Preparations in Advance

Rukon District, West District One—Verdant Forest Haven. A plainly dressed man wandered aimlessly through the bustling streets.

The weather was not particularly warm. With the clouds obscuring the sky, the afternoon sunlight seemed vague and indistinct. Sparse snowflakes drifted down from time to time on the wind.

The man wore a hooded cloak, its oversized hood burying his face deep in shadow.

Verdant Forest Haven's streets were packed with people, shoulder to shoulder, and now and then someone accidentally bumped into the man. Yet he seemed completely oblivious, continuing to pace forward on his own.

The wind and snow gradually intensified, and the sky turned a leaden gray...