Chapter 5: Lake Ashi
Among the mountains near Hakone.
A forest of lush pines and emerald cedars surrounded a crystal-clear volcanic lake. Under the moonlight, the reflection of Mount Fuji shimmered faintly on the water's surface.
Lake Ashi.
This was one of the many properties owned by the Ubuyashiki conglomerate. However, compared to the usual scenic spots, this place served a much darker purpose.
It was a site for the Final Selection of the Demon Slayer Corps.
Along with Mt. Fujikasane and the Kurobe Gorge, it stood as one of the ultimate testing grounds for those seeking to join the Corps.
"There are a lot more candidates this year than usual, aren't there?"
"Isn't that a good thing? More hands to deal with those damn demons."
"Shh, keep it down. Don't annoy Lord Himorogi."
By the lakeside, in front of a massive vermillion Torii gate, several young men with their faces obscured by black cloth were whispering. These were the Kakushi, the support and logistics unit of the Demon Slayer Corps. They were responsible for battlefield cleanup, post-combat support, information relay, and maintaining the "Selection Grounds."
Standing before them was a young man with a cold, refined aura.
His hair was tied back loosely with a simple ebony hairpin, with a few silvery-white strands falling over his shoulders. He wore a pure white jōe and hakama, topped with a deep purple haori.
Himorogi Mamoru.
He hailed from the Himorogi family, a lineage that had been close allies with the Ubuyashiki for generations. He was a priest of the Hakone Shrine and the cousin of Himorogi Amane—now known as Amane Ubuyashiki, the Master's wife.
Today, however, he served as the proctor for this Final Selection.
Historically, the Selection was presided over by the Ubuyashiki family or their immediate kin. But with the Ubuyashiki bloodline thinning, the ritualistic duty was often delegated to allied priestly families.
Himorogi Mamoru didn't particularly like the Ubuyashiki family, but out of family duty and a visceral hatred for demons, he accepted the burden. He stood there to see off groups of children and young swordsmen as they marched into the mountains to risk their lives.
He ignored the whispering Kakushi behind him and gazed at the wooden boats approaching through the night mist.
"It seems the last group has arrived."
As a handful of swordsmen of various heights stepped off the boats, Mamoru focused his gaze and walked forward to meet them.
So this is the place the old man talked about, Natsuya thought as he stepped off the boat, scanning his surroundings with curiosity.
Torii gates, wisteria flowers, some masked weirdos, and a priest NPC...
He turned his attention to the other candidates.
[Goda Shota (Power Level: 27)] — Flame Breathing LV.2
[Kiketsu Saburo (Power Level: 31)] — Water Breathing LV.1
[Akisui Reiko (Power Level: 22)] — Water Breathing LV.1
[Ama-no-Kiri (Power Level: 19)] — Thunder Breathing LV.1
Despite their grim expressions and "lone wolf" vibes, only a handful of the twenty-odd candidates had power levels over 30. As for Breathing Styles, only one person besides himself had reached [LV.2 Adept].
Compared to Natsuya's own stats—which were pushing toward the 40 mark—and his Level 2 Wind Breathing, these other candidates were basically "trash mobs" or "blue-tier" recruits.
I wasn't sure if I was ready, but looking at this lobby... I'm totally smurfing, Natsuya realized.
In his mind, if a monster-hunting organization wanted to recruit new members, the pass rate had to be roughly equal to the attrition rate. If they didn't bring in enough new blood to replace the dead, the organization would collapse.
He calculated that the pass rate should be at least 60%.
The Demon Slayer Corps had hundreds of members, and the mortality rate was over 50%. Even excluding logistics staff, they likely needed nearly a hundred new swordsmen every year. With five selection sites and exams held twice a year... they needed about ten people to pass each session to "break even."
That meant nearly half of the people here would be "eliminated"—likely permanently.
Natsuya figured that based on the demon he fought the other night, these candidates could probably win if they teamed up in groups of two or three. If they fought solo against multiple demons, there would definitely be casualties.
He shifted his gaze to the proctors.
