Only one person?
Uesugi Tetsu, who had tensed up and risen to his feet, looked back in confusion and found that the blind girl, Kujo Tsubaki, looked equally astonished.
"Since I boarded this train, I've passed through here five times in total, but this is the first time there have been so few people."
Kujo Tsubaki explained, "There were at least a dozen people the previous few times."
Uesugi Tetsu discreetly sized up the samurai's outfit. Every vital part of his body was wrapped in thick, dark-red armor, while his helmet was styled like a "star kabuto." The great golden horns on top looked both imposing and flamboyant.
Even the sheath of the long sword at his waist was spotless.
His attire was worlds apart from the corpses scattered across the wilderness outside. Rather than a samurai, he looked more like the supreme commander of an entire country—or army.
And with his equipment so complete, not to mention those successive groups of samurai and ashigaru earlier... Could it be that an organized force of demons had timed their appearance with the First Wave and was planning to wreak havoc on Tokyo again?
He would have to mention it to Sister Nanjō later.
"Hm?"
Uesugi Tetsu was stunned to discover that the first thing the Demon General did after boarding was look toward him.
Then he nodded at him in greeting?
Out of basic courtesy, Uesugi Tetsu nodded back at the Demon General. He then watched as the other man found a corner and sat down quietly with his eyes closed.
The moment the Demon General sat down, the Sumida River vice principal—who had been smiling pleasantly since boarding—stood up with a serious expression and slowly walked toward Uesugi Tetsu.
Then, under the latter's wary gaze, the round-bodied vice principal actually