It has been many years since he had left Tougenkyo for the western lands for his... hmm, research tour. Well, he did end up touring all around Tougenkyo as well and gathered quite a number of information. Yet at times, he couldn't help becoming curious. On what's become of that little 'sun' Koumyou used to gush about.
The last time he checked on the boy, the boy had seemed so lost. As if completely engulfed in darkness. But he supposed it made sense. Because he was also like that too, back when he first received his formal title. Though he was not sure if he was feeling remorseful for killing his master... or the fact he still end up feeling empty after acquiring the much-coveted title of Sanzo and the Muten scripture.
Like him, that boy had received his Sanzo title after Koumyou's death. Like him, that boy ended up being the youngest Sanzo ever being appointed. If ever he should want to find a kindred spirit, it's probably going to be that boy.
"I like him. That kid had some spirit."
"I think so too. That child reminds me so much of a certain someone when he was a lot younger..."
"Oh really? I wonder who could that be?"
He heard that the boy had managed to escape his demon hunters all by himself, these few years. He should call it impressive, considering how young that boy was when Koumyou died. Though he did hear some unfortunate tales. How Kinzan temple had burned and fallen after the second attack by the demons.
He also managed to find out other more recent news about the young man. Apparently, the young man got himself to Keiun temple, one of the most prominent temples in Chang'an. And one of Koumyou's old instructors, Jikaku, was an abbot at the temple. He heard that there was an incident not long ago—the demon pursuers had tracked the young man to the temple, which resulted in Abbot Jikaku passing away. That young man, Genjo Sanzo in turn had chosen to take over the abbot's place in the temple.
He was curious as to what happened to that young man now. Back then he was ordered to serve at Zen'ou monastery in place of the late Goudai Sanzo, but it didn't take long for him to get bored with it and left.
xxx
"Sanzo! Wait up!"
A small cheery boy ran down the stairs leading down from the temple before jumping on the shoulders of a young golden-haired priest who had paused to wait for the boy. The young priest made an annoyed face at that boy, yet the young priest's eyes had a very gentle look on that small boy. It could also be noted that there was light in those beautiful pair of violet eyes.
"What are you so excited about? We're not going out to play! Wait a second—" the young priest firmly dragged the boy in front of him and turned the boy around. The young priest then pulled on the loose ribbon tying the small boy's long brown hair before retying the hair neatly.
The young priest nodded in satisfaction once he was done. "That's better. Goku, you better behave from now on and listen to everything I told you to do."
The small boy called Goku smiled widely at the young Sanzo priest. "Unn! Then after that, can we go get some meat buns?"
A peal of melodic laughter suddenly burst out from the young priest as 'Sanzo' placed a hand over the small boy's head.
"You silly monkey, we barely even set off and already you're thinking about food..."
.
Ukoku frowned. This wasn't what he had expected to see. He didn't expect to see Koumyou's boy—heck, even that small monkey trailing along with the young man—to be shining so blindingly bright. What happened during these few years to have changed that young man so much?
.
So he went to ask around. Apparently, a year ago that Genjo boy had gone out to a certain mountainous region to look for something. As that young man has heard of a voice, calling for the young man. Not long after, Priest Genjo Sanzo returned to Keiun with the young boy named Goku.
Regarding that also, that Goku seemed to be no ordinary person. One night, the other monks discovered the boy hiding in one of the temple's storerooms. When the monks tried to take the boy away, the golden diadem the boy was wearing shattered... revealing the fact that the boy was actually a supernatural being. But before anything bad could've happened, Genjo Sanzo had returned to restore the power limiter on that boy's head.
Was the reason Genjo Sanzo was able to shine so brightly... due to the presence of that Goku boy? Why was that?
And why was it, like Koumyou, that Genjo Sanzo also had the same ability to be able to hear the voices in people's hearts? How could THAT be possible?
How could someone who had tasted the same darkness as he did, could shine so brightly afterwards?
xxx
Sanzo paused in his steps... before turning around to look behind him. Goku also stopped walking as he turned around to run back to his guardian.
"Is something wrong, Sanzo?" asked the boy.
Sanzo frowned before shaking his head afterwards.
"It's nothing. I just had a weird feeling for some reason," he said before resuming his journey.
Goku stepped in line with the young man as he grabbed Sanzo's arm.
"Ne, Sanzo... why are we going after this Cho Gonou guy?"
Sanzo groaned loudly. "Aah! How many times do I have to tell you about it?"