Expectation

Wisps of golden-red mist were streaming from Elan's body, continuously dissipating into the surroundings, only to be endlessly generated anew from the white-haired child.

Its red hue was the dangerous color of blood, yet threads of golden brilliance burst forth within that bloody shade. The two colors intertwined, immediately giving rise to dazzling flowing radiance.

As time passed, within Precognitive Vision, the entire cottage seemed as though it would be filled by that golden-red light.

"Gulp."

In the silence, Ian could not help swallowing. Even with his composure, he found it somewhat unbelievable for a moment. "Gold... golden?"

He saw the bloody mist, but did not think much of it. At his current age and strength, where could he go that would not be dangerous?

It would be strange if there were no blood-red color. He merely had to judge how deep it was.

"Let me take a closer look." Ian stepped forward and carefully observed the surging mist emerging from his younger brother's body.

The bloody aura was slightly weaker than at West Riverbank, but it was still heavier than on the official road. This meant there would certainly be danger in going to Lake Forest to bury the corpse.

"Will I run into coyotes? Or wild beasts like boars and black bears?"

In Ian's memories, there were no particularly dangerous predators around the outskirts of the Bison Mountains near Harrison Port. Otherwise, the pioneers and immigrant groups of old would not have chosen this place to build a city and establish a port.

If one had to speak of lethality, all kinds of venomous insects and miasma were more dangerous than these beasts. Everyone knew that mosquitoes were the non-human creatures that killed the most people.

Although, according to the clan elders, Terra Continent indeed had many 'Demonic Beasts' and 'aberrations' possessing psionic power or abnormal mutations, with all manner of strange abilities.

But those powerful creatures had vast hunting territories. Only deep within the mountains and forests were there ecosystems that met their survival needs, so they rarely emerged to harass human settlements.

It was absolutely impossible to encounter such monsters in Lake Forest. If he did, the blood-red mist spilling from Elan's body would at least have to gather into a river and turn into a tsunami. Harrison Port would also have to prepare for dozens, perhaps hundreds, of casualties.

Judging by the density of the bloody color, Ian figured he might only encounter a boar or a wolf... It was a little dangerous, but if he threw down his uncle's corpse as bait, he would not necessarily die.

Besides, he still had plenty of sleep powder left... When the time came, a packet of sleep powder to the face—who was hunting whom was anyone's guess!

Most importantly, there was that streak of gold.

"What does golden mist represent?"

Ian did not know, but instinct told him it was an 'auspicious omen.'

And an extremely, exceedingly positive one—a stroke of tremendous fortune!

Though he had not seen every color, Ian had his own standards for the rarity tiers of various things, born from his experience playing many games.

Blue was 'rare.' Above that was 'extraordinary,' and higher still was 'heirloom.'

Yet even 'heirloom' might not be gold... Gold was likely 'legendary'!

"What exactly happened? What kind of tremendous good fortune could await over there? Is my psionic power reliable or not?"

Ian could not help lifting his head toward Lake Forest. He murmured, "A treasure or opportunity beyond all price, worthy of legend? Fortune and misfortune are intertwined—I understand that, of course..."

But he quickly shook his head and made up his mind. "Forget it. If I still don't go, then heaven truly has no justice."

Since every choice was dangerous and he had to leave the house anyway, why not choose the one that might bring good fortune?

Not to mention that, so far, his psionic power seemed quite reliable... Even if it was not, he still had to go!

"With the hand I've been dealt at the start, I have no right to hesitate over gains and losses."

Having mentally prepared himself, Ian closed his eyes and shut off the psionic power of Precognitive Vision.

When he opened them again, his crystalline azure eyes had dimmed.

This was another characteristic of psionic power Ian had discovered.

Whenever he—or rather, whenever any psionic user on Terra Continent—used psionic power, a faint glow would light up in their eyes.

The eyes were the windows of the soul, and psionic power was the fire of the spirit. Conveying firelight through a window was rather fitting... But in that case, it might be impossible to conceal the fact that one possessed psionic power. It would also be difficult to hide it and secretly use psionic power to spy on others.

"That isn't necessarily a bad thing. If another psionic user tries to spy on me, I'll notice them too."

Ian was always quite optimistic about such things.

His uncle Osena's corpse was tightly wrapped in canvas. Because the wound was deep but narrow, not much blood had flowed out.

With Ian's original strength, dragging an adult would have been truly difficult, even though the people of Terra Continent were all naturally enhanced.

But after awakening his psionic power and eating his fill, he felt comfortable all over, his ears clear and his eyes bright.

Even the wound on his head where his uncle had struck him was nearly healed. Waves of numb, itchy, aching sensations came from it—clear signs that the wound was rapidly healing and growing flesh.

For a time, his increase in strength surprised even Ian himself.

Now, it was no longer difficult for Ian to half-carry, half-drag his uncle's corpse. This was strength that ordinary children only possessed in their teens.

The night had deepened.

When Ian left that cottage filled with the stench of rotting wood, he felt as though a lifetime had passed.

Amid the chirping insects, he looked back at that utterly ordinary old house, its outer walls already rotten and cracked apart. Then he turned around and looked at the dim street illuminated by everburning lamps, as well as the jade sea churning beneath the moonlight at the distant end of the harbor.

A new world lay before him. The boy reborn into this world could not help smiling.

"Yes. Whether I transmigrated or was reincarnated, I have already left my homeland."

Ian raised his head and looked toward Terra's starry sky. There were not many drifting clouds in the tranquil black firmament, but the stars were sparse as well. Only the solitary silver moon hung in the center of the heavens like a hook, casting down a veil across the sky.

The tides churned, the insects sang, and specks of fine light fluttered between sea and sky like a dream painted upon a curtain of pitch-black cloth.

"There are so few stars. What a pity. Is that some peculiar celestial phenomenon of this world? I clearly remember there being quite a lot of stars when I was little."

Gazing out at the sea and sky, the boy muttered to himself, "But it isn't so bad... I lost Earth's starry sky, yet gained Terra's heavens, and an entire new world."

"Just wait, homeland. Since I was able to come here, I will naturally be able to return."

"But before that... please let me witness many things here. Let me see sights I have never witnessed before, sights that never existed on Earth."

—In the silent town late at night, the young boy, his heart filled with anticipation, dragged the corpse and made his difficult way toward Lake Forest.

And a wisp of golden mist-light followed close behind him.

Bearing a trace of curiosity.

And the same anticipation.