"I must—I have to report to Lord Tajima-no-kami as quickly as possible!!!"
Sakon looked upon the horrifying scene within the castle and swiftly calmed down after his initial panic.
He was not a highly skilled warrior, but his abilities in other areas were beyond doubt. That was why he had been able to become the adjutant of a great man like Yagyu Tajima-no-kami.
And besides—
He had to save as many people as he could along the way!
But—
Just as he ran toward a crying child, the child's body began to swell.
Its body expanded, then rapidly transformed into a massive black monster that lunged at Sakon.
"Wh—"
Caught off guard, Sakon drew his blade to block it, but how could the strength of an ordinary human possibly compare to that of a monster transformed into a grotesque creature?
Sakon was sent flying, crashing into a ruined wall as he vomited a mouthful of blood.
"Pwah—"
Blood stained the ground red.
Yet there was no pain in Sakon's eyes—or rather, there was, but it was directed—
Not at himself.
But at the child who had turned into a monster.
"I'm sorry. You must have been in such pain."
"I failed to notice."
Though Sakon was an officer, he still patrolled alongside the ordinary ashigaru.
He had patrolled, yet discovered no abnormalities. Perhaps that itself—
Had been a sin.
That was why this Yagyu Tajima-no-kami sorrowfully spoke those words at this moment.
Why—why had these monsters done such a thing?
Why wasn't my strength great enough?
"Roar—"
As he held such thoughts, a massive shadow enveloped Sakon.
At some point, the sorcerer had already come down from the mountain.
He entered the castle, walking as he clicked his tongue and sneered in amazement.
"Hehe, one of Tokugawa's dogs, huh."
He