Just as everyone stood in confusion, a dark shadow suddenly shot out from the woods like a thrown javelin, tracing a perfect arc through the air before landing in the very center of the circle.
It made no sound at all, as though it had appeared out of thin air. In the blink of an eye, it was already standing among them before anyone could react.
The Demon Slayers guarding the outer ring kept their eyes fixed on the demons lurking in the forest and failed to notice the eerie figure that had appeared behind them.
Although the demons in the woods had been behaving strangely, none of them could have imagined that a demon had already slipped into the middle of their formation. With so many people gathered together, they believed someone would have noticed immediately.
But there had been no time to react.
This time, many people saw the mysterious intruder clearly, including Kimura and Eimi.
An expressionless round face. Cold, lifeless eyes. A massive muscular body. Most terrifying of all was its height—well over two meters tall. Its unnaturally long limbs gave it the appearance of something looking down upon humanity itself.
At that moment, the creature was staring directly at one of the female slayers.
Perhaps sensing her impending death, tears welled up in the girl's eyes as she looked desperately toward her teammates, silently begging for help. Yet everyone stood frozen in place, unable to move.
Then, suddenly, the girl rose into the air.
The world spun around her as the wind whistled past her ears. She wanted to scream, but terror had stolen her voice.
Only after she disappeared into the darkness did her companions finally release blood-curdling screams. The sudden cries startled everyone nearby, and even the demons lingering at the edge of the woods recoiled in fear.
The slayers on the outer ring instantly turned inward, drawing their Nichirin Blades and preparing for an attack.
Inside the circle, the others finally snapped out of their terror. Their faces were pale, their breathing ragged. Some of the girls collapsed to the ground crying, while even the boys wore expressions of complete despair.
What... was that thing?
Was it really a demon?
What kind of demon could leap more than ten meters so effortlessly?
Kimura staggered to his feet, rubbing his forehead as he paced anxiously through the clearing. Finally, he clenched his fist and cursed in frustration.
Perhaps he hated himself for being unable to save the girl.
Or perhaps he was cursing the Demon Slayer Corps for allowing such a monstrous demon into the Final Selection.
Beside him, Eimi wrapped her trembling arms around herself, unable to calm down.
The slayers on the outer ring still did not fully understand what had happened, but judging from the terrified expressions around them, another person had disappeared—and the others had finally seen the monster responsible.
Their group had already suffered devastating losses. Nearly half of them were dead or injured, and now this creature could casually enter and leave their tightly packed formation whenever it pleased, snatching people away like prey.
How were they supposed to fight something like this?
Kimura could no longer see any hope.
This was the Final Selection of the Demon Slayer Corps.
Only now did many of them realize how terrifying the exam truly was.
Unfortunately, something even worse was approaching.
A deep, thunderous roar suddenly echoed through the forest.
The contestants, already trapped in fear and confusion, nearly jumped out of their skin as they turned toward the source of the sound. The roar resembled that of a lion or tiger—something capable of driving all other beasts away.
But there were no lions or tigers on Mount Fujikasane.
Only demons.
The demons lingering at the edge of the woods reacted with even greater fear, fleeing into the darkness without hesitation.
Crack. Crack.
The sound of trees snapping echoed nearby.
Everyone immediately recognized the noise.
Trees were being broken apart.
How much strength would it take to snap a tree trunk thicker than a man's waist?
It was close.
That thing was close.
The earth itself seemed to tremble with each step, just like the contestants trembling in fear.
The slayers guarding the outer ring gripped their Nichirin Blades tightly, their hands shaking uncontrollably. Those inside the circle slowly stood as well, still clutching half-eaten food in numb silence.
Everyone held their breath as though waiting for the arrival of some nightmare.
Suddenly, a spider-like creature burst from between the trees, crawling low against the ground as it rushed toward the group in panic, as though something was chasing it.
An enraged roar followed close behind.
Crack! Crack!
Two towering trees at the edge of the clearing were violently pushed aside, and the monster finally revealed itself beneath the moonlight.
A gigantic mass of flesh squeezed through the gap before charging after the spider-like demon.
Thump. Thump.
The ground shook violently beneath its footsteps.
What the hell was that thing?
The creature stood nearly four meters tall, dwarfing even the long-limbed demon from before. Thick legs supported an utterly grotesque upper body.
Its form looked less like a single body and more like three swollen men fused together back-to-back.
And perhaps that was exactly what it was.
It possessed six arms and three faces.
Two heads protruded from either side of its back, while a distorted face was embedded directly into the front of its torso.
Facing such a horrifying monster, everyone froze once again, forgetting even to raise their swords.
And because all attention had shifted toward the giant creature, no one noticed the spider demon slipping silently into the center of the group.
The Spider Demon moved effortlessly through the crowd, weaving between terrified contestants as though wandering through an empty field.
Eventually, its gaze locked onto another female slayer.
Crouching at her feet, the creature inhaled greedily before slowly rising upward, sniffing along her body until it reached the back of her neck.
Two dry, skeletal hands suddenly rested on her shoulders.
The cold touch and rotten stench made the girl shudder instinctively. Slowly, she turned around—
—and found herself staring directly into a twisted, smiling face.
Rows of razor-sharp teeth gleamed beneath the moonlight.
So ugly... Is this how I die?
Before she could scream, she heard a sickening crack.
Her neck twisted violently.
The world around her blurred as darkness consumed her vision, and a single tear rolled down her cheek.
The Spider Demon held her corpse upright, laughing excitedly.
Only then did someone nearby finally notice the monster standing among them.
Terror exploded through the group as a slayer screamed and swung their Nichirin Blade wildly at the demon.
The Spider Demon dodged effortlessly.
Instead, the blade sliced straight across the dead girl's face.