A campfire, a teapot, a rocking chair.

After the drizzle, the sky seems to have been washed in general, the clarity is amazing, savor, but there is really a bit of empty mountains after the new rain.

The old man sat on the rocking chair, not shying away from the mud stains on his clothes, holding a teapot in his hand, nodding his head from time to time, responding to Jianya's words.

On the other hand, while enthusiastically telling what he saw and heard in Gensokyo, he also enthusiastically poured wine for the old man.

The respect in his eyes is not miserable and fake, it is all from the heart.

Kenya told him about his life in just half a month, and all he had experienced.

From the Magic Forest, where he opened his eyes and saw many youkai, to his temporary residence at Marisa's house.

From the first time he came to the world to look for work at the barnyard family, to being welcomed by everyone in the world.

From his report that he distorted the facts because of the Shotmaru Bun, all the way to getting to know the rumored gods.

Only when he said that when he was collecting medicine with Lingxian and Emperor Inaba, he encountered an attack by a green-shirted monster, and he frowned.

However, Kenya didn't notice this, he just immersed himself in these memories, sharing his life with the old man.

"Old man, then you say, am I doing the right thing?"

Talking about some of the reckless actions of the head of the Tengu, the Heavenly Demon Great Monster, in the Monster Mountain, Kenya asked softly.

"Ask it!"

Without answering his question directly, the old man slowly stretched out his finger and pointed to Kenya's side.

Kenya's gaze drifted away from the old man's direction.

The old man pointed to the blue robe that looked young after the rain.

Except for the robe, there was nothing beside him, and he was not stained with dust.

But Kenya knew that there should have been a long sword there.

It was a long sword that had been with Kenya since the birth of consciousness.

It was a plain and unremarkable long sword, which was not half special in appearance.

It was a sword that 1,300 years ago would have shone in the hands of one person.

However, it was not with him at this time.

Because he's not him.

So the sword will not choose him.

So Jian Ya pressed his right hand on his belt and shook his head at the old man.

Then the old man put down the wine glass that had just been filled, and sighed while holding the teapot.

"So you're satisfied?"

Satisfied with what?

Satisfied with your life experience in Gensokyo?

Satisfied with Kendo cultivation in Gensokyo?

Meet the family and friends you got in Gensokyo?

Satisfy the feeling of swinging a sword in Gensokyo?

At this time, in this place, the questions raised by this character will naturally not be so vulgar.

Kenya knew that he was asking about his fate.

From the time he stepped up the mountain, he found out. Every time a lotus flower blooms barefoot on the stone steps, a trace of breath will float from his body, floating to the sky, where he can't reach it.

In other words, to use the word drifting, it is not deep enough.

It's not the feeling of being deprived of something, it's something that was originally blocked...... Bloom again, and revert to the way things were.

While he inherited the memories of that one 1,300 years ago, Yamagina was also absorbing the memories from him.

If it weren't for the appearance of the old man, maybe Kenya would have been lost in the huge sea of blood like this, unable to extricate himself.

In the end, the opportunity to wake up was lost forever.

"But how do you ......?"

Laughing at himself slightly, even if the old man interrupted the process, he couldn't stop the ritual.

Now it's just a matter of stalling for time and running away without a fight...... This option didn't exist in the first place.

When the fog on the top of the mountain completely clears, Kenya will have to face the green-shirted swordsman who has been facing tens of thousands of demons alone 1,300 years ago.

And at that time, he didn't have the Budu Imperial Soul Sword in his hand.

Even swordsmanship will be deprived.

On the other hand, he only grasped the fragmentary memories of the other party in front of the sea of blood.

In the worst-case scenario, perhaps even Yakumo Purple will have to face herself.

Get out...... It's death.

Remain...... Also dead.

Further...... It's dead.

Take a step back...... Also dead.

This ritual was not intended to allow the two of them to coexist from the beginning.

How should he be in that case?

