Chapter 16 — The Trial He Missed
At noon the next day, after drinking a bowl of warm medicinal soup, Asuka sat alone outside the tatami room, leaning quietly against the veranda as he stared at the wisteria flowers climbing the courtyard wall.
He tried to circulate his breathing technique gently—but the moment he applied even a little force, the slightest expansion of his lungs sent a violent stab of pain tearing through his chest.
No…
Asuka wiped the blood foam he'd coughed onto the corner of his mouth. For once, hesitation showed clearly on his face.
"Don't push yourself, child."
Aunt Matsumoto was tending the herb patch outside the room, but she hadn't missed his movements. She wiped her hands on her apron and walked over, concern etched into her expression.
"You've only just been stitched up. If you keep this up, the wounds will split open again. Honestly—you really don't know how to take care of your own body."
"…Thank you. How long… will this last?"
Asuka wasn't good at dealing with people who showed him genuine kindness. He could only offer a quiet thanks and ask in a low voice.
"How long? You mean recovery?"
Her tone turned firm. "At least a month."
She looked straight at him, clearly having seen through his thoughts.
"Shinsuke told me everything. Thinking about the selection right now is far too early! Forget the Final Selection—you can barely run a few steps. Resting properly is the most important thing!"
A month…?
By then, the selection at Mount Fujikasane would be long over.
Asuka's gaze wavered again.
From a survival standpoint, he understood the importance of healing. But he had made a promise to Teacher Arasaki. Was he really going to abandon it like this?
Maybe tomorrow… or the day after… once he recovered just a bit more?
After all, Teacher Arasaki had said that Fujikasane was filled with weaker demons. Even if he didn't fight—just ran and hid—he should still be able to pass…
Clinging to that thought, Asuka fell silent, staring blankly at the wisteria blossoms.
Days passed.
Although his recovery was faster than a normal person's, the damage to his internal organs healed painfully slowly—far from what he'd hoped.
Stubbornly, he began preparing anyway.
He tried deeper breathing, fastened his Asauchi to his body, and used the veranda pillar to stretch and work his stiffened limbs.
Just as the setting sun dyed the courtyard in warm shades of orange and red, steady, heavy footsteps sounded from the entrance.
Shinsuke had been patrolling the area ever since the Akatsunuma incident—assessing demon damage and checking for any lesser demons that might have served under her.
Dusty from travel, he stepped into the courtyard—and immediately saw Asuka, clearly dressed to leave.
Shinsuke was carrying a small bundle of fresh fruit and rice cakes bought from the nearby town. One look at Asuka's expression was enough for him to understand his intent. He set the bundle down gently.
"Asuka. Where are you going?"
Having already exchanged brief introductions before, Shinsuke asked in a calm, friendly tone.
"…Just moving around."
"Moving around?"
He stepped closer, his brow twitching as he took in Asuka's fully prepared appearance.
"You're heading for Mount Fujikasane, aren't you? No! Absolutely not—go back inside and lie down!"
He reached out, intending to steady Asuka—
—but Asuka dropped his shoulder and retreated half a step with startling speed, brushing Shinsuke's wrist aside.
Shinsuke's hand went numb for a moment. His eyes widened slightly.
That strength… already back?
But these injuries were no joke. There was no way he could let Asuka leave like this.
What followed was a brief but tense struggle.
Shinsuke kept trying to restrain him, while Asuka—movements dulled by injury—still managed to evade again and again using raw instinct, street-fight experience, and sharp bodily reactions.
Throughout it all, Asuka kept coughing violently, each spasm making Shinsuke's heart jump.
Still, Shinsuke was an experienced Demon Slayer. No matter how fast Asuka was, injuries like these meant he couldn't fully exert himself.
In a sudden shift, Shinsuke stepped in close and clamped a firm grip onto Asuka's shoulder, locking him in place.
"Enough—!"
But before he could finish—
Asuka suddenly dropped his weight downward, forcing himself through the dizziness and surging blood. His left leg swept low toward Shinsuke's stance, while his right hand shot like lightning toward the Nichirin blade at Shinsuke's waist!
Shinsuke's pupils shrank.
His breathing deepened instinctively, a calm, flowing blue aura entering and leaving his mouth and nose as his body exploded with strength and speed.
