"Cough, it's Tanjiro."
Shirakawa didn't even blink, nor did he bother turning around to look at his junior brother, who was practically radiating a dark aura.
"This is… a new friend I just met. I'm having a friendly pre-battle chat with her."
A vein throbbed on Tanjiro's temple. "A. Friendly. Chat?"
He pointed at the distance between Shirakawa and the girl—he was practically leaning on her shoulder. "You call this friendly?! This is harassment! It's harassment, Big Brother!!!"
"It's not that serious." Shirakawa waved his hand, still smiling at Kanao.
"Look, she didn't object to me standing here, did she?"
"Oh, right." Shirakawa finally turned around. "Let's properly greet our new friend. Little beauty, what's your name?"
"You don't even know her name?!" Tanjiro frantically slapped Shirakawa's back, eyes wide. "And! Calling her 'little beauty' is super rude!"
"That's why I'm asking." Shirakawa shrugged. "Tanjiro, you should pay attention to your image too…"
Kanao watched them quietly, her light purple eyes calm like a still lake.
A few seconds later, her fingers moved slightly, and the coin flipped into the air once more—
Clink!
It fell neatly back into her hand.
—Heads.
She spoke softly, her voice gentle like drifting petals. "My name is… Kanao Tsuyuri."
"Kanao, I see." Shirakawa repeated smoothly, his smile brightening.
"That's a beautiful name. I'm Shirakawa, and this is my overly anxious junior brother, Tanjiro."
"Who are you calling overly anxious?!"
Tanjiro bristled, but facing Kanao, he instinctively straightened his posture. "H-hello! I'm Tanjiro!"
Kanao glanced at him, gave a small nod, and then…
That was all.
She returned to her quiet state, her gaze drifting toward the wisteria flowers blooming in the distance, as if the conversation had been nothing more than a passing breeze.
Tanjiro: (￣□￣;)
T-this girl… is so hard to talk to…
But she really is pretty; no wonder my pervy Big Brother wants to get close to her.
No! Wait, this isn't the time to think about that!
At a moment like this, shouldn't we be focusing on the selection?
"Don't mind it, don't mind it." Shirakawa patted Tanjiro's shoulder and lowered his voice. "Kanao is… well, she's special."
"Special, my foot!" Tanjiro dragged Shirakawa aside, gritting his teeth as he whispered angrily.
"Big Brother! Did you forget why we're here? Nezuko is waiting at home! How can you come here and immediately—"
"Immediately what?" Shirakawa raised an eyebrow.
"Immediately start flirting with girls!!!" Tanjiro nearly lost control of his voice.
Shirakawa casually picked his ear, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "Tanjiro, you don't understand. I call this the 'Combat Power Expansion Plan.'"
He pointed at Kanao, then at himself. "She looks strong at a glance. When I stay near her, the efficiency of my Breathing Style improves. When my Breathing Style improves, I become stronger. And when I'm stronger, I can better protect you—"
"Protect me?!"
"—And your sister." Shirakawa added with a smile. "See? It's a perfect logical loop."
Tanjiro's mouth hung open, unable to respond for a moment.
It… kind of makes sense?
No!
That's completely twisted logic!!!
Just as Tanjiro felt his brain about to overheat, two crisp claps echoed from the front of the clearing.
Everyone's attention shifted immediately.
Two young girls wearing wisteria-patterned kimonos—one with black hair and one with white—were suddenly standing there before anyone noticed their arrival.
They looked identical, with composed smiles and equally calm voices.
"We thank you all for coming to the Demon Slayer Corps Final Selection tonight."
"Within this Fujikasane Mountain, demons captured alive by Demon Slayers are imprisoned."
"They cannot leave because wisteria flowers bloom year-round from the foot of the mountain to the halfway point, which demons despise."
"However, beyond this area, there are no more wisteria flowers."
"Demons can roam freely within the mountain."
"Survive here for seven days—that is the condition to pass the Final Selection."
They bowed in perfect unison.
"And so, we wish you all good luck."
The moment they finished speaking, the atmosphere turned heavy.
Those who had been chatting or spacing out instinctively gripped their sword hilts.
The crowd began to move.
Some took a deep breath and rushed forward. Others carefully observed their surroundings. A few formed small groups and advanced cautiously.
Tanjiro gripped his Nichirin blade and turned to Shirakawa. "Big Brother, we—"
Before he could finish, he saw Shirakawa had already turned away and was reaching out toward Kanao, who still stood quietly beneath the tree.
"Kanao, want to go together?"
Tanjiro: (╯°Д°)╯︵ ┻━┻
You're still flirting at a time like this?!
Kanao looked at Shirakawa's outstretched hand. This time, she didn't even flip a coin.
She simply met his gaze with her light purple eyes—then turned and walked away.
Her steps were light as she disappeared into the depths of the forest.
Shirakawa looked slightly hurt. "…Ah, rejected."
Seeing him get turned down, Tanjiro immediately covered his mouth, trying not to laugh.
Thwack!
Tanjiro hissed in pain, clutching his head as he crouched down.
Shirakawa withdrew his slightly reddened fist, baring his teeth with a snort. "Don't think I won't hit you just because your head is hard!"
Watching the direction Kanao had gone, Shirakawa took a deep breath, catching the faint floral scent she left behind and committing it to memory.
"It's fine. This mountain isn't that big—we'll run into each other again sooner or later~"
[Synchronization: 0.15%]
"Big Brother!!!" The iron-headed Tanjiro, now back on his feet, finally snapped. Grabbing the back of Shirakawa's haori, he shouted, "She's already gone! We should get moving too!!!"
"Alright, alright~ Let's go, let's go~"
Shirakawa let himself be dragged along, that lazy smile still on his face. "Tanjiro, don't be so tense. We have seven days—plenty of time—"
Before he could finish, a blood-curdling scream suddenly echoed from deep within the forest ahead.
"Aaaaaaaagh—!!!"
It was followed by the sickening sound of flesh being torn apart—and the chilling crunch of something being chewed.
The air froze instantly.
Tanjiro's face turned pale.
The smile on Shirakawa's face faded slightly as his hand rested lightly on the hilt of his sword.
"…It seems," he said quietly,
"the selection has already begun."