Demon Slayer: Can I add points to my Breathing Technique?

The final selection venue for the Demon Slayer Corps.

Along with places like Fujikasayama and Kurobe Gorge, it serves as a place for recruiting members for the Demon Slayer Corps and as the final test site.

"There are significantly more people coming for testing this year than in previous years."

"Isn't this a good thing? With more of us, it will be easier to deal with those damned devils."

"Shh, keep your voice down, don't upset Lady Shenli."

In front of the torii gate by the lake, several young men with their faces covered by cloth were whispering among themselves.

They are the [Hidden].

The logistics support unit of the Demon Slayer Corps.

Responsible for all auxiliary work such as battlefield cleanup, post-battle support, and intelligence transmission.

This also includes the maintenance of the examination venue for the "final selection".

Standing in front of them was a young man with a cool and aloof demeanor.

A simple ebony hairpin loosely tied up at the back of her head, a few strands of white hair falling over her shoulders, and she wore a pure white robe and kimono.

On the outside, she was covered with a dark purple haori.

The divine fence speaks of guarding.

The "Kamikabe" family, who have been on good terms with the Ubuyashiki clan for generations, is a priest at Hakone Shrine.

He is also the cousin of the former Kamigo Tenon, now Mrs. Ubuyashiki.

However, today, his role is that of the host of this final selection.

Since ancient times, the final selection of the Demon Slayer Corps has always been presided over by the Ubuyashiki family or their family members.

However, with the Ubuyashiki family now increasingly small, this ceremonial selection process can only be carried out by other Shinto families that are on good terms with them.

Kamigo Mori didn't particularly like the Ubuyashiki family.

However, due to family demands and aversion to the existence of ghosts.

He would still take on this responsibility, watching from this place as a group of swordsmen, some children and some young men, headed into the mountains to fight for their lives.

He pretended not to hear the whispers of the hidden members behind him.

Instead, they gazed at the several wooden boats gradually approaching in the distance under the cover of night.

"It seems this is the last batch."

Seeing several swordsmen of varying heights disembark from the wooden boat, he paused for a moment, then strode forward.

……

"Is this the final selection location that the cheap mechanic mentioned?"

As soon as she disembarked, Xia Xi looked around with some curiosity.

Torii gate, wisteria blossoms, a few strange men with veils, and a charlatan...

As for the other candidates in the surrounding area.

【Shota Heido (Level: 27)】Fire Breathing LV.2

【Kitetsu Saburo (Level: 31)】Water Breathing LV.1

【Reiko Shusui (Level: 22)】Water Breathing LV.1

【Heavenly Feather Slash (Energy Level: 19)】Breathing of Thunder LV.1

……

Don't be fooled by their faces full of deep-seated hatred and stories, and their air of expertise.

But in reality, out of more than twenty candidates, only a handful had a skill level above 30.

And only one person has reached the level of [LV.2 Basic Understanding] in breathing techniques.

Compared to Xia Xi's own attribute panel, which was approaching 40, and his LV.2 breathing technique, the other candidates could be described as mere nobodies.

I wasn't very confident to begin with.

Looking at it this way, isn't it a sure thing that we're all in the same cohort?

In his view, if an organization that fights monsters plans to recruit new members, the pass rate for selection must be about the same as the casualty rate.

With a similar birth and death rate, the organization won't rapidly weaken under high-mortality combat conditions.

Xia Xi pondered that the pass rate was probably over 60%.

The Demon Slayer Corps, consisting of hundreds of people, has a mortality rate of over half, even excluding most of the support staff.

The number of new swordsmen needed to be recruited each year is probably close to one hundred.

There are five selection locations, and selections are held every six months...

A pass rate of around ten people is needed to barely maintain a "break-even" situation.

In other words, this selection process will eliminate nearly half of the candidates.

Xia Xi pondered.

Based on the level of the ghost he encountered a few days ago, these candidates could probably be defeated if they were attacked in groups of two or three.

If there are multiple ghosts, there will indeed be some casualties.

He then turned his gaze to the examiners in front of him.

【Mountain Breathing (Energy Level: 11)】 Rock Breathing LV.0

【Akimichi (Level: 18)】Wind Breathing LV.1

【Nara (Level: 9)】Water Breathing LV.0

【Divine Fence's Words of Protection (Level: 6)】

They're even weaker than these swordsmen who are taking the exam...

The chief examiner is just an ordinary person, so he won't care about the safety and order of the examination room at all?

Just as Xia Xi was muttering to himself, Shen Li, whom he had judged to be an "ordinary person," cleared her throat and spoke.

"Young swordsmen, thank you for gathering here tonight."

"You now stand at a crossroads of destiny. Ahead lies Lake Ashi—your final trial ground."

"Here, I will inform you of the rules."

"This area is surrounded by a barrier of wisteria flowers that never fade, and many demons captured alive by the Demon Slayer Swordsmen are imprisoned within it."

"But please rest assured, they will never be able to escape this mountain."

"Your mission is to survive for seven days in these mountains."

"If you can leave this place in seven days, you will have passed the selection."

Shenli Yanshou's gaze swept across the faces of the group of swordsmen in front of him.

They were all young people.

The youngest is probably just over ten years old.

But regardless of their age, none of them showed the slightest intention to back down.

"The wisteria is both a barrier and a cage—the evil spirits cannot escape, and you can only fight them here."

"If you feel you cannot continue, you may withdraw from the selection process at any time and return to this torii gate."

"But whatever choice you make, please remember this."

"Grip your sword tightly, guard your heart."

Having said that, he stepped aside, revealing the path behind the torii gate that was gradually disappearing into the darkness.

"Finally, I wish you all great success in your military endeavors!"

For a moment, everyone present fell silent.

Each of them had undergone at least six months of arduous training by the trainers, and almost every one of them harbored an irreconcilable hatred for those cannibalistic demons.

But the unknown and darkness are dangerous; this is an instinct etched into human genes.

Especially after the host's words, this mountain range surrounded by wisteria flowers was already equated with a land of death.

I wouldn't say I'm backing down, but I should at least take a few deep breaths and mentally prepare myself before daring to step inside.

All the swordsmen present thought the same thing.

Apart from……

"Are you guys not getting on? I'll go in first then."

Xia Xi drew his Nichirin Blade, gave a brief greeting to the crowd, and then stepped over the torii gate without looking back.

The PVE survival match is not a real-life PVP against these swordsmen.

For Xia Xi, there wasn't even a hint of tension.

Instead, it made him feel an overwhelming urge to rush in and fight monsters.

A group of evil spirits trapped by wisteria flowers?

This is a high-experience event instance.

If we don't rush in, are we going to wait for other candidates to go in and steal the monsters and experience points?

However, after taking only a few steps, Xia Xi suddenly stopped and turned to look at Shen Li, who was dressed in a priest's robe.

"By the way, examiner, if we kill all the ghosts in this mountain... you shouldn't ask me for compensation, right?"

In his view, killing all the ghosts was equivalent to destroying all the exam materials.

Shenli was slightly taken aback.

"Examiner?" Is that slang from somewhere?

"If you can do it, then of course there's no problem."