The cold moonlight enveloped the earth.
Aoki moved with the speed of a cheetah through the remote, deep forests, leaping several meters with ease on his toes.
Where should he look for demons?
He knew a few places where demons were likely to exist.
Asakusa.
Tamayo and Yushiro were probably there, and Muzan Kibutsuji might be too.
However, he couldn't kill Tamayo and Yushiro, and he couldn't defeat Muzan.
Mount Natagumo had Lower Moon Five Rui and his family, and Yoshiwara Yuuka had Upper Moon Six, Gyutaro, and Daki.
But the problem remained: insufficient strength.
He had only just become a demon; how could he possibly be a match for the Twelve Demon Moons? He
could only fight these elite monsters after he had grown stronger; what he needed now were beginner monsters to level up.
Was there anywhere he could easily and quickly find a large number of new demons, or demons that ate fewer humans?
Hmm?
Aoki suddenly stopped.
There really was such a place!
Fujikasane Mountain!
The Demon Slayer Corps' meticulously crafted final testing ground!
All the demons were specially captured and released by the Demon Slayer Corps members; they were all weak demons who had only eaten two or three people.
The strongest among them, the Hand Demon, was only at a level that Tanjiro could handle after completing his training.
Aoki began to think seriously.
Fujikasane Mountain was a perfect training ground for him; there were many demons, and they were all relatively weak.
The problem was the Demon Slayer Corps and the wisteria.
The reason the demons on Fujikasane Mountain didn't flee was because wisteria grew from the foot of the mountain to its waist, blooming year-round.
To demons, wisteria was highly poisonous.
Furthermore, he wasn't sure if there were any Demon Slayer Corps guarding the vicinity of Fujikasane Mountain.
[Ding!]
[Quest obtained: Fujikasane Mountain Dungeon.]
[Fujikasane Mountain Dungeon]
Fujikasane Mountain is home to a large number of demons, the strongest of whom, the Hand Demon, has been hiding there for decades, having eaten nearly forty humans.
Mission Requirements: Eliminate 30 demons and kill the Hand Demon.
Mission Reward: 300 experience points.
The reward for this mission is simple and straightforward, yet exceptionally tempting.
"I have no choice but to go to Mount Fujikasane now."
Aoki looked up at the sky. "However, I need to make some preparations before I go."
First, he needs to find out the location.
He only knows the name of Mount Fujikasane; nothing else.
Second, he needs to prepare the items to cross the wisteria sea.
One week later.
Dark clouds covered the sky, making the night exceptionally deep.
"The weather is nice today."
Aoki looked at the mountain peak before him.
Vast expanses of wisteria flowers spread from the foot of the mountain up to the mountainside, making Mount Fujikasane seem to be draped in a purple veil, looking mysterious and beautiful.
However, Aoki couldn't help but feel a strong sense of disgust.
To demons, wisteria flowers are highly poisonous.
Absorbing too much can even poison an Upper Moon Two.
The disgust and aversion to wisteria flowers are etched into the blood of demons.
"Luckily, I was prepared!"
Aoki took out a strangely shaped suit of clothing.
This was a protective suit he had specially commissioned, made entirely of non-breathable material, with a piece of glass sewn into the eye area.
Although he had become a demon, his appearance was almost identical to a human's; apart from the high-ranking members of the Demon Slayer Corps, ordinary people couldn't detect anything amiss, and he could still freely enter and leave human towns at night.
Aoki put on the protective suit and began climbing the mountain.
There were Demon Slayer Corps members guarding the foot of Mount Fujikasane, but the defenses were very lax, probably just to prevent nearby villagers from accidentally wandering in.
Aoki easily bypassed the Demon Slayer Corps members' line of sight and entered Mount Fujikasane.
"I'll still inhale a small amount of pollen, but it won't have much of an impact."
Wearing a special mask, Aoki quickened his pace after confirming his body could handle it.
Crossing the mountainside, the wisteria suddenly disappeared.
"We're here!"
Aoki felt a sudden sense of relief
. Even without injury, walking through the wisteria wasn't a pleasant experience for him.
He carefully removed his protective suit and hid it in a secluded and safe spot.
He'd need it when he left.
"Well then, let's begin!"
Aoki didn't delay, following the central path and climbing the steps.
Leaving the plaza at the mountainside, traces of human activity rapidly diminished.
The mountain was eerily quiet; not a single animal could be seen, only the occasional chirp of an insect.
"All the animals must have been eaten by demons, right?"
Aoki kept his eyes and ears open, proceeding at a leisurely pace.
As a seasoned hunter, he knew that patience was paramount in hunting, especially when searching for prey, requiring careful examination of all suspicious traces.
"I haven't seen you on the mountain before. Are you new here?"
A voice suddenly came from behind.
A demon, its body covered in bulging veins, a sharp horn protruding from its forehead, and eyes almost bulging out of their sockets, sat on a treetop, scrutinizing Aoki with a cruel gaze.
"The Demon Slayer Corps is sending demons to Fujikasane Mountain again? Is the Final Selection about to begin again? Hahahaha, this time I'll definitely eat a few more!"
Aoki paused slightly: "Well, it seems demons aren't like wild beasts; they don't come to you willingly."
Boom!
Without warning, the horned demon lunged at Aoki, its sharp claws aimed at his face, its eyes ferocious, its smile maniacal.
"Hahaha, rookie, let me teach you the survival rules of Fujikasane Mountain!!"
A stench filled the air, but Aoki remained fearless, taking a step forward, his fingers outstretched, then slowly closing, his body like a fully drawn bow.
All his strength converged, propelling his fist like a cannonball.
Fist and claw collided, a tremendous force surging forth, and with a crack, the horned demon's arm bent at a twisted angle.
At the same time, he stumbled back three steps, almost falling, and when he looked at Aoki again, his gaze changed.
A surge of exhilaration rose in Aoki's heart; the pent-up frustration, sadness, pain, and anger of the past few days seemed to pour out with this punch.
He roared and charged at the horned demon.
"Hahaha, again!"
The horned demon could only respond.
Their fight was simple and brutal, without any fancy moves.
One punch from you, one punch from me; one slap from you, one claw from me.
The simplest and most direct collisions.
The horned demon's strength was clearly weaker than Aoki's, and he quickly fell into a disadvantageous position.
Crack.
His arm broke again, and the horned demon staggered backward, only stopping when he crashed into a large tree, breathing heavily, his face full of exhaustion.
"Wait, I'm not fighting anymore, let me leave!"
"You can fight whenever you want, and not fight whenever you don't want to. There's no such thing as a free lunch."
Aoki remained unmoved, lunging forward and throwing a punch.
The horned demon was powerless to retaliate and could only cross his arms in front of him.
"We're all demons, there's no point in continuing."
Aoki didn't speak, but the power in his fist suddenly increased.
Boom!
The horned demon's defensive stance crumbled.
Aoki's next punch followed immediately.
Thud!
The horned demon's face caved in, its head slamming heavily against the tree trunk behind it. Its eyesrolled back, and it lost consciousness.
"Finally done."
Aoki grabbed the horned demon's head and lifted it up: "Whether it's meaningful or not, it's not up to you to decide!"
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(End of Chapter)