Meeting Nicole, Theodore and Benjamin again

Hendrix walked back to the wilderness and looked for more fur-covered Jerboa varmints, and after an hour, he found a group of four and began to fight against them with a smile on his face.

He swung his cane at the first varmint's leg, crippling it, and it couldn't hop around. Meanwhile, the other varmints turned around and began attacking Hendrix while hissing at him.

Hendrix responded by blocking their blows with his cane, and he smiled while he blocked and parried these attacks. He purposefully weakened his attacks to prolong the battle he was enjoying.

'I love fighting like this. I should do it more.' Hendrix thought before finally killing the four varmints by smacking their heads with his cane.

Afterward, Hendrix placed their bodies into a pile and quickly built another fire pit. Additionally, he looked for more wood and put it within before he skinned and gutted the four catches. Subsequently, he placed each one on a large stick above the fire to cook.

'Now I wait, I guess. There's not much else I can do.' Hendrix thought

{That is indeed correct. Hendrix, I wish to be able to come out or at least speak to you directly instead of using my scroll form to write.}

'I sadly can't do much about that now or in the future, but I'll try my best. However, right now, I need to wait. Maybe I should relax somehow and sit until more of my classmates arrive. To complete my quest, I must save at least a third of my class.'

{Alright}

Hendrix waited about two hours before a few pairs of hands grabbed onto some of the ledges near the path. Subsequently, those to who the hands belonged pulled themselves onto the ledge.

"It's you, hello, broken one." Nicole neutrally replied before smiling at him. However, she had no gauntlets on her hands.

"Broken one, hello." Benjamin replied, but he had no bow or arrows.

Theodore nodded at Hendrix but didn't have his weapons either. Additionally, five other classmates were with this group.

"Come and eat. You must be hungry." Hendrix stated while cutting the meat into equal-sized portions and getting an extra small portion for himself.

"I misunderstood you, broken one. You seem to be able to do something for yourself." Nicole complimented him before she walked and grabbed her portion, and began eating.

"Heh, thanks for the food." Benjamin thanked before grabbing his portion.

Theodore and the other students also thanked Hendrix and began eating their portions. Hendrix looked at everyone and, after realizing none had serious injuries, started eating his food.

"Broken one, how did you kill and cook these? Aren't you defenseless?" Nicole asked between bites while raising her brow.

"Why ask the question when the answer is before you?" Hendrix cryptically countered while pointing to the food they were eating.

"I see. Why did you surrender in the competition?" Nicole asked

"To avoid prying eyes getting in my business." Hendrix replied while he ate.

"Broken one, what do you plan to do when we return to earth?" Benjamin asked while smiling

"Not sure, I haven't thought of it yet. And you?" Hendrix lied through his teeth, having already decided never to return to Earth.

"I'm going to spend time with my family. After all, at any moment, the crown world's dangers can take them away." Benjamin replied while sighing.

"Alright. However, can you all focus on eating or keep me out of your conversations? I'm sadly not much of a talker." Hendrix civilly replied, having no opinion about Benjamin's reasons.

"Oh, okay, I remember the rules." Nicole replied while nodding before she continued to eat her portion.

"Hendrix, why are you so reclusive and cold?" Theodore spoke up while looking at him.

"I have my reasons, and I don't want to clarify why. Please leave me be." Hendrix replied before taking another bite.

Theodore nodded and focused on eating his food. And after fifteen minutes, everyone ate their fill, leaving nothing but bones.

"I'll lead you to the refugee camp down the path. Follow me." Hendrix stated before getting up and walking with his cane down the path toward the destination.

"Wait, refugee camp? Perhaps we could go with all of them towards the Okrian portal together?" One of the other students suggested

"No, I'm not Altruistic. I'm not willing to do that." Hendrix denied while shaking his head.

"Okay." The student quieted down before sighing but clenching their fist.

Subsequently, Hendrix led the group to the refugee camp, and after thirty minutes, they arrived there.

"Just enter and see if you can make some money by doing menial jobs. We aren't here for long, so earn as much as you can. You need to take care of yourself after all." Hendrix instructed.

"Wait, why aren't you doing so too, Hendrix?" Theodore asked while his eye twitched.

"Because I'm going to wait in the wilderness for more of our classmates so they'll survive." Hendrix replied before he began walking back the way he came.

"Wait, can we come with you?" Another student asked

"No need, just stay here. I can do it alright alone." Hendrix denied it before continuing to walk.

"Why do you want to do everything alone?" Nicole asked

'I don't trust any of you and never will.' Hendrix thought but decided to tell them something different and spoke. "Because it's better for everyone. Now, please stay here."

"Fine, fine." Nicole replied before walking back.

Theodore quickly walked up to Hendrix and stood in front of him.

"I-I'm sorry, Hendrix, for everything I've done to you. I didn't mean almost to kill you. I-I didn't have control of my strength." Theodore apologized while tearing up.

"I forgive you. However, I'll never forget it. Is there anything else you wish to say?" Hendrix asked while resting on his cane and peering into Theodore's eyes.

"Yes, I want to help you search for our classmates. I want to make things right." Theodore explained.

"I'm afraid I cannot allow that. Remember, I can do it on my own. However, it'd be best if you all do as I instructed. This place is the safest one all around." Hendrix stated before he started walking away.

Afterward, in the next hour, Hendrix killed three more varmints he found before cooking them and waiting for more of his classmates to show up.