Let’s say, in this vast cosmos bound by its own limitations, there exist two fundamental entities that serve as the foundation of existence.

  The cosmic entity, a force that drifts through the cosmos, constantly in motion, proving its existence through chain reactions, stars bursting into life, galaxies colliding, nebulas forming and dissolving. A grand, relentless dance of creation and destruction.

  And then, amidst this boundless chaos, exists the second entity: life. Unlike the cosmic entity, life does not burn endlessly in the void. It fragments, divides, and multiplies in an endless struggle to sustain itself. Whether microscopic or colossal, its purpose remains the same, to continue.

  Yet, despite their differences, both share one undeniable truth: they live, and then they die.

  In conditions where the line between life and death is thinner than a strand of hair, existence follows instinct, a subconscious mechanism honed over eons, requiring no confirmation, no verification. Only action. It is a reflex embedded in every living fragment, a survival imperative.

  But life is not a fool. It does not rely on a single mechanism. It adapts. When crushed, it finds new ways to endure. When broken, it reshapes itself. No matter how harsh the cosmos, life will always carve a path forward, preserving its old fragments or forging new ones.

  Yet, what happens when life is given the ability to choose?

  What happens when a fragment, one caught in a moment where death is closer than a breath, chooses not to follow the instincts ingrained in it?

  Especially when that choice is no longer dictated by survival, but by emotion?

  The answer is simple. In the end, there are only two paths,

  Be sacrificed. Or sacrifice.

  "Good morning, Ana!"

  A bright voice cut through the air as Tifa, a young woman with silver hair tied in a high ponytail, greeted her friend with a cheerful smile.

  Anastasha, still blinking away the remnants of sleep, returned the greeting as she slid into a seat at the worn wooden table. "Morning, Tif."

  "Did you sleep well last night?" Tifa asked, eyes narrowing slightly in concern as she noticed the slight puffiness under Ana’s eyes.

  "No, last night she woke up crying. Said she dreamed of meeting a hero."

  The playful voice belonged to Lisa, a brunette with a mischievous grin, sitting across from Ana. She leaned forward with an amused look, clearly enjoying the moment.

  Anastasha gasped, cheeks immediately heating up. "Lisa! I told you not to tell anyone!"

  Tifa’s concern deepened. "Are you okay, Ana? If you’re not feeling well, maybe you should rest today."

  "I'm fine," Anastasha muttered, rubbing her temple. "It was just a dream."

  Lisa smirked. "Must’ve been some bad dream if you met a hero in it."

  "Lisa!" Ana hissed, face burning.

  Her friend only chuckled. "Relax, princess. You're just cute when you're flustered."

  Laughter rippled between them, breaking the tension.

  "Morning, everyone."

  A new voice joined in, calm and steady. Emily, a young woman with short brown hair, approached their table with a curious look. "It sounds lively over here. What’s going on so early in the morning?"

  "Morning, Emi!" Tifa greeted before nodding toward the commotion outside. "Yeah, yeah, what's with the crowd?"

  "They say Arthur’s team found wreckage from a plane while treasure-hunting in the southern seas," a male voice answered as two young men approached.

  Lisa turned to them with a grin. "Hans, Luke! Morning!"

  "Wait," Emily interjected, brows furrowing. "Isn't the southern coast supposed to be closed because of the ongoing search?"

  Hans, the one who had spoken earlier, shrugged. "They only closed off the offshore area. The open sea’s still accessible."

  Anastasha, who had been listening quietly, suddenly glanced around. Someone was missing.

  "Where's Helki?" she asked. "Isn't he in the same room as you guys?"

  "Helki?" Emily blinked. "Who's that?"

  Lisa and Tifa shared the same confused expression.

  Luke, who had been silent until now, scratched the back of his head. "The new guy Ana brought in yesterday. After she came back from hunting kujira on the beach with Saku and Otto earlier."

