Ren/Story

JobSkillsStory

Story

Red-Eyed Wanderer

Many years ago, a rabbit Anima named Ren – a warrior with red eyes and silver hair – worked as a mercenary, having mastered a rare swordsmanship technique. One day, Ren received a request from the Vharga, who lived in the northern region of Grandis. Under the leadership of a High Priest who served as an officer in the Central Army and the leader of a region called Dovenghar, the High Flora executed the leader of the Vharga and seized their territory, though the Vara leader's subordinates managed to flee. The Vharga then contacted Ren and asked her to escort them to southern Grandis, and though Ren was hesitant about accepting a job which would require her to cross the continent, she was unable to ignore their plea for help. Ren helped the Vharga secretly flee from their home, with the High Priest pursuing them with the Central Army. Eventually, the High Priest and his forces found Ren near the free city of Vallora, where Ren fought the High Flora in order to buy the Vharga time to escape. Ren was injured in the battle and fled, eventually stumbling across a lake where she discovered a snake Anima named Saya, who saved Ren's life. Saya explained that she was a hundred-year-old snake Anima who possessed the ability to freely transform between her Anima form and her serpent form.

Known to the people as the legendary Imugi, Saya lived in a lake at the foot of a mountain. It was said that if Saya were to train at the lake for a thousand years, she could ascend to the heavens and become a dragon. As she trained in the water, Saya began wondering what it meant to be a dragon, and whether such a thing was even possible simply by training in the lake for a thousand years. Believing that she could not become a dragon by training in isolation, Saya abandoned her training after a hundred years and decided to explore the world with Ren, meeting people and performing good deeds in the hope of truly becoming a dragon. During their adventures together, Ren and Saya traveled all across Grandis, visiting places such as Erimos and Ristonia, becoming close friends in the process. Eventually, however, Ren and Saya were discovered by the High Priest and his forces. In the battle, Saya was grievously wounded, though the pair were able to wound all the High Flora, with the High Priest eventually succumbing to his injuries. Since that day, Ren vowed to find a way to cure her friend, infusing her strength into Saya each day in order to sustain her. In Vallora, Ren joined the Traveler's Guild and undertook missions to earn enough money to buy medicine for Saya.

Main Story

Beyond the Mountain

Elixir for Saya

One day, as Ren continued infusing her strength into Saya, Saya stopped Ren and told her that was enough, pointing out that Ren was growing weaker from it, and that she would soon be so weak that she wouldn't even be able to catch a single squirrel, wondering how Ren the legendary red-eyed wanderer could be so innocent. Ren merely replied that she doubted that anyone would care, adding that Saya was the only one who even called her that. Saya asked Ren whether she really planned to give away all the strength she had accumulated over her life, to which Ren replied that it would be worth it if it could help Saya get better. Saya began teasing Ren for liking her so much, though she then wondered quietly to herself how Ren would be able to live on her own in the future. Ren asked Saya what she had been saying under her breath, to which Saya quickly dismissed her words as nothing. Ren then decided to go find more herbs, dismissing Saya's concerns about it being dangerous by claiming that she might not find what she needed come winter. Seeing that Ren was determined to leave, Saya decided to help her by bestowing what remained of her strength after her accident in the form of a glowing Imugi Gem. As Ren accepted the gem and headed out to find herbs, Saya noted forebodingly that giving Ren her power was the last of the preparations she needed to make before her time came. Ren then gathered the herbs and returned to Saya, who ate them and claimed that she felt much stronger now, though Ren was able to tell that Saya was clearly lying. As Saya decided to rest, Ren realized that normal herbs wouldn't be of any help, and so she decided that the only way was to use the special elixir that the leader of the Traveler's Guild had once told her about.

As Ren arrived at the guild headquarters, she quickly noticed a wanted poster with a drawing of her, with the text noting that she was wanted for the murder of the High Flora Priest and his soldiers. However, she decided that it had nothing to do with her and ignored it before meeting with the guild leader – a Nova named Karman. Karman noted that it had been a while since she had dropped by and told Ren that their last request had been a success thanks to her. He then asked her whether she was okay, as he had felt that she had been slightly injured earlier. Ren assured Karman that she was fine before asking whether the elixir he had spoken about had come in. To her surprise, Karman revealed that he had already sold the elixir, adding that he had no idea when the next shipment would arrive for something so rare. Seeing her desperation, however, Karman agreed to point her towards the merchant who had bought it, revealing that she might be able to buy it off him. As Ren quickly rushed off, Karman watched her leave and noted to himself that Ren had seemed like quite a skilled warrior when he had first met her, and that she had mysteriously seemed to be growing weaker and weaker each day, causing him to wonder whether she had a chronic illness that she needed the elixir to cure. Looking towards the wanted poster, Karman also noted that the description of a red-eyed warrior with silver hair was quite unique, though he told himself that it had to be a coincidence.

