Demon Slayer: I am a Demon.

She sat up straight, staring at Su Mu who was focused on roasting chicken, and once again advised, "You really shouldn't participate in the 'Vine Mountain' swordsman assessment; it's extremely dangerous."

"Really?"

"Of course, it was really dangerous. Several of my senior brothers, including the very powerful junior brother Sabito, participated in the swordsman assessment at Fujikasa Mountain, but none of them were able to return."

"That looks really dangerous."

As Su Mu sighed, seeing that the roasted chicken was almost done, he took the golden-brown roasted chicken off the grill, tore off the fattest chicken leg and gave it to Kanao. He then tore off another chicken leg, hesitated between Tanjiro and Makomo, and gave it to Makomo, who was probably prettier.

Makomo took the chicken leg and continued to persuade him.

Tanjiro, however, accepted the chicken's rear end with a bitter expression, his eyes full of resentment.

Tanjiro had expected that the best chicken leg would be given to Kanao, but he was quite dissatisfied that the other chicken leg was given to Makomo.

"As a boy, it's natural to give way to pretty girls."

Su Mu smiled as he looked at Tanjiro, whose face practically screamed defiance.

"She's so amazing, it's unbelievable for a girl."

Tanjiro muttered to himself, took a bite of the chicken's rear end, and found it tasted much better than he had imagined. His eyes lit up, and he began to focus intently on the food in his hand.

Su Mu also tore off a piece of chicken wing, sat next to Kanao, and ate it silently, occasionally picking up the sake bottle and taking a sip.

"Are you even listening to me? Ghost hunters are really dangerous."

Makomo took a bite of a chicken leg, the taste making her beautiful eyes narrow slightly, and continued talking incessantly, her manner completely out of character for a young girl.

"You make a lot of sense."

Su Mu was getting a little annoyed by what she was being said, and looked up at Makomo.

"So you've agreed not to participate in the 'Fujikatayama' swordsman assessment?"

Makomo was somewhat excited.

"Although it makes a lot of sense, I don't intend to listen."

Su Mu took another sip of wine and shrugged.

The man's shameless behavior made the girl puff out her cheeks in anger.

When she was eating, without the mask to conceal her face, the girl's pouting lips were clearly visible.

An ordinary girl wouldn't look very graceful in this pose; only a woman with a beautiful face would find it cute.

And Makomo is undoubtedly one of them.

Even Su Mu couldn't help but take another look.

Makomo probably realized this as well, and unconsciously turned her head away, revealing her fair and beautiful neck.

Why do you insist on participating in this dangerous swordsmanship exam?

Makomo took another bite of the chicken leg, muttering to herself.

"Don't you think that's noble?"

Su Mu shrugged casually: "Whenever night falls, when evil spirits emerge to devour people, there are always ghost hunters who appear to slay the evil spirits and protect humanity."

Makomo raised her eyes and looked at Su Mu: "Are you serious?"

His voice turned cold: "This will cost you your life. Have you thought it through? Are you willing to pay such a heavy price?"

Su Mu was just saying it casually; he participated in the 'Vine Mountain Assault' assessment not because of any noble cause.

Moreover, Makomo had been getting a little annoyed with him along the way, so he retorted, "Miss Makomo, you've been trying to persuade me the whole time, so why don't you try to persuade yourself?"

"What advice did you give me?"

Why is it mandatory to participate in the 'Fujikatayama' swordsman assessment?

Makomo paused for a moment, then pressed down on the hilt of her Nichirin Blade: "I have a reason why I have to participate."

"Oh!"

Su Mu made a sound without caring, then took another sip of wine and patted his stomach: "I also have reasons why I have to participate."

Seeing this, Makomo was so angry that she was almost speechless, and could only take a bite of the chicken leg in resentment.

…………

Knowing that she couldn't persuade Su Mu, Makomo stopped trying to convince him.

Occasionally, Makomo would lift her gaze to the sky, and when the jay flapped its wings and landed again, she no longer excitedly accepted the letter it delivered as she had the day before.

She stood to the side, holding her Nichirin Blade, head tilted back, feigning disdain, watching Tanjiro excitedly take out the letter brought by Kasugai-rai.

"Dear sir, Tanjiro, Kanao, and Ms. Makomo, hello."

"The weather is great today. Mom made some delicious food, and everyone loved it. Master Urokodaki even came to eat with us. Haha, sir, do you know? Master Urokodaki always wears a scary tengu mask. Nezuko always thought he looked fierce, but sir, brother, do you know that Master Urokodaki's face is actually not fierce at all, it's even very gentle. He looks like a girl."

Tanjiro looked up at Makomo, who was holding her Nichirin Blade, as he read this: "Does Urokodaki-senpai really look so gentle? Shouldn't he be fierce?"

"Of course I'll be very gentle."

Makomo, holding her Nichirin Blade, replied.

"Today is the third day since you parted ways. Senior Urokodaki said that you have arrived at 'Mount Fujikasa' and will participate in the assessment tonight. Please be careful."

