Shun eyed Akira and followed her line of sight. Indeed, in the distance, there was a faint silhouette of someone on a raft getting closer. But the distance seemed so far, it would take a few days for them to arrive.
"What should we do?" Akira asked. She tensed up, and the same could be said for Shun.
Yes, maybe the hunters in the Dream Realm seemed tame, but could it be the same here? Those in the Dream Realm might be that way because of the strong community.
"Let them be," Shun replied after a few moments of thinking.
"Are you sure? What if they're dangerous?"
"Then I'll defeat them."
"You can do it now with your sword. We can't risk our safety. Why do you want to make contact with them anyways?"
"Akira, I understand your worries, but we can't survive with just the two of us. I'm certain you know that."
"No, I'm certain we can survive with just us."
Shun fell silent for a moment. "I see, you didn't know. When you are sleeping, the ground is eating you."
"Eating me?" Akira frowned deeply, doubting her ears.
"Yes, hence why I made those beds."
"So we'll be okay as long as we're laying on the bed."
Shun moved his head to the left and right. "Not really. If the two of us fell into the Dream Realm, who would take care of us? What if that upside-down snow occurred once more and got stormy? What if a wild beast feasted upon us? No one would be able to protect us."
Akira grunted in acknowledgement. "I see, but more people doesn't necessarily mean we're safe. They could kill us while we're asleep and take our loot."
"But what if that's not the case?"
She fell silent for a moment before sighing. "You're right. If we get ourselves a trustable ally, it'd help us to many degrees." She then nodded. "Very well, let's proceed with your plan."
Shun smiled and shifted his eyes to the raft. "It'll take at most two days for the raft to reach here. We should camp nearby but not too close to alert the person."
"Okay."
"You know," Micchan suddenly said, "I can protect you guys while you're in the Dream Realm."
Both eyed Micchan suspiciously. Understandable, as she was a nightmare and had no reason to help them.
"Why?" Akira furrowed her brows.
"No reason. Seeing you go through so much just makes me want to help."
"But you're a nightmare. You said it yourself, you have no emotions or feelings."
"I did?" She sounded confused.
"Are you messing with me?" Akira asked with a low, displeased tone as her expression turned annoyed.
"Okay, okay, I admit that I did say those things, but this time, I am doing it cuz I owe this guy a favor." She pointed at Shun.
"If you think of it as a favor, just don't. I did it because I wanted to."
"No, it doesn't sit right that a nightmare is saved by humans." She sternly refused.
Shun could only sigh in resignation. "Then do as you wish."
A huge smile plastered across her face. "I will."
Shun eyed Akira, thinking she'd make a dissatisfied look, but contrary to his expectation, her look was flat and her eyes seemed too far in her own head.
This made Shun uneasy. Thus, he asked, "Are you mad?"
His question seemed to snap her from her thoughts as she slowly lifted her eyes to meet Shun.
"No." She shook her head and took a deep breath. She then lifted her gaze to the distant raft. "After some thinking, it might be better to have her guard our backs than some strangers."
"That's assuring to hear. I thought you'd refuse."
She scoffed. "I'm not a girl with stubborn issues. I know when to back off, but I must say the way you make decisions leaves a bitter taste in my mouth."
"Sorry." Shun rubbed the back of his hair, feeling a bit awkward.
"It's alright."
Silence descended for a few seconds before she broke the ice. "So what are we going to do with that guy?"
When she finished, she pointed at the raft with her thumb.
Shun narrowed his eyes slightly. After a few moments, he turned his gaze to Micchan. "Can you keep an eye on them, Micchan? And immediately kill him as soon as he makes any funny business."
"Yes, master." Micchan bowed playfully.
"Don't call me that."
Micchan raised her body. "Why not? The way you keep asking me to do things and I just can't refuse. I'm basically your servant!"
"I'm not forcing you, you know?"
"True."
"So are you going to help me with my request?"
"Sure, I'm bored anyway." She nodded slightly and said, "Oh, right, I want to eat fish tonight."
Fish, huh? Shun said inwardly, shifting his eyes to the water, then to the raft.
"I'm okay, but we should camp further from here. They might see me swimming and hunting fish. It might alert them and force them to turn back."
"Aye, aye, captain," replied Micchan.
"Where did you even learn those words?" Shun was bewildered.
"I read some books back when I was visiting the city."
Shun remembered that Micchan had entered the city before the phenomenon occurred.
"Is that why you were visiting the city?" He pondered in enlightenment and continued as he realized something. "Are the things you touch not decaying?"
"Decay?" Micchan contemplated for a breath. "No, I don't think so."
Nightmares don't have any effect on the city. Is it because they are a part of the Tower? Shun thought to himself and saw no reason to think otherwise.
With that in mind, if they had something to do within the city, they wouldn't need to think twice and could simply ask Micchan to do it for them.
Naturally, not for free.
"Does that mean you can just eat the food there?"
Shun remembered the market. Fresh fruit, dried meat, and even vegetables were available to eat. If not for the decay effect or the consequences they'd bring in the Dream Realm, and also the hidden danger the city held, Shun would've just lived there lavishly.
But again, there's a reason why most hunters don't make it out alive conquering a Tower.
When Shun thought about it–
"Shun, something's wrong?" Akira asked, snapping Shun from his reverie.
"Oh, nothing. We should get moving."
After which, they relocated somewhere farther, around a twenty-minute walk from their previous location, and made a camp deep within the bush and trees.
Akira and Shun began to look for twigs. In the process, he halted before a colorful mushroom. His eyes flickered slightly.