  "Ooh, a newcomer?" Lisa perked up. "It’s been a while since we had one. The last was Irwin, right? Back when this place was still in the twilight zone?"

  Tifa nodded. "So, where is he now?"

  Hans leaned back against the chair, crossing his arms. "Sis Fani called him just now. But... that was kinda weird."

  "Weird how?" Emily asked.

  Hans frowned slightly. "This is the first time I’ve seen Sis Fani personally come to call someone like that. Usually, she asks Rett to handle it."

  "You’re right," Emily muttered, tapping her fingers against the table. "But maybe she just wants to welcome him or check up on him. He did collapse as soon as he got here."

  Lisa leaned in, lowering her voice conspiratorially. "Still... Sis Fani rarely interviews new people. Normally, as long as they can adapt, she lets them stay."

  A brief silence settled over the table. The quiet hum of conversation around them, the distant crash of waves, the occasional clang of utensils, everything felt normal.

  And yet, something about this morning felt different.

  "Well, we’ll see later," Emily said, stretching her arms above her head before resting them on the table. "By the way, what’s everyone up to today?"

  Hans leaned back in his chair, casually spinning a fork between his fingers. "Luke and I are planning to go on a barren roll. Doffel’s group found a new cave, so we’re tagging along to hunt."

  Tifa, still picking at her breakfast, glanced up. "I’ll be heading to swamp meadow with Anais’ group."

  Luke raised an eyebrow. "The swamp? What for?"

  "Anais said we need to restock Lettus fiber supplies. The exchange rate’s been climbing lately."

  Emily frowned slightly. "Lettus fiber? That stuff’s a pain to gather. Don’t you need a lot of people?"

  "Exactly why I’m going," Tifa said simply, before turning toward Anastasha, who had yet to touch her food. "What about you, Ana? Want to come with us?"

  Anastasha didn’t respond. She stared blankly at the wooden surface of the table, her mind elsewhere.

  "Ana?" Tifa called again, this time with a hint of concern.

  Anastasha blinked, snapping out of her thoughts. "Huh? Oh, uh, yeah, sure. I’ll go with you."

  Tifa narrowed her eyes. "You sure? You seem out of it."

  "I-I’m fine," Anastasha said quickly. "Really."

  Tifa didn’t look convinced.

  "N-no, I’m totally fine! Besides, " she turned to Lisa, desperate to shift the conversation. "Lisa, you’re still going to the Old Factory, right?"

  Tifa sighed, clearly seeing through the diversion but choosing not to push.

  "Yep," Lisa replied, lazily stretching her arms behind her head. "Franco thinks there’s still some sealed astable material we can salvage."

  "Is that so?" Anastasha mused before glancing at Emily. "And you? Still stuck in the medic with Dr. Tristan?"

  Emily gave a small smirk. "Yep, still there. But, Ana, are you really okay? You look exhausted."

  "I swear I’m fine!" Anastasha insisted, a bit too forcefully.

  Tifa crossed her arms. "If something happens to you, I’m taking you home immediately."

  Hans, having just finished his breakfast, glanced at the clock on the wall. "07:30. Time to go. Come on, Luke."

  Luke pushed himself up from his seat. "See you guys later."

  "Be careful!" the others called after them as they headed toward the door.

  With breakfast wrapping up, the rest of the group slowly dispersed, clearing their plates and preparing for the day ahead.

  "Guess we should go too," Tifa said, adjusting her jacket.

  Anastasha and Lisa nodded in agreement.

  "Be careful, everyone. See you at dinner," Emily added before heading off in the opposite direction.

  As they stepped out into the bright morning, a lingering unease settled deep in Anastasha’s chest. Even with the day planned ahead, a nagging thought refused to leave her mind,

  That dream.

  She needed to make sense of it. She needed to be sure.

  But with Helki already called away by Fani, that answer would have to wait.

  "So, what did you call me here for?" Helki asked, his voice steady but laced with impatience.

