It's been a brutal 5 years of my life up till now. Not only had my world been thrown upside down by the death of my family, but I've also been in the protection of the Butterfly Mansion. Ms. Kanae has been more than graceous about helping me. Every day before the sun comes up, I would normally do my daily routine of running down the mountain. Kanae seemed to be helping grow the level of danger with the traps to have me nearly die regularly. This would without be a problem if I wasn't able to sense the traps, I'd be dead by now or starving to death. "Right side." I dodged to avoid an incoming dagger at my head before continuing running. "Center. Left. Above."

Thanks to starting my training at 5, I was able to get strong enough to almost stand as a Demon Slayer. But during training there was one flaw that I had. 'Total Concentration breathing.' I jumped over a log coming at me and drew out two katanas. "Cursed Breathing, Third Form: Heaven's Black Lightning!" I couldn't learn normal Demon Slaying techniques. Ms. Kanae and Shinobu tried every type of breathing style for me to learn, but I couldn't use a single one. It was a really big headscratcher for us the first two years of training. But, something happened one day when I looked in the mirror. Instead of just seeing my reflection, I saw spirits. We found out later that this was my Blood Demon Art. A unique skill that only demons can have. Since I could see the dead, Ms. Kanae decided to call it, Eyes of the Beyond. After that, it got both of us and Shinobu thinking to merge both Breathing Styles of Demon Slayers and the Blood Demon Art together. This created a completely unique Breathing Style only I could learn called Cursed Breathing.

I found my way down to the bottom of the mountain in record time to see both Ms. Kanae and Shinobu at the bottom to greet me. "Well, that is without a doubt your best time yet. Nicely done, Izuku. Truly could not express how well you've come in your time with us." Kanae smiled happily at me while holding a timer.

"Thanks. I couldn't have done it without either of you though." I started to blush a little with Shinobu coming to me and patting my head.

"You really aren't anything like the kid we found before. Great job."

"Alright. Now, come with me and we shall show you the final part of your training." Ms. Kanae brought me towards an open area where she presented a giant boulder that was larger than her. She turned to me and held her hand out to present it.

"This is your final test, Izuku. If you can cut this boulder using only your swords, I will allow you to go to Final Selection. But be warned. It will without a doubt not be as simple as the training I have given you for the last five years." I glanced at the boulder to see it was completely solid with nothing to make me think it was hollow. "Also, remember what I said about if your swords break." Ms. Kanae's smile turned very ominous while she stated in a happy tone what would happen. "If you break them, I will make your life a living hell as payment for it." A shiver went down my spine with this to nod in agreement. "Whether you pass or fail now is entirely up to you. Use what I taught you and show me that you are worthy of saying you are ready for the trials."

Ms. Kanae and Shinobu left to leave me alone with the boulder. I glanced down at my blades to understand this is without a doubt it. The moment I show I am strong enough to be a Demon Slayer. I took a deep breath in before exhaling and staring at the boulder. 'This is it. I can do this. Ms. Kanae and Shinobu gave me the skills. Now it's time to use them. Total Concentration.' I breathed in as I was taught to see an opening thread. I raised both blades up and saw the thread grow tight. 'There.' I slashed downwards in one solid cut for both blades to go through the boulder. Putting them back in the sheaths, I glanced at the boulder to see it cut into three pieces from where I cut.

"HOLY CRAP! HE ACTUALLY COMPLETED IT IN RECORD TIME!" Shinobu shouted for me to turn and see her and Ms. Kanae holding branches over their heads trying to hide in a bush.

"YOU WERE WATCHING ME!?"

"Of course. We wanted to make sure you were ok to do this and that you didn't break your swords." Ms. Kanae came out of the bushes to stare at the boulder. "To be honest, I wanted you to not pass in all honesty. You're still a child, Izuku. You're only 10 and you've done things that take Demon Slayers years to accomplish. But before I say anymore, I want you to answer me this one last time." Kanae knelt down to me and stared me in the eyes with a serious look. "Once you pass my training, I cannot help you anymore than I already have. You will be on your own going forward. Are you completely certain you want to become a Demon Slayer. Doing so will soon make you find your father and possibly have to end his life. I do not wish to deny you what you choose, but I do not encourage you going into the Corps without knowing for a fact you could die at any given moment. So are you prepared to do this?"

