The Legend of the Sun Pillar

Chapter 12 - 4th Season

[09/17/1927]

— So... All of you decided to take the train? - asked Tanjiro, observing all the pillars gathered on the boarding platform of one of the various stations between the villages around Tokyo, where the headquarters of the corporation was located.

— Even though it's not as fast as Nakime's portals, it will be fast enough. She needs to concentrate on getting you to Ishigaki. It's a very long distance, even for her. - explained Kanae, while the others talked among themselves and checked if they had brought everything they needed for the mission.

Since Nakime recovered her biwa with the increase of her powers, the range of her ability extended throughout the Japanese territory, thanks to her diet consisting of the blood of both Kamado siblings—mainly Tanjiro, who had the highest concentration of energy, despite being only a human.

However, even if her portals could reach across the country, the greater the distance, the more energy it would take to open the portals. Ishigaki was far, and more than half of her energy would be spent on that portal.

— Promise me you'll take care of them? - said the redhead as he held Kocho's hands, who smiled gently in response. — All right, I trust you. Come back safely, with all of them.

— I'll bring them back without a scratch! - Kanae concluded, kissing him quickly, then turning to board the train.

Seeing the scene, Kanao and Tamayo also hurried to receive their goodbye kisses from Tanjiro. As his brides, they had the right to a proper farewell, just as women did with husbands going to war.

The train whistle marked the start of the journey. Gradually, the train increased its speed toward the city of Nagoya. As he watched the train fade into the distance, Tanjiro felt a familiar presence beside him—and such a warm sensation could not be mistaken anywhere.

— They will be fine, Tanji-kun. - with her usual cheerful smile, Amaterasu stood beside the redhead. Now that she no longer had her divine powers, staying beside Tanjiro was like a child standing beside an adult.

Yes, her height had decreased, as had her other physical characteristics that defined her as a goddess. Wearing common clothes and without all the golden adornments, Amaterasu was just a young woman, though extremely beautiful in the eyes of all men.

— Amy, all my efforts since I returned, both the first and the second time, everything culminated in us being here today. I trained them and taught them all I could. - he sighed, looking at his hands. — With your help, I made the impossible possible, and I dare say I've saved the world a few times. - he said, recalling when he heard from Warren about a project involving the use of nuclear energy for creating weapons, but managed to convince him not to use them on a large scale to attack areas with civilians, in case a new war broke out.

Never in his life had he had as many nightmares as that day, when he discovered that even if the demons were extinct, humanity itself would seek its own destruction.

— I deeply hope this is enough. - with these final words, he turned to an open portal behind him, leading directly to the village of Ishigaki. — Let's go. - he said, crossing the portal with Amaterasu just before it closed.

[...]

Calmness would be an understatement in the face of the absolute silence that hung over the village of Ishigaki. Besides the singing of a few birds and the cicadas in the trees, even the distant noise of the rivers was perceptible if you concentrated enough. Even after hours of walking through the oldest part of the village, no inhabitants had been spotted.

It was as if everyone was hiding inside their homes, fearing that something or someone might come to attack them. Like in the old legends that warned about staying home, otherwise, evil would come to find you.