In Japan, there's a legend: Mount Sunrise is a spiritual realm, a paradise for the dead. Ordinary people can't enter it. Only those seeking death dare to step inside.

At 1 AM, I was still wide awake. Of course, it wasn't for some midnight raid. Even before entering the mountain, Mount Sunrise at night felt eerie. This was a sacred peak for suicides. A lingering gloom hung over the sky.

For me, it was just the chilly breeze. Death held no fear. Tonight's sky was stunning—stars encircling the bright moon. Far from civilization, the air felt refreshingly crisp.

With nothing to do, I wandered nearby. I wouldn't stray far—they had zero vigilance. Fine, I'd keep watch tonight. First, build a fire. Even I felt waves of cold on such a night.

I gathered firewood quickly. Soon, flames crackled. By the firelight, I pulled out *The Time Codex*. Days of study taught me basic phrases, but fluent reading was still tough.

"Who's there?" A red-and-white figure appeared ahead—human-shaped. They stared; neither of us moved. After minutes, they vanished. What was someone doing here? Their clothes resembled a Japanese miko's robes.

This place was more complex than I thought. Whatever. I needed to gather the Timeflowers and leave ASAP.

"Ah, kohai, still keeping watch for us?" White Stone Senpai appeared behind me, handing me coffee. I closed *The Time Codex* and took it. "Senpai, shouldn't you sleep? Lack of sleep is a woman's worst enemy." She sat close. "That's so mean." Out of the blue. "What do you mean?" I took a big gulp. She looked aggrieved. "You call Hayama and Dojima by first names. Why not me?"

"What's the difference?" I glanced at her. She stood up. "Of course! Only very close people do that." I didn't know that. "In China, close friends use nicknames. But since you insist, I'll call you Miko Senpai."

She beamed. "That's more like it." A cold gust blew. Dressed lightly, she shivered and hurriedly leaned toward me. "Oh dear, kohai, can big sister warm up here?" I snapped, "Go back to your tent if you're cold." But my body didn't pull away.

Silence fell. Finally, Miko Senpai dropped her flippant act. "Cold Creek." Rare for her to use my name. "You asked why I wanted to die. Can I tell you now?" I nodded. "My parents are always away. I lived alone, drowning in loneliness. I just wanted someone to talk to. Classmates couldn't fix this." She sipped coffee, staring at flames. "Then I met him. He was gentle. But he had a wife. For love, I didn't mind being the other woman. I thought we were happy. He promised divorce, told me to wait." (She's only seventeen—I bit back the words.) "Then what? Did it fall apart?" She gave a bitter laugh. "I got pregnant. He grew distant. His wife found out. He left money for an abortion. Heh. Do you think I'm dirty?"

I sighed. "If that makes you dirty, I should've been in hell long ago." Not comfort—truth. I shared my story: "Once, an evil murderer met a boy who controlled time. Believing himself just, the boy stripped the killer's time. He vanished forever, erased from existence. The boy thought he was a hero. He even boasted to victims' families. But his act caused endless pain. With no trace of the murderer, families grieved loved ones killed by a ghost. Dying for no reason... it's worse than murder."

Miko Senpai stared, astonished. "So that boy was you." I nodded. "I met others with superpowers. All warped by power. I eliminated them. Back then, I was a twisted monster too. So I faked my death and left home." She hugged me. "But now, you're truly kind." Heh. Maybe.

"By the way, Miko Senpai, I saw a miko here earlier." I described it. "A miko?" On this suicide mountain, anyone at night was unbelievable. "There must be a Shrine nearby. Let's check it out tomorrow."

Miko Senpai returned to her tent. I kept watch. This place was more complex than I'd thought.

Early next morning, I planned to find Timeflowers and visit the Shrine. Someone there might know why suicides happened here. Not everyone could go—someone must guard camp. We decided: I'd go with Miko Senpai and Nana. Rika and Dojima would stay. The camp shouldn't have only girls—I trusted Dojima. Rika really wanted to go, but after a vote, she stayed. As we left, she puffed out her cheeks like a pouting frog. Adorable.

And so, our quest for the Timeflowers began.