  Fani, seated at her desk, said nothing at first. Instead, she slowly set down her tablet, its screen still glowing with the latest news headline:

  "ALEXSIR VASSEUR INVOLVED IN PLANE CRASH."

  Helki's gaze barely lingered on it before returning to Fani.

  There was something about the way she looked at him, sharp, unwavering, dissecting. Her face was strikingly beautiful, yet undeniably charismatic, carrying an air of authority that couldn’t be ignored. Her orange hair cascaded down her back in loose waves, catching the soft light filtering through the window, and her amethyst eyes gleamed with an intensity that felt almost unnatural. They weren’t just looking at him; they were reading him, as if peeling away layers he didn’t even know he had.

  For a fleeting moment, Helki felt like a specimen under a glass slide. His expression didn’t change, but the tension in his shoulders betrayed him.

  "I don’t get it, sis, " He hesitated, the name still foreign on his tongue. "Fani."

  Her sharp gaze locked onto him, unwavering.

  "Isn’t Catridge’s whole motto that your past doesn’t matter, only who you are now?" Helki continued, his tone measured. "So why are we even talking about this?"

  Fani exhaled through her nose, resting her chin on her clenched hands, elbows propped on the desk. The way she watched him, calculating, dissecting, made his skin prickle.

  "Your case is different, Helki," she said finally. "A place like Steppe can’t hold someone like you."

  Helki narrowed his eyes. "I see… Then, I appreciate the hospitality, but I won’t be a problem any longer." He turned toward the door. "Thanks for everything."

  Before he could take a step, Fani’s voice cut through the room.

  "Where exactly are you planning to go?"

  He paused, hand hovering near the door handle, then sighed. "I don’t know. Somewhere else in the city where I don’t have to deal with people."

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  Fani leaned back slightly, arms crossing over her chest. "Just so you know, Steppe City is just a name. In reality, this entire region is barely more than a wasteland, hostile, unpredictable, and home to fewer people than you think."

  Helki let out a short, dry chuckle. "Sounds like the perfect place to disappear. The wind currents make flight near-impossible, the wilderness is crawling with exotic wildlife that’s not friendly to solo travelers, and the ruins of old astable material factories are scattered everywhere." He shot a glance over his shoulder. "A dream hideout for an outcast like me."

  "You’re missing the point, Helki," Fani said, her voice firm. "I said Steppe can’t accommodate you, not that you can just disappear into it. Every place outside of human-occupied zones, like the hover track, is dangerous."

  Helki frowned slightly. "And yet, you’re not telling me to leave."

  Fani’s eyes glinted. "Did I ever say Catridge can’t accommodate you?"

  Helki turned fully toward her now, suspicion flickering across his face. "Hold on a second," he said, crossing his arms. "This is weird. Since when do you dig into someone’s past? That goes against your own motto." His voice lowered slightly, his unease growing. "That’s a huge red flag for me."

  Fani remained silent, waiting.

  "And now you’re offering something that completely contradicts your own warning," Helki continued, his tone sharpening. "Logically, if Steppe can’t hold me, then Catridge definitely can’t."

  Before he could finish his thought, Fani suddenly stood, the legs of her chair scraping against the floor. In a single, fluid motion, she stepped around the desk.

  Helki’s instincts flared. Here it comes.

  Right hand pulled back, left foot stepping forward, she’s going for an uppercut.

  His mind raced ahead of her movements. Dodge left, grab the doorknob, and I’m out.

  As predicted, Fani’s fist shot toward his chin. Helki sidestepped cleanly…

  …and then it stopped.

  His eyes widened slightly. A feint!

  Before he could react, Fani’s other fist drove into his stomach.

  A sharp, brutal impact.

  "Guh, !"

  The air fled his lungs. A wave of nausea surged up his throat as he doubled over, knees hitting the cold floor. His vision blurred at the edges, black spots dancing across his sight. The taste of stomach acid burned his tongue.

