Ryou stood in place, waiting for the Hand Demon to come. The vibrations deepened into heavy thuds, shaking the earth with the rhythm of a massive beast closing in.
"You...What are you doing? Let's get out of here. You won't stand a chance against that thing." The injured Demon Slayer cried out desperately, his voice hoarse.
Seeing no response from Ryou, the slayer's face drained of color. "We're dead… We're both dead…"
Then it appeared, emerging from the forest's depths like a nightmare given form. The Hand Demon! It was a grotesque creature of immense size and wrapped in countless hands.
Every movement of the creature sent tremors through the forest floor. Its twisted presence exuded an aura of malevolence that would send a shiver down anyone's spine.
Facing such a creature, Ryou was unfazed by its aura or size. He thought coolly, 'Here comes my 2+2 point!'
The Hand Demon's small head peeked out from amidst its many arms and looked at Ryou in amusement. When it noticed Ryou had no fox mask, it yelled, losing its cool.
"You're not a fox cub, too. Why haven't I met any of Urokodaki's brats this time? Damn him! It's okay. I will have them next time." The Hand Demon turned its demonic eye onto him.
"You look tasty. Once I eat you, I will go for the others!" The Hand Demon laughed.
Ryou scowled at the Hand Demon with disgust, "Tsk! You're one ugly bastard, the mere sight of you sickens me!"
"What did you say, you brat?" The Hand Demon's roar reverberated through the forest. The sheer force of its voice shook the trees, and a tidal wave of arms surged toward Ryou, aiming to crush him into pulp.
Ryou didn't even flinch. He inhaled deeply. 'Nature Breathing, Fifth Form: Lightning Storm.'
Electric arcs exploded around his body, dancing across his skin like living lightning. In the blink of an eye, he vanished.
With speed that defied the demon's senses, he sliced through every hand that came his way. Before the demon could comprehend what was happening, countless hands twining around its body were slashed to ashes.
In an instant, he was above the demon's head—his sword crackling violently, casting flashes of purple arcs.
'What just happened…?' The Hand Demon's thoughts reeled. 'I couldn't react… I couldn't even see him move!' The severed arms refused to regenerate. Panic gripped the demon's mind. "Why aren't my hands regenerating?!"
"My sword's different from the Nichirin sword that you usually deal with," Ryou stated calmly, his three tomoe Sharingan locked onto the Hand Demon's eyes with the intent to kill, panicking it to the core.
'He's going to kill me! He isn't an ordinary Demon Slayer who came for the trial. Why did someone like him come here for the Final Selection?
I'm not going down today. With him so close, I still have a chance!' The Hand Demon launched a desperate attack, shooting a hand out from its maw at a swift speed.
"You're nothing but a demon with special abilities. Don't overestimate yourself!"
Ryou leapt back and swung his sword; the blade sliced through the air in a half-moon-shaped arc. The demon's extended hand and its head were severed in one stroke.
'Damn it! Damn it! DAMN IT! Is this... how I am going to die?' The Hand Demon watched his own body crumbling to ashes.
'+2 Demon Points!'
"You—" The injured Demon Slayer's voice trailed off with shock and disbelief.
'Oh yes!' Ryou forgot about the injured Demon Slayer as his attention was focused on the Hand Demon.
He walked over and gently lifted the slayer onto his shoulder. "Let's get you to the entrance. You need immediate treatment."
"…Thanks."
By the time they reached the wisteria barrier at the edge of the Final Selection site, a Kakushi had already arrived and swiftly took the wounded slayer for medical care.
Ryou turned back to the forest. For the rest of the night, he searched, but it seemed luck was not on his side; he didn't encounter any demons.
Fortunate for them.
Unfortunate for him.
Hours passed, and the sky began to illuminate on the horizon. Soon, the golden rays of dawn spread across the forest, casting warmth.
--
When Ryou walked past the wisteria region and reached the stone path where the trial began seven nights ago, he spotted another candidate like him. A few minutes passed before yet another candidate arrived.
"Only the three have passed this time!" Ryou thought.
"Welcome back!" Ubuyashiki Amane spoke in a gentle tone as she stood before a table covered by a purple cloth. "Congratulations on safely passing the trial! Thank you for coming out safe!"
She continued, "First, we shall issue you all Demon Slayer uniforms. We will take your measurements, and then your ranks will be engraved on the back of your hand.
There are ten ranks in total...you will start at the lowest Rank, Mizunoto. As you slay more demons, your ranks will rise.
Next, you can choose an ore for your Nichirin sword. However, the swords will take some time to complete."
"Before that..." Amane clapped her hands as the distinctive sounds of crows echoed around before three crows descended from the sky and landed on their shoulders.
"I have assigned Kasugai crows to each of you. These Kasugai crows are primarily used for communication."
Ryou's Kasugai crow seems to be a gentle one, unlike some with tempers. As he reached out to caress the crow's head, it allowed him to do so, even going so far as to rub its head affectionately against the palm of his hand.
Amane then pulled the purple cloth off the table, revealing a tabletop adorned with ten rough, chunky rocks, each in varying sizes.
"Now, please select an ore to use for your sword!" Ubuyashiki Amane allowed them to have a pick.
Though he already possessed a sword, having another one as a spare is a good idea. Walking forward, he picked one randomly and made way for the other two to choose.
"Once the Nichirin sword is delivered to you, the Kasugai Crow will issue the tasks according to your rank! Have a safe trip!" Ubuyashiki Amane bowed slightly and said her farewell.
The Final Selection has now officially come to a close!