After Chapter 113, the Ultimate Trial
The cries of his loved ones made Tanjiro Kamado open his eyes abruptly. He nimbly dodged the attack of the demon's hand, guided by the demon's scent like a thread.
He leaped into the air, stepping on the outstretched arm of the ghost hand. Even though he was exhausted, his reflexes made him slash at the ghost hand with his sword.
"Water Breathing - One Journey - Water Surface Slash".
As the demon hand looked, it was as if it saw Urokodaki Sakonji from back then, like going against the rolling waves.
"Aaaaaaah!"
The blade severed the head of the demon hand, which rolled to the ground and gradually dissipated. It roared in resentment as it watched Tanjiro Kamado's back until the latter turned around and revealed an extremely sad expression.
Why do you look like that? It's so dark in the night, brother. Will you hold my hand? Why did I bite you, brother? Ah, who is brother?
As Tanjiro Kamado watched the demon hand gradually dissipate, he smelled a sorrowful aura and gently grasped the outstretched hand.
"God, please don't let this person become a demon after he is reincarnated."
Tanjiro Kamado looked at the ashes dissipating in his hand, then looked up at the crescent moon hanging in the sky, his heart filled with complex emotions.
He passed the trial smoothly, and seven days later, only five people remained at the venue. The selection process for the Demon Slayer Corps was indeed brutal.
Tanjiro Kamado, clutching his injured forehead, listened to the twins' conversation.
"A safe return is the best thing."
"First, you have to pay for the team uniform, and then you have to have your body measured and have your class engraved."
"Classes are divided into ten stages, and you now belong to the lowest level."
Before the two could finish speaking, the boy beside them interrupted them in dissatisfaction.
"Where's the knife?"
"You will choose a piece of jadeite and complete the task within ten to fifteen days."
The white-haired girl answered his question, clapped her hands, and several crows circled down.
“These are harpy crows, and they will follow you from today onwards. They are primarily used for communication.”
Tanjiro Kamado looked at the crow perched on his shoulder in surprise and reached out to stroke it. Just then, the mess beside him caught his attention.
The black-haired boy, now shrouded in ravenous fury, rushed towards the twins, grabbed the white-haired girl by the hair, pulled her in front of him, and roared, "I don't care about ravenous fury, what I want is the sword! Hand over the sword immediately, the chameleon sword belonging to the Demon Slayer Corps!"
Tanjiro Kamado saw this, stepped forward, grabbed the boy's rough hand, and shouted sternly.
"Let go now, or I'll break your wrist."
The black-haired boy looked at his wrist, which was being tightly gripped, and shouted in dissatisfaction.
"Who are you? Try it if you dare."
He struggled a few times, but could not break free from Tanjiro Kamado's hold. Tanjiro Kamado shook him off and stood in front of the white-haired girl.
At that moment, the black-haired boy spoke up to stop the farce. He took a few steps and revealed steel stones of varying sizes behind him.
"Have you finished speaking? Then please choose the steel stones for forging your blades here. The steel stones for annihilating evil spirits and protecting yourselves are your own choice."
——
As the sun set, Tanjiro Kamado struggled to walk, leaning on a wooden pole. He wanted to go home as soon as possible, but the excruciating pain and intense drowsiness left him feeling helpless.
Finally, he saw the familiar wooden house, and just as he was about to go forward, a loud noise came from inside the door.
"Bang bang—".
With a kick, Tanjiro Kamado saw the familiar girl emerge from the doorway. For a moment, he forgot his exhaustion and couldn't help but shout.
"Ah—Nezuko, are you awake?"
The girl turned her head at the sound and ran towards him, making Tanjiro Kamado want to go forward to greet her, but he suddenly stumbled and fell to the ground.
"Midouzi."
A pair of soft hands helped him up, then hugged his head tightly, causing Tanjiro Kamado to burst into tears.
"Wow—how did you suddenly fall asleep? You've been lying in bed and not waking up. I thought you were dead."
Just then, a warm figure embraced them both. Urokodaki Sakonji couldn't help but tighten his arms, and tears streamed down his face through the gaps in his tengu mask.
