Tendo held Giyu's shoulders, looked him in the eyes, and said very seriously:
"Please let me finish, okay?"
"Okay, okay!" Giyu nodded repeatedly. It was the first time someone was so eager to talk to him, and Tendo automatically categorized him as a good friend.
He noticed that Giyu was wearing Sabito's disaster mask, so he naturally hung his own disaster mask on the other side.
This sudden action surprised Tendo. Did Giyu just acknowledge me?
I haven't even started yet!
He sighed subtly, losing the mood to tell stories, and simply asked:
"Did your sister save your life so you could die?"
"If you don't care about your own life, what does that make your sister's efforts?"
"If Mr. Urokodaki, Shinobu, and Sabito knew you felt this way, wouldn't they be sad?"
With three consecutive questions, Giyu was stunned. He stared at Tendo in disbelief, not understanding how he knew him so well.
Amidst the shock, Giyu lowered his head in shame, and he couldn't help but ask himself.
Sister, is what I'm doing wrong?
Tendo patted Giyu's shoulder and said earnestly, "Giyu, those who dwell in the past cannot grasp the future!"
"Your future is not just your own; it also belongs to your sister and those around you."
"Think about it; if you die, they will be sad."
As he spoke, Tendo pointed at Sabito, adding a little intimidation, saying:
"If you die, Sabito might just stop wielding his sword. After all, he is a person who values loyalty and would undoubtedly be deeply affected by the loss of a close friend!"
"You also said Sabito is very strong; you wouldn't want him to fall into despair because of you, right?"
Giyu stared blankly at Tendo. He felt that what he said made a lot of sense. If that were the case, it would be terrible.
"And didn't I save your life?"
"Okay, okay!" Giyu nodded like a chick pecking at rice, "Thank you!"
"So if you keep not cherishing your life, it will really trouble me!"
"Sigh!"
Tendo lowered his gaze, looking heartbroken.
"I will work hard to train myself and try not to die!" Giyu said sincerely, his eyes shining, as if he had established a direction for his life.
"Very good!" Tendo nodded in satisfaction. He cleared his throat and said, "So can I borrow some of your rations?"
"I'm starving to death here!"
"Please, go ahead!" Giyu unhesitatingly handed over his package, obedient as a little lamb, while behind Tendo loomed the shadow of a cunning wolf.
Having said everything that needed to be said, as for how much Giyu absorbed, Tendo was ready to eat.
"Rations!"
"Rations!"
"Long live rations! o(￣▽￣)o"
Giyu held his Nichirin Blade and murmured:
"I will work hard to become stronger and absolutely will not disappoint my friends and master!"
"I will seize the future, carrying my sister's hopes with me."
The next morning, Sabito felt that Giyu was somehow different, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what was off.
In any case, it seemed like a good change.
After defeating the Hand Demon, everyone completely let loose on Fujisaki Mountain, starting to search for demons all over the place.
A hundred demons, except for those hiding in places unreachable by humans, none survived.
Soon, the time came to the seventh night, and the final selection was about to end.
A group of young boys sat around the campfire, boasting about their achievements.
"I killed a total of fifteen demons this time; how about that? Impressive, right? Hahaha!" Kyojuro puffed out his chest like a proud lion.
"I also killed fifteen, but one was the strongest Hand Demon!" Sabito patted Kyojuro's shoulder with a look that said, "You still need to practice, buddy."
"Wow, impressive! (??????)??" The older brother gave a thumbs up and suggested a match, which Sabito gladly accepted.
Before long, water and fire clashed violently, and Tendo hurriedly shielded the grilled fish by the campfire with his body. He shot a glare at the two and complained:
"Hey! Go fight somewhere else; don't ruin my fish!"
"Hey! How many demons did you kill?"
Obanai stared intently at Tendo, asking. He had killed twenty demons and was practically digging three feet into the ground to find them.
Tendo scratched his head. He actually didn't want to compete with these guys, but while helping Sabito deal with the Hand Demon, he accidentally killed ten.
He scratched his head and laughed it off, "Just about thirty, ahahaha!"
"I'm eating fish; you do as you please!"
"Wait, eat later; let's practice first?!" Obanai's mouth twitched slightly as he dragged the shouting Tendo aside.
"Wait!"
"I'm not full yet; are you a masochist or something?!"
"Let go of me!"
"Mom said fighting isn't what good kids do!"
"You're an orphan; you don't have a mom!" Obanai ruthlessly shot back, nearly causing Tendo to spit out a mouthful of blood.
Listen to this; is that even human talk?
"Jealousy, you're just jealous of my strength!"
Under the starry sky, the four boys were bickering, while only Murata and Giyu sat quietly by the campfire.
Murata felt like a bronze statue lost in a king's court, his head spinning. He muttered to himself:
"Are these guys even human?"
"Are demons this weak?"
Seeing Giyu remain silent, he leaned over and asked, "Giyu, how many demons did you kill?"
"I forgot; maybe a dozen or so!"
Upon hearing this, Murata was dumbfounded.
Wait, aren't you all here for the selection? Or are you here to stock up?
Were there this many demons on the mountain?
Murata was greatly shocked, feeling like a wilted eggplant, he quietly shifted his butt away, feeling downcast.
Giyu glanced at the few people flashing in the distance, then looked back at Murata and asked:
"Shall we spar?"
Murata looked at Giyu in disbelief. You and me?
Are you sure you're not joking?
"Why?"
"Because that way, it feels more inclusive."
Murata shook his head furiously, rejecting at light speed, because sparring with these guys would be deadly.
Suddenly, a blade wind swept in, knocking over the campfire and scattering it like starlight.
Murata was so scared that his heart nearly stopped; he froze in place.
I shouldn't have shamelessly hung out with these guys!
Mom, save me!
I want to run away! ε=ε=ε=┌(;′°ェ°)┘
Soon, Murata shook his head; he didn't want to be looked down upon.
In contrast, Giyu leisurely ate grilled fish, even remembering to save a few for Tendo, as he recalled Tendo saying he wasn't full.
After tiring themselves out, the group sprawled out on the grass and fell asleep.
Giyu held the grilled fish, quietly gazing at the starry sky.
Murata silently kept watch over this group of exceptionally strong guys.
As the first light of dawn broke through the clouds, the first rays of morning light fell upon the quiet Fujisaki Mountain.
The final selection had ended.