Crackle...!
Cinders lifted into the air, tiny embers dancing as the last sparks of the burned wood flickered among the remaining coals.
The campfire's warm glow contrasted with the cold air of the mountain peak, creating an almost serene atmosphere.
I gently stirred the stew, lifting a portion with the ladle to inspect it.
'It's cooked...'
The taste wasn't anything to write home about—bland, but bearable enough for a proper meal.
A few hours had passed since we reached the summit of the mountains, and now Kagami and I were taking a much-needed break, each settled on small boulders around our modest fire.
Kagami, seated across from me, was deeply immersed in some sort of meditation technique.
His mana fluctuated rhythmically, expanding and contracting like a heartbeat.
It was a familiar sight—something he often did in the game to center himself.
