Grandfather… are you still alive?
Ah, I suppose he really has passed away.
I don't know what's happening to me right now.
Am I sad because he's gone?
Why are tears pouring from my eyes like a waterfall, even though there is no blood relation between us?
Still, I think that all those years I spent with him were not bad at all.
But now he is truly gone… and he has left me alone.
I've been left alone once again.
.
.
Hey, Leon, don't you want to come down from that mountain?
As you can see, I've grown old, and I can no longer climb places like this.
Huh? Grandpa? What are you talking about?
I'm telling you to come down. I need you for a bit.
Leon: Alright, I'm coming.
So, what do you want, Grandpa?
Don't tell me you want to send me to the town again. I don't want that.
Hah, Leon, you little fool. How long do you plan on staying in these mountains, isolated from the rest of the world?
You need to set out on your own journey as well, and begin exploring the world, just like your peers do.
Leon: Tch.
Grandfather: Hah… you really are stubborn.
On a cold, pitch-black night, inside a modest cabin among the mountains, Leon lived together with his grandfather.
But that night was not an ordinary one, nor did it pass easily for Leon as the previous nights had.
Leon's screams echoed throughout the place:
"Graaandpa! Grandpa! Aaaah!"
"Are you really dead? How could you allow yourself to die and leave me alone?"
"Please, get up, Grandpa!"
Despite Leon's desperate pleas, his grandfather had already passed away,
leaving behind nothing more than a lifeless body in Leon's arms.
And so, when morning came, Leon was holding a shovel as he climbed to the top of the hill,
his eyes filled with sorrow and despair.
Even so, he continued digging his grandfather's grave.
After some time had passed, Leon buried his grandfather,
then sat beside the grave for hours, until evening fell and he was forced to return to the cabin to sleep.
That night, Leon spent his miserable hours in silence, reminiscing about the precious memories he had shared with his grandfather.
Although Leon had been mischievous and never considerate of his grandfather at all,
the fear of loneliness and isolation had made his grandfather Leon's entire world.
And now, that world had been taken from him.
When the next morning arrived, Leon rose from his bed.
But this time, the look in his eyes was different.
There was no despair or sadness—only determination and resolve.
He carried a light bag, as if he were going on a short journey.
Leon soon closed the cabin door and moved forward,
walking until he found himself standing before his grandfather's grave.
As he looked at the grave, he closed his eyes,
as though recalling something… important memories that must never be forgotten.
Leon, you must set out and see the world.
Staying alone here will bring you no benefit.
And don't forget the story I told you.
Continue exploring until you reach the truth.
You will face many hardships and suffering, and you will endure a great deal of pain.
But this is the only way to free you from this loneliness,
and the only path that will lead you to the complete truth about yourself and this world.
Leon could never forget his grandfather's final wish.
Although he had completely rejected it in the past,
today he had finally made his decision.
It was time to leave and explore the world.
It was time to live the life his grandfather had always wanted him to live.
With this scene, Leon bid his grandfather farewell for the last time,
and set off toward the unknown—toward a world he knew only through the stories his grandfather used to tell him.
Leon soon left those mountains behind,
leaving the cabin he had lived in for years empty.
From this moment on, his life would be turned upside down.
Leon, who had always continued training and honing his combat abilities,
had now embarked on a journey—an adventure—
to become one of the greatest explorers in this world.
Leon: Alright… it seems I've arrived at the address written on this paper.
After a long walk that took half a day, Leon arrived at a small town spread across the plains,
and it seemed he had come looking for someone.
Hey, hello there, sir. Could you guide me to the owner of this address?
Huh? Let me see… hmm… this… are you talking about the old fortune teller?
Hmm, judging by your young appearance, why would you be looking for that charlatan?
A charlatan?
Leon was slightly surprised by the man's sharp and ominous tone.
It was suspicious, but Leon was certain of the address.
Without a doubt, this was the place.
