With eyes swollen from crying, dawn broke. At the edge of the forest outside Rastella, Rock sat staring at the wooden puppet on his lap. The magic stone, displaced from the crack in its chest, glinted dully in the morning light. The face carved with a clumsy smile remained unchanged from yesterday. (I have to fix it.) His body felt heavy. He'd cried all night, his throat was parched, and his eyes were bleary. But his heart was already resolved. Rock picked up the wooden puppet and stood. He headed toward the town of Rastella. The morning market was just stirring to life, the stall owners spreading out their wares with sleepy faces. The smell of freshly baked bread. Rock's stomach growled audibly. But this wasn't the time for that. The armory "Goltz's Anvil" sat at the far end of the street. When he opened the door, an iron bell rang with a clink. [tired]Good morning... The shop was dim, filled with the mingled scents of iron, oil, and wood. Swords and armor lined the walls, and sparks flew from the workbench in the back. Goltz looked up. The sixty-year-old smith, who carried dwarven blood, was characterized by his thick arms and expressionless face. His beard, streaked with white, hung down to his chest. He said nothing, merely looking at the wooden puppet in Rock's arms. [serious]...That's the one from yesterday. [sad]Yes. It cracked, and the magic stone shifted. I need some ironwood offcuts and woodworking adhesive. Goltz silently pulled a wooden box from beneath his workbench. He opened the lid. Inside, various kinds of wood scraps were neatly organized. From among them, he picked up a piece that looked blackish and heavy. [serious]Ironwood offcut. One silver coin. [surprised]Huh, but something of this quality— [serious]It's an offcut. The price is fixed. Goltz said nothing more, retrieving a small ceramic pot from another shelf. [serious]Adhesive. Two silver coins. If you're channeling magic through it, don't move it for a full night after applying. [gentle]...Thank you. Rock tried to take the silver coins from the pouch at his waist. But his hands trembled, and he spilled copper and silver coins across the floor. Coins scattered everywhere. [embarrassed]Ah, I'm sorry! He hurriedly picked them up. He counted out three silver coins and held them out. Goltz, still expressionless, looked at Rock's hand. [serious]...That's one too many. [surprised]Huh? [serious]Can't you even do basic math? Rock looked at his own hand. Three silver coins. It was indeed too many. [embarrassed]S-sorry! Goltz pushed one coin back. His expressionless face twisted ever so slightly at the corners of his mouth. [serious]...A well-made tool, you fix it and keep using it. A warmth spread deep in Rock's chest. [gentle]...Yes. With just that, he left the shop. The door closed. The bell rang once more with a clink. --- By the time he returned to the forest's edge, the sun was already high. Rock sat in front of his tent and spread out his materials. The wooden puppet lay on the ground. The crack in its chest was clearly visible in the morning light. First, he shaved the ironwood offcut thin to match the shape of the crack. Next, he applied the adhesive. As Goltz had said, it couldn't be moved for a full night. Rock placed his hand on the puppet's chest. He poured magic into it. The magic stone pulsed faintly. (...It's still alive.) Slowly, matching his own breathing, he channeled magic. The sensation of magic gradually seeping deep into the crack. In that moment, a face surfaced in his mind. A wrinkled, gentle face. The old wizard who had watched over Rock when he was young. *"Your puppet will surely become someone's light someday."* A low, hoarse voice. Then, Liria's voice followed. *"Your wooden puppet is still asleep."