High Flora Arrival

Meanwhile, as Ren walked across the town square, she noticed a commotion taking place near the port, with a High Flora officer accosting a terrified boy. As the boy, Gianni, begged for forgiveness, the officer – Lotusha – asked him why he was apologizing before giving him the chance to voice his issues with the High Flora. When Gianni fearfully insisted that he had no problems at all, Lotusha reminded the boy about how he had just denounced the High Flora as murderers. Noting that Gianni had lied on top of slandered, Lotusha ordered his men to arrest the boy. As Gianni begged the gathering crowd for help, some amongst the townspeople noted that Gianni's entire village had been wiped out by the High Flora, while others feared for their safety with the High Flora's arrival, as many of them had fled to the free city of Vallora to escape the war. Meanwhile, Ren watched the scene and noted to herself that though she may have once been able to handle the number of High Flora soldiers present, she had grown far too weak for that now. Because of this, she decided that she would not involve herself, as helping Saya was more important than anything else. As she rushed off, however, Lotusha noticed her departure and immediately recognized her appearance as the warrior with red eyes and silver hair that was wanted by the High Flora. Believing that he had found her at last, Lotusha noted the irony that after spending so long chasing after her, he had happened to stumble across her by pure chance.

Soon after, Ren met with the merchant – Rhenos – who had bought the elixir from Karman. Ren asked Rhenos about buying to elixir, to which he revealed that the elixir was a special blend of powerful herbs, and that its high price meant that it was usually only bought by High Flora Priests. Rhenos noted that Ren didn't seem to have much money and added that he couldn't give it to her for free, even if she needed it to heal her friend. However, upon realizing that Ren worked for the guild, he offered to hold the elixir for her and sell it for 100 guild coins, which would allow him to trade with the guild in the future. He added that while he normally sold it to the High Flora, he would feel far better selling it to her instead. As Ren agreed to the deal, a High Flora spy who had been listening in on the conversation returned to the ship and reported what he had learned to Lotusha. Lotusha grew convinced that Ren was the one who had killed his brother, noting that he had never thought that she would be hiding in such a place all along. From the spy's report, Lotusha concluded that Ren's sick friend was ‘the snake' and hoped to finish them both off at once. He then ordered the spy to find out Saya's hiding place, warning him not to get caught at any cost and threatening to kill the spy himself if he failed.

An Eerie Inquiry

Elsewhere, Ren met with Karman and told him about the deal she had made with Rhenos. Upon learning that she needed 100 coins, Karman cautioned her that taking on such high-paying commissions would put her at risk in her weakened state. As he couldn't put a guild member in such danger, Karman decided that he would first give her low-paying commissions to help ease her back into it after the injuries she had sustained in her last mission. He first tasked her with recovering a lost necklace on the docks, which had been stolen by the sandpiper birds in the chaos after the High Flora ship's arrival. After Ren recovered the necklace, Karman grew slightly more confident in her condition and then tasked her with thinning out the sandpipers to keep the town safe. Upon Ren completing her mission, an impressed Karman awarded her ten coins each for her commissions, noting that she only needed 80 more coins to get the elixir.

Soon after, Karman called Ren to headquarters for an urgent mission, revealing that one of Vallora's citizens had been kidnapped by the High Flora during the altercation on the docks. He tasked Ren with finding the missing villager's location aboard the High Flora ship and confirming whether they were dead or alive. He added that while her mission was only to find the villager, the guild was committed to keeping the town safe, even if it meant standing against the High Flora themselves. Using a High Flora soldier's cap that Karman had given her, Ren infiltrated the ship and made it aboard to the bridge, where she began looking through the reports for information about the kidnapped citizen's whereabouts. The first report detailed how the High Flora had successfully conquered the lands of a minor region in the north. Though the region's leader had been executed on the spot, the leader's subordinates had fled and disappeared without a trace. The second report detailed how those criminals had been aided in their escape by an accomplice who had been spotted in a region called Dovenghar, where the accomplice had eluded capture by killing Dovenghar's leader and injuring twelve other soldiers. A search had been conducted to find the accomplice, though no trace had been found. Eventually, the bereaved families put up a large bounty all across Grandis to find the killer and bring justice to the fallen officers.

