Kyle let out a breath as he walked through the bustling streets of the town, making his way toward the place where Reed had asked them to meet.
He was now clad in a new set of light armor—one that did not hinder his mobility or feel too bulky to wear.
Despite its lightweight construction, it protected most of his body remarkably well. The entire set had cost him nothing less than eight hundred Credits.
On top of that, he had purchased a storage ring, the cheapest one he could find with every remaining Tower Credit he possessed.
He was broke now.
But at least he owned a storage ring, something that would allow him to bring back far more loot from the Floor and sell it later.
With that alone, regaining his wealth would only be a matter of time.
Kyle finally reached the meeting point, and what he saw next caused him to frown.
Standing there, gleaming beneath the morning sunlight in sets of heavenly-looking equipment, was his supposed cohort.
Reed wore an exquisitely crafted suit of obsidian armor that looked as though it had been forged from polished darkness itself. Every engraved line shimmered faintly with a metallic sheen, making it obvious that the material was of exceptionally high quality.
Thors was no different. He was encased in a thick suit of grey armor bearing a similar design, though considerably bulkier and far less pristine than Reed’s. A massive battle axe rested across his broad back, its weight seeming insignificant to the giant of a man.
Rita, meanwhile, was dressed in a flowing cloak woven from fine blue silk. A pointed hat rested atop her head, while the same elegant staff she had originally carried remained firmly in her grasp.
Then Kyle glanced down at himself.
Reaching the group, he noticed the eyes of passing Awakeners drifting toward him before shifting to Reed and the others.
Clearly, they thought he was some beggar who had wandered over to ask for a spare Credit or two.
Kyle wanted to facepalm himself.
’Why the hell do I feel like I’m with the wrong crowd?’
He pushed the intrusive thought aside as Reed approached with his usual carefree smile.
Running a hand through his silky hair, Reed spoke.
"The bodies of those troublesome beasts didn’t sell for much on the market, I’m afraid... but..." His gaze swept over Kyle from head to toe before he smiled. "I’m glad you managed to find enough money to buy yourself some decent armor."
Kyle frowned.
"Are we here to talk about armor... or the hunt?"
Hearing him, Reed stepped back, his smile only widening.
"Sorry. If that’s the case, Kyle, I’ll get straight to business."
He took another step backward before glancing at the others.
"When I returned home, my father told me about a secret place within the First Realm. A place where killing a single beast can reward us with double the amount of fragments..."
He paused.
"...Maybe even triple."
His eyes briefly lingered on Kyle before turning toward the rest of the group.
"As my team, I wanted to share this opportunity with all of you. Together, we can fill our cores and ascend to the next evolution of our talents."
He chuckled softly.
"It’ll certainly be dangerous... but it’ll be worth it."
Silence settled over the group.
Each of them sank into their own thoughts.
Kyle, however, wasn’t thinking about the opportunity itself.
Nor was he imagining how quickly his core could overflow with fragments.
No.
His thoughts wandered elsewhere.
’Why did Reed share this with us?’
’Why this group?’
Kyle could barely comprehend Reed’s motives.
With so few facts to work with, perhaps he was simply letting his dislike for the handsome Awakener cloud his judgment.
Probably.
Several seconds passed before every member of the cohort silently reached the same conclusion.
They would accept this bizarre expedition.
With that, the group began making their way toward the outskirts of the town.
Upon reaching the gates, they found another group waiting for them.
Five heavily built Awakeners stood there in full battle gear, each of them carrying themselves with the confidence of seasoned veterans.
Rita turned toward Reed.
"Are they coming with us?"
Her emotionless gaze remained fixed on him.
"Why?"
Kyle couldn’t help but feel a little relieved.
Apparently, he wasn’t the only one questioning the handsome Awakener’s intentions.
Rita might have been quiet...
But she certainly wasn’t foolish.
Reed shrugged casually.
"Do you trust me, Rita?"
