Esse segundo trecho da história está tão bom quanto o anterior — e aqui está a tradução completa para o inglês, preservando o tom emocional, a leveza cômica no final e o estilo cinematográfico da narrativa:
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The snow had stopped for a few moments.
It was as if even it had grown tired of falling.
Shinobu and I stood up with some difficulty.
She was still limping slightly, though she hid the pain well.
The silence was broken by my own voice.
— "So… what now? What will you do?"
She placed a hand on her wounded leg, made a quick grimace, and replied as if suddenly remembering something:
— "Oh, right. I'll find a place to hide. Fighting like this would be suicide."
I nodded.
The truth was… I agreed.
And as much as my body ached too, my mind was already thinking about the next fight —
But thinking it over, it was probably best to avoid more battles for now.
— "Well… I guess that's it. See you around, Shinobu. I hope you make it to the seventh day."
She let out a short, genuine laugh.
— "You too, Fubuki. Good luck."
For a moment, our eyes met.
Then, we turned in opposite directions.
Each of us followed our own path.
But…
As I walked away, my feet sinking into the snow, I couldn't help but think:
— 'She's actually kind of pretty…'
I felt my face warm slightly beneath the mask.
I shook my head.
— 'Focus, idiot,' I thought to myself, burying the thought along with my footprints.
---
Shinobu – Point of View
I stood there for a few seconds after he disappeared into the trees.
I sighed.
— "Thank the heavens that boy showed up… I probably would've died if he hadn't."
I lowered my gaze to my leg.
It was still bleeding, but the improvised bandage would hold for a while.
I looked up again, toward the path he had taken.
— "But… why does he wear that mask? Is he handsome?" — I murmured.
My cheeks grew hot before the cold could even settle in.
I rolled my eyes and muttered to myself:
— "Tsk… focus, Shinobu. Focus."
---
Back to Fubuki
The following days passed. Occasionally, I came across a few more demons.
I avoided most of the fights — but still ended up defeating three more.
Nothing too difficult, though I did get a scratch on my back, and it stung quite a bit.
But the good news was that the seventh day had arrived.
A talking crow appeared, announcing the end of the Final Selection and guided me to the exit gate.
The walk wasn't long —
But every step felt heavier.
I still carried the scent of dried blood on my clothes.
And the feeling of the mask against my face had started to bother me, so I shifted it to the side of my head for some relief.
The forest slowly opened up, revealing a clearing lit by torches arranged in a semicircle.
Other survivors were already there.
At least three — including me and Shinobu.
A crow, its feathers black as coal, cawed from a tree above.
— KAAAW! Arrival confirmed. Three survivors present. KAAAW!
I sat down in a corner near a tree, and slowly, more survivors arrived.
In the end, there were eight of us.
Only eight…
Out of thousands of children.
Then the two masked assistants arrived.
— "Congratulations on completing the final exam. You are now officially Demon Slayers of Mizunoto rank," one of them said.
But no one celebrated.
— "Before we continue, each of you will receive a Kasugai crow. They will inform you of missions and guide you until your final day."
As soon as he finished speaking, several crows descended —
One of them landed on my arm.
To my surprise… it was albino?
— "KAAAW! NICE TO MEET YOU, FUBUKI!" it screamed, staring at me with red eyes.
— "N-nice to meet you too… do you have a name?" I asked, covering my ears.
— "KAAAW! IT IS YOUR DUTY TO NAME ME!"
— "Okay! Okay!... How about Yuki?"
— "KAAAW! FROM NOW ON, I AM YUKI!"
— "Now that you've met your crows, it's time to choose the ore that will be used to forge your Nichirin Blade.
A swordsmith will be assigned to you and, in a few days, will deliver your sword to your residence," the assistant explained, turning toward a large table covered by a cloth — though it was clear something was underneath.
He pulled the cloth back, revealing ores of various shapes and colors.
One by one, the participants stepped up and chose their ores.
I was the last to go.
I picked one that was slightly shinier than the others — hopefully that didn't mean too much.
— "This one," I told the assistant.
He just wrote it down, took the ore, and handed me a neatly folded black uniform.
— "Your swords will be forged and delivered within two weeks.
Rest. You've won."
---
As I walked away down the trail, I took one last look at the field.
Shinobu was quiet, preparing to leave as well —
But she cast a curious glance in my direction.
I gave a small smile and waved at her.
She returned it with a subtle grin, and once again, we went our separate ways.
---
Shinobu – Point of View
— "My god… he really is handsome without the mask," I murmured.
— "KAAAW! DID YOU SAY I AM HANDSOME, SHINOBU?"
— "SHUT UP, YOU STUPID CROW!"