"I know you're there come out"
Elias spoke out with a solemn expression, his nervousness evident in his voice.
Grom tightly grabbed the hilt of his old looking sword and quickly drew it out of its rusty scabbard, taking on a fighting stance.
Ain also came behind the two elders and took a round iron shield and black spear in her left and right hands respectively, and ordered the warriors behind her to get in to battle formation.
The elderly Yokai also quickly drew their wepons and surrounded the children in middle of the formation guarding them.
While the group of Yokai were nervous and on guard, the humans hiding in the forest after a moment of silence came out of hiding surrounding the Yokai group.
While fully releasing their aura without any restraint. They blocked all paths of escape for the Yokai.
Especially one amoung these humans gave off a feeling of dread that made the faces of Elias and Grom turn pale.
"Th-This feeling, he is a [Tier 2](Awakened), E-Elias what should we do?"
Grom stuttered as he spoke and his hand grasping the sword trembled violently.
"I know, sigh....."
Elias said while he sighed tiredly.
Ain was also nervous and she used chaos essence enhancement to strengthen her body and wepons.
"Well, It seems this expedition isn't a complete waste of time, interesting..... low rank Yokai with intelligence akin to humans, Silverveil really is full of surprises isn't it."
The man who was identified as a [Tier 2] spoke in a steady rough voice.
Hearing the man's words Elias understood that this group of people had no intention of letting them go.
"Ha ha ha... the boss will be pleased with this, I might even get a reward"
"Listen up, you damn Yokai, I'm only going to say this once. From today on you are our property, your lives belong to us and we decide how you live and how you die"
"Any objections?"
The [Tier 2] human said as he spoke in an unquestionable tone. Immediately, as the man finished speaking the two Yokai elders Elias and Grom dropped to their knees bowing down to the [Tier 2] human in tacit understanding.
"We are willing to surrender"
Elias and Grom said in a respeful tone, they did not hesitate because they didn't have a choice, they knew the consequences of going against someone of a higher Tier.
This [Tier 2] human alone can slaughter their entire group.
"Ha Ha..... Wise Choice"
The [Tier 2] Human said in a sarcastic mocking voice.
Hearing the mocking tone of the powerful human the two Yokai elders could only clench their fists and bow their heads even lower to hide their unwilling expressions.
Ain looked on as she saw the humans arrogance, and the helplessness of the two elders when facing these humans. She felt powerless.
She has been training since she was a child but even then she was never able to reach [Tier 2] nor was she able to resonate with any universal concept or [Ascension Line], it's not just her but the others in their Yokai group faced the same situation, It's as if they have no talent, and are forever fated to stay weak.
As Ain was thinking the next words of the human made her heart sink in to despair and anger. Her eyes widened in shock at the cruelty of these humans.
"Brothers, kill the old bastards and the little brats, you all can have fun with the women as much as you want tonight, and tie up the men, tomorrow we will bring them to the boss"
"Ha ha ha, thank you captain, it's been a long time since I touched a woman."
"As expected of you captain, thank you for your generosity"
Hearing the [Tier 2] human leader's words the other humans started to praise and flatter him.
But to the Yokai group the words of the leader of these humans only brought deep dread and despair.
"P-Please...Please I beg you, your excellency, you can take the lives of us old people if you want. But please spare the children and women, I beg you"
Elias and Grom begged as they banged their heads on the ground and prostrated themselves before the human groups leader, Ain who was standing behind the two elders felt heart broken as she saw her two most beloved Elders in this miserable state, but she could do nothing but lower her head while gritting her teeth.
"Huh... do you think you are in any position to negotiate with me you senile old geezers".
"Know you're place, you pathetic trash."
The human groups captain made his way towards Elias and Grom while unsheathing his sword ready to slice off the heads of the two old Yokai to set an example.
Seeing this the other Yokai and Ain became anxious and desperate, but before anyone could react, the sound of a sharp object piercing through flesh and a painful moan appeared addruptly catching both groups by surprise.
The human groups leader's eyes widened in shock as he felt the sudden pain coming from his back and chest, he turned his trembling gaze to his chest to see a sword blade enhanced with chaos essence that is sticking out of his chest.
At the same time he felt an unknown presence appear behind him at some point without him even noticing.
But before he could do anything the unknown attacker behind him pulled out the sword from his chest making him let out another painful moan.
And before any of the two groups could recover from their stunned state, the unknown beings presence once again disappeared from their perception and vision.
"What are you fools doing just standing there, be alert, it's an assassin"
The [Tier 2] human leader ordered in an extremely gloomy voice as he quickly looked around him, trying to see any movements in the surrounding environment.
He felt his body was starting to weaken and he realised that he was poisoned, so without hesitation he used his chaos essence to slow down the spread of this unknown poison while keeping extremely alert to any sudden attacks.
The order of the their captain snapped the rest of the humans from their stunned state. And they immediately rushed towards their leader surrounding him in the middle while carefully observing the surroundings.
The two Yokai elders and Ain also snapped out of their confusion and shock as they quickly retreated near the rest of the Yokai group and observed their surroundings.
There was a faint glimmer of hope in the eyes of the Yokai, even if they are killed by this unknown attacker, they would be happy as long as these despicable humans are killed along side them.