Blood sprayed across the tunnel in two thick arcs.

The pair of Awakened didn’t even get the chance to cry out properly. Their eyes widened in their final moments, mouths opening on instinct, but all that came out were wet choking sounds as their bodies collapsed in unison.

Thud.

Thud.

Silence returned.

Elane stared at the barely visible scene through the darkness, surprise by how cleanly everything went.

’No wonder Liam opted for ambushing rather than fighting head on...’

Compared to when she first fought alongside Rohan, he resembled the Awakened they’d just taken care of more than anything. Sloppy, not paying enough attention, and overall mediocre.

But in the simple matter of weeks, he’d reached where he was now. His improvement speed was overwhelming, much faster than she could have achieved even with her father’s backing.

’The Origin Realm wouldn’t have given such an amazing talent to someone who was mediocre.’

"Drag them back," Rohan whispered.

That broke Elane out of her momentary daze. She nodded and immediately moved, grabbing one corpse by the ankle while Rohan seized the other. Together they pulled the bodies deeper into the dark side tunnel, out of the line of sight of anyone that may be approaching behind them.

Rohan crouched down beside one of the dead men and quickly rummaged through his belongings.

’Six Origin Crystals? Not a bad haul. Turns out murder is quite a lucrative business...’

He wasn’t tempted to get into the habit of killing Awakened though, as the last thing he wanted was to turn into someone like Rudith, or even worse... Liam.

’This is only in the Origin Realm anyway, if it were the outside universe I’d never have killed them like that.’

Killing someone in the Origin Realm and the outside universe had wildly different consequences.

Out in the wilderness, it was fair game among Awakened, with punishments only being dished out if you killed inside the cities.

But on Earth or anywhere else in the Federation... you’d have to get used to being hunted for the rest of your life if you don’t have a very good reason for killing someone.

He stowed away the Origin Crystals and stood up.

"Anything good from the other guy?"

Elane wiped a smear of blood from her hands, and looked up at Rohan excitedly.

"He had a Genetic Armament in a hidden pocket, alongside with five Origin Crystals!"

’Holy... what a haul just from taking two weaklings down...’

Rohan was amazed — half suspicious that Rudith hadn’t taken all the loot for herself and the others of her group — but glad she didn’t nonetheless.

"Let’s hunt some more, shall we?"

The eagerness on his face couldn’t be missed.

Elane stared at him for a second.

Then, despite the blood stained on her hands and corpses cooling around them, she let out a short laugh.

"Your priorities are horrifying."

Rohan’s grin widened.

"We’re in the Origin Realm. It’d be stupid not to take advantage of a chance like this. Besides, its either us or them. I’d much rather it be us that survives this!"

The worst part was, Elane couldn’t even disagree.

A few weeks ago, the thought of looting a dead body would have made her sick to her stomach. Now, after being betrayed, hunted, nearly fed to an E rank Elite and turned into a sacrifice for a crazed lunatic...

Well, morality had become a little more flexible.

She tucked away the newly acquired Genetic Armament and the five Origin Crystals before glancing toward the dark mouth of the tunnel.

"How many more do you think they sent out?"

Rohan shrugged one shoulder.

"They had ten hired Awakened, right?"

"Yes."

"Well, there are seven tunnels, and presumably sixteen of them. So if they want to cover ground efficiently and ensure safety, they can only send teams of two into each tunnel, maybe splitting into two threes if Rudith wants her group to stick together."

Elane’s eyes glinted, and she returned Rohan’s smile.

If they only had to deal with two Awakened per tunnel, they could make light work of this situation.

***

The two were on the move again.

This time, there was no need for any whispered planning. Both of them had the skill and ability to take down the mediocre Awakened Rudith had hired, so there was no worry that they wouldn’t be able to handle the incoming enemies.

By now, they found themselves inside another tunnel.

After a few minutes of walking, Elane froze and lifted her hand.

Rohan stopped on command.

Elane closed her eyes for half a second, then spoke.

"Two more," she whispered. "Heading away from us, up front."

’So we’re behind them.’ Perfect for an ambush.

The same process as last time repeated, except it was Elane that did the killing. One shot each from her bow was enough to take this new duo down even quicker and more efficiently than Rohan dealt with the last two.

***

Inside another tunnel, Sarah stiffened.

"What is it?" Rudith suddenly asked.

She and Sarah chose to take a tunnel themselves, while Aron and Joe took another separately to them.

Sarah didn’t answer Rudith immediately. Her eyes closed, allowing her hearing to take over as the primary sense.

She’d just heard what sounded like something fast striking a wall faintly in the distance, but she couldn’t be too sure.

Thud.

Thud.

Two faint impacts caught her attention, but it was worst news she received.

’That was two bodies falling to the ground...’

Her face darkened, causing Rudith to become even more stern and rushed.

"Two of our cannon fodder just died..."

Their mood plummeted.

Sarah at least knew it wasn’t Joe and Aron, as they took the left most tunnel right next to theirs, while the sounds she’d just heard came from the right.

But it was terrible news regardless. Something was picking off their people!

’Could it be the boss?’ Rudith bit down on her nails nervously.

She feared the same thing happening to her. Dying in the Origin Realm may not be permanent, but that didn’t make it any more pleasant an experience.

"We need to regroup with the others before this gets out of hand!"