After the wolf left, Yongzhen and the Sculptor spoke in hushed tones.
"Goro... the Interior Ministry's army has arrived."
"Is that so? A bunch of greedy thugs, as usual."
"The flames... have they not yet subsided?"
"Yongzhen..." The Sculptor's voice, usually serene, carried a rare hint of pain. "No matter how many times you ask, the answer remains the same. No matter how many Buddhas I carve, the Resentment Flames cannot be extinguished. Merely suppressing them drains me of all strength."
"Goro..."
"What is it?"
"If... the time comes, at least let me..." Yongzhen's voice trailed off, a hint of reluctance in his tone.
A brief silence fell upon the scene. Then, the Sculptor's voice emerged, "I still have Buddhas to carve... I must excuse myself for now..."
...
After sitting in silence before the Demon Buddha for a while, Kuro returned to the dilapidated temple.
Yongzhen was no longer there; only the Sculptor remained, diligently carving.
"Hey, you..."
As soon as he stepped into the room, Kuro triggered a new quest. The Sculptor, for the first time, turned around and addressed Kuro proactively.
"What is it?"
"Come and slay me."
This request was utterly unreasonable.
"Wh-what are you talking about?"
Kuro stammered, completely caught off guard by the unspoken words Yongzhen had almost uttered.
"Hmph... Stop playing dumb," the Sculptor scoffed. "I couldn't bear to have that child do it."
So, you're willing to let me bear the moral burden?
Kuro rolled his eyes. So, it was too difficult for you to have your adopted daughter – whom I practically raised – do the deed, but it's fine for me, a notorious killer, to handle it?
"Please..."
"..."
Silence.
Kuro offered no further response. Without understanding the full context, he would vehemently refuse to casually end the life of the master who had aided him so much.
"That's enough for now."
The Sculptor dismissed him. Kuro, sensing the unspoken sentiment, turned to leave.
"Resentment Flames... what exactly are they?"
Leaving the dilapidated temple, Kuro headed towards Ashina Castle to report his progress to the Prince, and also to see if he had gathered any news about the third item, the "Sakura Tree Branch."
"I feel like the Sculptor played a role similar to Kuro in his youth, responsible for slaughter. Genichiro once mentioned seeing a Shura... so, is it possible that—"
Kuro voiced his theory to his viewers: "The Sculptor was the previous Shura?"
His bold speculation initially stunned the audience in the livestream room, followed by a flurry of discussions.
'Shura!?'
'Master Sculptor is the previous—Kuro.'
'That's right. Isshin cut off the Sculptor's arm. Kuro's current prosthetic arm was prepared by Dojun for the Sculptor, but he didn't use it, leaving it for Kuro after his arm was cut off by the plot. Is this a cycle?'
'Kuro: Who will upgrade my Shinobi Prosthetics if you die?!'
'His health bar didn't appear, how can I attack? NPCs have protection mechanisms.'
'Ah... no, dude, you actually want to kill the Sculptor?'
...
The audience debated animatedly, but none hit the crucial point.
"Becoming a Shura means being stained with blood, having killed countless people, at least hundreds or thousands. I estimate I've killed as many since the start of the game. Moreover, the world of Sekiro has the theory of karma and cycles, and the existence of vengeful spirits and grudges is also in the lore. Being consumed by resentment after killing too many people forms the Resentment Flames. Although I don't know their power, seeing that the Sculptor spends the rest of his life carving to appease them, it's more terrifying than a curse."
Kuro waved his hand, continuing his line of thought. He guessed that the Sculptor might eventually become a formidable boss, no less than the Folding Screen Monkeys or the Divine Dragon. Even if Kuro was unwilling, he would eventually have to face the Sculptor consumed by the Resentment Flames.
As for the timing...
Kuro looked up at the sky, stained crimson by half a bloody hue. The Interior Ministry army had already breached Ashina Castle. Many of the Demon Frees that had been lit by the Ghost Flames in the city had dimmed and needed him to relight them.
It couldn't be far off.
War is always the most brutal killing machine. If things continued this way, a scene of rivers of blood could appear at any moment. The heavier the slaughter, the more intensely the Resentment Flames would burn within the Sculptor's heart.
"I think the game has officially entered its mid-to-late stages. The Demon Frees in Ashina Castle are now sealed, and I need to relight them. From now on, we need to fight our way back into Ashina Castle and save the Prince, who is heavily besieged!"
With that, Kuro set off directly from the Sunken Valley, picking up items from the valley floor as he went and relighting the Ghost Flames along the way.
Having been thoroughly conquered, the return journey had no particularly strong bosses.
At most, the headless apparition in the water could fight him for a few rounds. Other enemies, such as the shrimp and crab soldiers, were no match for Kuro, who had been tempered by the White Ape, Sword Saint, and the Phantom Corrupted Monk, among other rare powerhouses.
Back then, any one of these individuals could have been considered a Sword Saint.
Now, returning, everything was different.
Facing familiar scenery and familiar enemies, Kuro felt like a lone, proud wanderer returning to the beginner's village after experiencing many hardships in the martial world.
Things change, and yet the same, tears stream down involuntarily.
After a month of immersion, the world of "Sekiro" had indeed become another "hometown" for him in recent days.
Melancholy Kuro unknowingly walked near the Senpou Temple, Mount Kongo. He suddenly remembered an old acquaintance resided here.
Thump thump thump—!!
Using the grappling hook, he easily traversed the layered forests and skillfully arrived near a bamboo grove in the back mountain.
Upon seeing the familiar, plump, sorrowful figure leaning against several trees, he smiled from the core of his heart.
"Can you really not help me and perform the 'Shinkage'?"
Seeing the newcomer approach, the fat monk repeated his long-cherished request.
Last time, Kuro had given the fat monk the white flower he desired. The latter then recalled some things and requested Kuro's help in performing the "Shinkage" to return to his desired destination.
However, Kuro at that time did not have the item needed to perform the "Shinkage" for others. Fortunately, he later found such an item in the Waterside Village, and now he could fulfill the little fat monk's wish.
"I have it, I have it," Kuro said confidently.
"After the Shinkage... I will surely see everyone again. I must go to everyone's side, after all, I am responsible for taking care of the Princes. Can I ask you?"
[Accept/Reject]
Kuro decisively chose to accept, "Okay, okay!"
"Oh, oh, oh... Thank you, thank you!" The fat monk was overjoyed, his face filled with gratitude, a mix of anticipation and a trace of fear. "Alright... although I'm a little scared, just do it!"
"Come on, come on!" He nearly buried his head in his crotch, clearly showing how terrified the little fat monk was.
"Alright!"
Kuro wasted no time, waved his hand, and said, "Here we go!"
"Waaahhhhhh—!!"
Accompanied by a cry of utter panic, the fat monk vanished into the void.
"This guy came from a painted illusion. I've sent him back."
Kuro explained to his bewildered viewers, then continued to scour the waters around Senpou Temple for items.
He expected the haul to be similar to before, with only some gold coins and bait, no other important items.
Heh,
Wouldn't you know it!
Designers always go against player expectations. Just as Kuro prepared to ascend to the shore.
The true treasure appeared...