"Hey, Koumyou. Will you kill me?"

"No thank you. It's too troublesome."

xxx

Ken'yuu stood up, as his other fellow disciples hurried over to take care of his former master's dead body. He turned towards Koumyou.

"Hey Koumyou," spoke the lad casually again. "Am I a Sanzo now?" he asked as the other man remained silent.

"That... I'll need to consult the higher authority before making that decision."

Ken'yuu frowned at him. "Why? I defeated him fair and square! Did it take long for you to be officiated as the 30th Toa Sanzo priest?"

Koumyou turned his face towards Ken'yuu as his eyes followed the other disciples' progress in taking care of the remains of his old friend. He turned his attention back to Ken'yuu, as every last hint of friendliness disappeared from his features.

"Yes, usually the ascension of a new Sanzo priest was done pretty quick. But Ken'yuu, in your case it's a little different." The man shrugged. "Yes, as you said, you've defeated your master fair and square. Thus, as per Goudai's words prior, whoever defeated him has earned the right to inherit the Muten scripture as well as to receive a houmyo of your own to become the next Sanzo priests."

Koumyou cocked his head at the young man.

"But Ken'yuu-kun, despite your achievement... there was still one last thing missing from you."

Ken'yuu cried out in anger as Koumyou gave him an unreadable smile.

"You still... hadn't received your chakra. The proof that you are a Sanzo priest. Because of that, I wanted to consult with the ones in charge."

Koumyou gave him one of those fleeting smiles again. Those smiles that he couldn't quite read its intention.

"But don't worry. I've already thought up an appropriate houmyo for you."

xxx

"Hey, Koumyou... how much longer do we wait?"

Koumyou let out a soft sigh as he acknowledged the young man barely. "Be patient. It's barely a few days since Goudai's funeral has been completed. It'll take time for the rest of the important matters to be resolved."

Ken'yuu gave the man a cynical look. "Are you sure? Or is it you're trying to delay the process to make me a Sanzo?"

Immediately Koumyou laughed out loud. "As if!" The older man turned around to address him directly. "Let me tell you that I'm the one most eager to see this being resolved more than you."

Koumyou sighed again. "I've been away from Kinzan temple for quite some time already. I'm worried about how my little Kouryuu was doing, was he getting along fine with the other monks? Has he been eating well? Has he been keeping up with his studies? Had he been sneaking off to play with some cats even though he knew that he shouldn't? Hohoho, my dear Kouryuu..."

The man spared a glance at Ken'yuu, as if the young man was at fault in all this matter. "But one does not demand to be in the audience of the Sanbutsushin, the Sanbutsushin were the ones to summon you in their presence."

"If it's all up to me, we will already be marching to Shayouden right now to settle this!"

Ken'yuu just shook his head. "Yeah, yeah... you're such a doting father."

.

Ken'yuu glanced back up at Koumyou. "Hey... how did you end up with that Kouryuu of yours?"

The man looked down at Ken'yuu as Koumyou shrugged.

"I found the poor child floating in a basket in the Yangtze river," Koumyou smiled wistfully. "I heard a voice in my mind. The voice was calling for my help. I followed that voice towards the river as I found the child just about to topple off into the river."

Koumyou smiled widely. "Then I rushed over into the river and took the child out of the water before it could drown. Kouryuu was such a beautiful baby." By this point, Koumyou was already lost to nostalgia.

"That adorable golden tuft of hair and mesmerising violet eyes—" said the man to himself dreamily.

Ken'yuu just sighed as he berated himself. It was his fault to want to open the 'Pandora box'. He stared at the idiot who was now endlessly listing out the charming points of his adopted child.

"Koumyou..." he muttered softly to himself.

If it's you, would you be able to hear my voice?

He frowned, as it seemed as if Koumyou hadn't noticed anything from him.

Why wouldn't you hear my voice?