Enatsu grabbed the reins of his horse, stroking its coat. Fortunately, the merchant's steed had not lost the saddle and the rest of the equipment in the mess of the rush.
Little by little, all the citizens of Blackborough approached their three saviours, forming a circle behind their village leader. Men, women and children showed their gratitude with their eyes, accompanied by profound sadness.
The stench of corpses wedged in the rubble of destroyed huts soaked the air of that fishing village, making the atmosphere particularly gloomy.
Exchanging gratitude with Uncle Kuno, the Nightblades team moved away from Blackborough. As the sand of the coast was lifted from their horses' hooves, the outline of the village houses drifted further and further away, disappearing behind them.
Yoichi recalled Kenji and summoned Ichiro. The Inoshuma was rested and pumped, having spent the last few hours inside its Demon Tooth.