After reading through the two reports, Ren noted that both of them were irrelevant to her and continued searching, eventually finding a third report that detailed how, on the first day of the 21st official Vallora inspection, a resident had been found making treasonous statements, for which he had been imprisoned in the supply warehouse of the ship until a decision was made as to what to do with him. Ren quickly headed to the warehouse and dispatched a High Flora soldier guarding the entrance after he refused to allow her entry, claiming that he had been given orders not to let anyone except Lotusha inside. In the warehouse, Ren found Gianni tied to a barrel. Gianni asked Ren whether she had come to save him, to which she explained that she had only come to ascertain his status, though she promised that help would soon come. Gianni realized that the rumors of the Traveler's Guild saving citizens from the High Flora were true and thanked Ren for coming, adding that he would await the rescue party with renewed hope.

Ren then returned to headquarters and reported back to Karman, who was shocked that she had attacked a High Flora officer and put herself in danger. Ren assured him that she had hit the officer's head so that he wouldn't remember her, after which she asked about what would happen with Gianni. Karman told her that the guild planned to send out a rescue party once the High Flora lost interest in the boy and relaxed security on him, adding that they had conducted similar operations many times in the past. After rewarding her with twenty coins for the commission, Karman explained that he had just received another commission that would get her the remaining sum to buy the elixir, though he added that he wasn't sure whether Ren would be able to complete it. In order to explain the request further, he told Ren about Vallora's local legend about the Imugi, much to her shock. He explained that the Imugi was a snake who could ascend to the heavens and become a dragon after training for a thousand years, and that the legend stated that the Imugi had abandoned its training after a hundred years in Vallora before wandering the world. Though most people only treated the story as a legend, Karman revealed that one of his clients was quite interested in the story, and that they had asked the guild to find the Imugi hiding somewhere in Vallora and bring back one of its scales. Upon seeing Ren's expression, Karman mistook her face going pale as intimidation by such an outlandish request and assured Ren that he would find a better commission for her to complete.

Saya

Traces of the Imugi

Fearing for Saya's safety, Ren quickly rushed back to their hideout, while the High Flora spy sent by Lotusha tailed her and discovered Saya's location. However, the spy was unable to pass through the magical barrier created by Saya, leaving him unable to follow any further. Ren then met with Saya and asked her in a panic whether anyone suspicious had come by the house, relieved when Saya told her that no one had dropped by. After Ren explained that someone was paying a large sum of money to find the Imugi, Saya told Ren that it was probably nothing, noting that perhaps they were a scholar, similar to one whom she had met long ago, who studied dragons. She explained that the scholar had been so annoying that she had chased them away. Saya consoled Ren and told her not to worry, adding that she would come to no harm with the red-eyed wanderer by her side. However, a troubled Ren replied that Saya could still come to harm when she wasn't around, adding that perhaps she may still even if she was. Saya once again consoled Ren and reminded her that the injuries she had sustained weren't Ren's fault, adding that all sorts of things could happen while traveling. Saya laughed that she really must have grown quite weak if Ren was so worried about her, jokingly noting that she could have easily swatted away anyone who bothered her when she used to be stronger.

In order to throw off any suspicion, Saya told Ren to give one of her scales to the guild and say that she had found it somewhere far away, believing that whoever was looking for the Imugi would end up chasing circles and eventually give up. Ren gladly agreed with Saya's plan and noted that with the money she'd earn from the commission, she would be able to buy the elixir, explaining to Saya that it was a special potion that could heal even the sickest people. At Saya's unexpectedly quiet reaction, however, Ren asked whether something was wrong, to which Saya quickly replied that it sounded like a good plan, and that everything would be fine once she drank it. Quietly to herself, however, Saya sadly noted that she hadn't wanted to lie to Ren and murmured a silent apology. Meanwhile, the High Flora spy reported to Lotusha and explained that he had successfully tricked Ren into rushing to Saya's location by posting the commission for the Imugi, though he regretfully noted that he had been unable to find her hideout. Lotusha angrily admonished the spy for his incompetence, to which the spy explained that he had been unable to follow Ren due to some sort of force causing her to disappear. Lotusha then ordered the spy to guide him to the exact spot where Ren had vanished.

