(Narration)
The rain didn't stop.
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It never does… on days like this.
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Haruto remained on his knees.
Breathing uneven.
Eyes hollow.
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His hands still trembling from what he had just lost.
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Not everything.
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But something worse.
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A piece.
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A piece he could never get back.
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"…Mom…"
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No voice answered.
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Only rain.
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And then—
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A Sound
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A sharp impact.
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Heavy.
Violent.
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Right behind him.
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Haruto flinched.
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He turned—
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And saw it.
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A devil.
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Crushed.
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Its body split apart beneath someone's feet.
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Standing on top of it—
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A man.
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White hair.
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Calm expression.
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As if he had just stepped into a normal day.
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Not a battlefield.
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Not a massacre.
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He glanced down at the corpse beneath him.
Then at Haruto.
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And made a slightly confused face.
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"…Were you crying?"
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A pause.
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"I thought you were just unconscious."
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Haruto stared at him.
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For a moment—
He didn't understand.
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After everything that had just happened…
After the horror…
After the loss…
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This man…
Was smiling.
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Not mockingly.
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Not cruelly.
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Just…
Calm.
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Warm.
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Something Haruto hadn't felt in a long time.
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Relief.
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A small, unfamiliar feeling…
But real.
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"…Who are you…?"
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His voice was weak.
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But it carried.
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The man tilted his head slightly.
Then answered without hesitation.
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"Adryn Sorryu."
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A brief pause.
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"From the Exorcists."
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Haruto's eyes shifted.
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He looked at the man's coat.
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White.
Clean.
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And on the back—
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An emblem.
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Clear.
Undeniable.
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The mark of the Exorcists.
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"…You're real…"
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Adryn smiled slightly.
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"I'd hope so."
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Silence.
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Rain filled the gap between them.
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Then—
Adryn's expression changed.
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Sharper.
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More focused.
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"Show me your power."
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Haruto froze.
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His body stiffened instantly.
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"…No."
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Adryn blinked once.
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"No?"
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Haruto shook his head.
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"I'm not doing that again."
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His voice trembled.
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Not from weakness.
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From fear.
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Not of death.
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But of loss.
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"My memories…"
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He clenched his fists.
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"I'll lose them…"
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Adryn watched him carefully.
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Then—
He sighed.
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"That only happens if you open your Terrain."
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Haruto didn't respond.
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Didn't move.
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Didn't trust it.
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"I… don't even know how to use it…"
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His voice dropped.
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"I only… did it once…"
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"…and I lost something."
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Silence.
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Adryn's eyes narrowed slightly.
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Understanding.
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"…I see."
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Then—
Without another word—
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He moved.
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Limitless
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Haruto didn't even notice it at first.
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A nearby devil—
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Was suddenly lifted.
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Dragged through the air.
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Pulled by something invisible.
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And thrown—
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Right in front of Haruto.
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It hit the ground with force.
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Alive.
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Moving.
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Hungry.
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Haruto's eyes widened.
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Fear returned instantly.
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His body reacted before his mind—
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He turned—
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And ran.
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Adryn watched him.
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For a moment.
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Then exhaled.
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"…So that's the problem."
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No control.
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No understanding.
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Only raw power.
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Dangerous.
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He walked forward.
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Casually.
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The devil lunged.
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Its jaws wide.
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Its body twisting violently.
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Adryn raised his hand.
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And grabbed its head.
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Effortlessly.
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Then—
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Compressed.
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A sickening sound echoed.
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And just like that—
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It was over.
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The devil's body collapsed.
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Lifeless.
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Haruto stopped running.
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Slowly…
He turned back.
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And saw it.
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What this man just did.
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Without effort.
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Without fear.
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Without hesitation.
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He took a step back.
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"…What are you…?"
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Adryn glanced at him.
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Then smiled again.
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That same calm smile.
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"I'm offering you a deal."
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A pause.
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"I'll teach you how to use your power."
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Another pause.
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"How to control it."
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"How to fight… without losing everything."
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Silence.
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"And in return—"
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He pointed slightly toward Haruto.
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"You lend that power… to the Exorcists."
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The rain softened.
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Just slightly.
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Haruto stood there.
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Thinking.
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Hesitating.
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His mind was still broken.
Still shaken.
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But…
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That smile.
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For some reason—
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It felt safe.
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After everything he had lost…
After the emptiness…
After the silence…
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This was the first thing that didn't feel cold.
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"…Why… are you helping me?"
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Adryn shrugged lightly.
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"You're interesting."
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A small pause.
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"And useful."
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Then—
A softer tone.
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"…And you look like you need it."
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Haruto lowered his gaze.
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His hands slowly relaxed.
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The fear didn't disappear.
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But something else replaced it.
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A small…
Fragile…
Sense of direction.
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He looked back at Adryn.
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"…Okay."
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A quiet answer.
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But real.
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And just like that—
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A new path opened.
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Not toward peace.
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Not toward safety.
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But toward something far greater.
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The Beginning
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Of a boy…
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Who would lose everything—
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To gain power.
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And a man—
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Who would teach him…
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How to survive it.