"You're finally back alive."
Sabito and Mushroom, who were standing to the side, also showed faint smiles.
"Didn't you go on your mission?"
Sabito asked, and Mushroom shook her head, looking at the three figures hugging each other, and said in a relaxed tone.
"I want to stay with Urokodaki-sensei and watch Tanjiro return. Aren't you going too?"
"So what?"
—Fifteen days later—
A man wearing a straw hat with wind chimes emerged from the woods, the chimes jingling as he moved. He wore a brown haori with sunflower patterns and carried a wooden box wrapped in white cloth on his back.
"Are they here?"
Sabito sat on the roof of the wooden house, looking at the familiar scene below. Tanjiro, who was coming out of the house, stared blankly at Hotaru Haganezuka.
"My name is Steel Mound, the one who forged the sword used by Tanjiro Kamado."
"I am Tanjiro Kamado. Please, come in and have a seat."
Tanjiro Kamado's eyes suddenly lit up, and he answered the other person solemnly. Hotaru Haganezuka ignored his words, and instead took off the white bundle on her back, carefully placed it on the ground, and continued talking to herself.
"This is a Nichirin sword, a sword I forged."
"Um... please come in and have a seat, please come in and have some tea."
Tanjiro Kamado looked at the other person and spoke in a panic, but Hotaru Haganezuka carefully opened the wooden box and took out the wrapped sword inside.
"The raw materials for Nichirin Blades come from iron sand and ore from the high mountains closest to the sun. Starry Scarlet Iron Sand and Starry Scarlet Ore are steel that has absorbed sunlight."
"I think the package might get muddy."
"Sun Mountain is a mountain that is exposed to the sun all year round, so there are no clouds and no rain."
Seeing this comical scene, Sabito chuckled. Inside the house, Urokodaki Sakonji sat by the stove and listened to the commotion outside.
He's still the same man who never listens to anyone.
"Wait a minute, could you please stand up first? Squatting on the ground is a bit..."
Tanjiro Kamado crouched down and shouted, and Hotaru Haganezuka looked up, revealing a mask with a long beak.
"Wow!"
Tanjiro Kamado was startled. Only then did the other person see his face and couldn't help but sigh.
"Ah, aren't you the Blazing Child? That's truly auspicious."
"No, I am Tanjuro and Aoi's son."
“That’s not what I meant.” Hotaru Haganezuka reached out and poked his face. “Your hair and eyes are red, aren’t they? Families that work with fire have children like that, so it’s considered very auspicious. You should be happy.”
"...Is that how it is? I don't know anything about it..."
Tanjiro grabbed the hand that was poking his cheek and finally managed to get it to go down. Hotaru Haganezuka peeked into the room and spoke to Sakonji Urokodaki.
"It seems this sword might turn red, doesn't it, Urokodaki?"
"yes."
Urokodaki Sakonji nodded, and the two entered the room from outside. Urokodaki Sakonji poured the brewed tea into a teacup and watched as Hidetsuka Hotaru handed the Nichirin Blade to Kamado Tanjiro.
"Come on, try drawing your knife."
"The Nichirin Blade is also known as the Color-Changing Blade, as it changes color according to its owner."
Tanjiro Kamado drew his Nichirin Blade and raised it. Suddenly, a lonely black light extended from the bottom of the blade until it covered the entire blade.
"black."
"Black."
Tanjiro Kamado was startled by their reactions.
"Isn't black a good omen? Is it an unlucky sign?"
Urokodaki Sakonji ignored the frantic Hotaru Haganezuka beside him. At that moment, Sabito walked in and looked at Tanjiro Kamado.
"No, it's just that no one has ever seen anything this dark before."
"I thought I'd get to see a bright crimson blade this time, damn it."
Hotaru Haganezuka stepped forward and grabbed Tanjiro Kamado's face, saying with displeasure. As the two were playfully fighting, a black crow flew in from outside.
"Kamado, Kamado Tanjiro, hurry to the Northwest Town, hurry to hunt demons. This is your first job. Girls in the Northwest Town are disappearing one after another, every night."
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