"Master, can I really go participate in the Final Selection?" Tanjiro asked excitedly yet nervously as he sat at the small wooden table in the tiny but tidy wooden cabin.
Across from Tanjiro, Sakonji Urokodaki's carving knife paused briefly upon hearing those words.
After a few seconds, he set down the half-finished fox warding mask and looked up, facing the young boy before him.
The blue eyes behind the tengu mask seemed able to pierce through one's heart, but Tanjiro met his gaze calmly.
Before Urokodaki could respond, the sound of hurried but light footsteps suddenly came from outside the cabin.
Soon after, a cute little head biting a bamboo muzzle peeked in from the doorway, large cherry-red eyes curiously watching the master and disciple inside.
"Nezuko, you're awake," Tanjiro said happily upon seeing his sister.
Hearing her brother call her name, Nezuko quickly ran to Tanjiro's side and hugged him with her short arms.
Seeing the heartwarming scene between the siblings, Urokodaki's pupils trembled slightly.
Finally, he slowly spoke, "Tanjiro, since you're ready, then go. I believe you will succeed."
As he spoke, Urokodaki stood up and took an exquisitely carved fox mask from the cabinet beside the cabin, solemnly handing it to Tanjiro.
Tanjiro quickly pulled the clingy Nezuko away gently, then straightened up and accepted the fox mask with both hands.
During his two years on Mt. Sagiri, he had learned early on what this fox mask meant from his senpais' introductions and his own observations.
"Go, Tanjiro. Nezuko will stay here on Mt. Sagiri for now. We'll wait here together for news of your successful return," Urokodaki said, patting Tanjiro's shoulder lightly.
"Master, Nezuko, I will definitely succeed!" Tanjiro said excitedly.
*****
Two days later.
Urokodaki and several other disciples saw Tanjiro and three other disciples off at the mountain path leading out of Mt. Sagiri as they set out for Mt. Fujikasane to participate in the Final Selection.
The disciples beside him couldn't help but comment.
"Tanjiro-kun has improved so quickly, even though his talent is about the same as ours."
"Well, although his talent is similar, we really can't compare to Tanjiro's effort. There's no denying that. He trains until late at night almost every day and is the first to get up and train in the morning. If Tanjiro couldn't surpass us with that kind of dedication, it would be truly unfair."
"Tanjiro, Fuyuki, Kei, Jibei, good luck!"
Urokodaki heard his disciples cheering for Tanjiro and the others.
As he watched their retreating figures, he too silently encouraged his disciples.
At the same time, he thought of Sabito and Giyu.
When they had participated in the Final Selection back then, he had prayed for them just like this.
The shouting of the crowd woke up Nezuko, who had been curled up sleeping in the bamboo basket.
Upon waking, Nezuko immediately followed her brother scent, running out of the wooden cabin.
But to Nezuko's confusion, her brother's scent was somehow getting fainter and fainter.
Suddenly, a figure blocked Nezuko's path.
Nezuko raised her little head, tilting it in confusion.
Urokodaki crouched down and spoke in a gentle voice his disciples had never heard before.
"Nezuko, are you looking for Tanjiro? Don't worry, he'll be back soon. Come, let's go back."
Although Nezuko was a bit confused, she recognized Urokodaki and knew he was very kind to her brother and herself.
In Tanjiro's words, Master Urokodaki had a trustworthy scent.
So Nezuko obediently reached out to hold Urokodaki's finger and walked back to the cabin.
However, before returning to the cabin, Nezuko looked back in one direction - the direction Tanjiro had left Mt. Sagiri.
...
As Tanjiro, wearing the fox mask, stepped out of Mt. Sagiri, he also turned back to look at the mountain one more time.
"Nezuko, wait for me. Your brother will definitely come back and absolutely turn you back into a human!"
"Oi! Tanjiro, what are you looking at? Let's go!" His senpai Fuyuki's voice brought Tanjiro back to reality.
Tanjiro quickly turned around and hurried to catch up with his three senpais.
"Coming!"
Traveling with fellow disciples was certainly easier than going alone.
At least on the road, Tanjiro and his three senpais were chatting and laughing.
Since they were going to participate in the Final Selection, the topics of conversation naturally revolved around the Demon Slayer Corps and demon hunting.
As they talked, they eventually discussed the current Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps.
Mentioning this, the disciples from Mt. Sagiri couldn't help but show a hint of pride on their faces.
After all, two of the current Hashira were their senpais!
"Speaking of this, which Hashira do you think is the strongest?" Tanjiro's senpai 'Kei' suddenly interjected.
Another senpai, Jibei, said: "That's really hard to say. I think all the Hashira are very powerful. If I had to choose, I think the Wave Hashira, Sabito-senpai, is probably a bit stronger? I heard from Makomo-senpai before that the Water Hashira, Giyu-senpai often loses to Sabito-senpai in sparring matches."
Fuyuki shook his head and continued: "We can't say that for sure. Not to mention the previous Hashira, even now there are several newly appointed Hashira. Unless all the Hashira spar and compete with each other, there's no way to compare them."
Listening to his senpais' discussion, Tanjiro fell silent.
He thought of his home and remembered the battle between his senpai Giyu and that powerful demon in front of his house.
Tanjiro might not be able to say which Hashira was the strongest, but he had a deep understanding of how strong that demon was that day.
Giyu had been suppressed for almost the entire fight.
After nearly two years of training, Tanjiro was no longer the naive charcoal-selling boy he once was.
He knew very well that the Hashira were already almost the strongest fighting force in the Demon Slayer Corps, but this still didn't mean that the Hashira could defeat all demons.
Among the demons, there were also many extremely powerful ones.
Just like the story Master Urokodaki had told everyone that day - the story of the Twelve Demon Moons.
Thinking of this, Tanjiro's heart also felt a bit heavy.
However, he quickly regained his composure.
No matter how difficult the future might be, he would never give up.
He must defeat the demons and definitely turn his sister back into a human so she could return to a normal life!
Moreover, he was never alone on this difficult path.
Master Urokodaki, his senpais, Giyu, Sabito and many more Demon Slayer Corps members - everyone was striving forward together.
So Tanjiro was not afraid.
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