Yae and the other slayers had spent the next days of Final Selection earning their right to try and survive. With every time the slayers would feel they secured a victory, the demons pushed back to challenge them. She still had never used the sword from the fallen slayer, it wasn't hers and she had no right to use his tools. She wanted to use it as his memorial, to show it was his life. To show the world he lived and that at least someone would remember him, even if they didn't know his name. They had lost more slayers from the groups, not many thankful to everyone. One slayer from one group, one or two from another, but they were still lives that were lost. All were thankful for the hunting party strategy as it ultimately proved the best chance for survival, but even the best solutions couldn't save everyone.
None of her group faced any losses thankfully, but each of them still had taken some injuries. Attakai had thankfully listened to Yae and never rushed in by himself, but now he almost seemed to be stuck in his mind. Almost overthinking with worry about what to do or how far to extend without putting himself or the others in potential danger. He unfortunately at several cuts across his back, but he still could fight. Kōzui and Arashi were the least injured with how committed they were to watching each other, they had lived together as a team, so it made sense they fought together as one. Senkō was injured to demons and more so to herself.
She was the fastest of the entire group but it sadly did not without some consequence. With her speed and unfamiliar to the uneven terrain, she often lost control. She would trip on exposed roots and rocks, slick mud from when it had rained during their trial, she often slammed into the environment. She was banged up with cuts and bruises from her accidents, but they were better than any injury the demon's could give her. Yae had taken some cuts on her left arm and shoulder from various demons, but it only reminded her more of her earliest mistakes hunting growing up. Wolves, bear cubs, boars, any animal they hunted growing up gave her some scars. She saw them as learning experiences, and they always had to be lessons she had to understand quickly if she desired to live. Even her guns and knives had taken on some damage and scarring to match her own, it wasn't something she complained about though. It actually made her think her tools really were extensions of herself.
The group had returned back to the meeting point with the cleaned trees. Seeing as they were the last to arrive, Yae had them all sit down as she went over to asses the casualties of the others. She noticed the original boy that agreed to the groups wasn't here anymore, instead the Wind Breather girl stood in his place. She sighed as she looked down to the ground. "That's one... How many more did we lose?" "He's the only one, every other group only has a few cuts and scrapes. Anyone from yours?" Yae shook her head as she sat against the tree. "Few injuries, but no serious ones." Yae kept her head down as she heard the Stone Breather girl kneel next to her. "Tired?" Yae didn't agree or deny the question, instead having another answer.
"It's just the loss of life I guess. I set up the parties as best as I could, gave everyone emergency saves in the wisteria pellets, I've done everything I could and I know you all have done everything you all could, but we're still losing people. I know we're basically strangers... But this still sucks knowing it wasn't enough." The stone Breather padded Yae on the back and sat next to her. "Don't under value all that you still HAVE done to help us. If not for everything you've done, more of us would've died. You helped us survive more than we ever could on our own. The parties helped us learn of our strengths and weaknesses, we've all come to trust each other as teammates and learn to work together, this has done more for us than you've seen. People may have still died, but look at who is still here."
Yae looked around to see at least fifteen other people still alive not including the group she was with to asses everything. They were tired, annoyed, sleep deprived, but she was right. They were still alive. Even if she couldn't save everyone these were still lives that were able to be saved, and she helped make that happen. A small smile spread across her face as she stood up. "This upcoming night is the last one, then we're out of here at next dawn. This place has sucked, but I think they throw the worst at us first with this. Giyuu has told me about there's recovery houses all across japan, that and with the pay we recieve, we won't always need to make our own shelter like this again." Everyone almost rolled their eyes at the mention of the name again. "We get it you like him." "You won't shut up about him and all the tales about you two and the other top line Slayers." "I swear if you two don't work out I'm gonna dropkick you and die without regrets." Yae was too stunned to even speak and resorted to hiding her face in her headwrap. "Am I being that obvious?" Yes!"