* Rock stopped his hands. (It's not a tool.) He stared. The wooden puppet's clumsy smile. (It's my other half.) He set down his tools. He wrapped both hands around the wooden puppet and closed his eyes. Matching the beat of his heart, he channeled magic. Thump. Thump. Thump. Like his own blood flowing, magic circulated through the wood. The distortion in the frame—as if the very bones of his fingers were moving—slowly returned to its proper shape. Rock continued that work until dawn. --- Morning mist enveloped the forest. Rock placed the wooden puppet on the ground and stood. Though he'd been awake all night, he felt strangely free of fatigue. On the contrary, he had the sensation that the core of his body had clicked perfectly into place. He closed his eyes. He synchronized his magic. His own breathing and the puppet's aligned completely. He channeled magic into the magic stone. A pale golden membrane quietly expanded. A radius of about fifteen meters. The grass rustled. The air trembled. But—it didn't waver. It didn't warp and distort. A perfect sphere emerged within the morning mist. Rock opened his eyes. He stared intently at the edge of the membrane. It didn't vanish. For ten minutes. It never once faltered. [whispers]...It's out. His voice was small. He neither cried nor laughed. There was only a quiet certainty—the feeling that something he'd been searching for all along had finally settled into his hands. Rock picked up the wooden puppet. [gentle]Let's go. He placed it on his shoulder. Its familiar weight felt strangely reassuring today. --- The Adventurers' Guild, Cardina Rastella Branch. When Rock opened the door, the atmosphere inside the guild shifted sharply. At the counter, Ganetta was working on the ledgers. At the table in the back sat Kai, Dross, and Bell. Kai grinned. [sarcastic]Yo, still haven't learned your lesson? Dross tapped the floor with the butt of his spear. [sarcastic]What are you here for this time? Come to make us laugh again? The surrounding adventurers glanced his way. Rock looked straight at Kai. [serious]Just one more time. Let me try again. A quiet voice. But he said it clearly. There was no air of running away. No sign of being intimidated. Kai's grin twisted slightly. [cold]...Heh. Ganetta looked up. Her golden-brown eyes studied Rock intently. And then—a fearless smile played at the corners of her mouth. [calm]Fine. Use the training grounds. --- At the training grounds, a crowd of adventurer onlookers had gathered. More than ten of them. The same bunch who had mocked Rock yesterday. Rock placed the wooden puppet on the ground. [serious]This time, I'll support the two vanguard fighters. Kai readied his sword. Dross readied his spear. The opposing team's swordsman and archer had also finished their preparations. [cold]Let's get this over with quick. What kind of failure are you gonna show us this time? Rock closed his eyes. He steadied his breathing. He synchronized—his magic. The magic stone in the puppet's chest glowed faintly. The membrane expanded. This time—it didn't waver. A perfect, fifteen-meter Link Field. [surprised]Wha— Dross's movements became noticeably faster. The speed at which he readied his spear was twice his usual. [surprised]My body feels light!? What the hell is this!? Kai noticed it too. His feet moved more swiftly than usual. [surprised]...Hey, this is— In that instant, the opposing team's swordsman charged in. But—his movements were sluggish. Slow, as if wading through water. [angry]Dammit, I can barely move! Kai's sword deflected the opposing swordsman's wooden blade. CLANG!! Sparks flew. The opposing swordsman staggered. [excited]Now! Dross's spear swept the opposing archer's legs. Thud. The archer collapsed to the ground. The match was decided in an instant. The training grounds fell silent. Kai stood frozen. Sword still raised, unable to move. Dross too, mouth agape, still gripping his spear. The adventurer onlookers were at a loss for words. [whispers]...What the hell is this. Kai's voice echoed in the silence. Ganetta, arms still folded, spoke. [calm]I told you, didn't I? It's an interesting skill. Rock readjusted the wooden puppet on his shoulder. [gentle]Thank you very much. He bowed his head. Without flaunting his victory, without getting back at the ones who had mocked him, he simply and quietly gave his thanks. That was a closing note very much like Rock. One of the female adventurers who had been watching murmured to the companion beside her. [whispers]...That person has a completely different look on his face from yesterday. Those words didn't reach Rock. Rock left the guild and walked out into the town of Rastella. The wooden puppet on his shoulder glowed faintly in the morning sun. The Link Field was perfectly stabilized. But—this was still only the beginning. Deep in his chest, a small flame burned. (Next is real combat.)