CHAPTER 125: CHAPTER 125: WISTERIA MOUNTAIN

After breakfast, preparations were complete, and everything was packed.

At the main gate of the Butterfly Mansion, everyone, young and old, had gathered to see them off.

Big White Wolf Hammer stood beside them, tongue lolling out, panting heavily. The more Sosuke looked at him, the more he resembled a dog.

Sosuke shook his head. "Alright, everyone, go back now. Wait for the good news of my victorious return!"

"Be careful on the road," Kanae said. "I’ll be waiting for you."

Sosuke nodded.

Shinobu offered her heartfelt blessing: "You bastard! Don’t go getting horny over the swordsmen participating in the selection trials!"

"..."

Sosuke’s face darkened. ’Do they really think I’m that kind of person?’

’This half-assed farewell is so inconsiderate.’

Kanao flipped a coin, ultimately deciding to remain silent. She simply smiled at Sosuke and waved. As long as he didn’t leave, she kept waving...

Aoi and the others also bid Sosuke farewell. With his pack slung over his shoulder and his Hammer-Sword strapped to his back, he said no more. He set off on his journey, taking advantage of the crisp morning air.

Since arriving in this world, Sosuke had embarked on solo journeys only a handful of times. After careful consideration, he realized this was only his second.

The first time was when he left the Swordsmith Village for the Butterfly Mansion. Little did he know that after arriving at the mansion, he would settle there permanently.

In contrast, he had only returned to the Swordsmith Village once in all this time.

"If I have some free time later, I really should go back and visit," he mused.

He recalled the failed attempt at the Log Breathing Forging Method, a matter that had ultimately remained unresolved.

Sosuke felt powerless against the situation and could only accept it as it was.

The journey from the Butterfly Mansion to Wisteria Mountain wasn’t particularly long. Traveling by day and resting at night, Sosuke reached his destination by noon on the third day.

Wisteria Mountain was a mountain perpetually surrounded by blooming wisteria flowers throughout the year, yet none grew within its interior.

The Demon Slayer Corps captured demons and imprisoned them here as the final trial of the selection process.

To truly become a member of the Demon Slayer Corps, participating swordsmen had to survive for seven days on Wisteria Mountain.

Sosuke was well-versed in these matters. He immediately made his way up Wisteria Mountain, where a group of people had already gathered in the clearing before the mountain.

They were all swordsmen participating in this year’s selection.

Despite the crowd, there was no one present to maintain order or supervise the proceedings.

Sosuke scanned the crowd, but didn’t recognize any familiar faces.

He shook his head, found a spot to sit, and quietly waited for the trial to begin.

His calm demeanor, combined with the uniquely shaped Hammer-Sword, drew some attention.

However, no one approached him to strike up a conversation.

The upcoming trial was a test of life and death. Success meant joining the Demon Slayer Corps; failure meant certain death.

In such dire circumstances, most people were preoccupied with life-and-death matters. Who had time to pay attention to someone who seemed a bit eccentric?

Even a fleeting glance amidst the chaos was considered a luxury.

Sosuke welcomed this indifference; he preferred the quiet.

Before he knew it, evening had arrived.

Two young children, appearing no older than ten, stood before the silent plaza.

Sosuke observed the pair, both dressed in girls’ clothing, and felt a moment of confusion.

He knew they were likely children of Kagaya, but whether either was a boy remained unclear.

The Ubuyashiki family’s children were notoriously difficult to raise, so they were dressed as girls in their youth.

Given their young age and undeveloped physical features, Sosuke couldn’t discern their genders. He finally shook his head in resignation.

After listening to the children explain the rules of the Final Selection, the trials began immediately.

"Not a single wasted word, huh?"

Sosuke carried his Hammer-Sword and backpack, following the crowd as they surged into Wisteria Mountain.

The sky had completely darkened, marking the true arrival of night.

The mountain’s dense forests meant that even during the day, many areas remained shrouded in shadow. As a result, the dangers of night and day were roughly equal.

"This is just the first day in the mountains," Sosuke murmured, glancing at the tense swordsmen around him and letting out a soft breath.

His mindset was fully prepared; he wouldn’t let his guard down for a moment.

Even if the demons in Wisteria Mountain weren’t particularly strong, who knew what unexpected threats might lurk?

Only by remaining fully alert and giving his all could he truly honor the fruits of his arduous training.

"Besides, if I get injured during the Final Selection, Shinobu will never let me live it down, will she?"

Sosuke’s lips twitched. He imagined the scenario: having single-handedly defeated a Lower Ranks demon and bested Shinobu in combat, only to be nearly killed by some minor demon during the Final Selection.

"I can’t let such a ridiculous thing happen again," Sosuke thought to himself as he continued forward.

As he walked, he noticed the number of swordsmen around him gradually dwindling.

Some likely felt that moving in a large group was more dangerous, while others were probably overly confident in their own abilities. Whatever the reason, the group gradually dispersed.

After venturing deeper for some time, Sosuke found himself completely alone.

He had no intention of helping them.

As the saying went, if you can’t protect yourself, becoming a Demon Slayer Corps member would be a joke.

Self-preservation was merely the first step!

If they couldn’t even manage that, even if Sosuke were to act like a bodhisattva during this trial, uniting all forces and single-handedly protecting them until they all joined the Demon Slayer Corps... they would still ultimately die on missions.

It was only a matter of time!

"Having established these rules and explained the dangers of the Demon Slayer Corps, those who still choose to join have already entrusted their lives to it! If they lose their lives for this cause, they have no reason to complain."

Sosuke’s mind was crystal clear. He was willing to prevent tragedies that could be averted.

But this situation was different!

He reached out, and the Hammer-Sword fell into his palm. The dark crimson Big Hammer suddenly swung into motion.

The Demon, who had just leaped from the tree, believing Sosuke was completely defenseless, didn’t even have time to flash a triumphant, arrogant grin before the hammer smashed into its face.

The Big Hammer slammed across the ground with a thunderous crash, shaking the earth like an earthquake!

Sosuke slung the Big Hammer back over his shoulder and watched as the Demon screamed, its crushed head regenerating. It still roared defiantly at him, "I’ll devour you..."

"Don’t make empty threats about things you can’t accomplish."

A flash of blade light, and the Demon Head tumbled to the ground, vanishing into nothingness.

"As expected, the gap is too vast." Sosuke sheathed his Nichirin Blade behind him with a click as the mechanism locked. He continued forward.