Chapter Twenty-Four
In Chika's mind, whenever it comes to assessments, what makes people most uneasy is never the assessment itself, but the unpredictable human heart.
Just like the hunter exam in her hometown, the rules clearly do not state that it requires direct confrontation between people, but there are always people who trip up opponents in the dark and use dirty tricks to eliminate them.
The reason for doing this is simply to eliminate one more opponent and reduce the number of people competing for the Hunter qualification spot.
So on the way here, she specifically told Xuanmi to keep a low profile and not attract attention.
But ironically, at this very moment, the most eye-catching person in the entire room was herself.
As soon as he shouted, almost everyone in the examination room turned their attention to him.
Chika stared at that row of faces, her forehead practically bulging with "=-=!".
Oh no, we've messed up.
Wasn't it said that this mountain was so tightly covered by wisteria that even evil spirits couldn't get close to the foot of the mountain? Could it be that this lousy defense can only keep out small fry and is completely useless against Upper Moon demons?
Well, now is not the time to think about that.
She gritted her teeth, took two steps forward, and stood firmly in front of Douma, inhaling—
"Look, look! What are you looking at?"
She put her hands on her hips, raised her chin slightly, and swept her arrogant gaze across the room.
"Look again, and I'll gouge your eyes out!"
Everyone was stunned, and all eyes turned to her face in surprise.
At this moment, the girl's face was slightly distorted from the excessive force, saliva was spurting from her open mouth, and with her fierce tone, she looked extremely vicious.
"Huh? I am the adopted daughter of the Wind Pillar, Shinazugawa, Sanemi, and the Lord. You guys who haven't even mastered the breathing techniques, do you think you're worthy to look at me?"
Unable to bear it any longer, some people frowned and shrank back, clearly not wanting to be intimidated; but others gripped the hilt of their Nichirin Blades, their knuckles turning white, their faces clearly showing their defiance.
Xuanmi, standing to the side, stared wide-eyed, his mouth slightly agape, wishing he could lean in and listen again.
Did he hear that right? Is this still the same Chika who kept telling him to keep a low profile and not cause trouble?
Is this... correct?
Chika didn't care about being right or wrong, or about keeping a low profile. Compared to this trial, she was more afraid of Doma's identity being exposed.
If Doma were exposed, the fact that she was "inextricably linked to demons" alone would be enough for the Demon Slayer Corps to put a knife to her neck.
At that point, let alone passing the selection process, whether they can even successfully leave this mountain is uncertain.
So her only option now is to draw all attention to herself. As long as no one is watching Doma, and as long as no one thinks too much about her white fur and that smile, she'll be safe.
Whether it was Chika's threat or her status as Kazehata's stepson, the surrounding gazes did indeed become much less intense. Those who hadn't stopped staring were now fixed on Chika and no longer drifted behind her.
Compared to the white-haired, gentle-smiling man next to her, Chika, who was jumping up and down cursing, was obviously more eye-catching.
"Thud—"
In the dead silence, the sound of the knife hitting the ground was exceptionally crisp.
Everyone turned their heads at the sound.
A blond boy in a bright yellow robe, his legs trembling, picked up the knife from the ground and stammered, "I-I-I'm sorry..."
This shout finally woke everyone up.
"Tch—the Demon Slayer Corps has really fallen into decline; anyone can get in now."
A burly man stood at a distance, giving Qianxia a fierce look, his eyes full of disdain.
"With that kind of guts, he obviously got in through connections. He won't even be enough to fill a ghost's teeth..."
Before he could finish speaking, he was sent flying with a "bang."
Its massive body crashed into the thick tree trunk, penetrating deep into the wood, while purple petals rained down from above.
Amidst the fluttering petals, Chika retracted her kicking leg, patted off non-existent dust from her trousers, and lowered her eyelids.
"Huh? You dare to laugh at me?"
The girl's distorted face.
A burly man embedded in a tree trunk.
Everyone fell silent instantly.
Xuanmi swallowed hard and whispered, "It seems like he wasn't saying...."
Chika glanced at her.
"Gulp—" Genmi swallowed again.
interesting! !
Doma's eyes lit up.
Watching the burly man crash into the tree trunk like a tattered sack, he chuckled softly, his fingers twirling the prayer beads in his hand, his gaze fixed on Qianxia, unable to look away.
