Three quiet days passed. During this time, Jumanji received his request of ten "Dawn Dew Coral leeches" and retreated into the guest house to practice his spiritual cultivation rituals.
He rarely left his room except for brief moments to breathe the fresh air or satisfy his hunger; everything proceeded exactly as he had planned—with cold, calculated precision.
At this moment, Jumanji stepped out as usual to wander the village paths. He raised his head toward the vast sky, letting the warm sunlight caress his pale cheeks.
Deep down, he felt that his hours in this place were numbered. There was no longer enough time to remain under the protection of the "Carp Fish."
The "Spatial Rift" was on the verge of opening, and as that decisive moment approached, Jumanji made his final decision: the moment his feet stepped into that void, he would leave this tribe forever.
There was no longer a thread linking him to their future, nor a reason for his feet to return here again.
As Jumanji walked lost in meditation, gazing at the sky, he felt a presence block his path. He lowered his gaze to meet the eyes of a woman in her thirties. She stood with a calm wrapped in dignity, wearing a crimson robe that overflowed with majesty and pride.
The woman did not utter a word, merely observing the pale man. However, a youth no older than twenty who accompanied her shouted with a sharpness mixed with arrogance:
"You ignorant scoundrel! How dare you cross the path of our Lady?"
Jumanji's gaze shifted slowly toward the beautiful woman, but his features remained devoid of any trace of confusion or awe. His calmness was icy as he muttered in a cold tone:
"And who said it was I who crossed your path? Why wouldn't it be you who blocked mine?"
The woman raised her eyebrows, surprised by his boldness. Another young man in his early twenties intervened with biting sarcasm:
"A loyal dog does not block the path of his masters. Step aside immediately, and perhaps we shall forgive your folly this time."
***
The woman raised her hand in a commanding gesture, and silence immediately fell over her followers. She then asked with a mix of curiosity and composure:
"I presume you are the wandering doctor who performed the miracle and healed Neron's Farm Fetus, are you not?"
Jumanji scrutinized her features and the details of her crimson robe before answering with a calm tone that did not lack insight:
"And you are Elder 'May Ejin' of the Stork Clan... are you not?"
The woman's smile widened, appearing satisfied as she replied, "It is a pleasure to be recognized by a personality possessing such extraordinary medical potential."
Meanwhile, the youths retreated to the back, silenced under the weight of their lady's words. Although their tongues were curbed, looks of suspicion and resentment did not leave their eyes as they watched this pale man who imposed his aura on the place without raising his voice.
May Ejin whispered to herself while observing his eerie calmness:
*He would be a strategic asset if we could recruit him to our ranks. A medical expert like him would be a great help in the future, and antagonizing a man with these qualifications would bring us nothing but loss.*
Returning to address him with a friendly tone after seeing his long silence, May Ejin asked, "Where are you heading, Spiritual Fellow?"
Jumanji answered coldly while breathing deeply, "I have no specific destination. I am simply enjoying this peaceful atmosphere and the cool breeze."
May Ejin smiled and said, "Then, would you have any objection to honoring us with your company?"
Jumanji replied without hesitation, "In truth... I am not interested. I prefer to remain alone at the moment."
***
One of the clan's youths flared with anger and shouted sharply, "You stupid doctor! Do you not realize the status of the Lady you are addressing? She granted you the honor of her invitation and you meet her with such ingratitude? Do you not know what the Stork Clan means in these lands?"
Jumanji did not even give him a simple glance, instead answering with an indifference that killed the youth's enthusiasm:
"I am not interested in knowing things that are of no use to me."
The youths' teeth ground with rage, and the blood boiled in their veins. How could an unknown man disparage a Fourth-Rank clan that dominated numerous tribes?
But May Ejin, with her customary intelligence, showed no anger. Instead, she added with dignity:
"Our door will always remain open to you, Spiritual Fellow. Whenever you wish to come, please favor us with your visit, and we shall be waiting."
"Teacher May Ejin!"
The voice came suddenly from the side. The boy and girl who had accompanied her on her previous visit to this place appeared.
The girl stood staring at Jumanji with intense scrutiny, as if she were recalling familiar features she had seen before.
As for Jumanji, he did not give them the slightest attention. He continued walking calmly as if these people were merely a mirage in his path. His eyes remained fixed on the birds soaring in the heart of the sky, letting out chirps that filled the surroundings.
The group watched his silhouette as it receded with a strange dignity. Then, May Ejin turned toward her youths and said in a firm tone:
"You must learn to control yourselves well; the road ahead of you is still very long. Tell me, what would you gain by antagonizing a brilliant doctor who managed to heal a Farm Fetus?"