Saying Goodbye to Saya

As the High Flora closed in, Ren took a scale from Saya and asked her whether it had hurt. At Saya's quiet response, however, Ren wondered whether she was getting sicker and offered to infuse more of her strength. However, Saya asked Ren not to and explained that she was simply feeling more tired than usual. She assured Ren that plucking out the scale had hurt less than pulling out a hair and promised that she would be fine before asking Ren to return quickly from town. Ren then brought the scale to Karman, who was shocked that she had brought a scale from the Imugi. After ascertaining that it was indeed the genuine article, Karman asked her where she had obtained it, to which Ren – though hesitant about lying – wrote down the location where she had found the scale as somewhere in the north. With all the coins needed to buy the elixir, Ren rushed to meet with Rhenos, who was impressed that she had collected the money so quickly. After giving her the elixir, Rhenos wished her good luck with healing her sick friend, after which Ren quickly returned back home, with Lotusha and his soldiers tailing her in secret. As she walked through the grassy field, Ren sensed that someone was nearby, though with the High Flora hidden, Ren believed that she had merely been sensing the presence of a nearby hiker. Lotusha then watched as Ren disappeared through the barrier. Upon inspecting the area, Lotusha sensed magic and realized that its weakness likely meant that it belonged to a dying Saya. Believing that the barrier would soon disappear with Saya's death, Lotusha ordered his soldiers to stand by and wait until it collapsed and revealed their hidden enemies.

As they waited, Ren rushed to a severely weakened Saya, panicked at the state that her friend had been reduced to. Saya was relieved to see Ren, explaining that she had been worried that she would die before Ren returned. Ren begged Saya to quickly drink the elixir, though Saya sadly laughed and told Ren that it wouldn't do her any good, as no elixir could save someone about to pass away so imminently. Though Ren protested and begged Saya to drink it, Saya replied that it was time for them to say goodbye. She explained that she had wanted Ren to drink the elixir in her stead, as she had known all along that she would never recover from her injuries. She revealed that even as she had trained to become a dragon, she had known that her life would come to an end. However, she asked Ren to leave their home and go on a new journey of her own without Saya, regretfully noting that she should have asked Ren to leave the moment she had known that she would die, rather than holding Ren back with her foolishness. A tearful Ren retorted that there was no way that she would leave Saya behind, to which Saya silently noted to herself that she didn't want to leave Ren either. She then told Ren that she had never wanted to be stuck in one place, and that when she had been in the lake training to become a dragon for years, she had always wondered why she had wanted to become one in the first place, and what the point of isolating herself for a thousand years was to achieve such a purpose. She had realized that even if she had become a dragon after a thousand years, she would still be no different from who she already was.

Saya then revealed that it was when she had met Ren that she had gotten her answer after a hundred years of training – that becoming a dragon was not done by staying in a lake for a millennium, but by traveling the world, meeting people, and doing good deeds. She explained that after they had met and she had saved Ren's life, she had finally resolved to leave her isolation, living a life that flowed without becoming stagnant. Because of this, she made one final request of Ren – to put the world into her Imugi Gem by traveling, helping people, and allowing that power to someday manifest as a dragon soaring high in the heavens. Ren tearfully agreed, with Saya asking her not to cry. She asked Ren whether she remembered when they had gone to the marketplace in Cheong-woon, where Saya had bought a ribbon, believing that it suited her, and how Ren had refused to wear any kind of accessory that made her look cute. She then gave Ren the ribbon that she had secretly kept for years and asked her not to feel sad for too long once she passed away. However, she asked that Ren wear the ribbon so that she would remember Saya when it fluttered in the breeze. With that, Saya passed along all the remaining strength inside her to Ren and asked her to be happy before scattering away into the wind.

Facing Lotusha

Immediately, Lotusha and his soldiers surrounded Ren, noting that the barrier had finally collapsed with Saya's death. Ren was surprised to learn about the barrier and, upon recalling Saya's warnings about it being dangerous to leave their home, realized that her friend must have gone to great lengths to protect her. As Lotusha rushed to attack her, Ren asked him whether he was the one who had been looking for the Imugi and demanded to know what he wanted with Saya. Lotusha angrily replied that he sought revenge, and upon seeing that Ren had no idea what he was speaking of, he furiously asked whether she really didn't know, or whether she was merely playing dumb. He noted that if it wasn't bad enough that she had helped the Vharga escape, she had also conspired with Saya to kill the High Flora Priest who had attempted to capture her. Opening a locket, he showed the picture of the Priest to Ren and told her that there was no way that she wouldn't know what he was talking about now. Ren immediately recognized the Priest from the battle in which Saya had been injured, realizing that he was the one who had annihilated the Vharga. Lotusha then revealed himself to be the Priest's brother, explaining that he was the one who had put the bounty on her as he chased after her and Saya.

