Three days ago...

  "Have a safe trip," Raito had called as Yukari walked past the front door, her shoulder bag slung over a frame that seemed too small for the shadows she now carried. The door of the small farmhouse clicked shut, and the sound echoed in the sudden, heavy silence. A few minutes passed. Raito stood in the living room, his gaze fixed on the door, a faint, sad smile on his face.

  Vacation trip with the housewives' group, huh, he murmured to himself, a hollow feeling settling in his chest. I wish someone would invite me on a vacation. He let out a long, slow sigh, the silence of the farmhouse pressing in on him. Well, he thought, clapping his hands together to break the quiet. Let's just tend the farm as usual.

  He stood up and headed toward the backdoor, ready to lose himself in the simple, familiar rhythm of his work. The sun was high and warm, the rich soil of their small farm soft under his boots. He moved with a new, practiced ease, watering the rows of carrots and potatoes, pulling weeds with a steady hand, his movements like those of an expert in this field.

  As high noon hit, Raito went to the market. He bought a simple lunch of riceballs, exchanged a few pleasantries with the stall owners who now knew him by name, and then quickly headed back to the farmhouse.

  He sat down in the living room, the quiet of the house a stark contrast to the bustling energy of the market. He ate his lunch in silence.

  I'm bored, he thought, the realization hitting him with a surprising force. He had thought that the simple routine of farming and going to the market would be enough to distract him, to fill the quiet hours. But it wasn't. He already missed her. He missed her teasing, her sharp wit, the way she would grin at him when he said something stupid.

  How did the old me do this? he thought, the memory of his years in Jinlun, of a life lived entirely alone, feeling like a story about someone else. He had gotten so used to having Yukari next to him, a constant, chaotic, and wonderful presence, that being alone now felt... wrong. Empty.

  He sighed again, a long, slow sound that was swallowed by the silence of the room. What should I do now? he thought.

  The first day of her absence could truly be described with two simple words: 'nothing noteworthy'.

  The second day rolled around. Raito tended his carrots and potatoes in the early morning, hoping the familiar chores would tire him out enough to let him rest. Unfortunately, his body had grown used to the work; he barely broke a sweat.

  He exhaled again, a long, frustrated sound. What should I do? he thought, a feeling of aimless, empty motivation settling over him. He ruffled his hair. Okay, this is clearly not working. I'll just explore around for a bit.

  As high noon hit, Raito found himself walking around Biyuu Island. But something was clearly wrong. Where am I? he thought, looking around at the dense forest of pale blue bamboo trees that surrounded him. I turned right from the village market, walked straight, and somehow ended up here. How did I get here again?

  Well, he thought with a small, humorless sigh, on the bright side, I got what I asked for: exploration and something to do.

  Yukari, can you come back already? he thought, a familiar ache in his chest as he began walking again, trying to retrace his steps through the unfamiliar, silent woods.

  He walked and walked, but every path looked the same. The pale blue bamboo groves seemed to stretch on forever, a serene and beautiful prison. Okay, I am officially lost, he thought, a slight panic building in his mind. Alright, Raito, remember what Shilook would do in times like these. He checked his pockets. Ten Cal coins and the small, velvet box containing the ring. Nothing else. I'm so screwed, he thought. He looked up; the sun was still high, but he could tell it wouldn't be for long.

  "Help!" he shouted, his voice swallowed by the dense bamboo. "Anyone here?"

  Silence. Then, a rustle from the thicket next to him.

  "Is there someone there?" he shouted, his voice a mix of hope and fear. "Anyone?"

  His nonchalant expression quickly turned to one of pure, unadulterated panic. A wild boar, much larger than the ones from the mainland, crashed through the bamboo. This one was a Hanyuun special: a two-horned boar, its hide thick and scarred, its eyes a furious, hungry red. It was drooling, clearly having not eaten in days. Raito recognized it from one of Mr. Akira's lectures that he had eavesdropped on when Yukari first joined the hunters.

