There is only one day in the City of the Sun.

When I realized this problem, I had been in the City of the Sun for three days.

It's a pity that the round mirror I asked for from Yamata was borrowed by Tamamo Mae. When I returned to the living world from outside "Tiandao", a figure appeared in the mirror again. This time it was not Higanbana.

But Otake Maru.

Tamamo Mae seemed more interested than me. He seemed to know Otakemaru.

"What, do you recognize him?" When I reached out to pick up the unresponsive round mirror, a tail caught it first. I looked along the tail and saw that it was a little fox next to Tamamo-mae - some

Cringing but unwilling to let go.

"...I don't recognize it. Qingming will be very happy when he sees this mirror. Can you lend it to me for a while?"

The little fox spiritually handed the round mirror to Tamamo-mae, and there was a firmness in Tamamo-mae's extraordinarily charming eyebrows that made me a little curious.

"Why?" I asked.

Tamamo Mae stretched out her hand to hold the round mirror and smiled: "Haha, if you really want to know, you might as well ask Seimei directly."

"..."

"However, I'm afraid he is no longer in Heian-kyo. You came from the seaside, it's impossible that you don't know the news there, right?" Tamamo-mae continued, "He used to be the lord of Arakawa, but now he only leaves a handful of seaside masterpieces."

...Lord of Arakawa? But what I want to know more is about that little blue figure.

What did I miss during this period of time? Did Axi set up a barrier around the sea? No, no, if that was the case, it would be impossible for me to see Jiao Tu. In other words, when I came back

When, when I was with Jiao Tu...

Something happened in Arakawa.

What on earth was A Xi doing in the City of the Sun? At that time, he said, wait a minute?

The question is, what happened to Arakawa? In other words, Tamamo Mae came to the "Tiandao" to conduct trials, not just to retrieve the souls of Aika and Hagoromo.

No, that's not right. Tamamo Mae did go outside the "Heavenly Way" in order to retrieve the souls of Chiyo and the others. But why does he care so much about this mirror?

When I was about to leave here, I suddenly realized something and stopped: "...Where is Seimei?"

Tamamo Mae didn't answer me.

I turned my head slightly to look at him: "In other words, he is looking for something. For example, something like the mirror you are holding in your hand."

"You should go to Arakawa." Tamamo Mae smiled half-heartedly, "You should know it once you get there. I have something else to attend to, so I'll take my leave first."

Watching Tamamo Mae leave, I stopped staying and headed all the way to Arakawa.

However, the Arakawa I saw this time was like a broken picture, with scattered house fragments everywhere, and... the corpses of the Arakawa tribesmen.

In the evening, there were sounds of waves everywhere in Arakawa, but there were no signs of life around. I searched around for a while, hoping to find the Arakawa clansmen, but in the end I found nothing. Just as I was about to leave, a subtle voice came from behind me, and along with it, I found nothing.

A rather unfamiliar force approached me.

I turned around suddenly, and all the demonic power around me was concentrated, and I was about to attack the person behind me.

"...little mute?"

The moment she saw me, she was stunned for a moment, as if she didn't believe my arrival. In those blue eyes, something suddenly flickered there, absorbing all the soft light of the evening, as if there was something

Following that beautiful face, it gently broke through the air and fell into the beach.

"That's great...that's great...you're not dead...you're back..."

She said thankful words and reached out her hand to gently wipe the corners of her eyes.

"..."

"I'm sorry, Arakawa became like this when you came back..." She blamed herself, "If he was still here..."

I walked forward, tapped my feet with some effort, and then reached out and patted her forehead. Although I am not sure, but if something happened to Arakawa, the Ponyo Princess who once wanted to conquer the world would become like this now.

, maybe not a surprise.

I took my hand back and wanted to say a few words to comfort her, but I found her expression was a little weird.

"Are you Ponyo? What happened to Arakawa?"

However, when I asked, she finally couldn't bear it anymore. The familiar sadness was like a tide, tightly wrapping her and me. It seemed that what Tamamoae said was true.

However, I have seen the strength of the Lord of Arakawa. That Kaikokusaku is not an ordinary weapon. Is it a monster that can kill him... Who is it?

"It's all my fault... If I could understand what he said before..." Jinyu Ji whispered, tears silently flowing down again, "About a year after you left here, those ghost ships suddenly attacked

, I can’t help him at all... Even helping Arakawa’s tribe to retreat is very difficult.”

Ghost ship...? Otakemaru? Sure enough, Otakemaru must have wanted to say something else at that time. But, why did he come to invade Arakawa?

"Ghost ship?"

"Yes, those ghost ships suddenly appeared, and the big guy... No, Arakawa fought against the monster named Otakemaru by himself in order to protect us." Goldfish stopped crying, and she sat silently on the beach.

