"Crack! Crack!"
In the charcoal cellar, the fire was burning brightly, and with the crackling sound, sparks were flying in the cellar.
There is still some charcoal stored at home, and if it hadn't been for the heavy snowfall in recent days, there would still be more.
But these are enough.
Kamado Tanjuro stood alone in front of the charcoal kiln, looking at the tachikamaru he had placed in the charcoal kiln.
The firelight illuminated his face.
The burning temperature of charcoal can reach 1,000 or even higher in the charcoal cellar.
This was enough to burn the wedge ball red.
That is the so-called He Dao.
The blade of the knife burned red like this can stay red for close to 20 minutes under ideal conditions.
And complete cooling takes an hour.
That's enough.
It was getting dark.
The surrounding light gradually weakened, and the sun seemed to be setting soon.
Standing in front of the fire in the charcoal cellar, the firelight illuminated Tanjuro who was standing with his arms folded, stretching his shadow very long.
Except for Tanjuro, there was no one else around.
"Gah! Karma!" Several crows burst out from the dense forest nearby, the branches swayed, and the birds began to return to their nests with a loud cry.
In the darkening environment, only some messy footprints could be seen on the snow that was slightly noticed by the firelight.
And two lines of clear axle prints.
The messy footprints finally gathered in the same direction, and walked straight down the mountain from that direction.
The drifting snow carried the north wind and slowly covered the traces on the ground.
…
…
the other side.
far away.
near a mountain.
All around are empty paddy fields.
Covered with snow.
The sky darkens and the temperature slowly drops.
"call--"
A cold wind mixed with flying snow swept across the paddy fields.
A group of people walking on the path in the field also subconsciously tightened their clothes.
"Takexiong, can you still hold on?"
Kamado Kui led Shigeru to the front.
Behind him is a wooden four-wheeled charcoal cart.
Midouzi walked in front of the charcoal cart, holding a hemp rope in his hand, pulling the charcoal cart.
Hanako was resting on the charcoal cart while holding the young Rokuta in her arms.
Creak... creak...
The wooden wheels rolled over the ground, denting the snow and making a crunching sound.
Tanjiro was away, and the oldest male in the family became Takeo. He was holding an ax and walking at the end of the team.
And with all his strength, he pushed the charcoal cart slowly forward.
"Takeo?"
Kamado Aoi turned around and shouted to Takeo, who was at the end of the team, with a puff of white air coming out of her mouth.
Zhuxiong wrapped his scarf around his neck, raised his hand and waved:
"I'm fine!"
Kamado Aiye frowned slightly when she heard this. She stopped, walked around the charcoal cart and turned towards Takeo.
"Mom." Zhuxiong watched his mother walking towards him and subconsciously shrank his neck.
"ha……"
Kui Zhi walked up to Zhuxiong, stretched out her hand, and breathed in front of her mouth.
Then he squatted down and held Takeo's hand, which was already red and trembling with cold in order to push the charcoal cart forward.
Raising her head, she said seriously to Zhuxiong:
"Don't be brave. When we are tired, we will find someone to stay overnight."
"...I know." Zhuxiong tightened his frozen hands and held the ax tightly.
Seeing this, Kui Zhi nodded and stood up.
"Mom, why..." Mao raised his head and looked at his mother.
He wanted to ask why the whole family was suddenly leaving together, except his father.
But seeing his mother's nervous and tired face, Mao stopped speaking.
Kuizhi heard Mao's question. As she walked along the street, she did not dare to relax her vigilance even when she reached the town. She lowered her head and whispered:
"What's wrong, Mao?"
Mao shook his head, held his mother's hand, and changed his previous question:
"Mom, where are we going?"
They left home around one o'clock in the afternoon and walked quickly.
Now, it's past evening and the sun is about to set.
It was dark.
Creaking…
Kamado Kuizhi paused.
She recalled the conversation Kamado Tanjuro had with her at noon.
…
…
Half a day ago.
In the cabin.
"Tanjuro, what do you mean..."
Aoi Eda sat next to Tanjuro, she seemed a little confused.
"Aoi Branch." Tanjuro raised his eyes and looked at his wife, his tone was serious:
"Believe me."
"This mountain is going to be dangerous going forward."
"Take Midouzi, Shigeru and the others and stay away from here first. The further away, the better."