  His breath came in ragged gasps as he gritted his teeth against the pain. Through his hazy vision, he saw Fani looming over him, her expression calm but unreadable.

  "Damn…" Helki wheezed, voice dripping with sarcasm. "That was… really cool… Miss Fani, known for her kindness…"

  Fani smirked slightly, satisfied, but her eyes quickly turned serious again.

  "That should have told you two things, Helki," she said, looking down at him.

  From Helki’s perspective, she seemed terrifying, like an apex predator casually observing her prey.

  "First," she continued, "Steppe is exactly like that. Everything happens suddenly, and without hesitation. If you’re not used to this kind of environment, you’ll be easy prey."

  Helki wanted to reply, wanted to snark back, but the searing pain in his stomach kept him silent.

  "Second," Fani added, "I could have done something worse and forced you to stay and work for us."

  Helki blinked. The pain momentarily took a backseat to his confusion.

  "…Huh?"

  That was not what he expected her to say.

  His dazed expression made Fani chuckle. She tilted her head slightly, watching him closely.

  "What does that mean?" Helki finally managed to croak, eyes narrowing.

  The more he thought about it, the less sense it made. If her goal wasn’t to force him, then…

  What exactly was she playing at?

  Helki barely had time to process what had just happened when Fani extended her hand toward him. He hesitated, still winded from the blow to his stomach, but ultimately had no choice. His fingers grasped hers, rough and calloused yet unexpectedly warm.

  The moment they locked hands, Fani yanked him upright with surprising strength. Just as quickly, she shoved him backward onto the long sofa at the side of the room. His legs buckled, his body collapsing onto the cushions with force.

  "Ugh, !"

  Helki barely had a second to recover before Fani took the seat beside him. It was relentless, she wasn’t giving him a single moment to think.

  Helki let out a slow, pained exhale, leaning his back against the sofa. Despite himself, the support eased some of the lingering pain in his gut. He closed his eyes briefly, trying to stabilize his breathing.

  Then, Fani spoke.

  "I won’t force you, Alex..."

  His eyes snapped open. His face turned away instinctively, jaw clenching at the name.

  "Alex is dead." His voice came out low, final.

  "Then Helki it is," Fani conceded without hesitation. "But that doesn’t change the fact that I want you to stay. I can’t let you go just like that, not yet. So, hear me out, and then you decide."

  Helki remained silent.

  Taking that as permission to continue, Fani reached for his hand.

  The contact startled him.

  Helki flinched slightly, his mind stumbling over the unexpected warmth. He had never held a woman’s hand before, not like this, not in a moment so deliberate. His breath hitched involuntarily. Fani’s touch wasn’t just warm; it was soft, deliberate, calculated.

  And he knew exactly what she was doing.

  She doesn’t want me thinking.

  "éclair Stellar..."

  Helki’s entire body stiffened. His eyes went wide.

  Fani noticed. She smiled slightly and continued, her voice gentle, coaxing.

  "…She founded this community. You should know her because, " Fani paused, then looked at him, her expression softer than before. "Before she passed, Mrs. éclair told me something:

  'If Alexsir ever finds his way here, please take care of him. Hernietta loves that child very much. And he is also… precious to Ana.'

  That’s what she said."

  Helki felt something twist in his chest. He didn’t dare look at Fani.

  "At the time, I didn’t understand," she admitted. "But I respected her wishes. I started looking into you, found traces of your name buried under years of silence.

  A brilliant student at TU.

  The son of the Vasseur family leader.

  Disappeared after the Esoterra Incident. Presumed dead."

  Helki closed his eyes, exhaling slowly. His fingers curled into a loose fist.

  "I started to understand, piece by piece," Fani continued, her voice unwavering. "You weren’t dead. You were running. From something, something bad enough that you chose to erase yourself rather than face it."

  Silence stretched between them.

  Helki no longer tensed beneath her touch.

