His gaze once again shifted to Luo En. Although the young man was exhausted, his eyes and demeanor might be more suited to wielding a blade.
Just then, the demon's head slowly regained consciousness.
Unable to feel the existence of its body, its blood-red eyes glared venomously at Luo En and Tanjiro, and it squeezed a roar from its throat:
"Bastard! I'll kill you both! Come here! I'll gnaw you until there's not even a speck of bone left!"
However, its curse was interrupted by a golden light.
In the sky, the first ray of dawn pierced through the clouds, penetrating the intertwined branches and leaves, accurately casting itself upon the demon's head.
"Ah!"
A scream, so shrill it sounded inhuman, rang out.
Where the sunlight touched, the demon's skin sizzled and charred. A peculiar flame erupted from its flesh, burning away all its malice and curses.
In the blink of an eye, the head turned to ash in the morning light, scattering with the wind, as if it had never existed.
"Nezuko!"
Tanjiro cried out in alarm. Seeing this terrifying sight, his first thought was of his sister!
He frantically looked around and finally, in the shadow of a dilapidated shrine not far away, he saw his sister curled up tightly, hiding from the sun. Only then did he let out a sigh of relief.
Urokodaki Sakonji silently watched all of this. He had received an urgent message from a Demon Slayer Corps kasugai crow, informing him of demon activity nearby, and had rushed over, but unfortunately, he was still a step too late; someone had already been killed.
He happened to encounter Luo En and Tanjiro confronting the demon. He also wanted to see how the young man recommended by Giyu was, so he didn't intervene immediately.
Now that the matter was resolved, he walked into the shrine, moved the victim's body out, dug a pit nearby, buried it, and clasped his hands together to pray for the departed soul!
Luo En watched this scene with a complex heart. Prayer might be useless, but it was the only thing the living could do for the dead.
In a world where even death found no peace, a little ritual might be the last dignity left to "humans."
He silently found a few unknown wildflowers nearby and gently placed them in front of the newly piled earth grave.
Since he had already arrived in this world, and didn't know when he could return, he had to get in touch with the extraordinary powers of this world to ensure he had a certain degree of self-preservation here.
The Demon Slayer Corps was his only choice.
In some respects, this world was even more dangerous than the Fairy Tail World!
After praying, Urokodaki stood up and turned to Luo En:
"This old man is Urokodaki Sakonji. You have a good disposition and a certain understanding of demons. Do you... want to join the Demon Slayer Corps?"
"Yes!"
Luo En answered without hesitation,
"My name is Luo En. You are from the Demon Slayer Corps, right? I originally wanted to try and find someone from the Demon Slayer Corps as well."
Now that he wanted to get in touch with someone from the Demon Slayer Corps, especially a trainer, this person in front of him was the most suitable, so he naturally couldn't miss this opportunity.
Urokodaki Sakonji did not immediately respond to Luo En, but instead turned his gaze to Tanjiro, who had just confirmed his sister's safety and walked out of the shrine.
"You are the one Tomioka Giyu recommended, aren't you?"
Upon hearing that the other party was Mr. Urokodaki Sakonji, whom he was looking for, Tanjiro quickly responded:
"Yes, I am Kamado Tanjiro, and my sister is Nezuko."
Instantly, Urokodaki's aura became incredibly sharp, and he stared intently at Tanjiro, asking:
"Kamado Tanjiro, answer me! If your sister Nezuko... eats a human, what will you do?"
"—!!"
Tanjiro was struck by lightning, his body stiff, his pupils suddenly contracting. He had never thought about, nor dared to think about, this question.
Urokodaki Sakonji's brows under his mask furrowed even more deeply, increasing his disappointment. He then turned his gaze to Luo En, wanting to hear his answer.
Seeing Urokodaki Sakonji's gaze on him, Luo En spoke without much hesitation:
"I can't be sure, but I might kill her with my own hands. If she became like that, she would probably be in extreme pain, so it's better to let her be free early. Then,"
He paused, a hint of darkness flashing in his eyes,
"I will follow her to atone for my incompetence."
Luo En truly couldn't imagine it, but if he really had a sister in this world who turned into a demon under Kibutsuji Muzan, perhaps death would be a better destination.
Urokodaki's eyes under his mask seemed to soften for a moment. He was clearly much more satisfied with Luo En's answer than with Tanjiro's.
After hearing Luo En's words and Urokodaki Sakonji's instruction, Tanjiro also made a promise that he would never let such a thing happen, otherwise he would personally kill Nezuko and then commit suicide to atone.
Urokodaki Sakonji looked deeply at Tanjiro. Although it wasn't entirely his own decision, at least... he had a clear attitude.
"Then, we will now begin the test to see if you have the qualifications to become a Demon Slayer swordsman."
He said to Tanjiro,
"Carry your sister and follow me."
Then, he slightly tilted his head, and his Tengu mask turned to Luo En:
"You, since you also want to join the Demon Slayer Corps, come along as well."
With that, Urokodaki Sakonji began to run down the mountain.
Tanjiro dared not delay, immediately rushed to the shrine, carefully carried the wooden box containing Nezuko on his back, and strenuously gave chase.
Luo En's eyes narrowed, he took a deep breath, and also strode out without hesitation, sprinting towards the direction where Urokodaki Sakonji had disappeared.
The wind whistled past his ears, his lungs felt like burning charcoal, and each breath brought a searing pain.
Luo En stared intently at the seemingly leisurely, yet ghost-like fast figure ahead. He knew that this was already Urokodaki Sakonji's deliberately slowed pace.
Fortunately, his body, tempered by magic for seven years in the Fairy Tail World, had good physical fitness. Even though both his soul and body were in a state of post-transmigration fatigue, he could still barely keep up.
He glanced back with his peripheral vision. The young man carrying the wooden box—Tanjiro—already had his forehead drenched with sweat, his steps faltering, and was also relying on sheer willpower to stubbornly follow behind.
The sun gradually set, and when the last rays of the setting sun shone on a lonely hut at the foot of the mountain, the long run finally came to an end.
"Ha... hah..."
Running from dawn to dusk, Luo En felt all his strength drained. He propped his hands on his knees, his chest heaving as he gasped for air.
Tanjiro, on the other hand, collapsed to the ground like a rag doll with all its bones removed, unable to even maintain a kneeling posture, slumping completely.
He used his last ounce of strength to squeeze out broken syllables from deep within his throat:
"Will... this... make... you... accept... me?"
Urokodaki Sakonji silently turned around, his gaze under the Tengu mask slowly sweeping over the two, lingering for a moment especially on the young man who had run to the finish line carrying his sister.
He slowly removed his headscarf, pushed open the creaking wooden door, his voice steady and without a ripple:
"The test... is only just beginning. Go up the mountain!"
After settling Nezuko inside the house, Luo En and Tanjiro once again followed Urokodaki's footsteps, entering the depths of Mount Sagiri, which was gradually being swallowed by the night.
Luo En was secretly astonished by Urokodaki Sakonji's inhuman physique—after such an intense sprint, he could still lead the way with steady steps, his breathing long and even, as if he had only gone for a stroll.