  Why is my luck so terrible? he thought, his body already tensing, ready to run. Wait, can I even outrun it?

  The boar let out a deafening roar and charged.

  "Okay, less thinking, more running!" he yelled out loud, and sprinted as fast as he ever had in his life.

  The chase began. Raito dodged and weaved through the dense bamboo, his lean frame an advantage in the tight spaces. He occasionally glanced back, his heart pounding in his chest as he saw the boar, with its immense strength, simply plow through the bamboo stalks, its tusks and horns splintering the wood with no interference.

  "Okay, that is so not fair!" Raito yelled, his voice a mix of panic and indignation. "Help!"

  He finally burst out of the bamboo grove into a wide, open field. Oh, I got out! he thought, a wave of relief washing over him. But his celebration was short-lived. The boar roared once again, a sound that reminded him of the very immediate predicament he was still in.

  "Help!" he yelled once more, his voice now laced with desperation. His eyes darted around for any possible escape. He saw a large, sturdy tree in the middle of the field and made a split-second decision. He sprinted towards it and, with a desperate leap, began to climb. He didn't stop until he was a safe distance up, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He looked down, exhaling in relief. "Boars can't climb, right?" he said to himself, hoping. "Right."

  The boar stopped at the base of the tree, circling it, its red eyes fixed on him. Then, it turned around, seemingly giving up. "Phew," Raito sighed. I just need to wait here for a bit, then I can jump down, he thought, the danger seemingly passed.

  But the boar hadn't given up. It had turned around to get a running start. With another deafening roar, it charged, its massive head slamming into the tree trunk. Crack! The entire tree shook violently, and Raito held on for dear life, his knuckles white.

  The boar backed up, positioning itself for another charge.

  "Okay, why is this boar so smart?" Raito said, his voice a panicked squeak as he hugged the tree trunk. "And why is it so desperate to chase me? What did I do?"

  It was clear what the boar was doing. It was going to ram the tree until its prize fell from the branches.

  Suddenly, a gentle gust of wind, cool and refreshing, flowed through the field. The boar stopped mid-charge, its head snapping to the side, sniffing the air. Seemingly out of nowhere, a weary, frail-looking old man was standing at the edge of the field, his hands tucked into the sleeves of his simple farmer's robes. Yet, this person looked familiar to Raito. He squinted his eyes.

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  "Grandpa Sun Yoon? Is that you?" he shouted from his perch.

  "Oh, young Raito," Sun Yoon said, his voice calm and quiet, yet somehow carrying easily across the field. "Fancy meeting you here."

  "What are you doing here, Grandpa Sun Yoon? It's dangerous! Watch out! That boar is trying to eat us!" Raito shouted as the boar, its earlier hesitation gone, now changed its target to the new, frail old man behind it.

  "It's alright, young Raito. Don't worry," Sun Yoon said, his hidden eyes turning sharp. He slowly drew a single-bladed sword from a sheath at his waist.

  Raito scanned the weapon. Its edge was warped, the color of the blade uneven, and the sword itself looked unfinished, almost blunt, as if it had been made by an amateur. It was not something a person would use to fight. Before Raito could tell Sun Yoon to find safety, he saw it.

  The air around the blade began to shimmer, a faint, almost invisible current of wind wrapping around the steel. He had seen something like it once before, with Mila. But this was different. The principle was the same, but the feeling was... purer. More effortless. Mila's power felt like a tool she was wielding; this felt like the wind itself had chosen to obey. Not even Raito could tell how he knew this difference.

  Before Raito could get lost in his thoughts, he snapped back to reality. The boar was now charging at Sun Yoon, its hooves thundering against the earth. Sun Yoon didn't dodge. He just stood there, holding the blade out in front of him, its tip aimed directly at the charging beast.

  "Dodge, Grandpa!" Raito shouted.

  But Sun Yoon still didn't move. In a blur of motion, the head of the boar came into contact with the blade. There was no clang of metal on bone, no sound of impact at all. The boar's eyes turned a milky white. Its body, still carried forward by its own momentum, began to split cleanly in two, a perfect, impossibly thin line dividing it from head to tail. It was as if it had charged into a cutting instrument of its own demise.

