"Ka-la!"
Gravel tumbled from the cliffside, dropping thirty meters before splashing into the stream below.
"Phew… still as dangerous as ever."
Clinging to a rock wall nearly vertical to the ground, Sawada Tsunayoshi pressed against the cliff with a bulging backpack strapped to his back. His feet braced on small protruding rocks, while his fingers dug into narrow cracks in the stone.
In this desperate position, he glanced upward and chose his path.
With an abnormal strength in his grip and the coordination of his feet, he leapt higher, scaling swiftly like a monkey—or even a mountain goat.
In less than three minutes, his hands caught the top edge. With a push, he swung himself and his heavy pack over the cliff.
Looking back down the way he had climbed, he couldn't help but sigh.
"Every time I look down from here, I can't believe I actually thought about climbing this—and that I keep managing it."
Every climb left him amazed at his own ability.
"All I wanted at first was to test if I could awaken the Death Flame…"
A trace of helplessness crossed his face.
No matter how many times he tried, no matter the danger, the flame within him remained silent. Even when facing despair, even when his will to survive was absolute, the hidden Death Flame never responded.
"Forget it."
He shook his head, tossing away the regret.
Six years had passed. If the Death Flame could awaken, it would have long ago. Perhaps his method was wrong—or perhaps it required a Death Bullet as the trigger.
He lowered his backpack, pulling up the fishing rod and box still tied to it, then set about unpacking.
One by one, he laid out the contents—folding poles, a rolled tent. Piece by piece, he connected the poles, crossing them into the slots on the fabric, raising the structure like bones filling a body.
The tent stood firm. He spread waterproof mats inside, laid out his sleeping bag, and sprayed insect repellent.
The stove was simple: stones arranged in a shallow pit. From his toolbox he pulled a grid and set it across the top.
"No need to fish today. In this heat, I should finish the food I brought before it spoils."
From the bottom of the box, he pulled out beef and charcoal packed in a thermal bag. He placed the charcoal beneath the grid, added alcohol, and lit it. Soon, the coals burned red.
When the heat was ready, he placed slices of beef on the grid. With a brush he spread oil across the meat, the sizzle rising along with the rich aroma. Chili powder and salt sprinkled over the beef made the fragrance irresistible.
"Mmm… meat really is the best."
Vegetables had nothing on the taste of roasted beef.
He grilled more slices, picked them up with chopsticks, blew to cool them, then ate. Thinly cut, they cooked quickly. The spice and salt enhanced the beef's natural flavor, igniting his appetite.
With his improved body came a downside: his energy needs soared. His appetite was massive.
By the end of lunch, half the beef was gone.
"The rest will be for dinner."
Wiping the grease from his mouth, he patted his stomach in satisfaction. The remaining beef went back into the insulated bag with ice, kept fresh for later.
"Well, another meal to look forward to."
"Summer, huh…"
After eating, he lay back in the tent. Away from the city, the chorus of insects filled the air. The lazy afternoon made it easy to drift to sleep.
"The story begins in the second year of middle school… about a year from now."
"Ah, I really wonder if I'll be ready for that kind of life."
A responsible teacher was a blessing, but his would be merciless. Any slacking in studies meant harsh punishment. A year from now, comfort would no longer exist.
Nor would an "easy" life.
The turbulent story he knew from the original was bound to shake away any peace.
He couldn't help but feel uneasy.
If it had been in those first years after his rebirth, he would have dreamed of the grand future with fiery ambition.
But now… every day passed in ease—eating well, studying well, growing well, with a gentle mother by his side. Such comfort dulled the edge of his old longing.
Of course, if there was still something he yearned for, it was strength.
The strength to ignite the flame within, to shatter human limits, to soar through the skies on wings of fire.
Even in his ease, the desire for power lingered, burning quietly in his heart.
His eyes drifted to his golden finger. The corner of his mouth lifted in excitement.
"Tomorrow… I can't wait."
(End of Chapter)
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