The wilds on the Back Mountain behind the Memorial Stone.
The treetops pressed down overhead like clouds.
Slender beams of light shone through the mottled gaps in the leaves.
This place lay within what would have been the Forest of Death in the original course of fate.
In the rocky area to the west lay the Moss Colony.
All manner of creatures nurtured by the forest crowded into view.
Muye and Silver Moon stood side by side, surrounded by a ring of plants and animals.
A large black rat brimming with intelligence stood in front of them, blocking the forest's uninvited guest.
Amid that lush expanse of green, a figure with purple clothes and purple hair stood out jarringly.
Cherry Ink had given up being human quite some time ago. Apart from being unable to communicate through normal speech, everything else remained as before.
Cherry Ink had originally been a rat, and being a rat was more comfortable. There was no rejection of its new form, and it was still using its own clone.
After using the complete Living Corpse Reincarnation, Cherry Ink did not even need to fulfill anyone's "last wish," saving it a great many steps.
To Cherry Ink, Muye and Silver Moon were special. They were children it had raised with its own hands while it was human.
Muye and Silver Moon were different from its short-lived rodent descendants.
Cherry Ink sensed the danger posed by the visitor. Although its animal instincts told it that it might be no match for her, it still stood firmly in front of them.
"Are you a resident of the forest?" the Purple-Clad Woman asked with a kindly smile. "You seem rather clever... How very interesting."
At her words, Cherry Ink bared its teeth, its expression making its anger plain. With