Brothers Who Finally Accept Each Other / Yorimitsu's Four Heavenly Kings!

Shuten Douji's clone dissipated into black particles.

But her words remained deeply in Ian's mind.

"Mount Oe."

A place Ian had never known before but was very familiar with.

The black shadow quickly dissipated.

No traces were left on the ground.

Kintaro ran out from the other side.

"Child still didn't come!"

"..."

Ian glanced at where Shuten Douji had been.

"She won't come anymore."

"But, Kintaro, I think I can take you to see her."

"Really?!"

"Yes, but you have to listen to me."

"Okay! Okay! I will!"

[Out of guilt, you played with Kintaro on this mountain for a day.]

[But you didn't forget Shuten Douji's "invitation."]

[You knew you would definitely go, but not now.]

[The next day, you and Kintaro returned to Heian-kyo together.]

[You told Minamoto no Yorimitsu everything you saw and heard.]

"This..."

Minamoto no Yorimitsu looked at the great onmyoji, frowning, looking serious.

"Are you saying Sadamitsu accidentally killed Kintaro's mother?"

"Yes." Ian nodded. "Basically, that's it."

"Hiss..."

Minamoto no Yorimitsu gasped.

"I didn't expect Kintaro to be the son of an oni, but he himself is not an oni and doesn't know what oni are."

"Maybe the mountain witch didn't want Kintaro to think he was an oni."

Ian looked at Minamoto no Yorimitsu.

"That's why she chose to do this."

"But Shuten Douji's cooperation surprised me."

"..."

Minamoto no Yorimitsu was silent for a while and then asked another question.

"Then, husband, does this mean that oni are not necessarily all evil?"

"Perhaps—"

Ian's heart was not shaken.

"But for us, oni are things that shouldn't exist."

"Although they may have various reasons to linger in this world, they should leave in the end."

"This is our duty as onmyoji."

"However—"

"But you still want to help Kintaro, right?"

Before Ian could finish speaking, Minamoto no Yorimitsu smiled and answered.

"Wife, you understand my thoughts?"

"Isn't that obvious?"

Minamoto no Yorimitsu looked at the man with gentle eyes.

"I have poured double the love into you."

"Besides, oni are oni."

"Kintaro is Kintaro."

"Since Sadamitsu made this mistake to avoid worrying us."

"Then we should do something."

[You and Minamoto no Yorimitsu reached a consensus.]

[You decided to cover up Usui Sadamitsu's unintentional mistake.]

[Although morally, this adopted son didn't do anything wrong.]

[You and Minamoto no Yorimitsu gave Kintaro a new name, Sakata Kintoki.]

[You decided to adopt him as an adopted son, just like before.]

[In this way, Kintaro could also get your reputation protection.]

[However, Usui Sadamitsu and Urabe no Suetake seemed to have some misunderstanding about this.]

"Why did adoptive father adopt such a strange person as an adopted son?"

"Sadamitsu, this is too strange!"

"You're right, Suetake, I can't understand why adoptive father would do this. He treated the person he caught while killing oni so well."

"If you don't understand, then don't understand."

Watanabe no Tsuna's voice came.

Usui Sadamitsu and Urabe no Suetake turned around and saw him holding a katana.

"We just do what adoptive father tells us to do."

"Do you want to disobey adoptive father's orders?"

They looked at each other and shook their head in resignation.

"...No."

[With Watanabe no Tsuna's support, this matter barely passed.]

[But he also knew that the two brothers were unwilling to contact Sakata Kintoki, so he took on the responsibility of teaching Sakata Kintoki himself.]

[For him, this was a very heavy burden.]

[After all, while teaching Sakata Kintoki, he had to continue to practice his oni-slaying skills.]

[But Watanabe no Tsuna's actions were as solid as his swordsmanship.]

[He never complained, just silently taught Sakata Kintoki with the greatest patience.]

[You saw all of this.]

[You also treated this adopted son and disciple very carefully, sending people to give him what he needed from time to time.]

[Until this day, Watanabe no Tsuna took the initiative to find you.]

"Tsuna, sit down."

