Then the boys watched helplessly as the wolf gave Tetsu no Sosuke's face a vigorous lick.
"Huh?"
Muichiro and Yuichiro stared in bewilderment.
Tetsu no Sosuke's face darkened. "Sit."
Big Hammer obediently sat down.
"Roll over."
Big Hammer obediently rolled across the ground.
"..." Muichiro and Yuichiro both looked exasperated. So... was this their teacher's pet?
"All right, follow me." Tetsu no Sosuke headed inside, with Muichiro and Yuichiro close behind. Big Hammer followed the boys, his enormous head nosing first toward one and then the other, making them flinch again and again.
"That's Big Hammer," Tetsu no Sosuke said. "He's probably some kind of mutant. My wife and I found him by chance. His whole family was gone, and he was the only one left. When we brought him home, he was no bigger than my palm. I don't know what he's been eating these past few years, but he's grown fast. Don't underestimate him, though. Ordinary demons are no match for him. He also has a nasty habit of eating demons... I don't know how he doesn't upset his stomach."
He looked back and found both brothers pale. After thinking it over, he couldn't see what he'd said that was so frightening.
In the end, he cleared his throat. "Don't worry. He's very friendly."
As if answering Tetsu no Sosuke's cue, Big Hammer promptly swept his tongue across both their faces. Muichiro and Yuichiro silently wiped them dry.
Being licked was no big deal. They could treat it as a face wash.
But was that lick a friendly gesture, or was he tasting them first?
It was an interesting question.
Chapter 283
Tetsu no Sosuke walked ahead, followed by Yuichiro and Muichiro, with Big Hammer bringing up the rear.
"Lord Hammer Pillar, you're back."
Shinjiro was coming from