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Kamihara Tetsuya brought Kanzaki Aoi to Purple Wisteria Mountain to participate in the Demon Slayer Corps' Final Selection.
On the way, with nothing to do, Kamihara Tetsuya decided to chat with Kanzaki Aoi: "So, have you finished practicing Water Breathing?"
Kanzaki Aoi shook her head, "I only understand the first six forms; I can't learn the remaining techniques no matter what."
That's it?
Kamihara Tetsuya was speechless. The Demon Slayer Corps' trainers were too irresponsible, daring to let her participate in the Final Selection. Were they trying to provide extra meals for demons?
Seeing Kamihara Tetsuya's expression, Kanzaki Aoi guessed what he was thinking and explained, "My teacher was very kind to me, but my talent is limited."
Kamihara Tetsuya fell silent. Kanzaki Aoi indeed had limited talent, and he could roughly guess the trainer's intentions.
Kanzaki Aoi couldn't learn the complete Water Breathing, but if she wanted to become a first-rate demon slayer...
Break or breakthrough!
Either die at the hands of a demon or break through and create another breathing style from Water Breathing.
Fighting for one's life sounded cruel, but the Demon Slayer Corps was not child's play. Those who joined the Demon Slayer Corps had long experienced separation and death; a hundred people might not even be able to form a pair of complete parents.
The Final Selection was the first test.
The strong members of the Demon Slayer Corps would capture demons that had only eaten one or two people, imprison them deep in the mountains, and plant wisteria flowers around them to prevent them from escaping.
New swordsmen needed to survive in the deep mountains for seven days and seven nights.
Very few people passed the Final Selection; most either withdrew or were eaten by demons.
"Just thinking about how terrifying demons are makes my hands tremble, unable to grip my nichirin blade," Kanzaki Aoi's beautiful eyes dimmed. That's why she had always stayed at Butterfly Mansion to help.
This time, she finally made up her mind: if she couldn't pass the Final Selection, she would stay at Butterfly Mansion permanently!
"It's okay, demons are nothing to be afraid of. You'll see tonight," Kamihara Tetsuya said confidently.
Kanzaki Aoi's heart stirred. Indeed, the gap between humans was greater than that between humans and dogs.
Kamihara Tetsuya encountered an Upper Moon, a demon that could even kill a Pillar, on his first mission, and returned unharmed.
During their casual chat, the two entered the Purple Wisteria Mountain area and began ascending the mountain steps.
Along the way, they could already see other new swordsmen. Kanzaki Aoi and Kamihara Tetsuya recognized almost none of them.
The new swordsmen eyed each other warily, clearly understanding one truth: the ugliness of human hearts was no less than the cruelty of demons.
The group climbed to the shrine halfway up the mountain.
Kamihara Tetsuya scanned the area. There were about twenty to thirty people, most of whom were background characters who wouldn't appear in the original timeline. Their auras were also very weak; it was a pile of cannon fodder.
But there were exceptions.
Kamihara Tetsuya's gaze focused on a handsome young man in the corner: Muichiro Tokito!
Muichiro Tokito was even younger, barely ten years old, with a slender build, long black hair, long bangs on both sides of his forehead, mint green tips, and matching mint green irises.
He wore an oversized, loose kimono and tightly gripped his nichirin blade. His aura was as calm as water, yet powerful.
"So strong."
Kamihara Tetsuya felt a heavy sense of solemnity. The aura Muichiro Tokito emitted was completely different from the surrounding cannon fodder, very close to Pillar-level.
Shortly after this Final Selection, he was expected to slay a Lower Moon and be promoted to a Pillar.
Muichiro Tokito keenly noticed Kamihara Tetsuya's gaze and turned his head slightly.
Kamihara Tetsuya nodded in greeting.
Muichiro Tokito did not respond, his face expressionless.
Kamihara Tetsuya withdrew his gaze. Muichiro Tokito was likely in an amnesiac state right now, so expecting any reaction or emotion from him was unrealistic.
"I feel like the people around me are so strong," Kanzaki Aoi's delicate body trembled weakly.
The cannon fodder in Kamihara Tetsuya's eyes were awe-inspiring presences to Kanzaki Aoi.
The surrounding new swordsmen ranged from teenagers to their early twenties. Some were burly and muscular, carrying exaggerated nichirin blades, exuding an imposing aura just by standing there.
Kamihara Tetsuya patted her shoulder and whispered, "Don't worry about it. Just take care of yourself."
Kamihara Tetsuya knew well that once they entered the deep mountains and faced demons, these guys would reveal their true colors.
To be honest, besides Muichiro Tokito, no other background character could capture Kamihara Tetsuya's attention...
"Hmm?"
Kamihara Tetsuya seemed to have spotted a character who wasn't a background extra. Because the timeline was earlier, these people were generally much younger, making it a bit difficult for him to recognize them.
It was a black-haired, green-eyed youth with a fierce expression and a cunning glint in his eyes.
Seeing Kamihara Tetsuya staring at him, the black-haired youth said coldly, "What are you looking at, you bastard brat? Are you looking down on me?! Do you want me to kill you?!"
At those words, Kamihara Tetsuya was not pleased.
What are you looking at?
What's it to you if I look!
Kamihara Tetsuya stared openly at the other party, his eyes full of provocation.
He finally remembered who this guy was: Kaigaku, one of the Thunder Breathing successors, Agatsuma Zenitsu's senior disciple in the protagonist's group, the disgrace of the Upper Moons, cannon fodder who was one-shotted.
"Haha, fight, fight!"
"Boring, I want to see blood flow!"
"That guy's name is Kamihara Tetsuya!"
...
On the eve of the tense Final Selection, this incident suddenly occurred. The new swordsmen, eager for entertainment, egged them on.
Kaigaku's face darkened. These bastards just wanted to see them make fools of themselves, didn't they!
Amidst the many clamoring voices, Kaigaku heard the name "Kamihara Tetsuya" and his heart sank.
It's over, I've kicked a steel plate!
News of Rengoku Kyoujurou and Sanemi Shinazugawa, two Pillars, encountering Upper Moon Three and suffering severe injuries, had spread widely within the Demon Slayer Corps and was known to everyone.
Kamihara Tetsuya's name was particularly prominent.
He intervened at the last moment, blocked Akaza's attack, saved the two Pillars, and forced the Upper Moon to retreat.
"Damn it, why is this guy participating in the Final Selection? He should just be promoted to Kinoe or Tsuchinoe rank directly. What are the higher-ups thinking?" Kaigaku cursed the Demon Slayer Corps' higher-ups in his heart, for making him run into Kamihara Tetsuya.
Recognizing Kamihara Tetsuya's identity, Kaigaku naturally dared not say anything more, lowering his head and retreating to the side.
"So boring, I thought this guy would be tougher!"
"Coward, wasting my time!"
"Never mind, he won't live to see tomorrow anyway!"
...
Seeing this, the surrounding new swordsmen looked disappointed.
Hearing the mocking voices around him, Kaigaku's eyes turned cold, and he felt a surge of humiliation. Bastards, why don't you dare to fight Kamihara Tetsuya?
As he looked at Kamihara Tetsuya's back, Kaigaku's eyes grew even more vicious. It was all this guy's fault; why did he have to stare at him? He brought him such great humiliation!
Along with everyone else around, Kaigaku hated them all. If you're not my friend, you're my enemy!
Kamihara Tetsuya cared even less. He was just a clown. If he provoked him, he would simply kill him in passing!