[Danmachi × Decaying Winter] Sick Rabbit

Prologue - The sick rabbit returned to his home.

When rain pours from the sky and wets the world.

A boy wearing a hoodie was walking through a dense forest with white noise echoing.

The boy's legs were complaining of pain as he continued to walk, and the sound of his heavy breathing echoed from inside the hood, which was constantly getting wet with raindrops.

The boy's movements passing through the trees looked like those of a professional searcher, with no fuss, as if he was chasing someone rather than being chased by someone.

"I think I'm almost there..."

Raindrops formed on the hem of the clothes and wetted the boy's front hair. His white hair looked dull as if he had been on a long trip.

The boy moved his eyes around to find a place to rest.

Something caught the eye of the boy's murky red eyes as he looked in all directions without stopping running.

A huge tree could be seen through the thick forest on his right. It seemed perfect for avoiding the rain.

The boy headed towards the big tree, feeling the stream of water pouring down from the sky. After crossing the forest for a while, he was able to reach the tree.

The tree that greeted him was none other than a camphor tree. It was so large that it was difficult to compare it to an ordinary tree, and no matter how low you held it, it seemed to be hundreds of feet tall.

As he stepped under the camphor tree, numerous fireflies that had been resting near the tree flew up and circled him. The boy looked up. Where he looked, huge tree branches and clumps of leaves were blocking the rain.

"...It's too big."

Strangely, no mosquitoes or bugs were on this tree. It is natural for a tree this large to be infested with pests, but in this giant camphor tree, the only fireflies welcomed the boy, brightening the darkness.

"Beautiful..."

The boy vaguely admired the dreamlike atmosphere of fireflies and camphor trees. Their dance moves were reflected in his murky eyes.

As the rain got heavier and the surroundings became darker, the fireflies lit up the area around the camphor tree more and more brightly. As he looked at that, a part of his heart felt warm for some reason.

The boy stared endlessly at the huge camphor tree that became the firefly's home. The aerobatics of fireflies and the surrounding white noise brought back memories he had forgotten for a while.

"It reminds me of the old days..."

The boy, Bell Cranel, recalled his childhood.

"Back then, I wanted to be a hero..."

The time when he wanted to be a hero.

The time when he was not engraved with the wounds and sins he would have to bear for the rest of his life.

"When I think about it now, it's ridiculous."

Bell Cranel gazed aimlessly at the world drenched in raindrops, and for a moment was immersed in a sea of memories. From the past to the present, he silently reviewed his memories.

The boy slowly pondered the fruit of longing.

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This rabbit needs a lot of care.