The night was dark, and the village was drowned in a deep sleep.
Dan Walt stood at the edge of the village, a large animal-skin backpack slung over his back. It was heavy, filled with clothes and basic necessities he had carefully prepared over the past few months.
He knew he would be secluding himself in the wilderness for a long time, perhaps years, so Dan had prepared well. Extra clothes, simple tools, ropes, sharp knives, wool cloths, and other things he might need.
He looked at the village behind him, at the quiet wooden houses, and at the people he had lived among for four years.
He felt no sadness. He felt no hesitation.
He had decided to leave without saying goodbye to anyone. He saw no need for it. He had lived quietly among them all this time and had built no real relationships. Why should he say goodbye?
Regarding their hospitality, he didn't feel he owed them anything. He had worked hard during those four years—helping with farming, chopping wood, hunting, and everything else. He had compensated them with his labor.
No one owed anyone anything.
So, he would leave just as he came: silently, without noise, and without drawing attention. He turned and began walking away from the village, his steps steady and quiet.
Dan didn't know that someone was watching him.
From the window of the large building in the center of the village, the Sage of the Six Paths stood, looking at the figure moving away in the darkness. His purple eyes followed Dan for several moments, his expression calm and unreadable.
Then he sighed softly, lowered his head, and pretended he had seen nothing.
Dan set off in the opposite direction of the village without stopping. He had chosen a random direction, far from any known road and far from civilization.
The physical strength he had built over the past four years helped him now. Dan could walk for long hours without rest; his strong body carried him through the rough terrain with relative ease.
He didn't know exactly where he was headed. All he knew was that he wanted to get as far away as possible—away from the village, away from the coming conflict between Indra and Ashura, and away from wars and troubles.
He continued at this pace for days. Whenever he felt tired, he sat under a tree, ate a piece of the dried meat he had prepared before leaving, drank some water from the streams he passed, and then continued walking.
He kept up this simple, boring, yet effective routine.
A full month passed.
A month of continuous walking, of sleeping in trees for fear of predators, and of eating from the supplies he had prepared.
Dan noticed that the environment around him was beginning to change. The further he went, the more primitive and wild nature became. The trees grew larger and denser, and the animals became more dangerous; he was forced to flee and climb trees many times because of them.
But he did not stop.
In fact, he considered this additional physical training. Every step on this rugged land strengthened his legs, and every climb up a hill or mountain built his endurance.
His supplies began to run out, but it didn't scare him because he had expected this. So, he began hunting during his journey, using the skills he had learned from the village hunting team. He hunted wild rabbits, birds, and sometimes small deer.
He cooked the meat over a small fire he lit with flint stones, ate what he needed, and dried the rest for later. Staying in the wilderness was not easy, but Dan slowly began to adapt.
Three months had passed since his departure.
Three months of walking, of surviving, and of moving toward the unknown.
One day, he found himself before a majestic sight.
A massive mountain range stretched before him as far as the eye could see, their peaks piercing the clouds. The mountains were covered in thick, ancient forests with giant trees reaching tens of meters high. Small streams and rivers flowed through the mountains, their sounds reaching his ears even from this distance.
This place was... perfect for him.
Far from any civilization, protected by mountains, and rich in natural resources. A place where he could seclude himself, disappear, and live without being disturbed by anyone.
Dan stood there for several moments, looking at the mountains and thinking. Then he decided.
"This place will be my home."
It wasn't an emotional decision. It was a practical, logical one. This place provided everything he needed: water from streams, food from hunting and wild plants, and shelter from caves and thick trees.
Most importantly, it was far—very far from any civilization where wars and conflicts might reach him.
He began climbing toward the mountains, his eyes searching for a suitable place to settle. It took him several days until he found what he was looking for: a wide, flat area at the base of one of the large mountains.
It was perfect.
Dan placed his backpack on the ground and looked around. This would be his home for years to come. Perhaps for decades. Perhaps longer.
He felt a strange sensation in his chest that he had missed for a long time... relief. Relief from knowing that he was now far from trouble, far from danger, and far from anything that might threaten his survival—at least for now.
He sat on one of the huge trees, looking at the dense forest before him, the streams flowing near him, and the blue sky above.
"Here," he whispered to himself, "here I will stay. Here I will become stronger. Here I will search for my path to immortality. Or I will die and turn into dust."
He didn't know how long it would take—years, decades, maybe centuries. But he would be patient. He had a clear goal: immortality and enough power to protect himself.
And here, in this isolation, far from the world, he would work to achieve that goal. Step by step. No matter how long it took.
He looked at his hands, at the weak chakra he could sense. It was little, but it was there.
"I will start from zero again," he thought. "But this time, there will be no distractions. Just me, the training, and the goal."
He stood up and began building a small shelter from branches and leaves.
A new beginning.
The beginning of a life of seclusion, a life of constant training, and a life of searching for immortality.
For the first time since arriving in this world, Dan felt he was in control of his life, even if only a little. Alone, in the wilderness, far from everything.
And that was exactly what he wanted and needed.