Keran unfolded the wanderer’s map.
Its crude lines looked like a child’s scribbles, and many of the terrain markers were vague and unclear.
But it was enough to show him the general direction.
According to the map, three more days south would take him out of the Black Forest and to the abandoned Federation interstate highway.
From there, he could flag down a passing caravan and hitch a ride to the nearest border city-state.
By midday, Keran found a sheltered boulder and sat down to eat and replenish his stamina.
He reached for the hide bundle beside him and noticed several fresh tears in the leather, torn by thorns and branches.
He spread the bundle open to repack the guns into his backpack.
His hand froze mid-movement.
Wait.
I’m missing one.
He counted again.
He wasn’t imagining it.
Keran’s face darkened instantly.
If one of the guns had been left behind at the settlement, it would be a disaster.
He forgot all about eating.
He packed his things quickly and started marching back the way he came.
…
Two black armored trucks rumbled into the wanderer settlement.
Zevran stood beside the lead vehicle, his face expressionless.
Behind him, his squad of Operatives held their guns on all the settlers, forcing them to kneel in the square with their hands on their heads.
Everyone recognized the Undercurrent insignia.
Panic spread through the crowd.
“Have any of you seen this man?”
Zevran tapped his wrist terminal.
A sharp holographic projection hung in the air, showing Keran’s face.
“No.”
A chorus of denials rose up.
Everyone knew Undercurrent’s unwritten rule.
They wouldn’t harm wanderers who kept their mouths shut.
There was no point making enemies over nothing.
Zevran’s gaze swept slowly over the crowd.
He didn’t yell or rage like a common officer.
He just watched, studying every face.
Suddenly, his eyes locked on Finn at the back of the crowd.
The boy was deathly pale, shaking like a leaf, his eyes darting everywhere but at Zevran.
“Bring the boy over here,” Zevran said, pointing at Finn.
Two Operatives stepped forward and dragged Finn out of the crowd like he was a stray chick.
“Do you recognize the man in the projection?” Zevran asked, his voice still light, like they were just chatting.
“N-no. I don’t know him,” Finn stammered.
Zevran’s eyes dropped to the bulging shape at Finn’s waist.
He didn’t ask any more questions.
He just nodded at the man behind him.
“Search him.”
Finn was thrown to the ground.
A black pistol was pulled from his shirt.
Zevran picked up the gun and checked the serial number.
“This is our standard issue equipment. That confirms the target was here.”
He looked back up at the crowd, his gaze moving slowly from face to face.
“I understand wanderers value their neutrality,” he said loudly, his voice almost gentle.
“But hiding information will not help you. I only want an accurate direction. I have no interest in harming anyone else.”
The settlers exchanged glances.
They all turned as one to look at Brasko, the first man who had spoken to Keran.
Brasko paled under the sudden attention.
“Don’t look at me! I just sold him some supplies! Garron was the one who hosted him! He’s the only one who knows where he went!”
The people around Garron scattered like he had the plague.
Garron was silent for a moment, then stood up slowly.
“I don’t know where he went.”
“Don’t lie!” Brasko snapped, desperate to save himself.
“You stuck up for him! You let him sleep in your tent! You know exactly where he went!”
Zevran’s eyes settled on Garron.
He didn’t get angry.
He just waited calmly.
“I only need a direction,” he said.
“Tell me, and this ends today.”
The settlers whispered nervously, urging him on.
“Just tell him!”
“Are you gonna get us all killed for some stranger?”
Garron cursed Brasko a thousand times in his head.
He took a deep breath and pointed.
“He went that way.”
Zevran nodded.
His expression didn’t change, like he’d just received a routine report.
“Thank you for your cooperation.”
He turned to leave.
He took two steps, then stopped.
“According to protocol, anyone who harbors a target is considered an accomplice.”
Without warning, he raised his gun and fired.
Bang.
A neat red hole appeared in Garron’s forehead.
A look of shock froze on his face.
He swayed once and fell to the ground, blood spreading quickly beneath him.
The crowd erupted into terrified screams, but no one dared move.
Zevran stared blankly at the body.
Garron had been dead the second he admitted he’d seen Keran.
“Garron?” Lyra had sensed something was wrong.
She stood up, pale and shaking, and stumbled blindly toward the sound of her husband’s voice.
Zevran glanced at her.
He didn’t hesitate.
He raised his gun again and fired.
The back of her head exploded.
Blood and brain matter sprayed across the dirt.
Lyra fell halfway to her husband, just out of reach.
Finn completely broke down.
He collapsed to the ground, sobbing hysterically.
He was consumed by regret.
He never could have imagined that his stupid greed would get his uncle and aunt killed.
The settlers were too terrified to speak up.
They didn’t even dare breathe too loudly.
Zevran’s tactical terminal was connected to the Leader’s surveillance feed.
A calm voice came over the line.
“Status report.”
“We have confirmed the target’s escape direction. Two accomplices have been eliminated to prevent information leaks,” Zevran reported.
The Leader was silent for a moment.
“Good work.”
“One more thing,” Zevran paused.
“The rest of the settlement witnessed the execution.”
“Handle it as you see fit,” the Leader said.
“Leave no loose ends.”
“Understood.”
Zevran closed his terminal.
His expression didn’t change.
He made a simple hand gesture to his squad.
A continuous roar of gunfire erupted, sending hundreds of birds flying from the trees.
…
The sunset bled red across the sky.
Keran pushed himself as hard as he could, settling just before dark.
The acrid stench of blood hit him long before he saw the camp.
His heart instantly sank.
I’m too late.
The once noisy camp was completely silent.
It was a scene of total slaughter.
The ground was soaked through with blood, soft and sticky under his boots, leaving red prints with every step.
