Days had passed.
Kaito had trained relentlessly, sharpening both body and mind while Teren monitored energy traces and subtle instinctual echoes. The academy had grown quiet, the village bustling, but Kaito's focus never wavered. Every flicker, every pulse in the fragments, every instinctive tug he felt guided him closer to the one he sought.
He stood in the study with Teren, Dex at his feet, tail twitching impatiently. Kaito's hands rested on the edge of the table, eyes fixed on the old man.
Teren's pale eyes were bright, and for the first time in weeks, he allowed himself a small, approving smile.
"I've found them," Teren said quietly, letting the words settle.
Kaito froze. "You… what?"
"They are not far," Teren continued. "The traces of their presence, the instincts you've been feeling… I have traced them. And they are coming to awareness faster than we anticipated. They are awake enough to respond if approached carefully."
Kaito's chest tightened. The weight he had carried—the years of loss, the fear of never finding them—suddenly lifted slightly. "Where?" he asked, voice low but urgent.
Teren shook his head. "Not yet. It is important that the moment is right. They are fragile, and the awakening must happen naturally. Too much pressure, and the memory could retreat again. But they are close, Kaito. Very close."
Dex barked, as if understanding, circling Kaito's legs.
Kaito clenched his fists. "Then we go. We make sure they're safe, and we make sure they remember everything. No mistakes this time."
Teren nodded. "Patience, Kaito. Approach carefully, but yes—the search has ended. You will meet them soon."
For the first time since his reincarnation, Kaito felt a surge of hope he had almost forgotten. The bond that had survived lifetimes, that had been stirred by instinct and memory alike, was finally leading him forward.
"And when the moment comes," Teren added, voice quiet but resolute, "you will know. The connection is unmistakable. Trust yourself, and they will trust you back."
Kaito exhaled slowly, a rare, steady smile tugging at his lips. Weeks of waiting, of preparation, of quiet searching—it had all led to this point.
And for the first time, he could feel the past and present converging—not as memory, not as instinct, but as something alive, ready to reach out to him.
The friend he had thought lost… was almost within reach.