…

The night desert was covered with stars, and it was hard to believe that it used to be the sky above Seoul. Beneath lied the desert sand with ruins of buildings and remnants of a jungle sticking out from place to place.

Dohyuk rolled to the side, and the sand exploded. A thick worm shot out from where Dohyuk used to stand – it was those worms that could be repelled by the cubes the angels handed out. Unlike the other monsters, these moved at night. Dohyuk kicked the worm’s body. It was not just one strong strike, but a series of small strikes against a few critical points. Dohyuk had discovered their weak spots after fighting about 10 of them.

<<Killed Caravan-Eater>>

<<Acquired 107 coins>>

Dohyuk sighed and focused on the ground. The sand no longer shook, and Heeyun was fighting the last of them 10 steps away.

<<Ability>>

-Strength: 22(E)

-Stamina: 25(E)

-Agility: 35(E)

-Magic: 50(+2)(D)

-Endurance: 25(E)

-Charisma: 29(+2)(E)

<<Religion>>

None

<<Skill – Talent>>

-Skill: None

-Talent: Quick reflex(Lv.2)

Those were Heeyun’s stats that she revealed to Dohyuk. In addition, she had her experience and Nature.

[Imagination of a Witch]

-Allows user to change ‘mana’ into any shape or form with their imagination.

What appeared on her hand was a meter-long rod. With it, she penetrated the Caravan-Eater’s weakness and killed it.

“Ugh…”

Heeyun sighed and slumped down to the ground. Her weapon dispersed into dust and Dohyuk approached.

“I can… stand,” she stood up.

“Are you okay?”

“I told you… I was one of the best in fighting in the group.”

She didn’t lie. Her stats were low, but she knew how to fight. She was 18 years old. She had learned judo and volleyball as a student.

“I’m okay. We’re almost there.”

“Okay.”

Dohyuk then handed the water bag to her. She was a strong girl. She lost her father only about a few hours ago but she was willing to stand.

‘I don’t know her well yet.’

Dohyuk was sure that Heeyun had no guards against him at all. It didn’t seem she was like that because of her character.

“Do you need to give him water too?” Heeyun asked as she gave the water back to Dohyuk. She was talking about Namgun panting in the distance. Dohyuk made Namgun walk in front. After chatting with Dohyuk, Heeyun learned about what Dohyuk had experienced and his current situation.

-Whoa… that really is screwed up as f… I mean, really messed up.

She was quick to understand.

-Sorry for using bad words.

And that’s why she was being cautious toward Namgun, but she also seemed oddly cautious toward Dohyuk.

-I… uh, did sports so…

Anyway-

‘I should keep my distance for now.’

That’s what Dohyuk thought. He didn’t think Heeyun was bad, but-

Dohyuk thought, ‘I am a different person than the one she knows.’

He decided to push for trust and relationship in his current state. Dohyuk approached Namgun.

“Mouth,” Dohyuk ordered as he flashed the water bag. Namgun opened his mouth and looked up. Dohyuk then poured a sip of water into his mouth and took it back.

“Ugh…”

Namgun seemed to not happy for that but he did not object.

“I’m not saying I won’t give it to you.”

Dohyuk then pointed forward. They were at their destination, or the place where Dohyuk and Heeyun found in a scout to find food. There were rocks in the middle of the desert. It was the entrance to the underground bazaar.

“Go in.”

“Alone?”

Dohyuk nodded. And then he turned to Heeyun.

“I smell something.”

“…!”

There was the faint smell of something burning. There was nothing around in the desert so it was probably coming from underground. It was possible that someone was using it for a hideout.

“Your Nature, it makes you become transparent, right?”

“Oh…”

Namgun then realized what his mission was. Dohyuk took out the shell from his pocket.

“Just go in and check what’s inside and let me know.”

“T-then…”

“I’ll give you water.”

Dohyuk spoke as he handed over the shell. Namgun then looked at Dohyuk.

“I… I don’t need anything from you.”

“What?”

Namgun spoke with a serious voice.

“Just… trust me more.”

“…”

“…”

Heeyun also frowned at the word. Dohyuk tried to say something, but Namhyuk gasped and-

“N-no, I have gone too far. I’ll be quick!”

And then he began running toward the entrance.

“…Did he really survive longer than me?”

“Yeah.”

“I… feel like I lost.”

As Namgun neared the entrance, Dohyuk signaled for Heeyun to wait in the back.

“I’ll follow him up to the entrance.”

“…!”

Heeyun then realized Dohyuk was ready to fight whoever was inside.

“…I’ll go with you.”

“I don’t know what might happen.”

