"The ideals of the Reunion Movement are to help the Infected change their current plight."
Talulah said firmly to Big Bob.
"I won't stop you from leaving the Reunion. Everyone has the right to make their own choices."
But she did not agree to take back the uniform.
"My foster father once told me—no matter the path taken, as long as it leads to the result, it can still be considered a choice."
Talulah patted Big Bob on the shoulder with solemn weight.
"And I believe… in some ways, he wasn't entirely wrong."
For the first time, Big Bob began to realize—his leader was not the naïve idealist sheltered under Duke Kashchey's protection, as he had once thought.
"To change the plight of the Infected, violence alone cannot be the only path. I believe… trying to survive in a place like Columbia, where treatment of the Infected is comparatively lenient, may open another road for us."
Talulah spoke with heartfelt sincerity:
"I thank you for not leaving quietly with your like-minded comrades who are weary of battle. But I want you all to know—the Reunion's goal is not simply to fight with force, but to change the place of the Infected in this world."
With that, she left the tent, leaving Big Bob alone in silent contemplation.
---
"Forgive me, Grani."
Big Bob adjusted his stance, revving the chainsaw in his hands and pointing it at her.
He knew very well—at this moment, he was nothing more than a despicable man.
But if he wanted a future for himself and his companions under Columbia's sun, he had to seize this treasure.
"You understand that by doing this, you'll make Dewville Village's situation even more dire!"
Grani's voice shook with both anger and sorrow.
Big Bob remained silent.
Of course he knew. Taking the treasure would only bring hardship to the village. But without wealth, how else could they hope to secure a place in Columbia?
This might be their last struggle—for their own future.
They had run out of options.
They were tired of endless fighting.
At that moment, Skadi also entered the tomb.
"Hand over the village chief."
---
"You're not going to act?" Surtr asked, eyeing Grim, who stood idly watching.
"Of course not… What, are you planning to make a move?"
"…"
"You're hesitating too, aren't you? After learning of their situation, you don't even know which side to help."
"…How do you know so much about them?"
"By chance, I once wandered into one of their temporary camps. I used my Originium Arts to stay alive there for half a month. Eventually, my body couldn't take it anymore, so I left. Just before I left, I saw that big guy—Big Bob—trying to run away. But after a moment of hesitation, he got talked back into it by their leader."
"…Your Originium Arts are that strong. Why didn't you use them when I was traveling with you?"
"Uh… because, as a traveler, it's against my principles to abandon people suffering from illness on the road!"
"…You really have too many so-called principles for a 'traveler.' Be honest!"
"Alright, alright. The truth is, I thought your combat skills weren't bad, so I assumed your body could handle the strain. I wanted someone to help with the heavy lifting. But if I agreed to take you in right away, it would've looked too hasty. So I let you tag along for a few days, then agreed, so you'd value the opportunity more… But I didn't expect your stamina to be so terrible. All your combat strength comes from that weapon of yours. You're basically just an accessory dangling off it…"
Surtr glared furiously at the unkempt, black-haired Kuranta man beside her.
The regret plastered across his face was so unashamed it only made her angrier.
"Lævatain!"
---
Just as the battle between Grani and Big Bob was about to break out, Carol suddenly came running out of the tomb, cheering that she had found the treasure.
Big Bob immediately made his move, hurling an explosive in Grani's direction.
At that moment, Skadi swung her massive sword, instantly batting the bomb away to another spot.
Boom!
The explosion roared.
And the place it struck… happened to be where Surtr and Grim were standing.
"Big Bob, you bastard…"
"Damn it! Didn't I say the bombs were supposed to be duds?!" Big Bob turned furiously to scold the Reunion member who had supplied him.
"I… I swear I prepared fakes!" the Reunion fighter stammered.
Grani was left bewildered by Big Bob's reaction. He had no reason to tell such a clumsy lie.
Could it be…? Has Big Bob's mind already been damaged by Oripathy, throwing his nerves into disorder?
But when everyone turned their eyes toward the blast site, what they saw wasn't wreckage—
It was a stranger.
A Sarkaz woman, with a terrifying shadow looming behind her and a monstrous greatsword clutched in her hand.
Another monster here? Is the Knight's Treasure really worth this much…?
Big Bob felt the crushing aura rolling off her, a power that seemed as if it could burn the world itself, and his hope of seizing the treasure dimmed rapidly.
Skadi, meanwhile, moved to shield the helpless Carol and the badly wounded Grani behind her.
This one… she's strong.
Skadi's expression hardened. She wasn't afraid of the Sarkaz, but she feared that the shockwaves of their clash would endanger Carol and Grani.
Yet, the Sarkaz woman didn't attack immediately. Instead, she seemed lost in thought—trying to remember something.
Surtr struggled to recall why she was even here, and why her blade, Laevatain, had suddenly manifested.
Skadi couldn't make a move with her companions at risk.
Big Bob, on the other hand, was secretly hoping the two monsters would tear each other apart, so he could swoop in and take the prize.
The tense standoff dragged on. No one moved.
Finally, the veil of Grim's Originium Arts lifted—and Surtr remembered.
"Grim! Just you wait!!!"
With a furious shout, Surtr unleashed Laevatain, melting a hole straight through the stone wall, and charged out in pursuit.
Right now, she only wanted to pound Grim into the dirt.
From Skadi and Big Bob's perspective, the Sarkaz woman had simply muttered a few incomprehensible words to herself—then vanished.
"Well then," Skadi said coldly, her eyes narrowing at Big Bob, "I suppose it's just the two of us now."
Unlike before, when she had to hold back, Skadi had no such restraints against Big Bob.
"..."
Ishar'mla slumbers within that Aegir body. Who knows when she will awaken…
It seems I won't need to rouse the vessel of [Ig] after all.
---
Deep beneath the sea, within a palace of colossal stone, a humanoid sea-born creature stirred slightly upon the throne—then fell silent once more.
Outside the palace, countless Seaborn stood watch, silently guarding their sovereign's rest.