  "I get it, Helki," Fani murmured. "I understand why you ran. But you can’t keep running forever. Isolation isn’t freedom. No matter how capable you are, no matter how much you tell yourself you don’t need anyone… you’re still human."

  Helki swallowed, his throat dry.

  "Am I wrong?"

  He didn’t answer.

  Fatigue settled over him, heavier than before. His muscles slackened, the ache in his stomach fading into a dull background hum. And yet, the warmth of Fani’s hand remained at the forefront of his awareness.

  "If there’s a place for you," she continued, "a place where you don’t have to run, this is it. Not as Alexsir. Not as Helki. Just… as you.

  I’m not offering you a place to hide.

  I’m offering you a place to breathe."

  Helki finally turned his head to face her. His expression was unreadable.

  "...What do you really want from me?"

  Fani released his hand.

  Instead, she reached up, cupping his face with both hands.

  Helki stiffened, eyes going wide again as her palms pressed gently against his cheeks. She pulled him closer.

  It was too much. The warmth, the proximity, the scent of her, something faint and earthy, like leather and steel. His heartbeat stuttered, his mind utterly scrambled.

  Damn it… she’s doing it again.

  "Helki," Fani whispered, her tone serious this time. "I want you to stay. I want you to help us. And I want to help you, just like Mrs. éclair asked me to."

  Helki stared at her, stunned.

  "I promise," she continued, "I won’t reveal who you are to anyone else. Not even Ana. But if she starts getting suspicious, I won’t stop her either. That’s up to you."

  She pulled him just a fraction closer, her eyes locking onto his emerald-green.

  "This is for your own good."

  Helki’s breath shuddered out of him.

  She’s completely thrown me off.

  He could feel it, how she’d pinned him down, not with force, but with sheer presence. He was aware of her tactics, aware of the mind games she was playing.

  And yet,

  "...Fine," he muttered. His voice was hoarse, reluctant. "I’ll stay."

  Fani froze for a split second.

  Then, her entire expression lit up.

  "Thank God!"

  Her face flushed with relief, eyes glistening. A wide, genuine smile stretched across her lips, one so pure that it sent Helki reeling.

  She was happy.

  Really happy.

  And then, just as quickly, he yanked himself free from her hands. He exhaled sharply, running a hand down his face. His head felt light, his body drained.

  The pain, the tension, the relentless mind games, all of it faded, leaving only exhaustion and an aching emptiness in his stomach.

  "You need to rest," Fani said gently, standing up. "We’ll talk more later."

  Helki barely registered the words. His body felt heavy. He lowered his gaze, too worn out to argue.

  The sound of Fani’s footsteps neared,

  THWACK!

  A sudden, sharp impact struck the back of Helki’s neck.

  His mind barely had time to register what had happened before his vision darkened.

  "...Damn you…"

  His body slumped forward, unconscious before he even hit the cushions.

  Fani caught him effortlessly, lowering him onto the sofa. She brushed a few strands of hair from his face, sighing softly.

  "I’m sorry, Helki," she murmured. "But this is the only way you’ll actually rest."

  She lingered for a moment, watching the slow rise and fall of his chest.

  "Hopefully," she whispered, "you can adapt well."

  Then, with one last glance, she turned and stepped out of the room, making her way toward the medical ward, where Emily was already waiting.

  “Tristan, I have a patient for you.” Fani announced as she stepped into the medical room, her tone casual yet firm.

  Dr. Tristan barely looked up from the array of medicine bottles he was carefully measuring. “A patient?” He muttered distractedly before finally turning his attention to her. “Who and where is she?”

  Fani smirked. “He is in my room. A new kid who has officially joined us.”

  “Sis Fani! Good morning!” Emily’s cheerful voice cut in before Tristan could respond. She was standing by a counter, organizing medical supplies, her short brown hair bobbing slightly as she turned toward them.

  “Morning, Emi!” Fani greeted her back with warmth.