Keran saw Garron and Lyra’s bodies.
His pupils contracted to pinpricks.
A cold, icy fury rose from deep in his chest and consumed him completely.
It was the strongest emotion he had felt since being summoned to this world.
A figure stirred among the corpses.
Keran recognized Brasko, the merchant who had tried to rip him off.
Brasko was shaking like a leaf.
He had passed out from terror when the shooting started, and that had saved his life.
But his relief vanished the second he saw Keran standing there.
Keran crossed the distance in three steps and grabbed him by the collar.
“What happened here?”
“Undercurrent! It was Undercurrent! We didn’t tell them anything! They just killed everyone for no reason! They were all murdered! You have to avenge us! For Garron!” Brasko wailed, snot and tears streaming down his face, performing of a lifetime.
He dared not tell the truth.
He just wanted to send Keran after Undercurrent and get him as far away as possible.
Cough.
A weak cough came from nearby.
Keran walked over and found Finn.
He had been shot five or six times.
He was gasping for breath, and there was no saving him.
Keran saw the Undercurrent pistol lying beside Finn’s hand.
Everything clicked into place.
His face was unreadable.
“I told you those guns would get you killed. Why didn’t you listen?”
Finn clutched desperately at Keran’s pant leg, tears streaming down his face.
“I shouldn’t have been greedy. I’m so sorry. I was wrong.”
He trembled and pointed a shaking finger at Brasko.
“There’s nothing I can do for you. I’ll make it quick,” Keran said softly.
He snapped Finn’s neck.
“Don’t listen to him; he’s lying!” Brasko started to panic.
Keran stood up, drew his pistol, and put a bullet straight through Brasko’s skull.
Brasko fell to his knees, his eyes wide with shock, and died.
“Everyone else is dead. You might as well join them.”
Keran closed his eyes.
The raging fury inside him was locked down tight by cold, hard logic.
The angrier he got, the calmer he became.
Like locking a tiger inside a cage.
He walked over to Garron’s body and followed the direction his finger was pointing.
Deep tire tracks cut into the dirt, leading away from the camp.
It was exactly the opposite direction he’d gone.
Garron hadn’t betrayed him.
A sharp pain stabbed Keran’s chest.
Even at the very end, Garron had protected him, a stranger.
Was it worth it?
[You have triggered E-Rank Mission: Blood Debt]
[Mission Objective: Kill Zevran and his entire pursuit squad]
[Mission Reward: 20,000 experience points]
Keran walked over to Garron’s burned-out tent.
Half the structure had collapsed, but the wooden crate holding the mechanical arm was still intact in the corner.
He opened the crate and pulled out the broken power armor arm.
For a split second, he thought he saw a faint dark light flicker across its surface.
“You want to avenge your master too, don’t you?”
Keran’s expression was grim.
He laid out all his remaining power cells and spare wiring from his backpack.
He knelt and got to work.
He first removed the rusted bearings, rewired the burned-out conduits, and slotted the small power cell into the empty core drive socket.
This was the first time since he’d arrived in this world that he’d had the time and materials to properly repair a real piece of equipment.
The hydraulic lines hissed softly.
The long-dormant mechanical arm flickered to life, glowing with a faint blue run light.
Both Structural Analysis and Simple Armor Repair were maxed out at level ten.
Their names were plain, but they were his most useful skills by far, and their max rank effects were incredible.
Repairs and modifications like this were child’s play for Keran now.
Once the basic structure was complete, he removed the energy-firing module from the captured hybrid pistol and integrated it into the inner rail of the arm, along with the remaining power cells.
It was far more efficient than just attaching a gun, and it gave him much better firepower.
[Power Armor Arm (Energy Modified)]
[Quality: White]
[Base Stats: Strength +15, Carry Capacity +500kg, Armor Durability 80/80]
[Integrated Weapon: Integrated Energy Emitter. Attack 34~42. Rate of Fire 0.8 rounds/s. Energy Capacity 20. Power Output 30]
[Special Effect: Hydraulic Boost. Increases melee attack damage by 40%]
[Special Effect: Shield Deflection. Chance to reduce incoming damage by 30% when blocking]
He had no spare power cells left.
Twenty shots.
That was all he had.
There were four tire tracks in the dirt.
That meant two vehicles.
No more than twelve men total.
It would be enough.
Keran slipped the modified mechanical arm over his right arm and rolled his shoulder.
The heavy metal shell fit perfectly, moving without any resistance.
He slung the rest of his gear over his back and walked in the direction the Undercurrent squad had gone, disappearing into the trees.
He knew he couldn’t outrun trucks on foot.
He didn’t plan to.
Garron had sent them the wrong way.
Once they realized they were chasing nothing, there was an eighty percent chance they would come back this way.
All he had to do was set up an ambush on the only road back.
Honestly, if he turned around and kept running right now, they would never find him.
But a voice inside him told him that if he didn’t wash this rage away with their blood, he would regret it for the rest of his life.
He would have done it even without the mission.
“Undercurrent.”
He spat the name through gritted teeth, his voice thick with killing intent.
The forest was pitch black at night.
Distant wolf howls echoed through the trees.
Keran lay perfectly still in the underbrush, his eyes half closed.
The cold metal of the power armor arm covered his right arm, glinting faintly in the darkness.
He had held this position for three hours now, like a patient hunter, waiting for his prey to walk straight into his trap.
The distant roar of engines grew louder.
His eyes snapped open.
Four fast-moving headlights appeared at the far end of the road.
“They’re here,” he said, his voice calm but laced with a bone-chilling coldness.
He slipped on the thermal goggles he’d taken from the Black Hound Squad.
Two blobs of bright orange heat leaped into his vision.