(Noru returns to the lake where he fell after the waterfall.)
Noru TakedaI can't believe how badly I performed during the trial. If the objective wasn't simply to survive the night, then I probably failed the exam.(He looks worried.)
(Fakuro suddenly appears, startling Noru.)
FakuroGood morning, kid. I finally found you. I've been looking for you for hours—I thought you were already dead.(He laughs shamelessly.)
Noru TakedaIf you came back… that's a relief. I thought I'd never see you again.(He drops to his knees, gripping Fakuro's arm tightly, on the verge of tears.)
FakuroRelax, there's no need to get like that. It was a rough night, sure, but I don't think it's that dramatic. Now come with me—there are a few new things I need to tell you.
(He starts walking.)
Noru TakedaNew things? Does that mean I passed the trial?(He keeps walking, trying to get ahead of him.)Hey, wait—answer my questions, please. I don't understand what's going on.(He follows Fakuro, continuing to speak.)
(Scene change. They are climbing through the forest, with Noru still talking, trying to get answers.)
Fakuro(He taps his bracelet, projecting a rectangular hologram. A field table appears on the screen.)Noru, you'd better pay close attention. I don't have much time to talk.
(Noru falls silent.)
From today on, you can consider yourself a qualified recruit.The hunter exam consists of four stages:Stage one—survive.Stage two—subsist.Stage three—training.Stage four—final evaluation.
Most aspirants die on the first night. That's why we only explain the bare minimum during Stage One—we avoid wasting unnecessary time and resources.
Noru Takeda(Noru's thoughts)That sounds incredibly cruel… they let aspirants die like it's nothing.
(The terrain levels out; they stop climbing.)
FakuroSince you managed to pass the first stage, I can explain things in more detail.
Once qualified recruits make it through the first night, they must adapt to the survival conditions of this territory for at least three months. After that, you'll receive further instructions from your handsome supervisor.(He points at his chest with his whole hand and smiles.)
Noru TakedaWait—are you saying I'll spend the next three months eating apples and sleeping in a tree?(He looks terrified.)
FakuroBy then, you should already have a shelter and some experience hunting. In the end, that won't be my problem anymore—now let me finish.
As the days pass, the monsters will grow stronger. However, you can keep them at bay with fire. In the village where I met you yesterday, you can obtain torches and oil lamps. You can buy them by handing over resources such as wood, food, or valuable items.(He pulls out an apple and takes a bite as he explains.)
That is, as long as you manage to find the village.(He mutters to himself.)Now what was next… what was it… ah, right. If your tools wear out, you can also get replacements in the central village.
Make sure to store everything in your inventory. Merchants like to recycle items—if you don't do that, you'll have to pay much more for whatever you want to buy.
(Noru freezes. A flashback shows him throwing away his empty water bottle and breaking his sword.)
FakuroHey, are you okay?(He places a hand on Noru's shoulder.)
Noru TakedaY–Yeah, I'm fine.(Nervous.)
FakuroWell, I think that's everything I needed to tell you for now. Ah—almost forgot. If at any point you want to give up, all you have to do is shout that you resign from the trial. Though you know what that entails.
Noru TakedaDon't worry. That will never happen.(He smiles with confidence.)
Fakuro(He smiles faintly.)You've got a great attitude. I'm expecting big things from you.Well, time for me to go. Good luck.
(He disappears suddenly.)
Noru Takeda(His expression turns frightened.)Wait, Fakurooooo!!!
Fakuro(He comes back, concerned.)What happened? Why did you shout like that?
Noru TakedaWell, it's just that… about my sword… there's something you need to know.
(Fakuro doesn't understand what's going on. Scene change: Noru's broken sword.)
FakuroI can't believe this. You broke your sword in a single day—you're the first person to ever manage that.(He looks disappointed.)
Noru TakedaWow, the first one? That means I'm someone really special, don't you think?(He laughs, scratching the back of his head.)
FakuroI wouldn't be proud of that.(He sighs.)Whatever. I'll try to get you another sword—but only because I'd feel terrible if you got killed while unarmed.All right, now I'm really leaving. I'll be back before nightfall to bring you your sword.
(He disappears.)
Noru Takeda(He begins narrating the events.)And just as Fakuro promised, he returned to deliver my sword. As soon as he left, I climbed to the top of a tree. During the day, I had carved notches along its trunk to use as footholds while climbing.
From that day on, I began a routine that lasted almost a month. In the mornings, I devoted all my time to building a sturdy house capable of protecting me from monsters. In the afternoons, I searched for food and water, and at dusk, I returned to my tree—always masking my scent by bathing in the waterfall near where I lived, or by using crushed flowers mixed with water.
(During the transition, Noru is shown using the wood he cut on the first day, now split into thinner pieces to improve his house. He uses mud and braided vines to create walls, applying a quincha-style construction technique. He is also seen digging into the ground to embed the boards, reinforcing the structure of the walls.)
Noru TakedaI have to admit that during the first week, I thought about giving up. Still, I had already come too far to turn back and return as a loser—I wasn't going to quit that easily.
After the first month, with my house nearly finished, there was only one thing left: lighting it up so the monsters wouldn't come near.
It took me an entire week to manage to make fire. I tried every possible method until I finally succeeded.(He is shown rubbing sticks together, then using stones—comical scenes.)
At that point, I felt like the greatest hunter alive—the one who had managed to survive an entire month in such a hostile environment. I wondered what I was supposed to do next.
