After watching Shigeru and his group get cheered on by the people of Death God Valley as if they were heroes from some old tale, Nathan stayed where he was and waited for the noise to settle.
The whole square had come alive. People who only hours ago had looked hollow with fear were now shouting, crying, laughing, and crowding around Shigeru's group with open gratitude. Some clasped their hands. Others bowed again and again. Children stared at them with bright eyes as though trying to remember their faces forever.
Nathan only watched in silence.
Eventually, Shigeru stepped away from the crowd and made his way toward him, leaving the others to bask in the praise.
"Aren't they overreacting a little?" Nathan asked. "All you did was kill some soldiers."
Shigeru laughed. "We killed soldiers, broke open the prison, and freed every miserable soul they had locked inside. Trust me, those soldiers were not exactly loved."
