"By the way, you should go have breakfast."
She began walking toward the door.
But Renji remained sitting silently, lost in thought.
Mizuki turned back.
"What's wrong?"
Without saying a word—
Renji suddenly ran out of the hotel.
Renji ran straight into the forest outside the town.
"Renji!" Mizuki shouted, chasing after him.
"Don't go deeper! There could be monsters!"
But Renji didn't stop.
Something felt strange.
Like something was calling him.
The trees grew thicker as they moved deeper into the forest.
Then—
A massive white tiger stepped out of the shadows.
Its body was enormous.
Easily three times the size of a normal tiger.
Its glowing red eyes locked onto Renji.
Renji froze.
"...That's not good," Mizuki muttered.
The tiger suddenly lunged.
Before it could reach him—
BOOM.
A blast of magic slammed into its side.
The beast roared as its paw was slashed open.
The pain only made it angrier.
Its glowing eyes shifted toward Mizuki.
The tiger swiped its claw.
But the attack passed straight through her body.
Renji blinked.
"…What?"
"Spiritual form," Mizuki said casually.
She summoned a katana and threw it toward him.
"Catch!"
Renji grabbed it clumsily.
The blade trembled in his hands.
He had never held a sword before.
But he didn't run.
The tiger roared and raised a glowing barrier around itself.
Mizuki's attack bounced off.
"A barrier?!" she said. "This thing can use magic?"
Renji charged forward.
He swung the sword with everything he had.
The blade cut into the tiger's side.
For a moment, he thought he had done it.
Then the wound closed instantly.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
"Oi, Renji!" Mizuki shouted.
"Go for the neck!"
Renji rushed forward again—
But the tiger swiped him away.
He crashed into a tree.
"Tch…" he groaned, standing up slowly.
The tiger approached.
Mizuki raised her hand.
"Gravity Bind!"
A glowing circle appeared beneath the beast.
The tiger roared as its legs sank into the ground.
"Now, Renji!"
Renji walked closer.
That's when he noticed something.
A broken dagger shard was lodged deep in the tiger's neck.
Renji reached toward it.
The tiger snarled in pain.
But Renji didn't pull back.
"You're not a monster," he said softly.
"…You're hurt."
He turned to Mizuki.
"Mizuki. Heal it."
Mizuki stared at him.
"Are you insane?! That thing just tried to kill you!"
"Please," Renji said calmly.
"…Trust me."
Mizuki sighed.
"Tch… you're such a pain."
A warm healing light surrounded the tiger.
Its wounds slowly closed.
Renji gently placed his hand on its head.
The tiger flinched—
Then relaxed.
As the gravity spell faded, the beast slowly lowered its head.
The forest fell silent.
Then the tiger began licking Renji's foot.
Renji blinked.
"…Mizuki?"
"What's it doing?"
"It doesn't see you as a threat anymore," she replied.
The tiger stood up and quietly walked back into the forest.
Renji watched it disappear.
"…Did it just leave?"
Mizuki smirked.
"Not every battle ends in death, Renji."
"That sounded cool for no reason."
"I am cool for no reason."
As they walked back toward the hotel, someone waved at them.
"Hey! There you are!"
It was the Adventurers Guild receptionist.
Rika Aihara.
"I've been looking everywhere for you two!" she said.
"What were you doing in the forest?"
Mizuki narrowed her eyes towards Renji, "He ran into the forest out of nowhere."
Rika looked at him, "You?"
Renji scratched the back of his head, "Something was calling me."
Rika yelled inside her mind, "Such weirdos." Then she said,
"We'll talk later," she added. "But first—judging by your face, you haven't even eaten breakfast."
Renji blinked.
"…You tracked us down just to say that?"
Rika smiled mysteriously.
"The Guild Master won't be happy if I'm late."
"Why did you come here in the first place?" Renji asked.
"The guild master demoted you to rank C, give your guild card and take this." Saying this, Rika handed him a new guild card and took his old one.
Then she walked away.
Renji and Mizuki heqded towards the hotel.