When she pulled her leg back, her waist and abdomen were still tense. The action of patting her trouser leg was obviously fake, but it revealed a fierce spirit of not giving up, which was more vivid than the wisteria flowers falling all over the sky.
After Genya was silenced by Chinatsu's glare, Douma couldn't help but lean forward, his fingertips, tinged with ashes, lightly touching the hem of Chinatsu's clothes. "Chinatsu is so fierce~"
Unsurprisingly, this earned him an eye roll.
"Miss Chika, they are your teammates, so you can't just attack them without permission."
A childish voice came from ahead, and through the crowd, Qianxia could see who was speaking.
son of Ubuyashiki Kagaya —
Teruya Ubuyashiki.
Kid, pshaw!
Chika tilted her head to look at him, her face contorted in a grimace.
"He provoked me first."
She didn't think she was wrong at all. In her habitual way of thinking, when she couldn't keep a low profile, she had to be as high-profile as possible.
They were so high-profile that even if they wanted to trip them up, they would have to think twice about their own capabilities.
However, Teruya Ubuyashiki and Nika Ubuyashiki, dressed in purple kimonos, clearly could not agree.
They stood before the selection entrance, silently watching Chika, and softly advised, "Miss Chika, the only enemy of the Nichirin Blade has always been demons. Please do not point the blade at humans. If there is a next time, there will never be a place for you in the Demon Slayer Corps."
Qianxia didn't take those words to heart. She pouted, turned her head and glared at the burly man embedded in the tree trunk, then gave a cold snort.
But when he turned back, he froze instantly.
A boy wearing a green and black checkered pine-patterned haori was sniffing Doma over and over again.
Doma smiled and let him turn around, even subconsciously raising his hand halfway to indicate that he hadn't done anything. However, his gaze paused slightly when it fell on the boy's earrings.
These earrings look familiar...
Qianxia noticed his stunned expression but assumed he was just startled, so she quickly pushed him away, asking, "What are you doing?"
She used her telekinetic power to almost send the boy flying.
The boy seemed not to have expected to be pushed away. After landing with a series of "ouch" sounds, he staggered back several steps before staring wide-eyed at Qianxia.
He glanced at Chinatsu first, then at Doma, his gaze shifting back and forth between the two before he finally spoke.
"Sorry, I think I just smelled a ghost."
These words made Qianxia's heart skip a beat, and she looked the boy up and down.
This was a boy of about fifteen or sixteen years old, with striking deep red hair and crimson eyes, and a deep scar on his forehead.
Very well, I don't know him.
"Smell? Do you think you're a puppy?"
Chika pointed at his chest, showing no politeness, "Do you know where you are? This is the territory of the Demon Slayer Corps, the final selection area. Open your eyes and look around!"
She gestured around the area, saying, "This is all Demon Slayer Corps territory. What demon would be so foolish as to come here?"
As she spoke, she looked at Teruya Ubuyashiki and Nika Ubuyashiki, "Am I right?"
As soon as the words left her mouth, Qianxia regretted them; they were utterly obvious and only made things worse.
Fortunately, everyone present was just a child around ten years old, and it seemed that no one thought about it too deeply.
The first to respond to Chinatsu was Teruya Ubuyashiki.
He stared at Tanjiro with eyes so large they were almost unreal.
"Yes, this is a place where evil spirits are imprisoned. It is surrounded by wisteria flowers, which evil spirits fear most. Ghosts will not come here."
At this point, he looked at Doma again, "However, I haven't received any selection information about you. May I ask which trainer you belong to?"
Douma chuckled, his eyes narrowing into almost invisible slits. He pointed at Chinatsu, "I was trained by her. She's really good, and I'm good too. Can't I participate?"
Chika felt completely overwhelmed. She turned around, grabbed him, and yelled into his ear, "Are you crazy? What are you doing? What are you participating in? The final selection? You... participating in the demon-slaying selection? Are you out of your mind?"
Her lips were so close to his ear that they almost brushed against his earlobe. Every word she spoke was uttered with a fierce intensity, and even her breath was scorching hot.
The light in Doma's eyes brightened. Instead of dodging, he turned his head slightly, bringing her lips closer to his earlobe.
Aha~ This is so much fun~
However, his happiness did not last long before it was interrupted by Ubuyashiki Nika.
“Logically, it shouldn’t be possible,” she replied, her gaze lingering on Doma. “The final selection is a very dangerous matter; a trainer’s recommendation letter is required.”
