There wasn’t much in the supply bags. In the first one –the smaller bag-, there was only a small amount of rations, a ferrous rod, a metal water canteen, and a basic first aid kit. In the larger bag there was a small iron dagger, one set of clothes, a cloak, and a few different types of materials harvested from the beasts that were killed.

  Carefully looking through the supplies, Keith sighed, “It’s not much, but it’ll have to do.”

  Giving a cursory glance to his surroundings, Keith didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. Even if he didn’t have a sensory ability, he felt the area was relatively safe. Grabbing the dagger, Keith moved towards the nearest thicket. Although slightly damp, the plant-life was dry enough to be used as tinder. Then, he foraged for sticks, twigs, and other branches. With a bit of time and effort, Keith scraped the dagger against the ferrous rod until he finally managed to light the kindling with sparks. Soon enough, he had a small fire going. Placing the bags and their contents beside the fire, he waited for them to dry. After everything was mostly dry, Keith opened up the first aid kit. There wasn’t much, just a few alcohol pads, gauze, and different medical ointments. It was things that ordinary people would use. If it were a party that was C-Rank or higher, they would most definitely have potions or other life-saving items.

  His wounds stung as he rubbed them with the alcohol pads. They quickly became bloody. Even if it was a stinging and burning pain, Keith still cleaned his wounds. It was better than having them become infected.

  Once the wounds were cleaned, Keith grabbed the gauze and wrapped the worst of the injuries around his chest and arms. Afterwards, he grabbed the pair of black trousers and shirt. They were a bit small, he even had suspicions that these might be for women based on how they fit… if he had one. The thought of being caught wearing these clothes made Keith’s face burn red with shame. Luckily, they were black, and were all-purpose; they should be able to pass as men’s clothes... possibly? Keith sighed resignedly as he put on the clothing, it was better compared to his old ones which were in tatters, and smelled of sweat and blood.

  Donning the black cloak, Keith dressed in dark clothing was quite solitary and aloof from the world. In any city or town he would appear quite suspicious. Observing his reflection in the water, Keith didn’t feel any particular emotion. His demeanor was calm and clear like the water surface before him.

  “What to do? Leave or stay?” Keith said to no one in particular.

  There were only two choices. Both of them had their own risks. He could choose to stay, and fortify this small oasis. There was water, he knew the basics of making shelter, and it seemed relatively peaceful here. However, there was no guarantee he would survive without food. Despite being near a body of water he wasn’t confident with fishing, he’d never fished before. If he stayed here, there was the chance he would die a slow death of starvation.

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  On the other hand, he could leave. The Kavala Wastelands was a realm he was the most familiar with. The life here, he had seen it. Even if he never fought, his knowledge wasn’t any lesser than a Hunter. But this choice was also dangerous. Even more problematic was the fact he’d never taken a life. Although he didn’t know much about fighting, he did know that in a life and death situation, hesitation lead to death. He was at an extreme risk of such a situation happening. He didn’t know how he would act when in such a scenario.

  Even if he knew the terrain, the gateway back to Earth was a vast distance away. He’d already been in the desert for a few days, nearing one week. On a good day, he would be able to reach the gateway in a few days if he was alone, but with his injuries, it might take over a week.

  Stoking the fire on next to him, Keith weighed his chances. Turning his head towards the horizon, there was only a vast desolate wasteland before him outside this oasis. Such areas of water and lush plant-life were few and far between. In this desert full of death, his only friends out there would be the bones of corpses and the beasts that had learned to adapt to the environment. Even if it was an E-Rank Realm, it was still extremely dangerous. There was nothing keeping the Kavala Wastelands from mutating into a completely new world that he knew nothing about.

  Although extremely rare, realms were subject to mutation. They wouldn’t necessarily stay at the ranks the Hunter Association gave them. The realms were like separate planets, yet at the same time they weren’t. They weren’t bound by the same rules that the Earth adhered to, no one knew why the realms were connecting to Earth, or what the reason was for their inhabitants trying to invade Earth. It was one of the most important subjects of research in this era.

  There were things that happened in these other realms that were more terrifying than anything a human could imagine. All of it could change in a mere second. Anything could occur. No one was ever truly prepared, no matter how experienced they were.

  After weighing his options, Keith resolved himself for the worst. He stood and grabbed the nearest wooden branch that he could find. It was roughly six feet long. Using the dagger he carved it until the tip became as sharp and pointed as he could make it. Then, rummaging through the bag with beast materials, he found the claws of some cat-type beasts. With some vine, a little creative imagination, and more carving, he was able to get the claws firmly secured on the opposite end of the branch.

  With one side, he could use it as a spear, and reversing it, using the other side he could slash with the claws. It would allow the weapon to act like an impromptu primitive halberd. Although it wasn’t much, he felt safer with the versatility he now had in this weapon. Now, he just had to pray this weapon he created didn’t snap in two the first time he used it.

  “Alright, I guess I’d better get going while I still have roughly seven hours of light…”

  Slinging the large bag over his shoulder, and tying the smaller one to his waist, Keith grabbed his homemade spear and the dagger. Walking to the edges of the oasis he was in, he observed the vast wastelands before him. If he was frugal, he could effectively make his rations last a few days longer. He was roughly a week from the gateway to Earth.

  With a resolute will, Keith strode forward, one step after another. He forced the pain from his wounds to the back of his mind. Perhaps he just signed his death sentence, but he didn’t want to die without even attempting to escape. If there was one thing that he didn’t want to be in this life, it was a coward. Even if others deemed him a fool or a madman, he didn’t want to be seen as someone who gave up at the first obstacle.