Chapter 107: The Sea of Sand
The desert never stayed the same.
One moment—
Rolling dunes stretched endlessly.
The next—
Jagged rock formations emerged like islands in an ocean of sand.
Then another few hours—
Nothing.
Just sand.
Sand in front.
Sand behind.
Sand above whenever the wind decided to remind everyone who ruled this place.
Kai pulled the cloth over his face tighter.
"...How do you people breathe out here?"
One outlaw laughed.
"We don't."
Another answered,
"We just suffer together."
Several others nodded in agreement.
Kai wasn't sure whether they were joking.
Probably not.
The hovercrafts skimmed over the dunes effortlessly.
Each floated about a foot above the sand.
No wheels.
No tracks.
Just a faint humming beneath the wooden platforms.
Kai sat behind one of the drivers.
Every now and then he'd glance underneath.
Still couldn't understand how they worked.
Eventually—
He moved beside Persia.
"...Can I ask something?"
Persia didn't look away from the horizon.
"You already are."
"...How do these hovercrafts work?"
Persia adjusted his glasses.
"Oheyo."
Kai waited.
"...That's it?"
"That's the answer."
Kai frowned.
"No, seriously."
Persia sighed.
"They use something called Levitation Plates."
"Nobody knows who invented them."
"Most don't work anymore."
"Boss somehow makes them work."
Kai looked toward Munnu riding ahead.
"...Reverse engineering?"
Persia nodded.
"Mostly guessing."
Kai blinked.
"...That's terrifying."
"It is."
Near sunset—
The convoy stopped beside a cluster of enormous stone pillars.
Natural formations.
Tall enough to block the worst of the wind.
Camp was established surprisingly quickly.
Small tents.
Cooking fires.
Water containers.
Everything had its place.
Nobody needed instructions.
Everyone simply...
Knew what to do.
Kai noticed something.
Despite calling themselves outlaws—
The camp was remarkably organized.
More organized than some military camps he'd seen in Asphyxia.
Munnu noticed him looking.
"We'd be dead otherwise."
Kai nodded.
"...Makes sense."
Dinner consisted of dried meat.
Flatbread.
Something resembling cactus soup.
Kai hesitated.
"...Is this edible?"
One outlaw looked offended.
"It won second place."
Kai blinked.
"...Second place in what?"
The outlaw proudly smiled.
"Best soup this week."
"...How many entries?"
"...Two."
Kai quietly accepted the bowl.
It actually wasn't bad.
Night settled over the desert.
Without clouds—
The stars became overwhelming.
Thousands.
Maybe millions.
Kai had never seen so many.
"..."
"...Beautiful."
Munnu sat beside him.
"It is."
They watched the sky in silence.
Then Kai finally asked.
"...How far?"
"Oheyo?"
Kai nodded.
Munnu pointed toward the eastern horizon.
"Tomorrow."
Kai's heartbeat quickened.
"So close..."
Munnu remained quiet for several moments.
Then—
"You won't like it."
Kai looked at him.
"What do you mean?"
Munnu's usual smile faded.
"The stories don't do it justice."
Kai frowned.
"You've been there before?"
"A few times."
"...Why?"
"Salvaging."
"What did you find?"
Munnu chuckled.
"Mostly junk."
"But sometimes..."
He looked toward the stars.
"...Sometimes you find things."
"What kind of things?"
Munnu shrugged.
"Machines that still move."
"Doors that still open."
"Lights that still glow."
Kai immediately remembered the laboratory.
"...Even after all this time..."
"Especially after all this time."
The answer lingered.
Across the camp—
Several outlaws had started telling stories.
"...Then the giant sand lizard swallowed the entire cart!"
"No way."
"I'm telling you!"
"It even burped afterward."
Laughter echoed between the rocks.
Kai smiled despite himself.
For people who robbed settlements...
They laughed surprisingly easily.
Persia quietly sat alone.
As always.
Working on his enormous backpack.
Replacing wires.
Cleaning crystals.
Adjusting magical circuits.
Kai eventually walked over.
"...Need help?"
Persia didn't even look up.
"No."
"...Can I watch?"
"...Fine."
Kai sat nearby.
For several minutes—
Only silence.
Eventually Kai spoke.
"...Why stay with Munnu?"
Persia paused.
Then resumed working.
"...Because somebody has to stop him from doing things even dumber than usual."
Kai laughed.
"I thought you hated him."
"I do."
"...Then why?"
Persia finally stopped working.
"He saved my life."
Silence.
"I still think he's an idiot."
Another pause.
"But he's my idiot."
Kai couldn't help smiling.
"...That's oddly wholesome."
Persia immediately frowned.
"Don't tell him I said that."
"I won't."
"...I'm serious."
"I know."
Later that night—
Kai lay inside his tent.
Unable to sleep.
He closed his eyes.
Nothing.
No dreams.
No memories.
Just silence.
He slowly opened them again.
"..."
"...Tomorrow."
His hand unconsciously rested over his chest.
The same place where the strange figure inside the slime's memories had touched him.
He could still faintly feel it.
Not pain.
Not warmth.
Just...
Something.
Outside—
The desert wind continued to whisper across the dunes.
And somewhere beyond that endless sea of sand—
The ruins of Oheyo waited.
As if they had been waiting...
For Kai alone.