Trial Start
Along the way, Okane Kichiro didn't speak much to Kanao Tsuyuri—he wanted to avoid awkwardness. Instead, he admired the wisteria that lined the path. These flowers seemed to store sunlight, glowing faintly even in the dark of night.
Walking among them felt like stepping into a dream—ethereal, almost unreal.
At that moment, Okane Kichiro realized that entering Paradise wasn't such a bad idea after all. At least here, he could witness a beauty that reality could never offer.
When he arrived at the trial entrance, most of the other participants had already gathered. Their expressions were serious, clearly aware of the danger this trial entailed.
Only Kanao and Okane Kichiro seemed relaxed, a smile lingering at the corners of their lips.
For her, it was simply her nature; for him, it was pure excitement.
Who knows how many demons lurk in this mountain? If I take them all down, maybe I can level up once or twice… Okane Kichiro thought, brimming with anticipation.
The last trial participant arrived—a boy in striking blue clothing. A scar across his forehead immediately gave him away.
Ah, the protagonist makes his entrance!
Okane Kichiro quickly withdrew his gaze. Now wasn't the time to interact with him.
Once everyone was assembled, two twins carrying bright lanterns, wearing strangely patterned purple kimonos, stepped forward.
If Okane Kichiro hadn't known better, he would have assumed both were adorable little girls. But to his surprise, one of them was actually a boy.
It seemed that Koyoharu Gotouge—or rather, the world's creator—had a penchant for playful twists. Truly, one cannot judge a book by its cover.
While Okane Kichiro allowed his mind to wander, the twins had already finished reading the trial rules.
The trial had officially begun.
"Shall we go together, Kanao?"
Okane Kichiro asked. Though the rules didn't forbid teamwork, more people tended to attract more demons. Few dared to join forces; it only made the challenge harder.
Kanao flicked her coin into the air.
"Alright."
Finally, Okane Kichiro heard her speak again.
The trial rules were simple: survive seven days in Wisteria Mountain, and you succeed. Each participant chose a different path into the woods.
Okane Kichiro strolled in slowly alongside Kanao. Of course, the demons understood the rules too. They were waiting for this day—not only for food, but for revenge.
Although demons couldn't approach the wisteria, they could lie in ambush near the entrance. Many participants had fallen right there. Demons weren't mindless beasts—they had strategy.
Most trial participants rushed into the forest's depths to hide their presence. Wisteria Mountain was vast, and with careful planning, surviving seven days wasn't impossible.
But Okane Kichiro and Kanao walked at an unhurried pace, almost as if afraid the demons wouldn't notice them.
Sure enough, it wasn't long before several demons, drawn by the scent of humans, excitedly charged forward.
"Two humans! Perfect!"
"Get away! You're mine!"
"…"
The demons bickered among themselves, almost forgetting to attack—just like when Okane Kichiro first arrived in this world. But now, his mindset was entirely different. Experience, after all, was priceless.
"Leave this to me. Kanao, you just watch."
Okane Kichiro drew his Nichirin Blade. Its silver-white blade was instantly tinged with black.
At the same time, the demons seemed to reach a silent consensus, charging him together.
"Water Breathing, Form Three—Flowing Dance!"
Okane Kichiro moved like waves on the shore, his steps unpredictable, the blade fully integrated with his movements. The swordplay alone was mesmerizing, a rhythm impossible to describe. The demons never had a chance—their heads were severed before they could react.
[Kill lower-tier demon, acquire 30 Paradise Credits]
[Kill lower-tier demon, acquire 25 Paradise Credits]
[…]
The cheerful notification sounds pushed Okane Kichiro's credits to 500, barely enough to authenticate a standard Nichirin Blade.
"Still need more work…"
The decapitated demons' bodies vanished into the wind as if carbonized—clean and environmentally friendly.
From nearby came a blood-curdling scream. Okane Kichiro sighed. Having chosen the Demon Slayer path, he had to accept the risk of death. Even if he saved others, without sufficient strength, future extermination missions would still be lethal.
The path he chose, he had to walk alone.
"Hope you can hold out a bit longer… at least until I finish clearing these demons," he murmured, heading toward the cries. He couldn't save the man alive—but avenging him was easy enough. Plus, there was experience to gain—a win-win.
"…Eighth one down! About to level up! Any demons left? Show yourselves! Fresh meat here!"
Seeing the last sliver of experience bar, Okane Kichiro growled impatiently.
"Brother! Please don't shout! You'll attract the demons! I'm weak—I don't want to die!"
Zenitsu Agatsuma clutched Okane Kichiro's sleeve, trembling so violently that tears and snot streamed down his face, smearing his clothes.
"Let go! Stay back!"
How had they run into him here? Pure chance.
Zenitsu had been chased through the forest by a single demon. His panicked screams had drawn several more—and Okane Kichiro along with them.
Even without Okane Kichiro, Zenitsu would've survived. He was already on the verge of collapse, a mere step from fainting. Okane Kichiro's intervention just prevented his "major character death."
"Impossible! No way I'd leave you, big brother!"
Okane Kichiro groaned. He pushed Zenitsu away with the scabbard, but the boy persisted, wriggling closer.
It was clear Okane Kichiro's previous strike had marked him—Zenitsu, sharp-eyed as he was, immediately recognized Okane Kichiro as the "strong leg." Even the beautiful Kanao was temporarily ignored; he knew which mattered most.
"Move it. If you were a girl, maybe you could cling to this leg. But as a boy, stay put."
"A girl? Actually… maybe not impossible."
Zenitsu was willing to risk everything just to cling to that "leg."
Okane Kichiro immediately regretted his earlier strike for the sake of experience. If he hadn't attacked, Zenitsu wouldn't have latched onto him.