𝐂𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐀𝐋 ll セレスティアル

六

(Name) and Tanjiro ran up the path towards the end of the Final Selection. Throughout the remainder of the exam, Tanjiro noticed how nonchalant (name) was when it came to slaying demons. She had no trouble at all, and everything seemed to move faster with her. In the distance, four people stood in front of what looked like a gate and the two children were there. 

“Welcome back.” one greeted.

“Congratulations. Being safe and sound is better than anything else.” the other continued, both displaying emotionless eyes.

“If you include (name) and I, there are only 6 people left?!” Tanjiro thought, walking with (name) to join the others, “there were around 20 people to begin with…” 

“That guy isn’t here too… because I passed out that moment… I couldn’t save him.” Tanjiro gritted his teeth.

A gentle hand clamped down on his shoulder and he turned to meet the dead eyes of (name). She knew what he was thinking. She’s been there before when she couldn’t make it in time to save Omma and Hiroto.

“Don’t blame yourself, Tanjiro.” she spoke calmly, but her eyes were cold, “there are only so many things a person can do.”

“(Name)…” the boy murmured and closed his eyes tightly. 

(Name) removed her hand from his shoulder and glanced at the people around them. There was a blond shaking his ass off, a girl with a side ponytail with a butterfly, and a mohawk scarred face boy with a constipated face.

“I’m going to die, going to die, going to die, going to die, going to die.” the blond repeated, “even if we survive this, we’re still dead at the end.”

“...” the ponytail girl didn’t say anything.

“Eh? What do I do now?” the scarred boy asked rudely, “where’s my blade?”

“You must first pay the cost of the uniform.” the twins dismissed the mohawk’s rude lines, “then you must have your body measured and have your rank engraved.”

“There are 10 ranks in total: mizunoto, mizunoe, kanoto, kanoe, tsuchinoto, tsuchinoe, hinoto, hinoe, kinoto, and kinoe. You are currently at the lowest level: mizunoto.”

“Probably how Kokushibo felt most of the time.” (name) thought mindlessly. 

She just hoped he didn’t destroy anything with her absence.

“What about the blade?” the constipated boy spat, but was ignored again. 

“Today, you will choose a piece of tamahagane alloy. Your blade will be completed within 10 to 15 days.” the white hair explained, then clapped her hands.

“In addition, each of you will be assigned a kasugaigarasu that will follow and guide you for each mission.”

The sounds of crows cawing and the flutter of wings made (name) look up. Black feathers danced around her, and it seemed more like the call of death than anything else. She held her arm up and a smaller crow from the flock landed on it lightly. They glanced at each other, and the crow tilted her head before squawking, as if the bird approved of her choice.

“Eh? Isn’t this…” (name) turned to the blond who had an adorable sparrow on his hand, “isn’t this a sparrow?”

Tanjiro smiled and patted the crow that rested on his shoulder. The ponytail girl didn’t say anything, having the same reaction as (name). 

“Kasugaigarasu is a crow that is primarily used for communication.” the black hair child explained. 

“I don’t care about some dumb crow!” the mohawk boy bashed and swung his bird off.