105: Hi Melina.

Limgrave.

The plains outside the Stranded Graveyard.

Joa, Kaguya, Tsunade, and Konan stood high in the sky.

'I've kept the Space-Time Gate open for the past month, synchronizing the flow of time. I wonder how Danzo is doing.'

'Has he successfully infiltrated Stormveil Castle?'

As he slowly flew towards the Church of Elleh, a few kilometers ahead.

Joa searched for the White-Mask Varre's figure.

In the game, this guy was a very important NPC, the most outstanding personnel of the Mohgwyn Dynasty.

'Tsk, who knows where he's currently misleading the Tarnished.'

Not seeing the other party's figure, Joa didn't care.

He would eventually encounter him.

Arriving at the dilapidated, drafty Church of Elleh, and seeing Kale by the bonfire, Joa's eyes were filled with nostalgia.

"Yo, old friend!"

Seeing several strangers descend from the sky, and one of them even greeted him.

Kale looked at Joa's eyes, his gaze puzzled.

".....You are Tarnished, right?"

"Flying Tarnished..."

"Have I... met you before?"

"You know me?"

Hearing this, Joa grinned.

"That's right, I'm very familiar with You."

"A nomadic merchant, born of a wandering tribe, doing business while wandering."

"Although You don't know me yet, You will soon hear my great name."

With that, Joa walked to the dilapidated wall inside the Church of Elleh.

That was where Ranni first appeared in the game.

"Kale, please have your nomadic tribe help me deliver a message."

"In Limgrave, there's a Tarnished riding a Spirit Steed."

"On credit."

"Come to Stormveil Castle in half a month, or a month at the latest, to collect your reward."

Saying that, Joa, with Kaguya and the others, exited through the collapsed wall of the Church of Elleh.

"...Stormveil Castle?"

Plucking the instrument in his hand, Kale fell into thought.

He felt that something extraordinary was about to happen.

......

The four left the church.

They walked unhurriedly along the forest path.

"Joa, aren't You going to attack this World?"

"Why aren't You releasing the others?"

Hearing Kaguya's puzzled question, Joa smiled.

"No rush, I want to explore first."

"It's not too late to release the others once we reach Stormveil Castle, find Danzo, understand the situation clearly, and have full confidence."

Looking at the squad of Grafted Scion Soldiers patrolling ahead, now visible.

Joa activated his Super Vision.

"The Gatefront Ruins are almost here..."

"I wonder if I'll meet Melina..."

"Heh, probably not, since I can't even see the Sites of Grace."

After muttering to himself for a moment, Joa softly said.

"Konan, take care of that squad of soldiers."

"Be careful not to make too much noise."

Hearing this, Konan, dressed in a drifting samurai outfit, narrowed her eyes.

"Leave it to me!"

Leaning forward, her toes tapping the ground, Konan appeared before the patrol squad of ten soldiers in a few steps.

Drawing the sharp blade from her red oil-paper umbrella.

Konan swung her blade towards the Grafted Scion Soldiers who hadn't yet reacted.

Her movements were clean and fluid, extremely graceful to behold.

Amidst the scattered red paper pieces, Konan was like an elf dancing gracefully in autumn.

As the last red paper piece floated to the ground.

Konan, having dealt with all the enemies, sheathed her blade, held her red oil-paper umbrella, and walked back towards Joa and the others with a cat-like stride.

Seeing the surprised expression on Joa's face and the eagerness in his eyes, Konan's lips curved into a smile.

For this moment, she had secretly practiced for quite some time.

As Joa's harem became more populated, they had to painstakingly study Joa's preferences to gain more attention.

'Great, it worked, my hard practice wasn't in vain.'

Walking up to Joa, Konan naturally leaned into his embrace.

"My Lord, mission complete."

With Konan's tender, Water-like expression, how could Joa not know what she meant?

Scanning Konan's body under her drifting samurai attire with his Super Vision, Joa licked his lips.

"After we conquer Stormveil Castle, I'll reward You properly."

Tsunade, seeing this, pouted, a hint of jealousy appearing in her eyes, then spoke seriously.

"Next, I'll take care of all the enemies in the barracks ahead!"

Saying that, Tsunade's clothes also changed from casual wear to the attire of a wandering hero.

Seeing this familiar clothing, Joa smiled and nodded.

Amidst Konan's enchanting dance.

Soon.

The Grafted Scion Soldiers on the outskirts of the Gatefront Ruins were silently cleared out.

Standing on a hillside.

Looking down at the barracks below, which were many times larger and had many more people than in the game.

Joa looked at Tsunade, Konan, and Kaguya.

"There are quite a few people, You all go together."

Hearing this, the three nodded slightly.

There were indeed quite a few people; there were at least a few hundred in that ruin.

Soaring into the air.

The four flew in two different directions.

Tsunade, Konan, and Kaguya landed directly in the center of the ruins.

As for Joa, he arrived at a familiar place.

The Site of Grace in front of the Gatefront.

Looking up at the high wall of the Gatefront, Joa sat cross-legged beside the invisible Site of Grace.

Before traversing, when he played the game, whenever he obtained new spirit ashes, he would come here to test their strength.

He wanted to see the summoned spirit ashes single-handedly defeat all the Grafted Scion Soldiers in the entire Gatefront Ruins.

Commonly known as electronic cricket fighting.

But these things that once interested him now held no interest at all.

He didn't even look at Kaguya, Tsunade, and Konan as they carried out the Carnage on the Grafted Scion Soldiers.

With a somewhat vacant gaze, he stared at the location of the Site of Grace, Joa pondered how to meet Melina.

'Spirits... Can the spirits of this World be seen with the Reincarnation Eye?'

As the thought arose, Joa's pupils rapidly transformed into the Nine Tomoe Rinnegan.

Looking around, he felt a slight disappointment.

'No?'

However, just as Joa turned his gaze towards Kaguya and the others.

A voice sounded from behind him.

"Hello."

"O, You, who cross the fog."

Hearing this familiar voice, Joa's expression froze, and he slowly turned his head.

Seeing the familiar figure, shrouded in a black robe, whose face could not be seen, he smiled.

A melody unconsciously played in his mind.

'At which station will we kiss goodbye.'

'The wind and roses chatter endlessly only upon separation.'

'You and I look up at the snow, waiting for god to tear apart the lies piece by piece.'

'In which year will we compromise, Your slow withdrawal of fingertips is an aesthetic.'

'Once we fanned love and then discarded it, leaving me to view the path ahead as dark.'

'Drinking snow in the snowy mountains, listening to the passing wind vent, hearing it speak of a bouquet of roses You received.'

'Let the heavy snowfall replace my tears.'

'I send You the beauty of spring.'

'I am invincible, concealing my feelings subtly.'

'Only the bright moon knows the heroic process, how beautiful and tragic the sorrow, only I can experience it.'

'Just like winter snow, it's not that special.'

Looking at Melina with a complex gaze, Joa said softly.

"Hello, Melina."