Twelve hours had passed since Chiara had sent out the gathering call.

The uniform EM field blanketing the entire stage had been a godsend. While they'd agreed to regroup if the opportunity arose in this trial, the ease with which she could coordinate through this field was an unexpected advantage.

The results so far were promising—25 people had already gathered. A little over half of those who entered, and given the circumstances, it was better than expected. It meant that, unlike the previous stage where everyone had appeared scattered across the edges of the island, here they all seemed to have spawned within the same region: the ash-filled terrain populated by arthropods.

Thankfully, while the initial region had been as hostile to human life as possible, this area right next to it was abundant with vegetation, fruits, a freshwater river, and the nearby giant crustaceans, providing all the essential resources.

Chiara looked around the camp they had cleared. At the moment, most were busy building cottages from the gathered wood, while others enjoyed the last crab they'd managed to hunt together after considerable effort.

Observing the creatures here, Chiara quickly recognized the importance of using tools and working in teams to bring them down. Facing one of these monsters alone was a feat she reckoned only a few of them could manage—and not without significant risk.

She glanced over at Ayu, who was busy setting up her cottage a short distance away. It was nice seeing her here, still determined to make her place the largest in the camp. Despite the deep scars Ayu carried, she managed to keep her outward smile and laugh with the others. She was incredibly tough.

Suddenly, murmurs caught Chiara's attention, followed by hurried footsteps on the eastern side of camp. So far, no creatures had ventured into this zone, which could only mean one thing: another survivor?

She headed toward the source of the commotion. Most of the Oasis's strongest had arrived already—Arjun, Lukas, Wang, Ayu, and two others from Siddharth's former expedition group. But a few were still missing, notably Imani. Well… until now that is.

As she approached, she spotted Imani's large figure surrounded by the others. Drawing closer, she saw that he was carrying something massive on his back, tied securely with vines to a wide, flat piece of wood.

Chiara's stomach tightened as she took in the details. It wasn't just something heavy; it was unmistakably a human—a disfigured figure with dried blood smeared across broken ribs and chest.

She could barely recognize him as Rakesh. But these wounds…? How could this have happened to him? Rakesh was known as one of the most skilled with a sling in the Oasis, smart and cautious to a fault. Unless…

Her fists clenched, tension building in her jaw.

"We need to talk," Imani said abruptly, his expression dark. He then turned to a woman next to him. "Priya, take Rakesh… help him heal."

Priya nodded, and with the help of another, lifted Rakesh's battered form, carrying him back toward the camp. Chiara and Imani stood in silence until they were out of earshot.

"Let's go… private," Imani said quietly. Chiara nodded, and they moved a little way from the camp.

When they stopped, Chiara hesitated, uncertain of what to say. The more she thought it over, the more one possibility loomed, dark and unavoidable—one she didn't want to face.

Imani took a deep breath, settling himself on a large, moss-covered rock between two towering trees. "The air here… much fresher."

Chiara snapped out of her thoughts, shaking her head slightly. "Yes, it is. It's good to have you back, Imani."

"Signal, nice. You helped everyone. Good leadership," he said with a heavy smile.

Chiara nodded, attempting to return the gesture but failing. After what she had just seen she could not put a smile on her face.

After a long silence, Imani gazed toward the horizon, his voice low but perfectly clear. "Found Rakesh. Ground, bleeding. Barely alive." He paused, eyes dark. "Crab dead. Hunted, partly eaten. Close to him." Another pause. "Trail in ground. Led to him from there."

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

Chiara pictured it all in her head, piecing together possible scenarios. "How far was he from the crab?" she asked.

"Not far. Not close," Imani replied. "Don't think he fought the crab. Sling… torn to pieces."

So it wasn't the crustacean… shit.

She cursed under her breath. She hadn't expected things to escalate like this. She'd already heard about Ishaam's encounter with him, though Ishaam had refused to say much. Still, he'd made it out unscathed. But this? This was anger, pure and simple.

"Alonso," Imani said, voice steady. "We not anger him. Leave him be. He left Rakesh alive… but maybe not next time." He paused, eyes narrowing. "Make people understand: attack him? Dangerous… dishonorable. Alonso care not for us. We… not care for him. We keep peace. No war. Human not enemy. Alonso… not evil."

