Exiting the forest, Ruya walked alongside Kajin, the squirrel perched on his shoulder. Looking around the open valleys and fields, Ruya asked, "How come we haven't crossed paths with any of the Royal Patrol?"

Without turning, Kajin replied, "I’m not exactly sure, but it’s possible they avoid this region because it’s home to magical monsters."

Ruya nodded, scanning the area, but the thought lingered in his mind, leading to another question: *If the Royal Patrol avoids this region because of the monsters, then where are the monsters?*

As Kajin continued walking, Ruya suddenly stopped, his expression turning serious. Kajin halted and turned to him. "What’s the matter?" he asked.

Ruya crouched, placing a hand on the ground. "I think something’s moving... something big," he said.

Hearing this, Kajin’s eyes darted around, scanning for danger. Suddenly, the ground beneath them began to crack.

Sensing the imminent threat, they leapt into the air just as the earth erupted with a massive explosion. As the dust settled, a colossal worm emerged, its circular mouth lined with rows of sharp teeth, and its many eyes shifting in different directions.

Facing the massive creature, Kajin and Ruya assumed their fighting stances. The squirrel quickly hid inside Ruya's shirt, peeking out cautiously.

"Hmph. A tunnel worm? Could our luck get any worse?" Kajin muttered in frustration as white flames ignited around his arms. He glanced back at Ruya. "I’ll distract it. Look for any openings and shoot!"

Without hesitation, Kajin charged at the worm and delivered a fiery punch, resulting in an explosion. However, as the dust cleared, the worm remained unharmed.

"Well, that’s going to be tough to crack," Ruya remarked, loosing arrows at the worm, though they bounced harmlessly off its thick skin.

"Yeah..." Kajin agreed as the worm lunged at him, its gaping mouth aiming to swallow him whole. He dodged nimbly, causing the worm to slam into the ground. Yet it relentlessly pursued him. Kajin launched fireballs, while Ruya continued his barrage of arrows.

"This isn’t looking good. This thing is ridiculously durable," Kajin muttered, frustration growing.

Ruya focused intently on the worm, carefully observing its movements. Then he spotted something, a small scratch on its tough hide.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

"There!" Ruya exclaimed. He drew a magic fire arrow and nocked it, pulling back the bowstring with precision. After a brief pause to aim, he released the arrow, which streaked through the air with a fiery trail. The arrow struck true, burying itself into the worm’s wound.

The creature let out a deafening screech of pain. Seizing the opportunity, Kajin leapt toward its head and dove straight into its mouth.

"Kajin!" Ruya yelled in shock, freezing momentarily. Before he could react further, the worm’s body began to swell unnaturally, its skin cracking under the strain. Realizing what was about to happen, Ruya threw himself to the ground for cover.

The worm exploded in a gruesome burst of green blood and flesh. Rising cautiously, Ruya approached the crater where the worm had been. As the dust settled, he saw Kajin, covered head-to-toe in the creature’s blood, standing in the center.

"Hey, Mr. Badass!" Ruya shouted. "Couldn’t you at least warn me before pulling something like that?"

Kajin sighed, wiping some of the blood off his face. "It was the fastest way. There wasn’t time to explain," he said, walking out of the crater.

Ruya frowned, his tone more serious. "Your life isn’t a joke, Kajin. I was scared, I thought you wouldn’t make it."

Kajin stopped and turned slightly. "If you thought I wouldn’t make it, then you don’t believe in me," he replied flatly.

Ruya stayed silent for a moment before responding. "You don’t get it, do you? I’ve lost enough people in my life who were dear to me," he said, his voice low. "I *do* believe in you, Kajin. I’m just worried about you."

Kajin listened, his gaze softening. Without saying a word, Ruya tossed him a towel.

"Go clean yourself up. You smell like crap," Ruya said, walking past him.

~~~

Later, by a nearby waterfall, Ruya sat under a tree, playing with the squirrel. Kajin, now clean, emerged from the water with a towel wrapped around his waist. He sat beside Ruya, an awkward silence hanging between them.

"I’m sorry... Ruya," Kajin finally said.

Ruya looked at him, smiling gently. "Don’t worry about it. What matters is that you understand what you did and try to fix it."

Kajin managed a small smile, then noticed the squirrel. "What’s his name?"

Ruya hesitated, scratching his head. "I don’t know," he admitted.

"You’ve been playing with him all day, and you haven’t named him yet?" Kajin asked, surprised.

"I’m not good at naming things," Ruya replied sheepishly.

"Well, how about you try?" Kajin encouraged.

Ruya picked up the squirrel, holding him up for a closer look. After a moment, he said, "How about... Cracknut?"

The squirrel squeaked happily, seemingly approving of the name.

"Cracknut!" Ruya repeated with a grin, tossing the squirrel into the air playfully.

Kajin chuckled as he walked back to his clothes. While dressing, his thoughts wandered. "The dream about Vanessa, the fight with the worm… today really made me question who I am. Escaping the castle wasn’t just about fleeing, it was about leaving my old self behind."

Fully dressed, Kajin looked at Ruya and Cracknut. "Ruya’s made a big impact on my life. He sees me as a brother, and I can’t deny that he feels like family to me."

Kajin walked over and tapped Ruya’s shoulder. "C’mon, we’ve got to move. If we push hard, we can reach Slavara in two days."

"Got it," Ruya replied, placing Cracknut on his shoulder and following Kajin.