Not far from Fujikasane Mountain was a small town where aspiring Demon Slayer Swordsmen, having completed their seven-day selection, would often celebrate with a big meal.
Haruto led the Butterfly Sisters into a ramen shop that offered a wild boar ramen set meal; the enticing aroma could be smelled from the street.
It was dinnertime, and the shop was already full of people, including a few Demon Slayer Swordsmen with long nichirin blades at their waists.
Haruto wiped the table and benches with a cloth, and after asking for their opinions, called the owner over: "Five wild boar ramen set meals."
Seeing Shinobu with her head down, deep in thought, he asked, "What are you thinking about, Shinobu?"
Kanae turned her gaze and saw her sister gripping her nichirin blade with a conflicted expression. She sighed inwardly and reached out to caress her soft black hair.
"Haruto-bro," Shinobu's clear eyes flickered a few times, then she looked up. "My strength isn't enough to sever a demon's head, do you know that?"
"Yes, I know." Haruto nodded decisively. "I knew about this from the beginning. Urokodaki is an excellent trainer; he saw your lack of physical strength at a glance."
Shinobu lowered her head in frustration. "A Demon Slayer Swordsman who can't sever a demon's head, what a ridiculous title."
"Mr. Ishihama told me in his letter that after over a year of training, your physical strength is still insufficient to become a true Demon Slayer Swordsman."
Shinobu lowered her head even further.
It was difficult to wield a sword with such weak, slender arms... Mr. Ishihama must be very disappointed in her.
"He also said that your attacks primarily rely on speed and thrusts, and these two points are particularly outstanding, which is why he felt confident letting you participate in this selection exam." Haruto chuckled as he poured the two clear, amber barley tea. "You see, didn't you pass the exam smoothly? Only the most excellent swordsmen can pass the trial of Fujikasane Mountain."
Surprised by Mr. Ishihama's assessment, Kochou Shinobu gently shook her head. "In these seven days, I didn't kill a single demon. I was constantly running away and being a burden to my sister…"
"Shinobu!" Kanae grasped her sister's small hand, which rested on her lap, making her look directly into her serious eyes. "Your speed distracted the demons for me, and your thrusts severely weakened them... Shinobu, you have always been my best helper, never a burden."
"Sister…"
Mr. Ishihama's letter mentioned Kochou Shinobu's physique.
Small and slender, light and agile. Among the ten forms of Water Breathing, she was most proficient in Third Form: Flowing Dance, Seventh Form: Drop Ripple Thrust, and Ninth Form: Splashing Water Flow, all of which combined body movement and footwork. However, Sixth Form: Whirlpool and Eighth Form: Waterfall Basin, which relied on powerful physical strength, were her weaknesses. Although she could perform them during training, their intensity and destructive power were far inferior to other swordsmen.
Her height could not be changed, and it was unknown if she would experience a sudden growth spurt like Haruto during her future growth period.
But under the current circumstances, increasing physical strength was a dead end.
"Perhaps we can use some other method? Killing a demon doesn't necessarily have to be by severing its head." Haruto stroked his chin, guiding her thoughts with his words.
"Sunlight?"
"That's too slow. If your strength isn't enough to sever their heads, it's even less likely you can restrain them until the sun rises."
Kochou Shinobu looked at Haruto, then followed his gaze to look back at the nearby Fujikasane Mountain, and suddenly a light bulb went off in her head.
She thought of the wisteria flowers covering Fujikasane Mountain: "You mean... wisteria poison?"
Haruto smiled. "You come from a family of medicine, so your understanding of medical knowledge should be deeper than mine."
The biggest reason why demons disliked wisteria so much, unwilling to approach Fujikasane Mountain, which was covered in wisteria, or even temples where wisteria incense was burned, was that the toxins within wisteria would destroy the demons' internal cells, causing their bodies to disintegrate and fester from the inside.
The Butterfly Sisters exchanged glances, and both pairs of eyes began to sparkle, even ignoring the steaming hot ramen the owner had brought over.
"Wow…" Haruto took a deep breath of the fragrant pork bone ramen broth; the rich aroma exploded in his mouth. Paired with chewy noodles and tender, slow-cooked pork ribs, it felt as though his soul was soaring to the heavens.
Having transmigrated to Japan for so many years, the cuisine here was still far more meager compared to China. In the early 20th century, before Chinese cuisine had spread to Japan, Haruto had tried all of Japan's traditional delicacies and Western imported foods, only to find that the best was still Master Godo's hand-pressed sushi.
But after today, he might have to add one more to his gourmet list: the wild boar ramen set meal from the foot of Fujikasane Mountain.
[Q: Why do I always see Star Pillar-bro eating when I watch the Star Pillar Gaiden?]
[A to the above: Perhaps this gaiden is called the Hashira of Food Gaiden?]
[My fried chicken hasn't arrived yet… Star Pillar-bro eats so deliciously, his eating style is good, he's fast, and he eats a lot. He's much more suitable for an eating broadcast than a certain guy who only says 'five ants'!]
[The two Kochous haven't even touched their chopsticks, and he's almost finished a bowl of noodles, HHH!]
[Hashira of Food only ordered three bowls, that's truly humble, hahahaha. I feel like he could eat ten bowls!]
[Eating noodles too! Location Lanzhou, currently slurping beef noodles!]
Just as the guys on the screen were watching Haruto eat, Haruto was also eating with these bullet comments.
His gaze lingered on "Lanzhou Beef Noodles" for a long time, and the white-haired young man pouted.
He wanted to eat beef noodles too!
Compared to Japanese ramen, beef noodles with clear broth, a splash of bright red chili oil, and a sprinkle of tender green cilantro and scallions were his lifelong favorite.
Ha, to eat Lanzhou beef noodles in this world, he might have to live to be a hundred years old... The Butterfly Sisters opposite were so engrossed in discussing wisteria that they had already borrowed paper and pens from the shop owner to draw and write.
"…The proportion of the poison still needs to be determined through experiments, and also the method of injection—applying the poison to the blade?"
"Not enough," Shinobu shook her head. "And it can't be used multiple times against enemies. What about poisoned darts?"
"Ninja techniques require long-term arduous training, and darts and shuriken are minor skills. You need a method that can confront enemies head-on."
"Sigh…" Shinobu let out a long breath, a precocious look on her face as she rested her chin on her palm. "It's truly troublesome."
"Perhaps we need to put thought into it during the forging process…" Kanae sighed softly. "It's a pity the Nichirin Steel has already been sent away. We don't know how the nichirin blade is forged, or by whom."
Haruto, who had been listening with half an ear, lifted his face from the last bowl of ramen: "Forging blades?"
Takanashi, a swordsman from Swordsmith Village, a twelve-year forging apprentice, Haruto blinked.
"This… I know."