Monk Bunpuku

"Great-Grandmaster! These are Snow Glow Fruits from overseas!"

"Don't let their small size fool you. They only grow on snow peaks three thousand meters high, so they're quite difficult to pick..." Souya took out a scroll and formed a one-handed seal. White smoke billowed out, and a pile of brightly colored fruits appeared atop the scroll.

"Little Souya, is that you..." An aged voice came from within the enclosure, carrying a faint hollow echo.

The space inside the enclosure was vast, yet only a solitary figure sat cross-legged in its center. Behind him stood an enormous statue of Buddha.

Souya formed hand seals with both hands and stirred the Chakra within his body. A moment later, he pointed rather laboriously at the sand outside with one hand. A slender stream of Gold Dust spiraled up from beneath the ground like a nimble little snake.

Souya placed a snowy white fruit on the head of the little snake formed from Gold Dust. The fruit was not large, about as thick as two thumbs. The snake slithered forward, steadily carrying the fruit to Monk Bunpuku.

"Great-Grandmaster, have a taste!" Souya called out loudly.

"All right... all right..." Monk Bunpuku's tightly shut eyes opened into slits. When he saw the golden snake, ripples could not help rising in his heart. With his knowledge, he naturally understood what that little snake represented.

He slowly lowered his right hand, picked up a translucent fruit, placed it in his mouth, and chewed it carefully.

"Sweet! It truly is sweet!" The soft, juicy flesh and the refreshing sweetness of its juice made even Monk Bunpuku, whose worldly desires had been reduced to their lowest point, speak in praise.

"Heh! Great-Grandmaster, eat more. There are plenty more here!" The little snake twisted its body and crawled back to Souya's side.

Yet Monk Bunpuku did not wait for Souya to bring him more food. Instead, he slowly rose to his feet and walked step by step toward the iron bars. His pace was slow, but remarkably steady.

"Souya! I never expected you to have grown so much!" Monk Bunpuku sat cross-legged beside the iron bars and looked kindly at Souya outside.

Strangely enough, when Bunpuku approached the iron bars, the howling wind outside gradually died down.

"Great-Grandmaster, I haven't come here in over a year. Of course I've changed a lot!" Souya picked up another emerald-green fruit and handed it to Monk Bunpuku.

"Hehe!" Monk Bunpuku smiled gently, then said, "Come, write out the Sealing Technique formulas I taught you before from memory. Let me see how well you've mastered them!"

"Yes!"

Souya took out a brush, ink, white paper, and other items from a Sealing Scroll. Monk Bunpuku lightly chewed on the fruit, but his eyes remained fixed on Souya's moving brush.

After a long while, a small stack of papers had piled up beside Souya. They were covered in mysterious tadpole-like symbols, crooked and uneven, yet upon closer inspection, the symbols seemed to possess a profound texture, as though they could draw in one's very mind.

If someone stared at them without blinking for a while, they would surely grow dizzy and see double.

Yet Monk Bunpuku watched Souya's movements from beginning to end without feeling the slightest discomfort.

Huff!

Souya twirled the brush in his fingers, using the remaining momentum to leave a sharp finishing stroke. Behind a large round dot, he drew a tail shaped like the Chinese character for "of," making it resemble an overfed tadpole. Only after finishing did Souya set down his brush and let out a long breath.

"Mm! Not bad, not bad!"

"You've finally mastered all these Sealing Technique formulas!" Monk Bunpuku praised with a smile.

"It is all thanks to Great-Grandmaster's devoted guidance!" Souya replied reflexively.

"Hehe... I know your talent better than anyone, but talent alone is not enough on the path of Sealing Techniques. What matters more is diligence and hard work. To commit these complicated sealing runes to memory in only a few years, you must have put in tremendous effort!" Monk Bunpuku said softly with a laugh.

"Today, I will teach you the temple's strongest Sealing Technique—Sen no Rikyu!" Monk Bunpuku's expression suddenly turned solemn as he spoke seriously.

He spread open his palms. To Souya's surprise, the words "Receive" and "Heart" were written in the centers of his two palms.

Souya showed no unusual reaction. He simply sat steadily outside the iron bars and handed the paper and brush to Monk Bunpuku.

Time slowly passed, and the sun gradually dipped westward as dusk arrived without notice.

The crimson glow of the setting sun spilled into the enclosure. Monk Bunpuku narrowed his eyes as he watched Souya slowly walk away in the distance, his shadow stretching long behind him.

"Hey! You damn monk! I never thought Sunagakure would have such a talented individual..."

A deep, heavy voice suddenly echoed from the depths of Monk Bunpuku's mind.

But Monk Bunpuku was not surprised in the slightest. He calmly pressed his palms together and sank into his thoughts.

Drip...

In an instant, Monk Bunpuku appeared in a dark space. He sat cross-legged atop a faintly rippling surface of water, surrounded by a ring of golden spikes that protruded slightly above the water.

Behind him stood a gigantic creature. It looked like an earth-yellow raccoon dog, but many purple markings covered its ears and massive body, giving off an evil aura.

It stood upright on two feet upon the water, its enormous claws clenched into fists before its body.

"At least that brat is respectful toward you, unlike those guards. They've long since forgotten your name!" the giant beast shrieked.

"A name is merely a designation. Besides, don't you still know my name?" Monk Bunpuku replied calmly with his back to the beast.

"Even if you're a monk, you were born with no choice but to be imprisoned alongside a beast like me that hates humans. Do you truly feel no resentment at all?" The giant beast became agitated.

Monk Bunpuku remained completely unmoved. In a gentle tone, he said, "After all, if you and I are separated, I will die, because I am a Jinchuriki..."

"Actually, there is no need to separate humans from beasts. As long as one has a true friend to connect with sincerely, the heart will find peace..."

The beast's yellow eyes stared fixedly at Monk Bunpuku. Its emotions gradually settled, and after a moment, it finally said, "What a strange monk. There probably won't be anyone like you in the future..."

"No, there will be. The human heart is like a reflection on water's surface—often saying one thing while meaning another, always wavering and uncertain. But at their core, all people long to be accepted and acknowledged. You are no exception..."

"Because the wisdom you possess is no less than that of any human!" Monk Bunpuku said evenly.

"At the very least, little Souya will certainly become someone greater than I am!" Monk Bunpuku paused. At the mention of Souya, a smile unconsciously appeared on his face.

"Souya... Is that why you taught him Sealing Techniques?" The giant beast narrowed its eyes.

"Yes, I may not be able to stay with you much longer..." Monk Bunpuku gazed into the distance as though he could see the future. There was no fear or worry in his eyes; instead, there was a sense of ease, as though he could finally release the burdens that had accumulated over so many years...