  Tristan exhaled, rubbing the bridge of his nose before calling out, “Kyle, Broen! Go pick up our patient from Fani’s room.”

  With a shared glance, Kyle and Broen left the medical room.

  A few minutes later, they returned, carefully carrying an unconscious Helki on a stretcher. His body was completely slack, his arms resting at his sides. His breathing was steady, but his face was pale, and a faint grimace was still present, as if his body remembered the pain even in sleep.

  As soon as Emily saw him, her eyes widened slightly.

  Kyle and Broen laid Helki down onto one of the medical beds, the thin mattress shifting slightly under his weight.

  Tristan, unfazed, examined the unconscious young man for a moment before turning his sharp gaze back to Fani.

  “This is the first time you’ve used such a rough method to recruit someone.” He crossed his arms. “What’s wrong with you today? And more importantly, who is he really?”

  Fani’s expression didn’t waver.

  Instead, she smiled.

  “Remember, Tristan…” she said lightly, her voice carrying an edge of amusement.

  “Your past doesn’t matter.”

  Tristan stared at her for a moment, his frown deepening. Then, with a sigh, he gave up. “Right. Fine. Whatever.”

  Emily, still holding her clipboard, found herself staring at Helki, not because he seemed familiar, but out of curiosity.

  She had just heard Ana mention him during breakfast, speaking about him with an unusual level of interest.

  Now, here he was.

  Unconscious. Brought in by Fani under strange circumstances.

  Tristan, meanwhile, had already moved on, grabbing his stethoscope.

  “So, what’s this poor bastard’s name?” He asked, kneeling beside the bed to check Helki’s vitals.

  “Helki.” Fani said softly.

  There was something gentler in the way she spoke this time, the usual playful sharpness in her tone replaced with something more sincere.

  “He’s special.”

  Emily’s grip on her clipboard tightened slightly.

  She didn’t know what made him special, and she wasn’t sure she cared.

  But she did know one thing,

  Ana would want to hear about this.

  "Jose, how far is the place?" asked Anais, a woman leading a group of hunters through the harsh, unpredictable terrain of the Steppe Swamp.

  "Not far," Jose, their navigator, responded. "After that cliff, Lettus will be visible."

  They moved forward, their boots sinking slightly into the damp, uneven ground. Then, just a few meters ahead,

  "Ah, that’s it!" Jose pointed to a towering plant, five meters tall, its massive sprouting leaves looming like a predator. "Anais, that’s the Lettus. Our target for today."

  Anais’ sharp eyes studied it. "Good. Before we go down, Gale, Ludwick, Arscy, and Hakem, trigger its sensory response to force it into capture mode. Tifa, Bell, Feyh, and I will disable its defensive tentacles. Anastasha and Jose, you’ll finish it off with a strike to its shoot stem. Once it’s paralyzed, we’ll collect the fiber. Are you all ready?"

  "Ready!" The team answered in unison.

  "Alright. Watch out for the Crawlers and let's begin."

  Gale, Ludwick, Arscy, and Hakem moved first, maneuvering swiftly and deliberately. Each of them struck the cone-shaped plants beneath the Lettus’ massive leaves, these were its primary sensory triggers. The moment the cones were disturbed, the Lettus reacted.

  “Sensory successfully triggered, Lettus is now entering capture mode!” Gale shouted.

  As expected, the Lettus snapped its leaf blades shut, mistaking the disturbance for prey. From beneath the soil, thick, writhing vines burst forth, its natural defense mechanism.

  "Go!" Anais commanded.

  Tifa, Bell, Feyh, and Anais dashed forward, swords drawn.

  The defensive vines twisted and lashed blindly, unable to see but highly sensitive to motion.

  "Tifa, 9 o’clock!" Feyh shouted.

  Tifa pivoted, slashing at the incoming vine with her titanium composite sword, cutting through its thick flesh. The metal, sourced from Steppe’s abundant titanium deposits, glinted in the dim light.