I glanced at Ms. Kanae before nodding with determination in my eyes. "Yes. I'm prepared to fight in the Demon Slayer Corps."

Ms. Kanae looked at me for a moment to hold a bit of sadness in her eyes. This went away with a smile covering it. "Ok. Then as of now, you've passed. Come with us and we'll tell you what you need to know for Final Selection." I nodded before following both Ms. Kanae and Shinobu back to the mansion to learn what I had to.

After being explained what Final Selection was, I set out for Fujikasane Mountain where the test would be held. Upon coming here, I had noticed some interesting things about the mountain. First was that to enter the mountain, I had to have authorization by the Demon Slayer Corps. Thanks to Kanae's seal of approval as well as a kimono she made to resemble her's and Shinobu's, I was allowed in. Once I reached near the top, I also noticed Wisteria growing everywhere. "Strange, I thought Wisteria was out of season?"

"Hey. Check out the kid?" I overheard some of the other examinees on the mountain mention me to stare.

"What's he doing here?"

"He can't be serious. If he's coming up here for Final Selection, he's probably gonna die before he even gets to be a Demon Slayer."

"Well, at least if we stay with him, he could be bait for us to use while fighting." I could tell they didn't think that much of me for my eyes to turn red and show my demonic half for everyone to panic.

"AH! IT'S A DEMON!"

"WHY ISN'T THE WISTERIA WORKING!?"

"DON'T CARE, JUST KILL IT!" Everyone was ready to attack before what sounded like bells being rung to get everyone's attention. We glanced over to see Amane holding two twins in her arms greet us.

"Hello everyone. Welcome to Final Selection. You all wish to enter into the Demon Slayer Corps and stand amongst us in our battle against demons. Tonight, you all gather on this mountain to do so." Everyone focused on her as she continued. "As you have already gathered, Mt. Fujikasane is unique because Wisteria grows year round from the base to near the top of the mountain. This place is a prison for demons that have been captured alive by the Corps. your job is to survive beyond this point for seven whole nights in demon infested areas. And do be warned, the demons may be weak but are very hungry and prepared to attack you on sight."

After saying this, Amane left with gates behind her opening up to allow us inside. Knowing what I did about where the sun rises, I headed East to have sun hit me the second day broke to avoid demons from attacking me. 'If I sleep during the day, I'll be able to manage this. I can do this.'

"AAAHHHHH!!!" Out of nowhere, a demon came to stand in front of me before attacking. "You! I finally found a meal! It's been so long since I've eaten a human! I'M STARVING!" He came at me to force me to draw my blades Ms. Kanae gave me.

"Cursed Breathing, First Form: Cursed Cross Purge!"

"GYAAAA!" I was able to slice the demon's neck and kill it immediately before I could even think.

"I...I did it." I let out a sigh before hearing another one come from the bushes beside me.

"DIE!"

"Another one!" I was about to attack it before someone came out of nowhere to attack it.

"Water Surface Slash!" The demon was killed for the person in front to smile while looking at me.

"Hello. Are you alright?"

"Y-yeah. Thank you for the help."

She placed her blade away before holding her hand out. "Your welcome. My name is Makomo by the way."

I gave her my hand to shake before introducing myself as well. "Izuku. Izuku Midoriya."

"Midoriya. By any chance, would you like to team up and face the Final Selection together? If we partner up, perhaps we have a better chance of surviving."

"Well...now that you mention it, we do have a better chance of a demon not getting the jump on us. Sure." Makomo smiled at me as we began heading out towards the East. "If we keep going this way, we can find somewhere to rest during daybreak."

