Priceless Smile 2

Chapter 78: Test

     Their scene changed again as Kazumi's now helping Toshiaki with his warm up excercise. Just then, Yoriichi arrived.

"Kazumi." He called.

Kazumi then faced him as she wave her hand.

"Morning, Yoriichi! What made you come here?"

"I heard from Yuki-sama that you're back after being gone for a month. Since when did you come back?"

"Two days ago if I'm not mistaken."

Toshiaki got up from the ground as his head turn to look at the two.

"Who's that?" Yoriichi asked looking at Toshiaki behind Kazumi.

"Ah, right! Come and meet him!" Kazumi then grabbed his wrist as the two walked towards Toshiaki.
"Toshiaki, this is my friend I told you about. The one who's on the same age as you."

"Hello! I'm Rengoku Toshiaki! Nice to meet you!" Toshiaki greeted.

"I'm Tsugikuni Yoriichi.... nice to meet you too."

"Now that you know each other the both of you can train together now! Isn't that great." Kazumi clasped both her hands as she smile.

The two boys looked at her as they look back at each other. Toshiaki looked at Yoriichi from head to toe as Yoriichi remained with an expressionless face looking at him.

"When are you going to start slaying demons?" Yoriichi asked breaking the silence.

"Haru-san said that he'll test me first before he lets me have my own sword to start slaying demons. How about you?"

"I guess the same will happen to me. I wonder why they just won't let us enter the final selection?"

"Final selection?" Toshiaki repeated.

"It's a test for those who wanted to become slayers. They have to go to Mt. Fujikasane in order to be tested. That mountain has a bunch of demons and all the participants have to do is to slay them and survive within the time span of seven days." Yoriichi explained.

"Then.... does that mean that those who didn't pass.... died?" Toshiaki stuttered.

"Yes." Yoriichi answered straight away.

Toshiaki just gulped down as he suddenly paled. Kazumi sighed as she put her hand on his shoulder.

"No need to worry, no one's forcing you to take it. It's alright if you're scared."

".... I.... I won't back away.... I'll train even harder then!" Toshiaki raised his head looking determined.
"I'll train harder and learn everything I have to! I won't back out! I'll become a slayer no matter what!"

Kazumi just chuckled as she ruffle his hair.

"You told me your mother has a fiery personality, seems like you inherited that too."

Their scene then changed again as Yuki, Yoriichi, and Kazumi are now walking towards a mountain. Yoriichi's walking beside Yuki as Kazumi just follow them behind. They then stopped at the foot as the three face it.

"Haru was sent to a sudden mission that's why he told me to send you here instead of himself." Yuki then scratched his nape.
"Tch! That guy, I know he just don't have the heart to see you off. Well, if he's here he'll definitely follow you so I guess it's a good choice to have me send you instead."

"Then, why is Yoriichi with us?"

"I'm just here to watch, I wanna know how this test will work." Yoriichi answered.

"Now that we're all here, all you have to do is to climb up the mountain. The demons here are much more experienced in battle than the ones at Mt. Fujikasane, they're also stronger and are capable of blood demon art. I put a hidden flag there. All you have to do is to slay the demons and find that flag within three hours." Yuki explained.
"It may be a short time than having to survive seven days at the final selection, but this is different. As I've said, the demons here are stronger."

"What happens if I didn't come back after three hours?"

"Then I'll go after you and find you. If that happens, it only means you needed more training. But if you manage to come back on time, I'll give you a watermelon as a price." Yuki then leaned closer to her right ear.
"But you better come back alive or Haru will definitely kill me." He whispered.

Kazumi just chuckled as she pat Yuki's arm and nod. Just then, she stepped forward, she vanished from her spot surprising the two.

She's now running up as she sensed the presence of the demons coming closer. Just then, five demons jumped at her as she then stopped and jumped aside continuing to run.

'It's too early for me to kill.'

She kept on running to random directions making the demons confused on how to follow her. She lost the previous five when she suddenly heard a sound coming from above. A demon with a human body but with a head and feet of a bird and its arms covered in feathers as it turns out to be wings, tried to claw her with its talons. But as the demon passed by her, its feet suddenly fell on the ground as Kazumi sprinted towards it slashing its chest.

'I got the scent!'

She then leapt up as she landed on the ground running towards a certain direction. Just as she do so, small vines crawled out of the ground attempting to grab her feet as she jumped away. She faced the demon hiding behind a tree. Its a girl with a height of a three year old kid controlling the vines, she has a straight lime green hair and gray skin wearing a tattered kimono. When the vines surrounded Kazumi, she disappeared from the demon's sight as she decapitated the demon from behind.

"Sorry."

The only word she spoke as she continue to run. After a while, she finally found the flag behind a thick bush surrounded by a bunch of demons she managed to kill. She instantly grabbed it and ran down. This time, she killed each and every demon who came after her as she head down.

'How pitiful, for me to kill these people just because they've become a threat.... I'm really sorry.'

Just that and she finally reached the bottom as she skid to a stop right in front of Yuki.

"Got it!" Kazumi showed him the red flag smiling.

"Woah! That's quite fast! More than two hours just passed and you got it." Yuki then took the flag as he pat her head.
"Congratulations! You may start your official job as a slayer tomorrow or once your sword arrives."

"I'm glad you made it back. Congratulations." Yoriichi smiled.

"Thank you! Now, how many watermelons will I get?"

"As many as you like! I'll pay for it!" Yuki gave her a thumbs up.

"Then how about twelve or twenty? I think that's enough."

Yuki became hard as stone upon hearing her answer as the slayers hold in their laughter. Yoriichi looked at Yuki then.

"You told her you'll pay for it."

"A-Alright."

Hanare then snapped her fingers as they get to hear Yuki's thoughts.

'Haru, just what did you feed her?!'