For centuries, Mount Sagiri had been veiled in thick mist. It was this very fog that made the mountain so quiet and mysterious at dawn. But today was different. Though the mountain was still wrapped in clouds, shadows moved through the haze, and the sound of voices echoed faintly.
The first figure to appear was an elderly man wearing a haori patterned with waves and a tengu mask that covered his face. In his hands, he held two wooden masks.
One was a fox mask with a scar at the corner of its mouth, giving it a stern expression. The other had blue-painted eyes and downturned lips, its expression slightly stiff.
Before the old man stood two boys.
The taller one had medium-length hair the color of soft pink flesh. His silver eyes gave him a gentle look, though a scar that ran from the corner of his mouth to the front of his ear added a trace of fierceness to his face.
The shorter boy wore his long black hair tied into a braid at the back of his head. His handsome face was calm and expressionless, and his pale blue eyes held an indifferent light.
"Sabito, Giyu," the old man said as he handed them the masks. "Be careful on your journey."
"Don't worry, Teacher Urokodaki," the pink-haired boy said with a smile. "Giyu and I will both come back. Just wait for the new Water Hashira to appear!"
"I'm not like you," Giyu replied quietly as he accepted the fox mask with blue eyes. His gaze was cold as he looked at Sabito. "Don't compare me to you."
"Seriously, Giyu, can't you talk nicely for once?" Sabito said, putting on his mask to cover his face. His warm voice came from beneath it. "If we hadn't known each other for years, I'd probably have punched you by now."
"...Whatever," Giyu muttered, turning away. "Different is different. I'm just being honest."
Teacher Urokodaki reached out and pulled both boys into a brief embrace. "Do your best—and make sure you come back alive."
"Don't worry, Teacher!"
"Understood, Teacher."
"Sabito, Giyu, your packs!" a bright voice called out.
A black-haired girl in a plum-patterned kimono came from the cabin, carrying two bundles in her arms. Her delicate face couldn't hide her worry. "Be careful during Final Selection. Even running away temporarily isn't shameful."
"Don't worry, Makomo," Sabito said with a grin as he took the bundles from her. "I'll bring Giyu back safely—and save everyone else too! I'm strong, you know!"
"You're always overconfident!"
"Haha, it's not just confidence." Sabito laughed, pulling Giyu along. "We're off now! Keep training hard, Makomo!"
"Okay! Travel safely!" Makomo cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted after them. "I'll make a big feast for you when you get back!"
Giyu waved slightly, then mumbled, "...Salmon."
"What?" Sabito turned to him.
"Daikon and salmon."
"You really do love that dish."
"Yeah. It's delicious."
Sabito patted Giyu's shoulder. "Then you should've told Makomo earlier."
"...I'm not like you."
Sabito sighed inwardly. Why did this kid always have to leave half his words unsaid?
"Let's go. We need to reach a town before sunset where we can rest for the night."
"Mm."
...
"Who would've thought the world could change this much? After leaving the mountains, everything feels so different—"
The black-haired youth stood at the edge of a bustling marketplace, looking relaxed. The sword at his waist swayed as he walked, though his gaze was fixed entirely on the shopkeeper across the street holding a tray of strawberry daifuku. "The speed of progress is amazing! Boss, I'll take ten strawberry daifuku!"
"Indeed. Humans are wonderful creatures capable of creating miracles."
The white-haired youth beside him was half a head taller, his posture straight and his features graceful. One hand hung naturally at his side while the other rested lightly on the hilt of his sword. His gentle gaze swept across the lively crowd. "It's truly moving to witness such a scene with my own eyes."
"Mmm, Miss Tamayo is incredible," the black-haired boy said through a mouthful of daifuku, his speech muffled. "She actually made medicine that restores taste! And thanks to you, big brother, I can digest food again! It's amazing!"
The white-haired youth nodded slightly. "Yes, Miss Tamayo has a real talent for medicine. That's one thing you and she don't have in common, Hiru."
"Brother!?" Hiru turned to him with a look of mock betrayal, but his attention quickly shifted elsewhere. "Hey, big brother, look over there!"
"Hm?" Yoriichi followed his gaze and spotted two boys wearing fox masks. "Those two masked boys?"
"Yeah! Look at the wood grain on those masks!" Hiru's eyes sparkled. "I'm not sure about the painted designs, but the carving is incredible! The wood grain is completely unbroken—it's amazing craftsmanship! I want to learn how to do that!"
"Hmm... They're carrying Nichirin blades. If we approach them, we might end up involved with the Demon Slayer Corps."
"Ugh—" Hiru's expression turned sour. "The Demon Slayer Corps, huh... how annoying."
"Do you still want to go?" Yoriichi asked, glancing down at him. "They seem like harmless kids."
"Let's go! Just let me finish this daifuku first."
Hiru took another big bite, grumbling. "Damn it! Whoever carved those masks so well is making me too curious! Once I find out who it is, I'm definitely going to beg them to teach me their craft!"