"Drifter"

Whoa... So that's what the Incineration of Humanity was...? You battled and went through a lot!

That means you took back our history and future, right? That's amazing. I'm sure everyone praised you for that.

So let me add in as a bonus: Good work, Fujimaru. I'm sure it was a long year for you.

Oh, and another thing, Master of Chaldea... Happy New Year!

Thanks to you, I can continue my journey!

Aww, come on! Bonding with others is great and all, but that alone's not enough to do it justice!

In the end, it was all about your potential!

...I'm very interested in you as well, Shinmen Musashi. Why have you continued your wandering journeys?

My journey's goal? Um, that's...

Yes. I would like to know as well. Shinmen Musashi, what do you seek?

？！

...Hmm. My journey is just to perfect my skills, so there's no real goal.

I guess if I had a goal, it's to get home to my world. And to master my bladework.

My dad... Munisai's blade was about "one." A perfected "one." A "one" that reached heights that could never be exceeded.

But I HAAATE that damn old man. So I want to surpass him no matter what it takes.

So I want a sword that can exceed "one." Before I die, I want to reach the Throne of the Void. I want to achieve "zero."

...

There it is! I feel it! Fujimaru, there's a hole there!

？！

...Well, you're right. It's too bad, since we got to know each other so well.

I have my own world, and you have your own world of Chaldea.

It's a shame, but we have to say goodbye. But if we have the chance, I'm sure we'll meet again somewhere

No, that will never happen. You will die here, Shinmen Musashi.

You said you wanted to go home, right? But that was never going to happen in the first place.

？！

...What? Did you know me, Sukeroku?

Did you follow me around because you hated me for some reason?

...That's right. For a long, long time, I had forgotten. I had forgotten how I became an oni.

On that day, I fought with you.

After I killed those monkey-like brats in the Miyamoto village, I just happened to pass you by on the mountain road.

What a beautiful sight you were, there in the twilight. The very embodiment of evil.

I knew instantly that I had to fight you or I would have regretted it.

That's how beautiful your demeanor was. It was enough to drive me mad, had I let you go.

...And you defeated me. And now I'm finally able to remember your words you uttered at that time.

"If it's for money or honor, I'm going to run. If it's for hate or duty, I'll run then, too."

"But...if you say your spirit can't survive unless you kill me, then I shall fight you."

"If our lives cannot exist without killing each other, then I shall resign myself to this bloodshed."

Yeah, that sounds right. I'll kill someone for that reason.

Indeed. So then you defeated me, and I wandered the world harboring a grudge. The next thing I knew, I had become an oni that had forgotten everything.

But...meeting you brought back my rage. I will repeat what I said then.

"Fight me, flower that blossoms at the apex of heaven. Life is meaningless to me if I don't kill you."

... (Sigh)

Sorry, Fujimaru, can you help me out?

I don't think I can slay him completely. But with you, I can let him move on to the next life. I know it's a pain, but

？！

...Yup. I knew I could count on the one who saved the world. It's impressive at your age.

Very well, you obsessed oni. I don't know who you are.

No, I don't even remember your name. You must be one of the many warriors I slew.

I doubt I will remember this fight, either. But come.

I am Shinmen Musashi-no-Kami Fujiwara-no-Harunobu! Master of the Niten Ichiryu! With my Fifth Force, I shall cut your obsession crosswise!

Arima whatchamacallit, your life is mine...!

Gwaah... Oooohh...!

This inescapable declaration of death This is it! This is the flower of the blade I saw on that day...!

Haha But, how futile.

Poor Musashi. How sad, Musashi. The desire to return home

You cannot return anywhere. You are the same as the Heroic Spirits.

I'm sure you've realized it already. Your world disappeared a long time ago.

You were ejected from your vanishing world, and you are going up a creek without a paddle through the worlds of others.

You'll be an outcast, forever and ever.

There is no world left for you to belong to.

...

You will never be able to return home, and your journey will continue forever. That is, until the time you meet the greatest foe of your life.

Thus, I pity you. For such a master of the arts does not exist.

...Hold it. I hate to criticize someone's dying words, but what are you talking about?

I can encounter all kinds of "greatest foes." I mean, I was almost killed by a scary old guy just recently.

...No. That's not it. That's not it, Musashi.

There are no doubt better swordsmen, greater masters than you.

But that is not what I mean by your greatest foe.

It's the path that you seek. To a swordsman, the greatest foe is one who has mastered the path, the Origin opposite to their own.

But...but, that will never be fulfilled. Such a person doesn't even exist.

The Swordsman of the Heavenly Eye. That path where zero rivals one is, in other words, infinity.

No swordsman has ever reached infinity. Such a path is something no one can ever reach.

Thus...your journey will never end. You are just like a drifting boat

Oh... How I pity you, Musashi. How sad you are, Musashi.

All your talent will never pay off. Even with all your training, you will never get a chance to truly use it...

Like a flower blooming in the twilight, you will only scatter idly.

Begone to your next life. Someday, I will join you.

？！

All right. Now that the pain in the neck is gone, it really is time to say goodbye.

That oni said I can't go back to my old world, but don't let it bother you too much.

If nothing else, I can go back to the world I was in before I came here. Just like how you'll wake up in Chaldea.

Oh, if you do make it safely back, immortalize me in a journal or something.

Well, we were companions for a while. A really, really short while, though...

？！

...Yes, of course! Anyway, goodbye, Master!

...Oh, right! I'm so dumb. How could I just realize this now?

A once-a-year joyous and happy event of course it was fun!

This was the first dream you had in the new year!

？！

Fou, foou?

Good morning, Senpai. Happy New Year.

As I promised last night, I am here for your seven o'clock wake-up call!

You're going to help Da Vinci with her mochi-making party, right?

I can't wait toMaster?

...Um, is something wrong? It looks like you were crying...

？！

Fou, fooou?

I see. But it wasn't a bad one, was it?

How do I know, you ask? I can tell. You look very happy.

It was sad, but there was also something good... That's the look you always have when that happens.

Fou. Fou!

？！

Right! I'll accompany you on our first mission of 2019, Master!

Fou, fouuu!