The old man, who had taken all these actions and thoughts into his eyes, shook his head slightly, and his fingers still did not hang down.

It's just from the side of Kenya's body, and it turns to Kenya's chest.

"Ask for your sword"

Ask the sword?

Where did the sword come from?

At this time, not to mention Jian Ya's side, there was not even a single piece of iron on the top of the entire mountain, let alone a sword.

But Kenya didn't ask any more about it.

He put down the flask in his hand and closed his eyes in contemplation.

He really did what the old man said...... Went to ask for the sword.

The old man saw all this, and a smile of great appreciation appeared on his old but energetic face.

But it was fleeting, disappeared, and changed its face in an instant, as before, continuing to hold the teapot indifferently, looking at the fog on the horizon.

He counted the time in his heart, watching the fog on the horizon fade more and more, fading to the fog that originally covered the top of the mountain, and now he could only linger on the carved stone tablet at the foot of the mountain.

The old man closed his eyes and sighed silently again.

Time...... Not much.

…………

…………

Naturally, there is no sword at this time.

Without a sword, it is even more impossible to ask for a sword.

But he knew that he was the sword spirit of one of the strongest divine swords in this heaven and earth

In other words, he is a sword in his own right.

He is the Budu Imperial Soul Sword.

So ask the sword...... It is also about asking himself and his heart.

Ask yourself what?

Ask myself what to do? Ask myself what to do.

No, neither.

None of those are asking for swords.

At this time, he had no sword in his hand, no sword beside him, and no sword around him.

Holding his sword in the other party's hand and knowing all his swordsmanship and swordsmanship, this is completely at a disadvantage.

He wasn't afraid. No fear, no sadness, no self-pity, not even much thought.

At this time, what filled his heart, which filled his entire heart, had only one feeling from beginning to end.

This feeling has appeared on Youkai Mountain, in the face of Kurama Tengu, in the face of the Heavenly Demon, and even in Eternity-tei, when he went crazy.

It was joy, joy, pleasure, joy, excitement and belligerence.

These emotions were intertwined and filled his mind.

There is no sorrow or fear.

At this time, he was very calm, very calm, and the feeling in his heart was far deeper than when Forever Pavilion was crazy.

He got to know himself thoroughly.

Face an enemy who knows everything about you, an enemy who is far more powerful than you, an enemy who threatens your life.

It's about facing an enemy who is a good swordsman.

And how?

There's only one answer.

That's what he's been doing since he came to Gensokyo.

That's ......

……

……

When the old man opened his lowered eyes again, he saw a pair of resolute and high-spirited figures.

"Kenshin is clear!"

"Good, good!"

At this moment, the old man stood up from the recliner, and he no longer looked lazy before.

He stood up and took a step forward.

The old man and Jian Ya were obviously only more than three steps apart, but at this moment, he had the illusion that heaven and man were forever separated.

The figure with white hair stood calmly on the high platform.

The old man stood quietly a foot away from Jian Ya, looking at Jian Ya squarely, without any nonsense.

"With one method of conscience, you have entered the Tao. 」

"It's only half a step away from sword intent...... After this battle, if you can live, your swordsmanship will definitely be able to enter a higher realm. 」

"It is not impossible to even stay away from the five decays of heaven and man, and reach the extreme of immortality—it is not impossible to jump out of the Three Realms and not be in the Five Elements. 」

Jian Ya listened quietly to the old man's words, his eyes were unmoved, and he maintained an indifferent expression from beginning to end in the face of possible immortality in the future.

The previous sea of blood, dreams, no matter how intense and thrilling. He couldn't add it once.

However, he knew that the next question would determine everything he would do in the future.

"So. 」

"Kendo ...... way"

"Can you hold it?"

As if some kind of ritual, at the beginning, it was still the old man's indifferent tone, and by the last word, the voice gradually became passionate and spread far away.

"No fear, no hesitation, no disobedience, no cowardice, no indomitable progress, no advance or retreat!"