Bang!
He dodged the sweep, knocked Asuka's hand aside, and seized his wrist firmly.
This time—
He had him completely restrained.
"…Tch."
A tremendous force surged through him, pinning Asuka in place. He wanted to struggle—but the pain inside his body flared like a warning bell. If he forced it any further, he really might tear something apart.
Left with no choice, he stopped resisting and let Shinsuke take away both his Asauchi and the Nichirin blade, guiding him back to sit beneath the eaves.
From a distance, Aunt Matsumoto watched the scene unfold, shook her head helplessly, and went inside to prepare dinner.
Shinsuke set the swords aside, his expression grave as he turned back to Asuka.
"Asuka—what are you trying to do? Go to Mount Fujikasane and get yourself killed?"
"I can run. I can hide. Surviving seven days isn't that hard…"
Asuka spoke quietly. "I promised the old man I'd pass the selection."
"That still doesn't mean gambling with your life!"
Shinsuke's voice sharpened, carrying the sternness of someone older, someone who had already paid the price of experience.
"Selections can wait—there'll be another one. But if you die, that's the end of everything!"
"Asuka, your talent is enviable. Your strength is impressive. But the reality is—we're human. We get hurt. We die. If you don't value your life, even the weakest demon can kill you!"
"Listen to me. If we in the Demon Slayer Corps are going to die, it shouldn't be a meaningless death. You'll go next time!"
Those words—spoken sincerely, without pretense—finally sank in.
Asuka fell silent.
…Yes. Staying alive was what mattered most.
"…I understand."
He let out a long breath and rubbed his aching wrist. "You're right. I won't go."
Only then did the tension in Shinsuke's shoulders ease.
He nodded firmly. "That's the right choice. Rest properly. The Demon Slayer Corps' door will always be open to someone with your strength."
Night fell.
After dinner, Aunt Matsumoto retired early. Outside the tatami room, only Asuka and Shinsuke remained, sitting beneath the moonlight in quiet contemplation.
"…Your breathing," Asuka suddenly said, breaking the silence.
"It's different from mine."
He looked at Shinsuke's calloused hands and asked awkwardly, almost politely,
"What is it? It feels… strong."
Shinsuke froze for a moment, then gave a bitter smile.
"Strong? Not really. Compared to true masters, I'm nowhere close…"
After hesitating, he continued,
"What I use… isn't a complete Water Breathing."
A flicker of confusion passed through Asuka's eyes.
Shinsuke rubbed his hands together, self-mockery etched across his face.
"My talent's terrible. Back when I trained under my teacher, I pushed myself to the limit and still only learned the first two forms of Water Breathing.
My teacher said I lacked understanding—told me continuing would just waste time. He suggested I focus on practical combat skills and basic sword forms, work logistics or support instead…"
He sighed deeply, regret heavy in his voice.
"I barely passed the selection in the end. But compared to a genius like you… there's no comparison at all."
"You killed a demon like Akatsunuma on your own. I… I really envy people like you."
There was moisture in Shinsuke's eyes now, memories of pain and loss clearly surfacing.
Asuka listened quietly.
Before this, the only peers he'd known were Kenji and Rika.
This was the first time he'd realized that even powerful Demon Slayers carried their own limitations—that breathing techniques were far harder to master than he'd ever imagined.
"I'm not a genius," Asuka said at last, his tone calm, far gentler than before.
"There's nothing to envy. I'm just… trying to survive."
Shinsuke looked at him and nodded slowly.
"…Yeah. Surviving."
After a pause, he asked,
"What will you do next? Once you're healed—go back to Hayama? Or…?"
Asuka stared up at the distant sky, silent for a long time.
Return to Hayama…
Would Teacher Arasaki be disappointed?
He'd promised to come back alive. Even if it was in such an ungraceful way… he was still alive.
"Shinsuke."
"Hm?"
"Help me pass along a message to Teacher Arasaki at Hayama."
Asuka turned to him. For once, the ever-guarded look in his eyes softened, tinged with apology and unease.
"Tell him… that Asuka couldn't take part in this year's selection. That I failed to meet his expectations."
"…And that I'm truly sorry."