MEMELAND

Kai stared at Munnu.

Then at Persia.

"...Can I decline?"

The cheering stopped.

Munnu smiled.

"Of course."

Kai let out a sigh of relief.

"Oh, that's grea—"

"You'll just have to find Oheyo yourself."

Kai's smile disappeared.

"..."

"...Right."

Persia adjusted his glasses.

"I still think we should shoot him."

One of the outlaws raised a hand.

"I vote we bury him up to his neck."

Another nodded enthusiastically.

"Then wait for the sand worms."

Kai blinked.

"...The WHAT?"

The camp suddenly became quiet.

One outlaw scratched the back of his head.

"...You don't have sand worms where you're from?"

Kai slowly shook his head.

"...No."

"Oh."

The outlaw looked genuinely disappointed.

"They're pretty big."

Kai decided he didn't want to know.

Munnu clapped once.

"Enough."

Everyone immediately straightened.

Kai noticed something.

Despite how chaotic they acted...

Whenever Munnu spoke—

They listened.

Not out of fear.

Out of respect.

Munnu looked back at Kai.

"You said you're looking for answers."

Kai nodded.

"I am."

"Oheyo."

Another nod.

"My memories might be connected to it."

Munnu became thoughtful.

After several seconds—

He sighed.

"...Fine."

Persia looked at him.

"...Boss."

"I know."

"This is stupid."

"I know."

"He's suspicious."

"I know."

"He could be working with someone."

"I know."

"He could stab us in our sleep."

"I know."

Persia rubbed his forehead.

"Then why?"

Munnu looked toward Kai.

"...Because."

"He hasn't lied yet."

Persia frowned.

"You can't know that."

"I can."

"How?"

Munnu shrugged.

"I've been alive long enough."

Persia looked utterly unconvinced.

Kai wasn't sure whether he should feel complimented.

Or worried.

Munnu suddenly crouched in front of Kai.

"There is one condition."

Kai braced himself.

"...What?"

"If you betray us."

"I'll kill you."

The words were calm.

Matter-of-fact.

Not threatening.

Simply factual.

Kai met his gaze.

"...Fair."

Persia immediately spoke.

"That's not enough."

Everyone turned toward him.

Persia slowly removed the massive radio from his back.

Setting it carefully onto the sand.

Several outlaws instinctively stepped backward.

Kai noticed.

"...Should I also step back?"

"Yes."

Everyone answered simultaneously.

Kai quickly shuffled backward.

Persia opened one of the radio's compartments.

Instead of gears—

It contained wires.

Powder.

Metal tubes.

Tiny magical crystals.

Kai blinked.

"...That's a radio?"

"It is."

"...It also looks like a bomb."

"It is."

"..."

Kai decided not to ask further questions.

Persia calmly assembled several components together.

Click.

Click.

Click.

Munnu watched without interrupting.

Eventually—

Persia lifted something resembling a thick leather vest.

Except...

It was lined with cylindrical charges.

Tiny glowing runes covered each one.

Kai stared.

"..."

"...That's definitely a bomb."

Persia nodded.

"It is."

Kai slowly looked toward Munnu.

"...Please tell me this isn't what I think it is."

Munnu smiled.

"It is."

Persia walked toward Kai.

Holding the vest.

Kai instinctively backed away.

Until he remembered his hands were still partially tied.

"...Let's discuss this."

"No."

"I have several excellent arguments."

"No."

"I promise I'm a trustworthy person."

"No."

"I once returned extra change to a merchant."

Persia stopped.

"...Really?"

Kai nodded confidently.

"...No."

Persia continued walking.

"I knew it."

Several minutes later—

Click.

Click.

Click.

The final buckle locked into place.

Kai looked down.

He was now wearing enough explosives to remove himself from history.

"..."

"...How powerful is this?"

Persia answered immediately.

"If detonated correctly."

"There will be very little left of you."

Kai swallowed.

"...Very little?"

Persia thought for a moment.

"...Your boots might survive."

Kai looked at his boots.

"They're not even desert boots."

Persia nodded.

"Exactly."

Kai sighed.

"...I'm going to die."

Munnu laughed.

"Only if you betray us."

Kai wasn't reassured.

Not even slightly.

Munnu stood.

Then addressed the entire camp.

"We leave in ten minutes."

The camp exploded into activity.

People packed supplies.

Filled water skins.

Loaded weapons.

Adjusted strange hovering boards.

Kai watched everything with fascination.

One outlaw noticed.

"First time seeing hoverboards?"

Kai nodded.

"They're incredible."

The outlaw grinned proudly.

"They're hovercrafts."

Kai blinked.

"...Hovercrafts?"

"They float using old Oheyo parts."

Kai immediately became interested.

"Oheyo?"

The outlaw nodded.

"We salvage lots of things."

"Most don't work."

"But Boss somehow makes them work."

Kai looked toward Munnu.

Who was currently tightening a bolt on one of the floating machines.

"...He built these?"

The outlaw laughed.

"Built?"

"No."

"He stitched together broken junk."

"Somehow it flies."

Kai watched Munnu smack one side with a wrench.

The hovercraft immediately hummed to life.

"...That's..."

"...Actually impressive."

The outlaw proudly nodded.

"Boss can fix almost anything."

Another voice interrupted.

"And I make them explode."

Persia had appeared beside them.

Silently.

Kai nearly jumped.

"...Do you always do that?"

Persia ignored the question.

Instead, he tapped the explosive vest.

"Don't forget."

Kai forced a smile.

"As if I could."

Persia finally looked toward him.

For the first time—

A tiny smile appeared.

Barely noticeable.

"If you survive today..."

"I might start believing your story."

Kai blinked.

"...Today?"

Munnu suddenly climbed onto a dune.

He raised one hand.

The entire camp became silent.

"We're heading east."

He pointed toward a faint collection of buildings on the horizon.

"A trading hub."

Kai looked into the distance.

Small.

Not quite a village.

Not quite a town.

Smoke rose lazily into the sky.

People moved between market stalls.

Merchants.

Travelers.

Caravans.

It looked... normal.

Munnu smiled.

Then looked directly at Kai.

"Perfect."

Kai felt a chill run down his spine.

"...Perfect?"

Munnu pointed toward the distant trading hub.

"I've got your initiation ready."

Kai wasn't sure he liked the sound of that.

Not one bit.