Chiara was taken aback by Imani's straightforwardness. His words struck a chord—harsh, but undeniably true. She didn't even ask how he was so sure it was Alonso or if he knew anything more. She sighed, her gaze dropping.

"Yes. I… I don't think I've made the best decisions since Siddharth's passing," she admitted, her voice quiet.

"We all make mistakes," Imani replied calmly. "But we learn. I help. Others help." He looked her in the eye, his gaze steady and unwavering. "But you lead. Be tough. But carry not all. Let us carry together."

His words were simple, but they cut through her self-doubt, anchoring her. She nodded slowly, the weight of leadership feeling a little lighter in his presence.

Suddenly, they heard someone rushing toward them, prompting both to stand on alert. Imani rose from the rock he had been sitting on, his face taking on a serious, guarded expression as he locked eyes with the newcomer. Arjun.

"Imani," Arjun's voice was tense, barely containing the rage simmering beneath. "It was him, wasn't it?"

Imani met his gaze evenly, his own expression turning stern, with a shadow of anger in his eyes. "I did not see," he said slowly. "But yes. I believe it was Alonso."

Arjun's jaw tightened, his hand clenching around the hilt of his sword. "Where was it?" he demanded, his tone edged with a dangerous intensity.

Imani stood firm, gaze hardening. "What you plan, Arjun?"

"You know exactly what I'll do," Arjun replied, his voice heated. "That… that monster killed Siddharth. Look what he did to Rakesh. He doesn't deserve to live."

Imani stepped forward, blocking Arjun's path. "We not decide from anger. Alonso fought Siddharth fairly. Alonso won. We respect it. Alonso ruthless, yes… but revenge brings ruin."

Arjun's face twisted with frustration, his voice rising. "So you're saying we just sit back and let him pick us off, one by one?"

Imani's gaze didn't waver, his voice steady as stone. "Strength… keep it by keeping peace. Alonso not hunt us. Only responds. Rakesh still alive. Let us not provoke him. We keep order. Not chaos."

Before Arjun could retort, Chiara stepped between them, her tone sharp. "Enough." She cast a fierce look at both of them, her gaze unwavering. "We will not seek out Alonso."

Arjun's eyes flashed with defiance, his mouth opening to argue, but Chiara cut him off. "This isn't about personal vengeance. It's about survival. We're here to build, not destroy."

"What… what the hell, Chiara?!" Arjun's voice rose, nearly a shout. "He's a murderer. So many have fallen by his hand, and you… you want to protect him?!"

Chiara held her ground, her voice calm but unyielding. "It's not protection, Arjun. It's doing what's best for everyone here. Alonso is not hunting us down. But if we keep pushing him… he might start. And tell me, what then? Can you survive an ambush from him? Can any one of us? It's not him who stands to lose, it's us. Him letting Rakesh live could be a final act of mercy, a warning. So ask yourself, Arjun, can you bear the responsibility for everyone's lives here… all for revenge over a fight we forced Alonso into, hoping he'd die but he didn't?"

Arjun's jaw clenched, his words tangling as he fought to keep control. A flicker of vulnerability crossed his face, as if he were holding back layers of hurt beneath his anger.

"So… it all comes down to this—we're too weak, aren't we? Pathetic," he spat, though his voice wavered. His gaze swept over them, seething, yet somewhere in his eyes was the bitterness of self-doubt and frustration.

He turned sharply on his heel and stalked away, muttering curses in his native language that trailed into the trees as he disappeared into the shadows.

Imani remained silent for a while, his gaze lingering where Arjun had disappeared. Then he turned to Chiara. "Arjun… good heart, stubborn mind. Hard to reason. But you did right."

After a pause, he continued, "Now… you must step forward, speak to all." He held her gaze, his voice steady. "Do not show Rakesh as pity. Show him as lesson—what we must not do. But do not show weakness. We are strong. Respect, yes. Weakness, no."

Chiara met Imani's steady gaze, nodding with a resolute expression. But as she turned to face the camp, a thought lingered, almost surreal.

How had she gone from wearing a lab coat, guiding data and experiments, to standing here—leading warriors, calming bloodthirsty men, and holding them back from tearing each other apart?

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.