The moment Kaito disappeared deeper into the tunnel, Yoshiya snapped into action.
"Move fast!" he barked, already striding toward the nearest pile of scattered kobold loot. "Prioritize anything valuable—horns, ores, hides, weapons. We're not leaving anything behind!"
The miners, still shaken from the brutal massacre they had witnessed, hesitated for only a heartbeat before greed took over. They rushed in, snatching up whatever they could. Omina whistled for the two boars, who trotted over eagerly. She began stacking bundles of ore and horn bundles onto their sled, tightening the straps with practiced hands.
The kobold camp had been wiped clean in minutes, and now they were returning the favor.
Yoshiya worked quickly, sorting through broken weapon racks, overturned crates, and storage piles. "These will fetch good coin… grab those larger horns!" he called out.
Before long, the sled was almost overflowing. Between the loot they'd gathered from mining earlier and the kobold spoils, the cart was nearly as stuffed as the last time they went raiding. The miners exchanged wide-eyed looks—this single job had turned out far more profitable than expected.
Then, a low rumble echoed from the depths of the cave.
Everyone froze.
A distant scream pierced through the air, followed by a deafening crash. The ground trembled beneath their feet, dust and pebbles raining from the cave ceiling.
"What the hell was that!?" one miner shouted.
Another grabbed his pickaxe with shaking hands. "We should leave—now!"
Yoshiya and Omina exchanged a tense look. This wasn't part of any quest briefing.
The rumbling stopped as suddenly as it began, replaced by an eerie silence. The tunnel where Kaito had vanished was cloaked in darkness, but a faint echo of heavy footsteps began to emerge.
Step. Step. Step.
A figure slowly emerged from the shadows.
Kaito Mugenrei.
He was drenched in blood, his armor cracked and scorched, but his eyes burned with a cold, unwavering fire. In his other hand, dragging slightly along the ground, was another massive black sword, jagged and streaked with faint red lines that pulsed like living veins.
The miners instinctively stepped back, parting to form a path. Even the boars lowered their heads nervously.
Yoshiya's eyes widened. He went deeper… and came back with a weapon.
Kaito walked past them without a word. His heavy boots echoed against the stone floor, his presence radiating like a storm that had not yet passed.
Yoshiya lifted his hand. "Wait—you're hurt. Let me—"
Kaito stopped. His head turned just enough for Yoshiya to see his glare beneath the helmet.
"Don't. Touch. Me."
The words came out like a growl—hoarse, but filled with finality. Yoshiya froze, the spell dying in his throat. Omina crossed her arms and muttered, "Stubborn and scary. Great combo."
Kaito turned away and kept walking, both swords slung across his back. The miners whispered nervously as he passed, muttering half-formed theories about what he might have fought in the deeper sections.
Yoshiya stared after him, unsettled. Those wounds... they were brutal, and yet he refused healing. And that aura—it's like he's not done fighting.
The dark tunnel behind them felt suddenly heavier. Whatever lay deeper inside, Kaito had faced it alone... and survived.
They decided not to linger. The sled was fully loaded, the miners were jumpy, and no one wanted to find out what else was lurking. Yoshiya led the way out of the mine, the cart creaking under the weight of their haul.
As they emerged into the fading light of day, Yoshiya caught one last glimpse of Kaito's silhouette in the distance—disappearing into the treeline, both massive swords gleaming faintly in the sun.
A man walking away from the darkness, carrying it with him.