I could still vaguely recall doing something stupid back in middle school.

Standing at the foot of the bed, I’d fall backward perfectly straight. That itchy sensation mid-fall—the thrill of plummeting—always made you want to do it again.

So I tried jumping on the bed, crashing down flat on my back.

*CRASH—*

The bed collapsed.

Seventh Ju: …………

When I crashed through the bushes and slammed onto the ground, it felt almost the same.

My Wish Power saved me again, leaving barely a scratch.

Pitch darkness covered my eyes. A huge, quilt-like weight pressed against my face and body.

It was Ink River.

Right… in those final seconds midair, he’d tried to wrap his arms around me, cushioning my fall.

But we ended up like this…

Probably just a futile last instinct. I didn’t mind it.

Honestly? Being cared for like this warmed my heart.

Seventh Ju: Ink River.

Ink River: …………

Seventh Ju: Ink River?

Ink River: …………

No response. Only pained, ragged breaths echoed above me.

Seventh Ju: …Ink River!

I reached up and felt his chest. The jumbled mess of broken ribs beneath my fingers meant his insides were torn apart.

Even Seasonal Wolf’s body couldn’t survive a two-hundred-meter drop.

The relief of landing unharmed vanished instantly.

Seventh Ju: Ink River! Can you hear me?

I scrambled out from under him and rolled him into the recovery position.

Ink River: …………

He’d passed out. His heavy breathing hitched with pain even in unconsciousness. His chest was a ruin. Internal injuries were killing him.

Slowly, his breaths grew shallow. A trickle of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

Seventh Ju: Hey…

Seventh Ju: …Ink River?

No reply. Not even breath.

The air turned icy. Goosebumps prickled my skin. My thoughts tangled into knots I couldn’t untie.

I heard my own breathing—thin, trembling—the final dirge of a fading life.

He was…

…dead…

…………

“Ink River: —Ju!”

“Ink River: Don’t you dare give up!”

Seventh Ju: …

Seventh Ju: …………

Seventh Ju: GODDAMMIT—DIE, YOU BASTARD—!!!

I didn’t know what curses tore from my throat. Only the shuddering rustle of the jungle answered me.

The sound echoed through the ravine, washing away the noise in my head.

I closed my eyes, pressed my palms together, and let darkness swallow the world.

Seventh Ju: Xiv…

Seventh Ju: Divine Sivi… god of this world called Xiv…

A sea of stars shimmered into view. The god had answered my prayer.

Seventh Ju: Please save my friend’s life. Heal every wound, every pain…

The starlight didn’t flicker, but I felt its silent agreement.

Seventh Ju: I offer my Wish Points…

…How many?

How many Wish Points was Ink River worth to me?

He hadn’t cared for me like Miss Poppy. He rarely spoke to me first…

But from the start, he’d quietly helped me.

He trusted me. Called me friend.

Even when he didn’t act, he showed he valued me.

And he’d risked his life—certain death—to save mine.

That was enough.

In just three days, through brief, blunt words, I’d felt a warmth from a stranger I’d never known in sixteen years back home.

The warmth of friendship’s first sprout.

How much was that worth?

Seventh Ju: I offer…

Seventh Ju: …10,000 Wish Points. Save his life. Heal his pain.

Seventh Ju: Xiv… I’m begging you.

Seventh Ju: Divine Sivi…

One minute passed. The star sea receded, calm as ever.

Like that elusive god, its emotions were unreadable.

I opened my eyes and placed my hands on Ink River’s chest.

Seventh Ju: …………

It was whole again. Solid. The strong, familiar shape of his ribs.

I checked his breath. Faint, but steady. No pain in it.

Ink River… was saved?

Seventh Ju: Ink River… Ink River…

Ink River: ……

Ink River: Ah…

Seventh Ju: Ink River! How do you feel??

Ink River: …………

He cracked his eyes open a sliver, too weak to lift his lids fully.

Ink River: …Can’t… feel anything.

Seventh Ju: Nothing?

Ink River: Can’t… move. Drained.

His voice was a ghost of the powerful man who’d punched down an adventurer minutes ago.

What happened?

Did healing him drain his own energy?

That made sense… I should’ve specified that in my wish.

Ink River: The… numbness… effect?

Seventh Ju: Uh… not sure. Maybe.

He must’ve mistaken it for the poison’s effect. If my wish worked, the numbness in his leg should be gone too.

At least he was alive. That eased half my worry.

The other half? How to get out of here.

Climbing back to that narrow bridge was impossible without wings. And Ink River couldn’t move.

If weakness was the issue, he needed food and water first.

Seventh Ju: Ink River, wait here. I’ll find supplies nearby.

Ink River: …You… okay?

Seventh Ju: Oh… me? Lucky, I guess. And you cushioned my fall, remember?

Seventh Ju: I’m fine. I’ll be right back.

Ink River: …Okay.

I’d barely taken a few steps when I spotted our water flasks and spilled water on the ground.

The food bag had burst open. Compressed rations lay scattered, crawling with tiny, weird insects.

…Useless.

*CRASH—!!!*

Seventh Ju: ——!!

A deafening explosion ripped through the ravine nearby, like a bomb had landed. The roar echoed for long seconds.

What was that? I sprinted back to Ink River.

Seventh Ju: Ink River! What happened?

He was still there, but his eyes were wider now, fixed on something else.

Ink River: Over… there…

Seventh Ju: I’ll check!

After just a few steps, I found the first clue: a corpse flattened like a squashed fly.

The adventurer Ink River had hit—now a nauseating pulp.

I scavenged his water flask and a few scraps of food from the mess.

It’d keep Ink River going for a while.

I pressed toward the crash site. Ten steps later, behind a tree, I found the answer.

Seventh Ju: …A supply crate.

Why was a crate here?

I looked up. The thick jungle canopy gave no answers.

The crate had shattered on impact, spilling metal poles and fabric sheets.

Everything needed to build a campsite.

I could pitch a full tent, set up sleeping bags, even start a fire with the sealed fuel and tools.

Food and water would’ve been perfect… but no luck.

Had our allies above regained control? Did they hope we survived and would find this crate until rescue came?

I had to believe that.

We both needed that hope to wait it out.

I gathered what I could and returned to Ink River.

Ink River: …………

After drinking all the water and eating a little, he looked better. He could sit up on his own now.

Seventh Ju: Ink River, I found tent materials. We can hold out here until rescue comes.

Ink River: No. We leave. Now.

Seventh Ju: Huh?

Seventh Ju: If we leave, rescuers won’t find us! And how do we climb this cliff?

Ink River: We can’t stay.

He pointed across the ravine. I turned—and froze.

On the tree trunks, shoulder-high, ran a row of deep, parallel scrapes.

Not natural marks. Like something huge and bulky had forced its way through the jungle.

Ink River: Big creature lives here. We go.

Seventh Ju: …………