That night, as he fell asleep, Kai finally saw the results of the battle. In his dream, the numbers appeared clearly:
Ranged Accuracy: 0.9% → 3.5%
Hunting & Trapping: 12% → 15%
Stealth & Movement Skill: 11% → 14%
Close-Quarters Combat: 3% → 8%
On the Iron Dragonfly, Celeste observed Kai's Essence Prism shining brightly. She smiled, a smile of relief. Her friend didn't have to kill to win. He had used his intelligence and mettle to subdue his enemy.
After the victory over Lom's group, Kai did not feel jubilant. On the contrary, the loneliness deepened in his heart. That victory proved he could survive, but it didn't mean he could exist long-term in this world.
Alone, he could only hunt small prey. Alone, he always had to stay vigilant, never daring to fall into a deep sleep. Alone, if seriously injured, he would die a slow, lonely death. And more importantly, monstrous creatures like the Hungry Shades often moved in packs. Facing them alone was suicide.
After finishing a hunt, on his way back, Kai encountered a pack of young Hungry Shades tearing apart a large carcass. He suddenly realized: True strength does not lie in the individual, but in unity. Even the most ferocious creatures knew to rely on each other to survive.
That thought made him look at his former bullies from a different perspective. Lom and his gang weren't completely evil. They were survivors, products of a cruel world. They had strength, but lacked wisdom and discipline. And he, now, had wisdom from the "Dream Speakers," had skills from training, but lacked the strength of a collective.
"I can't stay alone forever," Kai whispered. "I need a group."
But not a weak group. He needed warriors. And those bullies, with their survival instincts and necessary brutality, were the perfect candidates – if he could tame and lead them.
A plan began to form in his mind. He wouldn't destroy them. He would prove his value to them and show them that the benefits of following him far outweighed struggling on their own.
The opportunity came when Kai discovered Lom severely injured after an encounter with an adult Hungry Shade. His two henchmen were panicking, not knowing what to do to save their leader. Lom's wound was swollen, festering, and he was running a high fever.
Kai, from the shadows, watched them. This was the moment.
He stepped out, unarmed. "If you want him to live, listen to me."
The two henchmen started, raising their weapons. "You... what do you want?"
"I can save him," Kai said, his tone calm. "But in return, from now on, you will follow my orders. Not as slaves, but as a team. A real hunting team."
They hesitated, but looking at Lom's worsening wound and Kai's confident eyes, they nodded.
Kai ordered them to carry Lom to his new hideout – a place equipped with warning traps and multiple escape routes. Then, using the knowledge of herbs the Dream Speakers had taught him, he found antibiotic leaves and pain-relieving fungi.
He even knew how to filter cleaner water.
After just two days, Lom's fever broke, and the wound began to heal. The three former bullies looked at Kai with a different expression: no longer contempt, but amazement, respect, and even hope.
When Lom was fully conscious, Kai sat down opposite him. "Lom, you are strong. But your strength is only enough to rob those weaker than you. It won't help you survive against the monsters out there, or other predator groups."
Lom remained silent, his gaze complex.
"I propose a deal," Kai said. "I will lead you. I will teach you how to hunt effectively, how to treat wounds, how to build a base. In return, you use your strength to protect the group and follow my tactics. Together, we won't just survive; we can hunt large prey and claim better resources."
Lom stared at Kai. He saw the boy's dramatic transformation, from a trembling mouse to a potential leader. And more importantly, he understood that Kai's offer was the only feasible path to survival.
After a long silence, Lom nodded. "Fine. I... will listen to you."
On the Junk-Dragon, Celeste observed Kai's Essence. She was astonished to see a completely new color appear: a bright, fiery bronze, the color of leadership and the ability to unify. Kai's stats for tactics and strategic thinking in the dream had soared.
She smiled. "He's not just thinking for himself anymore. He's expanding his hunting grounds in the role of the pack leader."
Kai was no longer a lone hunter. He had become a leader. And his survival journey, from this point, entered a new chapter: building a territory and confronting the truly major threats of this ruined world.