Time slips away like a white steed galloping through a chasm, fifty years passing in the blink of an eye, as if in a single flick of the wrist.
For demons wandering the world, fifty years is but a fleeting moment in their endless river of life, a mere ripple in the vast, boundless sea.
Yet for frail, ephemeral humans, it may encompass half a lifetime's journey.
When Yoriichi once again set foot in the mountain forest where he had lived with Uta, memories of the past surged like a tidal wave.
He walked with faltering steps, slowly approaching Tanjuro's home.
When his gaze fell upon that familiar figure, he froze slightly.
Before him stood his old friend, separated by decades.
Though time had mercilessly etched deep and shallow marks on them both, Tanjuro, with the indelible bond in his heart, recognized his long-lost friend at a glance.
"Master Yoriichi!" Tanjuro's voice trembled with excitement, his eyes shimmering with joy and emotion.
Yoriichi's face had been ravaged by time, unrecognizable from his youth.
Once impervious to any demon's blade, he now succumbed to the relentless flood of years.
His face was crisscrossed with countless wrinkles, each crease whispering tales of past hardships. Time's cruel baptism had withered his once-tall, robust frame to a frail husk, as if a gentle breeze could topple him.
Tanjuro warmly ushered Yoriichi into the house, where Yoriichi met two young children—Tanjuro's grandsons. His children had married and started families years ago, and now he and Kie were grandparents.
Gazing at Tanjuro, surrounded by family, a seeming victor of life, Yoriichi voiced the question that had long weighed on his heart: "In these years, has Ren come by?"
The once-lively Tanjuro and Kie fell silent at Yoriichi's words.
After a moment's pause, Tanjuro slowly shook his head, answering softly, "…No, Ren and Chitoshi never came."
Though decades had quietly slipped by, the memories of Ren and Chitoshi remained etched in Tanjuro's heart.
Those few months spent together shone like brilliant stars embedded in his youthful days, unforgettable.
Despite the passage of time and the changes it wrought, those cherished, precious memories remained deeply imprinted in Tanjuro and Kie's hearts, a treasured part of their lives they could never shake.
Tanjuro spoke slowly: "I visited the place Ren mentioned in his letters, where he and Chitoshi lived, countless times. But I found no trace of them. I thought they'd long since moved away. But one day, I overheard the adults there scaring their disobedient children, saying that if they misbehaved, a monster would come at night to snatch them away.
Later, I inquired and learned they spoke of a monster from a rumor fifty years old. Master Yoriichi, do you know what that rumor was about?"
Yoriichi fell silent, his head bowed, wordless.
Tanjuro looked into Yoriichi's eyes: "The rumor said there were once two brothers in that town. One day, the younger was brutally killed. Devastated, the elder lost his mind, slaughtering several soldiers in the streets before charging into the forest. Afterward, people in the town began vanishing at night, so now they dare not venture out after dark…
Master Yoriichi, in these fifty years, I've received no word from Ren or Chitoshi. I know you're no ordinary man, that you understand more than we do. But now, I only want to hear it from your lips: are the ones they speak of truly Ren and Chitoshi?"
Tanjuro's eyes reddened, his fists clenched so tightly his nails dug into his flesh. Seeing her husband's agitation, Kie stepped forward, grasping his hand. She looked at Yoriichi and said, "Master Yoriichi, we've searched for Ren and Chitoshi for decades. Please, have pity on us and tell us.
Are those two children still alive?"
Some people, even after decades together, can turn and forget you without a second thought. But others, with just a month's companionship, can leave an imprint that lasts a lifetime.
Tanjuro and Kie were clearly the latter.
Their hearts were pure, always brimming with kindness toward all.
Recalling their youth, that brief month left an indelible mark on their lives.
In that time, Ren and Chitoshi entered their world, becoming their closest family.
Though they parted ways, scattered across the land, their deep bond never broke.
They stayed connected through letters and messages, sharing care and greetings.
But fate was cruel. When Tanjuro and Kie, after years of toil, finally gathered enough wealth and means to visit those two who tugged at their hearts, they found an empty town. Their inquiries uncovered only that terrifying rumor.
Yoriichi slowly raised his head, his clouded eyes devoid of emotion: "It's true. Chitoshi is dead."
His words shattered the last hope in Tanjuro and Kie's hearts.
Tanjuro's face went blank. After a long moment, he buried his face in his hands, sobbing uncontrollably.
Kie embraced her husband, burying her head in his shoulder, choking back tears.
No one knew what Tanjuro and Kie felt upon hearing that rumor.
No one knew how desperately they had hoped Yoriichi would say it wasn't Ren and Chitoshi.
But the truth cut through Tanjuro's heart like countless blades.
Ren and Chitoshi… what had those two endured back then?!
The thought of Ren's madness after his brother's death alone conveyed his heartbreak to Tanjuro.
Tanjuro's lips trembled, his voice quivering as his body shook uncontrollably. In a near-pleading tone, he asked Yoriichi, "Master Yoriichi, is Ren alright… Do you know where he is…?"
His gaze held both hope and fear, like a desperate gambler staking everything on one final bet.
Yet, faced with the possible answer, he suddenly found himself lacking the courage to uncover the truth, dreading a result that would plunge him into utter despair.