Sensoji Temple

After grabbing a bento with rolled egg and caesar salad from Friend Mart, I went straight to the Sensoji Temple. 

On the way to the temple, I encountered numerous traditional shops and stalls selling snacks and souvenirs. People were bustling along the path leading to the temple. Upon arrival, my eyes were drawn to the gate inscribed with "Thunder Gate" (Kaminarimon). A gigantic red lantern hung from the gate. I followed the crowd inside.

I searched for an architectural map. This temple was enormous. I was standing in the main hall, Hondo, and there were countless other halls along with a pagoda, arranged around the map.

At that moment, I realized something. Yang said he would be here on Sunday, but it was still only 5 PM on Saturday. I definately wasn't thinking thoroughly coming here in a rush. What should I do now?

Just as I was confused, looking around without knowing whether to go back or continue going inside, a monk approached me and asked:

"Are you lost? Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Um... I'm just waiting for a friend, but he hasn't arrived yet..."

"Is your name Takehito Kurogano?"

"Yes, it's Kurogane... But how do you know my name?"

The old monk, with a beard reaching down to his waist, had a slightly hunched back. His eyes couldn't open wide anymore, but they gave him a kind appearance.

"I was instructed to wait for you here. The master told me I would recognize you as soon as you arrived."

At that moment, I noticed a rune around his neck depicting a dragon entwined with the sun. Dragon and sun... Tailung?

"You are...?"

"Please follow me."

Saying that, he turned and began to walk away. I followed behind.

We walked deep into the back of the temple. Here, the architecture and design looked somewhat different. It was designed in the style of ancient Chinese temples, with lanterns instead of streetlights illuminating the path. In front of me stood an open tower on four sides, inside which hung a large bronze bell. There was also a small garden filled with numerous frangipani trees, magnolia bushes, and a few patches of low grass.

Strangely, this area was not depicted on the map I was holding. There wasn't a soul in sight. I looked at the hunched back of the old monk, wondering. Perhaps this was part of his power. Maybe he had hidden a part of the architecture in another space and was leading me there specifically.

We stopped in front of a wooden room, which had a faint scent of sandalwood.

"If you wish, please rest here today. I will guide you to the young master tomorrow morning when he arrives."

The old man smiled kindly.

"My name is Li Huang. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to call my name. Although I am old, my hearing is very keen. You just need to whisper my name, and no matter how far away you are, I will hear you."

I bowed my head to thank the old man, "Yes, I understand. Thank you very much."

Seeing this, the old man quickly helped me up and slowly bowed his head, saying:

"Please don't be worried. It is we who should be grateful. You have agreed to risk danger to help our clan eliminate evil and protect all beings. Without you, we would find it difficult to succeed. We will remember this kindness for generations."

I decided to ask the old monk about the things that I had always wondered about.

"Yang told me that I am the key to countering the Entity of Chaos. He said that my power has been passed down through generations. If so, did the previous generations refuse to help your clan? Since the Entity still exists."

The old man stroked his beard, pondering.

"Some agreed to help, some did not. We have never found a way to completely eliminate him. The furthest we could go was to confine him in a temple in Kyoto using special relics. The Entity was sealed until a few months ago when a group of his minions found an artifact that could break the seal and restore his power. Now he has returned and is rampaging in Japan."

I hesitated, then asked the question I had always been afraid to think about.

"So... my father... did he agree to help?"

The old man said nothing and bowed his head to me.

"I am not permitted to speak about this. I apologize. Please use everything in the room naturally. I must go now."

I stood watching the hunched silhouette of the old man slowly fade away.

I pulled open the door to the room and stepped inside. It was nearly 5 o'clock; the sun had set, and the sky was beginning to darken. I sat down on the chair next to the round window, looking outside. The clouds in the sky had turned shades of orange and red.

I sat in contemplation at the small tea table made of bamboo. My life would take a turn from here. I didn't know if it would get better or worse. Or I could very well end up dead.

Thinking this, I bitterly smiled. I had no fighting skills whatsoever and didn't really know how to use my powers. My fight with the spider was merely luck. And even with luck, I had fainted for over a day after just 5 minutes of using my abilities. Just thinking about this was enough to conclude that my chances of survival were quite low.

Maybe I should try meditating a bit. But I don't know how to meditate. I wonder what they think about while meditating? Should I call the old monk to ask him to teach me how to meditate? Would that be too intrusive?

I decided to try meditating on my own. I lay on the bed and closed my eyes. It didn't seem quite right, but I couldn't remember what was correct.

I emptied my mind. Then, at some point, I fell asleep. It was a long day.