Yae woke up as Senkō shook her near senseless. "Yae get up, since it's our last night Attakai and some others went out for fish for us to all eat together. We figured we'd all share a meal together as the survivors. Why wait to do it at dawn when we're all getting out by then anyways?" Yae yawned as sat up, now shooting glares at her friend for just how she decided to wake her. "I could've smelled the fish in my sleep... Why shake me as if something drastic or dangerous was happening?" "It was my last chance to mess with you before we had to get serious for the night." Senkō stuck her tongue out before running away, leaving Yae to feel a vein pulsating above her eye. "Don't think you're faster than a bullet!" Yae quickly got up and chased after her friend to the dinner sight, leaving many to be entertained by the fiasco between friends.
Everyone sat around the bonfire they made, it's colors rivaled the dusk set sun and it's heat and flames shimmered in the air. Attakai and the others returned with what could only be referred to as a bounty. The entire area smelled of snoked fish, charred mushrooms, and crushed berries. It had been the same things they had been eating this last week, but now it almost seemed to taste better than before. It was possibly from knowing this was their last meal before graduating to become full fledged Slayers. Or possibly it was just always this delicious and the overwhelming grief and focus on staying alive dulled the taste. They saw the food as nutrition and not as real meals, Yae sighed as she had been so caught up she forgot one of her rules. 'To want to live. To enjoy life itself even as a Slayer.' She took another bite of her fish as she almost sighed in relief of the taste.
"Hey everyone." The entirety of the survivors looked to Yae as she was curious what caused her to address the group. "Tonight's the last night, go all out. I can see some of us are stuck in our heads, some more than others. I want to apologize for putting us all in a state of caution or fear or anything of the sort. If you think you aren't tapping into what makes you your best, don't let me hold you back. Throw everything out there, and don't let these demons forget just what you're made of." She could feel Arashi and Kōzui rest their arms on her shoulders as her eyes darted back and forth between them. "Watch our back we watch yours?" "If we're going crazy tonight, we may want to have someone even crazier to be the one to lead the charge." Yae waved her hand as she broke out in a laugh. "Attakai fits that description though." "Hey!" The entire group of survivors broke into their own laughter, feeling the most alive since before they entered the forest.
Yae eventually left with her group as they all almost seemed to have a second wind. They felt reinvigorated, not deprived of sleep, full of energy in every action they could do. Yae this time took the front position this time, Arashi and Kōzui were smiling from ear to ear as they managed to convince her to do it. "So we can really go all out?" "Throw caution to the wind?" "Throw Arashi at the demons even?" "There's a tree I can throw you at." Yae shook her head with a smile as she looked back to them all. "Don't die, that's my only rule. But go nuts and let's end this with a bang." Everyone behind her stopped as she looked ahead to see a demon desperate for a meal jumped on their path.
"You're the one that caused all these meal pieces to group up didn't you?! Do you have any idea how hard it's been to get a good bite out of something lately?! It's obvious you're the smart one, so if you die, then everything else just gets easier from there!" The demon looked to Yae as she didn't even seem to mind him, instead looking towards the group. "Who wants to start this off?" She pointed to the demon as she continued conversing. "Come on Yae you're the lead, end things with a bang right?!" Senkō shooed her hands as she smiled. Attakai nodded as he saluted to her with his sword. "Show the demons your fire, can't do that if you offer them to someone else." Arashi and Kōzui nodded in agreement as they stayed behind. "We can watch your back from here." "Quite literally we are looking at your back right now. It's safe."
Yae sighed as she grabbed her rifle off her back by the barrel. "You people are lucky I like you." The demon was so confused and offended to the idea of being ignored it didn't even attack, only watching in a complete stupor. "Are you flesh bags kidding-" Yae slammed the stock of her gun into the side of the demon's head and sending it flying into a nearby tree. Before the demon could speak, it found the barrel of the rifle stuffed against the roof on its mouth. "Let it be known before you die: We're coming after you all, and we're doing it with smiles across our faces." The demon looked to the group behind the girl, and saw she was right. Every one of them were smiling at the sight of what was happening. "This is our hunt, and we'll live it as passionately as quick your death will be." Yae pulled the trigger as demon's head was decimated, the group covered in the blood as they stood there processing. "Under powdered loads with cross-cut nichirin tips. Lady Mizuki, your art is terrifying."