  "It's safe now, young Raito," Sun Yoon said, his voice his usual gentle tone as he sheathed his blade. "You can climb down now."

  Raito just stared, his mouth agape. A moment later, he scrambled down the tree, his heart still pounding in his chest, and rushed over to the old man.

  "Grandpa, are you alright?" he asked, his voice a mixture of awe and concern.

  "I'm quite alright, young Raito," Sun Yoon replied with a small smile. "How about yourself?"

  "I'm good, I think," Raito said, still looking at the perfectly bisected boar. "Anyway, why are you here? In this out-of-nowhere field?"

  "Well, I heard something screaming, so I thought I would check it out. It turned out to be you, young Raito. A very interesting coincidence indeed." He stroked his long, white moustache. "And as for this 'nowhere field,' did you not notice? It is quite close to my farmhouse."

  Raito looked around, and for the first time, he recognized the scenery. The open field, the blue bamboo groves, the small, winding path... it all connected to the back farm area of Grandpa Sun Yoon's farmhouse. I've been walking in circles in the eastern part of Biyuu Island all this time, he thought, a wave of embarrassment washing over him. He let out an awkward laugh.

  Sun Yoon just chuckled, the sound as soft as the wind. "You are very interesting, young Raito. Come, let's make sure you are not injured." He gestured for Raito to walk with him to his house.

  Raito just nodded, still a bit embarrassed, and followed the old man. As they walked past the two halves of the boar, a flash of memory entered Raito's mind. Mr. Akira's voice, firm and serious, from one of his lectures: "Remember, the two-horned boars of Hanyuun are carnivorous. Very dangerous. Never engage them alone."

  Why can't I remember that sooner? Raito screamed in his mind, a fresh wave of embarrassment washing over him.

  Inside Sun Yoon's simple, clean farmhouse, the two of them sat together in the living room. Sun Yoon passed Raito a cup of warm, fragrant tea.

  "So, what brings you to my backyard, young Raito?" Sun Yoon asked, his voice gentle.

  "Erm..." Raito's face turned a faint shade of red. "I was just bored, so I decided to walk around, explore. I guess I just lost my sense of direction."

  Sun Yoon laughed, a soft, quiet sound. "What an interesting reason. And what happened to that young lady you are always with, young Raito?"

  "She... she went on a vacation trip. Without me," he said, the words coming out a little sadder than he intended.

  "Without you?" Sun Yoon stroked his moustache thoughtfully. "You two always seemed inseparable, always sticking next to each other."

  "Yeah, well," Raito said with a sigh. "She looked like she needed it. Maybe she needed time alone. But don’t worry, she went with the Kumatou housewives group."

  He took a sip of the tea, and his eyes widened in surprise. "This is such a fragrant tea, Grandpa. What is the herb?"

  "My own personal, homegrown jasmine," Sun Yoon replied with a small smile. "Do you want some seeds to grow for yourself, young Raito?"

  "No, no, it's alright," Raito said quickly. "Just... this tea is really good." He paused, his curiosity finally getting the better of him. "Sorry, but I have to ask. Are you... are you a Core user, Grandpa? Maybe a retired soldier? The way you bisected that boar... not everyone can do that, you know."

  "Something of that sort, young Raito," Sun Yoon said, his voice a quiet, noncommittal murmur.

  "Wow, that's awesome," Raito said, a genuine admiration in his voice. "Everyone around me, everyone I've met... they're all so strong. Compared to myself... I feel small."

  "Then do you desire strength, young Raito?" Sun Yoon asked, his gaze sharp and piercing for the first time.

  "Oh, no, no," Raito said quickly, shaking his head. "I'm not suited for something like that. I hate violence. I hate getting hurt." The memory of the Jinlun prison, of the cold stone and the endless pain, flashed through his mind, and he shuddered. "I would only screw things up more. I'd rather let someone like Yukari have all the power. She knows how to use it. She... she's amazing."

