"…Freedom rejected him."
The words fell heavily into the air.
Hana frowned.
"Rejected?"
The old man nodded slowly.
"When Kaito entered his subconscious realm, he attempted to approach the essence of Freedom."
"But Freedom refused him."
Toru spoke carefully.
"…Meaning?"
The old man stood and clasped his hands behind his back.
"Kaito's mind was not ready."
"He tried to approach a concept he does not yet understand."
Hana looked down at her unconscious son.
"But he's just a child…"
The old man's expression softened slightly.
"Yes."
"That is exactly why."
The wind around them moved quietly.
"A Guardian will not listen to someone who cannot understand its nature."
Toru narrowed his eyes.
"…So this was inevitable."
"Yes."
The old man looked at Kaito again.
"Freedom did not harm him."
"It simply expelled him."
"Like a door closing."
Hana whispered softly,
"…So he isn't dying?"
The old man shook his head.
"No."
"This rejection is not a failure."
"It is simply the beginning."
Hana looked confused.
"The beginning…?"
The old man nodded.
"Kaito has now touched the edge of something far beyond ordinary existence."
"That alone is enough to change the course of his life."
Toru spoke quietly.
"…Then what must he do?"
The old man turned his gaze toward the endless winds of the realm.
"He must grow."
"Not only his body."
"But his mind."
"And his spirit."
Toru's expression hardened.
"…Explain."
The old man turned back to them.
"You cannot force a Guardian to accept you."
"They are not servants."
"They are not weapons."
"They are concepts."
Hana listened carefully.
The old man continued.
"For Freedom to acknowledge Kaito… Kaito must understand what Freedom truly means."
Hana whispered softly,
"Freedom…"
The old man nodded.
"Not the word."
"The concept."
"What it means."
"What it demands."
"What it protects."
Toru frowned slightly.
"So until then… Freedom will continue rejecting him?"
"Yes."
The old man answered simply.
"Until Kaito becomes someone Freedom is willing to recognize."
Silence filled the realm again.
Then—
Kaito's fingers twitched.
Hana gasped.
"Kaito!"
His eyes slowly opened.
"…Ugh…"
He groaned weakly.
Everything felt heavy.
The wind.
The ground.
Even his own thoughts.
"Where…"
His vision cleared.
He saw his parents.
"Mom…?"
Hana immediately hugged him tightly.
"Kaito!"
"You scared me!"
"Are you alright?!"
Kaito blinked in confusion.
"I… think so…"
Toru crouched beside him.
"What do you remember?"
Kaito frowned.
Images flashed through his mind.
The endless shifting worlds.
The floating islands.
The sky cracking apart.
"…Something pushed me."
He sat up slowly.
"That place was crazy…"
His eyes suddenly widened.
"Wait."
He looked around.
"Freedom!"
He turned toward the old man.
"That thing tried to kill me!"
The old man shook his head calmly.
"No."
Kaito blinked.
"…No?"
"Freedom did not attack you."
"It rejected you."
Kaito frowned.
"That felt like an attack!"
The old man chuckled softly.
"You attempted to approach something you do not yet understand."
"A concept like Freedom will not allow itself to be claimed so easily."
Kaito crossed his arms stubbornly.
"…So it just kicked me out."
"Yes."
Kaito stared at the ground for a moment.
Hana watched him carefully.
She expected fear.
Maybe even tears.
But instead—
Kaito clenched his fist.
"…Fine."
Everyone looked at him.
Kaito stood up.
"Then I'll just meet him again."
Hana blinked.
"…Kaito?"
Kaito looked determined.
"If he kicked me out this time…"
"Then next time I'll go farther."
The old man watched him silently.
Then a faint smile appeared on his face.
"…Just as I expected."
Toru raised an eyebrow.
"You expected this reaction?"
The old man nodded.
"Kaito carries the essence of Freedom."
"It would be strange if he lacked determination."
Kaito looked confused.
"Hey, I'm standing right here you know."
The old man chuckled.
"Yes."
"And that is exactly why I came."
Hana looked at him.
"…You mean?"
The old man nodded.
"I did not come only to explain the situation."
He looked at Kaito.
"I came to prepare you."
Kaito tilted his head.
"…Prepare me?"
The old man smiled slightly.
"For training."
Kaito's eyes lit up.
"Training?!"
Toru folded his arms.
"What kind of training?"
The old man answered calmly.
"Training of the mind."
"The spirit."
"And the understanding of concepts."
Kaito scratched his head.
"…That sounds complicated."
"It is."
The old man said.
"But if you wish to meet Freedom again…"
"You must learn."
Hana looked worried.
"Grandfather… will this be dangerous?"
The old man answered honestly.
"Yes."
"But doing nothing would be far more dangerous."
Silence followed.
Finally Toru nodded.
"…Then we trust your judgment."
The old man looked at Kaito again.
"I will return from time to time."
"And when I do…"
His eyes gleamed slightly.
"…your lessons will begin."
Kaito grinned.
"Alright!"
Then the old man turned away.
"Now…"
"It is time for me to leave."
The spiritual realm began to shift.
The winds curled around them again.
Reality slowly returned.
The estate hall reformed around them.
The strange mystical space vanished completely.
Kaito blinked.
"…That was cool."
The old man walked toward the exit.
Before leaving, he stopped.
"One last thing."
Everyone looked at him.
"Freedom is not the only concept that now exists in this world."
Toru frowned slightly.
"…You mean other Guardians?"
The old man nodded.
"Yes."
He looked at Kaito.
"And some of them…"
"…have already begun to awaken."
Kaito tilted his head.
"…Like who?"
The old man smiled faintly.
"Your friend."
Kaito blinked.
"…Ren?"
The old man simply turned and walked away.
The wind followed him as he disappeared into the distance.
Kaito stood there in stunned silence.
"…Wait."
He looked at his parents.
"Ren is WHAT?"
That night
The village was quiet.
The winds flowed gently through the floating bridges and rooftops.
Kaito lay in bed staring at the ceiling.
His mind replayed everything.
Freedom.
Guardians.
Training.
Rize.
"…This is crazy."
He turned on his side.
"…But also kinda awesome."
Eventually his eyes grew heavy.
Sleep slowly claimed him.
And deep within his mind—
In the endless white world—
Something stirred.
A voice echoed faintly.
Cold.
Ancient.
Powerful.
"…Foolish child."
Darkness swallowed the words.
And Kaito continued sleeping.
Unaware of the eyes watching him from beyond his own mind.