Soul Traveler: Venator.

He set up a small work station for his phone, a folding camping chair, and a very light blanket, no thicker than a cheap fleece. Most of the Venators in camp did the same, identifying their own spots and erecting their own little mini camps. After the tags were handed out, the Venators started socializing and speaking in earnest, looking to learn about one another and form makeshift squads. Bows and crossbows, swords of varying lengths and sizes, blunt weapons like war hammers and maces, power gloves, staves, all were being examined. The only person who was not taking part in the meeting was Kumkani, who for the first time in over a week, was simply resting, both mentally and physically. He was actually allowed to rest, purely because he was still patched up, and nobody wanted to include somebody who was most likely going to be dead weight.

After the impromptu meeting was done, the teams adjusted their own personal camps to either be closer together, or to form one large camp. Soon after that, bonfires were lit and those who were struggling to sleep due to anxiety found their own ways to destress. Some smoked, others indulged in the odd drink, and others sang, singing in their native languages, in their traditional styles. Some of the Venators present learned even learned that they shared cultures through this impromptu open mic session. Surprisingly, somebody whipped out a banged up acoustic guitar, and the music filled the entire encampment. The atmosphere it created allowed many of the Venators to forget the context behind the gathering, and the fact that for a lot of them, this was their final night. Kumkani decided to move around the camp during the live session, looking at all the kit that had been set up. The dome that was keeping the elements out from the camp was a mini version of what was back at the city. The guards were posted all along the circumference, as well as at the entrance. The guards were a mixture of Aegis Venators, as well as Union Venators.

"Gentlemen." Rex greeted any guard he came across with a nod.

He got no response from any of the guards he greeted, however he didn't need one. He was laying the ground work, considering how they were going to be there a week at most. Kumkani even came across a few people fucking between the cars and he just chuckled and shrugged.

"Get it however and whenever you can." He remarked with a smirk before returning to his own little spot.

He looked at everybody laughing, singing, and having a good time and shook his head as he sat down in his chair and wrapped himself in his cheap blanket.

'This encampment is going to be depressing as Hell after the first shift. That being said, that music is pretty relaxing.'

Around half an hour before the first shift was due to start, most of the Venators who were part of that shift were getting ready, when Aegis Venator in charge and his aide called for them all to assemble, which Rex was a part of. There was a large number of small, square devices on a table that was behind the pair of Venators.

"We will be opening the portal to the Zone soon, so come forward and collect a pin from the table." The large man said, finally addressing them. "As you know, the point of this Expedition is to map the interior of the Zone, hence the devices on the desk. You likely do not have the capacity to focus on collecting and recording data whilst running or fighting for your lives, so lapel pins will do all of that for you."

The aide audibly groaned and grimaced at the thinly veiled dig at their competence, before quickly shifting gears and beckoning the Venators over to the table. The leader scoffed and moved towards the portal gate, which at the current moment, was nothing but infrastructure. As everybody collected pins and fixed them on to their collars, the leader placed his ungloved right hand onto a scanner. Symbols that looked very similar to Kumkani's Magic Circles appeared in front of the empty arch in the shape of a star, before a much larger one appeared in the middle. An incredible powerful vortex was created, and soon, an ethereal, blue portal bloomed from within the arch, and filled it. All of the theatre of the portal was exclusively for opening it, because once it was open, everything calmed down.

"Alright, please arrange yourselves into your teams and move to the gate!" The aide bellowed as she clapped, prompting them all to do just that.

As Kumkani was moving solo, he just hung around at the back, quietly focusing on positioning his pin.

"Best of luck, brethren." The aide said, as she saluted the Venators, while her boss rolled his eyes on the side.

Timers on all of the pins went off simultaneously, alerting them to the shift starting. As the first group entered, the group that was directly ahead of Kumkani looked to be of people all belonging to the same tribe, or at least a small Guild of some sort. A tall, tanned woman clad in fur armour and armed with a large composite bow turned and looked at him, curiously at first, then blankly.

"You, injured. Alone. Join us?" She offered, to quite a bit dissent – all communicated in their native tongue.

"I appreciate the offer, but I'm more comfortable by myself. Thanks, though."

The woman simply shrugged her muscled shoulders, her bountiful mop of untamed orange curls bobbing along with her. Just as her group was about to enter, Rex spoke.

"Listen, when you and group enter, do not seek out any monsters. Do not hunt, do not engage. Stick to the shadows, travel quietly, and map as large a space as you can. We are not here for glory, we are here to get as far as we can, and die. Take it from the only survivor of the last Expedition. Consider your kindness repaid."

The woman looked at Rex with a blank expression, and he couldn't be sure if she even understood a word he had said, considering how broken her speech was. She simply turned around and entered the portal. Kumkani simply followed after her, and just as he was about to enter the portal as well, the leader stepped right up to him, causing Kumkani to stop and look at him. They stared at each other in silence for what seemed like an age, until the F Rank spoke.

"Can I help you… sir?" He asked, sounding about as disinterested as humanly possible.

"…you." The Leader simply replied.

"Me?"

"You."

The aide quickly jumped in, seeing that this interaction had the potential to be painfully circuitous.

"The Captain simply wanted to wish you luck Venator, seeing as this is your second time entering this Zone." She babbled with the most awkward smile on her face.

"Understood. Thanks." Rex answered awkwardly, before entering the portal