The group was constantly moving as they were out for blood of the demons. The roar of thunder and burnt powder, the burning rage of flames, and the floodwaters came crashing through the mountain side in search of prey. Every one of them felt as if they had only this time left to fight. Their last chance, their last opportunity, their last fight together before each would go off on their own lives and missions. Every cut, every scratch and scrape, every bruise, it meant nothing to them as it only added fuel to their fires. They would laugh and smile as they bandaged each other up, just happy all of them were still alive until now. The minutes of combat turned to hours. Exhaustion loomed over them, but the hope of seeing dawn kept them going. Seeing the hopeful futures kept them going.
None spoke as Yae and the other traveled back to the meeting grounds outside the forest. It was an odd sense of peaceful, they spent so long fighting throughout the night they hadn't had a moment of genuine silence since the night before. The sunlight broke through the trees overhead, bringing a sense of realty none really believed. It wasn't until they broke through the wisteria trees and saw everyone, but they knew they had made it. "Everyone... Everyone made it!" Yae cheered as she fell to her knees and threw her arms up in celebration before needing to hold herself up with them. Her smile split her face as she teared up. "We made it, we're here. We're all here..." Senkō pulled one of Yae's arms over her shoulder. "Come on you, your future boyfriend is already watching. At least show off that confidence when he sees you." Yae's head darted around at the news and saw him. That wild hair contained only by a ponytail, that two tone haori filled with memories of loved ones, those eyes of her favorite ocean.
She kept her eyes on him until Senkō and Attakai dragged her to where everyone stood, seeing the Ubuyashiki children once again. She couldn't tell who they were out of the quintuplets Giyuu told her there were, so she didn't address them. After all the participants had learned of the significance of the Ubuyashiki family, every soon to be Slayer bowed to them as well. "Welcome back everyone." "It is most spectacular to see how many of you have survived." Everyone smiled to themselves as they kept their heads down. "Firstly, we must issue you all uniforms. We will start by taking your measurements, next will be recieving your official ranks through talismans." "Today, you will also be allowed to choose the ore that will be used to create your swords. Note however they will take ten to fifteen days until they are ready, and will be delivered to you upon finish."
"But first." One of the children quickly clapped, and soon the skies were filled with the sounds of flapping wings and caws. Yae felt a crow land on her head which reminded her of a certain old bird before holding it softly in her hands. "As official Demom Slayers, you each will recieve your own Kusagi Crow. They are the means of sending and recieving information, they are your eyes, and carry your voice." Yae smiled down to her crow as she already had a name in mind. "How's Yotogi? My little eyes in the sky." Yotogi opened her wings and cawed softly as Yae held her still. "Now that you all have your crows." The Ubuyashiki children revealed several tables that carried raw nichirin ore. "Now then everyone, please pick out what ore your swords will be made from. The steel you use to protect humanity and to cut away the darkness, will be of your own choosing."
All eyes somehow darted back to Yae, with her almost being flustered from the attention. Had they expected her to still grab an ore? "Everyone grab one I don't need mine." She said pointing her thumb to her back, reminding everyone of her ammunition and knives. "Maybe but we wouldn't be here without you." "Just take your ore first, we'll grab ours after." Yae sighed as she pleaded with everyone. "You all earned this, please, go ahead." She watched as the survivors one by one grabbed their own ores, holding onto it as it became the new source of their strength. As the Ubuyashiki children gave their final congratulations to the group, they left them all to their own devices. As they left sight, the area bellowed in cheer and thunderous applause. They had lost many in the week, but they still stood. They fought and bled together over the course of the week. Yae smiled at the sight of it all before turning her head back.
"Giyuu!" She ran to him as Yotogi took flight, nearly tackling him as her chin rested on his chest to look up at him. "I told you I'd come back." She smiled widely as she hugged him tightly, missing him. "I never doubted you for a moment. I'm proud of you." He hugged her back, rubbing the back of her head softly. He couldn't help but smile back at her, feeling a new sense of pride in her unlike before. "There are more survivors than I thought though, the Master will certainly be pleased with this many new to see as his children." Giyuu thought out loud as he looked to see many new Slayers were still having reality set in for them they had succeeded. Before he or Yae could say anything else, they heard a scream coming from the stairs they took to originally come here. "Yaaaaaaeeee-chaaaaan!!!"
