The first rays of sunlight pierced through the forest canopy, casting long shadows over the camp. One by one, the group stirred from their uneasy sleep, their groggy expressions soon turning to wide-eyed shock as they took in the scene around them.

The ground was stained with blood, and broken bodies lay scattered across the forest floor. Weapons—bats, knives, spears—were strewn among the carnage, many splintered or bent. Trees bore deep scars from the brutal conflict, and the air was thick with the metallic scent of death.

"What the…?" Chris Redfield was the first to break the silence, his voice trailing off as he surveyed the devastation.

Claire Redfield stepped closer, her hands instinctively covering her mouth. "This... this wasn't here last night," she whispered, her voice trembling.

Jill Valentine crouched near one of the bodies, her trained eyes quickly identifying the injuries. "These weren't animals," she said, her tone grim. "This was... calculated. Precise."

Leon Kennedy stood with his arms crossed, his expression hard as he scanned the perimeter. "Whoever did this didn't just fight—they dominated. This wasn't a battle. It was a slaughter."

The boy they'd encountered the day before stood a little apart from the group, his wide eyes darting from one body to the next. "Did... did you guys hear anything last night?" he asked, his voice shaky.

"No," Claire replied softly, shaking her head. "We didn't hear a thing."

All eyes turned to Quest, who was leaning casually against the same tree he had been guarding the night before. He didn't speak at first, his dark gaze fixed on the ground as if the carnage was of no concern to him.

Chris narrowed his eyes, taking a step closer to Quest. "You knew this happened," he accused. "You were awake all night, weren't you?"

Quest met Chris's gaze without flinching, his expression as cold and detached as ever. "I didn't 'know,'" he replied evenly. "I did it."

The group froze, stunned into silence.

"You... what?" Claire stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.

"They came for us," Quest explained, his tone calm and matter-of-fact. "Ten of them. Armed. Hostile. They weren't here to talk, and I wasn't about to let them get to you."

Leon took a step forward, his jaw tight. "So, you just... killed them all? Just like that?"

Quest shrugged, his towering frame radiating an almost unnerving nonchalance. "It was them or us. I made a choice."

Jill stood, brushing dirt off her hands. "And you didn't think to wake us? To let us help?"

"I didn't need your help," Quest replied bluntly. "You would've gotten in the way. Slowed me down. This way, you all got to sleep, and now we're all still alive."

The boy, still trembling, finally found his voice. "You... you're a monster," he whispered, his words carrying a mix of fear and awe.

Quest's gaze softened slightly as he looked at the boy. "No," he said quietly. "I'm just someone who knows what needs to be done."

Chris crossed his arms, his expression conflicted. "You can't keep doing this alone, Quest. We're a team, whether you like it or not."

Quest pushed off the tree, towering over the group as he stepped forward. "You call this a team?" he said, his voice laced with cold disdain. "You didn't even know what was happening. You didn't hear them coming. If I hadn't been here, you'd all be dead right now."

The weight of his words hung heavy in the air.

Claire was the first to speak, her voice steady despite the tension. "We're grateful, Quest. Really. But this isn't sustainable. We can't just rely on you to do everything."

Quest stared at her for a long moment, his dark eyes unreadable. Finally, he nodded, though his expression remained impassive. "Fine," he said simply. "But don't slow me down."

With that, he turned and began gathering his gear, signaling that it was time to move. The group exchanged uneasy glances before following, the unspoken tension between them lingering like a shadow.

As they left the site of the massacre behind, the boy hesitated, casting one last look at the bodies. Then, with a shudder, he hurried to catch up, his thoughts racing.

For better or worse, they were alive because of Quest. But at what cost?