In the early morning light, Hayato emerged from his room and noticed Gunes and his comrades preparing for a hunt. Intrigued, he approached them with curiosity in his eyes.
Hayato: "Where are you all going?"
Gunes: "We're heading out for a hunt in the desert."
Hayato: "In the desert? That sounds interesting. Can I join you?"
Gunes hesitated for a moment, assessing Hayato's determination and skills.
Gunes: "I've seen your abilities, Hayato. You held your own against those bandits. Alright, you can come with us."
Hayato felt a surge of excitement as Gunes accepted his request. They gathered their supplies and prepared to embark on their desert hunt.
After their preparations were complete, they set off from the village, venturing further into the desert, following the direction of the rising sun. As they walked, Hayato couldn't contain his curiosity any longer.
Hayato: "Gunes, if the Auran Tribes don't use vehicles, how do you travel long distances?"
Gunes: "As warriors, we rely on our own strength and endurance. We do have horses, but they are currently being used by other warriors to fetch supplies from a nearby town for our village."
Hayato nodded, understanding their perspective. He then turned his attention to their hunt.
Hayato: "What are we hunting today?"
One of Gunes' comrades spoke up, a hint of excitement in his voice.
Comrade: "We're hunting desert deer."
Hayato's eyebrows furrowed in disbelief.
Hayato: "Deer? In this vast desert?"
Gunes assured him with a calm smile.
Gunes: "Indeed, there are deer that have adapted to this harsh environment. They are elusive and well-camouflaged, but we'll find them."
Not long after, one of Gunes' comrades signaled for them to crouch down, pointing towards a distant figure.
Comrade: "There, I see a desert deer."
They approached the deer slowly, keeping low to avoid startling it. Gunes expertly hurled his spear, piercing the deer's heart, causing it to collapse instantly. Hayato turned to Gunes with a question.
Hayato: "Are we done now?"
One of Gunes' comrades shook his head.
Comrade: "No, we still need to hunt two more deer."
Hayato nodded, feeling determined. He requested the opportunity to hunt the next one.
Hayato: "Let me handle the next one."
Approaching the fallen deer, they began to collect it. As they did, one of Gunes' comrades, who had been keeping watch, signaled that there were more deer nearby. Hayato approached him, seeking directions.
Hayato: "Which way?"
Gunes offered his spear, but Hayato politely declined. Instead, he pulled out his phone and inserted a gold EnigMod. With a few taps on the EnigApp, a sniper rifle materialized in his hands.
Hayato positioned himself on his knees, took aim, and fired, hitting the deer's head precisely, causing it to collapse. However, the loud gunshot startled nearby creatures, making them flee. Gunes scolded Hayato, explaining the challenge they now faced.
Gunes: "Hayato, we won't be able to hunt more if they're scared away. We need to be more careful."
Feeling guilty, Hayato reached into his bag and pulled out the large, intact corpse of the swift wolf, offering it as an apology.
Hayato: "I'm sorry. Please accept this as an apology."
Everyone at the scene was surprised to see such a large creature fit into a small bag. Respectfully, they remained silent. One of the comrades seemed delighted.
Comrade: "Wolf meat is a rare treat. Thank you!"
Hayato confessed with a sheepish smile.
Hayato: "Honestly, it doesn't taste very good."
Gunes reassured him with a smile.
Gunes: "We have a skilled chef in our village. He can turn any kind of meat into a delicacy. You'll be surprised."
Hayato smiled awkwardly, apologizing once again. With the hunting completed, they made their way back to the village, carrying their successful catch.
As they made their way back to the village, Gunes and his comrades started feeling hungry, their stomachs grumbling. Hayato reached into his bag and pulled out a few fruits he had collected from the Aerinor Forest. The fruits resembled apples, and Hayato shared them with Gunes and his comrades, who accepted them gratefully.
Comrade: "We don't usually feel hungry while hunting."
They ate the fruits as they continued their journey towards the village. Hayato took a bite and was surprised by the taste. The fruit had a mango-like flavor, confusing him with its apple-like appearance.
Upon arriving at the village square, they were welcomed by the villagers. The children were particularly intrigued by the white-greenish color of the wolf corpse and asked where they had obtained it. Gunes explained their hunting experience to the villagers, and the elder reassured them that it was acceptable.
They decided to turn the wolf into a stew for lunch, entrusting the task to the village's skilled chef. Hayato, Gunes, and the comrades took the opportunity to rest while observing the village butcher expertly dissecting their hunted prey.
After a long wait, the wolf stew was finally served to everyone present in the village. Hayato expressed his gratitude to the chef and the villagers for their friendliness. He took a bite and was pleasantly surprised by how delicious and tender the meat was, despite his previous experience with awful-tasting meat in the forest.
Once they finished eating, Hayato inquired about their plans.
Hayato: "So, what are we going to do next?"
Gunes explained that their usual duty was to patrol the outskirts of the village, eliminating any potential dangers or bandits. However, today they were planning to explore the desert temple located in the heart of the Vortisun Desert. Hayato expressed his interest in joining them, as Luna had mentioned the temple.
Hayato: "I'd like to join you. Luna mentioned the temple to me."
With their weapons prepared and meals packed, they set off towards the temple in the opposite direction of the hunting grounds. Upon reaching the temple entrance, they entered cautiously, aware of the potential dangers within.
The temple's interior was shrouded in an eerie silence, the air thick with dust and a faint scent of ancient incense. Dimly lit by flickering torches, the walls were adorned with intricate carvings depicting long-forgotten stories of gods and heroes. The sound of their footsteps echoed through the vast corridors as they proceeded deeper into the temple's mysterious depths.
Gunes divided the group into two teams, with Hayato, himself, and two comrades taking the left path, while the others ventured down the opposite route.
Gunes, vigilant as ever, reminded the group to proceed with caution as they ventured deeper into the temple. The atmosphere grew increasingly ominous, and the surroundings grew darker with each step they took.
Hayato, lost in the enigmatic ambiance, unintentionally stepped on an oddly textured floor tile. Without warning, a trap mechanism was triggered, causing the floor beneath Hayato to give way, plunging him into a hidden pit.
Hayato: "Whoa!"
As Hayato fell, his voice echoed through the corridor, but Gunes and his comrades, engrossed in their exploration, failed to notice his sudden disappearance. Oblivious to Hayato's predicament, they continued their descent into the depths of the temple, their focus fixated on the mysteries that awaited them.
Unbeknownst to them, Hayato was left alone, grappling with his new surroundings and uncertain of what lay ahead. Darkness enveloped him, and the only sounds he could perceive were the echoes of his own breath.
Hayato: "Guys? Where are you?"
As his voice dissipated into the eerie silence, Hayato realized he was on his own, separated from the rest of the group. Determined to find his way back and reunite with Gunes and his comrades, Hayato gathered his wits and began exploring the depths of the pit, searching for a means of escape.