In Yoima Village, a peaceful farming mountain village with simple people, the morning sun shone warmly over the fields. By the small riverside dock, almost the entire village, about three hundred people had gathered. Today was a special day. Two boys were about to leave home for the first time.
Dante and Yamato stood near a small wooden boat tied to the dock, their travel bags slung across their shoulders.
Dante had short white hair with ocean blue eyes. He wore a brown open sheepskin vest which laid bare his well defined abs and chest. Long brown sheepskin pants tucked into some ugg boots.
Yamato had midlength black hair with blood red eyes. He wore a blue high collard shirt shirt left slightly open at the chest. Sleeves rolled up just enough to show his defined forearms, and loose grey trousers secured by a purple rope belt, from which a sword hangs with quiet authority.
The quiet murmur of the villagers filled the air, mixed with the cries of one man who stood out more than anyone else. The village mayor, Minamoto.
He was an over-the-top and overly emotional man, and right now, tears streamed endlessly down his face. His voice cracked with every sentence as he tried to speak.
"I—I'm so proud of you boys! Our very own heroes from Yoima Village! Make us proud out there!"
Yamato sighed, shaking his head slightly.
"I still can't get used to seeing an old man flood this many tears…"
Before the mayor could respond, smack! Minamoto's wife, Nina, hit him on the head with her hand.
"Stop being so overly dramatic all the time! You're supposed to be the mayor, not the village crybaby!"
Dante burst out laughing.
"No, no, don't stop him, Granny Nina! I like the mayor when he's like this. He's funny!"
The villagers laughed with him. Minamoto sniffed, wiping his eyes proudly as if being called "funny" was the highest compliment in the world.
Then, from among the crowd, Parm stepped forward, the woman who had raised Dante and Yamato after their parents' deaths.
She carried a calm, nurturing presence that softened even the roughest hearts. Her chestnut hair was tied loosely behind her head, framing gentle eyes that seemed to understand more than words could say. Dressed in simple earth-toned robes, she embodied quiet warmth, a motherly figure whose kindness felt like home.
She walked up slowly, her kind eyes soft but firm, her presence instantly quieting the laughter around them.
Without a word, she reached up and kissed Dante gently on the forehead. Dante immediately tried to pull away, but it was futile.
"Miss Parm! Come on, not again!" Dante struggled lightly. "I'm going to be a great Adventurer! You can't keep treating me like a child forever!"
Parm smiled faintly.
"You'll always be my baby, Dante. Even when you become an SS Rank Adventurer, you'll still be my little Dante."
Dante groaned.
"You're hopeless…"
Yamato chuckled quietly, almost mocking him as he crossed his arms. But before he could enjoy the moment too much, Parm turned toward him. Yamato immediately took a defensive stance to block her path, but Parm moved effortlessly, weaving around him with surprising agility. She caught Yamato's head in her hands and planted a kiss on his forehead as well.
"And you," she said firmly, "may act aloof and cool all you like, but you too are my little baby."
Yamato tried to refute, but the moment he looked into Parm's sharp eyes, his words died in his throat.
"…Yes, ma'am."
Parm nodded, satisfied, then looked at both of them with the same warm, maternal gaze she had given them all their lives.
"Now, you two listen to me. Be safe. Don't get into trouble. Eat properly, and take care of each other. Understand?"
"Yes, ma'am," Dante and Yamato replied at the same time.
Parm gave a soft "Mhh," nodding appreciatively.
Then a small voice called out from the crowd. A boy stepped forward. Olly, one of the village kids who looked up to Dante like a teacher.
"Dante-sensei!" he shouted. "In four years, I'll be old enough to become an Adventurer too! When that time comes, I'll come find you! I won't waste what you taught me!"
Dante laughed.
"Four years, huh? By that time, I'll be an SS Rank already!"
Olly's eyes widened in awe, and Dante placed a hand on his shoulder encouragingly before turning back toward the boat.
Yamato, still slightly embarrassed from earlier, said quietly,
"Dante, we should get going."
Dante grinned and nodded, stepping aboard the small boat.
As they prepared to depart, Nina waved and called out,
"Go on, boys! Carve a legend into this world, and don't you dare forget where you came from! I believe in you both!" she said with a smile.
