Some time earlier.
At this moment, Kamiyagawa had not yet arrived near Hibiki Mountain, and even Onizuka Tokotsume was still aboard a plane flying toward Osaka.
Within the depths of Hibiki Mountain.
The sky was caught between light and darkness.
The mountain forest at dawn resembled the edge of the world—the pitch-black night had not fully receded, while the dim morning light quietly approached. Between the mountains and trees, all was silent, save for a faint breeze that weaved through the treetops, rustling the leaves with a soft whisper.
Towering ancient trees stretched to the heavens, their densely packed branches intertwined above, forming a massive canopy of emerald green that shut out the outside world entirely.
In a shadowy corner of the forest stood a solitary figure.
