……

Looking at Tomioka Yoshiyong, who was full of exhaustion, the scales were silent, and his closed eyes were slightly moist.

He slowly opened his eyes, and was about to beckon Yiyong into the room to talk in detail.

Trample.

In a trance, he seemed to see the illusory figures emerging from the mist around him.

The rabbit turned his head sideways and embraced Tomioka Yoshiyu and Scales into his arms.

"Mr. Scales."

"Master."

"Grandpa."

"It's not your fault."

"Thank you."

Ethereal voices came and went for a while.

After seeing the familiar smiles of several children.

The scales were slightly stunned, and his face behind the tengu mask was a little dazed.

……

Long.

After paying homage to the disciples who had died in the final selection with Tomioka Yoshiyoshi, the two returned to the wooden house one after the other.

On the way back, neither master nor apprentice spoke.

Inside the house.

Scales sat at the candle table, picked up the brush, and wrote something in the flickering candlelight.

Behind him was Yoshiyu Tomioka, who was lying flat on his bunk, sleeping as smoothly as he had six years ago.

His eyes were closed, and the corners of his mouth were slightly reassuringly smiling.

This night.

Yiyong slept peacefully.

……

……

Meanwhile.

Afar.

The forest surrounds a clearing, surrounded by weeds, and moonlight spills through the gaps in the shaking leaves.

Squeak-squeak!

The wooden door, which glowed with warm light, suddenly appeared in mid-air, and with a piercing sliding sound, it slammed open.

Then.

Smack! Bang bang bang!

Several eyeballs, with tentacles at the bottom, kept falling from the wooden door.

Until it piles up into a pitch-black hill, squirming slightly.

The eyeball-like creature twisted its tentacles, barely bracing its feet, and turned its head sharply.

In the middle of the scarlet eyes, the word "wanton" was written.

After the wooden door disappeared in mid-air, the eyeballs seemed to be stunned for a moment.

Then, they quickly scattered in all directions, burrowing into the surrounding woods and bushes, and leaving the place.

A faint voice sounded in mid-air from the disappearance of the wooden door:

“… Well done, Naruto. ”

……

Following.

Narrow Foggy Mountains.

Scales at home.

Sunlight leaked into the room through the crack in the open door, illuminating the eyelids of someone who was lying asleep.

His brow furrowed, and his eyelids twitched slightly.

Then.

Swish!

“…！”

The unkempt figure opened his eyes suddenly, and he sat up from the bunk, his dull eyes gradually returning.

Sitting on the bunk, Tomioka, who was disheveled, stared straight ahead.

His eyes, which were originally as quiet as a deep pool, rarely shone brightly, and his expression was tense at the moment, and his face was solemn.

Cold sweat slowly slid down his forehead.

Oops.

Tomioka hung his head, the sunlight on the bed quilt reminding him of the time at the moment.

- He seems to have forgotten something.

On the stiff face, the brows couldn't help but tighten.

In my mind, a smiling figure poking his wound with his finger comes to mind.

The cold sweat on his forehead became more and more intense.

Front.

The light leaking in from the doorway was suddenly blocked, and the figure stood outside the door, probing towards the door:

"Wake up, Bravery."

Scales were carrying a bundle of firewood, half of the red tengu mask was exposed to the sun, and the old man's voice was not as dull as before:

"Breakfast will be ready soon, get up."

Hear the words.

Yoshiyu Tomioka looked up and looked in the direction of the door.

It seems to have gone through a struggle inside.

Finally, he sat up.

I didn't choose to go back to the butterfly house, but followed the master to prepare breakfast.

……

Butterfly House.

The permeability training is over, and several children are back in the butterfly house again.

The hermits leaned against the wall, sweating profusely, and looked at each other helplessly.

“… Tired. ”

"Yes, the wounded who were finally selected came over in one go."

"The others have also been transferred to help rebuild the Knife Forging Village..."

"There are only four of us left in the huge butterfly house!"

The conversation is closed.

Several people looked at each other again, and they all sighed helplessly.

Then.

“… Tanjiro, where is that child? ”

A faintly weak and pale man staggered over, holding on to the wall, panting:

"I think we need Tanjiro..."

The others looked at each other in a vague way.

"Tanjiro, he..."

Suddenly.

A sharp-eyed hide, caught a glimpse of Aoi Kanzaki who was resting well and was passing by on one side.

He stretched out his hand and shouted:

"Wait a minute! This team member! ”

Aoi Kanzaki, who was in a trance, was slightly stunned, she turned her head and looked at a few hidden people who were running towards her.

