"...A well?"


    "That''s right. Old wells have long been known as thresholds between worlds. Other examples include bridges and rivers. Sometimes, even outhouses were considered such ces, at least around Kozuke and Shimotsuke. That''s what the boss told me, anyway."


    Kozuke? Shimotsuke? Where are these ces?


    I didn''t know what the monster was talking about, but that didn''t matter right now.


    "So, using this well, we can get to the Immortal Realm?"


    "Exactly. I''ll open the passage to the other side. Only a


    Gatekeeper


    or someone like me can perform this type of magic."


    "...Alright."


    "Once we take care of the


    Oni Blight


    , bnce will return to the Immortal Realm. No humans will die on this side, and you''ll get your sword. That''s what you''d call a win-win."


    "..."


    As the monster spoke, it moved closer to the well. Stretching out its


    Silveit


    , it wove a magical barrier around the ancient structure.


    To be honest, I wasn''t desperate for a cursed de or anything.


    What I really cared about was the peach said to exist in the Immortal Realm. If that fruit could heal Nina''s heart, then that was all the reason I needed to go.


    "It''s ready. Heh-heh, I''m feeling pumped!"


    The monster cackled eerily as I peered into the well. Through the dim light of the shaft, I could see another world entirely.


    A bright, blue sky stretched out over fluffy white clouds. Verdant greenery thrived below, creating a lush, pastoral scene.


    "So, I just jump in?"


    "Exactly. Once you pass through, you''ll be in the Immortal Realm."


    The one-eyed monster shed a grin. Itsrge eye made it impossible to miss its excitement.


    I nodded and nced at my father. He returned my look with a serious nod of his own, then carefully lifted the unconscious cksmith using


    Silveit


    .


    "I''ve heard the exnation. It''s hard to believe, but if the Immortal Realm does exist, it exins the


    Gatekeeper''s


    actions. If this is real, I''d like toe along, but…"


    "That won''t work, sir. Adults who aren''t limated to the Immortal Realm''s magic won''tst long. The mana will kill them."


    "...I see. There''s no helping it. I''ll wait here, then."


    He seemed to steel himself with those words.


    "If anything happens,e back right away, Itsuki."


    "I will, Dad. I''m off."


    With those words, I turned my attention back to the well. Beside me, the monster spoke up.


    "Alright, kid. I''ll go first. Follow after me."


    With that, the monster leaped into the well.


    Once its figure disappeared, I ced my foot on the rim of the well. Below mey a world entirely separate from our own.


    "...Alright."


    I whispered the words to myself, more a personal deration than anything. As a precaution, I extended


    Silveit


    behind me to anchor myself in case of emergencies, then allowed gravity to pull me down into the well.


    There was a sensation like plunging into water as my body was engulfed. However, it wasn''t water—breathing was still possible. My vision turned pure white, and I lost all sense of direction.


    Then, a voice called down from above.


    "Kid, over here!"


    Following the sound, I oriented myself and felt a sudden upward pull, as if some unseen force was lifting me.


    A bright light flooded my vision.


    "We''re here."


    As the monster''s words reached me, my eyes adjusted to the dazzling sunlight.


    "This is the Immortal Realm."


    What unfolded before me was andscape so simr to the ink paintings I''d seen in Kamiyazuki''s study.


    "It doesn''t even look like Japan…"


    It felt like I''d stepped into the kind of mystical setting where Chinese immortals might dwell. In the distance, towering cliffs covered in dense green vegetation rose like colossal pirs, creating a series of valleys and peaks.


    We stood on one of those peaks, surrounded by patches of soft grass. Far below, the valley floor was hidden beneath a thick canopy of trees.


    Turning around, I saw something peculiar—a hole floating in the air, revealing the stone-lined interior of the well I''d just emerged from. That must have been the portal I''d used to cross over.


    Beyond the hole stretched an endless expanse of unspoiled nature. It seemed to go on forever, an infinite sea of greenery. I turned my focus back to the hole, examining it closely.


    "To return, we just go back through this?"


    "That''s right."


    This was a straightforward kind of magic. I wondered if I could learn something like it with enough practice.


    As I gazed into the portal, something gold flickered in the corner of my vision.


    "Well, kid, let''s find that


    Oni Blight


    . They''re nuts, so they''ll probably…"


    "Wait, hold on!"


    Quickly, I extended


    Silveit


    toward the hole. My threads snagged on something, and I pulled hard.


    Emerging from the portal, clinging tightly to each other, were Nina and Aya.


    "Youngdies?!"


    "Itsuki!"


    The monster shouted in shock as Aya, still holding Nina close, called out to me with relief.


    "Why are you here?!"


    "W-Well…"


    "A-Actually…"


    The two exchanged awkward nces before Nina spoke up, her voice quiet but resolute.


    "...Because I haven''t repaid you yet."


    Her words carried a weight far beyond their volume.


    "You say I have the aptitude, right? Then if Ie to the Immortal Realm, maybe… Maybe I can be useful to you, Itsuki. Maybe I can finally repay the value of having you by my side."


    Her voice grew softer as she continued, trailing off into near silence.


    I hesitated, unsure of what to say. I''d told her many times before that I didn''t expect her to prove her worth to me. But her belief in this debt seemed unshakable, and convincing her otherwise was likely a lost cause.


    Turning to Aya, I asked, "What about you?"


    "I-I tried to stop her! But then I ended uping through too, and, um… I thought maybe the Ice Queen''s power could help you, Itsuki…"


    Her reasoning sounded flimsy, likely something she''de up with on the spot.


    "What now, kid? Should we send them back?"


    "No!" Nina''s voice rang out with unexpected strength.


    "I have to… I have to prove myself useful to Itsuki!"


    Her plea left the monster ncing at me for guidance. After a brief pause, I made my decision.


    "They''ve alreadye this far. Let''s look for the


    Oni Blight


    together."


    "You''re too kind, kid."


    Was this kindness? I wasn''t sure. Nina and I had been exorcising monsters together for over a year now, and doing so in the Immortal Realm wasn''t much different from doing it at school.


    Aya, too, had joined us on a few hunts. This wasn''t new territory for any of us.


    As I reflected on this, a strange rustling sound came from the surrounding forest.


    Enjoy exclusive adventures from empire


    "…Huh?"


    "What''s wrong, Aya?"


    "Itsuki… Did you feel the wind just now?"


    "Uh, not really. The trees moved, though."


    As I replied, the rustling grew louder. The trees swayed violently, but there was no wind—just a strange, unnatural motion.


    The air remained still, but the forest trembled as if caught in a gale.


    "...What''s going on?"


    Focusing my magic, I cast an enhancement spell to sharpen my vision. Peering into the swaying trees, I froze.


    What I''d thought were trees were not trees at all.


    The rustling sound wasn''t the wind brushing through leaves.


    It wasughter.


    The forest wasn''t made of trees. It was made of wizened old men, their bodies gnarled and cracked like bark. They stood rooted in ce, their mouths stretched wide in eternal, raucousughter.


    The rustling grew louder, a cacophony of their eerie voices ovepping.


    "That''s…"


    The monster''s voice broke through the noise.


    "This is the Immortal Realm."