Dante smiled brightly.
"Leave it to us!"
Behind her, the mayor sniffled again, his voice cracking as he shouted,
"They grow up so fast! Feels like just yesterday I was changing their diapers!"
Yamato glanced back dryly.
"You changed Dante's diapers, not mine."
A wave of laughter rolled through the villagers as the boat began to drift slowly away from the dock. The crowd waved, calling out their goodbyes and blessings.
Then, from the front of the crowd, a small group of girls shouted over the others, their voices full of excitement.
"Dante-kun! Goodbye! Have a great trip! We'll miss you!"
Dante waved back at them enthusiastically.
"I'll miss you guys too!"
The girls blushed, hiding their faces while squealing quietly among themselves.
Yamato let out a sigh beside him.
"You know, I exist too right?…"
Dante laughed, still waving as the boat continued drifting down the river.
The villagers waved until the brothers became distant silhouettes, their small boat gliding smoothly across the water under the morning light. Dante kept waving until Yoima Village disappeared completely from view.
And just like that, their journey had begun.
---
The night sky stretched endlessly above, filled with glittering stars that shimmered over the quiet sea. The small wooden boat drifted gently along the waves, the sound of water lapping against its sides echoing softly in the calm night.
Yamato was asleep, his sword resting beside him, while Dante sat on the edge of the boat, legs dangling over the side, staring blankly at the moonlit sea. His face clearly showed it, he was bored out of his mind.
After a few minutes of silence, Dante turned his head and called out,
"Yamato… I'm bored."
Yamato didn't move. He ignored him completely.
Dante frowned and leaned over, shaking his brother's shoulder.
"Yamato… hey, Yamato… I said I'm bored."
Yamato groaned, opening one irritated eye.
"What? What is it, Dante?"
Dante's face lit up.
"I'm bored!" he shrieked dramatically.
Yamato exhaled sharply.
"And what exactly am I supposed to do about that?"
Dante shrugged.
"I don't know… do something cool with your sword!"
Yamato turned his head away, clearly annoyed.
"I'm a swordsman, not a party trick master. Eat some food and stop bothering me while I try to sleep."
"Fine," Dante muttered.
He reached for the food basket and began eating. The night continued quietly, the gentle rocking of the boat carrying them across the sea.
---
By morning, the calm waves glistened beneath the sunlight. Yamato sat up and stretched, feeling rested until his eyes landed on the food basket.
He froze.
Half of their food was gone.
He stared in disbelief for a moment, then his expression darkened. Dante was still sleeping peacefully, sprawled across the wooden floor with crumbs on his face.
In a surge of anger, Yamato clenched his fist and punched Dante square on the face.
"Ow! What was that for?!" Dante yelped, holding his forehead, which now had a small bump.
Yamato pointed furiously at the food basket.
"Why did you eat half our food reserves on the first day, you idiot?!"
Dante blinked in confusion, still half-asleep.
"You told me I could eat it!"
"Yes, but not half of it, you idiot!" Yamato shouted. "Do you even think before you act?!"
Dante rubbed his forehead, pouting.
"I was excited… and when I'm excited, I eat a lot."
Yamato sighed deeply and facepalmed.
"At least Miss Parm expected this… she packed enough food to last the whole trip. But from now on, I'm regulating how much we eat."
Dante didn't argue. He just smiled lazily and looked out toward the endless stretch of sea.
Then, suddenly the water around them began to churn. Ripples turned to waves, and a shadow loomed beneath the surface.
A large sea beast emerged, its enormous eyes gleaming as it rose from the depths. It glared directly at their small boat, its presence casting a massive shadow over them.
Dante grinned.
"Heh. Perfect timing."
He stood up, stretching his arms.
"Let's test how strong I really am."
Before Yamato could react, Dante jumped high into the air, landing directly above the creature. In a flash, a single strike came down and the sea beast let out a piercing squeal before retreating back underwater, disappearing into the deep.
Dante landed back on the boat, laughing triumphantly.
"You're too serious, Yamato! We're on an adventure — we should live in the now!"
Yamato looked at him for a moment, then gave a small smile.
"Idiot."
The waves settled again, the boat continuing to drift forward under the morning sun, two brothers sailing toward the unknown.