Demon Slayer: The Naruto Hashira is a pure villain!

"So that's how you got your wound back then."

Obanai dodged an oni that lunged at her, used a tree trunk as leverage to swing her sword, and chopped off the oni's head.

The intense battle left Obanai slightly out of breath.

"Are you still able to do it?" Sanemi stopped the bleeding from his arm.

Although I want to attract more demons, I can't let Iguro die here because of me, can I?

"Fortunately."

Obanai was somewhat envious of Sanemi, who was taller and had a stronger grip.

While both involve severing a demon's neck, this guy doesn't need to use any extra movements to gain leverage.

Unlike myself...

I can't learn the Flame Breathing technique at all, and even the most basic Water Breathing technique doesn't seem to suit me very well.

Ugh, so annoying.

"Then let's continue."

"Row."

Sanemi stopped using his own blood to lure demons and instead searched the mountains with Obanai. If they found demons, they would kill them; if not, they would simply take a walk and rest.

With these two powerful figures around, this assessment is another round of perks.

The number of students admitted through the recommendation system is as high as 70-80%.

They killed so many demons in the first three days that on the fourth night, Sanemi and Obanai didn't find a single demon.

Fujikazeyama, which had been brought back to life with great difficulty thanks to the efforts of Makijuro and the others, has once again become a ruined "examination hall".

The leader of the slugs, who had been circling in the mountains and forests observing the battle, immediately turned around and reported the situation to his lord.

There wasn't much to eat on the mountain, so Sanemi used his haori (a type of traditional Chinese garment) to catch two fish from the river to treat himself.

The fish was caught, but poor Obanai has no haori to wear tonight.

As they waited by the fire for their haoris to dry, Obanai looked at Sanemi, who was clearly preoccupied, and asked:

"You don't seem very happy, Shinazugawa."

"Hmm," Sanemi replied, turning the fish over in the fire.

The firelight illuminated Sanemi's eyes, revealing the desolation within them.

"Why?"

Sanemi didn't speak, he just mechanically flipped the fish on the fire.

The aroma of grilled fish gradually became enticing, but Obanai frowned in disgust, covered her nose, and moved even further away.

"Among the ghosts on this mountain, is there someone very important to you?"

Sanemi looked up in shock at Obanai, who was sitting far away.

"How...how did you know?"

"Guess."

After a moment of silence, Sanemi told Obanai about his mother.

Mom and Dad are already...

Whether or not it is hidden is not so important.

"Is that so? After Lady Shinazugawa became a demon, she was brought to Mount Fujikasa by a Pillar-level swordsman?"

Sanemi didn't speak, but looked at Obanai with bright eyes and said: No, how did you know?

"Hmm... I was rescued from the hands of demons by the Flame Pillar of the Demon Slayer Corps, and I stayed at the Rengoku family's residence for the next few years, so I know more about it."

Having learned about Sanemi's experiences and what was causing him distress, Obanai tried to comfort him.

“You are already lucky enough. At least you had a mother who loved you, and you still have family now.”

“Unlike me, who was born to be sacrificed. My mother and my relatives wished I would die at the hands of the snake demon in exchange for the family’s wealth and glory.”

Xiaobane stood up and patted the mud and grass clippings off her trousers.

"They want me dead, but I refuse. I want to live, to live a more meaningful life."

After saying that, Obanai picked up the haori that was being roasted on the side and walked towards the tall trees in the distance without looking back.

"Aren't you going to eat something?" The two grilled fish on the fire were sizzling with oil, and Sanemi tried to persuade Obanai to stay.

"No, I can't eat."

Sanemi assumed that Obanai was thinking about something sad and was too upset to eat, so he didn't try to persuade her to eat anymore.

Before the sun rose on the fifth day, one jay after another circled above the forests of Fujisaka Mountain, repeating:

"The end—the end—the final selection is over—"

"Swordsmen participating in the assessment, proceed to the mountaintop immediately—"

"Huh? Wasn't it supposed to survive for seven days?" Sanemi looked up at the kasugata crow that flew in and out, somewhat puzzled.

Obanai glanced at Sanemi and said, "It's obvious that there are no more ghosts on Mount Fujikasa, so there's no point in continuing."

