"Mmm, truly a rich and excellent tea. Shinobu-chan skills are remarkable." Mitsuyo held his teacup, praising it warmly.
Shinobu smiled faintly and gently refilled his cup with wisteria tea.
"Grandpa, If you like it, please have some more."
Beside them, Shinichi also took a sip of the wisteria tea.
"You really know how to flatter people, old man."
Mitsuyo picked up his chopsticks and took a bite of the sweet cake from the small plate in front of him.
However, after just one bite, his expression turned slightly odd.
Shaking his head, he set down his chopsticks and sighed.
"Ah, too sweet for my taste. It seems Shinobu's heart is still biased—this old man is nearing his end, i just can't compare to you, Shinichi."
Hearing this, Shinichi raised an eyebrow, first glancing at Shinobu, who looked a little embarrassed, then at the old man, who wore a knowing smile.
"Old man, you're speaking in riddles now."
Shinichi grabbed a piece of the sweet cake and stuffed it into his mouth. Hmm, not bad—a bit mild, though.
"Arf~!"
Seeing his master eating, Maru-ni, who had been lying down suddenly perked up.
He trotted over to Shinichi, rubbing against his leg and wagging his tail excitedly.
But Shinichi didn't indulge him—after all, Maru-ni had only just slimmed down and he didn't want him gaining weight again so soon.
The warm atmosphere in the small pavilion was occasionally punctuated by cheerful laughter, making the moment feel incredibly cozy.
Yet, just like the wisteria tea in the cup that would eventually run out, no matter how much one wished otherwise, Shinichi knew all too well that the old man's time was running short.
Even without using the Whispering Forest Eyes, just by being near him, Shinichi could sense strands of vitality slowly seeping out of that aged body.
"Mmm, what a satisfying evening tea. Shinobu, thank you for your hospitality." Mitsuyo smiled as he finished the last sip of wisteria tea, expressing his gratitude.
"Now, there are some things I'd like to say to Shinichi here. Since he's a boy, would you mind stepping aside for a moment, Shinobu?"
Shinobu blinked her violet eyes.
Why was she being asked to leave?
What couldn't Mitsuyo say in front of her?
However, seeing the meaningful look in the old man's eyes as they kept shifting between her and Shinichi, Shinobu seemed to realize something.
Her cheeks flushed slightly before she quickly gathered her things and left with Maru-ni, leaving the small pavilion to Shinichi and Mitsuyo.
"Shinobu is a good girl, Shinichi. You're not getting any younger either. This old man can tell you've taken a liking to her, haven't you?" Mitsuyo suddenly said to Shinichi after watching Shinobu's figure disappear.
Hearing this, Shinichi immediately straightened up and stared at the old man in disbelief, his voice slightly flustered as he replied.
"Old man, your eyes must be failing you. What nonsense are you seeing? Save your energy. Tomorrow I'll take you somewhere."
"Oh? Where are we going?"
"Don't worry about that. Old folks shouldn't be so nosy—just listen to us young people's arrangements!" Shinichi said impatiently.
"Shinichi, I'm going to die soon."
Silence.
Deathly silence.
Shinichi's hand froze midair, his heterochromatic eyes trembling slightly.
After a long moment, he exhaled and talked with a forced casual tone.
"Stop talking nonsense, old man. You're as strong as an ox. When people get old, not only do their eyes go bad, but their minds get muddled too. Why would you die for no reason? Fine, if there's nothing else, I'm leaving too. Tomorrow I'll take you somewhere nice to clear your head and stop these wild thoughts."
Mitsuyo smiled at Shinichi and pointed a withered finger at his own eyes.
"Shinichi, don't forget—Forest Breathing is the Breathing Technique passed down through generations of the Moriki family. Although this old man never mastered the Eighth Form, my familiarity with the power of life force isn't inferior to yours. My life force... is nearly depleted."
"Bullshit! Depleted my ass! Shut up, old man! So what if your life force is waning? It's not like it can't be replenished!" Shinichi snapped angrily, his fists clenching unconsciously.
A wild idea had been brewing in his mind all along.
"Shinichi, what do you think of death is? This old man believes a person's life is like the sun—there's the dawning light of sunrise, the dazzling brilliance of noon, and death is merely the sunset entering nightfall," Mitsuyo said slowly.
Shinichi had no patience for the old man's philosophical musings.
He only felt increasingly agitated.
"Old man, death is death. Stop with the grand speeches. The Demons haven't been eradicated yet—that bastard Muzan hasn't gone to hell and that Upper Rank One has shown its traces again. Are you really content to die like this? You have to live!"
Mitsuyo's expression remained unchanged as he continued smiling.
"After the sun sets, its light doesn't vanish—it scatters into the night sky and becomes stars. Shinichi, the meaning of life isn't in eternity, but in the journey.
A flower still blooms knowing it will wither; a river still flows knowing it will merge with the sea.
A person's life cannot be without regrets.
I have so many regrets—so many that i dare not look back.
Yet at the same time, this life has also given me many things to be proud of.
Shinichi, you are my pride.
The legacy of Forest Breathing continues through you, and the mission of the Moriki family will be carried forward by you. This old man... is content."
Mitsuyo trembled slightly as he stood up, raising a hand to stop Shinichi from speaking.
His voice was calm as he said, "Shinichi, I think I know what you're thinking. But in these final moments, I just want to pass away peacefully as an ordinary old man. In this life, I've done all I could. There are no more regrets."
"Also, Shinichi, there's one last thing I want to say: face your true feelings. Don't let down those who love you. The power of demons is strong—you can use it, but don't lose yourself to it. Remember that."
'Those who love me?'
Suddenly, Shinobu's face flashed through Shinichi's mind.
'What did the old man mean?'
The power of demons... Shinichi looked up and met Mitsuyo's cloudy yet strangely wise eyes.
In that instant, Shinichi's earlier thoughts of taking the old man to see Tamayo or Shokyu vanished entirely.
Just as the old man had said, let him rest as an ordinary old man.
The regrets, the responsibilities—Shinichi would bear them alone.
"Shinichi, lend me your Nichirin Blade."
Seeing the look of acceptance on Shinichi's face, Mitsuyo understood—the boy had come to terms with it.
Feeling glad, the old man decided to leave one final gift for him.
"Only when truly facing death did I grasp the ultimate truth of Forest Breathing. Shinichi, watch closely—the Final Form of Forest Breathing. This is the last thing I will teach you."
BOOM!
From his withered body erupted an overwhelming surge of vitality—yet intertwined with it was an equally potent aura of death.
He was burning away his own life force.
Shinichi's vision was completely filled with a dazzling emerald light, from which Mitsuyo's strong voice rang out.
"Forest Breathing Secret Art—The Far Shore River Styx!"