They all stood at the edge, staring down at the water. Their throats burned with thirst. It had been so long since any of them had tasted water—especially Astra, trapped in the cell for what felt like an eternity without a single drop. Fortunately, he wasn’t an ordinary human; as an advanced human, he could endure far longer. Yet, none of them dared to move. They hesitated, fearful of the unknown consequences of drinking the water.

“I’m thirsty,” Aria whispered, gazing at her own reflection in the rippling surface.

“I don’t think it’s safe,” Biya said calmly, her eyes narrowing as she studied the water.

“Can you tell for sure?” Ejio asked, his tone sharp.

“Well, my eye has many abilities; however, determining whether the water is safe isn't one of them. It’s merely a guess."

“I see,” Ejio muttered, his expression neutral.

Agro smirked, a sudden idea forming in his mind.

“Isn’t this the perfect opportunity to test the usefulness of those primitive prisoners?” he suggested.

Ejio turned to Agro, his face unreadable. He mulled over the suggestion before giving a small nod. Biya’s expression tightened, realizing their intentions.

“What are you saying? What if they die?” Biya protested.

“So? Who cares? They’re just primitives. Besides, isn’t that blue-skinned guy the one who didn’t lift a finger to help us back then? We risked our lives, and he did nothing.”

“Water is essential; I’m not sure we’ll come across another river after this. I don’t want to depend on luck,” Asa interjected, his deep voice steady.

“Exactly, after taking care of them, it’s only fair that they repay us,” Ejio said, his tone colder.

Biya frowned, her lips pressing into a thin line. But she knew she couldn't fight back.

Ejio grabbed the Hylax’s sturdy bag, emptied its contents, and filled it with water. The Thorguard skin was impermeable, ensuring no leakage. Handing the bag to Agro, Ejio instructed,

“Give it to the blue-skinned guy. But don’t push too far—if there’s no fight, it’s better.”

Agro’s lips curled into a sly grin. “Sure.”

⊶☽☬☾⊷

They’re talking about us again,

Astra thought, leaning against a tree. He’d noticed that every time they said “primitive,” their gazes shifted toward him and his group. But this time, the discussion was dragging on too long.

What are they planning? Astra’s mind raced with unease.

Agro approached, carrying the bag of water. Astra instinctively reached for the hilt of his sword, narrowing his mismatched eyes. However, Agro's attention was not on him; his gaze was fixed on Zor. As Agro walked past, he shot Astra a look of disdain.

Those bastards are going to use him to test the water. Should I step in? But why should I? We’re not even friends. Even if I wanted to help, what could I possibly do against them?

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Conflicted, Astra’s thoughts spiraled. Finally, Agro stood before Zor. Astra made a swift decision: if Agro forced Zor to drink, he would intervene, if only to issue a warning. Like him, Zor didn’t understand the main language, Irentian. If Astra allowed them to mistreat Zor, it would only encourage them to target him next.

Of course, he wouldn’t attack them outright; he would give them a warning instead. This way, they would understand that he wasn’t a pushover, and since it was just a warning, they wouldn’t have enough reasons to retaliate.

Even if they wanted to, they would think twice. Astra was fairly certain they had grown wary of him; after what had happened, they always glanced back cautiously, excluding Agro. After all, knowing that someone could stealthily take you down from behind is unsettling.

Agro extended his hand, a mischievous grin directed at Zor. Mistaking the gesture for friendliness, Zor smiled politely and accepted the bag. Completely unaware of the deceit, Zor opened the bag and drank deeply without hesitation.

That idiot!

Astra thought, feeling his heart sink. The entire group froze, shocked by Zor's recklessness. Agro’s smirk faded, replaced by a hint of disappointment as he silently hoped the water was poisoned.

The sound of Zor drinking filled the air, amplifying everyone’s thirst. Zor let out a satisfied sigh, smiling as he handed the bag back to Agro. Speaking in his native tongue, Zor expressed how grateful he was. Agro, still stunned, took the bag and stood there for a moment, waiting to see if Zor would collapse. When nothing happened, he returned to his group, his face twisted in irritation.

Things did not go as I expected, but luckily, it worked out, Astra said with a sigh of relief.

⊶☽☬☾⊷

The group reluctantly began to drink the water. At first, they hesitated, but one by one, their thirst overcame their fears, and nothing happened. Astra scooped a small amount into his hands and cautiously took a sip.

He waited, tense, to see if anything felt off. Minutes passed, and still, nothing happened. Trusting his instincts, he drank more. His NeuraEye’s Biological Regeneration skill didn’t flag any warnings, confirming that the water was safe.

Though Astra could have tested the water earlier, he chose not to. If it had been too harmful, his level-one regeneration wouldn’t have saved him.

The group ate sparingly, just enough to sustain themselves. Only Aria ate to her heart’s content. They understood why: her abilities were crucial. A full stomach allowed her to heal the team rapidly, Asa could hold his ground against the misty monster for a moment that could hurl Ejio hundreds of meters, and Biya could deliver devastating blows with her arrow.

Astra, too, ate more than usual, knowing he needed to evolve. Though his bag was nearly empty, he pushed aside his sadness, prioritizing survival.

Nourishment Status:

[████████████████████] 100%

Action Required: Completed

Sleep status:

[████████░░░░░░░░░░░░] 40%

Action Required: Get 60% more sleep

Astra sighed. His sleep gauge had dropped from 80% to 40%, and he knew he needed rest. But could he risk it here? The Hylax had died silently, without warning, and the thought of meeting the same fate made his stomach churn.

The only way to get enough sleep was to bet his life. Everyone was as tense as he was; they looked around with their guards up, knowing that a Hylax could die without anyone noticing. The fear of the same happening to them while they slept was palpable.

Glancing at the others, Astra weighed his options. The group’s heightened vigilance gave him a sliver of hope. If they were on guard, he might be able to rest. But then doubt crept in. When he evolved, his body would be defenseless.

Even Aria, the seemingly helpless little girl, could kill him effortlessly. After he had defeated the monster in just one strike, Astra was about 50% sure they would want to kill him.

After all, who wouldn’t want to kill me? Watching a ‘primitive’ easily slay a monster they struggled against must anger and embarrass them. Seeing one of the primitives they look down upon shatter their pride must infuriate them, he thought grimly.

Astra still remembered their gazes toward him—shock, anger, confusion, fear, and embarrassment.

But this was his best chance. He couldn't let this opportunity slide away. There was no one he could trust in here—no, there was only one person he could trust.

Zor, he's the same as me, and he wants to be friends with me. He has no ill intentions toward me. After all, he's the guy who tests unknown waters without any hesitation, he thought.

Astra approached Zor, who was drinking water and looking up at him. After being locked in a cell for so long, Astra had almost forgotten how to communicate, and neither of them knew any languages that would allow them to understand each other.

He thought about using gestures while saying their names, but soon realized that actions speak louder than words and that he didn't want to waste any more time.

Every second counts, Astra reminded himself.

He sat down near a tree close to Zor and closed his eyes. When Zor saw this, his excitement and happiness to rest beside Astra indicated that he trusted him. Zor thought of Astra as the strongest among them. As Astra settled in, he noticed that his own bag lacked food. So, Zor decided to share some of his provisions by placing them into Astra's bag.

𓆩✧𓆪