A squirrel sat quietly on a tree branch, nibbling on something.
Unknowingly, it passed from one story into another…
Suddenly, the sword that had been left on the tree began to slip…
It slid off the branch and fell to the ground—
creating a sharp, echoing silence.
Pasito froze in shock.
Slowly, his trembling hand reached forward…
At that moment, Karuna's presence began to fade,
her form dissolving into glowing particles of light.
With a gentle smile, she said:
"Always live with a smile…"
And in the next instant…
she disappeared.
Tears streamed down Pasito's eyes,
yet on his face remained the same fake smile—
the one Karuna had just shown.
He lowered his head…
his tears falling onto the sword.
His body trembled…
but he refused to stop smiling.
Then suddenly…
he heard the sound of footsteps.
Not far away…
stood the same people
from whom Pasito and Karuna had been running.
Pasito slowly stopped crying…
and turned back.
Suddenly, the air grew lighter,
his hair falling over his eyes.
Calmly, he turned…
and bent down to pick up his sword—
as if preparing a strategy before battle.
The three figures ahead of him…
began to circle him slowly.
Standing there, Pasito gave a deep, terrifying smile—
yet tears still streamed down his face.
He wiped them away…
and gripped his sword tightly.
In the next moment—
he leaped onto a tree.
Suddenly…
except for the one standing in the center,
the two figures beside him vanished.
Only one remained.
Hidden within the bushes,
Pasito observed everything carefully…
His eyes widened in shock
as he tried to understand—
"What is happening…?
And what should I do now…?"
Suddenly…
the leaves of the tree began to dry out.
Slowly…
every leaf withered and fell to the ground—
until the entire tree collapsed.
The man looked up in shock…
at the tree where Pasito once stood—
but he was no longer there.
Suddenly…
he turned around—
sensing movement within the tangled roots of another tree.
In the next instant—
the roots came alive and attacked him!
And from within the shadows…
Pasito emerged,
wearing a mysterious smile.
He struck swiftly.
The man's body began to break apart into particles…
until he completely vanished.
Pasito watched silently for a moment…
then let out a small laugh and said:
"Hiding in the bushes is easy…"
But then…
the air suddenly grew heavy.
Sweat formed on Pasito's forehead.
And in the next moment—
the air twisted violently,
forming a terrifying cyclone…
The cyclone spun wildly…
then slowed down as it reached the ashes of the man.
For a brief moment…
it stood still.
But suddenly—
it began to spin even faster around its own axis.
Moments later…
the cyclone started circling around Pasito
at a slow, unsettling pace—
as if observing him.
Pasito's eyes remained locked onto it.
The faint smile on his face…
had now turned into quiet despair.
Then, in a low voice, he muttered—
"You… aren't coming back to life, are you…?"
Pasito couldn't understand anything…
what was about to happen next.
He muttered softly—
"What now…?"
Suddenly…
the wind came to a complete stop.
But in the next moment—
it spread out into the air like smoke.
Within seconds…
the smoke surrounded Pasito completely,
trapping him from all sides.
It began to seep into his eyes—
turning them blood red.
Pasito quickly covered his eyes with his hands…
but the burning wouldn't stop.
Then the smoke entered his nose—
causing him to cough violently.
He held his nose with one hand…
while trying to protect his eyes with the other.
His breathing grew heavier…
And only one thought echoed in his mind—
"What will happen now…?
Is this my end…
or my defeat…?"
Suddenly…
Pasito dropped to his knees.
He felt as if…
he was completely alone.
Slowly, he placed his sword on the ground…
accepting what seemed like his end.
But in that very moment—
a voice echoed in his mind—
"Live with a smile…"
And suddenly…
it felt as if time itself had shifted.
The light returned to Pasito's eyes.
He grabbed his sword…
and leaped onto a tree, hiding himself.
He thought to himself—
"What is happening…?"
Then…
from within the smoke,
the same three figures emerged again.
Without hesitation,
Pasito jumped down from the tree
and attacked the one standing in the center.
But—
in an instant,
the man grabbed Pasito by the throat!
Pasito struggled desperately…
his breath fading away.
The man dragged him toward a tree…
and slammed his back against it.
In the next moment—
Pasito felt something strange…
As if his hands and legs
were completely restrained…
as though an invisible force
had bound him in place.
Pasito screamed in pain.
Suddenly, he felt as if burning nails were being driven into his hands and legs.
He shouted—
"I will never accept a death given by you!"
The man looked directly into Pasito's eyes.
The sword in Pasito's hand slowly slipped and fell to the ground.
Then the man's gaze shifted to the thread tied around Pasito's wrist.
Seeing it, he suddenly stepped back.
Pasito fell to the ground.
There was almost no life left in his body…
But in his mind, Karuna was still alive in his memories.
At that moment, a surge of energy burst from within him—
creating a massive explosion and a new light.
In that moment, Pasito felt like a wild monkey—
fast, fierce, and free.
He quickly picked up his sword
and pierced through the man's chest.
The man began to break into particles
and finally vanished into the air.
After that, Pasito felt
as if he had achieved a great victory.
In a soft voice, he said—
"I will never forget you…
Every imagination and every creation of mine
will carry your essence.
I will make others feel your presence…"
With a faint smile, he added—
"I can never forget your words…"
He took a deep, calm breath…
as if he had finally found peace.
But—
he had no idea
that someone, from a distance,
was watching him through a telescope…