  "Ahh," Sun Yoon said, his sharp gaze softening as he looked at Raito's eyes. "That is the eye of someone who finds solace in another."

  "Yeah," Raito admitted, a small, sad smile on his face. "I owe a lot to her."

  "If you want, if one day you perhaps seek strength, you can always come to me, young Raito," Sun Yoon said, his voice once again gentle. "My offer will always be open. Consider it a gratitude for keeping this old man company from time to time."

  "No, no, Grandpa, it's alright," Raito said, bowing his head. "I also kept coming here because all your farming tips always work. Thank you."

  "That was not me, young Raito," Sun Yoon said, a small smile on his face. "I only gave you some basic instructions, something I picked up in my years. The rest... that was all you. Your hard work, and your potential. You need to believe in yourself more."

  Believe in myself, Raito thought, the words ringing in his mind. “Maybe... one day then grandpa.. But hopefully, that day will never come.” raito said.

  "Well, it's getting late, Grandpa," Raito said, standing up. "I'm going to go back. Thank you for saving me back there." He bowed once more.

  Sun Yoon just nodded. As Raito started to leave the farmhouse, the second day of Yukari's absence ended, more eventful than the previous.

  The third day, Raito was back in Grandpa Sun Yoon's farmhouse. But he wasn't alone.

  "So, what are you doing here, Isao?" Raito asked, looking at the young acting elder who was sitting across from him at Sun Yoon's low table.

  "I could ask ya the same thing, Raito. What're you doin' here?" Isao shot back, his usual sneer on his face.

  Sun Yoon just watched them, a gentle, amused smile on his face. "I invited you two to be here," he said, his voice calm. "Young Isao, it has been a while since we did that. So, I figured I would invite young Raito to play."

  "Oh, that white thing," Isao smirked.

  Raito was confused. Are they about to do something illegal? he thought.

  Sun Yoon then took out a wooden box and opened it. Inside were multiple white, rectangular marble tiles, each intricately carved with different symbols and characters.

  "This is Mahjong," Sun Yoon explained, a nostalgic smile on his face. "Myself, Isao's grandfather, and young Isao used to play it a lot. So, I want you to try it, young Raito."

  "This weakling ain't ready, gramps," Isao said, gesturing with his thumb toward Raito.

  A pang of irritation shot through Raito. "What did you say?"

  "Fine then," Raito said, his voice full of a new, competitive fire. "Teach me. I'll beat you."

  Thus, the three proceeded to play this Mahjong game for the rest of the day, the quiet farmhouse filled with the clatter of tiles and the sounds of their friendly, if slightly heated, rivalry.

  As night rolled around, Raito was back in his own farmhouse. He moved quickly to the bed, jumping on it with a groan. That Isao, he thought, a frustrated sigh escaping his lips. How dare he gloat about his win when I barely knew the rules. He yawned. But that Mahjong... why does it feel so familiar? Before he could ponder the question any further, he passed out, sleeping soundly.

  Moments later, Raito could hear what seemed to be water running. Did I forget to turn off the water hose? he thought, still half-asleep. He stirred, then groggily woke up. The room was still dark, but a thin sliver of light was passing through the bathroom door. He quietly moved next to the door and knocked, once, twice, three times.

  "Yukari? Is that you?" Raito asked.

  "Yes, I'm here. I just got home," she said, her voice hoarse, lacking the usual teasing tone he was used to.

  "How was the trip?" he asked.

  "Tiring, but fun," she replied. "I'll tell you all about it tomorrow. I'm tired, so I'm just going to sleep after this."

  "O-okay," Raito answered. Is she... is she starting to lie again? he thought, a cold dread washing over him. He could sense something was off in her answer, in her tone. But he shook his head, trying his best to brush the doubt away. No. Don't be like that, Raito. Believe her. He gripped the small, velvet box in his pocket, a silent promise to himself.

  Two paths, converge once again.