In the early morning, the soft, warm sunlight gently touched Renji's face, waking him up from his sleep. Renji saw that Mizuki had already woken up and was sitting on the roof of the building, gazing into the distance. Renji said, "Good morning."
Mizuki replied, "Morning…" but her face looked dull and troubled.
Renji frowned. "What's wrong?"
Mizuki said, "It's nothing. I was just watching the sunrise."
But Renji couldn't shake off his concern. "Ever since I met her, she's always been cheerful… but today, something feels different. What happened to her?" he wondered.
Renji said, "Tell me the truth. What happened?"
Mizuki sighed. "I told you, it's nothing."
Renji shook his head. "No… something's not right. I can tell."
With no other choice, Mizuki finally spoke. "This morning… I saw a little girl with her father. And it reminded me of someone… someone familiar from my past."
Renji asked, "Who was it?" Mizuki took a deep breath. "My father."
Renji's eyes widened. "W-Wait… but aren't you a magical spirit?"
Mizuki said, "Magical spirits have a past too. Before we become spirits, we were once human. For some reason, before death, certain humans are transformed into magical spirits."
"But… this is so rare that it might only happen once in a thousand years." Mizuki added.
Renji asked, "What exactly happened to you that made you turn into a spirit? And when did this contract between us even happen?"
Mizuki said, "This is directly connected to your father." Renji asked, "Have you seen my father?"
Mizuki said, "He was a resident of the village I used to live in."
Renji's mind was racing with questions, but he couldn't make sense of anything. Seeing how curious he was about her past, Mizuki sighed and said, "Alright, I'll show you a vision of my past."
Saying this, Mizuki cast a spell, and in an instant, both of them were pulled into her vision of the past.
Renji found both of them in the middle of a dense forest. "W-Where is your village?" Renji asked. "My village was surrounded by a dense forest," she replied. "Look over there, your father!"
Renji said, "T-This is unbelievable… For the first time in 12 years, I'm seeing my father."
"But… what is he doing here?" Renji asked, confused.
Mizuki said, "Since he was an SS-rank adventurer, the royal family of the kingdom would offer him a lot of wealth. But he used to give all that money to the villagers and would spend his own life cutting trees or hunting monsters."
After that, they teleported to Mizuki's village, stepping into the past as the vision unfolded around them. Renji looked around in confusion. "Why is everything so red? And… is that the moon? Why is it so red?"
"That's a Blood Moon," Mizuki said. "During the Blood Moon, the monsters in the forest become much stronger. That's why they used to attack the village," Mizuki explained.
Within moments, countless monsters swarmed the village, their glowing red eyes piercing through the darkness. Screams of terror filled the air as flames spread, consuming homes in an instant.
Mizuki's voice trembled as she spoke, "My village… it was filled with laughter, warmth, and love. My family… was the happiest. But on that night…" She clenched her fists, her pink eyes reflecting the burning ruins. "Everything… was erased."
"That night… my entire family was wiped out." Tears started falling from Mizuki's eyes as she remembered the tragedy. "I wouldn't be here today if your father hadn't saved me in time." Mizuki said.
Suddenly, Mizuki was pulled away from Renji's side, disappearing in an instant. Renji stood frozen in shock, his eyes widening as Mizuki vanished before him. Chaos erupted all around. Every house was engulfed in flames, and the villagers screamed desperately, searching for a way to escape—but there was none.
Amidst the countless screams, one voice suddenly reached Renji's ears.
For some reason, it felt… familiar. "Where have I heard this voice before?" he wondered.
Renji saw a young Mizuki running through the flames, crying as she desperately searched.
"Mom… Dad… where are you?!" she sobbed, her small figure barely visible amidst the raging fire.
Suddenly, a demon wolf leaped out of the shadows and tore through Mizuki's lower body, its fangs sinking deep as blood splattered across the burning ground. Renji felt paralyzed with shock. His breath caught in his throat. "W-What… did I just see?!"
Just as the wolf was about to devour Mizuki completely, Mr. Yamamoto appeared out of nowhere and killed the beast in an instant.
Mizuki was on the verge of death, her body barely holding on.
Mr. Yamamoto quickly took out a magical stone and began casting a spell, his expression grave.
Renji couldn't understand anything. His mind was completely blank, unable to process what was happening before his eyes.
Mizuki said, "Sensei… what is this…?" Her voice trembled, shaking with fear and pain. Mr. Yamamoto said, "Your wounds are too deep… My healing spell won't be able to do anything."
Mizuki said, "So… this is my final day, then."
"No, I will connect your soul to this magical stone. After that, you will become a magical spirit." Mr. Yamamoto said.
Renji couldn't understand anything. His mind was spinning, trying to process what was happening. Suddenly, everything around him started turning dark. A distant voice echoed through the void—"Renji… Renji… wake up!"
Renji's eyes slowly opened, and he found himself lying on his bed.
He turned his head and saw Mizuki sitting on the floor beside him, looking exhausted.
Mizuki let out a relieved sigh. "Hah… Finally. That was strange. Even after I left my vision, I couldn't bring you back."
Renji said, "That means… you don't want me to know everything? Why?"
Mizuki hesitated. "No… I mean… the next part is too brutal."
"Anyway, I guess you've already seen everything…" Mizuki said with a sigh. "By the way, let's go have breakfast." Saying this, Mizuki started to leave the room, but Renji remained sitting there, lost in thought.
Mizuki turned back and asked, "What's wrong?"
Without saying a word, Renji suddenly ran out of the hotel.
Mizuki shouted, "Renji! Don't go any deeper… there might be monsters!" Renji kept moving forward. Suddenly, a white tiger appeared in front of them. He had never seen such a massive monster in his life.
