The sound of two sets of footsteps echoed through the corridor.
The head servant followed Julian from behind, his eyes shifting into reptilian ones.
His claws had already emerged earlier.
The head servant swallowed.
'Yes… better to kill him.'
Just as his claws were about to pierce Julian's heart—
Julian stopped walking.
The head servant's eyes widened. Slowly, his eyes returned to normal, and his claws reverted back as well.
Julian turned around, smiling.
"Thank you, old man…"
The head servant raised an eyebrow.
"For what?"
Julian let out a sigh.
"You know? Things are really difficult right now. Even some of the servants have left the house…"
Julian looked up at the ceiling.
"But with you here, at least I have a friend."
The head servant chuckled.
"That is my duty, sir…"
Julian nodded and continued walking toward his destination.
The head servant clicked his tongue and followed.
Julian's steps led him to a room guarded by two black-robed figures wearing masks at the entrance.
Julian greeted one of them.
"Has Eve come today?"
One of the masked men answered.
"She hasn't arrived yet."
Julian scratched his temple.
"May I wait inside?"
The two masked men exchanged glances, and one of them replied.
"Of course, but the captain is inside."
Julian smiled.
"That's fine…"
Julian looked back at the head servant.
"What was the name of that restaurant?"
The head servant stroked his chin.
"Restaurant Moon?"
Julian nodded.
He entered the room alone.
Inside, sitting alone on a sofa, was a man in a black robe with a white mask. There were only lines around the eyes and mouth of the mask.
The man's voice sounded distorted due to the mask.
"Are you here to meet someone?"
Julian walked over and sat on the sofa to the left of the masked man.
"Yes… please call Eve."
The masked man nodded and used his smart bracelet.
Julian looked at him and sighed.
"Captain… is my father alright?"
The masked man shrugged and leaned back.
"I don't know. I never leave this house…"
Julian scratched his hair.
"What if my father is being framed? And the others are also being influenced by something?"
The masked man looked at Julian.
"Prove it in the trial…"
Julian clicked his tongue.
"You people are really cold at a time like this, huh?"
The masked man sighed and cracked his knuckles.
"What if your father is truly involved with the Dark Side? Will you still hide under his protection?"
Julian looked at him seriously.
"You know you've gone too far, right?"
The masked man chuckled and ignored him.
"This is the real world, kid. You're too comfortable in your small pond."
Julian gritted his teeth. He took a deep breath and exhaled.
He leaned back on the sofa and stared at the ceiling.
Silence filled the room.
After a while, the door opened.
Sreeet.
A girl with light red hair entered the room.
"Julian… are you okay?"
Julian chuckled.
"I'm fine, Eve…"
Eve sat in front of Julian, to the right of the masked man.
The masked man raised his hand,
signaling for Julian and Eve to talk.
Julian leaned forward, and Eve followed.
They were only separated by a glass table.
The masked man, seeing them like that, leaned in as well.
Julian glanced at him and clicked his tongue, but continued speaking to Eve.
"I need your help, Eve."
One of Eve's eyebrows rose.
"What is it?"
The masked man looked at Julian, listening carefully.
"My head servant said that before Ophi, Darla, and the others attacked the city, they all ate together at a restaurant…"
Eve raised an eyebrow.
"You mean they were influenced by something?"
Julian stroked his chin, thinking for a moment.
"It's a possibility, right?"
Eve nodded in agreement.
"Do you want me to investigate it?"
Julian smiled widely for a moment.
"Sorry for troubling you, Eve. I'll pay you later…"
Eve laughed shyly.
"You have to go on a date with me after everything is over, okay?"
The masked man laughed, making Julian and Eve look at him.
He leaned back and sighed.
"Shouldn't you also check that head servant?"
Julian looked at him with an empty gaze.
"He's been here since before I was born, how could I suspect him?"
The masked man chuckled and simply nodded in agreement.
He gestured for them to continue their conversation.
Julian looked at Eve.
"What is Rina doing? Why didn't she come here?"
Eve shrugged.
"I don't know. She said she was going somewhere with Reva, Ken, and that brat Alex."
Eve clenched her fists, veins appearing on her forehead.
