Takahiro
Kenji grinned like a kid let loose in a candy shop. "Taka, let's race! First one to gather all the herbs wins!"
And just like that, he vanished into the trees.
That was thirty minutes ago.
I wasn't worried—Kenji was the forest. He'd run through it blindfolded and still come back with bruises and a stupid grin. But his recklessness? That always rubbed me the wrong way. I sighed and kept walking, my steps steady, scanning the undergrowth for our target: dusk flowers.
The forest was quiet. Not the ominous kind—just peaceful. A gentle rustling of leaves. Earthy scents. Pockets of wildflowers scattered like forgotten secrets. The kind of stillness that made you forget the world outside even existed.
I spotted a cluster of herbs under a thick oak. Perfect color. Perfect shape. I knelt down, plucking them carefully, placing them in my pouch like glass. A few paces later, more herbs peeked through the shadows. They liked the dark, secret places, hidden under dense canopies.
The forest soothed me. Until it didn't.
A shape moved in the clearing ahead.
A deer. But not just any deer.
Its antlers had that distinct, curling twist.
My pulse spiked. A Wind Deer.
Great.
Not full-grown, though—that much I could tell. Young. That should've been comforting.
It wasn't.
Senior Truth's warnings echoed in my head: "They control the wind. They don't need to be fast. They'll throw you like a ragdoll if you give them the chance."
The deer snorted, and I saw it—a shimmer building around its antlers.
A heartbeat later, a blast of wind tore toward me.
I dove behind a tree. The ground where I'd just been exploded in a cloud of dirt and grass.
I moved to reach for my katana—nothing.
Right. No weapons. This was that mission.
Before I could react, the next gust slammed me square in the chest. I flew back, hit the ground hard, and rolled. My left arm crunched beneath me. Pain bloomed. Dislocated. I didn't need a healer to confirm it.
I hadn't even activated my hashi yet. Stupid mistake.
The deer reared again, wind coalescing like a storm waiting to scream. I forced myself up, pain flaring, breath ragged.
"What did I ever do to you?" I muttered. It wasn't listening. Of course not. Nature didn't care. It just was.
Wind shimmered again, and the creature charged. I couldn't dodge in time.
Its antlers caught my bag. A tearing sound like my pride splitting in two. The herbs I'd gathered spilled out, dancing away in the breeze.
"No…" I whispered.
Not the herbs. Not just the herbs.
Kenji's gonna gloat. Yushiro's going to laugh. I'm never hearing the end of this.
Anger surged. Not wild. Controlled. Sharpened. Focused.
I ripped the ruined bag off my shoulder, grabbed a thick stick from the ground, gave it a quick test swing.
It would have to do.
The Wind Deer pawed the earth. Its antlers glowed, wind curling tighter, faster.
I slid into a stance, gripping the stick like a blade.
"I'm going to release a bit of my future frustration on you," I muttered.
Hashi surged through me. My vision sharpened. The forest felt clearer.
The Wind Deer screamed forward, silver flashing.
I met it head-on.
No katana. No backup. Just me and the wind.
And I wasn't backing down.