The sky had just begun to brighten.
The Cloud Sea was still shrouded in a faint morning mist, its surface glowing with a soft grayish white.
The light from the fluorescent flowers and plants had not completely faded yet. Specks of it were embedded in the grass by the roadside, like stars that had fallen the night before.
Gon and the others had risen early, packed their luggage, and gathered on the platform at the village entrance.
The air carried the coolness of early morning, mingled with the fresh scent of grass and trees.
No one spoke.
The emotions of parting hung in everyone's heart like a thin veil of mist.
"We're really leaving..."
Gon scratched his head and gazed at the wooden houses deep in the village, his eyes full of reluctance.
The boisterous feast from yesterday had ended, and today they were going their separate ways.
He had long since grown used to the days when the six of them traveled together, fought monsters together, and fought over food together.
With Kurapika suddenly gone, he felt an inexplicable emptiness in his heart.
"Don't look so glum."
Killua patted him on the shoulder, a grass stem he had plucked at random between his teeth as he put on a deliberately carefree tone.
"It's not like we'll never see him again."
"Once he's finished teaching that kid, he'll catch up with us naturally."
That was what he said, but a trace of imperceptible melancholy also lingered in his eyes.
They had traveled together for so long. No one was used to suddenly being short one companion.
Leorio stood nearby, stealing occasional glances toward the village chief's wooden house with a furtive look in his eyes.
He had tossed and turned all night after returning yesterday, coming up with several opening