Leo observed the name pulsing in his system interface—Sylvia Starlight. He quickly realized the limitations of their link; unlike the Lords in his own regional channel, he could only communicate with her. Trading and other administrative features were completely locked.
"Oh, Leo, you use an alias, huh? Cr--'' Sylvia's voice was silenced as Leo's hand clamped firmly over her mouth.
Aurella's wings flared in an instant, her divine spear crackling as she prepared to strike, stunned by the sheer speed Leo had displayed. However, Sylvia raised a hand, signaling her guardian to stand down before the situation escalated.
Leo let out a tired sigh and turned his cold gaze toward the trembling survivors of the alliance.
''Hey. The show is over. Take that idiot and get out of here,'' he commanded.
Ben and the others recoiled, their faces pale with terror. ''Of course! Right away!'' they stammered, hoisting the unconscious Silas between them before scrambling into the shadows of the forest.
Once they were out of his sight, Leo retracted his hand.
''Oh My, Leo. I did not realize you were such an aggressive character,'' Sylvia smirked. A faint, rosy heat climbed up her cheeks, contrasting with her pale complexion.
''I prefer to keep my identity in the dark,'' Leo replied. He glanced down at his palm, noticing a faint smudge of shade. 'Lipstick? I suppose vanity exists even among the High Elves,' he mused.
''I see. A brooding introvert who shuns the spotlight. How very mysterious of you,'' she teased, her emerald eyes dancing with amusement.
The Captain scratched his thick skull, watching the exchange with deep confusion.
''Enough with the games,'' Leo said, ''What favor do you require in exchange for your information?''
Sylvia adjusted her posture, the playful glint in her eyes intensifying as she watched Leo's stoic reaction. ''I have a proposal for you, neighbor. I require your assistance to raid a werewolf encampment located just beyond the ridge.''
Leo's eyes narrowed. ''Why? You are not exactly weak yourself, and why ask for help from a stranger?''
''In the Origin, everyone is a stranger, Leo. Sometimes even those sharing your blood are the ones you should fear most,'' Sylvia replied, her tone turning uncharacteristically somber. ''This is no minor skirmish. The alpha of this pack is an Epic-grade, D-rank Berserker. He is a monster; even Aurella would struggle to survive a direct, head-on confrontation with him without backup.''
'Another Epic grade? I seem to be a magnet for monsters today,' Leo thought grimly. He weighed the value of Sylvia's information against the high probability of being shredded by a werewolf berserker. The math didn't add up.
"The answer is no. I have no intention of ending my journey this early for your benefit,'' he stated flatly, turning to signal his men to move out.
Sylvia didn't look disappointed. Instead, she leaned forward, her voice a tempting whisper that carried over the rain. ''What if I told you that the primary reward is yours? You can take the Clear Chest, Leo.''
Leo froze. His foot hovered over the mud for a split second before he pivoted back to face her, his crimson eyes reflecting a new kind of hunger.
''Let us go,'' Leo said, stepping past Sylvia with a small smile.
''Ah, exploiting a pitiful, defenseless elf... how cruel of you, Leo,'' Sylvia chirped, falling into step beside him with effortless grace.
"One moment.'' Leo turned back to Grakul and the huddled ogres.
The ogre chieftain flinched, falling to his knees so hard the earth shook. ''Great Lord! Mercy! Spare my people! We will serve! We will toil!'' He searched his mind for a secret, a map, anything to trade, but he found only his own desperation. His only currency was his life.
Sylvia let out a light, musical laugh. ''A wise choice for him. Natives are far more adaptable than system-generated recruits, Leo- assuming you can keep their leash tight.''
Leo didn't respond, merely nodding to Malphas. 'They can serve as the vanguard. Better their blood than my own if things turn ugly,' he reflected.
They moved toward the ridge in a tense, silent formation. Aurella walked a pace behind Sylvia, while Malphas remained a dark sentinel at Leo's side. The Captain organized the undead and the newly 'recruited' ogres into a crude column. Soon, they reached the overlook of the werewolf camp. It was a site of primeval horror; the air was thick with the smell of wet fur and the metallic tang of a butchery where humans and beasts alike were being processed into rations.
A large cave stood at the far end, guarded by two werewolves in leather armor.
Vespar appeared like a shadow behind Leo. ''This is the camp I found earlier, my Lord,'' she whispered.
Malphas gave his report shortly after. The enemy consisted of fifty uncommon warriors, ten rare warriors, and one epic-grade leader. It was a suicide mission for most lords, but Leo felt a strange sense of confidence.
''Do you have more cards to play? Those numbers are not in our favor,'' Leo said, glancing at Sylvia.
Sylvia's smirk widened, her emerald eyes flashing with power. ''Do not fret, neighbor. I have a flair for dramatic arrivals. Now, here is the plan.''
Leo listened as she explained. Sylvia and the undead archers would provide cover from the cliffs. The Captain, the undead swordsmen, and the ogres would charge the front.
Leo and Vespar would slip in to assassinate the rare grades, while Aurella and Malphas would hold the line until the epic leader showed up. It was a good plan, as long as everyone played their part.
''What if their leader decides to charge early?'' Leo asked, his eyes scanning the tactical layout. ''If he enters the fray before we thin the numbers, holding the line will become nearly impossible.''
''Not a chance,'' Sylvia smirked, her gaze lingering on the mouth of the cavern. ''There is something in that cave he will guard until his final breath. He won't leave his post unless he has no other choice.''
'So that is the prize you are hunting,' Leo thought, catching a subtle nod from Malphas. 'It doesn't matter. As long as the chest is mine, she can have whatever is hiding in the dark.'
Sylvia brought the petrified talon to her lips and blew. The whistle emitted no sound audible to humans, but the forest floor began to vibrate. Within moments, the treeline erupted. A tidal wave of lesser monsters - creatures driven by a magical hunger they couldn't control - plunged into the werewolf camp. The uncommon warriors were suddenly buried under a mass of fur, scales, and claws.
''Impressive,'' Leo muttered, watching the structured camp dissolve into a chaotic bloodbath.
''I told you I had a flair for arrivals,'' Sylvia said, giving him a quick wink.
''Move out!'' Leo commanded. The Captain led the charge on his hound, followed by the infantry. From the ridge, Sylvia's archers began to draw, their arrows tracing lethal arcs through the rain. Below, Leo and Vespar became ghosts in the tall grass, striking down rare-grade elites before they could organize a defense.
''Aehoooooo!''
A rare-grade werewolf alpha crushed a skeleton's ribcage with a single blow and turned its predatory gaze toward the Captain. As the Captain swung his hammer to finish a fallen foe, a jagged spear hissed through the air. He dodged, but the projectile found its mark in his mount's hind leg. The hound let out a pained shriek and collapsed.
''Brother!'' the Captain bellowed, sliding off the wounded beast. His grief turned instantly into a terrifying transformation. His muscles surged and distended, turning a bruised, angry red as veins throbbed beneath his skin. Hot steam hissed from his pores, a byproduct of the sudden metabolic spike. He turned his eyes toward the werewolf spearman, his voice a guttural promise of death. ''I will kill you!''
Up on the ridge, Aurella watched the unfolding carnage, her eyes lingering on Malphas. The knight stood perfectly still, showing no urge to intervene even as the battle grew more intense. ''Do you feel no concern for your lord?'' she asked, her voice carrying the weight of centuries of battle.
Malphas let out a low, raspy sound, a smirk. He didn't need to answer; his confidence in Leo's strength was absolute.
''I see. Your loyalty is of a different breed,'' Aurella remarked, her wings unfurling. ''Let us descend. The trash has started to counter-attack,''