The hidden passage led Kento back to the surface.
Sunlight spilled through the cracks in the trees above, though the air was still thick with unease. Every step he took toward the cliff felt heavier than the last, as if the world itself was resisting his journey.
The cliff was exactly as he remembered—high and jagged, overlooking the endless sea where the sky kissed the horizon. The wind whipped his hair, tugging at the edges of his cloak. Somewhere in the distance, a faint shimmer danced on the waves.
Kento tightened his grip on the wooden emblem around his neck.
It pulsed softly, as if reminding him of the promise he made long ago.
The promise to Furi.
A memory flashed—Furi laughing, pointing at the horizon.
"Promise me, Kento! No matter what, we'll meet here again!"
The words echoed in Kento's mind. He closed his eyes, letting the memory settle.
Then, the ground beneath his feet trembled.
A faint, low hum resonated from the cliffside, almost like a heartbeat.
The emblem blazed briefly with blue light, and Kento felt the warmth spread through his chest.
The man in black stepped beside him.
"You have returned," he said, voice calm but carrying weight.
"Good. The place of your first promise is where the world's memory still lingers. But be warned—what awaits you is not merely a friend… but the consequence of a promise too strong."
Kento swallowed, then nodded. "I understand."
The wind grew stronger, carrying whispers he could almost understand.
"Kento… come back…"
"I'm waiting…"
His heart pounded. Could it really be Furi?
Or was it something that had taken the form of his friend, shaped by the power of their promise?
Kento closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"I will make a new promise," he whispered.
"I will find you, no matter what happens. Even if it costs me everything."
The emblem around his neck pulsed brighter, and the cliff seemed to respond.
Rocks shifted slightly, forming a natural platform closer to the edge.
A faint blue mist rose from the waves below, curling up around his feet.
Then he saw it—an image forming in the mist.
A boy with familiar eyes, smiling just as Kento remembered.
Furi. Or something that had once been Furi.
Kento's knees almost gave way, but he steadied himself.
He extended his hand toward the figure.
"Furi… I'm here. I promised."
The figure blinked, and the mist swirled violently.
Suddenly, a loud crack split the air, as if the cliff itself were being torn apart.
The sea below roared, waves crashing higher than ever.
The emblem on Kento's chest flared with blinding light.
A voice—deep and echoing—filled the space around him.
"Who dares to summon the promise?"
Kento's eyes met the misty figure's gaze.
"I… I will not break my promise. Not now. Not ever."
The figure began to solidify.
Furi's form became clearer, yet there was a shadow beneath his smile, something strange and unnerving.
The blue light from the emblem wrapped around Kento, intertwining with the mist, forming a bridge between them.
"You… remember?" Furi's voice trembled slightly, though his eyes carried something unfamiliar.
"After all this time…"
Kento's voice shook, but he was determined.
"Yes. I remember. I remember everything. And I will keep this promise, no matter what."
The wind stilled for a moment.
The sea calmed.
The blue mist hovered between them like a thread binding two hearts across time.
But in that brief calm, Kento felt a tug deep in his chest—a warning.
The world was still fragile. The sealed sky, the vanished memories, and the force of promises too strong all converged here.
One wrong step, one misused promise… and everything could collapse.
Yet Kento didn't hesitate. He stepped forward, hand outstretched, ready to meet the past, the present, and the uncertain future—all tied together by a single, unbroken promise.