Dohyuk did not want to make it long.

“We’ll see once it does happen,” Heeyun replied.

“It’s better than letting me wait here and you don’t come out of that place.”

“But your life…”

“Yeah, my father gave it to me to live. But I must try hard. Hiding behind… If I survive by doing that…”

Heeyun became hesitant and continued, “I would’ve done it behind my father’s back.”

“…”

“Let’s go.”

Heeyun stepped forward and Dohyuk followed. And as they walked along, Heeyun spoke.

“Remember you said that all the people you met were psychos?”

Of course, that was excluding Jimin, Heeyun, and her father.

“I think there will be a lot of people who can help you if we reach the city. Maybe at least a few if not.”

“Why?”

“Because… you’re a good man?” Heeyun laughed quietly, “I’m just joking. You were the Great Emperor back then, right? Then I assume there were people who followed you until the end.”

“…”

“That’s probably why you were able to kill that… god. If everyone around you thought of backstabbing you like a b*tc… like bad people, you would not have succeeded.”

That was what Dohyuk had been thinking, but he just didn’t have the luxury to wish for that until now. Anyway, Jimin saved his life on the first day. Even in this world, there had to be people who were close to Dohyuk.

“And you really are a good man. And strong. And…”

Dohyuk raised his hand to interrupt Heeyun.

“…”

Heeyun also witnessed it. At the entrance, pretty close to where they were, was a man’s head and arm. It wasn’t Namgun’s.

“God…”

As they walked closer and looked down the stairs, there were more bodies. It seemed the bazaar had ‘groups’ already.

“He… is quite brave,” Heeyun mumbled. It was apparent that Namgun did not do this. It was the result of a group war between the one who was here first and the one that came later.

Dohyuk took a step onto the stairs. There was unknown danger at the bottom, but he decided to trust Namgun’s character. He was coward, but he would not have run away. There was nowhere to go.

The two walked down the stairs carefully. Other than the corpses on the stairs, no one was in the corridors. There was a faint light from within. Before they turned the corner, Heeyun whispered, “There’s a central plaza if we turn the corner here.”

The shell vibrated. Dohyuk grasped it to lower its vibration sound and glanced around. He prepared himself to fight back, but-

“I heard already. I have heightened senses you know.”

A young voice came from around the corner. Before Dohyuk could react, the voice continued speaking, “Don’t worry. We won’t hurt you.”

“…?”

“It’s okay. Come on, Dohyuk. It’s not like you.”

Heeyun gasped. Dohyuk did not think for too long. He turned to Heeyun to signal for her to go back up, and Dohyuk walked out.

“…!”

There were twenty… maybe thirty people, all dead. Their necks were twisted and their arms and legs were ripped off. And at the center of such a massacre was a young boy.

“Welcome,” he said. He had the shell in one hand, and in his other hand was Namgun who he was holding by the neck.

“It’s really… really good to see you again. Three days of traveling from Incheon paid off.”

“…”

The boy really seemed to be happy. He was probably similar in age to Heeyun. He was handsome, and he was wearing a bloodstained shirt and jeans.

“Do you… know me?”

“Wow… wait a minute.”

He seemed to be shocked.

“I mean I heard… but… It’s really shocking to see. You really forget about me?”

“I don’t have any memory.”

Dohyuk looked at Namgun. He was almost being choked to death.

“Oh, this fool? It’s your ‘bait’ right?”

“Why don’t you let him go.”

“This fool is trash. I was waiting to see when he would leave, but he just kept on watching. I was going to beat him up then… wow. He had your smell.”

“…What?”

“I told you, I have heightened senses. I caught your scent since you started coming down. I didn’t really try to find you. I just…”

He then let go of Namgun and reached for his pocket.

“Came to find this! I remembered you told me about it.”

It was a ring, shining in faint green.

“It’s the one you gave me before. You said, ‘You probably can use it well.’ I can’t let other fools have this. That’s why I came to get the ring, but these fools didn’t understand. Weaklings.”

“…”

Dohyuk couldn’t understand. He did understand what the boy said, but he couldn’t understand where he was going with all this talk. That’s when he threw the ring at Dohyuk.

“…!”

Dohyuk grabbed it.

“You keep it for now.”

“What…”

“I don’t need it. It’s more helpful for you now. Just remember to give it back to me later, okay?”

Then he sniffed and spoke.

“You don’t hang around with good ones. This trash and… Well, I bet you are not in place to choose to do so yet since you don’t know anything.”

“Who… are you?” Dohyuk asked. He then turned with a bright smile and exclaimed, “Me? I’m your best and closest friend!”