Chapter 6- Final selection

I had left Tanjiro with Urokodaki-san and had started my journey to Mount Fujikasane, where the demon slayer trademark, wisteria flowers grew there, no matter what the season, keeping demons trapped inside the dense forests of the mountain, making this challenge all the more dangerous. 

I was on the way there, when I encountered a strange-looking boy in a yellow and orange haori, with yellow hair, he was crying like a little child kept on groveling in the dirt. I walked up to the mentally disturbed kid and pulled him off the floor. 

"Oi, what are you doing, man up!"

"Ehhhhhhh, shut up who are you!" screamed the stupid-looking boy. But he had calmed down and begun a new activity as he noticed my weapons, the scythes gleamed in the afternoon sun and so did the boy's eyes. 

"My savior, you have to come with me to protect me!"

"From what?" I asked.

"From the final selection, you like like you're going there too."

I lied through my teeth, "No, I'm not, why don't you just man up."

I left the boy still groveling in the dirt, clutching at the ground, I mean how did this guy even get permission from his master to part-take in the final selection? Honestly, I felt like I would ace this, my sense of smell, mastery of water breathing and just scythe-wielding in general was top-notch. I could pass this. 

The arrival at Mount Fujikasane was unexpectedly amazing, the pink wisteria smoothed the roughness of the mountain, roughly metaphorically symbolizing the calm before the storm. The climb up the mountain was made easy for future slayers, there were steps made of marble leading up the mountain, and I met other candidates on the way up. Eventually, we all arrived and waited, even the groveling yellow boy, who looked at me with eyes of betrayal.

We were eventually met by these two little girls who explained the rules and things we had to accomplish to become a slayer. They looked uncannily alike and sometimes talked in unison, creeping the whole group out. Eventually, the slightly taller one began talking of the outcome of the final selection, Nichirin weapons and crows and a uniform. Interesting. 

The Commencing of the final selection was less enthusiastic most of the future demon slayers just trudged off into the forest, I made sure to get my confident look on and strode into the heart of the mountain. The task was at first easy, pretty relaxing actually, I mean yes the forest gave me the creeps but it was alright. 

Soon night fell and the sun started to wane, I smelt a rabbit in the bush, I threw my scythe like a boomerang and it hit the Rabbit in its rump and life was good as I watched it roast, I had collected some river water in the flask that Urokodaki Sensei had given me. I ate the Rabbit in silence after saying, "Itadakimasu!" The food had me sleepy and I had claimed a tree after smothering the ashes of the fire, cutting out the smoking. 

The tree was uncomfortable but I still managed to drift into what was doomed to be a very short nap....

The stench grew in strength, and it filtered its way into my nose, "Gack!" What was that smell? I sat upright and slid down the tree, I controlled my breathing allowing me to enter a state of extreme focus. My haori began to flap, there was a light wind, carrying the disgusting stench closer to me. It was almost unbearable. 

I drew my scythes, and that's when I felt a slimy hand on my shoulder, "Well Well, What do we have here?!" I dashed forward out of the thing's grasp and turned to see a demon, tall as hell, it had to be at least 10 feet tall. My 6ft 1in body wasn't going to stand a chance without my breathing techniques. 

"You have the smell of that man, Urokodaki, my friend has killed so many of his students, looks like killing you will be my pleasure!" 

I stared at the demon in disgust but did not say a word, focusing on my breathing. Urokodaki-san had taught me that you would only talk during a fight with a demon to either distract or rest. I didn't have to do either of those options saw I waited for him to strike first. It lunged straight at me, claws spread, its eyes a glowing dark red, I sidestepped the attack and got into a fighting stance, "Breath Of The Water, third form- Flowing Dance!" 

I dashed side to side, doing each of the demon's attacks as I moved my scythes in a dance, the water, ebbing and flowing from the blades of my scythes, they may not be Nichirin but combined with the breathing I sliced off the demon's hands, feet and had stabbed it through the neck, but it started regenerating, and I was kicked back.

"Breath of the water, sixth form- Whirlpool!" I spun, my upper body twisting one way and lower body the other way, tensing my muscles to breaking point before releasing, a swift twisting strike followed by 5 more had decapitated the demon, and before it had the chance to do anything I pulled out a powder that Urokodaki-san had given me and up it over the demon, it stopped regenerating and turned to ash, this was the power of Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand. 

But no matter how useful it is, I can't just keep powdering demons, it took too long, so I cut off a piece of tree bark and poured a large amount of powder into it. I also scraped off sap from the trees as glue and covered my Scythes with them before putting them into the sand, they were now covered with the Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand, giving them the properties of a Nichirin blade, that should do. For now.