Ren immediately retorted that his brother had slaughtered innocents and seized their home, just as Lotusha himself had done the same by attacking her home when she and Saya had done nothing to him. She claimed that they had never killed anyone, but merely subdued their pursuers in order to survive. However, Lotusha merely claimed that his brother had done his duty as a High Priest by wiping out worthless outcasts like her. He then claimed that he had wasted years of his life chasing after them with the sole purpose of killing them with his own hands. Realizing that fighting was inevitable, Ren drank the elixir as Lotusha declared that he would send her to Saya in the afterlife. After a fierce battle, Ren defeated Lotusha and his soldiers. A wounded Lotusha noted that even though he hadn't expected to defeat his brother's killer so easily, he had never expected to lose after working for so long to get revenge. Looking at Lotusha in pity, Ren admitted that he had merely missed the window of opportunity, as he would have easily defeated her if he had fought her earlier when she had been much weaker, noting that Saya had saved her life by granting her strength. Furious at himself for failing, Lotusha told Ren to kill him, declaring that he had no intention of begging for mercy. However, Ren replied that she had no intention of killing him now, just as she hadn't intended to kill his brother before. She then told him that she hoped to never see him again before walking away.

Home's Where the Heart Is

The Interdimensional Portal

After returning to town, Ren realized that though the injured High Flora soldiers wouldn't be able to chase after her so soon, it would also be far too dangerous for her to remain in town. Because of this, she decided that she would leave Vallora and travel the world to honor Saya's last wish, as her strength, bestowed upon her jewel and Ren's swordsmanship, meant that she was now strong enough to go anywhere she wanted. Wondering where she should go, Ren met with Karman and informed him that she wished to leave town and go somewhere where nobody knew her. Karman was taken aback to learn about her skirmish with the High Flora and agreed to conceal her whereabouts from them. He then asked Ren whether she was the one on the wanted poster, taking her silence as confirmation. As he began looking for a suitable destination, Karman suggested that she conceal her Anima features, noting that rabbit Anima were quite rare, even in a melting pot like Vallora. Realizing that Karman was right, Ren hid her rabbit ears so that she wouldn't be easily identified. Karman then asked Ren whether she had ever heard of Maple World, explaining that it was a different dimension from Grandis and the perfect place to have a new adventure.

He explained that while Maple World was a completely different place, they still shared the same language and lifestyle as the people in Grandis. He told Ren that the guild was interested in learning more about Maple World, for while it wasn't particularly large, it was big and safe enough to trade with. Ren asked Karman how to get to Maple World, to which he explained that she could use the Interdimensional Portal managed by the Traveler's Guild to cross into Maple World. He explained that when they had first come across the portal, they had sealed it away out of fear that it led somewhere dangerous, though after he had become the guild leader, he had opened access to the portal to strong guild members. He then told Ren that he would send word to one of their members who traveled through the portal so that she could get in touch with the Explorers' Guild in Maple World. Ren then met with the guild member, Farol, who escorted her to the secret location of the Interdimensional Portal – known only to the members of the guild. After following him through the portal, Ren emerged in Maple World, where Farol explained that they had arrived in Lith Harbor. He explained that, unlike the Traveler's Guild in Vallora, there were no central headquarters for the Explorers' Guild of Maple World, though he added that she could instead get commissions from the Bowman Instructional School in Henesys, where she could speak to Athena Pierce, whom he called the equivalent of Karman. Ren then traveled to the Bowman Instructional School, where Athena greeted her as a traveler from Grandis and gave her several commissions to choose from as a new adventurer to Maple World.

Third Job Advancement

As Ren explored Maple World, she soon noted to herself that though it wasn't quite like when she used to travel with Sayu, much of her old instincts had come back, causing her to wonder whether she could apply Sayu's power to her intermediate swordsmanship techniques. However, as she had forgotten many of her techniques, Ren decided to seek out a book on swordsmanship that she had buried in the Handsome Monk's Temple in Cheong-woon Valley. As she read through the techniques in the book, Ren recalled the time when she had first obtained it from a dying swordsman who had entrusted it to her in order to keep the secrets of his art alive. In order to follow his will, Ren had hidden the book in the temple so that the secret could be inherited by someone new in case she were to die, though after rereading the book, she decided that she would hide the book somewhere more visible. Having recalled her old techniques, Ren applied Saya's strength to her swordsmanship to master the skills she had once used.

Joining the Alliance

Athena Pierce contacted Ren and suggested that she join the Maple Alliance. At Athena's recommendation, Ren traveled to Ereve, where she met with Neinheart and Cygnus, who told Ren that the Black Mage was an evil Transcendent who had tried to destroy the world long ago. She added that with Maple World and Grandis influencing each other, the Black Mage's return meant that the fate of one dimension also affected the other. Upon hearing Cygnus's words, Ren recalled how Grandis also had a corrupt Transcendent. She then thought back to how she had been alone since childhood, fighting as a mercenary in the endless wars of Grandis. While fighting, she had received a request from the Vharga of northern Grandis, who were attempting to flee south after the High Flora had wiped out their home. Though Ren had wanted to decline the offer, as it meant crossing the continent, she had been unable to ignore a plea for help, and so she had agreed to escort the surviving Vharga south. However, they had eventually been discovered by the High Flora pursuing them, and while the Vharga had been able to escape, Ren had been injured in the battle, leading her to eventually meet Saya when she had stumbled across her in her lake. Ren realized that if Saya were to have learned about a corrupt Transcendent in Maple World like the one on Grandis, she would have agreed to help without hesitation. Because of this, she agreed to lend her support to the Alliance and officially became a member.

