Time passed, and the night gradually deepened.
Under Lynn's lead, the battlefield gradually shifted from the outskirts of Mount Fujikasane to its summit.
Attracted by the rare blood, demons attacked from all directions, launching assaults on Lynn.
And amidst this chaotic battlefield, Rengoku Kyojuro stood in place, lost in thought.
Fast!
He was just too fast!
Gazing at the figure that moved like lightning, weaving through the horde of demons.
A bitter smile appeared on Rengoku Kyojuro's face.
Several hours had passed since the battle began.
In these hours, he had swung his weapon to attack again and again.
But what ultimately greeted him was, without exception, the headless corpses of demons.
"I'm really going to be laughed at this time."
Thud—!
A demon missing its limbs crashed down in front of Rengoku Kyojuro without warning.
At the same time, Lynn's voice came from not far away: "Here, I'll give you a demon's head."
Rengoku Kyojuro: "..."
Do I just need this one head?
Faced with Lynn's outrageous move, even the usually optimistic Rengoku Kyojuro was left speechless.
Unable to help in the fight, and then pitied enough to be given a demon's head as charity.
If his family found out about this, his old man would absolutely mock him for having no talent and wasting time training his Breathing Technique.
"You don't want it?"
Lynn's voice sounded beside him.
In the brief moment Rengoku Kyojuro remained silent, the surrounding demons were swept clean.
Lynn, holding his nichirin blade, appeared silently at his side, looking eager and ready.
"If you don't want it, I'll finish it off."
"Go ahead."
Rengoku Kyojuro gave his reply.
As his words fell, a crisp tearing sound rang out.
Just like what had happened over the past several hours, the demon's head abruptly fell to the ground.
"Alright, next is you."
After reclaiming the demon head, he had just offered, Lynn looked toward the forest not far away.
"Stop hiding. I could smell your stench from a mile away."
"Oh? Your nose is quite sharp. It reminds me of a certain detestable fellow."
Heavy footsteps sounded as a massive figure slowly emerged from the forest.
It was a three-meter-tall demon with bluish-gray skin, its body covered in arms. Only a pair of dull yellow eyes were visible on its face, eerie and terrifying.
"This is... an aberrant demon?"
Rengoku Kyojuro's expression turned serious.
Compared to the lowest-level ordinary demons, aberrant demons were much more powerful.
And judging by the aura of this aberrant demon, it had clearly consumed many people.
"Why would a demon of this level be inside the Final Selection grounds?"
"Because, unlike those fools, I know when to strike."
The Hand Demon replied with great pride.
The Final Selection was a practical test; people died inside every year.
As long as there were no large-scale casualties, the Demon Slayer Corps would treat it as normal and overlook it.
After realizing this, the Hand Demon controlled its appetite, only seeking out two or three people to attack each time.
Occasionally, if it acted too many times in a row, it would hide itself in a cave, skipping a Final Selection or two to lower its profile.
Thus, while the demons in Mount Fujikasane were replaced batch after batch, only the Hand Demon survived, killing all witnesses.
"To be honest, I was hesitating about whether to attack you or not, since your strength seems quite formidable."
"But since you've discovered my presence, there's no turning back now."
A greedy glint appeared in the Hand Demon's eyes: "As long as I can devour a rare blood like you, my power will definitely advance to the next level and become stronger."
"Then I'll find a way to escape this cage and go take revenge on Urokodaki Sakonji!"
"Urokodaki Sakonji?"
Hearing the content he wanted, Lynn appropriately showed a hint of confusion on his face.
"If I recall correctly, that's the name of the former Water Hashira. What's your relationship with him?"
"It's that bastard! The one who captured me and brought me to this mountain!"
Seemingly provoked, the Hand Demon's emotions suddenly became agitated.
"I didn't do anything wrong! I just ate a few people!"
"That bastard! That bastard Urokodaki actually caught me and brought me here to suffer!"
"But he must not have expected that I not only didn't die but am alive and well! And I've eaten all his disciples!"
"Huh?"
Rengoku Kyojuro, who had been listening all along, frowned, his expression turning even more serious.
"How can you tell who is Lord Urokodaki's disciple? Have you awakened a Blood Demon Art?"
"Blood Demon Art? Haha! I don't need something like that at all!"
As if to boast of its achievements, the Hand Demon let out a chilling laugh.
"You probably don't know this, but that bastard Urokodaki gives a mask to each of his disciples after they graduate!"
"I can't possibly mistake it! The carving technique of those masks is exactly the same as his damned tengu mask!"
"...So you killed everyone wearing a similar mask?"
"That's right! I killed every single one of them, leaving none alive!"
As the Hand Demon spoke, the arms covering its body suddenly began to writhe frantically, and its aura surged.
"You two won't be an exception either! Become a part of me!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Violent rumbling sounds erupted as several bluish-gray arms shot out from the ground behind Lynn and Rengoku Kyojuro, launching a direct attack.
"Damn it! When did it—!"
Rengoku Kyojuro's pupils contracted. He quickly turned and slashed at the arms behind him.
Only at this moment did he finally realize how cunning the Hand Demon was.
Revealing those unknown secrets wasn't just for boasting.
More importantly, it was to distract their attention while it buried its arms underground.
"Lynn! I'll hold off these arms. You seize the chance to—"
Sshhk! Sshhk! Sshhk!
Before his words could finish, the familiar sound of tearing once again rang in his ears.
In just an instant, Lynn appeared behind him and severed all those arms.
"Fool! You fell for it!"
Seeing its attack neutralized, the Hand Demon wasn't alarmed but instead let out a mocking laugh.
The next second, the ground cracked open again.
Centered on Lynn's position, several arms simultaneously shot out from the ground.
Compared to the first wave, these arms were noticeably thicker and more robust, with a leap in both power and speed.
However...
"Aren't you underestimating me a bit too much."
Lynn took a step forward, and the air exploded with a dull sound.
Like a cannonball being fired, the arms blocking his path were instantly torn apart.
The blade imbued with the sun's power descended, and the Hand Demon's head fell to the ground with a thud.
"This farce should end now."
As if he had merely stepped on an ant by the roadside, Lynn returned to Rengoku Kyojuro's side without even looking back after finishing.
"Let's go. We're heading to the next location."
"What that aberrant demon just said..."
"It's not too late to report it after we get out."
Lynn sheathed his nichirin blade, a faint smile appearing on his face.
"If nothing unexpected happens, we should be able to use this opportunity to meet the leader of the Demon Slayer Corps."
...