Koumyou frowned as he placed a hand over his foster child's forehead.

"Are you feeling better now, Kouryuu?"

The young boy sipped on the cup of milk, infused with honey and cinnamon. As he watch the boy finish drinking the sweet and calming beverage, he could see the colour start to return to the boy's pale cheeks and skin.

"I'm sorry, Master. I didn't mean to make you worry about me."

Koumyou ran a hand over the boy's hair. "—Father. You know you can always call me that when it's just between the two of us."

The boy glanced up at him, looking troubled. "B-but!"

Koumyou nodded to him encouragingly as the boy lowered his head, cheeks flushing.

"I-I'm sorry... Father," the boy stuttered.

"There, there... it wasn't that hard, isn't it?" Koumyou spoke out gently before smiling. "Just because you've grown older now, it doesn't mean that you're no longer my foster child."

"B-but, the other monks!" cried Kouryuu as Koumyou shook his head at him.

"Do not pay any mind to anything the other monks may say about you. As much as I've raised you since you were still a baby, I have never overindulged you more than you deserved. Any great achievements you have received since living in this temple, you have earned it by your own merit. You shouldn't be ashamed of who you are in this place." Koumyou sighed as he stared at the child's face worriedly. "So what's wrong? You were in good health this morning, so why did you suddenly become ill?"

"I'm sorry... MasI mean, Father." Kouryuu turned his face away from him. "I guess... I was still pretty shaken after meeting your guest this afternoon."

Koumyou frowned. "Ukoku?" He sighed. "So, the two of you have finally met."

Kouryuu cocked his head at his foster father, unsure of the reason the old man was sighing at.

Kouryuu bit his lips before gathering his courage to ask the old man a question.

"Was that person... a Sanzo priest like you?"

Koumyou nodded slowly as he answered, " Yes, he is."

"But the man didn't have a shakra on his forehead!"

Koumyou nodded again. "Yes, that one was a peculiar case. But he is indeed a Sanzo priest, I was there myself when the title was passed to that person."

Kouryuu stared up at him as if trying to recall his memories. "Was it during that time when you've been away for more than a week? A year?" asked the boy as Koumyou looked at him in surprise.

"Yes, it was. I'm surprised that you still remembered it." Koumyou shrugged. "After all, you were still quite young back then."

Kouryuu became quiet after his explanation as Koumyou decide to ask him further.

"What was it?" he asked as Kouryuu shrugged.

"That man felt so uncomfortable to me. The boy who came with him was weird enough, but that personI can't quite describe it, he just felt unnerving to me."

How perceptive. Yet, somehow it wasn't too surprising. He knew that Kouryuu had the ability to sense the darkness inside that man. Though he wished that Kouryuu would never have to cross paths with that man again. Ukoku... was a very dangerous man. No good will come out of associating with someone like that.

"Don't worry about it," said Koumyou as he caressed the child's face. "As long as I'm here, you'll be safe."

Kouryuu nodded slowly to him before leaning his body against his foster father's. Seeing this, Koumyou immediately put on a mischievous grin. "So does this mean that this is my chance to take care of my precious Kouryuu? Come, let me read you a storybook to help you sleep"

"Master!" Kouryuu cried out immediately, sitting back up. "I'm already eleven years old going to be twelve soon, don't treat me like a little kid..."

Koumyou hugged Kouryuu suddenly in response. "Ah, it doesn't matter! No matter how big you've become, you'll always be my child!" Koumyou cheerfully said aloud.

The boy's face started to turn beet red again as Koumyou held the small boy lovingly. He didn't see Kouryuu as such a shy boy, but moments like this made the boy so irresistibly adorable. He wished that he'd be able to always keep this child away from harm.

.

Koumyou's smile started to falter as he thought about Ken'yuu... no, Ukoku Sanzo. Until now he was unsure of the reason why Sanbutsushin had approved the young man to inherit the Muten scripture. Was it because the true inheritor of the scripture was not amongst Goudai's other disciples? Or was it because there weren't other candidates left besides the young man?

Ukoku... and the Muten scripture. Somehow he felt that this arrangement was very bad. That young man has already enough darkness inside his heartHow would inheriting the scripture that governs over nothingness and death do to that person?

.

"Master?"

A small voice pulled him back to the present as he glanced down to see his beloved foster child. Koumyou placed a hand on the boy's head as he gently ruffled the boy's hair.

"There's nothing to be worried about, my dear son."

As long as I'm around, I'll protect you. My dearest rising sun.

xxx

There was a commotion in the courtyard. A large bear had suddenly appeared at the temple's compound, causing alarm to the other monks. In the midst of that, his foster son stepped out to confront the bear and somehow convinced the bear to leave peacefully.

Was it time?

He wondered if his old friend, Tenkai was able to see this outcome from long, long ago. Was it why his friend had entrusted the Maten scripture to him?

Koumyou turned around towards the assistant monk standing behind him.

"Please call Shuuei over. Tell him that I wanted him to bring Kouryuu to see me."

.

Not long after Kouryuu had stepped into his room, a bunch of demons suddenly crashed into the place. Somehow he wondered if this incident had anything to do with the earlier commotion with the large bear. Has that been done to divert the attention of the other monks from this place? What was the intention of these demons to attack him here? To steal the scriptures? Or was it?

Koumyou cast a youjutsu spell around Kouryuu to keep the boy safe.

"Kouryuu," he said gently. "Listen to me carefully. Remember everything that I said after this so that you could use it yourself. Since you're the true inheritor of these two scriptures that I'm protecting."

"Eh? Master... what do you mean?"

Not answering the boy's question, Koumyou took out a scroll from inside his robes and started reciting the mantra to activate the Maten scripture's power and that scripture alone. Then the scripture started to unfurl as Koumyou activated the Makai Tenjo. He managed to incapacitate most of the attacking demons because of that.

Koumyou held out his hand afterwards as the Maten scripture reverted back into a scroll. He gave the scroll to Kouryuu as another group of demons jumped into the scene.

"Master! Release me from this spell! I can help!" cried the boy as Koumyou turned to face the new onslaught of demons.

And despite how he could only see demons in front of him, Koumyou could still sense the presence of a certain darkness beyond the shadows.

"—If you're the moon and I am the night, which one would be swallowed first?"

"How about we have a bet? On the next rising sun."

He took a long breath to steel his resolve. In this short time he had left to speak with his dear foster child, he needed to choose his words properly.

"Kouryuu," he started to say. "Do you know why all Sanzo priests wore their scriptures over their shoulders? That was to show their resolve in carrying that burden onto themselves."

"Eh?" he heard the boy gasp as he continued talking.

"Remember this well. As long as you don't lose sight of yourself, you should be able to accept the weight of that burden."

Koumyou bit his lips as he could sense an attack heading towards them. "Forgive me for being brief but—" Koumyou stepped to the side slightly, as he took the attack meant for his foster child.

"I'll leave the rest to you... Genjo Sanzo. Be strong."