"Hey hey! Don't push! There's enough for everyone!"
At the end of the food distribution line, Konan handed out wooden bowls with care, one by one. The children were jostling, laughing, and occasionally fighting, enjoying the moment. Meanwhile, the adults watched from the shadows along the wall—some wearing faint smiles, others simply looking exhausted.
Today's menu: something that once was a deer.
Thanks to the influence of Cortanite, it bore little resemblance to its original form. Now, it had grown to about the size of a small elephant, its antlers twisted like sharp blades. Hunting it was a matter of life and death. Even Nikolai couldn't let his guard down.
Yet, the taste of the meat was not bad. Slowly roasted over a large bonfire, it was rich, juicy, and even bore a faintly sweet aroma. Konan took a bite of his share.
(...Honestly, this actually tastes like a proper "meal." Way better than those sandworms.)
"Was it the sixteenth mission?" Ava's voice came from right next to him. She had already taken a seat and was poking the meat with a fork adorned with a bone handle. "You're still alive, and Nikolai hasn't stabbed you in your sleep. I'd say that's quite the progress, don't you think?"
Konan let out a dry laugh. "I'm still not liked."
"Don't worry about it." Ava tore off a piece of meat, swallowed it, and continued speaking. "He doesn't say it out loud, but he's sensing something. Otherwise, he wouldn't let you stay here."
After a brief silence, she murmured while struggling with the tough meat.
"To be honest, I think… he's a bit scared of you."
Konan raised an eyebrow. "Scared of me?"
"More specifically, it's not really you…" She lightly tapped her temple with her finger. "It's your composure. Those calm eyes. In this world, that's abnormal."
Konan said nothing in response.
Across from them, Mace sat silently as usual. He was sharpening a hatchet placed on his lap, the sound of stone against blade filling the gaps in their conversation with a steady "grind… grind…"
He never interjected, just watching quietly, with his deep, weary eyes—like someone who had survived countless endings.
At times, Ava seemed to speak to fill that stillness. About her brother—the day the meteor fell and how he hadn't survived. And then, the brother who had been corrupted by Cortenite, no longer human, whom she ultimately had to… end herself.
And after that, she had met Nikolai. He had given her a place to belong. Something to believe in.
Konan listened. He always did.
But no matter how much she spoke, Konan understood. There was still an unspoken "something." Whether it was because she couldn't say it or didn't want to—most likely both.
Eventually, Ava fell silent, staring intently at the flames of the bonfire.
That silence spoke to him louder than any words could. It reminded him of why he had come to this world.
(...I hate these types of origin stories the most.)
Konan's thoughts were interrupted by the sensation of someone tugging at his shirt.
He glanced down.
There stood a boy, about ten years old. His cheeks were smeared with dirt, and his eyes were wide with wonder. He tightly clutched a half-eaten bowl in both hands.
"Is it true?" The boy asked, breathless with excitement. "You fought Uncle Nikolai…?"
Konan blinked. "...Yeah. Well, I did fight him."
The boy's mouth fell open in disbelief. A few other children began to gather, looking up at Konan with sparkling eyes and hushed whispers, as if they were witnessing a hero straight out of a fairy tale.
"Did you win?" "You're stronger than Nikolai, right?" Questions came flying one after another.
Konan slowly raised his lips in a playful grin. Leaning closer, as if sharing a secret, he whispered to the children.
"Hmm… that's a tough one. He was also giving it his all. But if I had really put in my 'all'…"
He paused abruptly, leaving a meaningful silence hanging in the air.
"…!"
The children collectively gasped, one of them nearly dropping the bowl they held in shock.
Konan let out a small chuckle. (…This is kinda fun.)
—At that moment.
A chill raced down his spine.
It felt as if ice was crawling beneath his skin.
The atmosphere shifted in an instant. A heavy, sharp tension crashed down from behind him, pressing so tightly it felt like a blade against his neck—an intense killing intent.
Even without turning around, he knew who was there.
"Want to put on a show for the kids?" Ava laughed boisterously, collapsing onto the ground. She clutched her stomach in laughter and turned to Konan. "What were you just saying, Konan?"
Even Mace cracked a slight smile. His gaze never left the blade, but there was no mistaking the faint amusement.
Konan sighed. "...You guys really have a twisted sense of humor."
The menacing aura behind him vanished as if it were an illusion, retreating into the shadows without leaving a trace.
And then came a voice, calm but short and biting.
"You've been called to the upper district. Right now."
The laughter ceased immediately. Ava stood up, shaking the dirt from her pants. Mace sheathed his hatchet and silently rose to his feet.
As they prepared to depart, Mace approached Nikolai and whispered something softly. The words were too quiet to catch.
Nikolai nodded slightly.
Then he pointed at Konan.
"You're up."
With just that, Mace slipped into a narrow alley, disappearing into a maze of smoke and makeshift dwellings.
Konan followed his retreating figure with a frown. (…What was that all about?)
He adjusted the hem of his jacket and trailed behind the other two.
Deep within his chest, an invisible anxiety was spreading, slowly but surely.
—It seemed this mission was anything but "usual."
As the harsh lighting of the upper ring came into view, a long, sharp shadow fell ahead on the path. Normally, Ava couldn't stop chatting, but this time she walked straight ahead, silent and focused.
Konan stepped closer to her and quietly whispered, "Hey, what exactly—"
Before he could finish his sentence, another group emerged from the opposite gate.
Leading them was a tall man clad in a long black coat. From beneath a wide-brimmed hat hung ash-colored blond hair that cascaded down to his shoulders. He had a well-defined face, but the sharp, cold malice lurking in his eyes ruined any charm it might have held.
The moment Nikolai saw the man, he halted. The opposing group also came to a stop.
Ava leaned toward Konan and spoke in a low voice, "That's Martin Dubois. One of the commanders of the other three. His squad mostly deals with direct missions from the Baron."
Konan narrowed his eyes and stared intently at the man.
Then, numbers floated into view at the edge of his vision.
"AIR Rating: 6.1"
(I see, quite a significant figure...)
The air was tense, taut like a bowstring about to snap. The two commanders locked eyes, neither attempting to hide their hostility.