"If you don't cut it open, then how do you get it out?" Koa asked, genuinely curious.
"My master can do anything. Maybe you'll find out someday," Oliver replied, keeping things vague as usual.
With Koa leading the way, they made their way through the forest. The journey was relatively smooth—whenever a mutated beast showed up, Brandon and Griffin took care of it effortlessly. No one else even needed to lift a finger.
As they moved forward, the dense jungle began to thin out. Signs of human activity started to appear—footprints, plastic bottles, trash bags.
And, of course, skeletal remains and traces of past battles.
Oliver couldn't help but ask, "If the town's so safe, why do you guys even come out here?"
"Living in the town isn't free," Koa explained. "You've gotta pay your dues—crystal cores, beast meat, stuff like that. It's like a tax. Plus, we need to get stronger, earn supplies. So yeah, we still have to come out here and take risks."
