"I wanna go to the Royal City to show you the statue of Feliticia. To get there, we may find him and I'll need to kill him."

"If I see that statue, I might know if it's really my mother or not, but..." He thought. "I don't know how to fight, but if you train me, I'd be able do defend myself and maybe help you." Kenichi looked at Tarozaemon.

Tarozaemon was surprised, but suddenly laughed and offered his hand to Kenichi to help him stand. "That's an odd request, but... I shall train you. It's best if we ever get separated." He extended his hand to help Kenichi up. "Now... I'll be very strict. Are you really ready for that?"

Kenichi smirked. "Hell yeah!" He took Taro's hand and before he used it to get up, he shook it as if closing a deal.

PRESENT DAY: RYUK'S SHOP, NYU OLL TOWN, TVARYN

After Machi woke up, everyone gathered at the back room of Ryuk's store. They were looking through a map. "You mentioned some kind of rumor, right?" Kenichi said.

"Yes. It's about the runes." Tarozaemon answered him.

"Runes?" Kenichi was confused.

"The runes are something that were created to defeat Akuma and all evil forces. They are supposedly six of them. That's the rumor I was told." Tarozaemon explained.

"Akuma is an evil entity focused on destroying the world. He has the most powerful of SOULS." Ryuk continued.

"Are there different types of SOULS?" Kenichi asked.

"You can harness one of the six elements with SOUL: Fire, water, nature, earth, thunder and psychic." Tarozaemon explained. "I think we should look in the Royal Cities for these runes." He said to Machi.

"It's kinda looking for a specific grain of sand in the middle of the desert... We don't even know what these runes are." Machi thought out loud.

"Exactly. But they're probably something with lots of SOUL on it, if they are capable of destroying Akuma, so you should be aware of that." Ryuk said.

"That doesn't help much, but it's still helpful..." Kenichi said, trying to grasp every tiny bit of information he could about that world.

"Let's go!" Tarozaemon sheaths his sword in its scabbard and starts packing some stuff on a bag.

"I'll stay here gathering clues for you guys. I'll send you letters along the way. Don't forget to reply to them." Ryuk said, starting to help Tarozaemon. "By the way..." He continued in a tone only Tarozaemon could hear. "Will you try to find them?"

"Probably..." Tarozaemon answered. "Their new settlement is along the way, after all."

Machi approaches Kenichi. "Hey... Thanks for saving me against that guy."

"Uhm? No problem! Either way, you ended up saving mine, so thanks as well."

"Yeah... By the way... What you did was really brave." Machi continued.

"Uhm? What are you talking about?"

"Ah... Forget it!" Machi turned and walked a little bit away from Kenichi. "I wish I could just jump into battle like you... I stayed on the back the whole time and just attacked when the enemy wasn't looking at me... At this rate..." She thought.

Ryuk approached Kenichi with a sword on a blue scabbard. "Here, Kenichi. You'll need a sword if you'll be around the Outlands. That's the sword Taro just brought me back."

"Outlands?" Kenichi said, taking the sword in his hands.

"Parts of the world that aren't part of any kingdom, like this town." Tarozaemon said. "Mostly filled with mercenaries, bandits and other types of people with bad fame."

"I see..." Kenichi was thinking about his home. Was his father back home yet? It's been a couple of hours since he got to this new world. But then again, he didn't even know if time worked the same in this planet.

After a couple minutes, everyone was ready to leave.

PRESENT DAY: OUTLANDS, TVARYN

They left the town with supplies from Ryuk and departed towards the north. Machi looks at the sky. "Can we reach the city before the sun sets?."

"Yeah." Tarozaemon answers looking at the sky. "It'll be difficult though. Let's stop in that forest up ahead. I wanna teach you something."

After other couple of minutes, they reach the forest. Machi starts preparing lunch. "I'll add some herbs..." She mumbles, while cooking.

"Hey, Kenichi. Come here." Tarozaemon calls him and Kenichi goes to him. "Care to train a bit?"

"Train?"

"You never used a sword, right?"

"I used a wooden one, in a sport called Kendo."

"I see, but out here you'll have to learn to defend yourself, so draw your blade."

Kenichi takes the blade out from its scabbard, positioning himself. "I'm ready."

Tarozaemon, without a sword in hand, suddenly appeared right in Kenichi's front, disarming him and throwing him to the ground. "Too slow."

"Ouch... What do you mean by too slow?! I didn't even see you!"

"Exactly. Use your SOUL to make yourself lighter." They position themselves in the starting positions. "Again."

"Make yourself lighter, Kenichi... You can do this... NOW! AH!" Kenichi's eyes glow for a second, but Tarozaemon repeats the same move, disarming Kenichi. "Ouch... Not again..."

"Don't think that controlling SOUL is easy or that you'll... Uhm?" A white aura envelops Kenichi, as he looks towards Tarozaemon. "Never the quitter?"

Kenichi suddenly disappears, appearing behind Tarozaemon. He tries to kick him, but Tarozaemon, without moving his head, grabs his leg and throws him to the ground. "Ouch... Once again..."

Tarozaemon smiles. "You're gonna go far, kid. Trust me."

After having lunch, the three of them continue to walk along the path.

"I wanted to give you kids an hint in how to use your SOUL even without knowing your type of SOUL." Tarozaemon said.

"How?" Machi asked.

"I'll tell you." He smiled. "When you know which element you have, such as myself, you can simply think about summoning something specific. But when you don't know your element, your thinking needs to be more vague."

"More vague?" It was Kenichi's time to question Tarozaemon.

"You can think about something being surrounded by your SOUL. That way, whatever SOUL you have, that thought would be easier to project into reality."

"Indeed... That something might be burned or even drowned... Get surrounded by rocks or electrocuted..." Kenichi said.

