The room was so quiet that the sound of wind brushing through the corridor could almost be heard. Outside the window, in the courtyard, Shingin stood alone. His back appeared more solitary than ever before. After leaving William's room, his steps carried no sense of relief—rather, they seemed burdened with a weight too heavy to bear.
Riyugi stood by the window, her fingers gripping the frame tightly. Her eyes were fixed on Shingin in the courtyard, her face filled with worry. "I wonder what William said to him."
"What else could it be?" Harutemi sat nearby, hugging her knees, a faintly mischievous smile on her lips. "Probably got a good scolding from the leader."
No sooner had the words left her mouth than an uneasy tension spread through the air.
"Shut up."
Harutemi quickly looked up to see Yahageshii's furrowed brows and piercing gaze. Straightforward and unyielding by nature, he had little patience for her tactless remarks.
Though startled, Harutemi refused to back down completely, muttering under her breath, "Can't even make a joke."
"Enough." Rayl's voice cut through the discomfort in the room. He rose and joined Riyugi by the window, his gaze steady as he looked at Shingin in the courtyard. His tone was calm but carried an unmistakable authority. "Shingin has his own path to walk. As his comrades, you should focus on improving yourselves."
Ryuosho, leaning casually against the wall, displayed a rare seriousness. His eyes narrowed slightly as though deep in thought. After a pause, he spoke. "You're saying… a global conflict is coming?"
Everyone froze at his words, their attention turning toward him.
"A global conflict?" Riyugi repeated in shock, her disbelief evident.
Rayl's expression grew more complex. He studied Ryuosho, as if trying to confirm something. After a moment, he nodded. "Yes. All the world's ability-users are stirring, their sights set on one target—the fabled Forest of Hidden Lakes. It's as if they've been bewitched; everyone is drawn to that place."
The words left Riyugi and Harutemi baffled, their faces full of incredulity. But Yahageshii's gaze lingered on Ryuosho, his doubts running deeper.
The usually laid-back "slacker" suddenly seemed so perceptive—when did that happen?
Noticing the attention, Ryuosho remained unfazed. Arms crossed, he continued leaning against the wall, his gaze distant as it drifted back to Shingin in the courtyard. "Whatever their reasons, what can we possibly change? Instead of worrying about the inevitable, we should focus on growing stronger."
"You…" Yahageshii opened his mouth, questions surging within him, yet he chose to stay silent. He wanted to ask, "Slacker, what's gotten into you?" But ultimately, the words went unsaid.
Outside, Shingin stood in the courtyard, sunlight filtering through the branches to fall on him. Yet, he felt no warmth.
Suddenly, his steps faltered. His attention was drawn to a pale scrap of paper lying on a stone step nearby. Its edges were neat, as if carefully folded and placed there, despite its yellowed, aged appearance.
Frowning slightly, Shingin crouched to pick it up. The moment he unfolded it, his pupils contracted.
Scrawled in hurried, jagged handwriting, the note bore only a few lines:
"If all you do is run, no one can save you.
Seek the Hidden Forest. The answers lie there."
The words cut through his heart like a blade, carrying a strange and unsettling weight. He snapped his head up, scanning the courtyard. It was still empty, the shadows of corners seeming to harbor an unseen watcher. Taking a deep breath, he clenched the note tightly, a cold chill seeping into him from his fingertips.
The paper, though light in his hand, carried the weight of ominous forewarning.
"You've watched your companions fall, one by one. You can't even control your own fate—what makes you think you can protect others?"
Shingin shut his eyes, exhaling heavily. Crushing the note into a ball, he tossed it into a nearby fire pit. The flames devoured it instantly, the heat consuming the words. Yet the shadow they cast over his heart remained.
"Can I… really do this?" he murmured, his gaze fixed on the flickering flames, beyond which lay an uncertain future.
Standing there in silence, Shingin let his eyes roam over the unfamiliar yet familiar surroundings. There was nothing left here to hold him back. Taking a deep breath, he turned and walked away, his emotions a tangled mess.
Each step was deliberate, unhesitant, as if bidding farewell to old ties. He didn't look back, afraid that if he paused even for a moment, the weight of his feelings would overwhelm him.
The wind whistled along his path, carrying a biting chill that seemed to whisper of the hardships ahead. Yet his figure grew smaller and smaller, his silhouette resolute and lonely.
Shingin had chosen to leave, setting foot on an unknown path.