The moment the armoured man felt Kael’s gaze settle on him, he couldn’t help but tense.
After witnessing what had happened to the plunderers, it would have been stranger if he wasn’t nervous.
"I-I should probably explain something first," he said hurriedly. "Me and those guys weren’t really together. Well... we were, but only for today. I joined their team randomly this morning. I didn’t know they were like that."
The words came out in a rush as if he was afraid Kael might punch his head off before he finished speaking.
Kael simply nodded.
"I know."
Kael’s expression remained calm as he continued.
"That’s why you aren’t lying beside them."
The armoured man instinctively looked over Kael’s shoulder.
The corpses of the plunderers were scattered across the desert. Some had crushed ribcages. Others had shattered skulls. None of them looked remotely intact.
A shiver ran down his spine.
He swallowed hard.
Just then, Kael spoke again.
"So..."
The armoured man immediately straightened.
"Oh! Right. My name is Gerald."
"Gerald." Kael nodded. "So what are you planning to do now?"
Gerald scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"I think I’ll head home. I’ve had enough hunting for one day."
His gaze shifted toward Adam and Zoey.
"What about you gu—"
He abruptly stopped.
A look of panic appeared on his face.
"No, wait. That’s not what I meant. I wasn’t trying to find out where you’re going so I could follow you or anything. I don’t have any bad intentions."
The large armored man began babbling once more.
Kael ignored most of it.
"I’m planning to help them level up a little more before the day ends."
Gerald nodded.
The answer made sense.
Although the sun still hung high in the sky, everyone knew the Sand World didn’t follow the same day-and-night cycle as Earth. Daytime here could last for days before darkness finally arrived.
But there was still enough time left for another hunt.
"Got it," Gerald said.
Kael’s attention then shifted toward the healer lying nearby.
The man’s eyes immediately widened.
Hope appeared on his face.
"Well, you did a good job."
The healer’s eyes brightened instantly.
"As promised, I’ll spare your life."
Relief washed over the man’s face.
For a brief moment, he genuinely thought he had survived.
Then a sword appeared in Kael’s hand.
The healer’s smile froze.
"But before that..."
Kael vanished.
The distance between them disappeared in an instant.
Before the healer could even process what was happening, a flash of steel swept through the air.
Two screams echoed across the desert.
Blood splashed onto the sand.
The healer collapsed, clutching at empty space where his arms had once been. Both legs had also been severed cleanly below the knee.
His agonized shrieks spread across the surrounding dunes.
Kael calmly put away his sword.
"Now that’s much better."
The healer rolled around in the sand, screaming in unbearable pain.
Kael didn’t spare him another glance.
The man was alive.
That was what had been promised.
Nothing more.
Pulling the whistle from his inventory, Kael blew into it.
A familiar chirping cry echoed from above.
Moments later, Mira descended from the sky with a powerful flap of her wings, casting a massive shadow over the desert.
The group climbed onto her back.
Soon, the giant moth rose into the air and disappeared into the distance.
Gerald remained standing where he was.
For several moments, he silently watched Mira’s figure shrink against the horizon before finally letting out a long sigh.
His gaze wandered over the battlefield.
The corpses. The blood. The destruction.
Then his eyes landed on the healer.
The man was still screaming.
Despite everything, Gerald felt a tiny bit of sympathy.
Only a tiny bit.
After all, the healer had still been one of the people who nearly got him killed.
Shaking his head, Gerald turned around and began walking away.
Whatever happened next wasn’t his problem.
If the healer was lucky, perhaps a sand worm would be attracted by the blood and swallow him whole. It would be a quick death at least.
If he was unlucky...
Well.
The desert had plenty of unpleasant things living in it.
The thought alone was enough to make Gerald walk a little faster.
Meanwhile, high above the desert, silence dominated Mira’s back.
Adam and Zoey sat near the front while Kael occupied a spot near the edge.
Neither side spoke.
From time to time, Kael could feel their gazes drifting toward him.
He didn’t react.
He already knew what they were thinking.
They had nearly died today.
On top of that, they had witnessed him slaughter an entire group of people without the slightest hesitation.
It would be stranger if they weren’t affected.
Kael understood that today’s events would likely change their relationship.
Whether that change would be for the better or worse depended entirely on them.
He had grown somewhat fond of the two over the past few hours.
But fondness only went so far.
This world wasn’t kind.
The world of Awakeners was even less so.
If they couldn’t accept something as simple as this, then it would be better not to get any closer.
Survival wasn’t pretty.
There were no fairy tales here.
No happy illusions.
Only predators and prey.
Eat or be eaten.
That was how the world worked.
Still, that was a problem for another day.
For now, there was hunting to do.
Once they found another suitable area, Mira descended and the group resumed hunting monsters.
Adam and Zoey were already close to Level 20, so the remaining progress didn’t take long.
By the time the hunt ended, both of them had successfully reached the milestone.
Afterward, they returned to the fortress atop Mira’s back.
Once everything was settled, Adam and Zoey said their goodbyes and headed off on their own.
Kael remained behind.
There was still one final thing he needed to do.
Selling the sand worm materials.
The process went smoothly.
The poison gland alone fetched a considerable sum, while the teeth and other harvested materials earned him even more.
By the time everything was sold, several million credits had been deposited into his account.
The only unfortunate thing was the equipment belonging to the plunderers.
He had left all of it behind.
Although everyone knew Awakeners killed each other inside rifts, it was still heavily frowned upon.
If he suddenly appeared carrying seven dead hunters’ equipment and attempted to sell it, it would undoubtedly attract unwanted attention.
Investigations.
Questioning.
Endless hassle.
It simply wasn’t worth it.
Compared to what he could earn from a single tower run, the value of that equipment was insignificant.
Why risk trouble for pocket change?
Once the final transaction was completed, Kael had no reason to remain inside the rift.
Without wasting any more time, he exited the Sand World and returned to reality.
After booking a transit, he leaned back into his seat and began the journey home.