The medicine seller is an enigmatic figure with extensive knowledge about supernatural matters and possesses a mystical appearance. he carries around a large wooden box containing various medical supplies and holy tools, including an enchanted sword used for slaying mononoke. to use the sword effectively, he must identify the "katachi" (shape), "makoto" (truth), and "kotowari" (reasoning) of the specific mononoke being targeted. once unsheathed, the sword causes him to transform into a demon-like creature. despite his human-like appearance in previous arcs, it's evident that he is not entirely human; he has elven ears and canine teeth. in the time-skip bakeneko arc, although his physical features have changed slightly (he now wears red stud earrings and a ring on his index finger), he remains the same handsome youth from previous arcs. the medicine seller's fear is revealed in umibozu when he admits to being afraid of the absence of form, truth, or reason at the edge of the world, which would mean losing his purpose for existence.