"Mitsuri?!" Yae and Giyuu found themselves in a death grip labeled as a hug by the Love Hashira. She swung them around as if they weighed nothing, Yae was sure she wasn't even touching the ground anymore. "I'm so happy you made it out alive! We were worrying about you the entire time! Shinobu-chan and all her sisters have been missing you as well!" Mitsuri looked up to her friend and smiled. "We need to celebrate!" "YeahMitsurithat'sgreatpleaseletmedown!" "... Kanroji." The two managed to choke out before finally being let go, desperately gaining back their breath. "I'm sorry you two I forgot my own strength again!" Mitsuri began to cry as she realized she almost hurt her friend and her friend's crush. She felt her side get poked as she looked down. "Oh my Mitsuri, you and Giyuu were quite eager to come see her weren't you two?" Yae recovered eventually and stood, now happy to see Shinobu as well. "What do you mean Shinobu?"
"This was the moment we were all meant to arrive as to avoid interrupting the graduation ceremony, but Giyuu here couldn't wait to see you again, so he rushed here and scoured everyone that came out of the forest waiting for you. Mitsuri was here beside me until she heard you yell out for Giyuu and ran ahead." Yae's eyes darted between the two as she saw the blush of embarrassment on Mitsuri's face, but she even saw it on Giyuu's. She finally saw him blush and be embarassed at wanting to see her safe, she felt her own body heat up at the look of him and how adorable she found it. Yae got behind Giyuu and jumped onto his back, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Someone missed me huh?" He refused to look her way, but she was able to tell he was smiling through his words. "I've grown accustom to having you by my side, Torakkā is good company, but she isn't you."
Yae hid her face in his back as she heard footsteps approaching. Peering behind Giyuu, she saw it was her group. "So this is the current Water Hashira?" "A face as calm as a still pond. Fitting actually given Hasinaw." Arashi and Kōzui almost seemed to be examining Giyuu as the Water Hashira was confused by the attention. "Oh right!" Yae let go as she stood next to Giyuu. "This is Arashi and Kōzui Jizen, twin Water Breathers." She saw the others arrive and gestured to them as well. "Senkō Akaruki a Thunder Breather, and Attakai Moeru a Flame Breather." Yae did her best to pull everyone together as she smiled to the trio. "I set up hunting parties for everyone willing to participate, this one was mine. We had a few injuries, but we're all still here." This actually surprised the three Hashira as their eyes looked across all the survivors.
"My oh my Yae, you actually managed to get people to work together. What type of coercing did you do to achieve that?" Senkō shook her head as she laughed at the idea. "She wouldn't stop talking about all the training she went through thanks to Tomioka-sama, she always talked about-" Yae tackled her friend and threw her hands over her mouth. "Okay okay you don't need to be as loud as your technique!" Attakai stepped up to continue the explanation. "Yae spoke with confidence of her experiences in training as a Slayer and as a Matagi. She, by this, gave us confidence in her. Every time the hunting parties faced losses, she would personally balance them to help keep us all compatible. Twenty people still died in this week, but it's because of her that twenty people still lived."
Giyuu looked to the Jizen twins and to Akaruki as Yae still struggled to keep her quiet for some reason. "I trust you all kept her as safe as she tried for you?" Yae stopped as the group looked to Giyuu. They all nodded silently as none had the words to properly explain. Giyuu accepted these answers and gave a soft bow. "Thank you all, for watching over her." The junior Slayers almost went into shock at recieving a bow by receiving acknowledgement from someone that sat at the top of the Corp's ranking. "Tomioka-san is right, thank you for helping keep our friend safe." Shinobu smiled at them as she gave a slight bow as well. "Thank you thank you thank you for keeping Yae-chan safe! She's been an amazing friend and I know you have been amazing too!" Mitsuri hugged who she could of the group, now making sure she wasn't going to crush anyone.
