In the process of communicating information between Kamiyagawa and Ohachi, the Phantom Shell of Daisen Peach God and Kohachizaka on the bank of the river is also having a conversation.

There is no soul attached to these two illusions, and they will not react to "dreamers" like Kamiyagawa, and will only repeat what happened at the "Millennium Festival" -

Great Immortal Peach God: "I'm sorry, Yachi, I might have come to you earlier." I know your things, I know everything, don't be sad, good boy, you've never done anything wrong. ”

Little Hachika: "But everyone in the city doesn't like me." ”

"It's not like that, they're just...... Too scared. ”

"Are you afraid of dying?"

Little Hachiniao recalled what Granny Huai had said in the afternoon.

"Yes. But for human grass, birth, old age, sickness and death are inevitable, and because of this, what you do is of great significance to the entire Tsukushi City. ”

"I ......"

Great Immortal Peach God: "Eight birds, soothe the soul, and dispel the fear of death of the dying, this is something that even I can't do." I can feel that the divinity in you as a human grass is very strong. It is the strongest one in the Apoqi Plains in the past thousand years. ”

"You're going to take a different path than everyone else, and you're going to be here for a long time, just like me. So in the future, you may be able to say goodbye to many, many people you once knew. It may be too early to tell you this, but I want you to promise me that you will always be with me in your own way. ”

Protect Chikushi Castle and Apogihara.

The young and fashionable Yachitori did not yet fully understand the mission she was carrying.

Is it just to sing and practice for the people in the city before they die, is this the way to guard?

And Yata's ability to comfort the dying in Tsukushi Castle is instinctive, but also because she can feel the sadness, fear, and uneasiness of the dying soul at the end of her life, which makes her a little unbearable.

But the grass is afraid of death.

After all, for them, death is tied to Yellow Springs.

Although he didn't understand it very well, out of respect for Lord Momoxian, Xiao Yachitori nodded ignorantly.

This is a promise made by the young Eight Birds to the Great Peach Fairy God.

And seeing the eight birds nodding, Peach Fairy seemed to be a little happy.

She leaned down and rubbed the black hood of the eight birds: "That's amazing, eight birds." You know? A thousand years ago, I wasn't much taller than you are now. But like you, I agreed to the word of the Lord and made a promise to Him. ”

"The sir? Is it Izanagi-sama? ”

"That's right. I promised Him to take good care of this place. Let's work together from now on, Yachito. What I promised, I must do it—I will give hope to the living, and you will give peace to the dead. ”

The Great Immortal Peach God said with a smile and winked at the Eight Birds.

This peach fairy, who has existed for thousands of years, is a generous and benevolent leader worthy of love in front of the people and grass.

But at this time, she is just like a somewhat playful big sister.

……

On the banks of the Apoki River.

Wang Xianger, a child in Tsukuzi City, has dispersed from the group of children who are only his first to look forward.

It's just that Oak II has no intention of enjoying the festive atmosphere right now.

The big acorn on his neck shook his head unwillingly: "What's so good about that guy who will only kill everyone, even Lord Peach Fairy ......"

Oak II hates the Eight Birds.

The guy is dark and weird.

But he knew that Lord Peach Fairy seemed to have been silently paying attention to the affairs of Yachiniao.

Oak Er's father is a general in Tsukushi Castle. As the right-hand man of the Great Immortal Peach God, he often goes in and out of the palace in the city.

And Peach Fairy paid attention to the matter of the Eight Birds, and Oak Er also heard it from his father by accident.

Seriously, Oak II is jealous of this.

Shouldn't Momoxian-sama pay more attention to me?

In the future, I will definitely be able to become a powerful general like my father.

will contribute to Lord Peach Fairy, and will protect everyone in the city.

You should have seen me more.

"So, what's so good about Yatachi?"

Oak Er walked in the crowd, still thinking like this.

Suddenly, he was pulled from behind, and a familiar and deep voice sounded:

"Where did you go? You haven't put the river lantern yet, go and put the river lantern. ”

Oak II turned around and saw his father.

A majestic man, like a giant tree.

"Oh."

Oak II nodded.

Today is a grand millennium celebration, and his father, who is serious and old-fashioned, is a little milder than usual.

Oak Er turned around and was about to fetch the river lantern when he heard his father's voice behind him again.

"Eight Birds...... Thank you ......."

It's my father's voice, yes.

