Losing everything is not the end…
it is the moment when a path finally appears.
Ren's body was hurled violently against the trees.
The impact snapped branches, tore his skin, and knocked the air out of his lungs.
Before he could even breathe properly, he already knew… the next attack was coming.
He forced his body to move.
Dodged.
Barely.
"Damn it… what am I supposed to do?"
His heart pounded wildly.
Fear was no longer just a feeling… it was a crushing presence inside him.
For a second… he hesitated.
And that second was enough.
The blow hit him head-on.
His body was thrown again, rolling across the ground like something weightless.
"I can't…"
Pain spread through his entire body.
"Maybe the old man was right…"
Toyama — 05/02/2010
Rinsen-ji Temple
The wind howled.
Itsuki's hand was slipping.
— Ren…!
— Hold my hand!
— I can't!
Desperation.
His eyes trembled.
Ren tightened his grip.
— I've got you. You won't fall… I promise.
But in that moment… he felt it.
Their balance breaking.
They would both fall.
One instant.
One choice.
Ren pushed Itsuki.
His body was thrown to safety.
Ren's… into the void.
— REN, NO!!
The scream echoed…
and vanished.
Present
Reality came back like a punch.
Ren was thrown again, crashing through trees, spitting blood.
He tried to stand…
But his body wouldn't respond.
"Damn…"
"I can't beat this…"
"No matter what I do…"
Maybe… the old man was right.
Before he could react—
The creature grabbed him.
And slammed him into the ground.
This time… he didn't get up.
The world became… silent.
Strangely silent.
"Ah…"
"Now it's quiet…"
His thoughts began to fade.
"What was I even doing…?"
A pause.
"…doesn't matter."
A faint sense of relief appeared.
"At least… I saved someone."
The creature lifted him.
Its mouth slowly opened… revealing deformed teeth.
Death was there.
Waiting.
"So this is it…"
"I'm going to die here…"
No regret.
Only exhaustion.
"I never did anything… except cause trouble…"
Inside his mind
Darkness.
Absolute silence.
"…Where am I?"
"Was I… devoured?"
Then—
A voice.
Unknown. Deep. Distant… yet impossibly close.
— Then why don't you fight?
Ren didn't react.
He simply answered.
— Fighting is useless…
— I can't do anything…
His voice was empty.
— Even with this strength… I can't save anyone…
A pause.
— But… at least Itsuki is safe.
Silence.
And then—
The voice replied.
— So you're going to give up… just because you saved one life?
The words weighed heavily.
— If you can't jump over a wall…
A brief pause.
— Then break it.
Present
Ren's eyes snapped open.
At the exact moment the creature tried to devour him—
CRACK.
His hand moved.
With sheer force, he broke the creature's hand.
He fell to the ground.
No thinking.
No hesitation.
He grabbed a stone.
And threw it.
The stone pierced through the creature's flesh.
A monstrous scream echoed.
It charged.
Furious.
Violent strikes cut through the air.
Ren moved.
Dodged.
Jumped.
Too high.
Far higher than it should be possible.
He came down onto the creature—
And drove the stone into its eye.
The world stopped.
Only the sound of Ren's breathing remained.
Heavy.
Uneven.
Alive.
A smile formed on his face.
Small.
But real.
— Today… is a good day to die.
After
Rushed footsteps echoed.
— Ren is in danger!
Itsuki ran.
Desperate.
Others followed.
But when they arrived—
They stopped.
In silence.
The creature stood still.
Its body impaled by tree trunks.
Destroyed.
At the center of it all—
Ren stood.
Covered in blood.
Injured.
But smiling.
He looked at Itsuki.
Tired.
But calm.
— See…?
A pause.
— I beat it.
His body gave out.
And he fell.
Into darkness.