"Looks like... I really don't suit this sport after all..."
Gian collapsed onto the grass, drenched in sweat, his face full of helplessness.
Though he was unwilling to admit it, he had no choice but to face reality.
This was already his tenth attempt—and yet, it ended in failure once again. His stamina was nearly exhausted.
Even if he continued, there was no way he could succeed in a short time. So Gian decisively gave up on the sport of throwing Wind Balls.
"Actually, Gian, you did pretty well already. You just need a bit more practice on aiming," said Tiemuzhen and Kunmuzhen with gentle smiles, having seen how much effort Gian had put in.
Everyone had their strengths and weaknesses. Someone like Nobita, with his natural shooting talent, was still the rare exception.
"Everyone, let's go fly a kite together!"
Seeing that the wind in the valley was perfect, Doraemon cheerfully pulled out an enormous kite from his four-dimensional pocket.
"Uh, you guys go ahead. I'm kind of afraid of heights... Besides, the scenery around here looks really nice. I'd like to walk around for a bit and come back later."
Just as everyone was about to ride Doraemon's giant kite, Suneo suddenly refused the invitation. Instead, he decided to wander around on his own.
"Huh? What's up with Suneo? He's been acting kinda weird since earlier, hasn't he?"
Knowing Suneo best, Gian frowned and turned toward Doraemon and Nobita, hoping for an explanation.
"Not sure," Nobita said, glancing at Doraemon, who also shook his head.
Suneo had behaved normally the whole day—nothing special, nothing strange.
Even earlier, when they were playing the Wind Ball game, he hadn't been particularly enthusiastic.
Come to think of it, Suneo had been acting oddly ever since they arrived in the Wind Village.
But everyone had been busy sightseeing, so no one paid much attention to it.
Only now, after Gian mentioned it, did they realize something felt off.
Still, since Suneo had already wandered off alone, they couldn't exactly stop him or question him. They could only wait until he came back.
"Forget it, let that guy do whatever he wants," Gian shrugged, unwilling to waste more time worrying.
And so, the others climbed aboard Doraemon's giant kite and soared into the sky.
The kite was modeled entirely after Doraemon himself—from a distance, it looked like a gigantic Doraemon floating freely in the wind.
They sat snugly inside the kite's "pocket," rising higher and higher, gazing down at the breathtaking beauty of the valley below.
"Doraemon's amazing! He keeps pulling out all these incredible gadgets," said Tiemuzhen, who had already become good friends with Nobita and the others after a day together.
"Of course!" Nobita puffed up proudly. "Doraemon still has tons of powerful tools he hasn't even shown yet!"
Typical Nobita—bragging nonstop as usual.
While the others chatted happily in the sky...
Elsewhere—
Suneo, wandering through the valley in search of clues, unknowingly walked deeper into a quiet, remote clearing.
He was hoping to find another being like Fūko, capture it, and bring it back as a toy.
But what Suneo didn't realize was—ever since he'd split off from the group, someone had been watching him.
Although this was still within Wind Village territory, it wasn't easy for members of the Lan Tribe to slip past the guards unnoticed.
However, there was one person who could infiltrate easily—the Lan Tribe leader, Ulanda.
His control over wind far surpassed that of ordinary tribesmen. Concealing his presence was a simple task.
Following Storm's earlier suggestion, Ulanda had secretly infiltrated the Wind Village alone.His goal: to obtain clues about the remaining Mafengka Bead fragments from the outsiders.
He hadn't expected Suneo to separate from the others and wander into such a secluded area.
It was a perfect opportunity.
Still, Ulanda didn't act right away. He decided to watch—to see what this outsider was up to.
So, from the shadows, he quietly followed Suneo's every move.
By now, dusk had fallen, and the sky was slowly darkening.
"Hmm... looks like there's nothing here after all. Guess I'll just head back..."
Suneo sighed, a little dejected. He had hoped to find something worthwhile.
But it was nearly night—staying out any longer wouldn't be wise.
Just as he turned to leave, a glimmer of light caught his eye—a faint glow shooting up from the ground not far away.
Because of the remaining sunset, it was hard to see clearly.
"Huh...? What's that...?"
"Ah! Don't tell me—!"
Realization struck him. Heart pounding, Suneo immediately dashed toward the source of the light.
A short distance away, hidden among the rocks, Ulanda silently followed.
As Suneo drew closer, he saw it—the light was coming from deep inside an old, dried-up well.
"But... how am I supposed to get down there...?"
Leaning over the edge, Suneo peered into the darkness. The well was deeper than he expected.
Unlike Tiemuzhen and the villagers, he couldn't manipulate wind to fly down.
So the question was—how could he retrieve the glowing sphere from inside the well?