A new day dawned, bright and full of life.

  For the first time in years, Hide felt the warmth of sunlight without chains or walls around him. Birds sang above the trees, and the smell of morning dew filled the air. It was time to begin again.

  Training with Izumi had changed him. Two years had passed since she found him on that road. Under her brutal but patient guidance, Hide learned how to fight, survive, and harness the powers of his God’s Eye without losing himself to it.

  Now fifteen years old, he stood at the edge of the forest, taller, stronger, and calmer than before.

  “Hide,” Izumi said, standing beside him. “Before you set off to find your old friends, remember this: be careful on the road. If anyone sees those eyes of yours, word will spread. There are people out there who’d kill—or worse—to get their hands on someone like you.”

  Hide nodded silently.

  “So,” she continued, “keep an illusion on them, and change your name. Don’t let anyone know you’re Hide.”

  Hide smiled faintly. “Got it.”

  Izumi smiled back. “Good. Then I’ve got nothing left to teach you.”

  Hide slung his small pack over his shoulder and turned to leave. “Thank you… for everything, Master.”

  Izumi chuckled. “Don’t thank me yet. You’ll curse my name once that training starts paying off.”

  He laughed softly and started down the dirt path.

  As his figure disappeared through the trees, Izumi stood quietly, arms folded.

  “I guess I taught you everything I could,” she murmured. “I just hope you won’t use it for evil—but for good, and for survival. You’ve surpassed me, kid. And I’m proud to call you my disciple.”

  She turned toward the horizon and whispered, “Until we meet again.”

  Hide walked for hours until the road split in two. The left path led toward Sumiko, and the right to Drogen. He wasn’t sure where his friends had gone after the escape, but he remembered one thing: Sona’s ribbon.

  Before they parted, she had given him a small pink ribbon, promising that if they were ever separated, they would wear it as a sign for each other. Hide tied it around his left arm.

  “Guess this’ll help me find you,” he said quietly.

  He took the road to Drogen.

  By evening, he came across a group of merchants traveling the same direction. They welcomed him to their caravan after noticing his calm, polite demeanor.

  “So, you’re an adventurer?” asked one curious merchant as the wagons rolled forward.

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  “Yes,” Hide replied. “Name’s Cyrus.” The name slipped from his tongue easily—it felt natural.

  “Cyrus, huh?” the merchant said with a smile. “Interesting name. Tell me, why travel alone at such a young age?”

  Hide looked down. “My parents were killed while traveling. An adventurer took me in and raised me. I’m following his path now.”

  The merchant’s face softened. “That must’ve been hard, losing them like that. But you’ve done well for yourself. My own son left years ago—said he wanted power and knowledge. Sometimes I wonder if I should’ve stopped him.”

  Hide nodded quietly as the merchant rambled on about his life, his trade, his family. It wasn’t unpleasant—but after half an hour, Hide was struggling to stay awake.

  “Well, Cyrus,” the merchant said at last, chuckling. “You look bored out of your mind. I’ll spare you more of my stories until later.”

  Hide smiled faintly. “I appreciate that.”

  They stopped to camp before reaching Drogen. The merchants built a small fire, cooked stew, and played music. Others told tales of monsters and heroes. Hide helped gather wood and sat near the flames, watching the sparks rise into the night sky.

  As he stared into the fire, his mind wandered to Sona, Jin, Rin, and Lucy.

  What do they look like now?

  Are they safe?

  Will they even recognize me?

  He leaned against a log and slowly drifted to sleep.

  The merchant from before noticed and smiled, quietly draping a blanket over him before going to bed.

  Dawn broke with the smell of smoke and coffee. The caravan was already packing up. Hide climbed into the back of a wagon and watched the forest roll by as they set off.

  The world beyond Eden’s Garden was breathtaking—vast plains, bright skies, endless roads. He felt alive in a way he hadn’t since childhood.

  “Damn it’s hot,” one of the merchants grumbled. “I wish it would rain.”

  Hide looked up at the clear blue sky. A faint smirk formed on his face.

  Within moments, clouds gathered overhead. A light drizzle began to fall.

  “When did it start raining?” the merchant exclaimed. “It was sunny a second ago!”

  The others looked around, confused. Hide turned his gaze away, hiding a faint smile.

  Well, you said you wanted rain…

  By noon, they reached the city of Drogen—a place unlike any Hide had seen before. Stone walls surrounded the city, and carriages and adventurers crowded the gates. It was loud, colorful, and alive.

  As he stepped off the wagon, Hide waved goodbye to the merchants.

  “Thanks for the ride,” he said.

  “Take care, kid!” the merchant called back. “And if you’re looking for work, the inns always post missions for travelers.”

  Hide nodded and headed into the city.

  Drogen was bustling with energy. The streets were lined with stalls, blacksmiths, and traders shouting over one another. The people looked well-off—rich, confident, untouched by the horrors he had known.

  He found a large wooden inn near the plaza, filled with noise and laughter. Inside, adventurers were drinking, talking, and exchanging stories of their hunts.

  As Hide entered, several eyes turned to him. Some measured him; others dismissed him immediately.

  He walked to the quest board and scanned the parchment sheets until one caught his eye.

  It was a beast hunt—a dangerous creature roaming the Forbidden Forest, responsible for the deaths of travelers and villagers. Most adventurers avoided it. Hide took the paper and brought it to the counter.

  “I’d like to take this mission,” he said.

  The innkeeper blinked. “Kid, that quest’s above your rank.”

  Some of the adventurers nearby burst into laughter. “What’s he thinking? He’ll get eaten alive before he takes ten steps in!”

  Hide didn’t react. “I’ll take it anyway.”

  The innkeeper sighed. “Fine. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  “Thank you,” Hide said, taking the contract.

  As he turned to leave, a few adventurers shook their heads, muttering bets about how long he’d last. But Hide didn’t hear them. He stepped out into the fading light, eyes fixed on the forest in the distance.

  The path to the Forbidden Forest stretched ahead—dark, cold, and whispering with unseen life.

  Hide adjusted the pink ribbon on his arm, took a deep breath, and stepped forward.

  This was just the beginning.