Ichigo kept walking through that desert.
There, he hunted lizards, rats, and even monsters to eat raw. He used the blood of those creatures as a drink, despite loathing the thick, heavy taste of it.
Time and again, Ichigo died — from monster attacks or from poisoning — and time and again he rose from death. All of it he endured simply to satisfy his hunger and thirst.
At times, Ichigo also snapped off cactus branches and flowers to eat. He broke them off with his bare hands, which caused him to bleed continuously.
In moments like these, Ichigo came to understand that the pain he experienced within this immortality was five times greater than what an ordinary person would feel. He could suppress the emotional response to the pain, but his body could not.
His body grew weaker and weaker. His head spun more and more.
After two months of walking through that desert, Ichigo finally caught sight of a dense forest.
He entered it, and saw many animals and plants he had never encountered before. Then he spotted a lake.
Beside the lake, an ordinary deer waded into the water. It dove beneath the surface, and when it emerged, its coat had turned into a shimmering blue. The same happened to a small brown sparrow — after swimming and diving in the lake, its feathers became a glossy, brilliant red.
Ichigo took two small bottles from the bag the ice mermaid had given him while he was unconscious, and drew water from the lake for use as a disguise. He let a single drop fall onto his hair, and it turned his hair purple.
A few hours after passing the lake, he spotted several enormous trees with wooden staircases and houses built high among their branches.
Ichigo noticed a girl with pointed ears, golden eyes, and blonde hair, walking past him carrying flowers and smiling.
"Um, hello?" Said Ichigo, confused.
"Ah, hello — it looks like you're lost, aren't you?" Said the elf who approached him, using words that Ichigo couldn't understand.
"Hey, why aren't you answering me?" The elf asked again.
Ichigo simply stood there in silence, unable to understand the language she was using.
"Can you not understand what I'm saying?" The elf asked, and once again, Ichigo had no idea what she was talking about.
The elf tried using the royal language, and that Ichigo understood immediately. He answered.
"I'm lost. My family was killed. I ended up stranded here, and I walked in a straight line until I reached this forest." Ichigo said it all with a completely blank expression.
"In that case, would you be willing to stay with us for a while?" The elf bowed her head slightly and invited Ichigo to stay temporarily.
Ichigo agreed and went with the elves.
"By the way, what is your name? Mine is Stella." The elf spoke again.
"I... Ichigo! My name is Ichigo!" Ichigo answered loudly.
"May I ask your family name?" The elf inquired.
"No! I don't want anyone to know!" Ichigo answered immediately.
"Very well, then I'll take you to my home." The elf began guiding Ichigo up into the elven settlement.
Upon arriving at Stella's home, located at the very top of the elf tree —
"Stella, your house is much bigger than the other elves', isn't it?" Ichigo looked around the inside of Stella's home.
"Of course! When I'm older I'll become the chief of the elves in this forest. I'll help this village grow and preserve its harmony." Stella spoke of herself with pride, as a light from nowhere seemed to encircle her as she did.
"And Ichigo — you should rest. You must be exhausted from such a long journey." Stella invited Ichigo to sleep in her home.
"Alright. By the way, where is the bathroom?" Ichigo asked.
Stella pointed out the direction.
The following day, Ichigo decided to begin training to strengthen himself.
The training continued for three full years — running, sit-ups, sharpening his instincts, strengthening his eyesight, and more.
Because the elven village was protected by an incredibly powerful barrier, enemy forces could not penetrate it easily. Because of this, Ichigo had sufficient time to train and grow.
In the darker areas surrounding the elven village, a mysterious elf in a black robe with a dark aura was quietly working to weaken the barrier, so that enemy forces could eventually get through.
What should have been a barrier capable of holding for five years could now only hold for three.
The mysterious elf had made a contract with the Warfare Council in exchange for enormous rewards, and also to uncover the secret identity of Ichigo.
"You must finish this — and I will make him regret everything." Said the Warfare Council member.
The mysterious elf smiled.
"Of course — to teach him a proper lesson!"
That elf was one of the many elves in the village who was close to Stella.
After two days, Ichigo finally woke from his sleep, to find Stella seated beside him.
"Ah, forgive me — it seems I was terribly rude to have slept for so long." Said Ichigo.
Stella shook her head.
"Oh, it's perfectly fine. Besides, you really did seem thoroughly exhausted. And for an elf, two days is a very short time — we can sleep for a full year if needed." She said with a wide smile, setting down a cup of water.
"Is that so..." Ichigo then tried to stand after drinking the water Stella had given him.
Stella was startled and quickly moved to help him.
"Don't rush! You're not fully recovered yet!" Stella gently scolded him.
She then guided Ichigo back onto the bed.
"You lost a great deal of blood when you arrived here. That's what's making you so weak."
Ichigo then looked toward the window.
"The weather is very clear today, isn't it?" Said Stella, carrying the cup she had brought.
At the doorway as she was leaving the room, Stella spoke once more.
"It's lovely weather for taking a walk around the village. So..."
Stella then turned to look at Ichigo.
"Get well soon."
Stella then closed the door behind her.
Ichigo stared at the wooden ceiling above his head.
Clear.
He turned toward the window. Sunlight fell warmly onto the wooden floor, carrying with it the sounds of the village outside — footsteps on the suspension bridges, conversations among elves in a language he was now beginning to understand little by little, and every so often, the laughter of young elf children running about.
Ichigo felt nothing from any of it.
But he listened, all the same.
Three days later, Ichigo was able to stand on his own.
He did not wait for Stella's permission. When the first light of dawn touched the gap in the window, Ichigo had already climbed out of bed, put on his clothes, and walked outside with steps that were still slightly heavy but steady.
Damp. A faint chill in the air. Filled with the scent of soil and wet leaves.
Ichigo stood at the edge of the wooden platform in front of his room, gazing out at the expanse of forest below. From this height, he could see how the elven village was spread across the giant trees — small houses connected by rope bridges and wooden staircases, like bird nests built with extraordinary care.
Functional. Efficient. That was how Ichigo assessed it.
"You're already up."
Stella's voice came from the direction of the staircase. She appeared carrying two flat breads and a piece of forest fruit that was a vivid shade of orange.
"You can walk already? Come, eat something first — there's no need to rush."
Ichigo quietly listened to Stella and sat down on the stairs of the house to eat.
To Be Continued