Honoring A Friend

With a long, drawn-out sigh, Ryuunosuke's shoulders relaxed, tension flowing out of him like water after a dam had burst. The encounter with the leader of the Mindless Hybrid Army had been intense, but for now, it was over. His eyes scanned the horizon, searching for something familiar—something that called to him beyond the battlefield's chaos. Then he caught it: a faint, lingering scent, a memory on the wind that tugged at his senses.

"This way," he murmured to his team, pointing toward a distant stretch of land shrouded in mist. His voice carried a weight that had not been there before, an unspoken solemnity that urged them to follow without question. The group moved in unison, each step crunching against the gravel and fallen debris, their breaths mingling with the cold air as they walked.