He went back into his subspace and stored the bones and hide there, freeing up more space.
Kael fired up his motorcycle and headed toward City 15. His first stop was the supermarket, where he grabbed every can of powdered milk he could find, along with spices, vitamins, and various medicines. The bill came to fifteen thousand dollars.
But that wasn't enough. He hit the road again, this time toward City 12, where a large shopping mall awaited.
He stocked up on clothes sizes for kids, women, and men. Ten sacks each of rice and wheat.two sacks of salt, two sacks of sugar.
His eyes wandered to the liquor section cases of beer went into the cart without hesitation.
The total? Sixty thousand dollars.
Not that it mattered. With over three hundred million sitting in his bank account, he could afford to spend without blinking.
He crammed everything into his subspace, the vast storage swallowing the haul without trouble, and then rode out again this time toward Cities 16 and 17.
He crammed everything into his subspace, the vast storage swallowing the haul without trouble, and then rode out again this time toward Cities 16 and 17.
By the time he arrived at City 16, the sun was already setting. The settlement was small, barely holding over four hundred survivors.
Kael scanned the place. People here were thin, wary, their eyes sharp with suspicion. The tension was thick everyone seemed ready to bolt or fight.
At the center stood their leader a C-rank hunter, judging by his stance and aura. Kael had heard of people like him: capable of entering the safer zones, but choosing instead to stay behind and protect those who couldn't fend for themselves. A true hero in a world like this.
The man stepped forward, hand on his sword. His voice was firm, almost cold.
"Leave. People like you aren't welcome here. We don't have anything to give."
Kael raised his empty hands, showing he carried no weapon.
"Relax. I'm not your enemy. I came to help I brought food and medicine."
The man's eyes narrowed.
"Oh, really? You expect me to believe that? Where would you even put those supplies on that motorcycle of yours? Get out before I make you."
Kael smirked faintly.
"Oh? You want to see the supplies? Take a look"
With a thought, his subspace opened. One by one, sacks began appearing from thin air, hitting the dirt with heavy thuds.
Gasps echoed through the settlement. Even the hunter froze, eyes wide.
A boy of about fifteen or sixteen ran forward, peeking inside one of the sacks. His voice cracked as he yelled,
"It's real! Rice! Everyone he's giving us rice!"
The C-rank hunter's expression shifted instantly from suspicion to disbelief.
"You… you're actually giving this to us?"
"Uh-huh. Why not?" Kael replied casually.
The man's lips curled into a warm smile. He sheathed his sword and extended his hand.
"I'm sorry for pointing my blade at you. My name's Cardo Vasquez C-rank hunter. And you?"
"Kael," he said, returning the handshake.
Cardo flinched slightly at the strength in Kael's grip Kael hadn't even squeezed.
"Damn… you're strong. Stronger than me, that's for sure."
Kael laughed. "I'm not that strong, haha."
"Do you have a storage room here?" Kael asked. "I've got a lot more supplies to unload. Saw you guys earlier when I was heading into the wilderness, so I decided to help."
Before Cardo could respond, an elderly man approached. His back was hunched, and his frame was thin, but his eyes were sharp.
"Hohoho… you're far too kind to strangers," the man said. "I'm Thomas, the leader of this settlement. A mage, and a hunter like you. Welcome to our camp."
Kael bowed his head slightly. "Kael. Hunter. Thank you for the welcome, Elder Thomas."
"Oh, and one more thing," Kael added with a grin. "I've got foods and supplies with me planning to share it with everyone. Can you call the people from Area 17 as well?"
Cardo tilted his head. "Area 17? Sure, but… why?"
"Because," Kael said, his grin widening, "I'm giving out food, medicine, and clothes tonight. No one goes hungry bring their kids as well I'm giving them essentials"
Minutes later, the sound of shuffling feet filled the air as hundreds of people began gathering, drawn by the promise of a rare feast.
The crowd murmured among themselves, voices overlapping in a sea of chatter.
Kael's eyes swept over the gathering. A thousand people.
He cleared his throat.
"Alright, everyone, thank you for coming. I'm Kael a hunter. I'm here to give you a little help. Each settlement will receive ten sacks of rice, ten sacks of wheat, and one sack each of salt and sugar."
Cheers erupted, echoing across the camp. The solar-powered lamps flickered to life, bathing the crowd in a warm, golden glow.
From thin air, sacks materialized one after another, thudding onto the ground as Kael pulled them from his subspace.
More murmurs.
"Food… food!" people whispered and shouted, unable to hide their excitement.
"Thank you, Kael! Thank you!" voices rang from the crowd.
Kael cleared his throat again.
"And that's not all I'm also giving you medicine."
He handed small boxes to the elders of both settlements. Then, with a flick of his wrist, another ten boxes appeared in the air this time filled with vitamins and powdered milk.
"These are for the kids," Kael said, his voice firm. "Elders make sure every family with children gets their share. If I ever hear about corruption here, this will be the last time I help."
The elders nodded solemnly.
"And finally… the best part."
With a grin, Kael brought out fifty cases of beer, followed by a massive chunk of fresh boar meat.
"I've got more in my subspace. Let's have a barbecue party tonight!"