[Yamanaka (Power Level: 11)] — Stone Breathing LV.0
[Akimichi (Power Level: 18)] — Wind Breathing LV.1
[Nara (Power Level: 9)] — Water Breathing LV.0
[Himorogi Mamoru (Power Level: 6)]
Even weaker than the candidates...
The main proctor was essentially a civilian NPC. So, basically, if things go south in the arena, there's no referee to step in and save us?
As Natsuya grumbled internally, Himorogi cleared his throat and began to speak.
"Young swordsmen, I thank you for gathering here tonight."
"You stand at the crossroads of fate. Ahead lies Lake Ashi—your final testing ground."
"I shall now explain the rules."
"This mountain is surrounded by a barrier of wisteria flowers that bloom year-round. Within it are many demons captured alive by the Corps' swordsmen. Rest assured, they can never leave this mountain."
"Your mission is to survive within these woods for seven days."
"If you can step out of this mountain after seven days, you will have passed the Selection."
Himorogi Mamoru's gaze swept over the young faces. Some were barely ten years old. Yet, none of them showed any sign of backing down.
"The wisteria is a shield, but it is also a cage. The demons cannot flee, and you must struggle against them. If you feel you cannot continue, you may forfeit at any time by returning to this Torii gate."
"But whatever you choose, remember this: Grip your sword tight. Guard your heart."
With that, he stepped aside, revealing the narrow path behind the Torii that disappeared into the pitch-black woods.
"Finally... I wish you all great fortune in battle!"
The area fell silent. Each of them had undergone at least six months of brutal training. Almost every one of them harbored a blood-feud with the demons. But the unknown and the darkness triggered a primal human instinct: fear.
Himorogi's speech had effectively equated that mountain with a graveyard. The candidates weren't necessarily chickening out, but they needed a few deep breaths to steel their nerves.
Except for one person.
"None of you guys are going? Alright, I'll go first then."
Natsuya drew his Nichirin Sword, gave a casual wave to the crowd, and stepped across the Torii without a second thought.
To him, this was a PVE survival event, not a PVP match against the other candidates. He didn't feel a shred of tension. Instead, he felt a desperate urge to rush in and start farming.
A mountain full of trapped demons?
This is basically a high-XP event dungeon.
If he didn't hurry, wouldn't the other candidates "kill-steal" all his experience points?
After a few steps, Natsuya suddenly hit the brakes and turned back to Himorogi.
"Oh, hey Proctor? If I happen to kill all the demons in this mountain... you guys aren't gonna charge me for property damage, right?"
In his gamer logic, killing all the demons meant breaking the "exam equipment."
Himorogi blinked, stunned. Proctor? Is that some new slang?
"If you are capable of doing so, there is no issue," Himorogi replied, giving a slight nod. "These man-eating demons have no sense of pain or humanity. It doesn't matter if they are all slain. Other Slayers will periodically capture more to restock the mountain."
Natsuya grinned. Now he could go all out. He turned back to the path and vanished into the darkness.
Perhaps because Natsuya's behavior was so eccentric for the era, or because his pace was so confident, the tension among the remaining candidates broke. They exchanged glances, and one by one, they stepped past the Torii.
Once everyone had entered, Himorogi turned to one of the Kakushi. "Yamanaka, who was that first boy?"
The Kakushi flipped through the roster, recalling the handsome teenager's appearance.
"Blue-black hair, that specific waist ornament, and that Nichirin Sword... he should be the swordsman trained by Lord Kazami Koichi."
"Kokonoe Natsuya. Wind Breathing user."
"Both parents killed by bandits. Later, his only sister was killed by a demon. He was rescued by Lord Kazami, who happened to be passing by. He has been training under him for about a year."
The priest nodded, a touch of pity in his voice. "Another poor soul left alone by the demons, then?"
Because his last relative was murdered, he doesn't hesitate to walk into hell. He even claims he'll wipe out every demon on the mountain. How resolute... and how tragic.
"A-choo!"
Deep in the woods, Natsuya couldn't help but sneeze.