Joseph reached into his bag, withdrawing something that caught Amiya's immediate attention. A compass with wings extended from its sides, one black and one white, diagonally aligned.

A white strap hung from the bottom while the device itself seemed to shimmer faintly, magic visible in its construction.

Amiya's eyes widened. "A Signal Master! So you're looking for someone?"

Reinhard nodded, watching as markers within the compass moved of their own accord. They swirled, then stabilized, pointing steadily east. "So the east. Is there a path through there?"

Amiya nodded, reaching out to take the compass from Joseph, and then she studied it briefly, her expression thoughtful. "We can take the east exit out of the town. Are you ready?"

Everyone nodded.

They followed Amiya deeper into Naraku, observing the town's life around them.

Reinhard saw the children playing in a cleared area, wielding sticks like swords. Their shouts and laughter filled the air, carefree despite the dangers surrounding their home.

The Adults were working behind fences, pulling vegetation from the ground, making sure it doesn't overgrow, and preventing roots from spreading.

People sat reading on wooden benches or directly on the ground, books open in their laps, enjoying the relative safety of daylight provided.

The eastern gate appeared ahead; it was a thick wooden plank reinforced with iron. Amiya pushed it open with both hands, her Seeker coat flaring as she moved.

The gate swung outward with a groan of hinges, and they followed her through, leaving Naraku.

The forest beyond was similar to what they'd traveled through but subtly different. Roots spread across the ground in chaotic patterns, creating natural obstacles. Gaps of green grass grew between them, providing stepping stones.

They moved carefully, taking steps to avoid tripping.

Reinhard broke the silence after several minutes. "Is Ancestor Vlad one of the top Seekers?"

Amiya blinked, turning her head to look at him. "Huh? Janus didn't tell you about the Seekers then?"

Joseph chuckled. "He was too focused on guiding us through the forest and reaching home."

Amiya sighed, though a faint smile curved her lips. "Ancestor Vlad isn't just a top-ranking Seeker but the current leader of the Seekers."

Reinhard's eyes widened slightly. "So the leader himself recruited you? No wonder Janus looked so shocked."

Brunhilde giggled before smiling. "It wasn't just because of that. Vlad is the only Ancestor remaining in the world." She glanced around as they walked, her light blue eyes scanning constantly. "The Ancestors were the first ten members of the Seekers back when it was just founded. They were the first to take up arms to save the Forerunners people in Eastern Hesod and made the most contribution against the Dark Silence."

Reinhard's eyes widened in disbelief. "Doesn't that mean he's over two hundred years old?"

Marie nodded, her platinum hair swaying as she stepped over a particularly thick root. "He is probably older than that, since he is a First Class Beast Master. Apparently, they can live thousands of years."

Brunhilde nodded. "The lifeforce of a First Class Master has reached a point where they can live through multiple eras."

"Amazing…" Reinhard said with a sigh.

"Indeed, which is why the Ancestor title isn't just for those who served as guiding beacons for the current Precursors people. But also represents the beginning of the current Precursor people, they were the leaders who paved the way for them." Marie finished with a grin.

Reinhard processed this as he caressed his chin. "And such a person recruited you?"

Amiya nodded, her curly black hair bouncing. "We were shocked as well. At first, we thought it was because of Mayor Nigen, but we later found out the deal only happened months after we were already training as Seekers."

Brunhilde smiled as she gently said. "Vlad must have seen something special in you. You all should take pride in that. The number of disciples that man took in is under thirty. And considering he's lived for over two hundred years, that's a very low number."

Amiya blushed as she looked down, but a smile tugged at her lips. "Thank you."

Marie grinned, moving closer until she walked beside Amiya. "That means we just became friends with an amazing person!"

Amiya blinked in surprise, her violet eyes widening. "W-We are friends?"

Marie nodded with a giggle. "Sure! All it takes is a yes."

"Is it really that easy?" Amiya asked.

Marie giggled, wrapping one arm around Amiya's shoulders. "Why does it need to be complicated? We're interested in each other and willing to learn about one another. That's all there is to it."

Joseph laughed. "You should just accept her offer. That's how she pulled all of us into being her friends."

Reinhard hummed in agreement.

Marie's care, interest, and willingness to trust him had rapidly accelerated their friendship, which surprised even him.

Looking back, it seemed almost effortless, she'd simply decided they would be friends, and then showed it in Mensis and Phane City.

Brunhilde giggled. "Becoming friends isn't complicated. It just requires verbal confirmation, and then we go from there. So what do you say, Amiya?"

Amiya blinked, and then a grin spread across her face. "Then I'm happy to be friends with you all."

Marie laughed, squeezing Amiya's shoulders before releasing her. "Great! Now then, how tough was the Seeker training?"

Amiya hummed thoughtfully, her hand coming up to tap her chin. "It was pretty hard. It required us to learn the Seeker rules and philosophy over a month before following behind a Senior Seeker to learn from them and help us grow."

"So it's like in the Academy where students follow behind a senior team to learn from them?" Reinhard asked.

Amiya nodded. "Janus talked to me about that, and it's basically similar. The only difference is our missions are about mapping the ever-changing Eastern Hesod forest, finding any crazy people who want to worship the roots, and checking for any new phenomena."

Marie's eyes lit up. "Have there been any new ones?"

Amiya shook her head. "Not any I've seen. But Ancestor Vlad has been troubled, and the forest getting dangerous might be considered one..."

Reinhard nodded, about to ask another question, but then he stopped. His entire body froze as the words died on his tongue when he looked forward.

The others noticed immediately, and they stared ahead.

Countless roots blocked the path.

They formed a solid barrier that rose from the ground in impossible density, weaving together so tightly that no gaps existed between them. The wall of roots climbed upward, higher and higher, disappearing into the clouds overhead. Left and right, the barrier extended beyond sight, curving away into the forest.

The forest had closed the path, and there was no way to enter.

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