But there was no sense of majesty at all, faint, vague, as if every byte was barely squeezed out of the throat. It seems that the popularity of a dying person is like a gossamer, but with a little indescribable relief and peace.

"Abba?"

Oak Er looked back in astonishment, but saw his father just standing in place as usual.

He nodded: "Well, this year's river lantern is doing well. Go and make a wish to Izanagi-sama, and bless you to be a man. ”

Oak Er looked down at his hands.

But he hadn't brought the river lantern yet.

Oak Er was in a trance, and his father's familiar face seemed to be a little blurry in his vision.

Some strange images came to his mind.

He saw his father, who was always imposing, lying on the bed at home with a wounded face, his face distorted and moaning in pain.

Then I saw Yachiniao standing quietly in front of his father's bed with a dimly lit lantern in his hand. There was no wind in the room, but the thick black robe on her body was swaying in the hunt.

So, what's so good about Yachiko?

No...... She seems to ...... Seems to be a very nice, very nice person......

She gave her father the last peace.

"I ......"

Why do I think Yachiniao is good?

What are the ones that just came to mind?

Has anything like this ever happened?

When did it happen?

Oak Er's brain became a mess, as if a sharp knife had been stabbed into his head, stirring constantly.

Everything he could see began to distort.

The bustling crowd and the brilliant river lantern strip on the Apoqi River.

For some reason, he felt like he had seen it countless times.

The head was heavy, and the body was painful, like a knife, and it seemed like there were countless disgusting maggots drilling in the body.

It's painful......

I don't know how long the intense physical and mental pain lasted, but it was incomparably long. To be more precise, it should be never-ending.

Wait until Oak II finally looks around again.

The bright, lively, joyful colors and atmospheres have all dissipated.

Oak II found himself standing in the midst of ruins.

Desolate, dilapidated, and devastated.

The once glorious and sturdy Tsukushi Castle had lost almost all its outline, being torn, crushed, and shattered, leaving only a few broken walls and ruins, scattered lonely and lonely on the endless wilderness.

The shapeless silhouette of the ruins casts long shadows in the bleak moonlight.

Oak II saw countless filthy figures, wandering among the ruins.

In this moment, he remembered everything, everything.

Including the endless reincarnation of the millennium celebration, and also the destruction of Tsukushi City-

After the millennium celebration, Tsukushi Castle's stable life lasted for five years.

Then one day, such days ended without warning.

Huangquan's Yin God Yin Soldiers appeared on the Apoqi Plain.

The Great Peach Fairy and his father led the people and grasses to resist the enemy, but to no avail.

His father was soon eroded by the filthy breath of the Yellow Spring, and when he was dying in agony, Yataniao came to the house and gave his father the last peace.

And after that......

There was no after, and it didn't take long for Tsukushi Castle to be breached and fell.

Tsukushi City is no longer there......

Oak Er lowered his head and saw countless black maggots entanglement around his rotting body.

But why haven't you died yet?

Immediately afterward, he heard the cries of the filthy human figures around him, hysterical and painful.

"It hurts, it hurts......"

"Save me, let me die, let me die......"

"Back to the dream...... I'm going back to my dreams! ”

“……”

Although he recalled everything and saw the bleak reality, Oak Er's dying consciousness could not handle such a large amount of information.

He just wept and wailed along with the other dying people.

Then he felt himself being pulled by some dreamy and gentle force, like a baby entering its mother's arm and wrist, or like a lonely boat being swept into a never-ending, insurmountable whirlpool.

Sinking, just sinking.

The next second-

"Whew...... Yes! ”

Oak II exclaimed and sat up from the bed.

It seems to be early in the morning, and the sky is just getting dark.

The light of the morning light, accompanied by the sound of birdsong, burst in from the window with vigor and vitality.

Oak Er felt as if he had had a terrible nightmare, but he couldn't recall the details of the dream.

After a while, his mother walked into his room: "Oak Er, get up quickly." Today is a millennium celebration, and you have to make a river lantern for yourself. Only if you do it yourself, you can make a wish. ”

So, Oak Er put aside the nightmare for the time being.

Yes.

Compared with the terrifying dream, the real and beautiful reality is worth nostalgia.

Who wants to live in a nightmare?

Get moving.

Today is the most lively millennium celebration.

……

Tsukushi City, the gate of the city.

