By the time they reached Clicko Mountain, the sun had climbed just high enough to cast warm golden light across the treetops.
The morning air was crisp and clean, touched with the scent of damp earth and wild herbs. As the group stepped beyond the worn forest trail and onto a stony overlook, Yuuri's feet stopped moving on their own.
He stared—his breath faltering.
The mountain range didn't look like a place that belonged in their world. It was vast, stretching across the horizon like a sleeping giant, each peak veiled in mist and crowned by sunlight.
Dozens of jagged cliffs jutted upward through the forest canopy, their sides draped in thick ivy and blooming with wildflowers in bursts of red, violet, and gold.
Each blade of grass holding a drop of heaven
Birdsong echoed from unseen branches, not chaotic, but soft—almost like a language of its own. It feels like they are singing a song. They can't understand the language, but they can feel their melody.
But what truly made the place feel otherworldly were the stones—massive slabs of dark grey rock floating weightlessly in the sky above. They hovered in place, some turning slowly as though held by invisible threads. Light filtered between them, casting soft shifting shadows over the forest floor.
Yuuri tilted his head back, following the impossible formations with wide eyes. Some stones looked as big as houses, others thin like blades, suspended high above the peaks.
No chains. No wires. Just gravity forgotten.
It wasn't just a single mountain. It was an entire network of peaks and cliffs, all joined together by ridgelines, narrow footpaths, and natural bridges formed by time.
Behind him, the teacher's voice cut through the moment like a bell.
"This is the entrance,"she said, her tone calm but firm. "And your starting point."
The students gathered around her, quieting.
"From here, you'll move into the mountain's core and travel across to the other side. This is not a guided tour. You'll face wild terrain, unstable paths, and possibly magical interference. If you get separated, you may not be found easily. If you get hurt, you'll need your team."
She paused a moment, letting that sink in.
"You'll be working in teams of four. Choose wisely. Protect one another. If someone gets left behind, they fail. If a team breaks apart—" she didn't finish that sentence. She didn't need to.
Yuuri looked around. Some students were already moving toward their friends, forming small knots of eager faces. Others looked hesitant, unsure who to trust. The mountain air was suddenly heavy with tension.
And just like that, it started.
Yuuri stood there a moment longer, letting the silence of the mountain press into him.
He exhaled slowly, then turned to find his team.
Yuuri stood with Haru, Hikari, and Aiko near one of the moss-covered rocks. After a small pause, Haru stepped forward, casually raising a hand to catch the teacher's attention.
"Ma'am, our group's set."
She turned to him with a small nod.
"Team A: Me—Haru Hichiro, Hikari Mei, Yuuri, and Aiko Kojima ."
The teacher scribbled something down on her paper without looking up.
"Team A, confirmed."
Not far away, another voice called out confidently.
"Team B here!"
It was Chuo, slinging an arm around Yuji's shoulder like he was announcing a championship lineup.
"Chuo Hirano, Yin fu , Zhen Kasumi, and Yuji Hiyashi."
"Team B, confirmed."
A few steps away, Kenji spoke up next, his voice lower but steady.
"Team C:Nicolas , Ryusei Ootsuka, Junseo, and Riku."
"Alright. Team C, noted."
The teacher glanced up at them, her eyes sharp.
"Once you're all done, get some rest. The real challenge starts at dawn."
Yuuri looked toward the twisting path ahead, where trees swallowed the trail in shadow. The mountain waited—ancient, silent, and untamed.
But now, at least, he wasn't facing it alone.
Everyone stepped into the mountain grounds, and it felt like they had entered another world.
The place was huge. Mountains circled around them like walls, their tall shapes covered in mist. The sky above was clear, with floating rocks drifting high like pieces of a broken land.
It was quiet but full of life. Peaceful, but also strange—like the place was hiding something.
Each team started to walk in different directions. The trail split into many paths, some leading into the forest, others going up steep rocks or down into shadowed areas. Everyone slowly disappeared into the wild.
Yuuri walked with his team, but he couldn't stop looking around. Everything felt too perfect, too unreal. He had never seen a place like this.
*What kind of place is this...?*
Then he heard it again.
That voice. The one that had spoken to him before. It came from somewhere deep inside his head—calm, cold, and clear.
"Don't fear."
Yuuri froze for a moment.
"This is your place."
The wind moved gently through the trees, brushing past him like something alive.
"You are the king of this land."
He stood still, his heart beating faster. The trees around him swayed, almost like they were watching him.
He looked ahead. The others hadn't noticed.
Yuuri clenched his fists without thinking.
*Why do you keep saying that?* he thought. *What king? What place?*
But the voice didn't answer. Only the wind, the trees, and the strange sky above stayed with him.
And something in this mountain had started to awaken.
As they walked deeper into the strange, beautiful forest, Yuuri felt it again—something in the air. Like the silence before a storm. He couldn't explain it, but his chest felt tight, his senses sharper.
Something was going to happen here. He didn't know what… but the feeling wouldn't leave him.
Beside him, Hikari's steps grew lighter. There was a spark in her eyes—something bright and full of excitement. She wasn't hiding it at all.
"You look like you're about to fly," Aiko said, grinning as she walked beside her. "If you're this happy, you should dance!"
Hikari blinked. "No way," she laughed, shaking her head.
"Oh come on!" she said, stepping closer. "Dance with me, just for fun!"
Hikari kept refusing, laughing quietly. But she wasn't giving up. She reached out and grabbed her arm, trying to pull her into a spin.
"Come on, come with me! Just a little bit!"
But Hikari wouldn't budge.
She was still holding Yuuri's hand.
She kept pulling, stubborn as ever. "Let go of his hand already!" she said, laughing. "Just come dance for a second!"
Still, Hikari didn't move. She was looking down… then slowly, she looked up.
Her eyes met his.
And he was already looking at her.
For a moment, everything else faded.
The forest. The others. Even Aiko's voice.
Just the two of them, standing still under the tall trees, sunlight falling between the branches, and their hands still locked together.
Aiko gave one final tug—and this time, it worked.
Both girls lost their balance, stumbling back and falling into the grass with a thud. Haru burst out laughing,
"That's your fault," she mumbled, voice muffled.
She couldn't stop laughing, and soon Hikari started giggling too, though her face flushed red.
They lay there tangled in the grass, laughing together like kids again—carefree, silly, and warm. The moment wasn't embarrassing anymore. It felt safe, like the kind of moment you'd remember later and smile about.
She glanced sideways at Aiko, eyes shining with laughter.
"You really wanted that dance, huh?"
She replied with an innocent smile
Yuuri didn't move. He just stood there, watching them. His face remained unreadable.
Quietly, he stepped forward and reached out his hand toward Hikari, offering to help her up.
She looked up at him—and, without a word, placed her hand in his, and let him pull her to her feet.
They dusted themselves off, still smiling from the fall, and began walking again—side by side, their steps light with leftover laughter.
Their conversation was easy—half teasing, half curious—filled with light giggles and little glances as they talked about anything and nothing.
Then, somewhere in the distance, a deep hush fell over the forest. The sound came first. A distant, rushing roar—steady, powerful, almost like breathing.
Hikari slowed her steps, tilting her head.
"Do you hear that?"
Aiko nodded, her eyes narrowing slightly as she listened.
"Water."
They followed the sound, pushing past a few bushes and trees. After a short walk, the trees opened up, and they saw it—a beautiful waterfall.
Water poured down from a tall rock into a clear pool
Hikari stepped forward, her eyes wide.
"It's… beautiful."
Aiko grinned, already pulling her boots off.
"And it looks like the perfect place to take a break."