"That guy… how can he go traveling while his friend is in trouble?!"
Julian sighed.
"Yeah… maybe she's doing something important?"
Eve frowned.
"She? That spoiled and arrogant girl? No way…"
Eve leaned forward.
"…she only cares about you, Julian."
Eve clicked her tongue.
"But she didn't even come here!"
Eve snorted.
The masked man pointed at Eve.
"Hey… you shouldn't talk about the princess like that."
Eve stuck out her tongue, ignoring him.
The masked man chuckled and clapped once.
Clap.
"Alright… time's up. Please return to your respective places."
Julian sighed and stood up.
He looked at Eve.
"Please help me, Eve…"
Eve winked.
The two of them left the room.
The masked man rested his head on his right hand.
His smart bracelet blinked.
"Did you hear that?"
A voice responded from the bracelet.
"Yes, sir!"
The masked man stroked his mask.
"Keep an eye on the head servant. He might be involved in something. Report to me regularly."
"Yes, sir!"
The masked man turned off his smart bracelet.
"Tch, naive brat…"
He sighed.
"I should've gone to escort the princess instead."
"This is boring… if I escorted her, at least I could surf in the desert, right?"
—
A gust of wind mixed with sand crashed fiercely, the blazing sunlight looming overhead. Three vehicles surfed across the desert.
The vehicles were called sand ATVs, equipped with four track-wheels that rotated over the sand. Two people sat on each, with the one in front controlling the vehicle gliding over the dunes.
Five people rode those vehicles, cutting through a desert filled with violent winds.
One of the vehicles lagged behind the others. On it, two boys in white robes were shouting at each other.
The one driving shouted to the one behind him.
"You should be the one driving, Alex!"
Alex, sitting in the back, cupped his ear.
"What?! What did you say, Ken?!"
Ken gritted his teeth.
"YOU SHOULD BE THE ONE DRIVING, YOU BASTARD!"
Alex paused for a moment.
"I don't want to pee! Do you want to pee?!"
Ken laughed like a madman, the wind roaring in his ears.
He nodded helplessly.
Seeing Ken nod, Alex shouted loudly toward the vehicles ahead, raising both his hands as a signal.
"STOP! STOP!"
Ken looked at Alex in confusion.
The vehicles ahead, seeing Alex through their mirrors, began slowing down and stopped.
One of the riders shouted—it was Reva.
"What is it now, you idiot?!"
Alex stood up and pointed at Ken.
"Ken wants to pee!"
Reva's eyebrow twitched.
Katarina, riding with Reva, chuckled.
Ken shouted loudly in the middle of the desert.
"No! No! This bastard misheard!"
Samir rubbed his bald head, his antenna swaying.
Katarina laughed freely, wiping away the tears that had accidentally formed, and looked at Samir.
"Is it still far?"
Samir shrugged.
"I don't know, Princess. The location keeps moving—we're only tracking an estimated direction."
Katarina sighed and slowly got off the vehicle.
Her boots left marks on the sand, the gusting wind almost blowing away her scarf.
Katarina looked around.
Ken and Alex approached with their vehicle.
Katarina sighed.
'Back then, that sandstorm appeared by accident… now that we're trying to find it, it won't show up.'
Katarina kept scanning her surroundings.
Alex got off his vehicle and approached Katarina.
"Hey, fortune teller, don't you know where the sandstorm will pass?"
Katarina ignored him.
Alex spoke again.
"If you can find it, I'll call you fortune teller forever."
Katarina looked at Alex with a cynical expression.
She walked a little, crouched down, and brushed the sand.
She remembered her past.
'Who would've thought that terrifying sandstorm would actually be the shortcut to the golden desert?'
Katarina shivered, recalling the sensation of being struck by that storm.
She sighed and looked around.
Alex and the others approached.
"Should we split up?"
Katarina chuckled and looked at Alex.
"You? Are you sure you want to be far away from your fortune teller?"
Alex spread his arms.
"Look around, it's too vast… and our time is running out, right?"
Katarina swallowed and bit her fingers.
'It's worth trying… but if it's not me who finds it, it'll be difficult…'
Reva raised her hand under the blazing sun.
