Vagabond: Son of Darkness

In this chapter, the author tells us that the story is not meant to be a commentary on any organization or individual. It is meant to entertain the reader. He says that if anything in the story reminds the reader of something, he will never forget it. The next morning, the forest is still alive, but the colors of death have crept in. He asks where Linh is. Linh coughs thanks goodness. He still gets to see her. He tells her that he thinks from now on, she will not be able to be with him anymore. She is his only friend, he says, and she is in danger from the tree spirit. She eventually dissolved into ashes. He tries to put her ashes in a jar, but he can't do it. He builds a grave for her at the spot where they used to watch sunrise together. She dies several months later. The author says that she must always remember to never harm humans. She tells him that if he wants to eat her, he must beat the rat like he must smash a bug off. He then says that he hates the world and that nobody gives him a damn about him. He goes to the swamp where he can find the place where the spirit of the tree is. He meets countless other people who come from the dark. He holds the magic axe and tries to defy the spirit, but it is useless because the spirit is so strong. The village head tells him to go home.