A blinding white light exploded—and Yu's form dissolved like mist. The hand she'd been reaching for met only empty air, the warmth fading to a ghost of touch on her fingertips. Rize stood frozen, unable to even scream. The room was a wreck of scattered furniture and silence—only his presence lingered like a fading echo. He had been here—right here—just moments ago.

  Now, nothing remained. In the ringing quiet, one memory replayed in her mind: "Wait for me. I'll come back." Each time she recalled it, her chest ached tighter. That single promise became her anchor, the stake keeping her heart from collapsing.

  "...I believe in Yu." The words left her lips trembling but sure. Believing in his vow—that was all she could do now. Her fists clenched. She lifted her head, tears stinging but unshed. That fragile resolve burned like a small flame against the darkness, keeping her from falling apart.

  ?

  The morning air was crisp, but her chest felt unbearably heavy. No tears had come through the night. Only the hollow ache remained—the deeper she tried to remember his warmth, the sharper it hurt. When she pushed open the guild's wooden doors, the familiar chatter washed over her.

  Team Jask was already there at their usual table. Hanara leaned against the wall, arms crossed. Roa sat reading through a thick report. Naz slouched in his chair, boots on the table, chair tilted back. It was the same scene as always—except for the empty space where Yu should have been.

  "...Yu's gone." The words cracked as they left her throat. Three sets of eyes snapped toward her. Hanara's face hardened, Roa quietly closed her book, and Naz stopped mid-whistle. Rize drew a breath and told them everything— The white light, the sudden pull, how he vanished back to his world before she could even scream. Silence followed. Hanara was the first to move. She sighed, scratching her head.

  "That stream thing, right? The viewing spell? I already shut it off." "Shut... it off?" Rize echoed, blinking. Hanara tilted her chin, explaining.

  "Yeah. When things started going south with Claval, I put a block on your feed. Didn't want the whole world watching if... you know, things got messy. So nobody on the other side can see you right now. Their eyes—can't reach you anymore." Rize's breath caught. That explains it. If Yu tried to look for her right now, he'd see nothing. Their connection—severed, one-sided.

  "Then he can't see you," Roa murmured. "So what will you do?" Her voice wasn't cruel. It was steady, testing. How would Rize reconnect what had been torn apart? Before she could answer, Naz clapped his hands once.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  "Wait—this sounds familiar somehow..." Rize looked up. Roa frowned in thought.

  "You mean the 'Man Loved by Mana'?" "No," Hanara cut in immediately. "The 'Man Who Loved Mana'." Naz chuckled, lifting his shoulders.

  "Depends who you ask. Back then we all heard different versions. Who knows which is true?" Roa's voice dropped low.

  "But such a man did exist, once. A visitor from another world who walked these lands." "Some said mana loved him. Others said he loved mana. Either way, he wasn't born of this world... and he eventually returned to his own." Rize listened in silence. Loved by mana? Loving mana? Both ideas were beyond her grasp—but something about them tugged at her.

  "Did he really exist?" she asked softly. The three exchanged glances.

  "No one knows," Naz said at last. "But if people kept telling his story, he must've been something special." A faint warmth rippled through the tension. Yet Rize's heart still felt heavy—the phrase man loved by mana lingered in her mind like an omen. Roa folded her hands.

  "If Yu is still in his world—he'll sense it. And if he senses it, you'll meet him." Rize's chest fluttered with a fragile hope. It was a possibility—Yu could return. But that hope was quickly shadowed. "Then the real problem's Claval," Hanara said sharply, crossing her arms again. Naz arched a brow.

  "Her Haishin's still running, right? She's broadcasting—and she's after Yu." Roa nodded.

  "She's free to seek him. But her feed is public. The entire world is watching. I'd wager—'The Hunt for Yu' has already begun." "Poor guy," Hanara sighed, her smirk faintly bitter.

  "No offense, Rize, but he didn't look that tough. Getting chased by a monster like Claval while the whole world watches? That's hell." The words pierced deep. Rize clutched her chest. Just imagining him surrounded by jeering strangers made it hard to breathe. That gentle boy—under the glare of the world's curiosity and cruelty.

  Yu... are you okay? She could almost see him—alone, gripping his phone, the red gaze of Claval closing in, millions of eyes feeding on his fear. Rize bit her lip hard, fists trembling with prayer. The others noticed her silent resolve. No one cracked a joke this time. Each of them, in their own way, shared the same worry. In that heavy quiet, Rize took a deep breath. Claval was a threat. Yu was isolated, defenseless. But she couldn't give in to despair. She lifted her head, meeting their eyes.

  "Yu will be fine. He'll beat Claval—he'll come back. I know it. ...Hanara." Hanara held her gaze. "...You sure about this?" Rize nodded firmly.

  "Yes. Please. If he looks for me... I want him to find me." Hanara exhaled and raised her hand. "Spell Release — Purge." A pale glow spread from her fingertips, dissolving the unseen barrier around Rize like mist. A cool breeze swept across Rize's back. The connection was open again. She smiled faintly.

  "Thank you." Naz grinned wide. "Damn right! Forget the noise—he's got Team Jask in his corner now!" His booming laugh lightened the air just a little. Rize felt warmth bloom quietly in her chest.

  ?

  That night, she stood by the window, gazing at the starry sky. Somewhere beneath those same stars—across a boundary she couldn't see—Yu was still fighting. Maybe against fear, maybe against the world itself. Maybe Claval's cold eyes were on him even now. Still—Rize closed her eyes and whispered. Yu... I believe in you. Come back to me.

  Her words melted into the wind, carried up into the glittering dark, seeking a signal in the void.