……

In the courtyard.

A few small figures stood here.

Among them, the young figure who was dancing suddenly felt a little bored.

He lowered his head and looked at the stick he was holding.

There was silence for a while.

"Father." Takeo raised his head, he looked at Tanjuro who was standing beside him, adjusting his posture with his hand, and his tone was puzzled:

"Why do we keep dancing Kagura?"

As he spoke, he stretched out his hand and pointed to the other side of the courtyard, the Shi Tou brothers, who were practicing swordsmanship:

"They've been practicing that kind of swordsmanship all day long!"

So handsome!

Takeo clenched his raised fist, his eyes were blazing, and he pursed his small mouth:

"If this continues, it will be a matter of time before they occupy the entire courtyard!"

As he spoke, he turned his head and looked at his father with an expectant wink.

I want to learn that kind of swordsmanship too!

Takeo's voice resounded with longing in his heart.

Tanjuro smiled helplessly, he could naturally see what Takeo was thinking.

Takeo's menacing appearance failed to attract the attention of the Shitou brothers who were pointed at him, but made Tanjiro laugh on the side.

"Takeo." Tanjiro put down the stick he had waved in place of Kagura's dance, and he walked over, bent down and gently touched the other's head.

Firmly looking at each other, Tanjiro smiled:

"The Kagura Dance, which we have passed down from generation to generation, is the most suitable thing for us to practice."

He knew that his father had told him that the "transparent world" of the previous seven days was actually discovered by his father at the beginning of each year when he danced the Kagura Dance all night.

Thinking about it, Tanjiro raised his head and smiled at his father with a still immature face.

Rustling...

The broad palm gently covered Tanjiro's head: "If you practice for a long time, you will feel it." ”

"Takeo." Tanjuro stood up and looked at Takeo who was stunned on the side, and he explained:

"Carefully remember the movements and sensations of Kagura's dance when it dances."

"And." He smiled softly, his eyes moved to Brother Shi Tou, who was training not far away, and his tone was calm:

"Kagura, the god of fire."

"It's not just a dance."

"Actually..."

Tanjuro looked back and glanced at the sluggish Takeo:

“… It is a sword art that is woven into a dance. ”

Hear the words.

Takeo, who was still a little sluggish just now, slowly lit up with excitement in his eyes, he raised his hands and shouted:

"Really?!"

"Our family tradition of Kagura Dance is swordsmanship?!"

After seeing Tanjuro nodding, Takeo excitedly hugged Tanjiro's brother on the side, and then shook him:

"Oooh——!!"

"So handsome!"

Mao, who had just walked out of the butterfly house and rubbed his eyes, heard Zhuxiong's shout, and immediately ran over in small steps, with an expression of interest on his face:

"Whatever." Mao ran curiously: "What are you talking about?" ”

Seeing this, Tanjuro raised his head, looked sideways slightly, and glanced at the Shitou brothers wielding a wooden knife not far away.

……

Opposite the stove door.

Swish!

Arichiro's expression was resolute, and his hands were full of marks, holding the handle of the wooden knife tightly.

And non-stop, swinging hard.

Side.

Muichiro was also holding the wooden knife, and he pretended to wave it, but in fact, his eyes narrowed, and he kept looking in the direction of Tanjuro.

"Hmm... Well... I see..."

After carefully observing for a while, I made sure that my mind remembered the action that Tanjuro had just taught.

Secretly, he replaced the sword technique of the Breath of the Moon, which he was practicing, with the "Fire God Kagura" in his mind.

Hold on to the wooden knife.

Swish!

Just when he just put his hands up.

Syllable!

"It hurts!"

The wooden knife that Ariro was wielding suddenly turned around and slashed at the top of his head.

Muichiro was caught off guard and was slashed, his head shrank, and he turned his head aggrievedly:

“… What are you doing, brother? ”

"You..." Arichiro looked at his brother helplessly, then shook his head and sighed:

"If you want to learn so much, just ask that uncle."

"It's not good to be caught sneakingly."

Hear the words.

"Ahh

"I know... But. Muichiro turned his head, he covered the top of his head with his hands, and his expression seemed a little embarrassed:

"It always feels... It's a bit rude to ask directly. ”

After hearing my brother's words clearly.

A tic-tac-toe bulge on Arihiro's forehead, he clenched his fists, bowed his head slightly, and his brows fluttered faintly.

——？

"It's the most rude thing for you to steal school like this!"

Arichiro's shouting expression gradually collapsed.

And the only man who was sitting in the corridor and talking to his wife looked in the direction of his two sons, talking and laughing with his wife heartlessly.