"Mom said she knitted new clothes for Mr., Brother, and Kanao. Mom also made a haori for Mr., which is really beautiful. I like it very much. When Mr. comes back, he will look very handsome wearing it. My dear brother, don't be jealous."

Tanjiro put down the letter briefly, glanced at the adult, and muttered, "I'm not jealous at all."

Then, he continued reading.

"Mr. Urokodaki has already found a plot of land next to his house and started cultivating it today. He's going to plant a whole field of rapeseed flowers. Mr. Urokodaki said that his apprentice loves this place the most and hopes that Miss Makomo will come over when the rapeseed flowers are in full bloom."

Tanjiro looked up and saw Makomo, who was holding her Nichirin Blade, standing to the side.

Makomo turned her head away, and with the mask covering her face, she couldn't see the girl's expression.

"Mr. Urokodaki said that it would be very cold at the top of Fujikaze Mountain at night, and he hoped that Ms. Makomo would take care to keep warm. He also said that if she encountered any danger, she should not be reckless and should always pay attention to her own safety..."

Tanjiro continued to read.

"My master would never write such things."

Makomo looked up at the sky and muttered softly that her beloved master Urokodaki would never write such childish content.

Even though she said that, the girl's shoulders were trembling slightly.

"Perhaps Mr. Urokodaki didn't write it down, but that's definitely what he was thinking."

Su Mu said with a smile.

Makomo pursed her lips and looked in the direction of Mount Sagiri, as if she saw her master waiting for his disciple to return.

"I will come back."

She gently placed her hand on the hilt of the Nichirin Blade at her waist.

…………

Mount Fuji is now almost in sight.

Even before getting close, one could smell the unpleasant fragrance of wisteria. As for Su Mu, this ghost, he didn't really like the scent of wisteria, but it was just a feeling of aversion and didn't cause him any discomfort.

"Is this 'Fujikakuyama'?"

Tanjiro looked at the mountain range in the distance. It was very steep and much larger than Mount Sagiri. From the bottom to the middle of the mountain, it was covered with wisteria trees, and as the wind blew, wisteria petals were scattered all over the ground.

"Tengxi Mountain".

Makomo looked up, her expression complex, at the place where her senior brother, senior sister, and Sabito had all perished. She slightly tightened her grip on the hilt of her sword. At that moment, she looked up at Su Mu, who was also looking at the mountain range, and then glanced at Tanjiro and Kanao beside him: "When we reach the top of the mountain, remember not to stray too far from me. I will protect you."

Su Mu, who was looking at 'Tengxi Mountain', turned to look at the masked girl and gave her a gentle smile: "Thank you very much."

Makomo took a small breath, feeling a lot of pressure on her shoulders.

Makomo didn't actually have much confidence in the 'Vine Attack Mountain' test that his senior brother and sister had failed.

The test here seems to be a curse on them. Over the years, apart from Giyu Tomioka, no Urokodaki disciple has been able to pass it, and none of them have even survived.

She had no confidence in herself, let alone in protecting others.

While Su Mu and his group remained where they were, people began to walk past them, heading towards Tengxi Mountain.

"Let's go."

Su Mu said something to Tanjiro, and then stepped forward.

Kanao followed closely behind her uncle, her eyes curiously taking in everything around her.

Tanjiro gripped his axe tightly, looking rather nervous. This was the first time in his life, aside from facing an adult, that he would have to confront a demon directly.

Makomo shared the same anxiety; she was just as nervous.

…………

Swordsmen from all over the country gathered at the halfway point of Fujikasa Mountain, where a wide platform had already been set up.

When Su Mu and his group arrived, they attracted a lot of attention. Some people smiled at them, while others looked disdainful. However, no one bothered them.

Several people came up to greet him, and Su Mu responded politely.

On this platform, most people are alone, but some have gathered together, which caught Su Mu's attention.

Among that group, the leader was a man with blue eyes, black hair, thick eyebrows, a magatama pendant around his neck, and a dark gold Nichirin Blade with lightning patterns hanging from his waist.

At this moment, amidst the compliments of the crowd, he appeared quite arrogant.

Who is that person?

A teenager who had just arrived for the assessment asked the person next to him a question.

"Him? He's Kaigaku, the eldest disciple of the former 'Sound Pillar' Kuwajima Jigoro. He was personally trained by the 'Pillar'."

The person next to him responded in a low voice.

"So it was Kaigaku."

Su Mu glanced at Kaigaku, who was the second person after Kokushibo to defect from the Demon Slayer Corps and become a demon, and who, through Kokushibo's introduction, became the Upper Moon Six of the Twelve Demon Moons.

However, Su Mu wasn't too concerned about Kaigaku's defection from the Demon Slayer Corps and becoming a demon. After all, the reason he became a demon was because he encountered Upper Moon One, Kokushibo, during a mission. Being isolated and helpless, and faced with overwhelming power, he had no choice.

Upon hearing that he was a disciple trained by the 'Pillar', the young man who had just arrived also showed great respect: "No wonder, no wonder. As a disciple trained by the 'Pillar', this assessment will probably be very easy for him. No wonder everyone is surrounding him."