Ian looked at Watanabe no Tsuna, who came to visit him, and handed him a cup of good tea.

"What's the matter?"

Watanabe no Tsuna took a sip of tea and then answered.

"Father..."

"I have something about Kintoki that I don't know if I should say."

"Speak."

Ian looked directly at his adopted son.

"I saw your attitude towards Kintoki."

"Then—"

Watanabe no Tsuna was still hesitating.

He seemed to have made some difficult decision.

"Adoptive father, I don't think I can teach Kintoki."

"..."

Not an unexpected answer.

Ian saw how hard Watanabe no Tsuna worked.

It was commendable that he had persisted until now.

"Are you too tired?"

"If so, maybe you should take a break."

"No." Watanabe no Tsuna shook his head.

"I didn't say that because I was tired."

"Huh?"

This answer was somewhat unexpected.

"Then Tsuna, why did you say that?"

"Adoptive father, it's Kintoki's strange strength." Watanabe no Tsuna directly stated his thoughts.

"His strength is too great."

"Ordinary blades can't be used by him... it's difficult for me to teach him anything."

Ian knew that Watanabe no Tsuna was not lying.

Although he rarely spoke, he was a very honest person.

Because Sakata Kintoki couldn't use a sword, Watanabe no Tsuna's skills couldn't be taught to him.

"I understand, leave it to me."

"Thank you, adoptive father!"

[You began to study how to let Sakata Kintoki use a sword.]

[But you quickly found that it was difficult to achieve—his strength was too great.]

[You told Minamoto no Yorimitsu about this.]

[You hoped to get some advice from her.]

"Husband seems a bit stubborn."

Minamoto no Yorimitsu stroked Ian's cheek, who was lying on her lap.

"If you can't use a sword, then use other weapons."

"Anyway, husband is so powerful... surely you can teach Kintoki to use other weapons well, right?"

"You're right, wife."

"..."

"Husband, what's with that look?"

"Nothing."

Ian looked at Minamoto no Yorimitsu's long hair falling on his face, looking emotional.

"I just think you can see many things I can't see, I'm a little emotional."

Minamoto no Yorimitsu smiled slightly.

"Isn't that obvious?"

"You can also see things I can't see."

"So—"

"As long as we can be together, we can make up for each other's shortcomings."

[Minamoto no Yorimitsu's words enlightened you.]

[You realized that you didn't have to stick to swords.]

[You began to choose weapons suitable for Sakata Kintoki yourself.]

[You soon had a goal.]

[It was a heavy weapon called a Yue axe.]

"Kintoki."

"This weapon is yours."

"Eh?"

Looking at the Yue axe that was almost half his height, Sakata Kintoki was a little afraid to accept it.

He took a few steps back.

"I! I! I don't want it!"

"Too strong! Can't use it!"

Although he said that, Sakata Kintoki's eyes never left the Yue axe.

His thoughts were as simple as ever, and completely undisguised.

He liked this weapon.

Ian understood this.

"Kintoki, be good."

"This weapon was specially made for you. If you don't take it, no one else can take it."

"You don't want it to be wasted, do you?"

"Wasted?!"

"No! That's not okay! Grandma said! Wasting things is shameful!"

Sakata Kintoki said, taking the weapon from Ian.

It was a very thick weapon, but it was as light as a bamboo pole in his hand, and he could even turn it around.

Seeing this, Ian knew this was a very successful decision.

[Sakata Kintoki, who got the weapon from you, was very happy.]

[He often appeared on the streets of Kyoto, swinging his Yue axe.]

[People were initially very afraid of the big guy holding such a weapon, and immediately chose to take a detour when they saw him.]

[But later, they found that this big guy, who looked like an oni, was not as scary as he looked.]

[After all, he was always smiling foolishly, and he didn't mind when others glared at him.]

[And this perception quickly turned into praise after he knocked down a hooligan.]

[Everyone knew that the Minamoto clan had such a good adopted son—he only looked fierce, but he was very kind inside.]

[But Sakata Kintoki didn't realize these things.]

[He still did what he thought he should do, as always.]

[And these situations quickly reached the ears of Usui Sadamitsu and Urabe no Suetake.]