……

Long.

“… Is this really good? ”

"Don't ask! Just go! ”

Syllable!

After being pushed hard.

Shitou Muichiro was carrying a large bag on his head, his face was red, and he moved cautiously in this direction, his movements a little twisted.

From time to time, his eyes glanced behind him, in the direction of his brother Ariro.

After seeing his brother standing in place, his hands folded, and nodding to him with a look of condescension.

“…… Well! Muichiro snapped his eyes shut and nodded vigorously.

Then, with his eyes closed, he ran a few steps to the stove door.

A few children who were still noisy just now suddenly quieted down and looked at Muichiro who ran over curiously.

"That, that!" Muichiro raised his hand, his eyes flickering, he pondered his words, and tried to look up at Tanjuro in front of him:

"I... You guys..."

The fingers were at a loss, and Muichiro finally mustered up his courage, and he recalled the extreme sword light he saw in the forest that night:

"I'm sorry! It's rude! ”

"Can... Can I learn that Kagura dance with you too? ”

"Please!" As he spoke, he closed his eyes tightly.

Looked at.

Takeo and Shigeru glanced at each other.

There was a look of surprise in their eyes.

They also thought that Muichiro had come over to mock him.

Outcome...

What is this?

Subsequently.

"Haha." Takeo showed a standard 'stove door' smile, he bent his eyes, stretched out a somewhat dirty hand towards Muichiro, and his childish voice sounded:

"Absolutely."

Muichiro was stunned.

He opened his eyes and looked up at Takeo in disbelief.

Promised?

Just when Muichiro didn't react, he hesitated and didn't know what to say.

Syllable!

Takeo took the first step, grabbed his hand, raised his fist, and replied with a smile:

"Let's do it together!"

Under the sunlight, the swaying green behind him was reflected, and the young man's smile suddenly looked extremely bright.

Shine brightly.

"Hmm!" Muichiro's pupils opened slightly, his eyes reflected Takeo's smile, his face showed a look of hope and yearning, and he nodded excitedly, for fear that the other party would regret it.

- What a kind child!

Muichiro was extremely touched in his heart, he had never felt this generosity from other peers.

- Compared with my brother, there is no doubt about it.

He looked at the almost equally gentle smiles of Takeo, Shigeru, and Tanjiro.

- This is an angel!

……

Behind Muichiro.

Seeing Muichiro surrounded by the three members of the Kamato family, he looked like he was accepted.

Arichiro raised his eyebrows, and he nodded in satisfaction.

- Isn't that what you can do, Muichiro.

Suddenly.

"Ahh The tip of his nose tickled, and he gasped sharply and sneezed.

Scratching his nose, Arichiro glanced around suspiciously, then withdrew his eyes.

At a glance, he stumbled upon the corner of the courtyard.

in the corner.

Swish!

Swish!

A blonde, swaying like a yellow dandelion, was wielding a wooden knife in his hand.

My wife, Seon-yi, had a resolute expression, and there were traces of friction on his face—it was a scar that caused the failure of using the Ichichi form to slam directly on the ground.

"One thousand one hundred and thirty."

"One thousand one hundred and thirty-one."

He counted in his mouth, his eyes looked firmly ahead, but his tired arms did not stop.

That was the first time Seon-yi had seen such a sad expression on his grandfather's face.

Already.

Swish!

Shanyi clenched the hilt of the knife and swung it down again, the tip of the wooden knife quickly breaking through the air.

I don't want to see it a second time.

……

……

In the courtyard.

Shitou Muichiro quickly got along with the Kamato family.

Seeing the child's renewed interest, Tanjuro smiled and looked at the sky in the distance.

Gonhachiro was hovering over the butterfly house, screaming from time to time.

Accompanied by his family, Tanjuro felt a sense of inner peace.

It's been a while since the matter of the Forging Knife Village.

Last time Ba Zhilei's practice, he also tried to try again a few times.

But it seems that because of the weather, the thunder has not been able to be summoned.

Before the Hinawa knife was not ready, Tanjuro was not in a hurry to find the whereabouts of the other upper strings.

The power of rejuvenation in the body is abundant enough.

The memories of the battle were also not fully digested.

Moreover.

There is a position for the upper wind, which is straightforwardly stated in the original work.

[Land of the Upper Wind: Fallen Hime]

No.

Tanjuro's gaze slowly retracted.

Now, the Jade Pot and the Bantengu are dead, the Black Death Mou has rebelled, and the class of the fallen concubine is probably ...

[First Quarter No. 3]

(End of chapter)