Just as the tiger was about to lunge at him, Mizuki struck it with a powerful blast! The tiger roared in agony as its paw was slashed. The pain only fueled its rage, making it even more aggressive. Its glowing red eyes locked onto Mizuki, and with a furious growl, it prepared to strike back with even greater force!
Renji's eyes widened—the tiger's claw passed right through Mizuki's body! But Mizuki wasn't hurt, nor did it affect her in any way. It's claw passed through her body.
Mizuki summoned a katana out of thin air and threw it toward Renji.
Renji caught it with both hands, planted his foot firmly, and stood ready—the blade trembling slightly in his grip, but his eyes locked on the tiger.
Renji's hands were trembling—he had never swung a sword before.
This was his first time holding a weapon, and it showed. His grip was unsteady, his stance unsure. He was completely inexperienced… but he refused to run.
Mizuki rushed in to attack again—but the tiger suddenly raised a magical barrier.
A glowing red wall of energy flashed into existence, and Mizuki's strike bounced off it with a loud clang.
She stumbled back, eyes wide.
"A barrier...? This beast can use magic too?"
Renji swung the sword with all the strength left in his body—his hands shaking, muscles screaming, but the blade connected.
For a moment, he thought he had done it. But just two seconds later, the tiger's flesh began to stitch itself back together, as if nothing had happened.
Renji stared in disbelief. "No way… it's healing that fast?" Mizuki shouted: "Oi, Renji! Go for its neck!"
Renji gripped the katana and dashed forward— But before he could swing, the tiger swiped hard,
sending him flying into the trees.
He hit the ground, coughing, blade still in hand.
"Tch... it's too fast," he muttered.
Renji stood back up, wiping the blood from his lip. The tiger growled and slowly advanced.
Mizuki raised her hand—
"Gravity Bind!"
A glowing circle formed beneath the beast.
The tiger roared as its legs sank into the ground, body trembling under the sudden pressure.
"Now, Renji!" she shouted.
Renji slowly approached the struggling tiger, his eyes sharp.
He noticed something—
a jagged shard of a broken dagger lodged deep in the tiger's neck.
With a calm breath, Renji reached out his hand. The moment his fingers touched the shard,
the tiger snapped its head up, roaring in pain.
But Renji didn't pull back."You're not a monster... You're hurt." Renji turned to Mizuki.
"Mizu, heal it. Now."
Mizuki's eyes widened.
"What?! Are you insane?! That thing just tried to kill you!"
Renji didn't flinch.
"Please… just trust me."
Mizuki hesitated for a second, then sighed.
"Tch… you're such a pain."
Reluctantly, she raised her hand and cast the healing spell.
A gentle light surrounded the white tiger.
Its wounds slowly began to close. Renji placed his hand on the tiger's head.
It flinched slightly, then calmed.
As Mizuki's gravity spell faded, the tiger slowly lowered its head in silence. The forest grew quiet. Even Mizuki said nothing. The tiger began to lick Renji's foot gently.
Startled, Renji looked at Mizuki.
"Mizuki... what's it doing?" he asked. Mizuki said, "It no longer sees you as a threat. Now let's go back to the hotel. You need a bath and some breakfast. After that, your magic and sword art training begins."
Renji said, "Heh?"
The tiger stood up slowly, gave him one last glance, then quietly walked back into the depths of the forest—its massive form vanishing between the trees like a passing dream.
Renji: "…Did it just… leave?"
Mizuki: "It served its purpose. Not every battle ends in death, Renji."
Renji: "Tch… that sounded cool for no reason."
Mizuki: "I am cool for no reason."
Mizuki and Renji were walking toward the hotel when they ran into the Adventurers Guild's receptionist, Rika Aihara.
Rika said, "There you are! I've been looking all over for you. I even tracked down your hotel, but the manager told me you'd gone into the forest. What were you doing there?"
Mizuki answered, "I don't know. Renji suddenly bolted into the forest."
"Heh? Renji?" Rika tilted her head.
Renji scratched his cheek awkwardly. "Uh… actually, something was… pulling me in."
Mizuki crossed her arms. "Now tell me, what exactly were you doing out there?"
Rika smiled faintly. "I'll explain later. But first—judging from the look on your faces—you two haven't had breakfast yet. Go eat something first."Then they returned to the hotel.
Rika: "You two haven't even washed your faces yet?"
Mizuki: "Hmm." Renji: "Uh… it won't take long."
Rika: "I'm leaving now, but remember, the Guild Master will be angry." Renji: "But… what did you come here to say?"
Without answering Renji, Rika simply walked away. Mizuki turned around as if nothing had happened.
Mizuki: "Taratari koro, tomake onek kaj korte hobe ajke."
Before Renji could understand anything, Mizuki took off his nightshirt, put a vest on him, and shoved a toothbrush into his mouth.
Mizuki crossed her arms with a sharp glare. "Hurry up! You've got a mountain of things to do today."
Before Renji could even ask what she meant, she yanked off his nightshirt in one swift motion, tossed it aside, and slipped a vest over his head with the precision of someone dressing a stubborn child. Without missing a beat, she shoved a toothbrush into his mouth.
Renji muffled through the foam, "Mmmph?! At least let me wake up first!"
Mizuki smirked. "you're already awakel."
"I'm still sleepy," Renji said slowly.
Mizuki slapped both of his cheeks. "Now do you feel sleepy anymore?" she asked.
"Mhm… No, I'm fine now," Renji mumbled.
With that, both of them headed out toward Hotaru Yamamoto's house.