Aries’s gaze swept over the crowd, settling on the little girl and her armless father. If left to their own devices, they were dead. There was no logical reason to take them.

But Aries saw it differently.

Fierce little thing.

The girl knew, instinctively, that following Aries was her only chance at survival. Her mind was quick, decisions sharp.

Age wasn’t an issue. No one here could meet his standards anyway.

And if that was the case, better to choose someone with a head on their shoulders.

“Anyone else?” Aries’s voice cut through the murmurs.

A man, neither part of Darius’s nor Victor’s group, stepped forward, cautious but curious. “What do you mean by exploring the surroundings?”

Aries didn’t flinch. “For three to four hours each day, you’ll scout the outskirts. Gather essentials. Hunt if needed.”

It was a simple concept—the temple offered little, and staying put meant stagnation. To survive, you had to risk it. Nothing in the New World came for free.

The greater the risk, the greater the reward.

“I’ll go.”

Darius’s voice caught everyone off guard. Aries had assumed he’d stay locked in his rivalry with Victor.

“Are you sure?” Aries’s tone was sarcastic, almost mocking. “This isn’t a playground.”

To Aries, watching them squabble over scraps was like watching children bicker. Darius gave a firm nod.

“I’m sure. I know this could cost my life, but staying here isn’t safe either. We can’t keep hiding in a place we know nothing about.”

Darius thought of others first. He always had. That kind of thinking usually got people killed. Nosy types like him were the first to fall.

But... if he survived, he could become a powerful force.

Aries had seen it before.

The Dragon Lord was like that—recognized by all as a true soldier. Had Aries not killed him, the man would have reshaped the world.

Still, men like the Dragon Lord were rare. Even if they survived in a place like this, the World End had a way of warping people. Ninety-nine percent would break. And the one percent? Even they would change.

Aries observed the group, already skeptical of Darius's chances for survival.

What can we get outside the temple? Aries thought, focusing on the real objective.

The reason he gathered people was straightforward: the rewards beyond the temple walls far outweighed what they could earn inside. Moving supplies, searching, even resting—everything was easier in a group. Hunting monsters outside offered more benefit than fighting them off during raids.

Fighting for survival sharpens skills, he mused. In the temple, they’d grow stronger at first, but that growth would eventually plateau.

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In the New World, survival was a brutal lesson. But now, what mattered more than survival were the magical items hidden beyond the temple.

Movement abilities, storage talismans, Hell Hound’s Dagger, Despair Scout’s Gloves, the Mask of Arrogance... Aries thought, his mind running through the list. I’ll find them all.

He’d lost many things when he came back to the past, but his knowledge remained intact. He remembered the histories and treasures of those he had killed. Now, those treasures were out there waiting for him.

It was time to move.

Five people had volunteered. Aries handed each of them a torch, the ends coated with oil made from boiling monster carcasses.

“Don’t lose the torch or the oil,” he instructed in a low voice. “Unless you want to be monster food.”

Neon lights were a distant memory here. In this world, only fire could ward off the dark, and most monsters feared it.

One man eyed his torch, confusion on his face. “We’re only going out for three or four hours, right?” he asked, glancing at the morning sun. The preparations felt off.

Aries didn’t hesitate. His voice was cold and direct. “We don’t know what we’ll face. Every midnight, the terrain shifts. Without these torches, we won’t find our way back.”

“What do you mean the surroundings change?” Darius asked, clearly skeptical.

They didn’t know. Aries had been counting on that.

“I’ve been here longer than any of you,” Aries said effortlessly. He watched the realization spread through the group.

“So... the rumors were true,” someone whispered, eyes wide.

Aries let the misunderstanding sink in, his expression unreadable. Let them think whatever they wanted.

When everyone hesitated, Aries acted with complete confidence, as if he had seen it all before.

This is why they believed he’d arrived at the temple long before them, as though he’d lived there for some time.

He turned to them. “Outside the temple is nothing but wilderness. We won’t have the time or luxury to help anyone who falls behind.”

As if testing their determination, he scanned each face, studying them carefully.

His gaze lingered on the young girl, Susan, and her crippled father for longer than the others. Quick thinking was a valuable skill, far more useful than vague abilities, but the harshness of the New World was unforgiving. Could they keep up?

Susan clenched her jaw, clearly understanding his unspoken challenge. “I’ll do my best. I won’t be a burden,” she declared, her voice steady despite her young age.

She had no other option. If she lost the chance to stay close to Aries, no one else would look after her and her father. Even if she died trying, she had decided she’d fight to live.

‘She’s got spirit for her age,’ Aries thought, noting the resilience in her eyes. Responsibility weighed on her young shoulders, and yet she adapted quickly, faster than he would have expected.

It was unfortunate.

If she were older, a bit more experienced, she could have risen to greatness with the right guidance. But the New World wasn’t kind to girls like her.

‘I don’t have the luxury to care for others,’ Aries reminded himself, setting aside the brief flicker of regret.

After finishing his scrutiny, Aries turned away. His voice was firm, leaving no room for argument. “If you don’t want to die, follow my orders. Don’t question me, don’t get curious, and above all—don’t hesitate. Got it?”

Nods of agreement spread through the group, their faces solemn. The words of a leader who knew survival carried weight, especially after witnessing what Aries was capable of. In this, at least, they trusted him.

“Let’s go.”

Weapons ready, bags packed with tools, torches, and oil cans, they began their trek.

Crunch.

Aries stomped down on a large ant crawling near his foot, its body exploding in a spray of dark fluids.

‘Dark Red Fighter Ant,’ he noted. These insects produced neurotoxins. If bitten, the wound would swell, paralyzing the victim.

“Crush every single one you see,” he ordered, his tone sharp. They weren’t lethal, but immobility was a death sentence in the wilderness.

The six of them, including Aries, moved cautiously through the forest, their senses on high alert.

“They’re already like that,” Aries muttered to himself, observing their rigid posture. It was good that they were on edge, but keeping that level of tension for hours would wear them out fast. Still, telling them wouldn’t help—they’d learn from experience soon enough.

“Mister, I found something,” Susan called out, her small hand holding up a magical item she’d found after crushing a few Dark Red Fighter Ants.

‘Paralysis Inducing Magical Item,’ Aries thought, recognizing it immediately. The item contained the neurotoxin produced by the ants, refined into a more potent form.