Chapter 3: Final Selection
The air on the mountain was cool and crisp, a stark contrast to the muggy humidity of the lowlands. The scent of wisteria was everywhere, a sweet, cloying perfume that should have been comforting but instead felt like a sinister promise. Kaito walked among the other candidates, a strange sense of misplaced nostalgia washing over him. This was it. The Final Selection. He had watched this scene play out a hundred times. He knew the players. He knew the stakes. He saw a boy with a distinctive checkered haori, and his heart gave a familiar pang. It was Tanjiro. The protagonist. The main character. Kaito was an anomaly, a side character who had stumbled into the main plot. The irony wasn't lost on him.
"This is it. The big show. Hand Demon's probably in there somewhere, just waiting for me."
He knew the Hand Demon was the major anomaly the [System] was warning him about. He knew its tragic backstory, its long, murderous history on this mountain. He had a dangerous advantage, a cheat sheet, and a crippling fear that he would mess it all up. The wisteria, a symbol of safety and hope for the others, was for Kaito a frame for a scene of impending danger, creating a sense of foreboding that was both beautiful and terrifying. His [System], ever the helpful sidekick, provided a new, unsettling function.
"Great. A mission list. Like a to-do list for not getting killed. At least the [System] appreciates the dark humor of the situation."
With the trial officially begun, he ventured deeper into the wisteria-filled woods, his mind focused on the Hand Demon.
The first demon was a fast-moving, multi-limbed creature, a blur of motion in the faint moonlight. It was not the Hand Demon, but it was just as deadly. Kaito's heart hammered in his chest, his sword a cold, familiar weight in his hand. He was no longer a total novice. He had a few missions under his belt, and his [System]'s [Optimize] and [Scan] functions had become a part of his fighting style. He saw the numbers, the weaknesses, the optimal attack vectors. He was a cyborg in a world of flesh and blood.
"Too fast… need to think…" he muttered, his mind working in overdrive.
The [System]'s message was cold, clinical, and devoid of emotion. It was just data, a series of commands designed to keep him alive. He moved, his body a blur of motion, his sword a flash of steel in the moonlight. He fought with a practiced ease, a dance of death he had no right to know. The demon's enraged growl filled the air, a sound that shook him to his core. He was pushing his body, pushing it beyond its limits. The world around him began to swim, his vision blurring at the edges.
He ignored the warning. He couldn't retreat. He wasn't a hero, but he was a survivor. He had a mission to complete, and he wasn't going to fail. He felt his body protest, his muscles screaming in agony, but he kept going, fueled by a raw, primal determination. He fought with every last ounce of strength, his mind buzzing with the "Overload Warning" and the cold, calculating data of the [System]. He was a machine, a weapon, and he had to win.
With a final, desperate lunge, he beheaded the demon. The creature dissolved into dust, and Kaito, victorious but exhausted, slumped against a tree, his body aching and his mind buzzing with the "Overload Warning." He had won, but the cost was immense. He was a survivor, but survival had a price. He had to keep pushing, keep fighting, and keep surviving.
**
The message flashed in his mind, and Kaito felt a strange resonance with Nezuko's demon blood art when he thought of her. The [System] was glitching, hinting at a new "Evolution" ability. It was a terrifying prospect. He was a machine, and he was evolving. He was becoming more than human, and the thought terrified him. He was a hero, a savior, and a monster all at once.
The world around him was a graveyard. The air was thick with the scent of wisteria and old blood. Kaito, his body aching and his mind buzzing with the "Overload Warning," stood among the remains of past slayers. He saw a huge, multi-armed silhouette lumbering through the trees—the Hand Demon. It was bigger, more grotesque, more terrifying than he had ever imagined. He knew its story, its tragic humanity, its long, desperate plea for death.
"This is it, big guy," Kaito muttered, his voice hoarse. "Last chance to run."
The Hand Demon stopped, its dozens of eyes fixed on Kaito. Its voice, a low, guttural growl, was filled with a terrible, desperate sadness. "Kill me! Please... kill me!"
Kaito felt a pang of empathy. This wasn't a monster; it was a man who had lost his humanity, a tragic figure in a cruel world. He was a fan, and he knew the story, but the visceral, brutal reality of it was a different matter. He had to fight, to kill, to end this creature's suffering. He was a hero, a slayer, and a monster, and he had to do his job. He charged forward, his sword a blur of motion. The fight was a bloody, bitter victory. He pushed his body to its limits, his mind buzzing with the "Overload Warning" and the Hand Demon's desperate plea.
As he delivered the final blow, his [System] provided a new, ironic ability name.
"Final Performance? Seriously? Was that a joke? Was the [System] making fun of me?"
He stumbled out of the forest, no longer just a fan, but a survivor. He was a hero, a slayer, and a monster, all at once. He left the mountain and the demons behind for now, but not the memories of the fight. He had survived, but survival had a price. He had to keep pushing, keep fighting, and keep surviving. He was no longer just a spectator; he was a player in a deadly game.
Love [ Demon Slayer: The Breath of Systematization ]? Unlock More Chapters and Support the Story!
Dive deeper into the world of [ Demon Slayer: The Breath of Systematization ] with exclusive access to 35+ chapters on my Patreon, plus new fanfic every week! Your support starting at just $5/month helps me keep crafting the stories you love across epic universes like [Grimm, Teen Wolf ,blacklist,Game Of Throne ,MCU and Arrowverse].
By joining, you're not just getting more chapters—you're helping me bring new worlds, twists, and adventures to life. Every pledge makes a huge difference!
👉 Join now at patreon.com/TheFinex5 and start reading today!