Watching the girl stare at him with wide, hopeful eyes, Cold Cry found himself unable to refuse.
The image of her earlier—standing alone in the plaza, her back small and dejected after being rejected again and again—remained vivid in his mind. What kind of past could shape someone into being so timid… so unsure of herself?
If she had just a little more confidence, perhaps things would have been different.
But then again—what was the point of having many friends?
Superficial bonds, built on convenience and not understanding, were better left unformed.
"Suit yourself. Follow me if you want," Cold Cry said coldly as he turned away. "But if we run into danger, don't expect me to protect you."
Hearing his answer, the girl visibly relaxed.
"Ah—okay!" she said brightly, her face blooming into a radiant smile, her eyes curving like crescents. She hurried to catch up with him.
"I don't need protection," she added softly. "I can take care of myself… and if necessary, I can protect you too."
Cold Cry resisted the urge to scoff.
Ridiculous.
The phrase "airheaded and naive" surfaced in his mind, but he kept it to himself. Still, he didn't dismiss her words entirely.
Because he knew—she wasn't joking.
And more importantly… she had the strength to back it up.
That was one of the reasons he allowed her to stay.
The other two? Pity… and curiosity.
---
Cold Cry had not yet mastered Total Concentration Breathing: Constant, the advanced state used by elite Demon Slayers. Still, he maintained Total Concentration Breathing during waking hours, only reverting to normal breathing unconsciously during sleep.
To him, it felt like building a habit—one that would eventually become second nature.
Once it did… that would mark true mastery.
Through his breathing, he could sense others—subtle shifts in rhythm, control, and lung capacity.
And earlier, when the girl moved—
He noticed it.
Her breathing matched his own method.
No… it surpassed it.
Her rhythm was smoother. Faster. More refined.
Which meant—
Her mastery of Total Concentration Breathing was likely superior to his.
That contradiction only deepened his curiosity.
How could someone so capable be so… fragile?
---
"My name is Kanroji Noe," she said softly from behind him. "You can call me Noe. What about you?"
She didn't dare walk beside him—only slightly behind, her voice cautious.
"Cold Cry. Hyouka Kanenaki."
"That's a beautiful name," she said with a gentle smile. "Should I call you Mr. Hyouka? I think it sounds nice."
"No. Just call me Cold Cry."
"Cold Cry…" she repeated, tilting her head, savoring the name like it meant something special.
"…What?" he replied, already sounding annoyed.
"N-Nothing!"
"If it's nothing, don't call me."
In just a short time, her constant attempts at conversation were already wearing on his nerves.
Is she that desperate to talk to someone?
---
As they walked, Noe did most of the talking.
Cold Cry only responded when necessary—and even then, sparingly.
Yet despite his indifference, Noe treated every reply like something precious, carefully choosing her words, afraid of saying the wrong thing.
---
They passed through several dense forest paths, but not a single demon appeared.
Daylight still lingered.
Demons in the world of the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba were creatures that feared the sun—rarely appearing before nightfall.
Eventually, they reached a rocky cliff.
A natural stone ledge jutted out midway, flat and open, as though the top of a hill had been sliced cleanly away.
Sunlight filtered through the trees, illuminating the spot.
Cold Cry stopped.
"We'll rest here," he said. "There won't be many chances once night falls."
Noe nodded obediently.
Climbing up carefully, they sat against the cliff face.
"Rest," Cold Cry added. "And try not to talk."
Noe lowered her head, embarrassed, quietly tucking her hair behind her ear.
"…Then I'll keep watch," she said earnestly. "If a demon comes, I'll wake you."
"No need."
With Total Concentration Breathing, even in rest, his senses remained sharp enough to detect danger.
Closing his eyes, he slipped into a light sleep.
---
Time passed quietly.
Noe sat still at first, staring into the forest, her large eyes alert.
But every so often, she would glance back at him—
A soft, almost doting smile forming on her lips.
Eventually, unable to fight the creeping drowsiness, she leaned gently to the side…
…and fell asleep with her head resting on his lap.
---
Deep within the forest—
Inside a shadowed cave carved into a broken cliff—
Pairs of glowing eyes flickered open.
Low growls echoed in the darkness.
Demons.
They stirred restlessly, sniffing the air, pacing along the stone walls.
Something was calling them.
Yet something else restrained them—
An unseen force keeping them within the cave… for now.
---
Elsewhere on the mountain—
A group of examinees sat in a tight circle, backs pressed together.
Some drank water nervously.
Others stared at the setting sun, their expressions tense.
They wished for the daylight to last forever.
But it didn't.
The sun dipped lower…
…and lower…
Until it vanished beyond the treeline.
Darkness fell.
---
Fear spread instantly.
The forest transformed—every rustle, every whisper of wind sending shivers through the group.
Some began trembling.
Others made quiet, panicked noises.
Kimura watched them, his expression dark.
Why did they even come here?
The Final Selection hadn't truly begun, yet they were already like this.
If they encountered a demon now—
Would they even be able to move?
Or would they freeze… and die?
Fear, in itself, wasn't the problem.
But fear that robbed you of action—
That was a death sentence.
Those who couldn't move…
Would only become food.
---
Kimura's gaze drifted.
He thought back to the young man dressed in white.
Cold. Detached.
Unaffected.
At the time, something about him felt… incomplete.
Now he understood.
It was the absence of something everyone else here had.
Fear.