Tanjuro said, looking through the open door to Hanako and Shigeru who were playing in the snow:
"Don't worry Tanjiro, he'll be fine."
Hearing this, Kamado Aoi opened her mouth slightly, her purple eyes a little touched. She didn't know what judgment she should make now:
"Danger...what does it mean?"
My husband had been in a coma for a year and suddenly woke up and suddenly said this again.
Kui Zhi felt confused and strange at the same time.
At this time.
Snapped.
Kamado Tanjuro turned around, reached out and gently took Aoi Eda's hand, and the two looked at each other:
"Look back...when things pass, I will explain it to you properly."
Tanjuro held Aoi Eda's hand with firm eyes. Slowly he reached into the quilt next to him:
"Believe me."
Click!
Until, there was a clear sound of the collision between the sword and the scabbard.
——It's Kakimaru, a katana.
Kamado Aoi's pupils shrank slightly, and she looked up at her husband.
——In the past year of taking care of her husband every day, Kui Zhi had never discovered the existence of this samurai sword.
Tanjuro is smiling at this moment:
"I woke up this time just to avoid this danger... maybe."
"There's no time, Kui Zhi."
"Think of the kids."
Kamado Aoi's hand on the quilt clenched tightly.
"...What about you?" she asked.
"I must stay." Tanjuro answered decisively.
Kamado Aoi looked at Tanjuro blankly.
--what you up to?
Although Kamado Aoi wanted to question her husband like this now, looking at the anxiety in his eyes, she gradually understood the seriousness of the matter.
Kamado Aoi took a deep breath, nodded slightly, and then stood up:
"I see."
Letting go of Tanjuro's hand, Aoi Eda walked around the bed and slowly walked to the door of the room.
Standing at the door of the house, Kui Zhi stopped.
He turned his head sideways, facing away from Tanjuro, pursed his lips, lowered his purple eyes, and his voice was slightly trembling:
"...Don't leave us again."
Tanjuro looked straight ahead, nodded, and said in a quiet and low voice:
"Don't worry...I won't die."
…
Come to your senses.
Kamado Aoi heard Shigeru's voice, and she remembered that her husband told her to move towards a place called "Samagiri Mountain".
The journey is about half a day's journey.
Kui Zhi rubbed Mao's head casually, raised his head and observed his surroundings.
They asked for directions along the way. Although they were delayed for some time, they were almost at their destination.
All around are paddy fields.
Even the villages are a little further away.
The sun has set, the sky is dark, the moon hangs low in the corner of the sky, and the clear moonlight illuminates some clouds.
They were already within the range of Samagiri Mountain, very close to the foot of the mountain.
Once you get to the vicinity of Mount Sagi, it's basically safe.
Uh-huh!
"Gah!"
Creak...
Following several strange sounds, Kui Zhi stopped.
Midouzi and others who were following behind also stopped.
"...Mom?" Hanako woke up slowly on the charcoal car. Feeling that she was no longer moving forward, she turned back and asked, "Are you here already?"
"…Um."
Standing in front of the charcoal car, Kui Zhi looked forward and nodded slightly.
At this time.
Whoosh!
Snap!
A soft landing sound that was hard to hear came in front of several people.
"What's wrong."
"Lost?"
An old and deep voice sounded from the front:
"The nearest village is not in this direction."
Everyone quickly looked up.
——The person who came was wearing a red Tengu mask.
Small sleeves embroidered with water ripples were worn on the body, and short white hair was exposed from both sides of the mask in the moonlight.
The knife carried on his waist showed the identity of the other party.
"The sun has already set. It's very dangerous to bring so many children with you at night." The old man wearing a tengu mask whispered.
When he said this, he was looking at Kamado Aoi.
——Suddenly smelled a lot of strange smells, and he rushed over to take a look.
Kamado Aoi looked at the old man in front of her. Although the man suddenly appeared in front of her just now, she quickly stabilized her tone:
"Are you... Mr. Lintaki?"
Nintaki Sakonji seemed a little surprised, and he specifically glanced at Kamado Aoi.
…
The Kamado family's final destination.
It's at the foot of Mt. Saagiri.
Find an old man named Rintagaki Sakonji wearing a Tengu mask.
Stay one night at his house.
If the other party asks.
"Just say that a swordsman named Tomioka Giyu asked you to go."
——Kamado Tanjuro said.
