𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 || 𝐃𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

16.

-7 years ago, Final Selection-

"This is your final destination! Mount Fujikasane!" Shinjuro's bird said in a lower tone before quickly flying away.

'Mount Fujikasane...Covered by blossoming Wisteria that only bloom once a year at a specific time...'

You were lost and in a daze. Maybe it was from all the major hiking you had just don't just to reach the top of the mountain, or maybe it was fear. You looked down to your sword and ground your teeth.

After the sunset and the stars came out, we had gotten the right of way to walk up more stairs to reach the top.

Finally, we were met by Master Kagaya's family members. Two each explained the rules of the Final Selection. It was pretty straight forward.

"The exam entails surviving seven consecutive nights on the mountaintop, relying solely on their own resources without external assistance. Candidates who manage to survive all seven nights successfully are granted the opportunity to join the esteemed ranks of the Demon Slayer Corps as official Demon Slayers"

As they finished up their rules, everyone started their entrance into the darkness of the heavily wooded mountain.

-6 days later-

It was the final night, and to be quite honest, you had yet to understand why this was a 'challenge'. There were hardly any demons if any at all.

You had set up a small site by yourself and had started a mini fire. You just needed to last until dawn, then, you'd be a 'Demon Slayer'.

As you perched yourself up on a tree, you felt yourself consciousness slip.

*SNAP*

Immediately your eyes shot open. You sprung to your feet and grabbed your sword.

"Oh...How excited Master would be...!" You heard a faint high pitched voice spill out from behind you.

You turned swiftly and looked at the trees behind you, but you couldn't manage to locate any demon or even a human.

"He'd surely promote me..." The voice then came from above you.

You immediately looked up but all you could see were the tree branches and leaves colliding with one another.

"For some reason, all of the other demons on this mountain are getting eradicated by some brat...So...If Master hears that I was the only demon to successfully kill an incoming Demon Slayer, he might just praise me," The voice became closer to you as you closed your eyes.

"Don't worry...It won't hurt-" The demon said as your eyes shot open.

The tension in the air had been broken as the demon had approached you from behind. As his hand had reached out for your neck, he had grazed a stand of your hair.

*SLICE*

With a swift motion, you swing your hand around and cut through the demons hand.

As you turned around, your stare has hardened with your brows furrowed.

"Hm..." The demon hummed as he looked down and held his missing hand.

*DRIP* *DROP*

He tilted his head as the blood seeped from his arm. But, within a second, his flesh molded into a new hand.