Back in the Infinity Castle, Tengen Uzui lowered his twin blades in disbelief.
"M-my Score wasn't even finished yet."
"He was too arrogant. So arrogant he thought none of us could pose a threat."
Haruto sheathed his sword, taking no pride in having just helped kill an Upper Rank.
"Akaza's already been killed?" He turned his head and murmured, "That guy wasn't an easy opponent."
Doma had just mentioned that Akaza had "turned into some strange species"...
I hope everyone's all right. Please, let nothing happen to them...
"Yahoo!"
Inosuke shouted and stomped Doma's vanishing head into dust.
"Bastard! Bastard!"
He hopped around, stamping his feet. "That's what you get for being so smug! You still ended up dying by my blades!"
Remembering what Doma had said, he suddenly felt his nose clog up.
"I'm not someone without a mother! I wasn't abandoned!
You were the bastard who forced her into it!"
"Hey! Boar boy! Are you really upset?" Tengen Uzui called out.
"No! Real men don't cry easily!" Inosuke shook his head hard.
"Take off your mask!"
The boar boy froze, then slowly pulled off his mask.
(;´༎ຶД༎ຶ`)
"Aw, your face is all swollen from crying, and you still say you're not upset."
Haruto reached out and patted his shoulder, smiling gently. "You learned the truth about your past before we killed that demon, and you even got to deliver the finishing blow to Doma. Your mother must be watching from heaven, Inosuke. I'm sure she's very happy."
"H-Haruto, would she really be happy?" Inosuke's tears were as wild as he was, falling in great, heavy drops.
"Over the past ten-odd years, I kept complaining that she'd thrown me away...
Do you think she'd be disappointed in me if she heard that up in heaven...?"
For the first time,