She stared at him with those still, empty eyes for several long moments before reluctantly giving a small nod.
Reed smiled.
"We’ll need the numbers."
His voice grew slightly more serious.
"The Realm Beasts we’ll be facing are far stronger than Deviant-ranked monsters."
That explanation was enough to silence her.
The newly formed group began traversing the vast green plains toward the distant Dark Forest.
Nearly ten Awakeners moving together was impossible to ignore.
The sheer size of the group attracted the attention of several Acid Frogs hiding beneath the tall grass, their bloated bodies sinking deeper into the earth before launching sudden ambushes.
Yet every single one of them was dispatched with frightening precision.
The new members of the expedition were monsters in their own right.
Each fought like a perfectly maintained machine, requiring little communication to understand one another’s intentions.
Kyle felt his heart tighten.
The gap between himself and these seasoned veterans was painfully obvious.
He envied them.
More importantly...
He studied them.
The entire team moved according to the commands of their leader—a tall man with a long scar that stretched from above one eye all the way down his neck.
Considering the severity of the injury, it was a miracle the man could still see.
Yet his experience and command over the battlefield were unparalleled.
Kyle, Reed, Rita, and Thors barely needed to lift a finger.
Every attack from the Acid Frogs was intercepted before it could even begin.
The monsters never came within striking distance.
’Can I achieve something like this with my Legion?’
For that reason, Kyle deliberately remained near the rear of the formation throughout the journey.
Almost all of his attention stayed fixed on the scarred leader.
His commands.
His judgment.
His experience.
He absorbed everything.
Then another test arrived.
A massive grey bear-like Deviant exploded out of a dense thicket, its enormous claws tearing through branches as it charged directly toward the leader.
Kyle watched intently.
The formation reacted instantly.
One warrior shoved the scarred man backward while simultaneously throwing himself toward the charging beast, sword flashing from its sheath.
At the very same moment, two others launched themselves into the air.
Before the monstrous bear could even reach its target, their blades carved through its thick neck in perfect synchronization.
Its severed head spun away.
The enormous body staggered several more steps before crashing into the earth with enough force to shake the surrounding trees.
Not a single unnecessary movement.
Not a single wasted second.
Everything had been calculated.
Reed smiled in admiration.
"Excellent work, Steronick."
Thors offered his own praise shortly afterward.
Even Rita gave the scarred veteran a respectful nod.
Kyle, however, was far too engrossed in studying the man’s leadership to realize everyone else had spoken.
By the time he noticed...
He found no reason to care.
’It’s their choice if they want to put their lives on the line for mine.’
Without another delay, the group resumed their march with Steronick and Reed leading from the front.
The rest of Steronick’s men, however, had their eyes locked onto Kyle.
There was no warmth in those gazes.
Only hostility.
Only contempt.
’I guess my free protection expires here.’
Kyle sighed for the first time since leaving the town.
His attention finally shifted away from Steronick and toward the gloomy forest surrounding them.
Towering grey trees stretched endlessly into the distance, their twisted branches blotting out much of the sunlight above. The deeper they ventured, the quieter the world became, until only the rustling of dead leaves beneath countless footsteps disturbed the suffocating silence.
He stared ahead for a while.
Then his gaze drifted toward the person walking beside him.
Rita.
Her expression remained as empty as ever, yet there was an undeniable beauty to her.
Sharp, crystal-blue eyes.
A delicate pointed nose.
Soft lips that remained perpetually unreadable beneath her calm demeanor.
For the briefest of moments, Kyle found himself staring.
He immediately shook his head.
’Focus.’
Turning away—
"What do you think?"
Kyle blinked before glancing back at Rita.
She hadn’t even looked at him.
Her empty gaze remained fixed on the forest ahead.
After letting out a quiet sigh, she repeated herself, this time with an unusual trace of unease hidden beneath her otherwise emotionless voice.
"What do you think?"
She paused briefly and then spoke.
"Do you think they’ll kill us?"