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===BREAK===
A new day.
As usual, Victor Wang went to Vimara Village to inspect the Withering Zones.
Although the Fatui were no longer artificially creating new Withering Zones, perhaps because of last night's Tumor of the Withering, several Withering Zones still grew abnormally around the battlefield.
Kaveh and Tighnari had also arrived.
Since Tighnari hadn't witnessed last night's situation, he could only imagine what happened by looking at the pitted, uneven ground. He sighed a little. The traitor within Vimara Village had been caught, the abnormal Withering and Fatui had receded, and the Forest Rangers' work seemed like it could finally return to normal.
Taking the chance, Victor Wang asked them a bit about the situation in Vimara Village.
The three children who had been caught in the center of the incident seemed to have forgotten all the unpleasant things they had experienced after a night's sleep, so the adults did not mention it again. However, Iotham somehow found a Vision. Since he couldn't use it himself, he gave it to Rana.
As for what happened to Alphonso, Victor Wang didn't ask.
After cleaning up the Withering here, Arana waved from afar—Kaveh and Tighnari couldn't see it, so it was obvious who the signal was for. Victor Wang said goodbye to the other two and chased after Arana as she ran farther and farther away.
Eventually, Arana stopped and formally said to Victor Wang, "Let me introduce Arana. Arana is Aranara."
Arana is Aranara … Arana is Aranara …
Just repeating that in his mind was enough to make Victor Wang dizzy. He shook his head and listened as Arana continued:
"Aranara are the children of the forest, living together with the trees. Marana is bad thing, like bugs that make fruit rot and trees die. Nara Victor, you like eliminating Marana, so you are a good Nara.
Nara Iotham, Nara Kavus, Nara Sudabeh, and Nara Rana are all Arana's friends. Marana's avatar wanted to do bad things to them. Nara Victor, you helped them, so you are again a good Nara.
Arana has been observing you for a long time. You have enough strength, you are a good Nara, and most importantly, you especially like eliminating Marana. That is very good. So, Arana wants to ask for your help."
"Especiallylike eliminating Marana…?" Victor Wang asked in confusion.
"Yes." Arana nodded without hesitation.
Victor Wang couldn't help finding this strange misunderstanding somewhat amusing. At least from Arana's perspective, that was probably how it looked.
"It has been a long time since the last 'Festival Utsava.' There are places the Aranara cannot easily reach—like the Divine Tree, the Surasthana, and like Vanarana. It is hard to judge how much Marana corruption they suffer. But Arana discovered that you can find hidden Marana, so Arana wants to ask you to travel to Vanarana."
The Aranyaka!
So, it had come to this after all.
Just remembering those memories made Victor Wang's head hurt.
But even if the existence of the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata had been erased, the existing Withering wouldn't disappear. The Aranara still had to face and manage the Withering…
He accepted Arana's request.
"Follow the forest's path, follow the direction of the water, and keep going. You will reach Vanarana. Then, sing."
Arana raised her small hand, and a melody appeared in Victor Wang's mind as a memory.
"This is the [Rhythm of the Great Dream]. As long as you sing the [Rhythm of the Great Dream], you can enter Vanarana—enter our dream, our world."
The familiar melody—he had heard it at least fifty times, if not a hundred. Victor Wang could almost hum it immediately, but he chose a more subtle approach. He took out his erhu, his best instrument, and played it properly.
"That's it."
"You're not coming with me to Vanarana?"
"Arana needs to stay here for now to protect the little Nara."
"I have my own things to do too. I may not go to Vanarana immediately."
"It's fine. Waiting a bit longer is okay."
Despite saying that, since he no longer needed to spend full days clearing Withering in Vimara Village, Victor Wang began running around unlocking teleport waypoints.
North to the Palace of Alcazarzaray and the Ashavan Realm, west to Chinvat Ravine, the Ardravi Valley, and Caravan Ribat. And of course, Vanarana and the Surasthana. He reached them, but did not enter.
While keeping watch over the South Wing outside Vimara Village and remaining wary of the Doctor, observing the Sabzeruz Festival preparations at the Zubayr Theater, and confirming Lumine's movements through Tighnari and Nilou, it was only on the day before the Sabzeruz Festival that he finally stepped into Vanarana.
The real-world Vanarana was empty. Houses shaped like giant hollowed-out fruits were piled everywhere, yet the place was deserted.
Victor Wang went straight to the giant onion-like Silapna. Standing before it, he played the [Rhythm of the Great Dream]. He felt his body sink, as if pulled into another space, but when he came to, the environment looked unchanged.
Except… there was now an Aranara in front of him, trembling, with a tiny yellow flower on its head and a red scarf around its neck.
"Eeeek… don't catch me! I'll obediently give Nara a 'violent grave'!"
"It's 'treasure,' not grave. Don't be afraid. I'm not here to catch you. Arana said I'm a good Nara and asked me to help you handle the hidden Marana."
"Arana—this melody really belongs to Arana. You are a good Nara!" The Aranara immediately stopped being afraid, then explained, "I am Arama."
"I am Victor."
"Nara Victor, although Arana trusts you, everyone becomes scared when a strange Nara enters Vanarana… so they did not let you into the true Vanarana. After helping the Aranara, everyone will no longer be afraid, and then you can enter the real Vanarana. Follow me."
Arama led the way and, at each place, made a request of Victor Wang.
"Because of Marana, the Fungi are very angry and cannot communicate. Nara Victor, can you drive away the Fungi?"
"This is the home of Aragaru and the others. A big rock blocked the door. Big rock bad. Nara Victor, can you remove the big rock?"
"There are 'Vanagni' trying to invade here. Even if we talk to them, they only get angry and then poof poof spit fire… Just thinking about it is scary. But if you help with this, Nara Victor will truly succeed."
All three trials were child's play. On a whim, Victor Wang drew his erhu, using the metallic strings to release blade-like energy, and completed them easily.
"Nara Victor is amazing. You helped the Aranara, so now everyone knows you are a good Nara. When you enter Vanarana again, no one will be afraid."
Arama led Victor Wang back to the onion-like Silapna. This time, after he played the [Rhythm of the Great Dream], his consciousness genuinely sank. When he awoke, he was in the dream version of Vanarana.
The sky had become a dreamy shade of purple. The once empty fruit-shaped houses were now filled with Aranara, and many walked along the paths, curiously watching him approach.
"Oh my, a Nara… it really has been so long. So tall. Although you are different from Nara Varuna—not golden and shining—you have proven yourself a good Nara. Welcome to Vanarana."
Victor Wang asked knowingly, "Nara Varuna?"
"Ah, that was a very, very long time ago…"
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