Chapter 46: Heart and Receive, Give and Receive
Screeeech—
The grating sound of metal on metal was a clear sign of how long this gate had remained unopened.
But this sound, heralding a long-overdue visitor, did not distract the Jinchūriki of the One-Tails, a monk whose eyebrows were white with age.
The monk, who had the One-Tails, Shukaku, sealed inside him as a child, had once, through arduous training, successfully mastered its power. But the Suna high command, unable to trust their crude Sealing Jutsu, imprisoned him in this jail, fearing a rampage.
To this day, his name has been forgotten. Even the prison guards simply call him 'Shukaku,' the name of the Tailed Beast.
But even so, the monk felt no resentment for his situation. He simply continued his quiet meditation in this sunless cell. Decades of ascetic training, day and night, had long since calmed his heart to still water. How could the mere arrival of a visitor distract him from his Zen?
Hiiro Rinko, stepping into the prison, was also surprised.
Although he had looked up the Jinchūriki's information beforehand, he had never expected the man to be a monk.
A pure monk.
He could clearly sense the vast Chakra hidden within the old monk's body, but not a single thread of it belonged to the monk himself.
A spiritual power as calm as water, and a life force that was still clear but fading—the old monk's two energies were completely distinct, with no sign of having ever been mixed.
Other than that, there was just Sunagakure's laughable sealing formula.
If the Tailed Beast inside him had any intention of it, that seal wouldn't hold Shukaku for long. Seeing that, it wasn't hard to understand why Suna had imprisoned the Jinchūriki.
However, how could a monk with no Chakra of his own, relying on a seal of this level, keep a Tailed Beast stable for so many years?
The answer was obvious.
"It's... a spiritual 'Binding Vow.'"
No matter which version of the records you consulted, the One-Tails, Shukaku's, personality was supposed to be exceptionally violent. But at this moment, the state of the Chakra Rinko perceived was a perfect match for the old monk's own atmosphere.
Calm, peaceful, and as undisturbed as a pool in a deep cavern.
As a monk, what he had obtained through his meditation was not great power, but a state of tranquil non-attachment. It was precisely this clarity of heart and character—which Shukaku had once praised as being similar to the Sage of Six Paths—that had allowed him to form a friendly relationship with the Tailed Beast.
"Dōmo, Jinchūriki-san. Hiiro Rinko desu."
Influenced by the Zen-like atmosphere filling the cell, Hiiro Rinko pressed his palms together and bowed in greeting to the nameless Jinchūriki.
"Dōmo, Hiiro Rinko-san. Bunpuku desu."
Having been greeted in such a manner, Bunpuku could not just ignore him, even if he was in deep meditation.
He was not called by the Tailed Beast's name, but by his status as Jinchūriki. Therefore, he should respond with his own long-unused name.
Those who do not know the mysterious rites are but commoners, and it is only right they be treated as such. So it is written in the ancient chronicles.
Even if Bunpuku was not a shinobi, he felt he should abide by such etiquette.
"A young man such as yourself, coming to such a place to find this old monk. What is the reason?"
Bunpuku looked up, taking in Rinko's appearance. He studied him for a long time, and a trace of doubt inevitably arose in the old monk's heart, which had long since reached a state of 'clear mirror, still water.'
Although the young man before him looked quite mature and had a calm temperament, his bone age was clearly only eight or nine.
What was the purpose of sending a child to him? Bunpuku was, for a moment, at a loss.
"I'm on a mission, of course. To check the Tailed Beast's seal, and fix it if it's not stable."
Hiiro Rinko raised his hands, and a shimmering, golden, hemispherical barrier instantly expanded, enclosing both him and Bunpuku. "Ah, don't mind this. It just looks flashy. It's actually just a simple soundproof barrier."
"It's a job, after all. Though, looking at you, it doesn't seem like there's anything for me to fix. I still have to put on a show."
Not bothering to explain in detail, Rinko took a few steps forward and sat cross-legged at a respectable distance. He took off the round-framed glasses—which were just for show—and stared at the old monk with his gray eyes, feeling a sense of wonder.
"Just by sensing Shukaku's Chakra within you, I can declare that as long as you are the Jinchūriki, there is no room for my Sealing Jutsu to be used. —Ah, but please don't repeat that to anyone."
"Namu."
Bunpuku, though slightly surprised, pressed his palms together and agreed in a low voice.
"Calculating the time, I should be able to stay a while longer. Would you mind if I chatted with you, for my own personal reasons?"
Though he asked, it was clear Rinko had no intention of leaving even if the monk refused. When he was a Cursed User, finding a high monk to exchange ideas with was next to impossible. Now that he'd found one here, how could he just leave?
Bunpuku, clearly seeing his intent, just smiled and shook his head.
"Bunpuku-shishō (Master Bunpuku). Those eyes of yours... could they be the 'Pure Eye'?"
Since he wasn't rejected, Rinko decided not to just vent. He lowered his gaze, staring at the palm lines he had grown used to, and asked softly.
The so-called Pure Eye (Jōgan) was often thought to be possessed by high monks, an eye that could manifest the emotions and psyche of what it saw as mist or color. That gaze was the most direct manifestation of the word 'transparent.'
"Ho ho ho… To live a long life is to encounter all sorts of wonders. This old monk never thought he would hear that term from the mouth of a child such as you…"
Bunpuku paused, surprised, then stroked his beard and laughed, as if in admiration. "But this old monk's training is not yet complete. I cannot see so many things."
"Not at all. To be able to live in such harmony with a Tailed Beast… you are already more 'transparent' than ninety-nine percent of the people in this world."
"To accept with the heart is great 'Love.'"
Bunpuku opened his hands. In his palms were the carved characters for 'Receive' (受) and 'Heart' (心). The old monk then pressed his palms together, returning to his meditation, and softly spoke his philosophy. "As long as one can truly accept the other, what difference is there between a human and a Tailed Beast?"
"True. Since humans and Tailed Beasts can communicate, they can naturally accept one another."
Rinko didn't deny this. The old monk before him was the best proof.
But... it was also because only Bunpuku existed that proved another point.
"But humans cannot even understand each other. How can they be expected to understand a Tailed Beast? And even if they can understand, it doesn't mean they can hold hands and live in peace."
He reached out and drew the character for 'Heart' (心) on the ground, his voice full of emotion.
"It is precisely because they understand each other that they embrace an even deeper killing intent. Isn't that also common?"
His finger moved, adding a few strokes to 'Heart,' changing it to 'Give' (施).
"Give and Receive... How you treat others, and how you treat the world, will determine the result you get. That is what I believe."
"What do you think?"