Kamiyagawa and the little old man's outer bodies reappeared here.

"It's the third day, and hopefully it's the last day here."

Kamiya thought so.

"Last night" his Yama Maharaja Kazuki appeared to meet with the real Yachika.

The two people, each with a certain authority over death, finally settled on one thing after a long conversation-

The painful souls trapped in the dream realm, not born and not dead, on the Apoki Plain, should be able to be sent to the Styx River through the cooperation of Kazuki Fumi, who is in charge of the Santu River, and Yachito, who extradited the deceased.

The underworld controlled by Xiangyue is different from the Yellow Spring, and it is the place where the dead should go when they appear later.

Maybe it will be a good home for those souls who have died.

However, Kazuki has also made it clear that her current power as the Lord of Enma is not complete, and Santuchuan is still being rebuilt.

Therefore, it is not possible to send the soul of the human grass to reincarnation.

Even if you can send all those souls to the Santu River, you can only place them on the other side of the flower field first.

Moreover, the souls in this place have been trapped for an infinite time, and even if they go to the Santu River, they can no longer appear normally, at most they are unconscious sleeping, waiting for the day when the authority of the Styx River is perfected.

But to be able to do this, Yagatori is already very satisfied.

As a result, this A-class extradition of death temporarily reached an offensive and defensive alliance with Kamiyagawa's side.

She will help Kamiya get out of the dream.

As for what to do, there is only one way -

Defeat the Great Immortal Peach God who controls this endless dream.

The Eight Birds know where the real Great Immortal Peach God is.

In fact, Hachiko has made many attempts to put an end to this endless nightmare, to give the dead in Tsukushi Castle the last peace, as promised.

At first, she just begged Momoken to stop such things.

But no reply was received.

After being trapped in the dream for hundreds of years, Yatatori finally used force to challenge the former beloved Great Immortal Peach God.

In the long time, she has challenged Momosen countless times.

It's just that in the end, they all ended in failure.

To put it another way, Yatachi also needs the help of Kamiyagawa's power.

"Let's go, let's go find Yatatori and prepare for the final battle. I hope that the Great Immortal Peach God will have what we want. ”

Kamiyagawa greeted the little old man beside him like this.

And just as the two were about to leave the city gate, the familiar white silk figure in Tsukushi City slowly walked out.

The grass girl who has met twice with Kamiyagawa, Sakura.

Yachitori said "yesterday" that as an outsider who does not belong to the dream realm, Kamiya may come into contact with the phantom shell of the soul attached to the dream realm, and it may make them wake up.

And when they see the tragic reality, these poor souls will only suffer even more.

So this time, Kamiyagawa doesn't plan to talk to Sakura again.

But just as he was about to turn around and leave, the human grass girl took the initiative to speak and stopped him: "That, please wait a minute." ”

"Do you mean me?"

Kamiyagawa stopped.

It seems that Sakura has indeed become different from before.

"Well, that's it...... Well, have we seen it somewhere? Sakura asked, staring straight at Kamiyagawa's face.

"No, I've never seen you."

"Really? But I always feel ......" Sakura hesitated, and her eyes, which were originally more bright, became a little sad for some reason, "I think I have wanted to ask you to watch tonight's river lantern festival more than once." ”

Kamiyagawa: ......

"Sorry for saying strange things." The Grass Girl's expression became tangled, and then she took a deep breath, "I don't know what's wrong with me. However, that ...... Excuse me, can we go to see the river lanterns together tonight? ”

Kamiyagawa: ......

"I just don't think if you ask. After that, I may never have a chance again, I'm not usually such a strange person, really! Seeing that Kamiyagawa did not speak, the girl hurried to explain her impulsive and strange behavior.

But then, she heard—

"Okay, let's go see the river lantern tonight."

Kamiya feels that Sakura's changes have something to do with him.

Perhaps some responsibility should be taken for it.

Moreover, as long as the Great Immortal Peach God is defeated, today is the last day of the celebration of reincarnation.

The girl in front of her has provided herself with a lot of information, so she can be happy now.

"You promised?" Sakura was visibly overjoyed, and she pointed to a river bank on the Apoki River, "I'll be waiting for you there that night, and I can't go back on what I promised!" ”

After that, probably because he was afraid that Kamiyagawa would open his mouth again, Sakura ran away briskly.

"I—I made an appointment to help Aunt Silkworm. See you in the evening! ”