"Yes, yes, yes! You're right, but it just won't work!"
Chinatsu turned around and stood in front of Doma again, trying to make everyone ignore him by burying their heads in the sand.
In fact, standing in front of Doma only accentuated her petite figure; the parts that should have been covered were not covered at all.
Standing behind Chinatsu, Doma was stunned. He really hadn't expected Chinatsu to do that.
In fact, normal people would not stand in front of a ghost and leave their backs to it.
He glanced down at the little girl in front of him. From this angle, he could clearly see her slightly puffed-up face, which was flushed with anger, and her bangs sticking up as she shook them.
What a vivid reaction! It makes you want to keep watching.
But the prerequisite is that he has to be able to stay or take it with him.
"But I really want to join!"
Doma casually placed his hand on Chinatsu's shoulder, looked at the Ubuyashiki siblings, and tilted his head slightly.
"I want to be with Chinatsu~"
The word "together" coming from Tongmo's mouth inexplicably gives one goosebumps all over.
Kagaya Ubuyashiki stared at Doma for a long time... and then...
"The selection is about to begin. Surviving on this mountain for seven days is the final requirement for qualifying."
"Well then, I wish you all a safe journey."
Does this mean he/she agrees?
Doma's eyes lit up immediately.
As soon as Ubuyashiki finished speaking, he grabbed Chinatsu's hand and walked inside, leaving everyone else far behind.
"Hey, hey, no, damn it, you've really gone crazy."
Qianxia muttered to herself as she plowed two miles into the ground with her heels.
Xuanmi, who had been following along, asked with a serious expression, "Who are you?"
He didn't quite understand why this man was so familiar with Chika, and he himself felt that the man looked somewhat familiar.
“This is my older brother, Chizuru.”
When facing Genya, Chinatsu chose to explain it this way.
elder brother?
Doma couldn't help but laugh, glanced at the long trail left in the soil, and bent down—
"Hey, hey, hey? What are you doing? Put me down!"
Chinatsu's back bumped into Doma's shoulder, the rough fabric making her skin feel tight. In her struggle, her elbow hit his ribs, but she only got a soft laugh in return.
"I'm taking my sister with me."
"Put me down!"
Chinatsu grabbed Doma's collar and pulled him back, but when her fingertips touched a patch of cold skin, she withdrew her hand.
Douma continued walking, his footsteps crunching on the dry branches, his voice laced with laughter, "Sweetie, the ghosts inside are fierce. Your brother has to protect you."
Chika was carried like this, passing everyone present, and entered the final selection venue.
Tanjiro was among them.
A gentle breeze swept by, and the stench in his nostrils suddenly intensified, as if countless insects were crawling into his throat. He couldn't help but cover his mouth and cough, but his gaze remained fixed on the figure carrying the person in front of him.
As he stared, he saw the person in front of him suddenly turn around. His silver hair swayed in the wind, and when his rainbow-colored eyes swept over Tanjiro, it was as if he were looking at an unimportant ornament.
His voice drifted on the wind, its soft tone carrying a chill.
"Little friend, don't follow me, it's dangerous in the mountains."
......
Meanwhile, in the corridors of the Infinite City, orange lights flickered, and the buildings were stained with dark red patterns, like congealed blood.
The Fifth Moon knelt on the cold ground, his head bowed low, not daring to look up at the figure on the throne.
Muzan's fingertips caressed the rim of the white jade cup, causing the crimson liquid inside to ripple.
He didn't speak, but the air was so heavy it could crush a person's spine.
"The wisteria flowers didn't work on him?"
Lower Moon Five's back was soaked with cold sweat until Muzan finally spoke, his voice flat and without any inflection.
"Yes, yes, sir!"
Upon hearing Muzan's voice, Gennogo quickly responded, "He doesn't have any demonic aura on him. When wisteria flowers get close to him, they even... they even wither."
Muzan raised his eyes, his scarlet pupils gleaming coldly in the dim light. He placed the white jade cup on the table beside him, the soft sound of the cup's bottom striking the wooden surface echoing clearly in the hall.
"I understand, you may leave."
"Yes, sir!"
The fifth rank of the Lower Moon bowed respectfully and slowly withdrew.
Muzan stared at the empty palace gate, his gaze darkening.
Something's not right with the doma.
Will he become the second Tamayo?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
