In the upper part of a warehouse laboratory, overlooking a pitch-black interior, pinpointed in the mainland of the Salvation Provenience.
A familiar hunchback was exchanging conversation with a group of lab-coated scientists.
"What's taking so long for a simple bug exterminant?" The hunchback asked angrily.
"Sir. Tanto's on my ass, and you lot said that the bugs would be contained within regular wheat fields. The Holy fields were meant to be safe."
"Well, yes sir, but as we've said the only way for the Qi-bugs to adapt that quickly to an environment would be to ensure aggressive mutations in place of actual evolution"
"I hate to say that that stuck up elite's right, but did you idiots not think to keep ourselves from shooting us in our own foot? In any case, why is it taking so long"
"Ah yes," Another scientist interjected.
"That would be because an Elite that ranks higher than Sir. Teiji Tanto requested we turn our full attention to Project T"
The hunchback looked on dumbfounded.
"One of the nobles' precious golden wells is getting get wiped out, and we're focused on failed experiments? I thought we gave up on those lumbering giants. Didn't every single one of them go rouge in the past?"
"I would love to tell you more, but that's currently classified information. What I can tell you is that keeping the subject's source of reason is the main issue that caused them to lose their mind. Well, that and overall weak test subjects"
"Where are you getting the funds for this operation…" The hunchback trailed off.
He was met by silence.
"It would appear that he is awake" A scientist suddenly said, breaking up the silence.
The entire group's gaze focused behind the hunchback. The hunchback turned around quickly.
Through a large wall-like window, an uncannily sized eyeball, unblinking, filled the view.
.
.
.
Shin Buki had a full backpack and a suitcase worth of things on his person.
His master packed more lightly, only carrying a large suitcase.
On this day, they would say goodbye to the dojo they had lived in for their entire lives.
Shin and his master waited alongside a dirt road a few yards from their residence.
A hallow look emanated from the student, and no words were exchanged.
Beside the residence, where the wheat fields had been, dead sickly yellow crops drooped as though they had fermented into discolored vines.
The traces of red had disappeared, along with the vitality of the crops. The pair could no longer sustain themselves here.
A dark looking carriage rolled up with a scruffy one-eyed man as it's rider. It made a ruckus as it barreled down the dirt path.
Shin opened the door and helped his master inside.
"Just as fast as they came, they left equally hastily," Nagai spoke after a while, once inside the carriage.
'Where did they even originate from? The townsfolk spoke of rumors that it came from the Provinces' Shin thought.
Noticing Shin In deep thought, Nagai said "Don't get stuck up on a small chapter of your life. We may have lost a home, but we cant still survive through our skills. I feel for the poor townsfolk whose livelihoods depend on the crops…" Nagai trailed off.
"It may be a small chapter for me, but it was your life's work" Shin spoke under his breath.
"Huh?"
"Nothing. Say, where are we going, master? The selling price of the dojo wasn't much, we cant be any more well of than the townsfolk." Shin spoke after a moment.
"Don't worry about funds, young one. The world has gone crazy, and we can no longer rely on hard physical labor to support ourselves, so we'll live freely through the land"
"You don't mean—"
"That's right, the Dragon Mountains" His master cut off.
"I must warn you, Shin. The Dragon Mountains are exactly as dangerous as the tales I've told you. If your skills hadn't improved to what they are today, I wouldn't feel comfortable taking you there."
"Sounds dangerous, but I'm strong. Anyway, what, we live by hunting game? We don't exactly have long-ranged weapons"
"Haha, still so unknowledgeable. I know you partially don't believe in mystical creatures, but the beasts are what's going to fill our stomachs. We won't need to hunt them, for they'll already be trying to hunt us."
"Sounds like the perfect conditions for training."
"Exactly."
A few thousand uncomfortable bumps of a carriage later, they had arrived.