He had not known of Kotani Tetsuya's death, and that left him with some regret.
Even if he had attended the funeral, he would have gained nothing, nor could he have brought Kotani Tetsuya back to life... but the feeling still did not sit well with him.
Kashima Taro listened quietly to everything he said. After a long pause, he nodded gently. "I'll be careful."
"All right." Tetsu no Sosuke smiled freely. "You can stay for a couple of days if you like. If you have things to do, I won't keep you. Go on. Write to me when you have some spare time. If you need help with anything, you can tell me that too. I'll decide what I can do."
"Thank you."
After thanking him, Kashima Taro saw Tetsu no Sosuke push the Sword Case toward him. He opened it and looked at the blade inside, a flicker of complicated emotion passing through his eyes.
He closed his eyes again, and when he opened them once more, they were clearer.
"Then I'll take my leave."
Once again carrying his Nichirin Blade on his back, Kashima Taro walked out of the Hammer Hut, one step at a time.
Tetsu no Sosuke did not know when he would next see this man... or where.
Would it be during some joint operation?
Or...
What sort of feelings would he himself bring to that meeting?
"The years stretch on without end, bringing countless changes..."
Tetsu no Sosuke carefully mulled over what he had come to understand, then finally turned and went back inside.
Tetsu no Sosuke knew little of what happened to Kashima Taro afterward.
Kashima Taro never wrote to him, and Tetsu no Sosuke never asked anyone how he was doing.
Somehow, he felt that perhaps, at times, if