Rio and Latifa have entered a forest in the Wilderness. While she's sleeping, they're surrounded by a band of what appear to be demi-humans. The girls reveal themselves to be People of the Spirits. Rio tries to talk things out with them, but Uzuma, a winged beast person, finds Latifa and assumes that Rio has abducted her. Uzuma swoops down on Rio without giving him a chance to explain. Her sudden attack renders Rio unconscious. In his dreams, a beautiful girl with pink blonde hair appears to him as well as Amakawa Hayato's childhood friend, Ayase Miharu.