Akino and Yuka were focused on dealing with a demon in front of them when they suddenly heard strange cries from behind. Turning around, they saw three demons forcing Noe back and turning to attack the two of them.
The two of them immediately turned pale with fear. In their panic, their sword movements became chaotic, and they were forced to retreat by the demon in front of them. As a result, they further closed the distance between themselves and the three demons behind them.
Just as the two didn't know what to do, the bell-like, delicate shout of the girl rang out from behind them again.
A gust of wind struck from behind. Both of them were full of hope that a miracle would happen again, but it was clear that it wouldn't this time.
Although the girl's move severed one leg each from two of the demons, it failed to stop their momentum. While feeling desperate, what surprised the two even more was that they clearly felt the girl throw herself onto them at that moment.
Soon, the two understood what she intended to do. An indescribable sense of being moved welled up in their hearts. Such a cowardly, insecure girl — one whom everyone disliked — was actually able to make such a move in the face of two strangers.
What kind of kind heart must one have to return evil with good?
"You... you shouldn't worry about us. At the square, we were blind. I heard your name — you are Kanroji Noe, right? Noe, it's really nice to meet you. Thank you. You should leave quickly!" Yuka turned her head and pushed Noe hard, trying to push her away from behind them.
"You actually know my name?" Noe felt a strange joy in her heart and gave Yuka a silly grin, her eyes curving into crescents. "Hee hee, someone will save us."
*Who else would save us? Him?*
Akino turned to look at the boy on the stone platform who still hadn't made a move. If he really wanted to save them, he would have acted long ago — why would he wait until now?
Now that the demons had already charged right in front of them, he was so far away that even if he acted, how could he possibly save all three of them from four demons at the same time?
"Ice Breathing, Sixth Form — Phantom."
Akino watched helplessly as the person on the stone platform disappeared into thin air. In the blink of an eye, the figure in white was already standing in front of the three of them, as if a cold wind had blown past. The bone-chilling cold made the three of them crouching on the ground shiver uncontrollably.
*Clink.* The nichirin blade slid into its scabbard. Besides the crisp metallic ring of the hilt striking home, there was also a dull thud — like a ball hitting the ground.
A demon head with wide, staring eyes rolled to Yuka's feet. She screamed in fright and kicked it away. The clean cut on its neck was covered in a layer of snow-white ice crystals, from which pale cold air rose in wisps.
The headless corpse lay on the ground, trembling incessantly.
Akino turned his head to look behind him. The other three demons were much the same — all cleanly decapitated, lying on the ground in their final tremors. Shortly after, they crumbled into ash and disappeared without a trace.
Akino turned back and exchanged a look with Yuka. There was nothing but shock between them.
*Blind?* And they had been more than just blind to the girl behind them.
The two of them had nearly died at the hands of demons several times, and even with all three of them joining forces, they could only barely fight the four demons to a draw. Yet they never expected him to kill all four instantly with a single move — so fast that they couldn't even see how he had attacked.
Just how strong was he?
Someone this strong, and he wasn't even a real Demon Slayer Corps member yet?
A real Demon Slayer Corps member would probably be no more than this.
Akino and Yuka stood there with their mouths half open, not knowing what to say — especially Akino, who had just scolded the very person standing before him, and now felt deeply ashamed.
"See? I told you someone would save us."
Noe smiled triumphantly, as if deliberately showing off to the two of them. Then she looked up at the person beside her. "Cold Cry, I knew you wouldn't stand by and watch us die." The moment she finished speaking, a cold glare brought her back to reality.
Noe quickly lowered her head, stuck out her tongue, and didn't dare say another word.
Watching Noe's flustered reaction, the two beside her could only manage an awkward smile. As expected — one cannot judge a book by its cover. All things in the world have their own counterbalance.
The girl, too shy to speak to anyone in the square, possessed impressive skills, and the boy, indifferent to all, refused to leave her side. What kind of fate was this?
Indeed, there is a strange, innate attraction between kindred spirits.
"Thank you." Yuka turned to look at Cold Cry standing beside her.
Cold Cry didn't reply. He shot a fierce glare at Noe, who crouched with her head bowed, then turned and walked back toward the stone platform.
The invisible pressure and cold air surrounding the three of them dissipated as he left.
Noe's eyes secretly followed his footsteps from beneath her lowered lashes. Only after he had walked far away did she let out a long sigh of relief. She smiled and helped the two up from the ground, asking with concern, "Are you two all right?"
The two shook their heads.
"We're fine. Thank you so much, just now. If it weren't for you, the two of us would probably..." Thinking of the scene that had just unfolded, Yuka couldn't suppress a lingering chill of fear.
Noe quickly waved her hands. "No, no — it was him who saved you. Not only did I fail to help, I almost caused your deaths." She scratched the back of her head in embarrassment.
"Regardless, you were the one who saved us first. Hello — my name is Yuka, and this is my friend Akino. We came together to participate in the Final Selection of the Demon Slayer Corps."
Yuka and Akino introduced themselves with a warm earnestness.
Faced with Yuka's enthusiasm, Noe was a little flustered and flattered all at once.
"Hello, my name is—"
Before Noe could finish, Yuka said cheerfully, "Noe — Kanroji Noe, right?"
Noe nodded shyly. It was the first time she had been greeted with such warmth.
"I heard you introduce yourself in the square. Kanroji Noe — that's a very pretty name."
"Thank you."
Yuka glanced over at Cold Cry, who stood leaning against the stone wall. She wanted to thank him in person, but his aloof bearing made her hesitate, and she finally turned to Noe for help instead.
"Cold Cry — Hyouka Kanenaki. Don't mind him. He's actually a very good person; he just looks a bit frightening. You'll see, once you spend more time with him."
Yuka gave a soft hum, privately thinking she was probably the only person in the world who would say that.
After a brief exchange, the three of them moved to an open space not far from the stone platform and found several smooth stones to sit on.
"How did you two end up here?"
Akino and Yuka exchanged a glance, then gave a full account — from leaving the mountainside at dusk and entering the forest, encountering a swarm of demons, to the silent appearance of a leaping demon, the ensuing chase led by a spider demon and a three-eyed demon, and the complete collapse of their team.