"And deliver a letter to Taai."
The stranger's eyes narrowed.
"..."
"...What's your relationship with Taai?"
The blade pressed slightly closer.
Kai froze.
"I-I have letters!"
"I swear!"
The stranger stared for another second.
Then suddenly burst into laughter.
"Hahaha!"
He lowered the scythe.
"...I'm fucking with ya."
Kai blinked.
"...What?"
The stranger slung the weapon onto his shoulder.
"The name's Andrew."
Kai frowned.
"...Andrew?"
"Yep."
"I'm the guy Nish asked to meet you."
Kai stared.
"...You're serious?"
Andrew shrugged.
"I got bored waiting halfway."
"So I figured..."
"...why not walk toward you instead?"
He pointed toward the destroyed campsite.
"Then I overheard these idiots."
"They captured some traveler."
"They started reading the letters they stole."
"I heard Taai's name."
"They were arguing how much money they'd get from ransoming you."
Andrew grinned.
"So..."
"I beat them up."
Kai looked around.
"...For justice?"
Andrew snorted.
"...Nah."
He casually pointed toward the unconscious bandits.
"Bounties."
Kai blinked.
"...You're collecting bounty money."
"Exactly."
Andrew smiled proudly.
"They basically paid me to beat them up."
Kai stood there quietly.
Then—
He remembered something.
Nish's voice.
"He's trustworthy..."
"Kind of a wacko though."
Kai looked at Andrew.
Andrew looked back.
"..."
Kai couldn't help it.
He laughed.
"...Yeah."
"Nish wasn't lying."
Andrew grinned.
"I get that a lot."
Under the moonlit sky—
For the first time since leaving Asphyxia—
Kai finally felt like maybe...
Just maybe...
His trip to Muscle City had gotten back on track.