Always With Me{A Demon Slayer Fanfic}

Part 4: The Final Selection

5 years later...

"Everyone ready?" Karuka asked.
"Ready!"
"Let's go, everyone."
I glanced around at everyone here: Karuka, Kanao, Rina, and B/n.
{I hope everyone will survive...}
We set off: to Mount Fujikanase!
(Ava: After going to Mount Fujikanase*damn that's a walk..*)
{We're at Mount Fujikanase... The wisteria smells so nice... But what about Rina? Will she be okay killing her own kind?}
I looked over at Rina, who was indeed looking pale.
"I really hope we start soon... I wanna slay some demons!"
I switched my view to Karuka, wearing a look of loathing on her face.
"..."
Kanao simply said nothing to Karuka's outburst and smiled. A butterfly landed on her finger and she kept smiling.
After a while, more contestants started coming in. I quickly noticed some of the other contestants. A boy with blonde hair kept muttering that he was going to die. Another boy with a mohawk just glared at everyone in this ring of wisteria. And finally, a boy with red hair and eyes, and a fox mask entered the circle.
{Damn... we've got competition...}
"Greetings, everyone."
I turned at the two children who started speaking.
"Thank you all for joining the Final Selection tonight," The black-haired girl said.
"There are several demons brought back here by skilled demon slayers."

"And since wisteria blooms all year around, they are unable to leave."
"However, the wisteria only covers half the mountain. From here on up, there will be no more wisteria. Only demons."
I shuddered a bit at the white-haired girl's words.
"Now let the Final Selection begin. We wish you the best of luck."
After that we were released into the mountain.

(Ava: Geez... This is like the Hunger Games...)

After killing some demons, I heard a commotion a few feet away. It seemed like a wrestling match was taking place.
I strayed away from my group, and followed the sound, leading me to the boy with the mohawk.

"Are you alright?"
"I'm fine."
"Um... I hope you don't mind me asking..."
"What?"
"May I ask for your name?"
"It's Genya. Genya Shinazugawa."
"Y/n!"
"Karuka!"
"You're ok, right?"
"Yeah..."
"Who is this?"
"Oh... This is Genya Shinazugawa!"
"Shinazugawa?... Y/n."
"Huh?"
"We need to leave. Now."
"Ah... Ok..."
We left Genya and the demon's remains to another section of the mountain.
"Y/n."
"Yeah?"
"Did he really say his name was Shinazugawa?"
"Yeah. So?"
"Impossible. Shinazugawa-san doesn't have a brother."
"How do you know?"
"He told me."
"Hmm... They're probably on bad terms with each other."
"Y/n!"
"B/n! Rina!"
"Thank goodness, you're safe!"

(Ava: Karuka pov!...*I was binge reading demon slayer while waiting for my mom to leave*)

《My god... Now I'm the one who gets fucking lost...》
I heard a demon's voice saying something, but I couldn't hear it clearly.
I went closer to the sound of its voice.
"Twelve... Thirteen... Now you're the fourteenth!"
"Huh?! What're you talking about?!"
"The number of Urokodaki's student's I ate, of course!"

I was intruiged, but knew better than to speak up and ask.

"To be honest, those two were the ones that left the most impression on me. The boy had a strange hair color, a shade of pink and a scar at the edge of his mouth. The girl had a flowery kimono and was quick and light in her movements."
I could tell the boy with the red hair was troubled by this information.
"Leave this to me. I'll take care of it."
"That fox mask. Urokodaki called it a "warding mask", didn't he?"
"Oi."
"Oh my! Another human to fulfill my hunger!"
"Sound Breathing: First Form: Roar!"
I sliced off some of the monster's arms, but saw it was futile as the monster just grew them back.
"Tch. I really wish I could break your legs. That would make my job easier... "
"Sound Breathing: Fourth Form: Constant Resounding Slashes!"
"Haa...Haa..."
The boy with red hair noticed I was tired, so he offered to fight the demon in my stead.
"No. I have to. I need to take revenge for Sabito and Makomo."
He stood up and began attacking the demon, but his breaths were ragged and his slashes were all over the place.
"Calm your breathing! Don't think about what happened to them!"
He got knocked into a tree, and just lay there, unmoving.
《He's dead...》
He suddenly woke up and doged the demon's attack.
《What the fuck?...》
The boy continued to slash at the demon and finally realized it: THE DEMON'S FUCKING HANDS COULD GROW BACK FUCKING QUICKLY.
The demon's hands grew from under him, but he jumped just in time.
But the as the demon reached out for his head, he headbutted it.
《This guy's fucking crazy... I like it!》
I sat up and positioned a fighting stance.
"Sound Breathing: Fifth Form: String Performance!"
I slashed the demon up and caught the boy mid-air.
"You okay?"
"Y-yeah."
"Good. May this piece of shit rot in hell where he's meant to be."
I turned to the boy, who was holding the demon's hand like he felt sorry for him.
"Hey. You."
"Yes?"
"What's your name?"
"It's Tanjirou Kamado..."
"Well then Tanjirou, do you feel sorry for that demon over there?"
"Yes."
"Don't. Demons are just scum who attack humans."
"But there are also good demons!"
"Good demons eh? Got any proof?"
"My sister's a demon and she hasn't eaten people for two years!"
"Tch. People like you are going to be massacred on their first mission. If you survive of course. Now I must find my group."
"Hey! Wait!"
I left him calling after me as I left to relocate my friends.

(Ava: One week later...)

"Welcome back. Congratulations."
"Being safe is better than anyting else."
{Wow... There are only eight people left...}
"You must first pay for the uniform."
(Ava: Eh?! We pay for the uniform?!)
"Then you must get your body measured and your rank engraved."
"There are 10 ranks in all. You are currently at the lowest rank."
"What about the blade?"
{He seems really intent on getting a blade...}
"Today you will all choose a chunk of ore that will be used to forge your blade. It will be completed in 10-15 days. Also, from today, Kasugai Crows will be following you all. Kasugai Crows are mainly used for communication."
I saw the blonde boy get a sparrow and pointed him out to B/n.
"CAWW!!"
"I don't care about some dumb crow!"
Genya grabbed the white-haired girl and demanded the blade. I tried to jump in to stop them, but Karuka blocked my way.
"Don't, Y/n. Tanjirou's got it under control."
The boy with red hair went over to Genya and grabbed his arm.
"Let go of her this instant! If you don't, I'll break your arm!"
"Huh?! Who the hell do you think you are?! You can try if you dare!!"
Tanjirou pushed him back with heavy force.
"Are you done? If so, please go over there and choose the ore that will be used to forge your blade."
We all went over to the table and picked a piece of ore.
After that we departed ways. I wonder what the future has in store for us?