After around an hour, Raito returned from the fields. After working in the fields, as soon as he reached their farm hut area, his eyes fell on Ryuma, who was slumped against the tree, breathing properly and seemingly resting peacefully.
Looking at this posture, Raito thought that most probably Ryuma had tired himself out while training and had simply fallen asleep under the tree. So he decided not to disturb Ryuma and let him continue resting.
Raito then arranged some of the farming equipment that he had taken with him, placing it inside the hut. After that, he washed himself properly, getting rid of all the mud and dirt that had covered him after working in the fields. Finally, when he was done, he thought of returning home.
So Raito walked over to Ryuma's side. His eyes fell on the three swords lying beside Ryuma, and he became confused. Whose swords are these? he thought. He had never seen these swords beside Ryuma before.
After thinking about it for a moment, he reached a conclusion. Most probably, Ryu must know about this. I will ask him.
Raito bent slightly beside Ryuma and shook him gently as he said, "Ryu, let's go."
Ryuma did not move.
Raito called out again, "Ryu, wake up. Let's go."
Still, Ryuma did not wake up.
After seeing this, Raito felt that something was not right. Ryuma had definitely fallen asleep like this a few times before, but every time, he would generally wake up after only one call. If not one, then after two or three calls, Ryuma would definitely wake up. But this time, Ryuma continued to sleep without reacting at all.
He called out again, "Ryu, let's go."
This time, he shook Ryuma even more, but there was still no movement. Ryuma did not wake up.
Finally, Raito's expression changed. He suddenly became certain that something bad must have happened to him. Panic immediately filled his heart as he began tapping Ryuma's face.
"Ryu, Ryu, wake up."
Raito panicked upon seeing his unconscious son not responding at all, when his eyes suddenly fell on the paper in Ryuma's hand.
As soon as Raito looked at the paper, he felt a bad premonition. He suddenly remembered the event from four years ago, when Ryuma had tried to take his own life.
Did Ryuma try something like this again?
With this trepidation in his heart, Raito instantly took the paper from Ryuma's hand and opened it to read it.
Inside, the content was:
"Father, don't worry about me. If you are reading this paper, that means that I have fallen unconscious. But don't worry about it. I have just exhausted myself while training. I tried a special method of training today, which definitely has a chance of making me unconscious, so you don't have to worry. Just take me home and let me rest. I should wake up by tomorrow morning. If not in the morning, then maybe by evening. But I will wake up on my own, so you don't have to worry or take me to the hospital or anything like that.
"And I know what you might be thinking, and I haven't done anything that harms myself, so don't worry about it. I am absolutely fine, just unconscious.
"Sorry for causing you and Mother to worry."
After reading Ryuma's letter, Raito looked at Ryuma with a complicated expression. If he looked at the situation objectively, then what Ryuma had written was perfectly correct. Ryuma was not suffering from anything; he was simply unconscious from exhausting himself during his training.
But at the same time, Raito still had worries in his heart about Ryuma. The memory of what had happened four years ago was not something he could simply forget. Even so, in the end, he decided to believe his son's words.
He bent down and picked Ryuma up onto his back. It was quite difficult, after all, Ryuma had already reached his own height, and because of all the training he had undergone, his weight had definitely increased as well. But thankfully, Raito was a farmer, and he had plenty of experience carrying heavy loads. Because of that, he was able to properly carry Ryuma on his back.
He also picked up the three swords lying beside Ryuma. Most probably, these swords belonged to Ryuma. If they did not, then Ryuma would at least know whose swords they were. So Raito simply kept them with him. When Ryuma woke up, he would ask him about them.
With Ryuma on his back and the three swords in his possession, Raito left the fields and began making his way back toward home.
…
(The next morning.)
As I slowly opened my eyes, the familiar ceiling of my room came into view.
I instantly looked toward the clock while sitting up on my bed, and I realized that it was already well past noon. The numbers on the clock clearly showed 2:27 PM.
As soon as I saw the time, I blurted out, "Shit, it seems that I definitely overestimated the recovery speed of Zoro's physique—or, to be precise, my physique now."
As I said this, I still felt groggy in my head. I slightly rubbed my forehead, feeling a strange heaviness inside my brain. I immediately knew the reason for it, after all. The headache and heavy feeling in my head were caused by the fact that my spirit had been damaged, and that had happened because of my death in the mental space.
But as I remembered the final moments I had experienced in the mental space, a smile slowly appeared on my face.
Although I died in the mental space, I also mastered the Breath of All Things.
A bright smile hung on my face.
Just then, I suddenly remembered something else.
Well, Mother and Father must be worried sick. I should go and tell my parents that I am fine and that I have woken up.
After thinking this, I immediately stood up and slowly walked out of my room. I slid the door of my room open and stepped outside.
As I walked out, I saw my mother sitting there and watching television. A show, some kind of spiritual talk, or something similar, was playing on the television.
As soon as I saw my mother watching that show, I understood what she was doing. She must have been watching it to keep her mind calm and at ease while waiting for me to wake up.
I slightly shook my head at this, and then I finally said,
"Mother, I am hungry."
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