MEMELAND

The trading hub slowly grew larger.

From atop the dunes—

Kai could finally make out individual people.

Merchants shouted over one another.

Children ran between the market stalls.

Travelers unloaded supplies from wagons.

Someone was arguing over the price of dried meat.

Another laughed while sharing tea with friends.

It looked...

Normal.

Peaceful.

Alive.

The Outlaws stopped behind a large sand dune overlooking the settlement.

Munnu crouched.

The others followed.

Kai copied them.

"...So..."

He looked toward Munnu.

"...What's the plan?"

Munnu smiled.

"Simple."

He reached into one of the supply bags.

Then tossed something toward Kai.

Kai barely caught it.

It was...

A cloth bundle.

About the size of a loaf of bread.

Wrapped tightly.

Bound by rope.

Magic circuits were faintly engraved beneath the fabric.

Kai frowned.

"...What's this?"

Persia answered.

"A bomb."

Kai immediately tried handing it back.

"No."

Persia didn't take it.

Munnu didn't either.

Kai looked between them.

"...No?"

"No."

Munnu nodded toward the town.

"Plant it."

Kai laughed.

"...Good one."

Nobody laughed back.

The smile slowly disappeared from Kai's face.

"...You're serious."

Munnu nodded.

"Very."

Kai looked down at the bundle.

Then back toward the town.

"..."

"...There are people there."

"There are."

"Families."

"There are."

"Kids."

"There are."

Kai immediately shoved the bomb back toward Munnu.

"I'm not doing it."

Silence.

The desert wind blew softly across the dunes.

Munnu didn't seem angry.

He simply looked at Kai.

"You wanted something."

Kai frowned.

"Oheyo."

"You wanted me to guide you."

"I do."

"You wanted answers."

"...Yes."

Munnu nodded once.

"So earn them."

Kai clenched the bundle.

"...By murdering innocent people?"

Munnu tilted his head.

"Innocent?"

He looked toward the settlement.

"They trade."

"They profit."

"They survive."

"They'll rebuild."

Kai stared at him.

"...People will die."

Munnu shrugged.

"They usually do."

Persia finally spoke.

"I told you."

"He wouldn't do it."

Munnu ignored him.

Instead—

He walked closer to Kai.

Then quietly said,

"You can refuse."

Kai looked up.

"Really?"

"Of course."

Kai exhaled.

Then Munnu continued.

"I simply won't take you to Oheyo."

The relief vanished instantly.

Kai looked toward the distant ruins hidden beyond the desert.

His memories.

The dreams.

The laboratory.

The strange orb.

Everything pointed there.

Everything.

He gritted his teeth.

"..."

Munnu waited.

No pressure.

No shouting.

No threats.

Just waiting.

Somehow...

That made it harder.

Kai looked back toward the village.

People continued living their lives.

Completely unaware.

"..."

"...Damn it."

He slowly accepted the bundle.

Persia frowned.

Munnu simply smiled.

"Good."

One outlaw tossed Kai several pieces of clothing.

"You're still dressed like an idiot."

Kai barely caught them.

A long beige robe.

A cloth face covering.

Protective gloves.

A pair of sand goggles.

"...These are for me?"

"Unless you enjoy heatstroke."

Several outlaws chuckled.

Kai awkwardly changed behind a wagon.

When he returned—

One outlaw nodded approvingly.

"Better."

Another adjusted Kai's head wrap.

"There."

"Now you look like everyone else."

Kai looked down.

He barely recognized himself.

If Andre saw him now...

He'd probably laugh for a week.

Munnu handed him a small satchel.

"Hide it inside."

Kai placed the bomb within.

From the outside—

It looked completely ordinary.

Munnu pointed toward the marketplace.

"Trading center."

"Leave it there."

"Walk away."

Kai swallowed.

"...And then?"

Munnu smiled.

"Come back."

"...That's it?"

"That's it."

Kai stared at him.

"You swear?"

"I do."

Kai took one long breath.

Then began walking.

Every step felt heavier than the last.

The guards barely glanced at him.

Why would they?

Travelers came through every day.

Merchants passed him.

Someone apologized after accidentally bumping into his shoulder.

An old woman smiled at him.

"Hot day, isn't it?"

Kai forced himself to nod.

"...Yeah."

She laughed.

"It'll cool down by evening."

She continued walking.

Kai stood there.

Frozen.

His hands tightened around the satchel.

"..."

He kept walking.

The marketplace bustled with life.

Children chased each other between the stalls.

A blacksmith argued with a customer.

Someone nearby played music.

The laughter...

Made everything worse.

He reached the central storage building.

Exactly where Munnu had described.

He slowly knelt.

Pretending to fix his sandal.

His shaking hands placed the satchel beneath a wooden crate.

Hidden.

Invisible.

Nobody noticed.

Kai stood.

Turned.

Walked away.

Every instinct screamed at him.

Go back.

Warn them.

Throw it away.

Do something.

Instead—

He kept walking.

One step.

Two.

Three.

The old woman passed him again.

"Oh?"

"Leaving already?"

Kai stopped.

"..."

His throat tightened.

"...Yeah."

"Safe travels."

She smiled.

Kai couldn't even answer.

He simply walked.

Faster.

Then faster.

Until he reached the dunes again.

Munnu watched him return.

"...Done?"

Kai nodded.

"...Done."

Munnu looked toward Persia.

Persia sighed dramatically.

"You always give me the boring part."

He slowly removed the massive radio from his back.

Extended its antenna.

Turned several dials.

Kai frowned.

"...What's the radio for?"

Persia glanced sideways.

"It's not a radio."

"...Then why does everyone call it one?"

"Because it's easier."

He pressed a glowing crystal.

Static echoed briefly.

Then—

A loud click.

Kai's eyes widened.

"..."

"...No."

Munnu calmly adjusted his sunglasses.

"Fire it up."

Persia pressed another switch.

Silence.

For exactly three seconds.

Then—

The desert shook.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!

A deafening roar swallowed the horizon.

A massive pillar of fire erupted from the center of the trading hub.

The shockwave reached them seconds later.

Windows shattered.

Buildings collapsed.

Smoke billowed into the sky.

People screamed.

The mushroom-shaped cloud continued rising.

Kai stood frozen.

His ears rang.

His legs refused to move.

"..."

"..."

"...What..."

His voice barely escaped.

"No..."

He stared at the burning settlement.

People.

Families.

Children.

Everything...

Gone.

Munnu slowly adjusted his sunglasses with two fingers.

Looking almost absurdly cool against the burning skyline.

"...Nice."

Several outlaws erupted into cheers.

Kai didn't hear them.

His eyes remained fixed on the smoke.

His stomach twisted.

His breathing became uneven.

"..."

"...I..."

"...I did that."

Nobody answered him.

Because nobody needed to.

He already knew.

Munnu looked toward Kai.

His grin returned.

"Congratulations."

Kai slowly turned.

Expression empty.

"You've just become..."

"...an Outlaw."

The cheering grew louder.

Kai couldn't join them.

All he could hear—

Were the screams carried by the desert wind.