After we settled into our camp, we had a bit of free time.

I decided to sleep.

Or, at least, pretend to sleep so I wouldn't have to do any work around camp.

Yeah, I'm not proud of it, but I also never claimed to be a model citizen. Sue me.

Besides, I was now kind of afraid to actually sleep. Because what if I saw Asmodeus again in my dream again?

I really didn't want to risk that, so I decided I wouldn't sleep until we left this Death Zone.

…Yes, I know how stupid it sounds — trying to survive a nightmarish dimension while being sleep-deprived. And it would've been stupid… if I weren't a [B-ranker].

At my current level, as long as I kept my Essence reserves full and got enough rest, I could theoretically go an entire month without sleeping.

That should be enough time to get out of this place.

Anyway, everyone else was busy with their own thing.

Michael and Vince were arguing over whether we should skin and cook the giant snake we'd just hunted.

Juliana was sharpening her kunai with the kind of focus that made me wonder if she was secretly planning to use them on us instead.

Alexia… was meditating again, calm and still, while Kang lounged beside her like a bored but loyal guard dog.

Ray was talking to his camera as if he were the star of some horror mockumentary sitcom.

Lily was absorbing Essence from the serpent's carcass outside — as insects began swarming the corpse, eager to leech off the leftover flesh.

A small campfire burned right at the foot of the hollowed tree, its orange glow flickering against the wood and keeping stray bugs at bay.

I lay on the mossy floor inside, eyes closed.

It was oddly peaceful.

Almost enough to make me forget we were in the middle of a Death Zone, surrounded by who-knows-how-many man-eating monstrosities.

Almost.

Because just as I was starting to feel comfortable, someone kicked my leg.

"Hey," Vince's voice drawled, "you planning to contribute to society anytime soon, or is this your retirement?"

I cracked one eye open. "Depends. How much am I getting paid?"

He gave me a narrowed look. "Nothing."

I smiled lazily and tucked my hands behind my head. "Then no, I'm not contributing."

Vince groaned and walked off.

By then, Lily had finished absorbing her share of Essence and stepped inside.

"Who's next?" she asked quietly.

Juliana stood without a word and started walking out toward the serpent's remains.

The others had already taken their share.

Since the creature was only a Lesser Spirit Beast, it didn't have enough Essence to make a [B-ranker] level up, but it was still plenty to refill the reserves of every [C-ranker] in our group.

So, Michael and I decided to let the rest of the team absorb it.

Everyone had already done so.

Juliana was the last.

But as she was heading out, she paused. Her gaze shifted toward Lily — who was crouched beside her utility belt, rummaging through it with a frown.

Apparently, Lily was searching for bandages, salves, and a healing potion.

That was because Vince's shoulder was still injured from an arrow that had grazed him back at the temple, and Ray's wrist had been sprained doing… something. I don't remember what.

The problem was — Lily didn't seem to have any healing potions left.

So Juliana, who had been silently watching her until then, reached into her own pouch, pulled out a small vial of bluish-green liquid, and wordlessly placed it beside Lily.

Lily blinked. She stared at the vial, then at Juliana, then back at the vial again.

It was one of the two low-grade healing potions Lily had given her a few days ago.

Juliana had used one on herself, and now she was returning the other.

Lily tried to mumble a thanks, but by then—

Juliana had already wandered outside.

She knelt beside the giant serpent's carcass and pressed her palm against its scaly hide, absorbing the Essence that rippled through the corpse before fading into her hand.

I watched it all from where I lay, still pretending to sleep.

And I'll be honest — just like Lily, or maybe even more so, I had no idea what the fuck I'd just witnessed.

Because the gash on Juliana's leg still wasn't fully healed.

So why, in the name of all that is unholy, did she decide to selflessly give up her healing potion?

Was it merely out of the sheer generosity of her heart? Yeah, right.

Was it for the good of her teammates? Please.

So why else did she do it? Like I said — I had no fucking idea.

'Hmm, could it be…?'

Could it be that whatever she saw in her nightmare had affected her? She definitely looked shaken when she woke up, so maybe it was possible — albeit not very probable.

…Then, maybe it was nothing.

After all, Juliana was always an unpredictable variable in the game. She did what she wanted — and sometimes even what she didn't.

One day she was a saint, helping you through the worst times of your life. The next, she'd torture your dog in front of you because you blinked at her wrong.

I couldn't stress this enough — she was truly unhinged in the game. You could never tell what would set her off, or what would please her.

So maybe today, she just woke up on the right side of her bed.

•••

The crackle of the campfire filled the hollow silence as we gathered around it.

I looked up at the red moon spilling its crimson light over the distant horizon, framed against the shattered sky of Noctveil Wilds.

And I felt… a twinge of sadness.

The tale of the bleeding moon — the gods punishing a little girl for trying to change a cruel fate… what a tragic story it was.

Somehow, it reminded me of myself.

I was supposed to die…

I was supposed to die before this arc. And yet, here I was, sitting among the main characters.

I had changed my fate.

So… was I going to be punished too?

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