That's all...

Sanemi gave a wry smile and glanced back at the dark forest behind him.

"The Immortal River..."

"I'm fine." Sanemi withdrew his gaze and started walking towards the mountaintop. "Let's go to the top first."

Chapter 58 Arsonist's Retirement from the Mountain: A Lifetime in Jail

The consequence of ending the assessment early was that these swordsmen who were recommended for advancement didn't have to live a savage life in the mountains for a period of time, unlike Sabito and Yayoi, and...

"Holy crap! What the hell is going on?! Did all the swordsmen of this year die on the mountain?"

Having finally set off half a day early, Yayoi, who had even managed to resist the urge to watch the finale while two old ladies at the village entrance were swearing, arrived at the summit of Mount Fujikasa before dawn on the seventh day.

The scene at the mountaintop was remarkably similar to that at the mountainside seven days earlier.

Empty.

Not only are there no swordsmen, but there isn't even a single hermit on the mountaintop.

Damn it! I got stood up again!!

They waited from nightfall until dawn, until Yayoi decided to set the mountain on fire to see how many corpses could be burned out of Fujikasa Mountain, when a figure, panting heavily, ran up the stone steps toward the summit.

"Lord Naruhashi! Show mercy!"

Just as Yayoi was about to throw the tinderbox in her hand, she heard the noise behind her, turned around, and her face turned extremely dark.

"You're here?"

"What? I was late last time, now it's your turn to be late?"

Are you messing with me?

"No, no..." Yin hurriedly explained before she could catch her breath, "The selection ended two days ago. I already asked Matsuko to tell you, didn't you... receive the news?"

Good, good, good pine nut.

At this moment, pine nuts—

"Strange, why isn't Yayoi up yet? Could she have left for Fujikasayama ahead of schedule?"

Songzi tried knocking on the bedroom door again, but still received no response.

"No way? Has this lazybones really changed his ways?"

Matsuko arrived just in time for the last night, but she didn't get to see Yayoi until dawn.

"Hey, Chacha-chan, do you know where Yayoi went?" Matsuko, desperate for a solution, asked Chacha-maru, who was "slacking off."

Chachamaru rolled her eyes at Matsuko, then turned her back on her and refused to look at her again.

You dead crow, how dare you call me Chacha-chan?

Having already made another wasted trip and left feeling frustrated, Yayoi didn't want to give this messed-up world a pleasant look.

"Why did it end early?" Yayoi asked irritably, suppressing her anger with her eyes closed.

Yin didn't hide anything: "All the ghosts on the mountain have been killed, so there's really no need to continue. That's why our lord called a halt to the assessment and ended it ahead of schedule."

Wow~ Another little guy as awesome as Sabito has appeared!

Sanemi, who was far away in Kyobashi Ward, and Obanai, who was packing up at Rengoku Ward in preparation for moving to the Demon Slayer Corps' accommodation, both sneezed at the same time.

"Alright, let's end it here." Yayoi waved her hand dismissively, then asked in a nonchalant tone, "If Kasugai-ya dies unexpectedly, will the team assign me a new Kasugai-ya?"

"..." Yin didn't dare to reply, intending to go back and report to the lord so that the lord could handle the matter.

From the half of his face that was partially visible, Yayoi could see that Hidden was in a difficult position. "Look at you, so timid. I was just joking."

"Alright, there's nothing more for me to do here, I'll head back now."

After Yayoi finished speaking, she turned around and walked down the mountain without looking back.

Huh? If we walk faster, can we still catch up with those two old ladies arguing?

I have to join in the fun.

"Lord Naruhashi." Hikari mustered his courage and called out to Yayoi.

"What? You'd better have something on your mind." Having been disappointed time and time again, Yayoi's displeasure was plain to see on her face.

Fearing being blamed, I used the simplest language to finish explaining the situation:

"My lord asked me to pass on a message, requesting that you find more ghosts to escort to Fujikashi Mountain before the next Fujikashi Mountain selection, so as not to delay the next final selection."

"Huh? Why is it still me?"

Yin cleared his throat and gave Yayoi a reason that she seemed to have heard not long ago.

"My lord said that currently only Lord Mingzhu has a territory under his command, so he has more free time."