Chapter 6

(POV 3rd Person)

Everyone looked towards Zenitsu. Some murmurs passed through the crowd but it quickly became quiet when two kids started to explain about Final Selection and what they have to do to pass.

Zenitsu listened a little because he knew most of it from Jigoro, but still, something may change so he keep attention if something he don't know will be mentioned. After a while explanation ended and he was now sure everything was going to be just like Gramps told him earlier.

The exam requires the examinee to survive seven nights on the mountaintop, without any outside aid. Candidates who successfully survive the seven nights are then permitted to become official members of the Demon Slayer Corps. At the end of the exam, they get to choose their own ore for their Nichirin Blades and, additionally, receive their own uniform and Kasugaigarasu- their own crow which is also a messenger between Demon Slayer and Head Quarters.

Zenitsu also looked at the people who were within the crowd. Overall it's around 30 participants. Mostly all of them give him the same "vibes" of fear, anxiety and panic. Hearing "vibes" is something he learned when he trained his senses. With his superior sense of hearing and added extreme training, he can now hear a needle dropped on the floor from 60 meters, maybe even more if he concentrate enough. But it's not all. He discovered that every living being emmits different "Vibes" depended on the said person condition. For example when he was in the mountains he could distinguish between harmless deer and hungry wolves or bear, it's really helpful when you know something is nearing but you don't know it's intentions.

Back to the topic. Not all people there were giving fearful vibes. Here are three people who gained his attention. First one was a young girl, maybe around his age. She has gentle eyes of a pink-lilac color that are framed by thick eyelashes. She has thin black hair, worn tied into a ponytail on the right side of her head. She wears a slightly purple-tinted version of the standard Demon Slayer uniform, just with a knee-length pleated skirt in place of the usual hakama pants. Over this, she wears a short white cloak, fastened on one side by a dark pink triple knot, and knee-high white boots. Overall, she is pretty girl with calm smile.

But what gained Zenitsu's attention is that, that she give really calm vibes, it's like she wouldn't fighting for survival for seven days but goes for the picnic or something. He got 2 possibilities: first, she is confident in her abilities so she doesn't see this as something dangerous, second, she is happy-go-lucky type of person so she simply doesn't care. Well, first theory seems more right.

Second person is young man who is glaring at him from the moment Zenitsu arrived. He was a short, young man with large, inward-slanting eyes. The space where his eyebrows would've been is constantly furrowed, which gave him a permanently angered appearance. His hair is styled into a buzz cut, with only a small clump of messy black hair left to grow on the top of his head. He also possessed a large, jagged scar that ran over his right cheekbone from his ear and to over his nose. He is wearing a purple, sleeveless yukata over a plain black shirt with long sleeves.

His vibes... Well... He never met a person who would gave such a violent vibes. They were full of hatred, anger and God know what else. Well, judging by the look he gives Zenitsu and constant curses he would sent from time to time towards him, you don't need an expert to know what kind of person he is. Zenitsu looked at him and send a small smile with wave of his hand. Veins popped up on angry man's face and he tried to rush at him but he was stopped by red haired teen. He is the third interesting person here.

He has red hair and kitsune mask on the side of his head and scar on his forehead, probably burn mark. He wear blue, cloud-pattered jinbei and hafunada earrings. His vibes were most shocking towards him. They were.. Kind? Warm? He doesn't know how to put it but he was sure he is really kind and nice young man. You may pondered why is he so shocked about that. Well, it's hard to find someone who is genuinely kind in this times where everyone only think of themselves and seek what give them most benefits.

When red hair managed to stop that incarnation of wrath, he felt someone patted his shoulder. He turned around and saw Zenitsu with closed eyes and kind smile on his face.

Zenitsu: "Hi, thanks for restraining this angry puppy but you should go to the forest, we started already. Good luck and it would be nice if we met in seven days! Take care!" - he said when he started walking towards forest and shouted last two sentences before he disappeared between the trees.

???: "What?" - he looked around and noticed that everyone left already - "Oh no! Thank you and good luck to you too!!" - he bowed and shouted before sprinted toward forest, leaving angry man behind.

???: "You fuckers!! I'm gonna kill you two!!"

____________________

With Zenitsu

He jogged peacefully through the forest and turns direction from time to time when his ears twitched, detecting someone who is in the place he was currently running.

Zenitsu: "I should avoiding being in groups like others. It will only attract unwanted attention and it could be dangerous in night-time. I'm confident in fighting 5 or 6 demons at once, but not while I have to watch out for someone."

He suddenly stopped and closed his eyes. He started to focus on his surrounding and tried to find what is currently the most important. He opened his eyes and smiled a bit.

Zenitsu: "There!" - he ran to the Eastern side of forest- "Here it is!"

In front of him was small stream. He take some water in his hand and tasted it. After he confirmed that water is drinkable, he started to think about next steps that will help him survive next seven days.

Zenitsu: "Hmmm, I secured source of water so it's half of work is done."- he turned to look at the sun - "Three, maybe four hours and the night will come. I have to gather some fruits. Haaaah, I wish I find some trace of animals to hunt. I don't plan hunting for birds, it's freaking hard and tiresome. Okay, let's get going."

For the next three hours, few of the candidates for Demon Slayer Corp saw yellow blur, flashing between the trees. It was obviously Zenitsu who gathered few fruits and hunted one medium sized boar. When only one hour left before night, he decided its enough food for today and some of it will lasts for next day.

