The sudden pop-up panel made Kamihara Tetsuya's eyes light up; it was truly a pillow appearing just as he wanted to sleep.
Killing Kaigaku as "Kamihara Tetsuya" was a bit problematic.
After all, there was still a mission to be promoted to a Pillar, and Kamihara Tetsuya sighed, feeling that this damn system occasionally had a human touch.
It was like getting a special ability for free.
As for what ability he would draw, it depended on how long he could last in this Final Selection as a demon.
"You weren't injured, were you? Let's go, the smell of blood is too strong here," Kamihara Tetsuya said. The young man from before had been torn apart and eaten by the demons, and the thick smell of blood lingered, making one frown.
Kanzaki Aoi tried to stand up, but her legs were weak, and her delicate body swayed forward.
Seeing this, Kamihara Tetsuya stepped forward and supported her.
"Tetsuya-san, I'm sorry, I can't move," Kanzaki Aoi's voice was still trembling.
Kamihara Tetsuya felt a little guilty. It seemed he had overdone it. He hadn't jumped down immediately because he wanted to see if Kanzaki Aoi would push herself.
Now it seemed her talent might truly not be in combat.
Kamihara Tetsuya gently picked up Kanzaki Aoi in a bridal carry and walked towards the edge of the forest.
Kanzaki Aoi was caught off guard by being picked up, her pretty face blushing. "Tetsuya-san, it's too dangerous. What if a demon ambushes us?"
Kamihara Tetsuya's hands were used to hold her, and in this perilous Purple Wisteria Mountain, if they encountered an unexpected situation, he might not be able to react in time.
"Do you think the demons here can threaten me?" Kamihara Tetsuya smiled confidently.
Kanzaki Aoi's face froze, remembering how Kamihara Tetsuya had effortlessly cut down a dozen demons just now.
If it weren't for her being a burden, Kamihara Tetsuya could probably sweep through the entire Purple Wisteria Mountain by himself.
Thinking this, Kanzaki Aoi relaxed, lying in Kamihara Tetsuya's arms, feeling a sense of security, and her trembling heart gradually calmed down.
After killing a dozen demons in one go, the demons in Purple Wisteria Mountain were already terrified. Seeing Kamihara Tetsuya's figure, they all went out of their way to avoid him.
Occasionally, a couple of ignorant ones were also effortlessly cut down by Kamihara Tetsuya, their souls harvested.
Kamihara Tetsuya brought Kanzaki Aoi to an open space with a wide view, so there was no need to worry about being ambushed by demons.
He wasn't afraid of ambushes, but he was worried that in the narrow forest, if he wasn't careful, Kanzaki Aoi, this tempting treat, might get bitten by a demon.
"Tetsuya-san, I'm fine now," Kanzaki Aoi said in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz.
Kamihara Tetsuya looked down and saw Kanzaki Aoi's face completely red, the blush gradually spreading to her earlobes. He almost forgot that this was the Taisho era (1912-1926), where social customs were relatively conservative.
"I'm sorry," Kamihara Tetsuya said softly, then gently placed Kanzaki Aoi on the ground.
"Phew!"
Kanzaki Aoi breathed a sigh of relief. She was at the age of first love, and Kamihara Tetsuya's masculine scent filled her nostrils, making her little heart pound wildly.
As time passed, more and more people discovered that no demons approached Kamihara Tetsuya's open space.
New swordsmen being chased fled here for refuge, and the number of people instantly increased to nearly ten.
Kaigaku silently blended in, cautiously observing his surroundings, while the others showed no reaction.
Most of the people and demons who knew he was a traitor were already dead.
Kamihara Tetsuya glanced at Kaigaku, then closed his eyes to rest. It wasn't time to act yet.
Seeing this, Kaigaku's hanging heart relaxed. It seemed Kamihara Tetsuya hadn't discovered his collusion with demons.
Kaigaku sneered inwardly, thinking this man was nothing special and he had been overly cautious.
When a ray of sunlight shone upon the earth.
Everyone's tense expressions relaxed, and they collapsed to the ground as if paralyzed.
Tonight's great escape was over.
This open space left demons nowhere to hide, as demons would never go into the sunlight.
Everyone was so tired they fell asleep immediately. They still had to endure six more nights like this, and the thought alone made them despair. Only sleep could make them temporarily forget everything.
"Tetsuya-san, please have some."
Kanzaki Aoi's bag was like a universal pocket, pulling out three or four rice balls, dried meat, and side dishes, yet it still looked full.
Kamihara Tetsuya took a rice ball. "I only need one."
"Tetsuya-san, does it not suit your taste?" Kanzaki Aoi asked worriedly.
"Don't overthink it. I don't like to eat too much after a battle," Kamihara Tetsuya casually made up an excuse. Eating was just for show; he could absorb souls to replenish energy, so those rations were best left for Kanzaki Aoi.
Kanzaki Aoi breathed a sigh of relief. Kamihara Tetsuya was her savior, and she was afraid of neglecting him.
After eating and drinking her fill, Kanzaki Aoi could no longer stay awake and fell into a deep sleep on the ground.
Having experienced several life-or-death crises in one night, her entire life before this, spanning over a decade, hadn't been as thrilling as tonight. She was already utterly exhausted.
Kamihara Tetsuya leaned against a large tree, calculating his trump cards in his mind.
Killing Kaigaku was just a side task.
The real goal was to cause chaos in the Demon Slayer Corps' Final Selection as a demon, gain system rewards, and enhance his strength.
This matter seemed easy, but it was not simple at all.
The Demon Slayer Corps' reinforcements could arrive at any moment.
Moreover, this Final Selection was different from previous ones; there was a very troublesome Muichiro Tokito.
He had over forty souls stored, with roughly equal numbers of human and demon souls, including two Lower Moons, allowing him to borrow their Blood Demon Arts.
In the tense atmosphere of Purple Wisteria Mountain, time seemed to flow especially quickly, with the sun rising and setting.
In the blink of an eye, it was dusk.
The new swordsmen all got up, their faces looking bitter. A new night was about to begin.
"I'm going in to hunt demons. If you encounter danger, shout loudly, and I'll return immediately," Kamihara Tetsuya told Kanzaki Aoi.
"Yes!"
Kanzaki Aoi nodded heavily.
Kamihara Tetsuya turned and entered the forest.
The new swordsmen looked at Kamihara Tetsuya's retreating figure, their eyes filled with respect, as if looking at a warrior.
After enduring that hellish night, he still dared to voluntarily step into the demon-infested forest, which was worthy of respect.
With others present, Kaigaku didn't dare to cause trouble.
After entering the forest for seven or eight hundred meters, Kamihara Tetsuya activated his Sharingan, searching his surroundings, finding no one.
Crimson Moon!
Kamihara Tetsuya's mind stirred, and a blood-red light emerged from his body, solidifying into a samurai outfit. His nichirin blade transformed into a katana, changing into the Crimson Moon skin form.
He slowly put on the bone demon mask, his only exposed eyes glowing with a blood-red light.
The new swordsmen were still hiding in that open space.
No matter how much their hearts yearned, the sun set as usual, and night fell.
At this moment, the surrounding atmosphere suddenly changed. A cool night breeze blew, making people feel a chill and giving them goosebumps all over.