  "Anais, behind you!" Bell warned.

  Anais leaped back, narrowly dodging an incoming strike before slicing through the attacking vine with precision.

  "All tentacles have been paralyzed! Prepare for spraying! Masks on!" Anais ordered.

  The Lettus’ final defense was about to begin.

  With its defensive tentacles neutralized, the plant exposed the core of its bud, releasing a cloud of digestive enzymes into the air, highly acidic and deadly to unprotected lungs.

  This was the moment of greatest vulnerability, and greatest danger.

  Even though the core was exposed, it was impossible to attack immediately. The pressurized air from the spraying mechanism shielded the bud’s core from any direct strikes.

  But they knew its pattern.

  Every few seconds, the spraying paused for exactly three seconds, just long enough for a well-timed strike.

  Anais narrowed her eyes, waiting.

  "Anastasha, Jose! Now!"

  Anastasha and Jose launched their tridents in perfect synchronization.

  Both weapons, switched to explosive mode, whistled through the air before embedding themselves directly into the Lettus’ exposed bud.

  A second later,

  BOOM!

  A concentrated burst of field energy detonated within the plant’s core, shredding its nutrient distribution network and causing the entire Lettus to convulse violently before collapsing.

  Silence.

  Anastasha exhaled heavily, catching her breath.

  Anais surveyed their work before nodding. "Good job, everyone. Let’s collect the fiber."

  The Lettus fiber was what they were after, a material highly sought after across Trappist-1, used in the production of space suits and military gear due to its flexibility, radiation resistance, and plasma-proof properties.

  "We got a big catch today," Arscy said, pulling out a hoverboard for transport.

  Gale grinned. "Yeah. Steppe’s been generous."

  Anastasha, however, remained quiet.

  Her hands worked automatically, cutting and bundling the fiber, but her thoughts were elsewhere, on Helki.

  It wasn’t just his sudden arrival in Cartridge.

  It was the dream she had the night before.

  It felt… strange. Too vivid to dismiss.

  Too real.

  There was something about Helki that she needed to understand.

  ***

  Despite its name, Steppe City was no city at all.

  It was a vast, mostly barren land with diverse ecosystems. Located at the southernmost edge of Rosianna, Steppe was plagued by violent wind currents at altitudes above 200 meters, making it impossible to build an airport.

  Instead, a remote flight control tower was constructed at Steppe’s coast, linked directly to Coltier’s central flight system. Its purpose? To monitor and guide pilots who veered off-course while flying through the treacherous region.

  Steppe was rich in raw titanium ore, buried beneath its rugged surface. Yet, no official mining operations had ever been established.

  Why?

  Because two centuries ago, astable material factories had been abandoned here due to a sudden spike in radiation levels.

  Even after 200 years, its ghostly remnants still lurked beneath the soil.

  Now, only the desperate came to Steppe.

  Those who had nowhere else to go.

  Those who were outcasts, whether by choice or by force.

  Without a centralized government, the laws of the outside world meant little here. The only true rule in Steppe was survival.

  And so, its people became Hunters.

  Not in the traditional sense of the word, but resource gatherers, collecting whatever nature provided and exchanging it with the Hunter Guild for necessary supplies like food, water, and medicine.

  The Hunter Guild, though officially part of Rosianna’s government, acted as an intermediary, the only link between Steppe’s isolated people and the rest of the world.

  Yet, for true survival, even the Guild wasn’t enough.

  People needed community.

  Thus, groups like Cartridge were born.

  Unlike formal organizations, Cartridge wasn’t governed by ranks or strict rules, it was a self-sustaining society, accepting anyone as long as they were useful to the group.

  And for people like Helki, people with nowhere else to go, places like this were their only hope.

  In a world like Steppe, adaptability wasn’t just a skill.

  It was a necessity.

  Without it, the world would leave you behind.

  And time…

  Time showed no mercy to those left behind.