Kenji

"Hmm... today's mission is to collect and deliver herbs from Marine Village to Zia Village," I read aloud from the mission board.

"This time, we're allowed to carry our weapons," Taka added, his hand resting on the hilt of his katana, a small smirk playing on his lips.

"Finally, a proper mission," I said, stretching my arms. "Let's go!"

We left the base, heading southwest. Miss Annette had given us a map, but since Yushiro was a better reader than I was, he took charge of navigation.

As we walked, my eyes caught a bold red line cutting across the parchment. "What's this red line for?" I asked, pointing at it.

Yushiro barely glanced up. "It's just a marked trail to help travelers. Don't worry about it. We'll take the forest route—it's faster."

I didn't argue. Yushiro was leading, with Taka and me following closely behind. The path twisted through dense foliage, the scent of damp earth rising from the undergrowth. Hours passed, and according to the map, we were still far from Marine Village. That snowball bastard Yushiro had estimated the journey would take us a day and a half.

That wasn't going to work.

"Taka, Yushiro," I called out, my voice cutting through the rustling leaves.

They turned toward me, waiting. There was no way we were going to take that long to reach the village. "Let's run straight there. Both of you use Flow, and I'll release a bit of my Hashi."

Hashi—the energy of the world. It existed externally in nature and internally within us. Internal Hashi could enhance physical abilities, and Flow was a technique from 'The Way of Nature technique' that optimized both its circulation and our movement. Unlike my brothers, who had to concentrate their Hashi, I had more than enough to simply release a portion and amplify my speed.

Taka shot me a skeptical look. "You sure? Can you keep up?"

I met his gaze. "Yeah."

He hesitated for a moment before closing his eyes. I could feel his Hashi spreading through his body as he activated Flow. Yushiro, meanwhile, had barely reacted—he was still reading the map. But after a moment, he folded it with an unreadable expression, waiting for me.

Taking a deep breath, I released my Hashi. It surged through me, untamed and raw, filling my limbs with empowering energy. The three of us exchanged nods, crouching low.

Then, we ran.

The terrain was uneven—roots jutted out, fallen branches blocked the way, but we adjusted, dodging and weaving with every step. Yushiro ran to my left, Taka to my right. The dirt road was an option, but that would be boring.

I pushed myself harder, stealing quick glances at my teammates. Taka was fast, but the tricky footing forced him to constantly adjust his movements. That slowed him down just enough for me to gain an edge.

Or so I thought.

Where the hell is Yushiro?

I scanned the area and looked up just in time to spot him—leaping effortlessly from tree to tree.

That bastard's avoiding the ground entirely!

I gritted my teeth and picked up speed, but just as I was about to close the gap, Taka suddenly shot past me, kicking up dust in his wake.

Damn it!

Forty minutes later, I burst out of the tree line into an open field, my legs burning, my breath ragged. Tall grass brushed against my knees as I staggered forward.

Up ahead, Taka was hunched over, hands on his knees, gulping air. Yushiro, on the other hand, was casually sitting in the grass, sweat beading on his forehead but otherwise unbothered.

He must have beaten Taka here, too.

Still panting, I collapsed onto the ground beside them. "How far are we?" I managed between breaths.

Yushiro pulled out the map and pointed at a wide clearing. "We're in the Sunny Fields. About halfway to Marine Village."

I groaned, wiping the sweat from my brow. "Let's rest...huff...for a bit...huff...then...race again...to the village."

A second later, I heard another thud. Taka had collapsed, too.

After catching our breath, we continued with Yushiro leading. The sun dipped below the horizon, staining the sky in shades of amber and violet. Dusk bled into the world, darkness creeping in, but we couldn't stop. We pushed forward, weaving through the trees, careful to avoid any beasts lurking in the shadows.

Seven hours in, Yushiro and Taka suddenly skidded to a halt.

Reaching them, panting, I followed their gaze.

Up ahead, lights twinkled in the distance, tiny stars grounded in the land. The village blended seamlessly with the scenery, its warm glow a beacon against the encroaching night.

We had made it.

Marine Village.