corps, established and continued by successive masters.
Under the influence of hierarchical concepts, this former Hashira was unwilling to doubt the successive masters and could only doubt himself.
Without thinking further, Kanzaki Kumo shook his head slightly and focused his thoughts on the selection that was about to begin.
It was also at this moment that he noticed the girl had actually sensed his gaze.
She turned her head and met his eyes.
Kanzaki Kumo saw eyes filled with curiosity and confusion beneath the mask, as well as a seemingly slightly furrowed brow.
But after just one look, both sides looked away.
Because Ubuyashiki Kagaya had already begun to announce the examination rules, which meant the selection was about to start.
It might not seem tempting right now but who knows what the future holds?
“And If you’re enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!”