After the battle with the knights ended, the village gradually calmed down, and Sam and Rin began collecting the spoils of weapons, armor, and horses left behind by the enemies. There was a growing sense of hope among the villagers now that they had survived, even though sorrow for the loss of their loved ones in the war lingered.
The old man approached Sam and Rin, his piercing eyes making it clear that he was still watching every detail. He spoke in a calm voice, but it was heavy with responsibility:
"We still need to be ready for what's coming. Today won't be the end, but the beginning of a new storm. You must stay prepared."
This warning wasn't just words; it was clear from the old man's gaze that the enemy's army would come with greater force. Immediately, Sam began thinking deeply about the personal preparations he needed to make. He realized that despite their victory, this was only the beginning.
In the following days, the village began to regain its relative calm, with daily routines resuming. As for Sam, he spent his free time alone in the forest, reflecting.
He was now preparing for the next stage of his journey toward immortality—the stage that required him to drink the "Novice" dose and enter the white space for ten years, as part of the Nen oath he had sworn to himself. He knew well that this experience would test his ability to resist isolation and madness, and it would be a defining challenge.
Sam thought to himself:
"If I can maintain my composure and control my Nen with precision, I'll be ready to enter the white space for ten years, and I'll prove to myself that I deserve immortality."
As the days slowly passed, Sam continued to reinforce his stability. The village around him was preparing, for everyone knew that a new wave of enemies could come knocking at any moment.
In this tense atmosphere, one morning, as the sunlight gently touched the ground, Sam decided that his mind had reached a level of clarity that made him ready to drink the "Novice" dose and enter the white space.
He looked at himself in the mirror and saw the gleam of determination in his eyes. Every part of his soul was saying:
"I am Sam, and I will never give up."
Then, he summoned the Novice dose with Nen and drank it in one go.