As the sun rose, Ren successfully crossed the vast, white forest and returned to the mountainside of Mt. Fujikasane.
Seeing the iconic Torii gate and the fragrant wisteria forest, Ren knew he had reached his destination. Now, he only had to wait for the other swordsmen to emerge to complete the selection.
As time passed, other swordsmen began to stumble down from the summit, looking bedraggled and scrambling for footing. Even Miki arrived at the mountainside, panting heavily.
At that moment, Ubuyashiki Hinaki and Ubuyashiki Kiriya, standing beneath the Torii gate, spoke in unison.
"Congratulations, everyone. You have successfully passed the Demon Slayer Corps' Final Selection. From this moment on, you are officially Mizunoto rank swordsmen of the Demon Slayer Corps!"
"Only ten people?"
Ren frowned and looked around. He realized that even including himself, only ten people had passed the Final Selection. The others had remained on Mt. Fujikasane forever.
That there was even a one-third survival rate was largely thanks to Ren letting his own blood flow every night, attracting the attention of most demons and indirectly saving the others.
If this were two years later, during the Final Selection with twenty or thirty participants, only five would pass and become Mizunoto swordsmen.
However, among the remaining ten, Ren did not see the two swordsmen who had abandoned Miki. It seemed they hadn't managed to make it out of the forest and were attacked by demons.
Although hard to believe, it wasn't impossible. They were already injured, and the scent of fresh blood would have drawn demons in.
Coupled with their broken Nichirin Swords, they stood no chance against the demons. Being eaten was a predictable outcome.
'This must be what they call karmic retribution. They abandoned Miki, thinking they were escaping the dragon's pool, only to fall into the tiger's den, never to emerge again.'
While Ren was deep in thought, the two children spoke again.
"First, we will distribute uniforms to everyone and have your ranks inscribed. Afterward, you may select the iron ore to be used for forging your Nichirin Swords. You will only need to wait ten to fifteen days for the finished swords to be delivered to you. Finally..."
Clap! Clap!
Ubuyashiki Kiriya clapped his small hands gently. In an instant, the crisp cry of crows echoed through the clouds.
Ten pitch-black Kasugai Crows flew out from the wisteria forest and slowly landed on everyone's shoulders. A small, delicate Kasugai Crow landed on Ren's shoulder.
The crow cawed incessantly, "Caw, caw, caw," as if greeting Ren.
Staring into the crow's eyes, a bold idea suddenly sprouted in Ren's mind: he should put a pair of Sharingan cosmetic contact lenses on it...
Imagine the crow flying through the sky looking like that—it would be incredibly cool.
At this point, Ubuyashiki Hinaki spoke, pointing to a tray beneath the Torii gate. She said slowly, "Now, everyone may come forward to select the ore for your Nichirin Swords."
As soon as the words fell, Ren stepped forward first. He carefully examined the ores in the tray, which varied in size and texture, his brows knitting together.
As far as he knew, all Nichirin Swords were forged from Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand and Scarlet Crimson Ore. Why, then, did the swordsmen need to personally select the ore? Wasn't this superfluous?
He wasn't the only one; all the swordsmen who had passed the selection were holding their chins, frowning as they pondered the differences between the ores.
Ren picked up four or five pieces of ore in succession to compare them. Suddenly, realization dawned on him, and he exclaimed aloud.
"I understand now! It's the difference in the amount of solar energy! To be precise, it's the difference between shallow-layer ore and deep-layer ore!"
Hearing this, the others were completely baffled, unable to understand what Ren was talking about. Miki scratched her head and asked sheepishly.
"Benefactor, could you explain it to us? What is shallow-layer ore? And what is deep-layer ore?"
Hearing this, Ren did not withhold his knowledge. He slowly explained to the group, "It's very simple. As everyone knows, both Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand and Scarlet Crimson Ore possess the ability to absorb sunlight.
However, some ores, because they are located on the surface of the soil, absorb a massive amount of solar energy. Consequently, these ores are relatively heavier.
Nichirin Swords forged from this shallow-layer ore will undoubtedly be very heavy. But because the ore is saturated with solar energy, the blades will be sharper and possess stronger attack power against demons. They are suitable for swordsmen with great physical strength."
Ren paused, picked up a piece of deep-layer ore, and continued, "Deep-layer ore is the opposite. Although it has also absorbed sunlight, because it was buried deep underground, it hasn't absorbed much.
Swords made from this ore may lack raw attack power, but they are relatively lightweight. They are suitable for female swordsmen and those who rely on agility.
In short, both types of ore have their advantages and disadvantages. You must choose the ore that suits you based on your own circumstances!"
After listening to Ren's explanation, the others suddenly understood, and admiration welled up in their hearts.
Meanwhile, Ren selected a piece of shallow-layer ore of moderate weight to forge a Nichirin Sword.
However, this Nichirin Sword was not for himself; it was for Tanjiro.
Now that he had joined the Demon Slayer Corps, he would undoubtedly be very busy. Therefore, the safety of Nezuko and the others would rely solely on Tanjiro.
Although Tanjiro had begun learning Sun Breathing at his suggestion, without a Nichirin Sword, he would ultimately be at a disadvantage if he encountered a demon.
That was why Ren wanted to prepare a Nichirin Sword for him—to protect Nezuko, to protect his family, and to walk a path toward happiness.
'Hehe, that kid runs around with a basket of charcoal on his back every day. His strength is definitely not small. Wielding a slightly heavier Nichirin Sword should be a piece of cake for him.'
After Ren handed the ore to Ubuyashiki Kiriya, he descended the mountain to leave. The pitch-black Kasugai Crow circled above his head like a spirit.
Suddenly, Ren looked up at the crow and asked with a smile, "By the way, I haven't asked for your name yet?"
"Me? I don't have a name?" the Kasugai Crow spoke in human language, answering softly in a melodious female voice.
"So you're a girl. Since you don't have a name, let's call you Little Black... No, no."
Ren shook his head. That name sounded too tacky. After some deep contemplation, he spoke.
"Tianyue. How do you like that name?"
Tianyue—a combination of the mythological Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi, and also the combination of the two great dōjutsu of the Mangekyō Sharingan: Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi.
Who could blame him? The moment he saw a crow, he thought of Itachi Uchiha.
"Tianyue? That is a beautiful name!"
The Kasugai Crow—no, Tianyue—had accepted her name. Her acceptance of the name signified her acceptance of Ren as her master.
"As long as you like it. Let's go home. I happen to have some companions to introduce to you."
With that, Ren led Tianyue toward the Butterfly Mansion. However, before long, Shinobu Kocho's Kasugai Crow, Xiaoyan, flew over rapidly, shouting loudly.
"Ubuyashiki Estate! The Master invites you! Mizunoto swordsman Ren, please come to the Ubuyashiki Estate immediately!"
"The Ubuyashiki Estate... It seems Miss Shinobu has already told the Master about my slaying of the Upper Rank..."
The corners of Ren's mouth lifted. Perhaps today he would become the tenth Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps. Thinking of this, he immediately said to Tianyue.
"Sorry, Little Tianyue. It looks like before I can take you home, we have to make a trip to the Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters!"
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