Fourth Job Advancement

Having mastered the techniques in her swordsmanship book, Ren believed that she had yet to fully utilize the power that Saya had given her. Hoping to create new techniques to surpass her old strength, Ren decided to visit Mu Lung Dojo in order to train. There, she scaled through the back road of the dojo, where she encountered Mu Gong on the highest floor. Mu Gong was surprised to see someone come through the back road, to which Ren explained that she had come to learn the ways of Maple World's masters and reach a new level of awakening. Mu Gong explained that a warrior's true awakening didn't come from others, noting that just as she had come to him through the back road, the road trodden by others was not necessarily the correct one. Upon reflecting on Mu Gong's words, Ren realized that her techniques weren't the extent of her swordsmanship, as she herself embodied the full secret through her experiences. By learning from those experiences, Ren was able to create new techniques to further strengthen her swordsmanship.

Temple of Time

While exploring the Temple of Time, Ren's memories were drained by Dodo. After being told by the Memory Keeper to return to where her adventure began, Ren realized that her adventure had begun on the day when she had said goodbye to Saya. She decided to return to their house in Vallora, where she was surprised to find a girl living there. Upon Ren revealing herself as the owner of the house, the girl apologized and explained that she had come across the empty house and decided to seek shelter there. She begged Ren not to kick her out, explaining that while she could endure it, her family couldn't be left out in the rain, as she didn't have the money to take them to a hospital if they were to get sick. Just then, the girl's family – a puppy – came out of the house and excitedly barked at Ren. Ren smiled at the puppy and asked for their names, to which the girl introduced herself as Lenna and her dog as Lili.

After Ren gave her name, Lenna asked her whether she was an adventurer, and whether that was the reason she had been gone from her house for so long, which Ren confirmed. Lenna then hesitantly asked Ren whether she planned to stay and requested that they be allowed to live together in the house, adding that she would be okay even if only Lili were allowed to have the shelter of the house. She promised to do anything in exchange, explaining that she could gather herbs and sweep the floors. As she considered it, Ren recalled how Saya had always wanted to live with flow, without being tethered to any one place. However, she then realized that even their house – which she had never expected to change – had also been flowing and changing. She then realized that it would help her put more of the world in Saya's jewel and keep her promise to her friend. Just then, the wind began blowing, causing the ribbon that Saya had given Ren to flow. Thinking back to Saya's words about how she wanted Ren to remember her when the ribbon flowed in the wind, Ren realized that it was as if Saya was giving her permission for Lenna to stay. Ren agreed to let Lenna stay before walking away, with Lenna excitedly thanking her for her generosity.

Final Quest

Karman contacted Ren and asked her how her adventures in Maple World were going. He called her back to Vallora in order to tell her about a rumor which he had recently heard. He asked her whether she recalled Lotusha, the High Flora Priest who had kidnapped a villager some time ago, revealing that there was a rumor that he had been turned into a monster while trying to attain greater power. He explained that the reason why he had called Ren back to Vallora was that Lotusha was causing a ruckus amongst the Traveler's Guild, as he was determined to find Ren. However, he assured Ren that there was no danger of him finding her in Maple World, as he had left on his boat and had no idea about the existence of the Interdimensional Portal in Vallora. Thinking on Karman's words about Lotusha becoming a monster, Ren wondered whether by ‘monster', he meant the Specters that she had seen in Pantheon. Nevertheless, Ren thanked Karman before asking him for a favor to watch over Lenna, who was living near the lake by the village.