"Ok." We continued running with Makomo looking at me. "Hey, Midoriya. Why do you have demon eyes?"

"It's a long story, but I'm not exactly human but also not exactly demon and let's leave it at that."

"So you're what, like half demon or something?"

"...Something like that. All you need to know about me is that I'm someone that wants to fight demons and help people." Makomo smiled at me before we reached a cliff with a narrow walkway. The bottom seemed to drop into a river that I couldn't tell how deep it was. "I don't see anywhere nearby that's safer to cross. You wanna keep running along this and hope for the best or try our luck here?"

Makomo looked around to try and judge what we should do before an ominous feeling swept over me. I shook violently for her to notice it. "Midoriya. What's wrong?"

"We need to cross. Now. I feel something coming and it does not feel pleasant." I tapped on the walkway a bit to see it wasn't all that stable. "If we go one at a time, I don't think there should be a problem." I pulled out a coin to show Makomo before explaining what I'm doing. "Heads, I go first. Tails, you go first." I tossed it up before grabbing it and showing it to be heads. "I'll go as fast as I can. If you see anything or I tell you to, run."

"I still don't understand what you're feeling."

"To make it simple, it's a demon that feels really powerful. Strong enough where I don't think we can handle." I started moving over the ledge with keeping my feet as balanced as possible. I had to be very careful or else I would fall to somewhat thank the fact I was taught Flower Breathing and Insect Breathing first before trying any of the other Breathing Styles to have a good sense of balance. 'Just stay calm. Don't panic. You're almost there.' I tried to keep my cool, but I began hearing something crack below me. Hesitantly, I glanced down to see a crack right between where my feet were. "Oh dear." The ground beneath me began to crack for me to jump as quickly as I could to the ledge.

"MIDORIYA!" I grabbed the ledge go barely have a hold of the earth to pull myself up and rest my upper body.

"I'm ok!" I turned around to see a gigantic demon with hands covering almost every part of it's body coming near Makomo. "MAKOMO! RUN!" She turned around to see the demon and ran for her life. I lifted myself up as fast as I could and hid behind a boulder. The giant creature ignored me and went directly for Makomo. 'It ignored me. Why though.' It seemed almost like it wanted to go solely after Makomo to worry me. "She's in danger. I gotta help."

"Well. Lookie what we got here." Turning around, I saw several demons corner me.

"Just give up and we can all make this go really easy on everyone."

'I can't waste time here. I need to help Makomo.' I drew my blades out and prepared to face the dozen demons that were in front of me. "You wanna kill me, THEN TRY IT!" I went darting into the set prepared to fight to the death if needed.

After defeating the demons, I began to struggle to find a way back to Makomo. "Makomo! Makomo!" Thanks to one of the demons I faced, I sprained my ankle and was struggling to run. "Makomo! Are you here!? Makomo-" I stopped my search when I found a lot of blood on the ground. Beside it, there was pieces of what looked like Makomo's kimono. 'Please don't let this be her.' To the side, I noticed the fragments of a mask that looked exactly like her fox mask she had on the side of her head. "Blue flowers....no." I started to cry knowing I couldn't help Makomo. "Makomo. I'm sorry. If you would've went first, maybe this wouldn't have happened. Makomo *hic*."

"It's ok. Don't cry" I looked up to see Makomo's spirit above where the blood was. "It's not your fault. If you would've been the one on this side, it wouldn't have changed much. You probably would've died instead of me. But I want you to promise me something, Midoriya."

"Anything."

"It's too late for me, that's for certain. But you. You can still live. I want you to survive this. Make it out alive for both of us. Don't die and make this place your grave. Win and make it to the end."

I wiped the tears from my eyes before staring at Makomo's spirit and nodding. "I will." She smiled at me again before disappearing. "I'm gonna make out. I promise you, Makomo. I'm going to win and become a Demon Slayer. I refuse to die here."

And that finishes this chapter. See what happens next time when Izuku reaches the end of Final Selection. Hope you all enjoyed and thanks for reading.