Chapter 75: Final Day’s March
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The night wore on peacefully, with no beasts attacking or storms rolling in. A few times, Kai or Vexor snapped upright, expecting a predator or beast’s roar, but no threat materialized. Perhaps fate had granted them a momentary peace.
Perhaps the savage trials in the deep wilderness were behind them. With that thought, their hearts felt a small spark of relief. This was not safety, but it was better than the endless terror of the previous days.
Kai found himself gazing at the star-filled sky, mind drifting to the star crystal liquid safely in his expanded Soul-Bonded Storage. Part of him longed to study it, to see if it could help him rank up or heal his friends.
But the system’s warnings had been clear: it was a special resource, not for casual use. He needed knowledge, or a safe place to experiment, and that might only come once they returned to the kingdom. "One day... I’ll see if these secrets can help me surpass all obstacles," he thought firmly.
As the moon climbed high, they decided to rest at last. They unrolled skin blankets, placing them around Renna. Vexor dozed off first, lulled by exhaustion of the journey. Kai forced his eyes to stay open a bit longer, scanning the darkness with his predator instinct for hidden foes.
Memories of monstrous beasts lingered in the corners of his mind. But nothing stirred. Satisfied they were momentarily safe, he let his tense muscles relax, sinking into a half-sleep with the quiet crackle of the fire as his lullaby.
Next morning, the sky glowed a gentle gold, ushering in what they hoped would be their final day of travel. Kai sat up, brushing dew from his exoskeleton. Vexor woke from a restless sleep, wincing as he checked his bandages.
Renna, still locked in unconsciousness, breathed shallowly. Though no miraculous recovery had transpired overnight, he appeared stable. They forced themselves to eat a handful of edible root scraps from nearby. The taste was bitter, but it was a necessary fuel for the final journey.
Then, with quiet resolve, they set out once again, heading south or east, Kai couldn’t be fully sure, but the rolling fields ahead were definitely the route that would lead them back to the Ant Kingdom’s gates.
The day proved mercifully peaceful. The meadows were wide and grassy, dotted with a few clusters of trees. A soft wind rustled, carrying the smell of distant blossoms.
They trudged across gentle slopes, the sun shining warmly overhead, as though the world had decided to grant them a reprieve after all the brutality they had endured. No monstrous roars, no hidden ambushes. Just the rhythmic crunch of grass and dirt underfoot.