Akhil stepped into the dimly lit tent, his mind a whirl of restless thoughts.
He sank onto the stony platform that served as a makeshift bed, elbows resting on his knees, trying to calm the weight pressing against his chest.
Light spilled through the entrance as the flap lifted. He looked up to see Aria standing there, framed by the faint glow of the campfire outside.
She smiled gently. "Aren’t you going to join the celebration? Y’know, it wasn’t easy out there."
"Nah, I’m good," Akhil replied quietly.
Aria’s smile faded into a frown. She stepped closer, her sharp gaze locking onto his.
Even without words, she could see it—the uncertainty still lingering in his crimson eyes.
"What? You’re still beating yourself up over what happened?" she asked, her tone cold and edged with frustration. "Nothing even happened to them!"
Her voice rose, sharp enough to cut through the air.
"But they almost died!" Akhil shot back, his composure breaking. "I was the one who gave them the serum, the one who sent them out to fight! If I hadn’t done that, they wouldn’t have been in danger in the first place!"
His words trembled with guilt. He couldn’t hide it—he was still shaken, haunted by the weight of leadership he’d taken on without ever meaning to.
He’d never led anyone before, much less an entire tribe of orcs.
Seeing J and the other orc so close to death because of him had carved a deep mark inside his chest. He couldn’t shake the feeling that it was all his fault.
"You didn’t force them to take the serum," Aria shot back, her voice steady but burning with emotion. "You didn’t force them to fight. It was their decision—our decision. You only gave us the chance to fight back!"
Akhil fell silent, staring at the ground, searching for words that refused to come.
"But their lives matter," he said finally, his voice softer now. "Losing even one of them would’ve been a huge blow to the orcs... their trust in me would’ve crumbled."
That was the truth he feared most. He didn’t know what they would say—or how they would look at him—if anyone had died under his command.
’It’s so hard to deal with people,’ he thought bitterly.
"It would’ve been better if I just went solo," he muttered under his breath.
Aria’s brows furrowed, but he continued, his tone a little brighter, as if trying to reason with himself. "You’re a better leader than me anyway. You’re smart, and with the serum, you’re just as strong. With Nibo by your side, you’d probably lead better than I ever could."
But the expression that met his words wasn’t one of understanding—it was fury.
Aria’s face got darker, and her eyes burned like coals.
"Is this what it’s all about?" She yelled.
"Are you using this as an excuse to avoid your duties?" Her voice rang out through the tent, strong and never-ending.
"You should’ve just said leading was hard, Akhil—not make up some flimsy reason to quit!"
Her anger swelled with every word, her hands trembling slightly as she struggled to contain it.
"So what if someone had died?!" she yelled. "Do you even realize what kind of hope you gave us? We would’ve all been dead if you hadn’t stepped in!
We were already marching toward destruction with Gon, and none of us even knew it until you showed up! You think any of us would still be here without you?"
Her breathing grew uneven, and she took a shaky step back.
"Are you really blind to everything you’ve done? To how much you’ve changed things? And you want to just walk away because it’s hard?"
She clenched her fists, running a hand through her hair in frustration.
"Get a hold of yourself, you— you..." She stopped mid-sentence, biting back her words, her voice breaking with anger and exhaustion. "Arrghh!"
"You know what? If you want to leave, fine. Go ahead. Take everything else with you too. Take the serum that gave us hope, take that smart brain of yours that helped us dig the ditch that swallowed the beasts—take it all!"
Her voice cracked slightly, but she didn’t let it show. Turning away without another word, Aria stormed out of the tent, the flap swinging shut behind her.
Akhil sat frozen, his mouth slightly open. The silence pressed against his ears. He ran a shaky hand through his hair, letting out a deep breath before resting his forehead against his palm. He didn’t even know what to say.
Outside, the orcs were already hard at work gathering the fallen beasts, following J’s suggestion. Throwing the carcasses away would’ve been wasteful, and since hunting for food was never easy, salvaging the beasts was the smartest choice.
"Yes, move them to the side!" Nibo’s voice boomed over the camp.
He supervised the orcs personally, and after his upgrade, he looked far more imposing. His metallic sheen caught the sunlight, giving him a sharp, commanding presence. The orcs respected him now—especially after witnessing his performance during the beast horde. Without hesitation, they followed every order.
A small female orc slipped silently up to him amid the orderly chaos.
"Sir Nibo," she said softly, tugging at the hem of his shirt.
"What?" he replied, turning around sharply. But when he saw her—a short, young orc woman with delicate features and a shy expression—his fierce demeanor melted instantly.
He smiled. "Yes, my lady?" he asked, his deep, confident voice turning playful.
The young orc turned red and looked down, nervously rubbing her fingers together.
Nibo smiled more and leaned forward a little.
PAK!
"Ouch!" he yelped, clutching the back of his head. He turned to see Aria glaring at him with her arms folded.
"What did I do?" he groaned.
"Stop flirting with the girls," Aria said flatly. "That’s not why he gave you the serum. You’re becoming a pervert."
"..." Nibo muttered under his breath, scratching his metallic scalp.
Aria rolled her eyes and shifted her attention back to the young orc lady. "What did you want?" she asked.
The young woman straightened up quickly, still a bit embarrassed. "My grandma wanted to ask if we should use the beast meat to hold a feast tonight. Or—if you don’t mind—could you ask Master Nexus what he thinks?"
She pointed toward an elderly orc woman sitting not too far away. The old lady had a wrinkled green face and strands of grey hair tied back neatly, yet she carried herself with quiet dignity. She was one of the healers who had tended to the wounded and, more importantly, the main cook for the camp.
Ever since they’d set up base, she had taken it upon herself to make sure the orcs had warm meals. It was her way of contributing—her way of keeping the tribe alive.
Recognizing her immediately, Aria softened slightly and turned back to the younger orc.
"Of course, we can hold the feast," Aria said with a small smile. "We spent everything we had surviving that first horde—we deserve to celebrate. Our fighters need food and rest... not women," she added pointedly, cutting her eyes toward Nibo.
He winced. "You’re never letting that go, are you?" he mumbled.
Aria ignored him.
"Aren’t you going to ask Master Nexus?" the young lady pressed.
Aria’s expression faltered for a moment as she looked toward the tent. "No need," she said softly. "Nexus might not be joining us."