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Mt. Sagiri, wreathed in clouds and mist, had its morning silence broken every day by a few teenagers.
A young man, shirtless and bearing a massive rock, climbed the mountain, while a young woman moved like a phantom through the forest.
Young Demon Slayer Swordsmen and aspiring swordsmen poured their sweat onto this mountain, all in preparation to cut off one more demon's head in the battles they would soon face.
It wasn't until Haruto arrived at Mt. Sagiri that he understood what 'hellish training' truly meant.
Compared to his training in the Swordsmith Village, Sakonji Urokodaki truly lived up to his reputation as a top-tier trainer.
Under his guidance, Haruto, who had been resting for two weeks due to a rib injury, quickly returned to his peak condition.
Gradually, Total Concentration Breathing was no longer enough to satisfy Urokodaki's requirements.
The concept of 'Constant Concentration' emerged.
Constant Concentration meant maintaining a state of Total Concentration Breathing for extended periods.
Whether eating, sleeping, or using the restroom, every cell in the muscles had to remain in a fully oxygenated state of Total Concentration.
While maintaining Constant Concentration was extremely difficult, the rewards were substantial.
Haruto could clearly feel his body growing significantly stronger, and even his swordsmanship, which he thought could no longer improve, entered a new realm.
The teenagers running the mountain every day had become a unique and constant sight on Mt. Sagiri, rain or shine.
Only when a Kasugai Crow or a parrot landed on a young man's shoulder would someone leave the group, don a Demon Slayer Corps uniform, grip their nichirin blade, and rush to a mission location to slay demons... Half a year later
Three young men sat obediently in a row, with a girl with long dark green hair standing behind them, smiling.
She held a pair of scissors, shortening the cumbersome long hair of the three young men.
Sabito's flesh-colored long hair was fine and soft, Giyuu's black hair was stiff, and Haruto's hair was the most interesting; after cutting off the light blue tips, the white tips would turn blue again within a few days.
A pure white figure circled twice in the sky before swooping down:
'A request from the Stone Pillar! A request from the Stone Pillar!'
Haruto bent his index finger, allowing Sora to land on it.
His broad palms were now covered in calluses and scars, injuries sustained from a year of training and demon hunting.
Sora ruffled its feathers and ate a piece of fish back Haruto offered.
'A request from the Stone Pillar! There are suspected demons in Takinogawa Village. This request is for the Kinoe-ranked member Takanashi Haruto! Proceed immediately! Proceed immediately!'
'He still knows I'm a Kinoe-ranked member, yet a Pillar is entrusting a mission to me...' he muttered, complaining about the great monk, but his actions were swift.
Shaking off the clipped hair, he quickly showered and changed into his Demon Slayer uniform and haori.
'Takinogawa Village? Where's that?'
'It's in Kitatoshima District, Tokyo Prefecture. If you run, it shouldn't take more than a day.'
'Go quickly and come back soon—Makomo is about to participate in the Final Selection.'
Haruto smiled and ruffled Makomo's head: 'Don't worry, I'll bring you a gift.'
'That's not what I meant...' Makomo smiled helplessly.
'I want one too.' Tomioka Giyu turned his head, his blue eyes intently fixed on him: 'A gift.'
Sabito's silver eyes curved, and he smiled brilliantly: 'Come back safe.'
'Gifts' seemed to have become an unspoken agreement among the young men; it wasn't necessarily about bringing something back, but rather, returning safely was the best gift for everyone.
Sakonji was still wearing his blue ripple haori and his Tengu mask, sitting in front of the house.
When Haruto bid him farewell, he paused, then retrieved a... fox mask from inside the house.
This mask was identical to those worn by the boys in the Urokodaki family, all carved by his own hands.
Haruto's face had no scars, so stars replaced scars as a distinguishing feature, carved on the side of the mask.
Sakonji Urokodaki silently handed it to him, and after a few seconds, said: 'If you don't mind...'
The white-haired young man took the mask and, like Sabito, placed it over his face.
Hmm, it really didn't obstruct his vision; no wonder Urokodaki wore it every day.
The expression beneath the Tengu mask seemed to relax, and Haruto heard a faint chuckle.
'Go, when you return, I'll prepare something delicious for you.' Sakonji patted his shoulder: 'Don't forget to go back and see your master.'
As night fell, Takinogawa Village in Kitatoshima District, Tokyo Prefecture, plunged into panic.
Rumors had recently spread throughout the village that wild beasts from the mountain were coming down to eat people, and many villagers had been devoured at night.
But... how could those be beasts? The doctor from the pharmacy had visited the villagers' death scenes and returned to instruct his wife and two daughters to keep their doors and windows tightly shut and not go out at night.
Shinobu huddled in her sister's embrace, tightly wrapped in a blanket by Kanae.
Kanae held her tightly, whispering in Shinobu's ear: 'Don't be afraid, Shinobu. If the doors and windows are closed, nothing will happen. No one will hurt us...'
Though she said this, she seemed to lack confidence, trembling continuously.
'How could that be a beast... Blood splattered an entire wall. Compared to a beast, it looked more like an attack by some deranged murderer...'
Her father and mother's hushed conversation reached her ears, causing images from horror novels she had read to flash through Kanae's mind.
Shinobu, in contrast, hugged her sister, continuously muttering: 'It's just beasts, they can't break into the house...'
A howling sound seemed to echo through the village, and the two sisters hugged each other, trembling in the room.
Their father was already downstairs, guarding with an axe, and their mother stood by his side.
Whether it was a murderer or some beast, it should be difficult to harm them.
But the next moment, they heard something pounding on their wooden door.
Her father downstairs shouted loudly, attempting to scare away the attacking beast—or assailant.
'CRASH!'
The beast had broken through the door.
Kanae and Shinobu's eyes widened in the darkness, and they immediately scrambled up and rushed downstairs.
'Shinobu, you stay here!' 14-year-old Kanae whispered to her sister.
'I have to go down! If it's a villain, I can help!'
11-year-old Shinobu, however, was very resolute. She picked up a wooden stick from the room and followed her sister down the stairs.
But... what did the two sisters see...? A four-legged creature, covered in blood, with sharp fangs and claws, flew and pounced on their father. Its movements were too fast; their father didn't even have time to react before he was knocked to the ground.
Then... his neck was bitten through in one bite!
Blood from the main artery splattered, painting the entire wall crimson!
What bit him was not some fierce beast; it was an ugly demon with horns on its forehead!
'AH—'
Their mother screamed piercingly. She looked at her daughters, who had rushed down and were at a loss, and saw her husband still struggling on the ground. She somehow found strength in her hands, picked up the axe that had fallen nearby, and swung it at the demon!
'Splat!'
Before the axe could fall, their mother looked down. A thick, long, hideous demon claw had already pierced her chest, tearing out her heart in one grab.
The two sisters didn't even have the strength to call for help. They stared at the gruesome murder unfolding before them, their minds blank with terror.
Kanae tightly gripped Shinobu's clothes, pulling her behind her.
If they were both going to die... then let Shinobu be the last to die.
Dear God, what kind of demon from what hell had crawled out...? The demon stuffed the warm, still-beating heart whole into its mouth, then looked maliciously at the two sisters in the house.
'Fresh... heart!'