The discussion between Tōkichiro and his team was not over yet.

　I decided to go up the mountain in the center of the island to take a look at Miroku-ryu.


　I heard that the headquarters of Miroku-ryu is located near the top of the mountain.

　I equipped the sword and Wakizashi I borrowed from Masamune and walked the mountain path.


　Along the way, a demon appeared. That's right. This is also Mevion's field, and demons appear as a matter of course.

　The demons that appear include the "Yasha Lizard" and the "Mushagorem". They aren't very strong, so I reap them all.


　Then I suddenly realized.

　Wasn't there a boss-like demon native to Hinode Island at the top of the mountain?

　I didn't come to the island much when I was working, so I have a vague recollection of it. I think it was a demon with a name like "Shura" or something like that: ...... No, I can't remember.

　That's okay. I'll remember it when I see it. First, we'll do Miroku. After that, we'll go to the top of the mountain to refresh ourselves.



"Oops. ......?

　After a while, we climbed up for a while and found ourselves in a place we had never seen before at all.

　There was never going to be a place like this in Mevion. I can assure you that. Because ......


"...... graveyard.


　What suddenly appeared on the mountain path was a large graveyard.

　Such a large graveyard, once you see it, you won't forget it. In other words, it's a place unique to this world.

　It must have something to do with the reason why this island has become so wacky and why Hinodejima is now known as Tohachi no Kuni. That's what I'm guessing.


Oh ......

　As I was looking around, I discovered something.

"Zero Ring, Here I Sleep.

　The headstone inscribed with that.

　There is no doubt that it is the grave ...... of Leikan, namely 0k4NN.

　It is clearly more magnificent than other graves. It's probably because it's the grave of the founder of Hiruko-ryu.

　I'm not sure, but if you ask the person who built this graveyard, you'll get the idea.



It's right over there.

　After passing the graveyard, we saw a large Japanese house on the bank of a stream.

　It was probably a Maitreya-style house.


　The front door is open for some reason. It's as if it's inviting me in.

　Okay, that's what I want. I stepped in without hesitation.


............ Oh?

　It was quiet in the house. And it was quite cold. It was very uninhabitable.

　We followed the corridor, but we didn't find anything.

　We continue down the corridor for the next few minutes, but we don't find anything. But the corridor goes on and on. What a house.


"Ah.

　Just as I was beginning to think about going home, I discovered an unusual door at the far end.

　No, it's not a door. It's a fusuma (sliding door) with two doors.


　I wondered if there was a lord in the back.　So I thought, and boom!　And open up.

　No one is there. It's just a very large room with the smell of tatami.


　And there's another sliding door behind it. I opened it too, but it was just another room that looked like this one.

　The next, and the next, and the next, and the next, there was just a room with tatami mats. But ......


............


　Probably for the last time. For some reason, I hesitated to open the sliding door, as I had a hunch that it would be the last time.

　For some reason, I hesitated to open the sliding door, because I felt that someone was behind it.


　I don't know why I noticed it, but I did.


　...... My intuition was right.




I'm not going to be able to say that I'm not going to be able to do anything about it. How do you see it?



　It was a young man's voice.

　It was like he was asking me a question over a sliding door.


　If I had to answer honestly, I'd say "I don't know what you're talking about," but I might get licked for that. So I came up with a response that sounded like it, and said, "Have fun.


'Have fun.'

Delightful. True, funny.


　He's laughing behind the sliding doors. He's a funny guy.


'Can I ask you a question?'
Be done.

　Offensive and defensive, now it's my turn to ask a question.

　The mystery man replied pleasantly. Well, then, go ahead.


"What's your relationship with Lakan?

............


　Silence.

　Seconds later, a response comes.



"Friend.



　...... I'm sure of it.

　This guy can do it.
　And it's more than I've ever seen.


We've talked about it a little and learned a lot. Until then, I was just a vessel in the sky, oblivious to the world. But thanks to that mysterious man, I've come to know the world.

How long ago was that?

Well, dozens, maybe hundreds. I'm not so much interested in time as I am in time.

...... you.


　Does that mean he's alive?　...... for hundreds of years?


My name is Miroku. I am Miroku, the incarnation of the Battou that lives in eternity. What does he say?


　I knew it was ......!　The 20th generation, etc., is a lie. This guy has been the same (...) Miroku since the first generation!　It was reasonably strange. Because it was extremely unnatural, considering this meritocratic island, to be deified for generations to come.


'I am the second first test. I'm the best man in the world.


　Return your name. As openly as possible.

　Miroku plainly revealed the truth to me.
　I can kind of understand why.

　He wants to fight, this guy.
　You want to feel the blood boiling and the flesh battling with the sword to the bone.


"Delightful. "Delightful." "Second, that one smells just like Lycan.

Can I ask you one more question?

Be done.

What did you do with Leikan?



　............ I laughed (...).

　Sure, I laughed.


　No sound, but I could tell.

　Behind the sliding door, Miroku laughed.


　And then, in a slow, calming voice--



I ate it.



......!


　A moment later, I took a step forward to open the sliding door.

　Immediately afterwards, while slashing through the sliding door, a sword (.) appeared.



"I didn't expect you to catch this. I wasn't crazy about my instincts.


　.................. dangerous.


　One more misstep and you're dead (・・・・).


　Miroku had accumulated the Flying Car Battoujutsu behind the sliding door and I had accumulated the Flying Car Battoujutsu in front of the sliding door.


　The first move high and low ended in a draw.

　If I had been a little late in preparing, if I had played the Silver General Battoujutsu, I would have lost.


　Surprise attack?　Talk about a fool. It's foolish not to take advantage of the sliding doors, a suitable obstacle. The moment the two of you face each other, the game has already begun.


　As I thought, we can't let our guard down in the slightest.

　Miroku is a lion who also puts all his energy into hunting rabbits.

　...... It's no good. Let's play, don't even think about trying.


　Best thing to do.



Let's start all over again. Let's try this again.

　Behind a sliding door that has been blown apart and blown away.

　In front of me, a man pauses and sheathes his sword.


　There aren't many men for whom the word "beautiful man" fits so well. The long black hair that reaches to the waist is reminiscent of a woman's beauty, and the face is neutral and indisputably beautiful, but you can tell from the thin, toned body and frame that he is a man. He is in his late teens or maybe in his twenties in terms of appearance. He looks quite young.


　But I was wrong.

　I had clearly thought that Miroku was an elf. I can't think of any other race that has a lifespan of several hundred years other than elves. But the Miroku in front of me did not have the pointed ears characteristic of elves.


　...... Hmm, hey wait, chill out. It's not just a few hundred years. If Miroku is the same person from the first generation, wouldn't he be alive for nearly a thousand years?　Elves basically have five times the lifespan of a human. A thousand years would be two hundred years old in human terms. No, no, no, it's clearly Ikisugi.


　It's not an elf.

　So what is ...... this guy?


...... Hey. Hey, .......

　I think I remember something.

　I wonder what it was.

　Yeah, yeah.


"Did you tell him we ate ......?
My Lord. I said so.

　Miroku nodded deeply.

　He ate. That's a funny expression.


　Eat ...... eat .......

　Take in .......


'............'


　[Absorption] ......?