PART II: AFTER THE SEALING OF THE BLACK MAGE

Chapter 23: Red-Eyed Wanderer

• Many years ago, a rabbit Anima named Ren worked as a mercenary, using a rare but powerful sword technique called the Plum Blossom. One day, Ren received a request from the Varga in northern Grandis, whose leader had been killed by a High Priest who led a region called Dovengar. With the High Flora having conquered the Varga, Ren escorted the survivors to southern Grandis while being pursued by the High Priest and his forces. Though Ren was able to help the Varga escape, she was wounded in the skirmish and eventually came across a snake Anima named Saya.

• Saya was a hundred-year-old snake Anima who possessed the ability to freely transform between her Anima form and a serpent. Known as the legendary Imoogi, Saya trained in a lake at the free city of Vallora, as it was said that training for a thousand years would allow her to ascend to the heavens and become a dragon. During her training, however, Saya began wondering whether she could truly become a dragon while secluded in isolation.

• After saving Ren’s life, Saya abandoned her training and traveled the world with Ren, with the two becoming close friends as they explored all the corners of Grandis. Eventually, however, the High Priest pursuing Ren caught her and engaged in a battle, grievously wounding Saya. Nevertheless, Ren was able to injure the High Priest and his soldiers, with the High Priest succumbing to his injuries. Since that day, Ren hoped to find a way to cure Saya, infusing her strength into her friend at the cost of growing weaker and weaker.

• Settling in Vallora, Ren worked for the Explorers’ Guild as she sought to buy a special elixir that could heal Saya. As Ren undertook missions to earn money for the elixir, a High Flora Priest named Rotusha - the brother of the High Priest whom Ren had killed - arrived in the town on a routine inspection. At the port, Rotusha briefly recognized Ren in the crowd as his brother’s murderer and organized an effort to track her down.

• As the High Flora closed in, Ren obtained enough money to buy the elixir, which she brought to Saya. To her shock, however, Saya revealed that she had known from the beginning that she was going to soon die, and that not even the elixir would heal her. To repay Ren for her kindness, Saya bestowed what remained of her strength to her, while asking that she travel the world and make memories for them both.

• After the two said their farewells, Rotusha arrived to kill Ren. However, Ren - after drinking the elixir - defeated him and his soldiers, leaving him alive and injured as she fled. With the High Flora targeting her, Ren worked with the Explorers’ Guild to use a hidden Interdimensional Portal in Vallora to travel to Maple World, where she began working with Maple World’s Explorers’ Guild to grow stronger and help others.