Zara’s judgment was keen, as she had predicted, Kai quickly grew accustomed to the nauseating sights around him. He didn't feel like puking anymore, his near fine despite only a few seconds passing.

He glanced at her discreetly. Being so close, he realized that Zara was slightly taller than him, and her wolf-like ears—perched atop her head—were surprisingly adorable. He even wondered if she had human ears beneath her sleek black hair, though he didn’t dare stare too long, afraid of offending her. Despite her strange allure, "cute" was the last word he would use to describe a killer.

As he stepped out of the wooden cage, a wave of relief washed over him. But the feeling of freedom was brief. Dim lanterns lined the cave walls, casting long shadows and giving the space an eerie, oppressive atmosphere. The flickering light barely pierced the darkness, illuminating the grime and blood that stained the stone floor. The entire place felt suffocating, like a tomb, the gloom only intensifying the grim reality of where they were.

Kai’s eyes soon fell on several other cages not far from where they stood, each one holding more prisoners. It wasn’t hard to figure out what had happened here—the bandits had kept others captive, likely intending to sell them as slaves.

Kai couldn’t help but think that he might have ended up in one of those cages, too, if not for Zara’s intervention and his own stubborn determination to free her, despite the risks.

“What’s wrong?” Zara asked, noticing him hesitate. She now held a sword she had taken from one of the bandits, and Kai could only imagine how much deadlier she was with a real weapon in her hands. The gleam in her eyes made it clear—she was eager for more bloodshed, anticipating the bandits waiting outside the cave.

Kai pondered for a moment before speaking. “You can go ahead. I’ll catch up in a bit.”

Though the Sacred Bond had enhanced his strength and senses to match hers, Kai knew that brute force alone wouldn’t be enough in a real battle. He had no fighting skills to rely on, and without them, he’d only end up as a burden to Zara, holding her back from her killing spree. Moreover, he needed time to adjust to the heightened senses that came with the bond—his vision, hearing, and smell were now far more acute than any human’s, and it was disorienting.

But beyond that, there was something else he needed to do here.

Kai watched Zara’s back disappear into the darkness ahead, exiting the cave to face the battlefield outside where countless bandits infested the lair. Before she left, he had made sure she would prioritize finding Ariella. Still, an uneasy feeling lingered in his chest, unsure whether he should be more concerned for the bandits or for Zara. Mostly, though, his mind was on Ariella.

With a sigh, Kai turned back toward the corpses of the dead overseers. He knelt down to retrieve the keys from their bodies, struggling to pry them loose from stiffened hands and dealing with the sickening nauseousness. Once he succeeded, he made his way toward the other cages.

The dim lanterns cast faint, flickering light across the damp, gloomy cave, revealing the terrified faces of the prisoners inside. Most were scarred men, some in better condition than others, while others looked close to death. As Kai approached, many of the captives cowered, mistaking him for one of the bandits responsible for their pain. The echoes of the cries from earlier still clung to the air, making it easy to see why they feared him. A few remained composed, subtly hiding their fear, while others boldly met his gaze, rare flashes of defiance in their eyes.

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There were only men here, and the grim thought crossed his mind about what fate might have befallen any women the bandits captured.

Just as Kai was about to speak, a voice called out from one of the cages.

“I can’t believe it! Hey, wait! That uniform—you’re from Earth, too!”

Kai’s head snapped toward the speaker, eyes widening in surprise.

'Another student.'

Hurriedly, he moved closer to the cage. His suspicion was confirmed. It was indeed another student, wearing the same uniform from his former university, though this one’s clothes were torn and ragged, his coat long gone. A wave of relief washed over Kai. He wasn’t the only one lost in this world after all. The loneliness he’d felt since arriving here eased slightly, but guilt quickly followed. Relief meant acknowledging that someone else had been dragged into this unkind world too.

Still, it's a relief to know others in the same boat as him exist in this world. Confirming the gods words back then. With plenty of transmigrators around, building a community of their own aimed to aid each other is possible. Or perhaps already existed, where he could come for help in this unnatural world.

This world was no paradise, after all.

The other transmigrator leaned against the wooden bars, allowing Kai to take in his appearance under the dim lantern light. His dark hair, though dirty, was brushed aside neatly, and his sharp blue eyes gave him a striking look despite his grimy face and worn-out clothes. He was tall, with a build that made him appear more mature than the situation might have allowed.

‘Tsk, this guy must’ve been popular in school,’ Kai thought with a hint of sarcasm.

“I’m Gabriel, from Class B. I was in the middle of cheering at the graduation ceremony, and the next thing I knew, I was in a forest! Then I got captured by those things. Thank God I’m not alone—I thought I was a goner! Please, help me as a fellow student! I don’t want to be sold off and die before I even find out what my ability is. I—”

Kai raised a hand, cutting him off. “Stop. I’m in a hurry, so make this quick. What do you mean by ‘ability’?”

“You don’t know?” Gabriel looked confused.

“Just tell me, dammit.” Said Kai, straightforward.

“Well, uh... After talking to the guys here, they told me I must be a ‘Player’—otherworlders who get unique abilities. But I don’t know what mine is yet. It’s supposed to reveal itself eventually, and with it, I could have broken out of this cage by now. But as you can see...” Gabriel gestured at the bars, his desperation clear. “I still don’t know mine. So, um, can you please help us? I’m begging you! I promise I’ll return the favor!”

If what Gabriel said was true, which is likely. Then other Earthlings could develop abilities too—skills that might help them survive in this unforgiving world. Kai wondered. He already has immortality, which is given by the gods as compensation for taking Ariella under his care. Or for him to not die, making it inconvenient for them to find a replacement. Sacred Bond is a magical contract that synchronizes fantastical Beast or Beast-kin with their chosen Master, it's not an ability of his own. Considering this, his chances of having a hidden ability was high.

Gabriel cage mates might also be lying, but the term Player sounds familiar. That's right, he heard it before when the bandits were killing him. One of them warned, "his a Pla-" but died mid-sentence.

'Oh, so that's what the bandit I killed back then wanted to say. Its Player.'

With this, the Intel of Transmigrators having existed in this world before them was solidified, so did the unique abilities Players are known for. His curious about his hidden power, but doesn't have the time to ponder or experiment to find out.

Kai sighed, already intending to help. “I planned to from the start.”

He unlocked the door and handed Gabriel the keys, passing the responsibility of freeing the others onto him. The prisoners, seeing this act of kindness, stared at Kai with newfound hope. Some began shouting to be freed, their voices filling the gloomy cave with noise.

But the clamor was quickly silenced as Kai struck a nearby metal bar with his sword, the deafening sound reverberating through the cave. Silence fell immediately, the only sound left was the faint drip of water in the distance. Obviously, he took a free sword too.

Kai’s voice broke through the silence. “You’ll all be freed. Don’t worry. As for the bandits outside... my, uh, "friend" is already out there fighting. I don’t know if she’ll make it though, but either way, you’re free to do what you want. I won’t force you to do anything because I can’t. But I would "appreciate" it if you could at least take down some of the bandits that imprisoned you.”

He turned and started walking toward the cave exit, the tip of his sword dragging along the dirt floor, leaving a faint trail. Without looking back, he added with a hint of sarcasm.

“Of course... cowards are free to run.”