Demon Slayer Swap AU

Chapter 6: A Mountain of Hands

"A demon's weak point is its neck. However, when using a normal blade, even cutting its neck won't kill it. The swords that the demon slayer corps use are made from a special steel. We call them Nichirin Swords."

Thanks to my training with Koyuki, I've learned to smell out an "opening thread." That's how I won. When I'm fighting someone, and I find that scent, I see the thread.

It runs from my blade to a spot on my opponent, and it goes taut the moment I see it. Guided by the thread, my blade cuts into that spot.

"I did not intend to send you to Final Selection. I had no wish to see another child die. I didn't think you would split that boulder.." Keizo said, and he gently rubbed her head. "..but you did well. Nezuko, you.. are an amazing child."

Tears filled Nezuko's eyes as Keizo continued to rub her head. He then hugged her, and she hugged back. "Go to Final Selection, but be sure to return alive. Your brother and I are here waiting.

Keizo gave me a mask. It's called a warding mask. Apparently, it offers protection from evil.

I can't take Tanjiro with me - he's still asleep. So I'm leaving him in Keizo's care.

"I'm on my way, Keizo!" Nezuko shouted as she began to run away from the house, turning her head to look and wave. "Give my best to Koyuki!"

Keizo's eyes widened, and a look of sadness washed over his face as he waved back. "Nezuko.. how is it you.. know the name of my dead daughter?"

Mount Fujikasane:
Site of Final Selection

Nezuko walked up the stairs to where all the people who were also taking part in Final Selection were gathered. All around the mountain was Wisteria, but Nezuko knew they shouldn't be blooming this time of year.

When she arrived at the top of the stairs, she could see a large area where at least twenty people were, like two girls, one with bright yellow hair tied into a side ponytail with a butterfly hairclip and the other long white hair and beautiful blue eyes, and a boy with short black hair and brown eyes.

At the front of all these people, were two males; they looked very similar to each other except one had short black hair with a widow's peak and the other had  hair that was also black but bore the resemblance of a spider's legs.

Suddenly, the two boys spoke in unison, their voices sounding as if it were only one, "Greetings, everyone." They said, their eyes remaining unblinking. "Thank you for gathering tonight for Final Selection. Mount Fujikasane holds demons that demon-slayer swordsmen have taken alive and trapped here."

"Demons hate wisteria flowers, which bloom here even out of season. They cover the mountain from its foot to halfway up the slope."

"However, from that point on, the wisteria does not bloom. So the demons roam free. You must survive there for seven days. If you do, then you will have passed Final Selection. Now, go."

And with that, everyone began to run past the boys, who were bowing respectfully and up the mountain. The moon was a perfect crescent, and the sky was pitch-black as Nezuko ran throughout the mountain.

Suddenly, Nezuko could hear the sound of two demons arguing from within the trees. One had a long tongue and horns growing out of the sides of its head as well as a sharp blade sticking out of one of its arms and the other had pointed ears and claws with wide eyes and slitted pupils.

"Hey! Hey! Get lost! I'm gonna eat this kid!" One of the demons shouted.

"No, you get lost!" The other retorted.

Nezuko just stared at the two, sweat dripping down her face. Two of them! Out of nowhere! Can I win? She thought to herself as the two demons drew closer.

"She's my meal!" The long-tongued demon exclaimed.

"Shut up!" Shouted the other.

They both then charged towards Nezuko, both about to attack her as she unsheathed her sword.

"The one who kills her first gets to eat her!"

"It's been so long since I tasted human flesh!" Said the pointy-eared demon.

Nezuko prepared to attack, taking a deep breath.

Total Concentration.. Destruction Breathing! I smell the thread! Fourth Form: Bombardment of Destruction!

Nezuko decapitated both demons with a single swift and powerful slash. She stared at the two demons as their bodies began crumbling away, tears filling her eyes.

I did it. I beat two demons! I've gotten stronger. All that training worked.. I can do this!

She watched as the last of the demons' bodies crumbled away, and she put her sword back into its sheath.

When I use the katana that Keizo gave me.. even the bones crumble! Nezuko thought as she brought her hands together in a praying position. Rest in peace!

Nezuko sniffed the air, and she could smell something rotten. A boy who was also attending Final Selection and was holding a katana was sprinting away, looking rather distressed and afraid.

The boy turned his head to look at Nezuko and said in a panicked tone, "There's a huge, deformed demon back there! I've never seen anything like it!"

All of a sudden, a loud thump boomed throughout the mountain, and right behind the boy, was a monstrously large, hulking monster with olive green arms and hands with blood red fingernails covering its entire body so only its beady yellow eyes with cross-hatch shaped pupils were visible. It was clutching another would-be demon slayer by the throat with one of its overly large hands. They were clearly dead.

One of its hands blubbered and gurgled, and suddenly it shot forward and grabbed the boy, who was still running, by the foot. Nezuko's eyes widened as she drew her sword.

Don't be afraid! Help him. I must help him! I'm not useless anymore! Let's go! Nezuko thought, running forward as the demon raised the boy up in the air.

Destruction Breathing Second Form: Boulder of Destruction!

She leapt forward and performed a front flip, releasing a singular vertical slash in a circular motion that resembled the shape of a boulder. The slash managed to cut off the demon's arm that was holding the boy, making the boy fall to the ground. Nezuko crouched in front of him, looking at the demon with a tough expression.

The demon glared back at her before speaking, its tone quite sinister and cruel, "Another of my dear foxes has come!"

Word Count: 1085