Ren then decided to visit Lenna and traveled to her old house, where she found Lenna playing with Lili. Lenna excitedly greeted Ren and explained that she had found a letter addressed to her while cleaning the house. Ren read the letter and found that it had been written by Sayu, who explained that if Ren was reading the letter, it meant that she had passed away. Saya apologized to Ren for lying, explaining that she had always known that the elixir wouldn't heal her injuries. She revealed that she didn't have the heart to stop Ren from trying to obtain the elixir, as she knew that Ren would have blamed herself forever if Saya had died before she had been able to get it. Because of this, Saya told Ren that she was writing the letter with the last of her strength to explain herself. She noted that she wished that she could tell Ren herself, rather than leaving behind only words. She added that she wished that she could be there to dry Ren's tears, rather than simply asking her not to cry, and that she wanted to tell Ren just how meaningful their time together had been face-to-face. She then hoped that all of Ren's days were happy and enjoyable, because she had made Saya's days just like that. Finally, she requested that Ren not cry after reading her last words, calling Ren her eternal friend. After Ren finished reading the letter, a worried Lenna realized that Ren was crying. Ren explained that the letter had been from her dear friend, and that while she had originally left her home because she had wanted to leave, she now only wanted to fulfill her friend's wish. She told Lenna that she traveled the world because she enjoyed exploring and helping people, to which Lenna noted that Ren really was a kind person. She then asked Ren whether she was planning to leave and help others again, which Ren confirmed. After confirming that Ren would return, Lenna promised to have a fancy meal ready for her the next time she dropped by.

Fifth Job Advancement

Upon entering the Erda Flow and meeting with the Goddess of Maple World, the Goddess asks the player what it is that they cherish most in the world. Ren gets to choose between Saya and the people she's helped on her adventures.

Upon entering the Erda Flow and meeting with the Goddess of Grandis, the Goddess notes that she's a wanderer of the world who's trying to make her loved one's dreams come true.

Sixth Job Advancement

After the player frees the Goddess of Grandis, the Goddess will recognize Ren and greet her by name.

Heliseum Reclamation HQ

Neinheart contacted Ren and told her that he was dispatching her on an urgent mission to Grandis, explaining that the Nova had asked the Alliance for help. Ren recalled how the Nova had been forced to hide behind a barrier in Pantheon after losing their capital. She noted to herself that she had never been able to visit Pantheon while traveling with Saya because of that barrier and decided that helping the Nova would be a good opportunity to see their home. Ren agreed to lend her aid and met with Beldar, who told Ren that he had heard of her reputation as a woman of few words. He then tasked her with meeting with Tiron, who told her about the surprise attack from the Specters.

Fox Valley

When Ren first arrives at Fox Point Village, she sees that the villagers have fox ears and tails, and she wonders whether she's stumbled across a hidden village of fox Anima. Unlike Hoyoung, Ren has no Anima-exclusive dialogue.

Black Heaven

On the morning of the operation, Ren waited to board the Lumiere and hoped to herself that the line would start moving soon, as she was growing sleepy. Just then, Lara approached Ren and introduced herself, noting that the weather was quite lovely, as if the sky itself was cheering them on. Ren shortly introduced herself, to which Lara excitedly noted that the rumors about her having red eyes and being a woman of few words were true. She noted that they were both from Grandis and claimed that it was quite impressive of Ren to be fighting for another world, to which Ren shortly replied that she felt the same about Lara. Lara then laughed and dismissed Ren's words, explaining that she wasn't impressive, but rather, she simply liked to help her friends. She added that there were others from Grandis helping in the operation as well, and that it seemed as though everyone had come together to protect what was most precious to them. She added that what was most precious to them could be someone else, or perhaps their own mission, before asking Ren why she was fighting, to which Ren simply replied that she fought for the same reason as Lara. Lara then invited Ren to share a cup of tea with the other warriors from Grandis, noting that it could be quite fun. Silently, Ren noted to herself that replying was getting tedious. Just then, Gri approached Lara and asked her whether she was planning to leave without saying hello to him. Lara greeted Gri and told Ren that she would be going on ahead, as a friend had come to see her off, with Ren silently waving goodbye to Lara as she rushed off.

Vanishing Journey

After the player defeats Arma, Kao will speak to the player while being carried through the cave. Kao asks Ren if she remembers when she had awakened with the power of the Seal Stone. Kao recalls her own life, and how she had shouldered the responsibility to save another dimension instead of her own. Though she hadn't shown it, Kao notes that it must have weighed on herself, and for good reason, as it was someone else's world and not her own. However, Kao adds that she had taken her responsibilities seriously, and though she wants to say that her heart had been true, she finds that she's not sure anymore. She then wonders whether there's someone better than her who can actually save the world. Kao then supposes that she had lost her worthiness the moment that her faith had wavered.

Esfera

Upon meeting Melange, Ren will note that she's never seen anyone of Melange's species before in Grandis.

After seeing the Black Moon in the skies above Esfera, the Adversary notes to themselves that their long struggle against the Black Mage is finally coming to an end. Ren gets some exclusive dialogue, in which she also notes to herself that defeating the Black Mage will also take her one step closer towards defeating Gerand Darmoor, which will allow Grandis to know peace once more.

