On the rooftop of Rika's house, Renji sat cross-legged.
His eyes were closed.
His breathing slow.
"Focus…" he muttered quietly to himself.
For the past hour, he had been trying to sense the flow of mana inside his body again. The faint warmth he felt earlier had faded, leaving him with nothing but stubborn determination.
"Come on… where are you hiding?" he whispered.
Inside his mind, Mizuki's voice answered calmly.
"Mana does not respond well to impatience."
Renji sighed.
"I'm not impatient."
"You just complained five seconds ago."
"…That doesn't count."
A faint breeze brushed against his face, carrying the soft fragrance of the garden below. For a moment, everything felt peaceful.
Too peaceful.
Then—
A shadow swept across the rooftop.
Renji's eyes snapped open.
"What the—"
A magnificent bird descended from the sky in a slow spiral of glowing feathers. Its wings stretched wide, brilliant shades of crimson and gold shimmering under the sunlight.
The creature landed gracefully a few meters away.
Its claws tapped lightly against the rooftop tiles.
Renji jumped back instantly.
"Whoa! What is THAT?!"
The bird tilted its head slightly, observing him with calm, intelligent eyes.
Inside his mind, Mizuki spoke again.
"That is a hybrid Phoenix."
Renji blinked.
"A Phoenix?"
"Yes."
"…You mean the legendary fire bird?"
"This one cannot use magic," she explained calmly. "Hybrid Phoenixes are often used by officials to deliver important messages."
Renji slowly leaned closer.
"So… it's basically a mail carrier?"
"…You could say that."
The bird flapped its wings once, scattering a few glowing feathers into the air.
Renji suddenly noticed something tied around its leg.
"Wait."
He pointed.
"There's something attached."
As he crouched down, a swirl of soft white particles appeared beside him.
The glowing fragments gathered together, forming Mizuki's familiar figure. Her ethereal form shimmered gently in the sunlight.
"It's from the Adventurers' Guild," she said quietly.
Renji carefully untied the small scroll.
"Let's see what they want…"
He unrolled the parchment.
His eyes scanned the message.
The letter was short.
But the tone was unmistakably serious.
Renji Yamamoto (Registration No.: 763620147),
I, the Guild Master of the Reukago Adventurers' Guild, hereby demand your immediate presence at the guild.
Reach the guild as soon as you receive this letter.
This is an order.
— Hanjiro (Guild Master)
Renji slowly lowered the letter.
"…An order?"
Mizuki finished reading it as well.
"We should go."
"Right now?"
"Yes."
Before Renji could ask anything else—
Mizuki grabbed his hand.
A circle of faint blue light flashed beneath their feet.
"Wait—!"
The world blurred.
And vanished.