At night, the Taklamakan dessert was at its coldest. As its name implies, you'd better not get in as you can never get out. Bones of animals that were lost by wandering in can be seen from faraway. There's this kind of magic that the desert has, it blocks your direction sense and make the wanderers lost their way forever in this desert. Let's say the moving sand dunes as one of its magic. Nevertheless, two bodies of human can be seen traveling through this magical desert. And surprisingly, although it's wise to keep quiet when travelling through these harsh conditions to converse energy, it wasn't that case with these two.
"Hey Akira, have a rematch with me!"
"NO! I refuse, You just go back home!"
The scene repeated itself numerous times since Akira left the Mibu's and Tokito pursued him. Akira himself has been tired because of this, physically and mentally, he felt his throat became drier and drier since he entered the desert. They both know the difference in their strength since their last battle, so it's very surprising for Akira that this little girl persists on having a rematch.
When he first went on his Journey to see the world and seek strength, and that Tokito girl pursued him and always asked for a rematch, he ignored them and thought she won't persist for this long. He first thought about it and become tired after they crossed the sea and set their foot at Shanghai, nevertheless, she continued to chase after him.
It's tiring him. He had to look after Tokito, he shared his meals, he guarded her when she slept, he also had to teach her how hard it is to live in the outside world. He can't recount how many headaches he had because Tokito picked fights randomly which he had to step in and stop the fight or how many hard he had to work because Tokito broke items and even buildings.
Thank god Tokito also had her usefulness in fortune telling that had been their main income since then. It's also tiring him mentally. He had to endure the stares and gossiping of people around him whenever they go through places with people. Being blind greatly enhanced the damage. He didn't imagine that enduring social punishment was more harsh than the battles he went through. He and Tokito also can't go rampage as they like. But…but…it's like a thing to him. Just like when he as chasing the back of Kyo, he reminisced the past, the stupidity, the hard head and the struggling of him to keep chasing after Kyo's back to become strong and worthy of him.
"Was this also what Kyo felt back then? Was I like that in the past?"
So, although it tired him mentally and physically, somehow he smiled (which of course he hid from Tokito, who was only given his usual face) whenever all has been said and done. Although he can't say and show it, he has grown attached to Tokito.