[They became a little worried.]

"Adoptive father."

"Is it really okay to let Kintoki continue like this?" Usui Sadamitsu asked, worried. "I think something might happen one day!"

"Yes, adoptive father."

Urabe no Suetake also spoke up.

"You even made such a weapon for him. What should we do if he gets angry one day?"

"..."

Ian was silent for a while, and then answered with a slight smile:

"Sadamitsu, Suetake."

"I know what you're worried about, and I know why you're worried."

"But based on his recent performance, Kintoki is completely worthy of being your proud brother, right?"

"Then in that case—"

"Shouldn't you also trust him a little more?"

"..."

Usui Sadamitsu rarely disagreed with his adoptive father.

But this time, he couldn't help but speak up.

"Adoptive father, what you said might make sense."

"But Kintoki appeared with an oni, right? Didn't you say that was a dangerous situation?"

Ian smiled calmly.

"Sadamitsu, I'm glad you remember what I said."

"However—"

"I think I need to correct your view."

"Things that appear with oni are not necessarily the same as oni."

"Just like a haunted house, can you say the house itself is an oni?"

"Kintoki is the same—he is not an oni, and you should not treat him with the standards of oni."

"Besides, you have all seen his performance, right?"

As if by fate.

After Ian finished speaking, Sakata Kintoki ran in with a plate of sweet cakes.

Seeing his two adoptive brothers, he was a little scared and a little nervous.

But soon, the big guy wiped his hands hard on his clothes, picked up two sweet cakes, and reached out to Usui Sadamitsu and Urabe no Suetake.

He smiled.

"Sweet! Eat some!"

"Delicious! I ate some!"

"Brothers, try some!"

"..."

Looking at Sakata Kintoki, who was humbly pleasing himself and his adoptive brother, Usui Sadamitsu suddenly felt a little uncomfortable.

He hesitated for a moment, and finally smiled and took the sweet cake.

"Yes, thank you, Kintoki."

Urabe no Suetake pondered for a moment, and also took the sweet cake.

"Yes... thank you."

Seeing this, Ian knew that the two of them could finally accept Sakata Kintoki.

[You and Minamoto no Yorimitsu covered up Usui Sadamitsu's past mistake.]

[The four of them became very good brothers.]

[The reticent eldest brother, Watanabe no Tsuna, was skilled in using Higekiri, and his sword could cut through wrought iron.]

[The practical second brother, Usui Sadamitsu, deeply understood the meaning of slaying oni and gained much fame.]

[The talkative third brother, Urabe no Suetake, was good at composing elegant poems and left behind several waka poems.]

[The strong fourth brother, Sakata Kintoki, could swing a huge Yue axe, making those who saw it shiver.]

[They were originally talents cultivated by the Minamoto clan, and were naturally arranged in various important positions.]

[Then came many military exploits.]

[The people of Heian-kyo called them the "Minamoto Four Heavenly Kings."]

[And those who knew more would call them the "Yorimitsu Four Heavenly Kings," meaning the four most powerful generals under her command.]

[Talent "Father of the Four Heavenly Kings" acquired: As the adoptive father of these four, you have a very high status in Heian-kyo.]

[But you didn't forget what you had to do.]

"Wife, the three-year period has arrived."

"I think it's time to send troops to Mount Oe."

"Yes, I've been waiting for you to say that—"

Minamoto no Yorimitsu wiped the famous sword Hizamaru in her hand, her purple eyes revealing a bit of sharpness.

"It's been a long time since I've killed oni with you."

"Wife, do you mean..."

"Yes, husband, I will personally lead the army to Mount Oe."

[You once again embarked on a journey to slay oni.]

[But this time, you were no longer just two people.]

[You led the four heavenly kings you had trained and the foot soldiers that Minamoto no Mitsunaka had given you, and set off for Mount Oe.]

[You traveled quickly for several days and arrived at the entrance of Mount Oe.]

[But you realized that this journey to slay oni would not be easy.]

[Because even at the entrance, you could feel the aura of oni.]

[Mount Oe had become a gathering place for oni!]