NOVEL WEB Chapter 85: Chapter 85
"Water Breathing, Fourth Form: Striking Tide!"
Azure blade light surged forth like relentless tides, severing the necks of three demons in the blink of an eye.
"Incredible!" A disheveled swordsman gaped at the fox-masked, peach-haired young swordsman whose skills were astonishingly masterful.
Swish!
After dispatching the three demons, Sabito calmly sheathed his Nichirin Blade and extended a hand to the disheveled swordsman.
"Are you alright?"
"Y-yes, I'm fine. My name's Murata. Thank you for your help. I panicked earlier and almost forgot to draw my blade." The embarrassed Murata scratched his head and took Sabito hand, who pulled him up firmly.
Brushing off the dust, Murata face flushed with shame.
The sudden encounter with three demons had left him flustered, and he'd completely forgotten about the emergency dorayaki in his pocket.
"Be more careful. There are others who need my help. Take care!" Sabito patted Murata shoulder before sprinting deeper into Mount Fujikasane without looking back.
Murata hastily called out "Wait! I didn't get your name!"
But only Sabito rapidly disappearing silhouette answered him.
Swish!
Drawing his Nichirin Blade, Murata gripped it tightly while scanning his surroundings.
He muttered "Why the hurry? At least tell me your name."
As night fell, the legend of the peach-haired, fox-masked boy grew.
Whenever swordsmen encountered demons, he would always strike first.
It was nothing short of a miracle.
On the third day of the Final Selection, not a single swordsman had died and none had needed to eat the emergency dorayaki Shinichi had prepared.
"What? Someone's doing your job for you?" Shinichi, who had been calmly seated, stood up in shock upon hearing Maru-ni report.
"A boy with strangely colored hair?" Shinichi immediately pictured the peach-haired youth.
Frowning, Shinichi heterochromatic eyes turned toward Mount Fujikasane's depths.
"Single-handedly slaying so many demons... Is this guy trying to play the savior?"
***
Meanwhile, within Mount Fujikasane...
Giyu Tomioka, a black-haired boy in a red haori, walked alongside several unfamiliar swordsmen.
Having arrived late, he'd become separated from Sabito upon entering the mountain.
Yet after three days, Giyu hadn't encountered a single demon.
According to fellow swordsmen, Sabito had nearly cleared the path of demons alone.
While awed and admiring, Giyu grew increasingly worried for Sabito safety.
"It's fine. Our teacher said Sabito talent is exceptional. The Final Selection won't trouble him" Giyu reassured himself.
Then Murata—the same swordsman that was saved by sabito—noticed Giyu fox mask, similar to the peach-haired boy.
Unable to resist, he asked "Um, your name is Giyu, right?"
"Yes. Giyu. Giyu Tomioka."
"I see you and that boy with pinkish hair are wearing the same masks. Are you fellow disciples from the same school?"
Hearing someone mention Sabito again, Giyu Tomioka expression immediately became animated.
"Yes! That's Sabito. We're both students of Master Urokodaki!"
***
"Raaahh!!" The crimson-eyed Demon let out an unwilling roar before its head rolled off its neck like a ball, gradually turning to ashes.
'Twenty-second!' Sabito silently counted in his heart.
Raising his Nichirin Blade under the bright moonlight, Sabito noticed the edge had become chipped and uneven.
Slaying too many Demons had severely worn down his sword.
Shaking his head slightly, Sabito sheathed his Nichirin Blade, his master teachings still fresh in his mind.
With greater power comes greater responsibility - Sabito lived by these words.
His relentless Demon slaying wasn't for showing off, but to help more swordsmen pass the Final Selection.
Sitting on a rock to rest, Sabito removed his mask, revealing his youthful face.
He took out an already cold rice ball from his pocket and began eating hungrily.
Suddenly, Sabito thought of his fellow disciple Giyu.
He'd been so focused on slaying Demons that he'd forgotten about Giyu!
The rice ball instantly lost its flavor.
Before departure, their master had repeatedly told them to watch out for each other, yet he'd forgotten this upon entering Mount Fujikasane.
"Dammit, I need to go check on him!" Stuffing the remaining half of the rice ball into his mouth, Sabito hastily put on his fox mask, grabbed his Nichirin Blade and prepared to turn back.
At that moment, a small oil-paper package fell from his pocket.
Sabito quickly picked it up, and a rich, sweet aroma filled his nose.
"The dorayaki given by the Forest Hashira?"
Staring at what the Hashira had called a "life-saving" treat, Sabito pondered briefly before pocketing it and running deeper into the forest.
Unbeknownst to Sabito, a Kasugai Crow watched everything from the sky above.
***
"That Sabito is incredible! I haven't even encountered a single Demon yet" one swordsman said while casually cutting through bushes with his Nichirin Blade.
His companion replied "Isn't that good? What if we encounter a powerful Demon we can't handle? It's already been four days. I think we just need to hold out a little longer to pass the Final Selection."
"That's true... Should we thank that fox-masked boy then?"
As they chatted, the two swordsmen failed to notice the massive shadow lurking in the darkness nearby.
Their conversation seemed to attract the enormous figure, as a pair of sinister yellow eyes slowly opened in the dark.
"The fox mask!?"
A sharp voice whispered softly, a familiar feeling instantly surging to the surface.
Uncontrollable rage quickly clouded its eyes as it recalled an old enemies!
The filthy green arm that had been reaching toward the two unsuspecting swordsmen silently withdrew.
If what these brats said was true, then tonight, the Hand Demon would definitely devour that little brat wearing the fox mask!
"UROKODAKI!!!"
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