The crowd exploded in shock and disbelief.
"Meat?! Meat!" voices cried out.
"Wow! It's pork!"
"It's been years since I've had any…"
"That's pork, right? I've never even tasted it before!"
"I'm planning to share it with everyone," Kael said. "Are there any good cooks here?"
A group of women from Settlement 17 stepped forward.
"Sir, we used to work as cooks in Settlement 9, before… well, before we were thrown here."
"Perfect," Kael said with a smile. "Help me prepare all of this."
The crowd chanted his name.
"Kael! Kael! Kael!"
The women got to work, prepping the meat. Kids ran around laughing, some already dressed in new clothes Kael had given out earlier. Men gathered in small groups, chatting cheerfully the entire settlement was alive with energy.
An older man approached Kael. His back was straight, his presence commanding, even though his smile was warm.
"Hello, Kael. I'm Arnold C-rank hunter and swordsman from Settlement 17. Thank you for what you've done. It's been years since we've had help from anyone inside the city walls."
"Oh, it's nothing. Don't mention it," Kael replied, shaking his hand.
Arnold's grip was firm as they talked. He explained the situation how Settlements 16 and 17 were the only ones left from this region. Years ago, there had been Settlements 18 and 19 as well, but monsters had overrun them. Only a few survivors had managed to escape and join the remaining two settlements
There's also some survivor camps near the wilderness of hill area of Settlements 17 they are hidding inside the cave around 100 or more.
For a time, kind-hearted hunters had helped defend the area, providing supplies like water filters, batteries, solar panels, and other necessities. But one day, those hunters stopped coming.
"Probably dead," Arnold said quietly. "We've managed to hunt crystal-core monsters, but without access to City 15, we can't trade them for supplies. That's why things are… the way they are now."
Kael listened, gaze steady. He didn't say it out loud, but his mind was already turning over the possibilities.
"The food's ready!" Ana, the head cook, called out, her voice carrying over the crackle of open fires. Behind her was a mountain of barbecue meat, piled high on makeshift tables. Smoke curled up into the night sky, carrying the mouthwatering scent of roasted pork.
Several men were still at the grills, helping the women turn sizzling slabs of meat. The sound of fat dripping into the flames made the fire hiss, while herbs and spices sizzled along the edges of each cut, sending bursts of aroma into the air.
Kael grabbed a skewer, took a bite and his eyes lit up instantly.
" Tasty!" he exclaimed, the smoky, savory flavor exploding in his mouth.
Nearby, a group of kids blew on their portions, cheeks puffing as steam rose from the fresh meat. One boy took a careful bite, then his eyes widened.
"Wowwww! Delicious!"
"Mommy, I want this food every day!" another little one declared, holding his skewer like it was treasure.
Across the way, a little girl grinned at her father, meat juices dripping from her chin.
"Daddy! This meat is better than goblin meat!"
Her father laughed, then suddenly choked up. "Ohh… sure, honey… that's really good." Tears welled in his eyes as he watched her chew happily.
Mugs of milk were passed around to the children, the pale liquid catching the lamplight. One thin, malnourished boy held his cup and stared at it, confused.
"What's this?"
He had never tasted milk before.
"Just drink it," his mother Ana said gently.
The boy took a sip… then froze.
"Wowww! Sweet! Delicious!" he shouted, clutching the cup. "Mommy, I want to drink this every day!"
The kids' laughter was contagious, spreading across the camp. Even the teens and adults were grinning ear to ear as they dug in.
Steam from freshly cooked rice rose into the cool night air, its aroma blending perfectly with the smoky sweetness of the barbecue. People filled their plates with generous heaps of rice and meat, eating without holding back.
Beer flowed freely among the adults, foamy mugs clinking together in celebration. Laughter, chatter, and the clatter of plates filled the settlement it was alive in a way it hadn't been in years.
Elder Thomas sat to the side, his gnarled hands trembling as he watched his people. Tears streamed down his cheeks. "It's… the first time I've seen them this happy," he whispered.
A group of kids ran up to Kael, their hands sticky from meat.
"Thanks, big bro Kael!" they shouted.
"Thank youuuu!"
One boy about sixteen stepped forward. Kael recognized him as the same teen who had checked the rice earlier. Cardo's son.
"Big bro… I want to be a hunter like you," the boy said. "I'm turning eighteen this year. Can you help me?"
Kael was taken aback. Seventeen? The boy barely looked fifteen malnutrition had stunted his growth.
"Sure, sure," Kael replied. "If I can, I'll help you."
Then a young woman stepped forward, her voice clear.
"Big bro Kael, my name's Angel. I'm eighteen now, and I also want to be a hunter to help the settlement. Will you help me too?"
Kael grinned. "Why not? Once I get back to City One, I'll buy awakening potions for you guys. Any young adult here who wants to become a hunter can have one and if you want, you can join my guild."
Gasps rippled through the nearby crowd, and more young adults edged closer, their eyes shining.
"Is that true?" one asked eagerly. "Me too I want to be a hunter!"
" If I will be hunter I'll surely join your guild big bro" Said bproblem blushing.
Kael chuckled, raising his mug. "Sure, sure. No problem."