"Next, Kamado Tanjiro."
As the devastated Zenitsu was dragged and thrown into the camp, the long line finally reached Tanjiro.
"Oh! So you're Kamado Tanjiro?"
"Yes! That's me!"
As the son of Kamado Tanjuro, and currently the only person in the Demon Slayer Corps who could practice Sun Breathing, Kamado Tanjiro's name was "household knowledge" among Demon Slayers.
Just like Tsugikuni Mitsuba from over a decade ago, Kamado Tanjiro was now regarded as a future star of the Demon Slayer Corps—recognized wherever he went.
"Excellent! Full of spirit! Come! Show us old fellows your Sun Breathing!"
"No problem!"
Under the gaze of the elderly cultivators, Tanjiro took a deep breath.
Exhaling a tinge of orange-red breath, he quickly drew his Nichirin sword from his waist and began performing the first six forms of Sun Breathing in the open space.
In truth, with what Tanjiro had learned so far, he had already mastered all twelve forms of Sun Breathing.
If performing them individually, he could execute each form.
But if he had to perform them in continuous sequence, with his current strength, he could only manage the first six forms.
But that was enough.
"Excellent! You've passed! Hurry inside!"
"Yes!"
Responding with great enthusiasm, Tanjiro sheathed his blade under the smiling gazes of the cultivators and quickly ran into the camp behind.
It was still evening, and the Final Selection had not yet begun. Over a dozen prospective Demon Slayers who had passed the assessment were already standing in the camp.
Tanjiro scanned the area. Apart from Zenitsu, who was lying on the ground not far away looking like he was already dead, none of them were people he knew.
"Tanjiro."
Just as Tanjiro was about to go check on Zenitsu, a young voice suddenly called out to him from behind.
Turning around, he saw a "little girl" wearing a women's kimono with an adorable hairstyle.
Though she appeared to be so, Tanjiro—who had grown up in the Demon Slayer Corps compound and had met the Corps Master several times with his father as a child—immediately recognized this "little girl's" identity.
Ubuyashiki Kiriya, the son of the current Master Ubuyashiki Kagaya, already designated as the next Master of the Demon Slayer Corps.
"Little Mas—"
"Shh!"
Just as Tanjiro was about to speak, Kiriya quickly raised a finger to stop him.
"Don't reveal my identity for now. We can talk about such matters after the selection ends."
"Alright."
"Thank you."
Seeing Tanjiro nod, Kiriya then smiled and said:
"Before coming, Father told me that you would definitely participate in this year's Final Selection. I didn't expect to actually meet you here...
How is it? Among this year's prospective Demon Slayers, have you seen anyone particularly outstanding?"
"Particularly outstanding?"
Looking back at the people in the camp, Tanjiro first blinked, then scratched his head, and finally replied with a smile:
"I think everyone is quite outstanding!"
"I knew it..."
Hearing this, Kiriya's small face scrunched up as he let out a deep sigh.
He had long heard that Tanjiro was an especially gentle and warm person. Normally, he wouldn't even fight with others, let alone speak ill of anyone.
Such a personality certainly couldn't make evaluations of others or distinguish between superior and inferior.
[It seems I'll have to observe carefully myself after all...]
Indeed, as the Master's son, Kiriya naturally wasn't here to idle about.
The reason he concealed his identity to observe quietly was precisely to better identify those hidden talents among the crowd, so he could focus on cultivating these outstanding individuals in advance.
Being unwilling to evaluate others or judge their merits and flaws was naturally a good personality.
But a good personality couldn't make one a leader.
In many cases, a good personality would only cause trouble for both the leader and those being led.
"Tanjiro, so that child just now was actually our Little Master?"
"Waaah!"
Right after parting with Kiriya, a ghostly voice suddenly sounded behind Tanjiro, startling him into an involuntary cry.
Turning around, he saw that Zenitsu, who had been lying on the ground like a corpse moments ago, had somehow instantly moved behind him.
"Ze-Zenitsu? When did you get here?"
Tanjiro asked subconsciously.
Completely ignoring his question, Zenitsu simply stared at him with those fixed eyes and asked gloomily:
"Tanjiro, since you can recognize our Little Master, you must be quite an amazing person, right?"
"N-no! I'm just an ordinary person! If we're talking about amazing, actually everyone in the camp is quite..."
"Big brother!"
Before Tanjiro could finish, Zenitsu instantly lunged forward, grabbing him in a death grip around the waist, bawling his eyes out with snot and tears everywhere:
"From today onward! Tanjiro, you are my big brother! As a big brother, protecting your little brother is only right and proper!
So Tanjiro! My life is in your hands! You must get me through this Final Selection alive!"
"Hey! Zenitsu, don't be like this! Everyone is watching..."
"I won't! I'll never let go! From now on, no one can separate us! I want to be with you! I want to be with you forever!"
"No! I don't want to be with you for my whole life!"
"..."
Time gradually approached night.
As the Final Selection drew near, the assessment outside the camp finally reached its conclusion.
Over thirty prospective Demon Slayers had come to participate in this year's selection, with nearly one-third being those who had failed in previous years and were attempting it a second time.
With Kiriya's announcement to begin, the mountain gate of the camp slowly opened, and these thirty-plus prospective Demon Slayers charged in together.
Naturally, this included Tanjiro and Zenitsu.
"Tanjiro, where are you going? I'll go with you!"
"I plan to wander around the mountain first. If I encounter demons, I'll fight them and eliminate them all!"
Facing Zenitsu's question, Tanjiro replied firmly.
Having grown up in the Demon Slayer Corps compound and been influenced by what he saw and heard, Tanjiro had always regarded eliminating all demons in the world as his lifelong goal.
In the Demon Slayer Corps' past records, there had been two instances of "total demon annihilation" during the Final Selection.
The first, naturally, was the selection that senior Tsugikuni Mitsuba had participated in over a decade ago.
It was said that this senior, relying solely on her own strength, killed all the demons on Mount Fujikasane in just one night—a miracle!
The second occurred a few years ago.
At that time, the three current Water Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps participated in that year's Final Selection together. The three of them combined once again recreated the miracle that senior Tsugikuni Mitsuba had created over a decade ago.
As a future star of the Demon Slayer Corps, the highly anticipated Tanjiro naturally wanted to follow in these seniors' footsteps and recreate this miracle.
However, this new companion he had just met didn't seem to think the same way.
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This story has ended in chapter 315, you can read on patreon.com/dzeref887 for faster access or wait until August to read on WebNovel until the story ends.