Seiji walked up the narrow dirt road, the sun rising behind him as he left the village. The gentle breeze carried the scent of freshly tilled soil and distant wildflowers, but his mind was far from the beauty of the morning. He didn't have a clear destination in mind, no signposts to guide him, no quest urging him in a specific direction. Instead, he let his instincts lead him, trusting that somewhere along this winding road, he would find what he sought—or perhaps, it would find him.
The village where he had spent his last few days with Mari was now behind him, just another stop in his journey. He thought briefly of her, her warm body, her tearful farewell, and the way she had clung to him, but he didn't linger on the emotions for long. There was always another adventure ahead, another conquest to be made.