"Grandmaster! These are snowberries from overseas!"
"Don't underestimate them just because they're small. They only grow on snow-capped peaks over 3,000 meters high, and harvesting them is incredibly challenging..." Sōmi retrieved a scroll, formed a single-handed seal, and with a puff of white smoke, a pile of colorful fruits appeared on the sealing scroll.
"Ah, it's little Sōmi..." A frail yet resonant voice echoed from within the iron fence, carrying a faint, hollow reverberation.
Inside the fenced area was a vast, barren space, occupied solely by a lone figure seated in meditation. Behind him loomed a massive statue of a Buddha.
Sōmi formed a hand seal and activated the chakra within him. Moments later, he extended a hand toward the sandy ground outside the fence, summoning a slender stream of golden sand that spiraled upward like a nimble snake.
He carefully placed the snow-white snowberry on the head of the golden sand snake. The fruit was small, about the size of two thumbs pressed together. The snake slithered forward, steadily carrying the berry to Monk Bunpuku.
"Grandmaster, try it!" Sōmi called out loudly.
"Alright... alright..." Monk Bunpuku slowly opened his tightly shut eyes to a narrow slit. Upon seeing the golden snake, a ripple of emotion stirred within him. With his wisdom, he naturally understood the significance of this display.
He lowered his right hand, picked up the translucent fruit, and placed it in his mouth, chewing slowly.
"Sweet! It's very sweet indeed!" The soft, juicy flesh and refreshing sweetness surprised even Monk Bunpuku, whose desires had long been tempered to their lowest ebb. He couldn't help but voice his praise.
"Ha! Grandmaster, have more! There's plenty here!" The golden snake coiled back and returned to Sōmi's side.
However, Monk Bunpuku didn't wait for Sōmi to send over more fruit. He slowly stood up and walked step by step to the iron fence. His movements were unhurried but unusually steady.
"Sōmi, I can't believe how much you've grown!" Monk Bunpuku sat cross-legged by the fence, his kind eyes gazing warmly at Sōmi on the other side.
Strangely, as Monk Bunpuku approached the fence, the howling winds outside seemed to gradually subside.
"Grandmaster, it's been over a year since I last visited. Of course, I've changed!" Sōmi replied, handing another green fruit to Monk Bunpuku.
"Haha!" Monk Bunpuku chuckled softly before saying, "Alright, let's see how well you've mastered those sealing techniques I taught you. Write them out for me."
"Yes, sir!"
Sōmi took out a set of writing tools—brush, ink, and blank paper—from his sealing scroll. As Monk Bunpuku leisurely chewed on the fruit, his eyes remained focused on Sōmi's brushwork.
After some time, a small stack of papers had accumulated beside Sōmi, each covered in mysterious, tadpole-like symbols. Though the characters appeared crooked and uneven at first glance, a closer look revealed a profound depth to them, as if they could draw one's mind into their intricate patterns.
Anyone who stared at them for too long would undoubtedly feel dizzy, their vision blurring with overlapping images.
However, Monk Bunpuku observed Sōmi's work from start to finish without showing the slightest discomfort.
"Huff!"
Sōmi exhaled deeply as he finished his final stroke. With a flick of his wrist, he added a tail-like flourish to a large circular dot, resembling an overfed tadpole. Only then did he set down his brush and stretch his hand, taking a long breath.
"Not bad, not bad at all!" Monk Bunpuku praised with a smile.
"You've finally mastered all these sealing techniques!" he added approvingly.
"It's all thanks to your patient guidance, Grandmaster!" Sōmi instinctively bowed in gratitude.
"Haha... I know your talent better than anyone. But in the path of sealing techniques, talent alone isn't enough. Dedication and hard work are even more crucial. To have memorized these complex sealing patterns so thoroughly in just a few years must have required immense effort," Monk Bunpuku said with a gentle laugh.
"Today, I'll teach you the temple's most powerful sealing technique: Sealing Technique: Sage Removal Suction," Monk Bunpuku declared, his expression suddenly turning serious.
He extended his hands, revealing two characters etched into the centers of his palms: "Accept" (受) and "Heart" (心).
Sōmi showed no surprise at this sight. He simply sat cross-legged outside the fence, calmly passing paper and brush to Monk Bunpuku.
Time passed quietly as the sun gradually dipped toward the horizon. Before long, twilight descended unnoticed.
The golden-red glow of the setting sun spilled into the fenced area. Monk Bunpuku squinted as he watched Sōmi's figure grow smaller in the distance, his shadow stretching long across the ground.
"Hey, old monk! Who would've thought Sunagakure had such a genius among its ranks..."
A deep, resonant voice suddenly echoed from the depths of Monk Bunpuku's mind.
Yet Monk Bunpuku showed no surprise. He clasped his hands together and focused his thoughts inward.
Drip...
In an instant, Monk Bunpuku's figure appeared in a pitch-black space. He sat cross-legged on a gently rippling water surface, surrounded by a ring of golden spikes protruding slightly from the water.
Behind him loomed a massive creature. It resembled a tanuki with earthy yellow fur, but its ears and large body were marked with numerous purple patterns, exuding a sinister aura.
The beast stood upright on the water, its two massive claws clenched into fists and resting in front of its body.
"At least that brat shows you respect. Unlike those guards, who've long forgotten your name!" the beast bellowed in a sharp voice.
"A name is just a label. Besides, you still know my name, don't you?" Monk Bunpuku replied calmly, his back to the beast.
"As a monk, you were born with no choice but to be imprisoned here with me, a beast that despises humanity. Don't you feel even a shred of resentment?" the beast asked, its emotions flaring.
Monk Bunpuku remained unmoved. In a gentle tone, he replied, "If we were separated, I would die. After all, I am a Jinchūriki..."
"Really, there's no need to draw such a distinction between humans and beasts. As long as one has a true friend, the heart can find peace..."
The beast's yellow eyes stared intently at Monk Bunpuku. Gradually, its agitation subsided. After a moment of silence, it spoke again. "You're a strange monk. People like you probably won't exist in the future..."
"No, they will. The human heart is like a reflection on water—often insincere and wavering. But at its core, it longs for acceptance and recognition. You're no different..."
"Because your wisdom is no less than that of any human," Monk Bunpuku said calmly.
"At the very least, that young Sōmi will undoubtedly surpass me one day!" Monk Bunpuku paused, and a smile naturally appeared on his face as he mentioned Sōmi.
"Sōmi... Is that why you're teaching him sealing techniques?" The beast narrowed its eyes.
"Yes. I may not be able to accompany you much longer..." Monk Bunpuku's gaze grew distant, as if he were looking into the future. There was no fear or worry in his eyes—only a sense of relief, as though he were finally releasing a burden that had weighed on him for many years.
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