Ryoma continues his roadwork at steady pace, but his focus never fully settles. His eyes drift away from the path ahead and wander across the surrounding area instead. More than once, he turns his head to glance behind him, only to find the same empty stretch of road he has already checked several times before.
Upon reaching the Tama River, the riverside remains quiet before sunrise. Under normal circumstances, Ryoma would appreciate the solitude. Today, however, the silence seems to magnify every uneasy thought lingering in the back of his mind.
When he reaches the section where he usually performs his stop-and-dash routine, he bursts into a sprint and maintains it until his lungs begin to burn.
After several hundred meters, he slows to a stop and controlls his breathing. This is where he normally spends a minute shadow boxing before beginning the next sprint. Instead, he remains where he is and quietly surveys the area around him.