After the other graduates had left, Yae, Shinobu, Giyuu, and Mitsuri left together to go celebrate. Giyuu took notice of the sword that now sat in Yae's belt and questioned it. "I thought you said you would not pick up the sword? Should I request Lady Mizuki to make you one?" Yae had almost forgotten she had it an shook her head. "Oh, no. I found it off the body of a boy we found. We tried to make a burial sight for him when we got ambushed. I kept it for this long hoping we could do it at home, a place of peace." Giyuu opened his hand to take the sword, Yae trusted him on a base level level and handed it to him without hesitation. Giyuu held the sword by the sheath and stopped at the bottom of the stairs. He planted the sword into the dirt next to the steps and offered a prayer. "We know not your name, but we remember you. Your life was lost, but you are still here. Please, grant your strength to those who come next. Grant them safety and security, so that no others may fall here."
Yae threw her arms around Giyuu again she jumped onto his back. "Still a way with words huh?" Giyuu scoffed slightly but picked her legs up with his arms. "Am I meant to carry you all the way to where we intend to celebrate?" "Yup! I'm tired and hungry. I've earned a break before I start getting missions." She smiled as she rested her head on his back. Shinobu giggled at the view. "Giyuu has spoken more openly and acted more caring in this last year than he has since he became a Hashira. Yae, please make sure you live on, I think you've become a good influence on him." Mitsuri cheered happily as she enjoyed watching Yae he close to Giyuu. "Ooooh I can't wait! The anticipation is driving me crazy!" Yae looked back at her to make sure she didn't slip up, causing Mitsuri to get the hint.
"I can't wait for us to all eat together. We haven't done this since the last Hashira meeting." Mitsuri couldn't help but smile as she walked next to Shinobu. "I can cover the bill. With me only sharing the estate with Yae and soon to be three animals, I spend the least and can afford it on my own." Yae poked his cheek as she rested her chin on his shoulder. "You bought me a whole wardrobe! Some of that stuff isn't cheap from what I can tell!" "Compared to the Butterfly Estate with six people and all its medical supplies, and Kanroji's appetite to remain healthy and strong as a Hashira, it's nothing. It's not like we pay for your ammunition." Giyuu suddenly felt four sets of eyes on him as he spoke in confidence of his ability to treat everyone. Yotogi landed on Yae's head as she looked down to the man. "Food?" Yae giggled as her bird was already like his before they even met. "Yes Yotogi, food."
Two weeks past since Yae had passed Final Selection and she almost couldn't hold still. Giyuu had promised a graduation gift for passing since she didn't want a sword, so she couldn't deny she felt giddy at what it could've been. Yae soon heard knocking at the door as her and Torakkā went to investigate. Upon opening the door, Yae smiled as she hugged their guest. "Lady Mizuki! I'm glad I got to see you again. What are you doing outside of the swordsmith village though?" Lady Mizuki removed her mask as she hugged the girl back. "Every smith personally drops off the Slayer's tools after finishing their craft little spark." She said patting a small box. "I remember the day I dropped off Giyuu's sword and his eyes hardened with such determination, it was as if the ocean itself would come to wash the demons away."
Yae invited her in as she called for Giyuu to come out, waiting for them to see each other again. Lady Mizuki chuckled as two sets of wings could be heard flapping through the halls. "Hehe, hello there Kanzaburou, hello there new friend. Who might you be?" The new crow landed on her shoulder and examined her before sitting down, Kanzaburou took his own place on her head as he seemed it his favorite spot. "Caw. I am Yotogi, lady of the moon." Yae chuckled as she came dragging Giyuu along. "I just realized, Lady Mizuki is the moon, Giyuu has eyes of the ocean, and mine is the morning sky." Yae thought outloud, earning a laugh from Lady Mizuki. "And just how may yours be the morning sky little one?" "Giyuu told me my eyes shine like the sky at sunrise. After we tested your shotgun shells on my first demon, he said the shine from under the sun was unlike anything he'd seen." Lady Mizuki chuckled as she looked to Giyuu. "Eyes of sapphires and a tongue of silver? Aren't you a treasure Giyuu?" The only man blushed as he hid his face behind his sleeve.
