For a short while, silence returned to the valley mouth, but soon after, the soft crunch of heavy footsteps broke the stillness. A monk appeared from the thick fog, his figure bloated and round, with a belly that strained against his robes.
Despite his unremarkable appearance, his eyes gleamed sharply, their brilliance contrasting his seemingly clumsy demeanor. He paused, scanned the valley entrance with a calculating look, then stepped into the Hidden Sound Valley, vanishing just as the trio had before him.
A cup of tea's time later, another figure approached the valley, moving with a deliberate and unhurried pace. This figure was tall, with long hair tied casually behind him, and a distinct sharpness to his presence that made him look different from any ordinary traveler. His temperament was calm yet unrestrained, exuding a subtle dominance. This was none other than Max.