After witnessing how Aeona and Tana received their names, Ren gets some exclusive dialogue. Upon hearing the name ‘Aeona', she immediately realizes that Aeona is Grandis's Transcendent of Light. She then reveals to Ollie that no trace of Aeona has been found on Grandis and that there are rumors that Aeona had even faced Gerand Darmoor in the past. Ollie then pulls out the top-secret document to present to the player, although her explanation about the investigation into the Black Mage is omitted. After reading the document, Ren notes that the information isn't much different from what the people of Grandis know.

After learning about the origin of the Executors from Melange, Ren gets exclusive dialogue, in which she's surprised to hear about such a race existing, noting to herself that she's never heard such a story before. She then wonders how Melange knows so much about the Executors.

When Melange tells the Adversary about how the Transcendents of Grandis had actively shaped their world, he will preclude his explanation by saying that they might already know that if the player is Ren.

Limina

When the Alliance faces the Black Mage, each class gets its own unique dialogue when he tells them that their path has always been preordained. Ren agrees with her fellow warriors about choosing her own path and adds that the path she walked had always been her own, and that she would decide where she walked.

After the Adversary scatters into Erda after killing the Black Mage, they awaken in the Erda Flow, where the White Mage thanks them for putting an end to the battle and helping him liberate the world from the influence of the Overseers. After the conversation, the Adversary will return back to the real world. As they do, the White Mage will give them a unique title based on their class; the title he gives to Ren is "Traveler who wanders the world".

After the final battle, the Adversary will return back to the Outpost and speak with Neinheart and the other leaders of the Alliance. For Ren, Neinheart tells her that all of Maple World owes her a debt that can never be repaid. Cygnus adds that the Alliance's allies in Grandis played a major role in bringing peace to Maple World, for which they have her utmost gratitude. Edea notes that they were fortunate enough that the situation on Grandis was quiet enough for them to come. She adds that there's no telling what will happen next, though this was a nice enough break. Cygnus then promises that Maple World will be there when Grandis needs help, just as Ren was there for Maple World.

Aftermath

Ren returned to her old house in Vallora, where she found no one around. Suddenly, Lenna and Lili appeared and enthusiastically greeted Ren. Lenna thanked Ren for telling Karman about her, revealing that he came by now and then to check on her. She explained that because of Ren, Karman now asked her to run errands for him and paid her for her efforts, allowing her to buy food for herself and Lili. She then invited Ren inside to keep the promise she had made to cook for Ren, adding that though she couldn't cook anything fancy yet, she could still offer Ren a hot meal. Inside, Ren told Lenna about her adventures in Maple World and her battle against the Black Mage. Lenna was impressed by Ren's bravery and wondered whether she would ever become as strong as her, lamenting that she was quite weak. However, she added that for now, she could at least protect herself, and hoped that as she grew older, she could become more like Ren. She revealed that the reason why she wanted to grow stronger was because she had been forced to flee her home when the High Flora had destroyed her town and turned her world upside down.

She added that while her memories of that day were hazy, she could recall her mother fleeing with Lenna in her arms, as well as Lenna herself running alone until she had gotten lost. Upon thinking back, Lenna realized that her mother hadn't abandoned her, but rather, she had hidden Lenna away to save her life. She explained that her vision had grown dark because her mother had covered her with something, which was why she had no idea what had happened to her mother afterwards. Following that, Lenna had cried so hard that she had fallen asleep, after which she had woken up in Vallora. She revealed that she had met Lili, who had lost her owner at the port, and adopted her, with the pair becoming a family together. She then vowed that she would someday become as great as Ren and grow strong enough to protect others. Ren silently thought to herself that she had been lucky to survive by learning swordsmanship, and that countless innocents hadn't been as fortunate, becoming casualties of carnage and warfare. Though she noted that the tragedy in Maple World had been averted, she realized that the tragedy in Grandis was just beginning, and that she couldn't stop fighting.

Shangri-La

When Zigang, Maolang, Shensung, and Weio appear to greet the Adversary, Ren gets some exclusive dialogue, in which Maolang notes that she had been curious to see what kind of Adversary had appeared in the outside world. She notes that Ren - a fellow rabbit Anima - seems familiar and realizes that she's hiding her Anima features, causing her to wonder what her circumstances were.

Arteria

Before the Adversary leaves to rescue Cygnus, Shinsoo calls to the Adversary and addresses them with a unique title based on their class; the title she gives to Ren is "You who've come from another world".

Ren gets exclusive dialogue with Cygnus at the end of her dialogue when she sacrifices herself, in which she tells Ren that she's too kind for having come to save her people from another world.

Extradimensional Visitors

When the Primacy arrives in Tirnog and sees Ren, Ailene notes that they can't trust her, despite her being the Adversary, as she had left Grandis behind to go fight for another world.