It didn’t take them long to spot a fort in the distance.

“That is Hoover Fort, our kingdom!” Gazzel said, stretching his arms wide trying to show how big the fort was.

Sid had recovered enough now that he was walking along with the group. His body felt mild soreness and discomfort but they weren’t bad enough that he would need to be carried.

When they got past the fort’s steel gates, Sid felt like he was looking at an impoverished city. The streets were uneven dirt roads and the houses seemed to be piled together with scraps of metal as if they were hastily put together by people with no experience in construction. Sid wouldn’t call them houses. They looked more like metal containers.

“This way,” Gazzel said as he pulled Sid along.

The path, they walked, inclined upward to a building that looked like a picturesque image of a town hall. It was rundown, but in much better shape than what he had seen so far. At least this could be considered a house.

“We will go see Gerald, everyone gets some rest,” Keise said as Ridley and he walked up the stone stair.

Gazzel and the remaining members saluted Keise and Ridley as they watched them disappeared into the building.

“They’re meeting up with the boss,” Gazzel said with a grin.

Sid nodded and sat on the stair as he looked down onto the city.

The many torches spotted the streets and metal containers in reddish-orange hue as the dark night lay overhead.

“Aren’t you coming?” Gazzel asked when he saw Sid sitting there.

“Our resting area is at the corner you showed me, right?”

“That’s right,” Gazzel nodded.

“I can go there myself,” Sid turned to Gazzel and smiled. “I appreciate your help today.”

Seeing Sid wouldn’t budge, Gazzel shrugged and headed off.

---

“How was it?” Gerald asked. He was at least three heads taller than Keise with jet black hair that reached his shoulder. The many wrinkles on his face showed his age was over thirty.

Ridley reached in the air. Suddenly, a treasure chest appeared out of thin air and dropped down onto her hand.

“This was what we got for defeating the Mist Phantom and clearing the Fragmented World.”

“Great I knew I could count on you two.” The man patted her shoulder.

“It was strange,” Ridley said. “The Mist Phantom was only level 15. It was far too weak to be a boss of a level 20 dungeon. Gazzel and the rest could have defeated the boss without our assistance.”

“That’s the analysis you got from analyzing the Fragmented Distortion?”

Ridley nodded.

“Ridley and I both analyzed the distortion and we both got a level estimation of 20,” Keise added.

The man put his hands behind his back as he looked up. Are you positive that was the Fragmented World’s boss?

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“It has to be,” Ridley said. “The Voice told us the dungeon was cleared and Gazzel received that treasure chest for landing the final blow on the boss.”

Gerald hummed as Ridley and Keise both looked to him for answers.

“There are possibilities of there being multi-bosses or the boss you fought was in an incomplete state, but since, you only found and fought the Mist Phantom, these couldn’t be the cases…quite interesting, indeed. The difficulty of the Fragmented World should be at level 20, but—”

Gerald’s eyes shone as he smiled at them then continued.

“Analyze can only give an estimation, as you know. That is why we usually have to plan for the worst-case scenario. Even though, you two have already passed your 1st Advancement. I still asked of you to accompany the Initiates.”

“Because, we can’t risk it,” Keise chimed in.

Gerald smiled in acknowledgment.

“If we’re to bring a team of level 20 Initiates and the gate turns out to be more than they could handle we would lose valuable friends. The opposite can be a possibility as well. The dungeon could turn out to be much easier than expected. That is the case here.”

Seeing that they were satisfied with his answers. He smiled and said,

“Is there anything else you want to report?”

“There is one more thing,” Ridley said, showing a bit of hesitation.

She explained the circumstance of how they found Sid and her relationship with him.

Gerald listened quietly until she finished.

“I trust your judgment,” the man said. “If you don’t think he’s a good candidate to become an Initiate then we shouldn’t waste our Request on him. At the same, our place isn’t running a charity. He will be expected to work to earn his share.”

“Of course. If he doesn’t do that, I will personally kick him out,” Ridley said.

“Then the matter is settled.” Gerald put his arms around Keise and Ridley and pulled them into a bear hug. “I’m truly lucky to have talented comrades like you two. Keep up the good works.”

---

When Ridley and Keise got out of the building, they saw Sid sitting on the staircase, his eyes on the city below.

“Hey, you’re done?” Sid said after seeing Ridley and Keise.

Keise smiled when he saw Sid. His thoughts on what Ridley had said.

“See you tomorrow,” Keise said to Ridley as he walked off.

Ridley turned to Sid. “Didn’t I tell you that Gazzel would show you to your lodging location?” Ridley said as she walked past him.

“You did” Sid got up and followed her. “But, we didn’t get a chance to talk. I wanted to ask you about my sister and where she is right now.”

She stopped and turned back to him.

“Look, after the apocalypse happened, I lost contact with Rae. Even now, I don’t know if she’s dead or alive.”

“I see,” Sid said, not sure what to make of it. He didn’t feel anything when hearing his sister might be dead. Was he really Sid?

“Do you know anything else about me?” he asked, hoping there might be something that could spark his memories.

Ridley stared at him. Her expression stiff. There were more she could tell him, but at the same time, were they something anyone would want to know about themselves? If it was up to her, she would rather forget about them.

Maybe that is why he had forgotten everything.

“I know nothing else about you except you are my friend’s brother. We were never close. This is the most you have spoken to me.”

Ridley had caught glimpses of him around the house, but they never had conversed with one another. Rather, she felt he had actively tried to avoid her. Even when they celebrated Rae’s birthday, he would hide in his room.

“That is all I know about you. I don’t know any more.”

“I see,” Sid said, eying Ridley suspiciously. He felt like Ridley was not willing to talk and he doubted he would be able to force her, at least not any more today.

“Thank you for today, Ridley. See you tomorrow.”

As Sid was about to walk away, Ridley called out to him.

“Wait.”

Sid stopped and turned.

“You are not misunderstanding my intention, are you? Ridley said. Her eyes were as cold as when he first saw her. “I have already helped you get into the settlement out of goodwill for your sister. I won’t be helping you any more than this. The rest is on you. And, there is nothing else for us to talk about. We were never friends.”

“That wasn’t my intention,” Sid said, his expression hardened, knowing what she was trying to imply. “I don’t need you to take care of me and I won’t associate with you in the future. Thanks for helping me. I’ll return this flavor.”

Sid knew Ridley was trying to draw the line and letting him know not to talk with her any more. In the past, was he an unlikeable person? Sid left without saying another word.

Ridley let out a sigh as she watched his fading back. He wasn’t even an Initiate how did he expect to do anything for her? It was laughable at best. I don’t need you to return the favor. As long as you can take care of yourself, that is more than enough…It’s what Rae would have wanted.

Ridley looked at the stars. “Would you blame me Rae?” Her thoughts drifted back to the past.