In truth, most of the demons captured and confined by the Demon Slayer Corps on Mount Fujikasane were relatively weak—specifically chosen to serve as training targets for rookies.
Demons like the Hand Demon, which had grown stronger by devouring large numbers of its own kind, were extremely rare. Such anomalies were difficult for the Demon Slayer Corps to foresee.
On the second day of the Final Selection, Makomo finally woke up. However, due to her injuries, she had temporarily lost the ability to walk.
During the period of hunting demons on Mount Fujikasane, Chu Yang had been carrying her on his back the entire time.
Yet even with an extra person on him, his movements hadn't been affected in the slightest.
Only then did Makomo truly realize just how terrifying Chu Yang's strength was.
Fighting demons alone and fighting demons while carrying another person were two completely different matters.
This alone proved that Chu Yang existed on an entirely different plane compared to the demons on the mountain—and compared to the young swordsmen participating in the selection.
When the seventh day arrived, Chu Yang carried Makomo and began descending the mountain.
Upon reaching the torii gate halfway down, he discovered that far more people had returned than he had initially expected.
Most of the swordsmen who took part in the selection had survived. This was entirely thanks to Chu Yang—but at the same time, many of those survivors also chose to leave, and that too was because of him.
Nearly all the stronger demons had been killed by Chu Yang. For the others, these seven days had felt more like ordinary wilderness survival than a life-or-death trial.
Many of them had personally witnessed Chu Yang slaughtering demons with overwhelming force.
Now that they were seeing this monster-like youth again, everyone's expressions grew extremely complicated.
Fear. Terror. Awe. Gratitude.
No matter which emotion dominated, their gazes inevitably settled on Chu Yang.
Chu Yang didn't care how they viewed him. He couldn't even be bothered to spare them a glance, walking straight toward the official presiding over the selection.
The young swordsmen hurriedly made way for him, drawing the host's attention as he studied Chu Yang with a thoughtful gaze.
Chu Yang set Makomo down and said loudly, "Please send this girl to the Butterfly Mansion. Her legs are injured and need treatment."
The moment he finished speaking, members of the Kakushi stepped forward, taking Makomo from Chu Yang and administering emergency care.
"I hear you nearly wiped out all the demons on the mountain by yourself?" the host said with a half-smile, half-tease. "Thanks to you, quite a few people passed this trial without any real training. The Demon Slayer Corps has suddenly gained a lot of useless fresh blood."
Chu Yang let out a cold laugh and shot back, "Most of them will die anyway. Better to die later than sooner. Instead of dying here during these seven days, they might as well live a bit longer—then take a few demons down with them before they die."
"Honestly, I don't understand why you're in such a hurry to send a group of swordsmen with barely any combat experience here to die. Calling this a selection is generous—it's more like feeding demons."
"This is a stupid and irresponsible selection method."
They could have had cultivators lead these newcomers and let them accumulate real combat experience against demons—but they never did. Instead, they threw breathing-technique novices into so-called extreme survival.
If they were going to do it, they should have done it after proper combat training!
Chu Yang's dangerously blunt remarks made the host's expression darken. The Final Selection was a tradition passed down through generations of leadership—his words were effectively a direct attack on the Ubuyashiki family.
With a hostile look, the host warned him, "Didn't your cultivator teach you that you shouldn't speak recklessly?"
"Every demon on Mount Fujikasane was personally captured by us after being confirmed suitable for beginners. If they can't pass this trial, it only proves they're unfit to be members of the Demon Slayer Corps."
"Heh~" Chu Yang curled his lips, mimicking the host's earlier half-smiling expression. "Then let me ask you this—there was a demon inside that mountain which ate over fifty of its own kind, and more than a dozen swordsmen who participated in the selection. What do you think its strength was like?"
The host froze.
Judging by Chu Yang's expression, he didn't seem to be lying. If such a demon truly existed, then at the very least, it would have been capable of using Blood Demon Arts.
For most of the participants, entering that mountain really had been nothing more than feeding a monster.
But soon, the host's expression steadied, and he declared firmly, "After officially becoming members of the Demon Slayer Corps, situations like this are countless. Most of the time, we're fighting demons far stronger than ourselves."
"Ever since demons first appeared a thousand years ago, this has always been the case. We have no other choice…"
Those words made Chu Yang see him in a slightly better light. Thinking carefully, it was true.
For generations, every member of the Demon Slayer Corps had fought while holding onto that same resolve.
Appreciation aside, Chu Yang still believed the Final Selection method was foolish—there were clearly better ways to cultivate talent.
After a brief silence, the host chose not to argue further with Chu Yang. Instead, he turned to the others and announced, "Because the number of survivors this time greatly exceeds the usual average, we don't have enough ore or Kasugai Crows prepared. Therefore, your right to choose has been revoked."
An uproar immediately rippled through the crowd.
"You should all be well aware of why you were able to pass the Final Selection…" The host's cold gaze swept over them, his presence suppressing the crowd until the noise gradually died down.
"Of course, not everyone will lose their right to choose," he continued, shifting his attention to Chu Yang. "Given your personal performance, your selection privileges will be retained."
Chu Yang laughed, driving the massive zanbatō into the ground.
The terrifying force made the earth tremble—and the crowd trembled with it.
"Do you even have ore this big?" Chu Yang pointed at the zanbatō and said bluntly. "If not, I'll just keep this blade. Technically speaking, it still belongs to the Demon Slayer Corps anyway."
After the slaughter on Mount Fujikasane, Chu Yang had become thoroughly familiar with the zanbatō's weight and size. It fit him perfectly now—switching weapons would only force him to spend time readjusting.
Faced with Chu Yang's outrageous demand, the host nodded without hesitation, which surprised even Chu Yang himself. He had already been preparing for a verbal battle.
The host explained with a single sentence, "This is preferential treatment for geniuses. The Demon Slayer Corps exists for only one purpose—to eradicate all demons. To achieve that goal, we won't be stingy with resources."
As soon as he finished speaking, the host let out a sharp whistle.
A black shadow glided down from the sky and landed on Chu Yang's shoulder—a crow with clouded gray eyes.
"This is your Kasugai Crow. It will handle communication with the Demon Slayer Corps and deliver intelligence regarding demons."
Chu Yang gently stroked the crow on his shoulder. From now on, this little fellow would be responsible for providing information on demon locations.
And so, amid an unprecedented and shocking turn of events, the Final Selection came to an end.
(End of Chapter)