Silence reigned among the youths who were unable to respond, while the girl looked with astonishment toward the departing Jumanji. Shock began to show on her face as she muttered to herself, *That person... is the doctor who healed the leech?*
May Ejin cut through her train of thought, saying with realistic coldness:
"A doctor like him would be a treasure for the clan. As for his death, it would benefit us nothing. Do you think me incapable of crushing a gnat like him? Of course not. But what then? Would the results of his death serve our interests? The answer is no."
She paused briefly to give them a stern look that dissolved their arrogance, then added in a sharp tone, "Your childish behavior today has angered me. Let this be the last time you act in such a reckless manner."
***
Jumanji stopped suddenly, his eyes fixed on a small bird that had settled on the branch of a slender tree in the middle of the path. Its delicate chirps filled the air with natural joy.
Jumanji extended his hand with steady calmness. The bird's head began to twist left and right as if examining the essence of this mysterious man, before spreading its wings and landing peacefully upon Jumanji's palm.
A slight smile appeared on Jumanji's face as he watched the beautiful "Goldfinch" resting on his hand. With a movement full of gentleness, he began to stroke its vibrant back feathers with his fingertips.
Jumanji raised his gaze again toward the distant horizon and muttered, addressing the bird:
"Tell me, little one... what do you see from above? And which is better in your view: to walk on two legs, or to possess two wings with which you embrace the sky?"
A brief silence followed, as if nature were eavesdropping on this dialogue, before Jumanji continued in a faint voice:
"I know you have no logical answer to reveal, but I will tell you my desire. I aspire to possess both. I want to stand firm on the earth and soar in the sky. I want to enjoy every atom of this possible existence."
Jumanji raised his eyebrows slightly, and the bird flew away toward the horizon. He stood watching its trail with wonder, asking himself: *What drove me to stand in this place or utter those words?*
It seemed strange to him, as if a hidden part of his soul had awakened for a moment before returning to its usual stillness. He rubbed his head with slight confusion, then continued his way as if nothing had happened.
***
Five more days passed with Jumanji continuing his strict routine: cultivating in silence, walking around the village, and subsisting on what was available without breaking the isolation of his soul.
During this period, May Ejin's invitations and requests to him were repeated, but he met them all with categorical refusal. He had no intention of risking interaction with a figure of her status in the Fourth Rank while he was in disguise, despite the great confidence the "Leech of a Thousand Faces" gave him.
He muttered to himself as he moved away from sight:
*That woman possesses a sharp and strange intuition. She might pull back the curtain on my reality at any moment if I get closer. Therefore, staying as far from her as possible is the safest choice now.*
The long-awaited day finally arrived. It was not an ordinary day in the region; it was the day the "Spatial Rift" opened.
Jumanji inhaled the morning air deeply as he left the guest house, setting his sights on his final destination in these lands.
Near the village boundaries, he spotted a majestic gathering comprising the Council of Elders and Leader Neron, and beside them, Elder May Ejin in her crimson dignity with her delegation of youths.
Everyone moved in a single procession toward the intended site, while Jumanji walked with steady steps behind them. Before crossing the tribe's gate, he cast a final glance behind him, then turned forward and whispered to himself:
*The story ends here. It is time to depart.*
***
Everyone walked with clear determination. Enthusiasm was dominant on the faces of the young ones, especially "Bluton," whose wide smile never left his face as he gnawed on a large piece of meat with his usual greed.
Midway, another delegation blocked their path. At its front were two old men whose features had been crushed by the years, leaving deep marks on their faces. Behind them were ten young men wearing rough brown clothes that suggested strength and resilience.
This was the delegation of the "Brown Bear Tribe" that had come to reserve its place in this event.
The two delegations met, exchanging formal greetings dominated by gravity and caution before continuing the journey together. Only a few minutes passed before they settled at the desired location.
Before their eyes, a cave crouched under a majestic rocky hill. The cave was not plunged in darkness as usual; instead, sparks of spiritual energy flickered from its depths, resembling shards of glowing fire piercing the gloom of the void.
Many gazes froze in awe before this majestic sight. This was the first time the youths had witnessed an eighth-rank "Spatial Rift."
Awe was the master of the moment. Most of them were still at the start of their path within the first stage of the First Rank. Entering a place with this momentum of spiritual energy was considered a risk-laden adventure. Howev
er, the temptation was stronger than fear; the opportunities lying behind that glow might not occur twice in a lifetime.
**End of Chapter**