"Isn't it a little too early to live in seclusion in a place like this? Although you look very haggard, you are actually not yet sixty years old, right?"
Facing the swordsman's inquiry, the old man showed an expression of relief.
But this relief seems to be mixed with a trace of dissatisfaction.
"Too slow! Too slow! My fate has finally come - why so slow!"
"It's very scary, but as long as I can catch up, that's fine."
Faced with the old man's impatience, the swordsman just smiled.
"What happened to you? I'm almost dead! Now the image of my mother is starting to flash through my mind."
Obviously, the old man did not accept this trick.
"Do you actually recall your mother-in-law? I didn't expect that the legendary Shinbun Musashi was also such a gentle person."
The swordsman was a little surprised.
"...If you say such things, you will be punished."
The old man was silent for a moment, and then said viciously.
"In short - you are finally here. My fate is that I have been waiting for you... What I didn't expect is that I am actually here to wait for you."
"But... my regret seems to be irresolvable."
Shinmon Musashi tried his best to stand up, but he couldn't even move his body a little bit.
"Look, my hands can no longer swing the sword in my hand."
Both hands are indeed holding swords.
But I can no longer swing it.
This is the case for the old man.
"Sorry, sorry sorry."
"Forgive me, forgive me..."
The old man's tone was filled with helplessness and sadness, as well as countless sighs.
"Why are you sorry? Just raise your head, old man."
The swordsman said so.
"You really chose a good place to live in seclusion. It seems to be isolated from all the trivial things in the outside world. If I also wanted to spend my old age in peace, I would probably choose such an ancestral hall, at least...
It’s really quiet.”
"No noise from the market."
"Only time is passing by with the flow of water."
"It seems that you have reached a different realm from what I have obtained below."
Saying——
The swordsman's gaze returned to the old man again.
Faced with these words, it was unclear whether it was a joke or a sincere statement, the old man used his little strength to burst into laughter.
"Haha - hahahaha! I thought you were going to say something, but I didn't expect you were just commenting on the place where I live."
"You really can't even say a compliment, that's my fate."
Faced with the swordsman's comments, the old man just smiled.
"This place is quiet and elegant. That's no problem. Because... this is a tomb."
"This is the grave of this living man who died."
"Iori - has grown up, and has become famous along with Minoki. Now he seems to have become an elder of some kind...I am already dying."
The old man's eyes seemed to be focused on the "destiny" in front of him, which was the swordsman.
"I've been waiting for you."
"The man who is my destiny——is really a beautiful swordsman."
"It's like - the cool breeze has transformed into a human form. Even if you wave your long sword, it will probably be just as beautiful."
"How could you say something beautiful..."
The swordsman shook his head, not knowing exactly what his attitude was towards the old man's words.
"Unlike me, you are really capable of such flattery. I am just a madman who keeps waving the sword in his hands in the inaccessible mountains and fields. Although he is indeed a swordsman, he is really
He cannot live up to the so-called reputation of a swordsman."
"Swordsman...?"
After thinking about this title, the old man sighed.
"There are people who call me this...well, indeed, there are not none, but...hehehe..."
The old man let out two hoarse laughs, as if he was mocking something.
"How can you call it a 'holy'? It's too exaggerated. It's just a person, just an old man."
Faced with the old man's seemingly belittling words, the swordsman just shook his head gently.
"The term swordsman is perfect for you."
"If even Shinmun Musashi, who created countless legends, is not worthy of the term 'swordsman,' then perhaps no one can be worthy of this title."
"New Musashi, Miyamoto Musashi."
"As long as you are practicing swordsmanship, everyone will look up to this name, and there are not a few children who aim to become someone like you."
"Old man, you are such a legend."
The atmosphere was stagnant for a moment.
The old man looked at the top of the cave and sighed.
"legend."
"...a legend?"
He could only smile.
"I'm just an old man. He acted recklessly when he was young. He originally planned to act wiser when he gets older... Well, in the end, this is all that can be done."
"This is what you see of me. He is just a lonely old man who is about to die."
"But... having said that."
The conversation changed.
"Even if there are only one or two, there are always people who are willing to lend a helping hand to me in times like this."
"For example - old monks who like to preach, and some brats and girls who like to pester me."
"...This is why I can still live in this place."
He sighed, his voice dull.
"So, people...can't survive relying on just one person."
"——In the end, when I finally realized what had happened, there was only one person left."
"The result...that's what happened."
"A boring old man, a boring whiner."
After saying that, he closed his eyes and seemed to not want to speak anymore.
"...No, I think there is something wrong with what you said."
The swordsman thought for a moment and then spoke.
The old man reopened his somewhat cloudy eyes.
"As you said yourself, you... raised Miyamoto Iori-dono, right? In this case, the Niten First Class will still exist in the world, even if you are already alone in Lingyan Cave, named
The people of Musashi also left traces in the world, and...this trace will continue to expand after your death."
"I don't have such a precious thing."
"The only thing I have is this body and this skill. Once it dies, it will all turn into nothing."