Shin Arashi nodded silently.
Just then, Tanjiro stepped out of the wooden house.
Urokodaki Sakonji walked over and patted him on the shoulder.
"Tanjiro, don't get separated from your senior brother Shin!"
"Yeah! I understand!" Tanjiro replied firmly.
He knew just how strong Shin Arashi was—stronger than himself by far.
After a simple farewell, Tanjiro turned to Shin Arashi with bright eyes.
"Let's go, Senior Shin!"
Shin Arashi gave a small nod, and the two set off for Fujikasane Mountain—the site of the Demon Slayer Corps' Final Selection.
After traveling the entire day, they finally reached the foot of the mountain by nightfall.
The mountainside was covered in blooming wisteria, their petals glowing softly in the moonlight. Tanjiro's spirits lifted at the sight.
To maintain a sense of mystery, Shin Arashi slipped on a disaster-averting mask that concealed most of his face.
Following the only path upward, the two climbed a bluestone staircase until they reached an open area paved with the same smooth stones.
There, a crowd of young men around Tanjiro's age had already gathered, waiting.
Their arrival drew immediate attention, especially Shin Arashi's. Standing at 175 cm tall and wearing a striking mask, he gave off a distinct presence.
Though close in age to Tomioka Giyu, Shin Arashi was a few years older than most of the boys here. If not for waiting on Tanjiro, he could have participated in the Final Selection nearly two years ago.
But those two years had honed his skills. Shin Arashi now had a deep understanding of swordsmanship—enough to face the Selection with confidence.
"Senior Shin, there are so many people here!" Tanjiro said, surprised. Almost everyone seemed to be boys his age.
Many of them wore proud, even arrogant, expressions. Upon seeing Tanjiro's kind and gentle face, some sneered quietly, underestimating him.
"Senior Shin, I think I saw a girl!" Tanjiro tugged at Shin Arashi's sleeve eyes wide with curiosity.
Shin Arashi glanced in the direction Tanjiro pointed and spotted a petite girl in a kimono.
She had the innocent, almost fragile appearance of a loli—delicate features, a quiet demeanour. At first glance, she looked like someone who could be easily bullied.
But Shin Arashi saw through the surface. The girl stood calmly, unbothered by the crowd around her.
She's not ordinary, Shin Arashi thought. Someone like her wouldn't hesitate when it came to battle.
"What's the big deal?" Shin said, glancing at Tanjiro. "If you like her, go talk to her."
Tanjiro turned bright red, flustered.
"Senior Shin! What are you saying? I was just surprised, that's all! She's probably the only girl here."
He looked around again, confirming it.
"If you're worried, she might die, you should go invite her to team up with us now," Shin added casually.
Tanjiro hesitated. The idea made sense—but he was far too shy to act on it.
Before he could decide, Shin Arashi was already walking away. He strode confidently over to the girl and said,
"Hey. My name is Shin Arashi. Do you want to team up later?"
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Apology to My Readers
Hey everyone,I'm really sorry for not being able to upload new chapters for a while. I've been caught up with both exams and office work at the same time, and it's been hard to manage everything.
Thank you all for your patience and understanding — I truly appreciate your support! I'll get back to updating as soon as I can once things settle down.
—Shadow_demon_007