"Everyone, we thank you for gathering tonight for the Final Selection."
And so, the twins began to explain the nature of the trial.
"Within this Mount Fujikasane, several Demons captured alive by the swordsmen of the Demon Slayer Corps are imprisoned. It is impossible for them to leave."
"This is because Wisteria, which Demons despise, remains in full bloom year-round from the foot to the mid-section of the mountain. However, beyond this point, the Wisteria ceases to grow, and there, the Demons dwell."
I wondered: how on earth did they capture them alive without even knowing Breathing styles?
Capturing a Demon is a problem on an entirely different level than trapping a wild beast. Demons possess staggering regenerative powers and physical capabilities far beyond a human‘s reach. Moreover, unlike beasts driven purely by instinct, they possess intelligence comparable to mankind.
Yet, the only thing these humans have is a single Nichirin Blade. Simply holding one doesn't make you remarkably powerful, either. You strike a Demon's neck to kill it, and that‘s the end of it.
In such a disadvantaged state, the fact that they managed to catch Demons and cage them in one place is, quite frankly, deserving of applause.
But what does that have to do with an examination?
Then, I doubted my ears at the words that followed.
"To survive within this mountain for seven days—that is the requirement to pass the Final Selection."
What?
"Now, please begin."
At the signal to start, the challengers swarmed into the mountain like a herd of stampeding cattle.
Are you out of your minds? Is this truly sane?
There I stood, alongside Uzui, while the twins remained motionless.
They stood still like non-playable characters in a video game, and I stood still because I was completely flabbergasted.
Is this really how they do things?
Surviving for seven days on a mountain teeming with Demons?
Is the Demon Slayer Corps actually a gathering of fools?
Since the Demons aren't eating humans regularly, they might be weaker than average, but that also means they‘ll be desperately hungry and vicious.
Judging by the fact that I don't see any assigned staff around here, if you die, it's just over. There is no rescue mission.
Beyond that, the problem is this idiotic condition: staying alive for seven days as the sole criterion for passing an absurdly unbalanced trial.
The people gathered here are, at best, children the age of middle schoolers who have learned some sword techniques and been handed a Nichirin Blade.
They likely don't possess Breathing styles like I do.
And yet, you want them to survive for seven days with nothing but their raw bodies in a place crawling with Demons?
And it's not even enough to survive; they have to walk back down on their own two feet?
The system is nonsensical. It's not about how many Demons you kill; if you live through the seven days, you survive. It's a trash system.
No matter how many Demons you slaughter, if you die on the last day, you fail. Conversely, if you don't kill a single Demon and just hide for seven days, you pass. It‘s utter nonsense.
It is a horribly inefficient system. If you're unlucky, a person overflowing with talent fails. If you're lucky, even the talentless pass.
Just what exactly are they trying to 'select'?
It's honestly a miracle that the Demon Slayer Corps functions as a group capable of hunting Demons at all when their Final Selection is this mess.
I don't know whose head this idea came out of, but I'd like to have a look at their face.
"May I ask a question?"
"Yes."
Even their speech is like an NPC.
"Must we self-supply our own resources while inside?"
"Yes."
God dammit. Even in the Squid Game, they gave you food.
Of course people are going to die under these conditions, Rengoku, you son of a bitch.
@@@
The Demons inhabiting Mount Fujikasane were always hungry.
They had been caught out of nowhere by humans they considered weaklings and imprisoned here. Worse, Wisteria surrounded the base of the mountain year-round, making escape impossible. Since no humans or animals were normally present, eating was out of the question.
Cannibalism amongst their own kind was a foolish choice. The risk was too high, and the nutritional value compared to humans was pitifully low. Even if one won the fight, they would be weakened by their injuries and promptly eaten by another of their kind.
Thus, the Demons waited for the days when humans were supplied—sometimes once every few weeks, sometimes once every few months.
Though the weapons capable of killing them were bothersome, the prey were merely children with immature skills and stamina compared to the demon hunters who had trapped them. Since this was their only chance to consume nutrients, they didn't care about the risks.
At least, that was how it should have been.
"Full of openings. All of you."
Everything changed with the intrusion of two absolute lunatics.
The pair asserted their presence by easily decapitating two leaping Demons in a single breath.
BOOM! RUMBLE!
One person scattered explosives everywhere to cut off retreat paths and lure the Demons out.
Whoosh.
Slash! Shlick!
The other sliced through the necks of every Demon attempting to flee from the explosions.
"It's time for a battue!"
Watching the two of them cackle as they excitedly hunted the Demons, one would be hard-pressed to distinguish who was the monster and who was the human.
After just two days, it was the Demons who were running away from the humans.
In particular, because the pair targeted Demons specifically hunting other candidates, the Demons couldn't even feast in peace.
Even the mutated specimens that had managed to survive long enough to grow their frames were no match for that human's blade.
When the Demons tried to swarm them, the humans reacted as if they welcomed it, slicing through the pack until the Demons no longer dared to show their faces.
And they were incredibly persistent. Every time a Demon tried to hide, they were dragged out and cut down.
Four days in, there can't be many left. No, I might be the last Demon...
Old man Sato, who lived in the tree next to mine, ran out because he was hungry and vanished without a sound or trace.
I‘ve reached my limit hiding. I'm going to be found eventually.
Just then, by luck, I managed to corner a human. Fine. They say a Demon with a full belly is a happy corpse, right?
Even if I die, I'll die having eaten this one.
"I've known you were there since you were in your mother's womb."
Ah, damn it.
@@@
"Is that the last of them?"
"I don't think there are any more left, sir."
I loosened my stiff neck as I decapitated the last visible Demon.
As expected, you have to use good weapons. Unlike the time I had to discard three blades just to catch one Demon, I‘ve now wiped out the entire mountain's worth of Demons within four days.
They say a master doesn't blame his tools? That‘s nonsense. A master is exactly the type of person who strives to use even slightly better tools.
Roughly three days left. Since the Demons are all dead, can‘t I just go down?
I chewed on a piece of beef jerky.
Grumble...
At the rather loud sound, Uzui and I turned our heads to find a young girl hanging her head as if overcome with embarrassment.
She had long black hair, crimson eyes, and a sharp, stoic impression. She was still a child, but she had an air of elegance about her... as if she had been raised in wealth and comfort. She seemed like the daughter of someone high-ranking.
She had been slumped nearby while I was killing the last Demon; I hadn't paid her any mind.
"Would you like some?"
She stared at my jerky, gave a small nod, took a piece, and popped it into her mouth.
It was a behavior far removed from the noble aura she radiated... but then again, she was just a child.
Silence followed as she finished eating.
It was awkward. Should I introduce myself?
"I am Tsugikuni Michikatsu."
"...."
Maybe that wasn't it...
Grumbleeeee.
"..."
"..."
"..."
Just in case, I pulled out another piece of jerky. The girl, who had been unresponsive until then, began to glare at the jerky as if she were about to devour it whole.
Damn it. It seems I've met another strange person.