Everyone rested inside the cave.
Some leaned against the cold stone walls and slept. Others whispered quietly, their voices echoing faintly through the hollow space.
But no one truly relaxed.
They still needed to escape.
"You said you had a plan to escape, right?" Leo asked, staring at Ren with narrowed eyes.
"Of course," Ren replied with a light smile. "I brought a little something with me. Just in case things went wrong."
"And what is that?" Leo pressed.
"A teleportation device," Ren answered casually. "It can teleport a person to any place they've previously visited."
The group's eyes widened.
Ren's smile remained — but something about it felt… off.
"However," he continued, "there's a small issue. Each device can only teleport one person. And I only brought five."
Silence.
"There are six of us," Adrian said quietly.
The meaning settled over everyone like a heavy weight.
Someone would have to be left behind.
Some froze.Some looked down.Some were already thinking.
Before the tension could explode, Ren clapped his hands lightly.
"Relax. We'll decide tonight. For now, survival comes first. Two people gather food. Two gather water."
"What about the last two?" Adrian asked.
"They'll start a fire, secure the cave, find something soft to sleep on — make sure this place is safe enough to last the night," Ren explained smoothly.
Soon, the groups were formed.
Cosmic and Anthony would search for water.Adrian and Ren would find food.Rose and Leo would prepare the cave.
Without another word, they split up.
Adrian and Ren walked deeper into the mysterious terrain.
The trees were twisted. The air felt thick. The sky was tinted with an unnatural hue.
Adrian examined several strange fruits growing from low branches.
"Are these edible?" he asked.
Ren studied one, then casually tossed it aside.
"No. Toxic."
After hours of searching, the answer became clear.
"There's only one option left," Ren said calmly. "We hunt."
Adrian nodded.
It was risky. They didn't know if the creatures here were edible. They didn't know how strong they were.
But with Ren beside him, Adrian felt confident.
Meanwhile, Ren's thoughts were far darker.
Should I kill him now?
Lucius betrayed me. I have no reason to follow his orders anymore…
But this kid… he's irritating.
Maybe I should just—
A thunderous roar interrupted his thoughts.
A massive creature charged toward them.
It resembled a hippo — but far larger. Its body was covered in swollen, pulsating pimples. A thick horn protruded from its forehead.
Both boys leaped aside just in time.
The creature slammed into the ground, shaking the earth.
It turned instantly and charged at Adrian.
Adrian barely dodged and countered with a powerful kick.
Nothing.
The creature didn't even flinch.
Adrian launched a barrage of punches and kicks — each strike sharp and precise.
Still nothing.
Ren stepped back, calmly observing.
"Are you not going to help?!" Adrian shouted.
"I'm sure you can handle it," Ren replied with a smile.
Adrian clicked his tongue in frustration and continued fighting.
Suddenly, the creature stopped moving.
The pimples on its body began to swell.
Then—
They exploded.
A thick, purple gas spread rapidly across the area.
"I wouldn't recommend breathing that in," Ren called out from a safe distance.
Adrian didn't respond. He conserved his breath and focused.
He lowered his stance.
He gathered every ounce of strength into one fist.
The creature charged again.
Adrian stepped forward instead of back.
His punch landed first.
The impact echoed like thunder.
The massive creature flew backward and crashed into the ground, unconscious.
Silence returned.
"Impressive," Ren said, clapping slowly. "Very impressive."
Adrian turned sharply.
"Why didn't you help me? I could've died."
Ren tilted his head.
"I just wanted to see how strong you are."
"This isn't a training ground!" Adrian snapped. "We're stranded on a random planet! We should be focused on surviving — not testing each other!"
Ren laughed softly.
"Alright, alright. Calm down."
Adrian didn't look convinced.
Together, they carried the massive creature back to the cave and began cutting it into smaller portions.
Meanwhile, Cosmic and Anthony searched desperately for water.
All they found were pools of boiling liquid — tinted slightly red.
"This place is insane," Anthony muttered.
He stared at the strange landscape, then smirked.
"Hey… you think there are beautiful women on this planet?"
Cosmic sighed.
"This isn't the time for jokes."
Anthony was about to reply—
When suddenly—
A woman appeared in front of them.
She was completely naked.
Beautiful.
And smiling.
"Hola!" she said cheerfully.