He was drifting through an abyss as vast as the boundless sea.
‘……’
In this place, all senses had vanished; he could feel nothing at all.
He could neither see, hear, nor touch.
Not even the passage of time could be perceived.
He spent endless moments flowing like a river, curling his body into a tight ball and slowly forgetting even his own existence.
‘Who… was I, again?’
Once, he had struggled desperately to escape this abyss.
He had fought with all his strength to find something, or perhaps someone.
Yet now, he had forgotten who he was and what it was he had tried to do.
Only one thing remained clear in his mind—he was very tired.
‘I have done enough.
I gave it my all.’
Though he could no longer remember what that “all” truly was.
He had lived a fierce and harsh life, enduring many pains and trials.
Because of that, now he remained a weary, powerless being.
‘This much is enough.’
He curled himself up even smaller.
Even though he knew it was meaningless, it gave him a moment of warmth.
‘Now… I want to rest.’
He wished for all this to end quickly, so that perfect peace might finally come to him.
- Teacher!
The faint sound came from somewhere distant, like a whisper from far away.
He flinched at the sudden hearing, but then curled even tighter, pretending not to hear.