Hozuki Clan, I Wasn't Looking for You, Yet You Came Knocking? It Was Aine? Don't Panic, I'm Here to Help!

Uesugi Tetsu did not resist the young man's actions for the time being. He let the man, whose heart rate had already shot past 180, drag him toward the village in a "mad dash."

In Uesugi Tetsu's eyes, the young man's mad dash could barely be called "fast walking."

The reason he was making such a fuss was that the gray fog looked rather formidable, while his strength had only recovered to about one-third.

If he made a move, he might not be able to capture the other party alive with absolute certainty.

The key was capturing it alive.

The gray fog was simply too enormous. At a rough estimate, it was at least as large as several villages.

At the very least, he needed another five minutes.

And...

Uesugi Tetsu narrowed his eyes as he jogged along, looking at the enormous label above the gray fog's head.

He silently sneered twice.

—The young man finally reached the village entrance after sprinting all the way there, arriving before the gray fog appeared in the villagers' field of vision.

Several dozen meters away, a few ragged villagers were casting scrutinizing, hesitant looks at Uesugi Tetsu.

But that scrutiny vanished completely when the young man desperately rang the copper bell!

Jingle! Jingle!

The copper bell's sound was sharp and piercing. It soon spread through half the village, making every villager who heard it turn pale before they hurried off to warn one another.

In less than half a minute, not a single person remained visible anywhere in the village.

Still being dragged along at a jog, Uesugi Tetsu blinked and wondered why these villagers seemed so practiced.

—Had that gray fog come here many times?

—Could it be like the way it had followed him into Edo Castle, coming here every so