, and then looked at the sea that was slowly swallowing the soft light, "The matter is not over yet, but only I am the only one who can protect Arakawa. Little mute, you'd better go to Kyoto quickly, where there is the great Onmyoji Seimei..."

"

Jinyu Ji told me her memories of that day, the battle between Otakemaru and the Lord of Arakawa that day. As she told me, I seemed to have seen the scenes of their fight before my eyes. I knew very well that these scenes were from the past.

It was seen by the human Xi Xia. Those memories that kept disappearing in my memory were gradually replaced by these awakening vivid memories. However, what I care about more than the competition between those strong ones is...

...Why can she get over her grief so quickly? I desperately want to know the answer.

"Why?" I stood up and asked, "He is your important person, right? Why can you just... let go of everything as if nothing has happened? How did you do it? I know that he has always been protecting you, and

When you lost everything, why...can you smile so calmly..."

As I kept asking, her doubts gradually turned into helplessness.

"Even if you ask this, I can only say that he definitely doesn't want to see me weak. I want to be the Lord of Arakawa like him and protect Arakawa. One day, he will definitely take pictures of me.

The boss said, "Say to me, 'As expected of the Lord of Arakawa'."

Jinyu Ji looked up at me: "Little mute, at that time he ordered me to take the people away. Looking at his figure, I felt that it was impossible for me to take everyone out of here. But Arakawa... and everyone, they are all

Something I cherish. I thought back to that day and your nod, and I finally understood the meaning of what he said, "The power of the strong is to protect." All of this gave me the determination to stand in the way of everyone.

Protect them in front of me. If you have any difficulties, you can tell me. Although it can't be completely solved, at least everyone will help you."

The night has already come, and I can't explain how I feel in my heart. Only the loneliness that has always accompanied me. She has never been confused, and I am the only one who is confused.

"……Need not."

She has found the answer, but I am still struggling. The Lord of Arakawa did not tell her what to do, but the Lord of Arakawa told her everything through actions, as well as the protection that had never been spoken. And this protection, together with the protection

Arakawa's wish was accepted by her. This is probably the form of what Tamamo Mae calls "love".

"Little mute, where are you going? It's very dangerous around here! The sea monster will come at any time!" I only took a few steps when Jinyu Ji grabbed my hand.

"So what?"

"In that case, you will be hurt! Just like the day you left -"

"Whether I am hurt or not, what does it have to do with you? I am not a citizen of Arakawa, nor am I your relative."

"You are my friend! Shouldn't I worry if my friend is injured?" Jinyu Ji held my hand tightly, "At this time, even he will not let you leave here at will. So, I

Neither will!"

Friends...

I turned to look at her: "You are wrong. Only you regard me as a friend, I never regard you as a friend."

"But at that time... and just now, what was that?" Jinyu Ji retorted to me willfully, as if in front of me, she had transformed back into her childhood self.

I stretched out my other hand and pulled her hand away: "Just think of it as sympathy. I sympathized with you at that time, just like I did before."

When my hands were free for a moment, a barrier separated her from me.

"How could it be...? You obviously want others to touch you so much, why do you refuse like this?" Jinyu Ji slapped the barrier with her hand and said with great reluctance, "At that time, you and he were the only ones who would not laugh at me.

You should be like him..."

I turned around and looked at her anxious look quietly, and my heart gradually calmed down: "The Lord of Arakawa is the hero of Arakawa. His wish to protect Arakawa has been given to you now. You also have it

I have set a new goal, and I believe that he will come back to you again no matter what. This is your business, and it is also your "fate". However, you and I are different after all. I am just a traveler, and after staying for a while, I will eventually

I will also leave. I am going to take a completely different path from you. Do you understand?"

Her fists clenched with anxiety were gradually loosened at this moment. She slowly lowered her head and asked after a while: "Are you leaving too?"

Looking at her disappointed look, I didn't answer, and when I wanted to turn around, I heard her urgently say: "Then let's make a promise! I will definitely find him again, and you have to promise me that after you finish walking that road

After the road, come back to Arakawa and take a look. Even if you are a traveler, you should come back and take a look..."

"...I'm sorry, I won't make another promise with anyone else."

I don’t know if Jinyu Ji heard what I said, but the sea breeze became stronger, and I couldn’t hear what else she said later.

Logically speaking, if Otakemaru invades Arakawa, then I will definitely be able to detect him, but not now... Axi's barrier is not only set up on Suzuka Mountain, but also on the ghost ship... But, how can he

Did he know that Otakemaru would definitely come to invade Arakawa? Did Yamatahara tell him? Did Axi's onmyoji divination work?

No, it should be caused by both at the same time. From this point of view, Yamata no Orochi is inseparable from the changes in Suzuka Mountain. The question is, why did he do this? And that barrier... No, the barrier is not in Suzuka Mountain
To be continued...