That was when I remembered what Fakuro had said.(His expression turns serious.)
(Flashback)
Fakuro(Smiling faintly.)"You've got a great attitude. I'm expecting big things from you."
Noru TakedaNo, that wasn't it… but I did like hearing him say that.
(Flashback)
Fakuro"As the days pass, the monsters will grow stronger."
Noru TakedaThat was it. I had completely ignored the monsters during all this time. I slept through the night, and when I woke up, they had either disintegrated under the sun or hidden inside nearby caves. It was time to face them—and to study their behavior.
At that point, I changed my routine. For an entire week, I slept during the day and stayed awake at night, perched among the treetops, observing how the monsters moved, how they interacted, and how they changed over time.(Zombies, skeletons, and even animals with extremely strange mutations can be seen.)
The strongest among each type were highly territorial. They preferred to hunt alone and often killed other monsters when they were hungry—or simply to assert their dominance.
Little by little, I decided to confront them. I targeted those that gathered in small groups. I could barely handle them all at once, and once I defeated them, I covered myself with my homemade scent-masking mixtures to hide my odor. I kept going like that until I was finally able to face solitary monsters on my own.
(Some time later)
Two months had already passed since the last time I saw Fakuro, but I had made a new friend. His name was Mokusai—a great and very wise friend.(A tree with a happy face carved into it can be seen.)He advised me to look for the central village.
I knew he was right, but what if I couldn't come back afterward? It still wasn't time to take that risk. Even so, he kept insisting that I had to go. My tools wouldn't last much longer—the sword and the axe were already the most worn out.
I spent two weeks searching for the central village, leaving different marks on the trees as I went.(Marks such as X's, circles, squares, triangles, and others carved into the bark.)
With each new day I went out exploring, everything became more complicated. The monsters were growing stronger and mutating rapidly, making them increasingly unpredictable.
At night, a strange species of birds began to appear. They were enormous, and it didn't seem like they had bones. They flew very high, but the moment I lost sight of them, they would dive down to attack. Sometimes, if I managed to turn around in time, they would retreat, frightened, and return to the sky.
(At Noru's house, marks can be seen carved into one side of the structure, representing the passing days.)
There were only fifteen days left before I was supposed to see Fakuro again, and my sword had already broken. Mokusai advised me to look for stone and try carving a new sword. It took me three days to make it—it was awful, but at least it could cut.
The following night, I went out to investigate the strange birds. They were floating in the air, but they never descended. No matter how much I looked away, they simply wouldn't attack. It was as if they were afraid of something.
That was when I felt an extremely unsettling presence. The ground began to tear apart, massive roots bursting out of it. The trees started to move and shed their leaves. Their bark split open, forming grotesque mouths—and six red eyes appeared within them.
I tried to face two of them with my axe, but it was useless. They were far too strong, and just as I was about to die, the two of them began fighting each other, as if they were deciding which one would eat me. They were far more territorial than any other monster I had ever seen. I barely managed to escape by using the flower-based liquid.
(Noru arrives at his shelter, terrified and on the verge of collapsing.)
Noru Takeda(Panting) Mokusai, you have no idea what just happened to me. The forest tried to kill me.What are you saying? That I need to calm down? That they're like the other monsters?Maybe you're right… they behaved the same way as any other monster, but they were stronger. I couldn't stand up to them.
(He approaches the tree.)What is it, Mokusai? Do you really think I can defeat them?"There's no need to be stronger. Your cunning is your greatest virtue—make use of it."(Noru imitates his voice in an elderly tone.)
Noru Takeda(He starts crying.) Do you really think that about me? Thank you. You're the best friend I've ever had, and I promise I'll follow your advice.(He hugs the tree while crying.)
Mokusai(Whispering) R.u.u.u.n.
(At that moment, Mokusai begins to transform. A horrifying mouth emerges, and his leaves start to fall.)
Noru Takeda(Terrified) What's happening? Mokusai, please respond!(His expression is filled with fear and sorrow.)
(The tree begins attacking Noru. He draws his sword to defend himself, striking it several times, but every time he cuts its limbs, they regenerate.)
Noru TakedaPlease, Mokusai, I don't want to kill you!(Desperate.)
(The fight continues until Noru's sword breaks. Mokusai strikes him, sending him crashing near the door of his shelter. Noru grabs a piece of burning wood from his campfire and tries to drive it away. Unlike the other trees, Mokusai has no eyes.)
(Noru begins to cry and scream. Holding the torch, he strikes Mokusai repeatedly until the tree catches fire. As it burns, Mokusai's agonized screams can be heard. At the same time, he continues attacking Noru, hurling him against the house and nearby trees. Eventually, Mokusai collapses to the ground. The flames slowly die out. He is completely burned and can no longer regenerate.)
Noru Takeda(Collapsed on the ground, sobbing.) Mokusai, forgive me. I never wanted to do this. Please forgive me.
MokusaiD… did you… understand? Y… you… can defeat… monsters… stronger… than you…
Noru Takeda(Confused and heartbroken.) What?
MokusaiCunning… is… your greatest… virtue… do not… waste it…
Noru Takeda(Narration)After that, I cried over his burned remains. I decided to stay with him, at least until the sun rose and what was left of him disintegrated.At dawn, I lifted my face and went to carve another sword for the coming night—just as he would have advised me.