The shadow lunged.
Ren barely had time to react. His watch flared blue as he threw up his arm and shouted, "Hydro Veil!"
A swirl of mist burst outward around him, forming a thin layer of water across his forearm just in time to deflect the first blow. The shadow's clawed hand scraped across it, the impact throwing Ren backward into the cliff wall with a grunt.
He rolled, scrambled to his feet. The shadow didn't pause. It twisted mid-air and launched forward again, faster than before.
Ren moved instinctively. "Wind Step!"
The air surged beneath his feet and propelled him sideways, out of reach. He skidded across the gravel, then turned and slammed his palm toward the ground.
"Volt Lance!"
A bolt of electricity surged into his palm, condensing into a shimmering spear. He hurled it, clean, direct.
The shadow ducked.
The spear exploded against the far cliff in a flash of light and rock shards. The shadow was already moving, now shifting, stretching its arms into long blades, moving like liquid with purpose.
Ren's heart pounded. It learns. He could feel it, this wasn't just a construct. It was reacting. Adapting.
From across the cove, Cael stood with his arms crossed, unmoved. His voice echoed above the clash of movement.
"You're panicking. Your moves are clean, but you think too much. Don't recite names. Move!"
Ren grit his teeth, dodging another slash. "Easy for you to say!" Ren clenched his fist. "I just want to go home."
Cael studied him. "So did I."
"Do you know how?" Ren ask Cael while still being attacked
Cael didn't answer immediately. His voice, when it came, was quiet. "Maybe. Maybe not. If there's a way back, it's not easy. Not obvious. And no one's handing out maps."
He turned toward the cliff, fingers trailing along the scar. "But if you stay weak, you won't live long enough to find out."
The shadow twisted and struck again, grazing Ren's side. Pain flared through his ribs.
He landed hard, dust kicking up around him.
For a moment, he lay still.
You're not going to survive this, a voice in his head whispered.
But then he felt the pulse again, steady, low, but clear. The watch.
Not yet.
He stood.
This time, no words.
Water formed around his left fist.
Wind circled his feet.
The shadow charged. Ren met it head-on.
He ducked the first strike, slid beneath it, and drove a burst of water upward into its core. The shadow flinched. Wind propelled him up and over, twisting mid-air. As he landed, he slammed both hands down and sent a jolt of electricity through the ground.
The shadow shrieked, just for a moment and then collapsed into smoke, evaporating into the air like morning fog.
Ren fell to one knee, gasping. Sweat dripped from his brow. His arms trembled, not from fear, but from strain.
Cael approached slowly.
He didn't speak for a while. Then, finally:
"Not bad."
Ren looked up. "Not dead. That's a win."
A faint smirk tugged at Cael's mouth. "You've got instincts. Raw, but good."
Ren stood. "So… was that the test?"
Cael nodded. "The first of many. You want to survive this world long enough to find a way home? Then you'll need more than flashy tricks."
He turned, walking back toward the shadows.
"Come back here tomorrow. Same time. We start for real."
Ren glanced at the cliff again, then at the fading remnants of the shadow creature.
He didn't know if this world would ever let him leave.
But for now, he had something close to a direction.
Later
By the time Ren returned to the village, the sun had begun its slow descent behind the trees, casting long shadows across the dirt paths and rooftops. The sharp scent of salt still clung to his clothes, and a dull ache throbbed in his ribs where Cael's summoned shadow had clipped him. Despite the pain, there was something settling in his chest—a strange mix of exhaustion and clarity.
He walked the familiar path back to the bar.
Makino's place was already glowing with warm yellow light. Inside, a few regulars were gathered, laughing softly, drinks in hand. The air smelled of grilled fish and fruit liquor, the kind of comfort Ren hadn't realized he'd started to crave.
He slipped in without a word, quietly closing the door behind him.
Makino looked up from polishing a glass and gave him a welcoming smile, the kind that was too gentle to be casual.
"Back before the stars come out. That's new."
Ren gave a short nod and walked to his usual seat near the corner of the bar. She poured him a glass of water without asking.
"You've been off the usual paths again," she said lightly as she slid the glass to him. "Getting to know the island?"
Ren took a long sip before replying. "Something like that."
He didn't elaborate. She didn't press.
For a moment, only the sound of conversation in the background filled the space between them. Makino watched him quietly, taking in the faint scuff on his sleeve, the scratches on his knuckles, the way he seemed heavier, more grounded.
"You've changed," she said finally. "Not in a bad way. Just… more sure of yourself."
Ren glanced down at his wrist, at the darkened crystal on his watch.
"I'm trying to be."
She tilted her head, leaning slightly on the counter. "You remind me a little of Garp, you know. When he's not laughing like a maniac."
That pulled a quiet chuckle from Ren, unexpected, even to him.
Makino smiled. "He always said strength doesn't mean much if you don't know what you're fighting for. Though I'm guessing you're still figuring that part out."
Ren looked at her, eyes calm but unreadable.
"Maybe. For now, surviving feels like enough."
Makino didn't nod, didn't agree. She just accepted the words as they were.
"You're welcome to sit here as long as you like. There's stew in the back if you're hungry."
Ren gave her a grateful look and turned slightly, watching the gentle hum of village life pass by the window. For now, this was peace. Not the kind he'd known before, but something close.
And behind that calm, in the recesses of his mind, he could still feel the presence of shadows and steel, waiting for him just beyond the trees.