As for Noroi, he chose a spot beneath a thick, leafy tree to settle down, so that the sunlight wouldn't disturb his comfortable rest.

  Yamka, on the other hand, preferred to spend the night on the large log she had been sitting on just moments earlier.

  Eyes closed, and the world sank into a peaceful slumber, from our little trio to every creature across the land, from the purple deer to the ghoul mother tucking her children into their beds, everyone drifted off into the stillness of the night.

  ***

  As the morning of a new day dawned, the sun began to slip out from behind the clouds, its golden rays dancing between the leaves of the trees to awaken the sleepers.

  At that moment, a creature resembling a mouse,but with small wings,let out a loud, grating snort before flying off as if it had done nothing worth mentioning.

  The trio was already awake, packing their belongings in preparation for the new mission they had discovered the night before.

  Noroi slung his bag over his shoulder, while Mini hovered around him, making sure to stay close to his master.

  On the other side, Yamka was teaching Haruki how to strap his new bow onto his back the same way she did with her massive axe, so he'd be ready at any moment.

  Once she finished, she pushed him forward with both hands, a wide grin spreading across her face.

  "Now, on the count of three, pull. Got it?"

  Haruki nodded eagerly, picturing himself pulling it off perfectly, looking majestic with the wind sweeping his hair back like a hero from a story.

  But the moment Yamka said "three," he reached behind him, grabbed the handle, and pulled with far too much force, tripping and falling face-first into the ground, letting out a muffled groan as he tried to lift his head.

  Yamka burst out laughing at the sight of Haruki sprawled clumsily before her, the green grass decorating his face.

  When her laughter finally subsided, she wiped away a tear that had almost escaped the corner of her eye and said with a smile.

  "Don't worry, you'll get used to it."

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  She extended her hand toward him, and he took it, pulling himself back up to his feet. He brushed the dust off his clothes before wiping his face with a frustrated expression.

  Noroi watched them with an unreadable look, then grabbed Haruki by the shoulder and yanked him forward roughly, saying.

  "I want to make sure your aim is accurate. I don't want to find an arrow in my back mid-battle because you can't shoot straight."

  Haruki nodded firmly, determined to pass Noroi's test.

  Noroi's eyes scanned the area, searching for a suitable target for practice ,until they landed on a pink bird perched on a tree branch, singing a sweet and gentle melody.

  It harmed no one and radiated a peaceful calm.

  Noroi pointed sharply at the bird and said coldly.

  "Shoot it."

  Haruki's eyes widened at Noroi's command to kill a helpless, defenseless bird.

  A wave of hesitation washed over him, as though he were split into two halves , one unwilling to harm any living creature, and the other desperate to prove he was worthy of being part of the team.

  Yamka stood in the back, watching from a distance with her back resting against the trunk of a tall tree, arms crossed over her chest, curious to see whether Haruki would actually go through with it or not.

  Haruki took his stance, spreading his feet shoulder-width apart.

  He raised his bow after setting the arrow in place, then bent his elbow, pulling the string back until it aligned with his face, his eyes locked on the pink bird , blissfully unaware of what was about to happen to it.

  He swallowed hard, the lump of guilt tightening in his throat.

  He shut his eyes for a brief moment, recalling childhood memories of playing shooting games with the neighbor's kids and always winning.

  Then he opened them again and whispered softly, almost apologetically.

  "I'm sorry, little one."

  Haruki released the string from between his fingers, sending the arrow shooting forward at blinding speed.

  The metal tip caught the sunlight for a split second as it sliced through the air.

  The little bird froze in place, ready to meet its end, its dark eyes reflecting the image of the rapidly approaching arrow.

  But at the very last moment, the arrow veered off course, piercing a hanging fruit instead , the shaft quivering as the fruit fell to the grass, the arrow buried perfectly in its center.

  Noroi's expression didn't flicker , no surprise, no emotion.

  He stepped toward the fallen fruit, crouched down, and gripped the wooden shaft of the arrow.

  After examining it briefly, he straightened up, turned his body toward Haruki, and said in a cold, firm tone.

  "You failed."

  Yamka pushed herself away from the tree trunk and spoke up in a firm tone, defending Haruki.

  "He didn't miss , he aimed for the fruit on purpose."

  Haruki's eyes sparkled with emotion, and he raised his hands to cover his mouth in a dramatic expression, clearly touched by Yamika's defense.

  "Yami… you're the best!"

  Noroi's eyebrow rose slightly , it was clear he didn't buy their explanation.

  He narrowed his eyes a bit before asking coldly.

  "And why would he do that?"

  Haruki answered confidently, completely convinced by his own reasoning.

  "Because it looks cute."