"Can you hold it?"

At some point, the whole mountain began to shake violently, and the roar filled the whole sky.

The sky, lightning and thunder.

Whether it is the dirt and sand on the ground, or the clouds, mist and water vapor, they are all condensed and turned into swords all over the mountains!

Countless swords, surrendered like pilgrims, and the whole mountain range filled with the sound of swords.

"I am the only sword, and there is nothing else besides the sword. 」

"Can you hold it?"

One word at a time, every word is sharp, and it is loud and sound, and Wanjian wants to make peace.

In a trance, Jian Ya was in the middle of the green gorge 1,300 years ago, facing the tide of the sea of blood.

As long as he nods, as long as he agrees, as long as he can hold it.

You can get the power that is as powerful as the blue-shirted swordsman, and the best in the world.

But he shook his head gently, without the slightest regret.

The old man was not half puzzled by this behavior of Jian Ya, and there was expectation, sentimentality, relief, and indescribable complexity in his eyes staring at Jian Ya.

But there was no anger.

Because this road is the path of the sword immortal, the road of the sword god, the road of seeking the way of immortality, getting rid of all the sufferings in the world, being happy with grievances, and crisscrossing the world.

But not the way of a swordsman.

Because it is not the way of a swordsman, the old man cannot teach him.

Because he knows that if it is not a swordsman's sword, it will not be a sword.

It was indeed a gold-paved road that was flat all the way to the top of the mountain.

But not the way of the sword, because that is not for him.

So the appreciation and reluctance in the old man's eyes became stronger and stronger......

In the end, this reluctance was also cut off, he closed his eyes to hide his tears, and asked the last question.

"What is a sword?"

The old man didn't open his eyes.

Because Jian Ya had already taken a step and came to a foot in front of the old man.

When he opens his eyes, tears are seen.

So Kenya closed his eyes.

He was more reluctant to let the old man see his tears than he would see his tears.

He held back the sentimentality in his heart and devoted all his mind to the question.

In my mind, I imagined the water droplets falling, and I calmed my heart with the ripples spreading on the surface of the water as a medium.

When Kenya opened his eyes again, he didn't live up to his previous sentimental attitude.

He stood proudly on the mountain peak, letting the cold wind of the mountain wind disturb his clothes.

His face was bright, he held the wine jug in his hand, and raised his head to drink another pot of elixir and jade liquid.

He turned his back to the old man, looked at the retreating mist at the foot of the mountain, and replied in a low voice.

"When I first learned about swords in the Forest of Magic, I didn't know anything about swords by instinct. 」

"In the human world, I swung my sword according to other people's ideas, and then I learned about swords. 」

"During the Monster Mountain trip, I learned to communicate with swords, and I learned about the changes in swordsmanship. 」

"The madness of the Eternal Pavilion made me understand the weight of wielding a sword and the responsibility of my life. 」

"But even so...... I can't say that I know the sword thoroughly. 」

Then he bowed respectfully to the old man.

"Old man, this may be the last time I'll call you old man. 」

"I know your kindness...... But I really can't run away from it. 」

"Maybe I can stay in exchange for a thousand years of life, but that's not my character. 」

"That kind of swordsman might be able to achieve even more. 」

"But not the swordsman I aspire to. 」

"It's not that I don't know how to endure humiliation...... It's just that I can't escape these hardships. Or maybe I'm enjoying the process. 」

"Thirteen hundred years ago, he might have been able to do better and more sane than I was...... But I'm not him, Kenya and Yakuya are two completely different people. 」

"What is a sword?"

"A foot of edge in my hand is the sword of my life."

"My swordsmanship, my kendo, my body, my body are all part of the sword. 」

"But I'm not a sword. 」

"A foot of edge in my hand...... It's the sword. 」

"Not because of him. 」

"Just because I'm a swordsman. 」

"A swordsman with a sword in his hand. 」