Fujikasane Mountain.
True to its name, the entire base of the mountain was covered in layered clusters of wisteria flowers.
It was currently peak blooming season; the pale purple flower spikes cascaded down like waterfalls, shimmering with a dreamlike glow in the morning light.
As a gentle breeze passed through, petals drifted down like rain, and the air was filled with a delicate, lingering fragrance.
"Whoa..." Tanjiro looked up, his crimson eyes reflecting the sea of purple. "So beautiful... Are these all wisteria flowers?"
"After all, wisteria flowers are something demons loathe. The poison extracted from them can even be used to kill demons."
Shirakawa walked ahead, the hem of his white haori fluttering lightly with his steps. "By surrounding the entire mountain with wisteria, it becomes a natural 'demon cage'—specifically used to imprison captured demons for newcomers to practice on."
He spoke casually, but Tanjiro subconsciously touched the hilt of the sword at his waist.
"Using living demons... as a trial..." the boy murmured softly.
"What else?" Shirakawa glanced back at him, a faint, familiar smile on his lips. "It's better than letting newcomers go straight outside to die. Most of the demons in here aren't strong, but there are plenty of them. If you can survive for seven days, you're considered to have passed."
Tanjiro pressed his lips together and nodded firmly. "I understand."
The two of them walked up the mountain path lined with wisteria flowers.
The higher they went, the clearer the sound of human voices became.
In a wide clearing, dozens of young boys and girls had already gathered. Most were in their teens, wearing various outfits; some nervously checked their weapons, some rested with their eyes closed, and others spoke quietly in small groups.
Shirakawa's gaze swept lazily across the crowd.
Let me see... where is the main cast?~
His eyes quickly locked onto several figures—
First was the most conspicuous blond boy.
"No way—!!! I'm definitely going to die! Is it too late to back out now?!"
Clad in a golden haori, Zenitsu Agatsuma clung desperately to the trunk of a wisteria tree, his face covered in tears and snot. A nearby participant looked at him with pure disgust.
"So noisy..." someone muttered under their breath.
Shirakawa raised an eyebrow. Ah, just like in the anime—breaking down right at the start.
His gaze continued to move.
At the edge of the clearing, a young man with a punk-style haircut wearing samurai attire stood with a fierce expression, radiating a murderous aura. No one dared approach within five meters of him.
The Demon Devourer—Genya Shinazugawa.
...Hmm, a cold, tsundere-type youth. No need to worry about him for now.
Then, Shirakawa's gaze stopped.
On the other side of the clearing, beneath a particularly flourishing wisteria tree—
A girl as delicate as a doll stood there quietly.
She had snow-white skin and wore a pink kimono. Her long black hair was tied into a side ponytail with a butterfly ornament; she was so cute it was hard to look away.
She simply stood there in silence, her temperament calm and elegant, as if she were strolling through a garden rather than participating in a life-or-death selection.
Kanao Tsuyuri.
Shirakawa felt his breathing... no, his Breathing Style, throb slightly.
Even without getting close, she seems to smell so good~
Tanjiro noticed his big brother suddenly stop and felt confused. "Senior Brother?"
"Tanjiro," Shirakawa suddenly spoke, his voice deeper than usual and slightly hoarse, "wait for me here for a moment."
"Eh? Wait, big Brother, where are you going—hey!"
Before Tanjiro could finish, Shirakawa had already started walking in that direction.
His pace was steady, neither fast nor slow, and his expression still carried that lazy smile.
But Tanjiro keenly sensed something different—the "scent" around his big brother seemed...
Lustful...
Tanjiro suddenly felt a bad premonition.
Could big Brother... be at it again...
Shirakawa adjusted his clothing as he walked toward the girl under the wisteria tree.
The distance gradually closed.
Ten meters, five meters, three meters...
Kanao seemed to notice his approach. Her pale purple eyes shifted slightly, her gaze falling on him.
They were a pair of pale purple eyes—clear and calm, yet veiled by a faint haze that made it impossible to read the emotions deep within.
At this moment, there was no alertness in those beautiful eyes, no curiosity, not even focus—it was as if she were looking at a passing wisteria flower.
Shirakawa stopped two steps away from her. The faint floral fragrance surrounding the girl made his smile deepen.
"Good morning."
He spoke, his voice softer than usual. "Are you also here for the selection?"
Kanao looked at him without saying a word.
A few seconds later, with a flick of her hand, a coin appeared in her palm.
Clink!
The copper coin flipped high into the air, traced an arc, then fell back into her hand.
—Tails.
She withdrew her gaze and returned to standing quietly, as if Shirakawa did not exist.
Shirakawa: "..."
(Ah, I've been ignored.)
But he wasn't annoyed—instead, he found it interesting.
As expected... just like in his memories, she won't "choose" for herself and relies entirely on a coin toss to decide whether to respond.
Just as he was thinking this, deep in his mind, that mechanical voice that had been silent for a long time finally spoke—
[High-potential target of the opposite sex detected!]
[Name: Kanao Tsuyuri (Human)]
[Strength Rating: Kinoe]
[Potential Rating: Extremely High (Can trigger Fourth-Tier Analysis)]
[Current Analyzability: 0.03%]
Shirakawa's eyes lit up slightly.
Fourth Tier... just as I thought!
It wasn't as if he hadn't tried over the past two years.
When going down the mountain for supplies, he had deliberately "run into" village girls, even "accidentally" brushing against them.
The system would indeed prompt "opposite sex detected," but the analysis limit could only reach the First Tier at most.
Forget the Constant Concentration boost of the Second Tier—even the basic attribute boost of the First Tier could only reach between one and five percent.
The only time he encountered an official female member of the Demon Slayer Corps,
the system gave a rating: Tei—low potential, with analysis limited to the Second Tier at most.
In other words, even if he became closely connected with that female member, Constant Concentration would be his limit.
Third-Tier techniques couldn't even be unlocked.
At that moment, Shirakawa understood: his Breathing Style—or rather, his system—had extremely high standards.
Ordinary people, even ordinary members, simply didn't qualify.
What it sought were those "stars" destined to shine in the story.
And right now, standing before Shirakawa, was one such star.
A star that was... quiet, beautiful... and difficult to approach.
The smile on Shirakawa's face grew even brighter.
Instead of backing away after being ignored, he stepped half a pace closer and bent slightly so his eyes were level with Kanao's.
"Are you playing with a coin?" His tone was as natural as if chatting about the weather. "Heads you answer, tails you ignore—right?"
Kanao's eyelashes fluttered faintly.
She looked at him again. There was still no emotion in her pale purple eyes, but at least... she was focused now.
Then, she flipped the coin once more.
—Heads.
She gave a slight nod, so subtle it was almost imperceptible.
Shirakawa smiled. "Then... can I stand next to you? Waiting alone is a bit boring."
Kanao looked down at the coin, as if hesitating whether to flip it again.
But in the end, she simply shifted slightly to the side, leaving a small space beneath the tree.
—A silent permission.
"Thanks." Shirakawa stepped into the space beside her, keeping a comfortable distance.
Not close enough to make her uncomfortable, yet close enough for her scent to linger faintly at the tip of his nose.
Between his lips and nose, a faint pink airflow began to swirl silently, slow and steady.
[Analysis Progress: 0.03%... 0.06%...]
Though it advanced at a snail's pace... it was moving.
Shirakawa was in an excellent mood, almost feeling like humming a tune.
Just then...
"Hey... big Brother... what are you doing this time..."
A voice full of resentment echoed beside him.
Tanjiro, practically radiating grievance, drifted up beside Shirakawa like a ghost.
(▼ヘ▼#)