Merun woke before sunrise.
He slipped out quietly and headed for the beach, the sky still painted in deep blues and fading stars. Back on Earth, his family used to take long road trips just to see the ocean. There was something about it he never got tired of. The endless stretch of water. The sand with tiny little crabs. The salty smell of the sea. The steady, peaceful crash of waves.
It was the same here.
Fishermen were already moving along the shore, pushing boats into the surf, hauling nets over their shoulders. They worked fast, practiced, bodies bent against years of habit. As Merun passed, he gave a few gentle nudges to help slide a boat free of the sand. The men gave him brief nods of thanks and went on with their work.
Watching them stirred a strange ache in his chest.
"…Man," he muttered. "I really miss coffee."
"Who's coffee?"
Merun nearly jumped out of his skin.
Iro had appeared beside him without a sound, squinting at him with open curiosity.
"Ah—no," he said quickly. "It's… not a person."
She tilted her head.
He hesitated. Sharing things from his old life still felt strange. Dangerous, even. But then he shrugged.
"Coffee's a drink," he said. "You can have it hot or cold. It wakes you up, gives you energy for the day."
Her eyes lit up. "So… a potion?"
"I mean—kind of?" Merun scratched his cheek. "Just… weaker."
She nodded slowly, filing that away like it mattered.
"Anyway," she said, turning serious again, "are you ready to meet him?"
Merun exhaled and nodded.
This time, she led him along a winding path far beyond the village. The air grew quieter, the sea fading behind them until only birds and wind remained. At the end of the path sat a small hut, unremarkable in every way.
Inside, an old woman greeted him with a gentle smile.
"Please wait," she said. "Would you like some tea?"
"Sure," Merun replied, settling down.
Iro stayed outside.
The woman chatted idly as she poured the tea, talking about the weather, about her morning, about nothing in particular. Merun sipped quietly, listening. Then he sighed.
"Why don't you go fool someone else, Uncle Beggar Sage?"
The cup paused mid-pour.
The old woman stared at him.
Then she laughed.
"So," she said lightly, "you do know about the immortality ritual."
Her posture shifted. Just slightly. The warmth drained from her voice as she straightened.
"Go west," she said. "To the village of Sabae."
"…And do what?" Merun asked.
She smiled again. "You'll know when you get there."
He groaned. "You really love being cryptic, huh? Uncle? Aunt? Beggar Sage?"
She said nothing.
Merun stood. "Fine. I'll do it."
As he turned to leave, her voice stopped him.
"What else do you know, Merun Furutsu?"
He paused, eyes drifting upward as if thinking.
"Hmmm… how about no?"
She raised a brow.
"Pay for my information," he added, glancing back. "Don't try to trick me into giving it for free."
The old woman chuckled. "Fair. Then ask."
Merun thought for a moment. "…Why does the scouter show an error when I try to scan myself?"
"Simple," she replied. "It's a prototype. It caps at around one thousand. It's only been three days, after all."
"…Figures."
She leaned forward. "Now your turn."
Merun hesitated, then smiled faintly.
"Back where I lived," he said, "people could talk to each other from millions of miles away."
She frowned. "Impossible. You arrived here as an infant. How would you even know that?"
Merun laughed awkwardly. "Instinct?"
He lifted the scouter and tapped it lightly. "They used handheld devices."
Her eyes sharpened as she leaned forward, almost excited even, "How?"
Merun turned toward the door. "...I think that's enough information no?"
Outside, he asked Iro about Sabae. She knew the route, but shook her head when he asked her to come along. Instead, she handed him a folded piece of paper.
"That village's just suffered a clan war much like us," she said quietly. "...Only you weren't there."
Before he left, he wore simple peasant clothes they provided. She packed him food, water, and pressed the scouter into his hands.
"Be careful," she said.
Merun waved and took off.
Iro... she's nice. She kind of reminds of Ichigo, with her ideals and whatnot.
Come to think of it, isn't this the first time I'm going out to travel on my own?
I mean I did come here to Odani but I was knocked out during the commute.
Here we go!
He broke into a run—and froze mid-step as dust clouds exploded around him.
What the fuck?
He ran again.
He was fast.
No, faster than fast.
The world blurred past him, yet he could still see everything clearly. Every stone. Every tree. Every bird startled into flight. His feet barely touched the ground, leaving trails of dust behind him.
"Holy—" he laughed. "I am speed."
His body had grown so strong, he was zooming past the plains and the forests, occasionally nabbing some berries on the way.
By the time he reached Odani, the sun was already high.
If it had been his old body, the journey would've taken days.... A week, maybe.
The village ahead was in ruins.
Houses stood half-collapsed. Nets lay abandoned. People either glared at him openly or retreated into their homes the moment they saw his silhouette.
A group of men approached, farming tools clutched tight in their hands. The one leading them was an old man with a worn headband, eyes sharp with distrust.
"Who are you?" he demanded. "What do you want?"
He lifted his tool. The others followed suit.
"Martial artists aren't welcome here."
The air went tense.