The wind along the shore had barely settled when—
A system window suddenly appeared in front of Vishal Bora.
[Affinity and Trust threshold reached with player: Vinni]
[Do you want to recruit this player into your clan: Shadowkin?]
[Yes / No]
Vishal stared at it for a second.
Then—
Without hesitation—
He tapped Yes.
The window disappeared.
He turned his head toward Vinni.
"…You got a notification?"
Vinni blinked.
A second later, her own system window appeared.
She read it quietly—
Then looked back at him.
"…You're recruiting me?"
Vishal shrugged.
"I've been gathering assassin-type players."
His gaze sharpened slightly.
"You fit."
Vinni crossed her arms.
"…And why would I join your clan?"
There was no hesitation in her tone.
No excitement.
Just pure practicality.
Vishal didn't answer immediately.
Instead—
He opened his inventory.
A massive weapon dropped into his hand.
A battle axe.
Huge—almost as big as an adult's body.
The weight alone made the sand beneath it sink slightly.
"…You ever tried using something like this?" Vishal asked casually.
Vinni's eyes flickered.
Just for a moment.
Interest.
"It's got good stats," Vishal continued. "Solid effects too."
He tilted his head slightly.
"And that's just one."
He smirked faintly.
"I've got more."
Then added—
"…Plus, clan benefits."
Silence.
Vinni stared at the axe.
Then at him.
Then back at the system window.
Ark, watching from the side, already knew what was about to happen.
"…You're tempted."
Vinni didn't deny it.
"…I am."
A second later—
She tapped Yes.
[Player Vinni has joined the clan: Shadowkin]
The system window faded.
Vishal nodded once.
"Good."
Then, almost casually, he added—
"We're allied with Ashura Clan."
He gestured toward Ark.
"His group."
Vinni looked at Ark.
"…Convenient."
Before anything else could be said—
Ark suddenly turned his head.
"…John's nearby."
Vishal raised a brow. "Already?"
Vinni frowned slightly.
"…Who's John?"
Ark started walking.
"He's our healer."
They followed.
"…He has his own clan," Ark continued, "but since he's the leader, he couldn't just leave it."
"So instead—he made it a vessel clan."
Vinni tilted her head slightly.
"…Vessel?"
Ark nodded.
"It means his clan is basically governed by ours."
"Still separate—but under Ashura."
Vishal hummed. "…That's actually useful."
Vinni looked at Ark again.
"…And you can track him because of that?"
Ark nodded again.
"For some reason, yeah."
He glanced ahead.
"I can feel where he is."
"…Like a marker."
They continued walking across the shoreline, then toward a slightly elevated patch of land.
And then—
They saw them.
John Delgo stood there, talking casually.
Beside him—
Gob Adsnoc.
Vinni's eyes widened slightly.
"…That guy."
The one who killed the fox.
The one who contributed the most.
The battlefield flashed briefly in her mind.
"…Gob."
The group approached.
John turned first.
"…Oh."
A small smile appeared on his face.
"You guys found each other."
Gob glanced at them too.
His eyes briefly lingered on Vishal.
Then on Vinni.
Sharp.
Calculating.
"…More pieces gathering," he muttered quietly.
As the wind passed through them once more—
It became clear.
The scattered players…
Were slowly coming together again.
And this time—
Not just as survivors.
But as something more.