After he arrived at his camp place, he first washed fruits and covered them in piece of clothes he took with him. Then, he prepered boar, using katana instead of knife as usual. Well, he always got one with him but Jigoro literally kicked him out so he didn't take it. After cutting meat in portions, he started to gather dry branches for campfire to fried the boar meat. It took him an hour to fried all he has but he didn't put down the fire. He hoped on the tree branch and prepared his sword. The night finally come.

________________________

It's been a while when he started to sitting there, and to be honest, he started to get bored. Noone come near him until he heard something on the other side of stream. 'So they really come to check the fire, heh? Let's what we got.' He thought and regulate his breath pattern to make his heart beats slower and prepared his sword.

Zenitsu focused on his senses and confirmed that someone who arrived give different vibes than humans and animals. Still he waited till the "guest" come near enough to see his appearance.

Clouds moved from the moon, lighting surrounding area. Zenitsu confirmed his thoughts when he saw Demon's appearance. What he saw is man in his mid twenties, with short black hair, pointy ears and long fangs that's stick out from his mouth. He wore brown ragged clothes.

He looked closely at the campfire and hoped above the stream, landing next to the place where Zenitsu was most of his time. Demon sniffed loudly and looked around.

Demon1: "I know you're somewhere here! You may not know it but you didn't masked your smell!! Get out now so maybe I start eating you from head!" - he started to looking around and shouted.

Zenitsu: "Hoooo? I didn't knew I will met a mongrel. Wanna some snack pup?" - he said with smile, trying to taunt Demon to come closer. He was currently sitting on the branch while swinging his legs in the air.

Demon1: "What the fuck did you said?! I'm gonna rip off your limbs!!" - he shouted and tried to bounce at him but both of them heard someone voice from the bushes.

Demon2: "Leave now you mother fucker! It's mine territory so it's mine prey!!" - what they saw was next Demon but he looked totally different.

He looked like a teen, with light brown skin and long limbs. He was skinny and wear blue ragged kimono. 'I didn't heard him until the brushes rustled. It may be his special ability or something. Leaving him alone is dangerous' Zenitsu thought with narrowed eyebrows. He looked at newcomer once more and whe he has better look, he noticed something that made his eyes go cold. He noticed that Demon has human's arm in his own with bite marks.

Demon1: "Haah?! Wanna get your ass beaten mother fucker?!"

Demon2: "Try your luck, yo-"

Zenitsu: "Shut up."- he said in emotionless voice, interrupting Demon.

Both of Demons looked toward Zenitsu, sensing change in the atmosphere. He has his head lowered in the way that his hairs covered his eyes. He asked second Demon.

Zenitsu: "You killed someone not a long time ago, didn't you?" - his voice was still cold like ice.

Demons tensed a little but didn't attack him, they felt like they should answer young man's questions.

Demon2: "Yeah, so what?" - he said with furrowed eyebrows.

Zenitsu: "... Did you make him suffer?" - he asked again with colder voice.

Demon2: "What? Why are you-" demon was confused and tried to ask.

Zenitsu: "Answer me." - he said, making Demons nervous for some reason.

Demon2: "Y-yes, I did..."- he said in shaking voice. It was first time he was in this kind of situation, he felt nervous.

Zenits: "I see... Then, I think it's time for you to die." - he said and looked into the Demon's eyes. Zenitsu's eyes were inhumanely emotionles and his irises shined with yellow glow, stunning Demons in their places.

They blinked and both noticed that Zenitsu wasn't in his place.

''Where the hell is he?!'' both thought with panic building in them. Skinny Demon felt wind passed next to him. He slowly looked at his side and saw Zenitsu, holding gray Demon's head. Skinny Demon couldn't help but take few steps back. Headless Demon's body fell on it's knees and then on the ground, slowly turning into the ashes.

In the same time, Zenitsu turned around to look at the last Demon, making him shaking in fear. 'What is this? What is this feeling?!' he thought whe he looked at Zenitsu's eyes. He gathered rest of his courage and attacked him with his right hand, aiming for his head.

Zenitsu: "Arm" - he said in calm yet cold voice, slashing on Demon's shoulder.

Demon: "AAARGHH!!"

All Demon saw, was just that, that his arm suddenly disconnected from his shoulder, making him scream in pain. 'It was fast! To fast!! I didn't saw him move at all!!!'. He knew he can't fight him saw he decided what everyone would do in this situation, he tried to escape.

He threw human's arm he had in his remaining arm and sprinted, without looking behind. He ran around 50 meters until he again heard this emotionless voice, just beside his ear.

Zenitsu: "Legs" - was all he said.

Demon: "AAAAARRGGH!!" - He felt pain in his tights and fell on the ground rolling few times. His arm regenerated, so he try to crawl away but he suddenly lost feeling in his remaining limbs and noticed that they are no longer in their place.

He looked behind and again saw this terrifying yellow eyes, looking down on him.

Zenitsu: "How is it, to feel what yours victims felt when you were playing with them? Well, don't answer, I don't care." - he said looking in the Demon's eyes while making swing, aiming for Demon's neck.

Demon looked terrified at the young man. He remembered this feeling he had since he met this young man, it was fear, something he didn't felt for a long time. 'Noo, he isn't man... He is a Monster' was his last thoughts when suddenly darkness embraced him and he felt nothing.

__________________

Zenitsu: "Tch. Weak trash." - he clicked his tongue in annoyance and returned to his camp. He took a deep breathe to calm himself. 'I lost my cool when I found out that he tortured that man, *haaaaah* I completely lost my mood. I shouldn't let feelings take control over me in the future, it can end badly for me.' he sat near the campfire and looked at the moon lost in thoughts.

This is how the first day of The Final Selection ended.