"Or even stuck in a mini tornado or levitated by some ESP technique!" Machi continued.

"Yes. So while you don't know what type is your SOUL, keep that in mind."

Suddenly, a bit far away from them, some people in horses rode past the forest. The riders all wore white, grey and red hooded uniforms.

"Who are they?" Machi asked.

"Mercenaries... We must go." Tarozaemon said, quickly hiding behind a tree.

"Taro...?" Machi looked worried at him.

Tarozaemon grabs a map. "If we go towards northeast, we'll reach a ranch where we can buy horses. Then we continue towards the north and hopefully pass past them."

"Why would we avoid them?" Kenichi asked.

"Because they are a fearsome group. They'll probably kill us if they feel like it. We should be really careful with them."

Kenichi took a step back. He acknowledged Tarozaemon's words, but knew something more was behind the reason Tarozaemon had to avoid the mercs. After that, Kenichi grabbed his sword and started walking.

PRESENT DAY: XXXXXX'X XXXXX, TVARYN

After some time walking towards northeast, they stumble upon a ranch, where an anthropomorphic pig farmer was taking care of... A pig?!

"Uhm... What the...?" Kenichi was so confused.

"Oh right, you're not from this world!" Machi noticed Kenichi. "There are three races in this world: Animals, like the pig that's being treated, Animal-People, also known as Tvaryans, people that have traits from an animal, like me and most people on this planet called Tvaryn and finally, the Anthropomorphic race, animals with features from people."

"I see..." Kenichi listens carefully. "Then, that would make Tarozaemon a Tvarynian, right? But what animal trait does he have?"

"I actually don't fit any race. I don't know what I am." Tarozaemon answered calmly.

"Maybe you're a human like me?" Kenichi said, half joking.

Tarozaemon laughed. "Maybe, who knows?"

They all approach the farmer that greets them with a smile. "Howdy! How y'all doin' today?"

"I would like to fetch mine and Machi's horses and buy one more." Tarozaemon said, smiling at the pig.

"Oh, Tarozaemon, it's you!"

"Hello, Gustav." Tarozaemon turns to Kenichi. "Gustav is a blind anthropomorphic pig that uses his SOUL to enhance his hearing and feeling."

"I see..." Kenichi looks at the white and empty eyes of Gustav that stands up and starts walking, without help, towards the horse stalls. He proceeds to take out a black horse and a white one.

The black horse goes to Machi. "Hello, George! How are you doing?" She pets him.

The white goes to Tarozaemon's side. "Hello again, Rider."

Gustav laughs. "I can feel the happiness from both horses just by hearing them. So, which horse do you wanna buy?"

Tarozaemon gives a little bag to Kenichi. "Here, take these coins and choose a horse for you. You can name it as well."

Kenichi walked around until he saw a brown horse with a scar on his left eye. "Poor guy..."

"Oh, little Dynamo... He never got an owner since he got that scar... Poor thing..." Gustav said.

Kenichi looked at the horse and petted him. You could see the happiness on the horse. "I'll take him!" He gave the bag of coins to Gustav.

"Are you sure?" Gustav asked him.

"Yeah!" Kenichi smiled, petting Dynamo. The horse was so happy that it was rubbing his snout in Kenichi's face, gently. "He's an outsider just like me. I can feel it!" He laughs.

"Well, well... Look at that." Gustav laughs. "Would you stay for a cup of tea?"

"We are in a bit of an hurry, but I'd never refuse tea from you, Gustav." Tarozaemon said.

"I'll get some then." Gustav was about to enter his house, until he was followed by a familiar cat-girl.

"I'll help you!"

Now that Kenichi was alone with Tarozaemon, he wanted to ask something. "Tell me, Taro... Do you have any other reason to avoid the mercenaries other than them being dangerous?"

"You're sharp..." He smiled, thought that smile quickly faded into a serious expression. "Well, I was a mercenary when I was younger, but when I realized the wrongs of my path, I ran away from them. Some people I knew are now high-ranks in the mercs, so I'm a bit scared of facing my past, you could say." He answered honestly.

"I see... I'm sorry for prying on your personal life, but... I know we don't know each other well enough, but you can talk to me when you need it."

Tarozaemon chuckled. "I will then. Thanks."

After the tea with Gustav, the three of them were ready to leave.

"Let us depart, then." Tarozaemon said, getting on Rider.

"Already? Y'all sure are busy people!" Gustav laughed.

"We have business to attend." Tarozaemon told him.

"Oh! I see... Well, good luck on it!" Gustav tipped his hat.

"We'll be off!" Machi waved, as she got on George.

Kenichi hop on Dynamo and looked once more at the ranch. "I wish I could show this to mom... I'll find her. Let's go!"

They all departed, following Tarozaemon. "Machi, be on the back. Kenichi, try to be between me and Machi.

"Yes!" Both said and nodded, getting in position.

"If they attack us from the front, I'll block them and quickly counter." Tarozaemon said. "If the attack's on the back, Machi with her agility, will counter enemies as well. Kenichi, you'll give support, if you feel ready."

"Okay!" Kenichi agreed.

"But only if you feel ready. We don't want uncoordinated attacks in a fight." He said, bluntly.

Kenichi looked at his sheated sword, nodding to Tarozaemon. "Yes, I got it! I'll only attack, if I feel I could help!"

PRESENT DAY: XXXXXX XXXXX, TVARYN

They continue riding their horses towards a zone full of fog. Tarozaemon looked back at the other two. "Be aware. This zone is full of mercenaries ready to kill anyone they see."

Machi frowned. "This is quite scary, but I won't be defeated so soon!"

Kenichi was a bit scared of what might happen, but he was ready nonetheless. "Just wait mother... Let's go!"

END OF DOCUMENT III