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Chapter 24 - A Night Banquet with Demons

Yukishiro uncapped a bottle of water and handed it to Mitsuri. She accepted it with a cheerful smile and gulped down two quick sips, sighing with satisfaction.

"I don't want to join them for two reasons," Yukishiro said evenly, his eyes fixed on the forest's edge. "First, this is a matter of life and death. If I don't join, I don't owe them anything. I can make clear, rational decisions without being swayed by emotions. Second, there's a clear imbalance in strength. To be blunt—they're weak. Staying with them would only burden me. I won't place my life in the hands of others. The strong rely on themselves; only the weak lean on others."

Mitsuri blinked, nodding as though she were unraveling some profound truth. "I get it now. First, you don't trust them. Second, you think they're too weak. Am I right?"

She looked almost proud for understanding, though her eyes wandered toward the meat-and-vegetable pies at her side. She had already devoured five of them, while Yukishiro hadn't even finished one.

Just how much can this girl eat? Yukishiro wondered. He himself could never eat more than two at once, but Mitsuri seemed like a bottomless pit.

"Still hungry?" he asked, pushing the bag toward her. "If you are, eat. Don't hold back."

Her eyes sparkled, but she quickly looked away, biting her lip. "No… I'm full."

"There's no need to be embarrassed," Yukishiro said bluntly. "Eat what you can while it's still edible. These pies won't last tonight. And if a fight breaks out tomorrow, you won't get the chance to eat at all."

"Really?" she asked, glancing back at the food.

He nodded.

Mitsuri's restraint crumbled in an instant. "Well… then I won't be polite!" She reached for another pie, her face lighting up with pure happiness as she bit in.

Yukishiro watched, momentarily stunned. So that's why she looks so plump…

Unable to help himself, he asked, "How do you eat so much?"

Her cheeks were puffed out, both hands clutching food. She looked for all the world like a puppy guarding its treat. Yukishiro imagined reaching out to snatch it away, half expecting her to growl and pounce.

"I don't mean to insult you," he added quickly. "I'm just… curious. How can a girl eat so much at once?"

Mitsuri swallowed hard, washing the food down with a gulp of water. "I know you don't dislike me," she said softly. "It's just… if I don't eat, I'll collapse. My body stops working."

Yukishiro arched an eyebrow.

"It's true," she said, suddenly serious. "It's because of my family's bloodline. The women in my family have muscle density several times greater than normal. Our strength, our breathing, even our body temperature—it's all different. To maintain that, we need far more food than ordinary people."

Yukishiro thought back. He had noticed her breathing seemed faster than normal during their training. He had chalked it up to improper breathing technique, but now her words explained it better.

"My muscle density is six times that of a normal person," she continued hesitantly. "My sister's is eight. Our hearts and lungs are… different too, to support our bodies. That's why we not only eat more but also…"

Her voice trailed off. She glanced down at her chest, her face burning. The meaning was obvious.

Yukishiro immediately understood, his mind filling in the rest. So that's why…

But he couldn't help his surprise. A muscle density six times normal? That was strength equivalent to six grown men compressed into a single body.

And her sister—eight times. No wonder they dared to send her into the Final Selection alone.

She must have been called a monster for this. That's why she laughs so carelessly, why she tries so hard to belong. The poor girl doesn't even realize how rare she is. She isn't unwanted—she just hasn't met the right people yet.

The last of the meat pies dwindled. Mitsuri wiped her greasy hands against her knees and gave him a sheepish smile.

"When I tried to work outside, people always turned me away. They hated how much I ate. At home, I didn't dare eat my fill either. I knew my sister worked for an organization called the Demon Slayer Corps, so I wanted to find her, maybe ask if she could get me work. But… when I got close, I couldn't do it. I was too scared of being scolded. So I ran away from home and came here instead."

Yukishiro stared at her, not sure whether to laugh or sigh. This idiot joined the Final Selection just to find a job and eat her fill. Truly brainless.

"You said your sister's in the Corps," he asked. "What's her name? Maybe I know her."

But Mitsuri quickly waved her hands. "No, no! I know where she lives. It's not that I don't know. I just… don't dare to see her."

He let it drop.

The forest darkened completely, cloaked in silver moonlight.

The silence was unnatural—no birds, no insects, not even the faint rustle of animals. It was as though the entire mountain had been emptied, waiting for something unspeakable to emerge.

Mitsuri hugged her knees, her wide eyes fixed on the depths of the forest. The trees loomed like gates to the underworld. From within, faint rustles began to stir—branches cracking, dry leaves shifting. The sound multiplied, wave after wave, approaching like a flood.

Yukishiro rested a steadying hand on her trembling shoulder.

She turned sharply to him, her lips quivering.

"Are you scared?" he asked.

"Yes… a little," she admitted. Then she forced a grin, even as her voice shook. "But I'll definitely protect you."

Yukishiro raised a hand and flicked her forehead lightly.

She blinked, startled.

"Idiot," he said.

His face shone faintly in the moonlight, so composed it seemed almost unreal. For a moment, Mitsuri simply stared, dazed.

Then his voice dropped, calm but firm. "There's another reason I didn't join the others. Do you know what it is?"

She shook her head.

"When there are more people," he said, eyes narrowing toward the forest, "it's easier to concentrate the fire."

A shriek tore through the night, echoing across Mount Fujikasane. Shadows surged between the trees, eyes glinting with hunger. The rustling became a roar as dozens of demons emerged at once, their twisted forms writhing in the moonlight.

The night banquet with Demons had begun.

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