Returning to Leon and the man who had answered his question,
the man pointed him toward the owner of the address written on the paper Leon was holding.
At last, Leon found himself standing before the doorstep of the house mentioned in the address.
But the appearance of the house was truly eye-catching.
It looked strange—and frightening as well.
A gloomy atmosphere surrounded it, and upon seeing this, Leon understood why the man had refused to accompany him and had only given directions.
But that didn't matter to Leon.
He soon knocked on the door, asking permission from whoever was inside to enter.
However, despite knocking once, twice, and three times, no one answered.
Leon grew confused.
Should he push the door open and enter, or turn back?
But where would he return to?
Leon had already abandoned that place after his grandfather's death,
and he no longer wished to go back there again.
At last, Leon decided to enter the house.
Perhaps whoever was inside was busy and didn't have time to respond.
Leon's hand reached for the doorknob,
and he tried to push it forward.
But the door was extremely stubborn and refused to budge.
Leon tried again with greater force, but nothing changed.
So he decided to use a more violent method.
He chose to smash the door open.
Leon gathered his strength into his fist,
which became wrapped in lightning energy,
and thrust it forward toward the door.
But a surprise awaited him.
At that crucial moment, the door finally opened,
and stopping his attack was nearly impossible.
Leon closed his eyes for a second,
as his fist was about to collide with the door that had suddenly opened.
The surprise was the old woman who had opened it,
standing directly in front of Leon,
and nearly receiving his punch head-on.
But what happened was completely different from what Leon had expected.
In a fraction of a second, the old woman moved with unparalleled agility,
dodging Leon's punch.
Not only did she avoid it,
she sent Leon flying with a swift kick that instantly knocked him unconscious.
.
.
.
Huh… where am I? What is this place?
So you've finally woken up, boy?
Who are you? How dare you attack an old woman without any warning?
It seems your parents failed to teach you proper manners.
After Leon woke up, he found himself in a place he had never seen before.
Standing before him was that same old woman.
The scene was extremely strange,
and confusing enough to momentarily scatter Leon's thoughts.
But once he grasped the situation, he remembered the kick that had knocked him unconscious,
and he was also worried about the old woman whom his fist had nearly struck.
As soon as Leon regained his focus,
he tried to stand up, but was unable to do so.
Something felt strange from the very beginning.
A strange sensation… am I restrained?
That was the best description.
Leon was bound, shackled to a pillar stretching from the floor up to the ceiling.
Leon: Hey! Who tied me up like this? Untie me!
Shut up, boy!
Before that, answer my question:
What do you want? And how could you swing your fist at an old woman?
When Leon saw the old woman standing before him, he tried to justify himself:
Wait a moment. Please believe me—I wasn't trying to hurt you. I was forced to do that.
I knocked on the door many times, and no one answered.
I also have my own reasons.
I want to meet someone who was said to live here.
I truly need them urgently and desperately. I never intended to hurt you.
Hmm… is that so? And how do you expect me to believe you?
Although the old woman's suspicion had not faded, Leon found the situation strange.
This old woman had knocked me out in less than a second.
I truly doubt she was afraid of me hurting her.
Leon: Hey, old lady,
how do you think I could possibly hurt you?
Just look at yourself.
You knocked me unconscious with a single kick.
Leon's answer was quite convincing,
and the strange old woman soon burst into laughter.
Hahaha!
You're absolutely right.
How could a mere rookie like you ever hurt me?
I was once ranked among the greatest explorers in the world.
With that, the old woman quickly untied Leon and freed him.
Leon: Ah… that's much better.
Now I can move my legs and arms freely.
So, what do you want by coming to my house, rookie?
You said earlier that you wanted to meet someone who lives here.
As you can see, I'm the only one who lives in this place.
Do you need any help from me?
Leon was slightly surprised.
But as he recalled his memories and his conversations with his grandfather,
he became certain that this was the place he had been meant to find,
and that this old woman was the one his grandfather had referred to before his death.
End of Chapter