MEMELAND

The smoke remained visible for miles.

A black pillar pierced the clear desert sky.

Kai couldn't stop looking at it.

Even as the Outlaws packed their equipment.

Even as they laughed.

Even as they prepared to move.

His eyes stayed fixed on the burning trading hub.

"..."

"I killed them..."

The words escaped almost silently.

Munnu heard them.

"So?"

Kai slowly turned.

"...So?"

"There were people."

"There were."

"They died."

"They did."

Kai stared at him.

"Doesn't that bother you?"

Munnu looked back toward the smoke.

"For the first few times."

Kai frowned.

"...The first few?"

Munnu chuckled.

"You'll understand."

Kai immediately shook his head.

"No."

"I don't want to."

"Good."

Munnu replied.

"You still have a conscience."

He began walking toward one of the hovercrafts.

"Try not to lose it too quickly."

Kai didn't know how to respond.

Persia passed beside him.

"...You planted it."

Kai remained silent.

"You could've warned them."

Silence.

"You didn't."

Persia adjusted the straps holding the massive device on his back.

"So don't pretend you aren't responsible."

Then he walked away.

Kai clenched his fists.

He hated hearing it.

Because Persia was right.

He had dozens of chances.

He took none of them.

"..."

"...Damn it."

A whistle echoed across the dunes.

Munnu raised one arm.

"Move!"

Instantly—

The camp burst into motion.

Hovercrafts glided across the sand.

Supplies were secured.

Weapons checked.

Within minutes—

The Outlaws descended toward the ruined settlement.

Kai frowned.

"...We're going there?"

Munnu looked back.

"Of course."

"But..."

"There could still be guards."

"There are."

"...People?"

"There are."

Kai became even more confused.

"Then why?"

Munnu smiled.

"Because the explosion already happened."

"...Now comes the easy part."

Kai didn't like where this was going.

Not one bit.

The hovercrafts swept into the outskirts of the shattered trading hub.

The devastation was worse up close.

Half the buildings had collapsed.

Several were still burning.

People stumbled through the streets carrying the injured.

Someone shouted for water.

Another screamed for a healer.

Kai felt sick.

The Outlaws scattered.

Not wildly.

Methodically.

One group emptied warehouses.

Another collected crates.

Another rounded up abandoned wagons.

Nobody killed anyone.

They simply took everything that could still be used.

A merchant desperately grabbed onto a crate.

"Please!"

"My family—"

An outlaw simply pried his fingers loose.

"Sorry."

He lifted the crate and walked away.

Another found several barrels of dried food.

Someone else discovered medicine.

Everything vanished into waiting wagons.

Kai stood motionless.

Unable to move.

Munnu approached.

"What are you doing?"

Kai looked around.

"...They're suffering."

"They are."

"And we're stealing from them."

"We are."

Kai looked directly at Munnu.

"Why?"

Munnu answered without hesitation.

"Because someone else will."

Kai blinked.

"What?"

Munnu pointed toward the horizon.

"You think we're the only scavengers?"

Kai followed his finger.

Far away—

Other groups.

Smaller.

Moving toward the smoke.

Looters.

Bandits.

Mercenaries.

People drawn by disaster.

Munnu shrugged.

"If not us."

"Them."

Kai remained silent.

The logic didn't make him feel any better.

A little girl suddenly ran toward one of the wagons.

"My food!"

She reached for a sack of grain.

An outlaw gently pushed her back.

Not violently.

Just enough.

The girl fell onto the sand.

Crying.

Kai immediately rushed over.

He helped her up.

"...Are you okay?"

She nodded while wiping her eyes.

"My mama..."

She pointed toward a collapsed building.

Kai looked.

Several people were desperately trying to move the debris.

Without thinking—

He ran over.

One enormous wooden beam blocked the entrance.

Kai grabbed it.

Lifted.

Nothing.

He gritted his teeth.

Again.

The beam shifted slightly.

Several nearby townspeople immediately joined him.

Together—

They pushed.

The beam rolled aside.

A woman was pulled free.

Alive.

Barely.

The little girl hugged her tightly.

"Mama!"

Kai stepped back.

Relieved.

The woman looked toward him.

"...Thank you."

Kai couldn't meet her eyes.

Because he knew.

If he hadn't planted the bomb—

She never would've needed saving.

He quietly walked away.

Munnu watched everything.

He said nothing.

Persia eventually approached.

"...Interesting."

Kai frowned.

"What?"

"You helped."

"...Obviously."

Persia adjusted his glasses.

"Most new recruits don't."

Kai didn't answer.

The Outlaws finished loading the final wagon.

One of them shouted,

"Boss!"

"We're done!"

Munnu nodded.

Then looked around the ruined settlement.

"...Time to leave."

The caravan slowly turned away.

As they departed—

Kai looked back one last time.

Smoke.

Fire.

Broken homes.

People searching through rubble.

The little girl helping her mother walk.

The image burned itself into his mind.

He silently made himself a promise.

Never again.

No matter what answers waited inside Oheyo.

No matter what memories he recovered.

No matter who he used to be.

He would never let himself become someone capable of accepting this.

As if sensing his thoughts—

A voice spoke beside him.

"You'll get used to it."

Kai turned.

Munnu.

Still wearing that relaxed smile.

Kai looked him straight in the eyes.

"...No."

Munnu raised an eyebrow.

"I won't."

For a brief moment—

Neither of them spoke.

Then...

To Kai's surprise—

Munnu laughed.

A genuine laugh.

"Good."

Kai blinked.

"...Good?"

Munnu climbed onto his hovercraft.

"If you'd answered yes..."

"...I would've left you here."

Kai stared at him.

Completely confused.

Munnu started the engine.

The craft hummed softly.

Then he looked back over his shoulder.

"C'mon."

"We've got ruins to visit."

Kai's heart skipped a beat.

"Oheyo..."

Munnu nodded.

"Oheyo."

The convoy turned westward.

Toward a place where an empire had once stood.

Toward answers buried beneath sand.

Toward memories that perhaps...

Were never meant to be remembered.