The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and blooming wildflowers, as though Verdant Hollow itself was exhaling after years of slumber. Riku stood silently at the edge of the clearing, his breath steady, the echo of battle still whispering through the wind. The ground bore the scars of their struggle—charred soil, shattered stone, and a faint lingering energy that refused to fade.
Kira approached from behind, brushing leaves from her jacket. Her expression was tired, but her eyes remained alert. "That was no ordinary threat," she murmured.
"No, it wasn't," Riku agreed. He glanced down at his open palm. A faint shimmer still coated his skin, the last remnants of the Skill: Celestial Mirror – Reflective Counter Lv.2—a new ability he'd been forced to purchase mid-battle using 600 system points. Worth every single one.
He opened his dashboard.
> [Current Points: 1,050]
[Inventory: Skill Sync Voucher, Physical Synchronization Upgrade, 2x Random Coupons, Mystic Core (Unidentified), Verdant Key Fragment (1/3)]
[System Notice: Territory Secured – Verdant Hollow now under your dominion.]
[System Mission Update: Strange Signal – Neutralized. Hidden Shrine Unlocked. New Questline Available.]
He took a deep breath. It was done.
Behind them, Kana, Hiro, and Selene emerged from the woods, all looking equally worn down but victorious. Kana wiped a smudge of ash from her cheek and gave him a tired thumbs-up. Hiro dragged a sack of salvaged materials from the defeated creatures while Selene surveyed the treeline like a sentinel.
"Verdant Hollow feels... different now," Selene said, almost reverently. "Like the forest is breathing again."
Riku nodded. "It was being suppressed by that anomaly—whatever that was."
Kira stepped beside him. "That shrine we uncovered after the fight... It's not just some decorative ruin. That place was ancient. Living."
Riku rubbed the back of his neck. "And it's part of a bigger network. Verdant Hollow is just one of many nodes. If we control it, we control access to a leyline."
Kira raised a brow. "You're saying this is a magical crossroads?"
He turned to her, voice serious. "Exactly. And we're not the only ones looking for it."
A brief silence fell over the group. Then Hiro broke it with a whistle. "Guess our vacation just officially turned into a campaign."
---
The group returned to the newly established camp nestled under the shade of the colossal Hollow Tree. Riku had used a portion of his remaining points to rapidly deploy basic infrastructure—tents, water purification, a defensive perimeter.
> [Deployed Structures: Basic Watchtower, Campfire Ward (Anti-Beast Aura), Emergency Recovery Pod x2]
They all sat around the fire that night, the flames dancing between them.
Kana, ever the upbeat one, nudged Riku with her foot. "You've changed."
He blinked. "Huh?"
"Since the first day we met," she clarified. "You were... quieter. Unsure. Now you're like, Commander Riku."
The others chuckled, but Kira leaned in. "She's right. You've stepped into something bigger than yourself. And you didn't run."
Riku stared into the flames. "I don't know if I'm ready. But I know I don't want to be a pawn anymore."
Selene spoke next, her tone pensive. "What's next, Riku? We've secured the territory. Are we staying?"
He looked up, his voice carrying weight. "We're returning for now. We need time to regroup, gather more resources, and plan the next move. But Verdant Hollow is ours. It's our anchor."
Hiro grinned. "And next time, maybe a hot spring instead of cursed temples?"
Everyone laughed.
---
[Flashback: The Moment Riku Confirmed Kira's Hunch]
It had been just after their first night together, under the stars of the private resort's open deck. Kira had asked him outright—her voice steady, yet laced with worry.
"You have a system, don't you?"
Riku had paused, silence stretching. Then, slowly, he nodded. "Yes."
Kira didn't flinch. She took his hand.
"Then you're not alone. I won't betray you. Not now, not ever."
His voice had cracked just slightly. "Why?"
"Because when I was little, I saw someone else who had one. But it destroyed him. You're different. I want to help you stay that way."
He pulled her into a tight embrace. "Then I'll trust you. But let's keep it between us. No one else can know. Not yet."
Her reply: a firm nod and a quiet kiss.
---
[Return Begins]
The following morning, under a brightening sky, Riku summoned the System's return module.
> [Teleport Grid: Activate Portal – Return to Origin Point]
One by one, they stepped through, their bodies dissolving into particles of light.
Riku was the last to leave. He turned one final time to the valley, the towering Hollow Tree standing like a silent guardian.
"We'll be back," he promised. "And next time... we'll be stronger."
He stepped through the portal, and Verdant Hollow was left in peaceful silence—for now.
---
End of Verdant Hollow Mini-Arc