Chapter 31: The New Mission

[Task: Completely eliminate all the {demons} on Mount Fujikasane]

[Task Completion Reward: Acquire Wood Breathing (Mastery); Demon Soul Devourer level raised to D rank. A D-rank Demon Soul Devourer can devour demons with Blood Demon Art.]

[Task Failure Punishment: Host loses 20 years of lifespan (current host lifespan remaining: 81 years).]

As Haru officially entered the depths of Mount Fujikasane, the Transdimensional Travel System suddenly issued a task.

After reading the task details issued by the system, Haru couldn't help but feel speechless. Was the system trying to push him to his death? Can't it just be a little more low-key? Why does it have to be a total annihilation?

And what did this remaining 81 years of lifespan mean? Was he really so short-lived? This didn't match his identity as a dimensional traveler at all!

Haru, muttering inwardly, felt helpless. Especially after learning his exact lifespan, although living to 100 years old is considered long for a human, the fact that 20 years would be shaved off for failing the task made Haru particularly uncomfortable. Was his life really so cheap? Just like that, his lifespan could be cut down!

However, this suddenly disrupted his original plan.

Without this task, according to the selection requirements, Haru would only need to live leisurely on Mount Fujikasane with Tanjiro for seven days and then descend the mountain.

Haru thought that the demons imprisoned on Mount Fujikasane probably weren't too numerous, at most no more than two hundred. And with such a large mountain, the chance of encountering demons wouldn't be that high.

Moreover, the demons only came out at night, so there were 12 hours a day when it was safe.

With all this in mind, Haru felt that the survival rate of him and Tanjiro would be 100%.

But after the system issued the task, everything changed. Haru couldn't just drag his feet and pass the selection anymore.

After all, Haru didn't want to lose 20 years of his lifespan. Even if he lived to 80, that would be enough, the remaining 20 years didn't matter. But still, it was his life—couldn't he just not accept that punishment?

So now, Haru had to go all over the mountain to find and kill the demons, and finally eliminate all the demons on Mount Fujikasane.

This was a big project!

As for the task reward, Haru was also a little confused. The Wood Breathing didn't seem to be one of the five main Breathing Styles, nor did it seem to be a derivative of other Breathing Styles. It felt more like a Breathing Style independent of those.

But what exactly was the use of this Wood Breathing? Would it enhance his strength?

"Haru-senpai, what's wrong?" Tanjiro called out when he saw Haru suddenly zoning out.

Tanjiro's call brought Haru back to his senses, and he immediately shook his head and said, "Tanjiro, once we enter the mountain, we'll have to separate."

Upon hearing this, Tanjiro was a bit confused and asked, "Why do we need to separate? Didn't the master tell us to stay together as much as possible?"

"Because I have something to take care of. If you follow me in this situation, it will only be more dangerous," Haru explained calmly.

"Tanjiro, you need to believe in your own strength. Even without following me, you have the strength to survive. I will carve water-like markings on the tree trunks in the places I visit. As long as you see these markings on the tree trunks, it means that place is safe. Don't follow me, because that will be very dangerous."

Seemingly not fully reassured about Tanjiro, Haru gave him some encouragement and made his final instructions.