"If we split up, how do we divide the teams?"
Alex stroked his chin.
"Of course, you three will stay together. I'll go with Ken."
Ken raised an eyebrow.
"With you? No, no. That's a nightmare…"
Alex chuckled and wrapped an arm around Ken.
"Come on, buddy… aren't we a great duo?"
Ken struggled to break free from Alex's grip.
Katarina brushed her hair, her thoughts becoming complicated.
She massaged her forehead, then looked at Alex and Ken.
'He should be able to handle anything, right?...'
Katarina closed her eyes and smiled faintly.
'Yes… if he can't get through this, then he won't survive in the future.'
Katarina opened her eyes and looked at Alex and Ken.
"Alright… we'll split up."
Samir scratched his forehead.
"Is that okay, Princess?... those two look like they'll die at any moment out here."
Samir sighed.
"We should've brought Sahir too…"
Katarina shook her head.
"This is the right decision. And Sahir had to leave. Otherwise, the Komodo would disappear."
Samir nodded at her words.
Katarina looked at Alex.
"Are you sure you can handle it?"
Alex nodded seriously.
Katarina nodded as well.
"Then we'll split up until tomorrow…."
She looked at all of them.
"…we'll regroup here if we don't find the storm. After that, we'll think of another way."
Alex nodded while Ken tried to run toward Samir.
Alex chuckled and dragged Ken along.
The two of them finally left together.
Alex smiled brightly and waved at Katarina, Reva, and Samir.
"See you later, fortune teller! Short fuse! And bee man!"
Alex accelerated the vehicle—this time he was the one driving.
The wind mixed with sand struck them, their trail carving through the desert.
Ken, sitting behind, clicked his tongue.
"Why did we have to split up?!"
Alex chuckled and glanced sideways.
"What's the problem?! Think of it as a vacation!"
Ken grabbed Alex's shoulders, bringing his mouth close to Alex's ear.
"Haven't you heard the rumors?!"
Alex raised an eyebrow.
"What rumors?!"
Ken shouted in response.
"You bastard!"
Alex didn't understand what Ken was talking about.
He asked Krystal.
'Do you know what rumor he means?'
Krystal chuckled.
'Looking at your body's memories, there is a well-known rumor…'
'…about a group of adventurers who set out together, but only one returns.'
Alex raised an eyebrow.
'Isn't that normal? The golden desert is that dangerous, right?'
Krystal agreed.
'Yes… but it happens repeatedly.'
Alex narrowed his eyes, the wind's roar growing louder.
Krystal continued.
'There's a rumor that only one person can survive…'
Alex's eyes widened.
'Then the others?'
Krystal fell silent for a moment.
'Maybe… left behind?...'
Alex swallowed, his body shivering.
'Should we go back?...'
Krystal chuckled mockingly.
'We should…'
As Alex fell silent, Ken, sitting behind him, felt the wind growing stronger against his back—something that shouldn't be happening.
As the roaring wind intensified, Ken's eyes widened. He turned to look behind.
His expression went blank, his mouth almost falling open.
He pounded Alex's shoulder and shouted.
"FASTER! FASTER! IT'S THE SANDSTORM!"
Startled by Ken's reaction, Alex checked the rear mirror.
He swallowed hard.
Behind them, the sandstorm was chasing them. The sunlight could not penetrate it—there was only darkness, wind, sand, and lightning.
Alex looked left and right, trying to see how far the storm stretched.
Cold sweat dripped down his palms as he gripped the ATV controls.
There was no end to the storm.
Alex shouted.
"DAMN IT!…"
He pushed the ATV to its maximum speed.
The wind felt like it was pulling them closer.
Ken screamed while clinging tightly to Alex, not wanting to be swept away alone.
"DAMN IT! I'M ALWAYS UNLUCKY WHEN I'M WITH YOU!"
Slowly, the sandstorm blocked out the sunlight above them.
The wind turned cold.
Alex smiled and laughed like a madman.
"This is it… we're done."
The ATV slowly lost power.
Its lights flickered, its speed gradually decreased.
And in an instant, Alex and Ken were swallowed by the sandstorm.