Haruto crossed the long stretch of wheat fields. Ahead, shrouded in black mist, lay his destination: Mount Natagumo.
Figures flickered within the black mist. It seemed others had arrived before him.
"Caw-" Cang Kong let out a cry and landed on Haruto's shoulder. "Head into Mount Natagumo and slay the demons lurking there!"
"I know." Haruto glanced at Cang Kong, hesitated, then finally asked, "You're a parrot, aren't you? Why do you always go 'caw, caw'?"
Cang Kong paused just as he was about to fly away. His mung-bean-sized eyes met Haruto's for several seconds...
"Caw-caw-"
As if showing off, Cang Kong circled over his head twice before flying off in a huff.
Tch! You lousy parrot!
Haruto rested a hand on his sword hilt. In the distance, at the edge of the wheat fields, he spotted a little "yellow fellow" crouching on the ground.
Yellow hair, a yellow haori, and a white-and-yellow Nichirin Blade.
Hmm, with that sparrow beside him, that had to be Zenitsu Agatsuma.
Why was he here alone?
Haruto walked over and faintly caught the boy's muttering.
"...Do they hate me?"
Though he had phrased it as a question, the dejection in his voice made it clear he already had an answer.
"A mountain full of demons is scary, but if my friends tried to talk me into it, even someone as useless as me would go in."
He gazed at Mount Natagumo and muttered, "But they just left me behind. Who does that?"
"Do my feelings...not matter at all?"
The yellow-haired boy sat by the roadside, sinking into despair. He buried his head between his knees, then suddenly twitched an ear and turned. A radiant smile appeared before him.
"Well, well, look who it is!"
Haruto grabbed his shoulders and hoisted him up like a