"What is the moon, the ocean, or the sky, if not connected by the power of the sun?" Lady Mizuki opened the box to the duo, revealing Yae's gift. Yae gasped as she looked upon it intently, not yet thinking she should pick it up yet. "It is a Webley Mk. VI. A top break action revolver, so rather than swinging the cylinder out to the side to dump out the casings, you "break open" the gun to dump them out behind you. You can pull the hammer back to fire it in single action use for more steady shots, or you can fire it with the hammer in the front position because of the double action feature." Lady Mizuki quickly showed Yae the differences. "Rather than being chambered in the .445 the British used, I had this made to use the American .45 ACP. Weighs only one kilo and the wooden finish for the handle is a Hon Biwa, the same as the bokken Slayers use for training." Yae finally held onto the revolver as marveled at the craft. "And, it's entirely out of nichirin."
Yae smiled down at the gift and looked to Giyuu. "This is the graduation gift isn't it?" He nodded as he finally spoke. "You never had something truly close ranged. Your shotgun was good, but lacked why real chance if a demon closed the distance against you and made it hard to aim. You had your knives, but they could lack the proper destructive power to cut the neck or destroy the head without wisteria. It's small, compact, but still deadly." Yae threw her arms around him as she smiled. "I love it." Yae quickly hugged Lady Mizuki as well. "Thank you. Your art never ceases to amaze me. Speaking of, all the rounds were successful. I think with the shotgun though the disk shots were the most effective compared to standard buckshot. The cross-cut ammo for the rifle was also effective."
Lady Mizuki smiled as she took away the bottom of the box to reveal a second layer. She picked up a single bullet to reveal the nichirin tip. "Cross-cut, hollow tipped ammunition. With all the information and research you've helped me with, steel ammunition must be under loaded as to avoid passing through the body too quickly to destroy what's needed. My answer was to lower the grains of gunpowder per casing, slower bullet meant it would allow more time for the projectile to do damage. Then by adding the cross-cut, it allows the projectile to open like a flower ripping the opponent apart from the inside. Finally the hollowed tip acts as a cavity, a little pocket to help force the thin material to open even further. If a demon still had his head after being hit with this, you might just be facing one of the Moons." Lady Mizuki giggled at the horrified faces of Giyuu and Yae.
"The Geneva convention does not apply to an enemy they do not know exist my children." Lady Mizuki smiled slyly as she put the bullet back in the box. "I've made over sixty rounds of ammunition for your revolver, sadly I spent so much time on it I wasn't able to restock your other guns. You have my apologies little spark." Yae shook her head vehemently as she smiled to the older woman. "Please you don't need to apologize. This Webley is beautiful and I'm glad you made me enough ammo to feel comfortable with using it in the field. I can wait on my Arisaka and Winchester ammo." Yae ran to her room to bring the box of refillable brass shells and gave them to Lady Mizuki. "Ah, thank you dear. I do have something else for you, though I fear you may not find it in your taste."
Yae almost started to glow as she thought about what it might be. "Is it my uniform?! My official mark that I'm a Slayer now?!" Yae smiled as she looked back to Giyuu. "Yes my little spark, but the design of it may not be to your liking." Lady Mizuki revealed the outfit hidden away in her jacket and held it out for the girl. Yae grabbed it and ran into her room, eager to try it on. Giyuu sighed as he looked to the woman. "I take it it'll be the one similar designed to Kanroji?" Lady Mizuki nodded and took a small drag of her pipe. "The skirt is quite nice in my opinion, though I feel that is what she may be weary to. And Yae is not as developed as Kanroji-sama to my knowledge, so I doubt she will have the same issue in the chest region. We've still yet to find the rat that makes the uniforms for the girls that way." Giyuu sighed in relief as to not have to live with that image.
Yae stared at herself in the full-body mirror and as her entire face was red. The uniform top hugged closely to her form and the skirt showed off just how muscular and toned her legs had become. She was so use to wearing pants or yukatas or kimonos, she didn't begin to think how she'd look wearing this. She almost couldn't take her eyes off her reflection. She thought she already looked pretty with the kimono, but this actually made her feel... Girly. She shook her head as she stripped down and quickly threw some regular clothes on to save face. "I'm definitely saving that for an occasion." She quickly walked out of the room and back into the living room as she looked to the two. "Any chance we can visit Shinobu to see if she has any spare uniforms? Preferably any pants?"