Rubik took Rao Wu around the city, using the better part of an hour to gather the scattered squads needed for their mission. Eventually, Rubik set off when they numbered just over thirty soldiers.

Personally, Rao Wu felt the numbers were too small to face Yeshua’s squad. Despite losing the hybrid army, the humans were still around fifty strong. And, since Xian Da focused on eliminating the Soul Apprentices, most Soul Students could summon soul pets to boost their numbers.

Unfortunately, the beastkin did not have much of a choice. They suffered heavy losses in the first phase of the battle and could not spare any more warriors to go on the expedition—especially when victory wasn’t guaranteed.

Several thoughts ran through Rao Wu’s mind as he followed Rubik through the tunnels. A wry smirk curled up his lips when they passed by his secret tunnel, and later on, the obvious tunnel Denuchi and the others used.

“Is that?”

“Yes. It’s the passage the intruders used.” Rubik answered a curious soldier with an angry frown. “They dug into our passage to bypass our guards. Humans are clever, if nothing else. We’ll have to change our patrol routes to prevent this from happening again.”

The kafu who spoke shut his mouth and angrily glared at the tunnel. Rubik wisely chose not to follow the tunnel since he was unsure if the humans left any traps in their wake. Since they knew the humans’ base, there was no need to risk his men’s lives needlessly.

Roughly three hours later, a ‘trap door’ swung open, pushing aside layers of dirt in the middle of the wasteland.

Rubik emerged from the hole and then waited for his squad to climb out. Once the final beastkin emerged, Rubik closed the trapdoor and then pushed sand and dirt over to hide it from sight.

“Fort Drakon is that way.” Rubik pointed toward the west and then said, “Remember, our goal is to retrieve the Shaman’s Orb. Do not recklessly attack until we’ve confirmed its location.” He paused and then looked into Rao Wu’s eyes. “That goes for you too. I don’t care what blood feud you have with humans. I’ll kill you if you jeopardize my men’s lives.”

Rao Wu nodded. “That’s fair.” Then putting on his best bloodthirsty impression, he added, “But don’t get in my way when the fighting starts.” Rao Wu knew he needed to keep up the façade of a crazed vengeful youth until the mission ended. Rubik would most likely suspect him if he suddenly switched his attitude.

Rubik apparently found Rao Wu’s somewhat rude response believable and in character, as he responded with a nod. “Fair. You can rampage as much as you’d like once I say so.”

After reaching an agreement, Rubik led the party toward the distant Fort Drakon.

Meanwhile, around the same time, Denuchi cursed as he stood top Fort Drakon’s battlements. “He’s still not back?”

Akeme, standing next to Denuchi, shook his head. “Still no sign of him, boss. Do you think he bought it?”

“Shut your unlucky mouth!” Ramy spat and glared at Akeme, looking like she would throttle his neck if he said another word. “Rao Wu’s fine. He’s just running late. That kid doesn’t look like the type to die easily.”

“And, I think he completed his end of the deal,” Elok stated as he glanced at the hybrids seated in the courtyard. Discerning eyes would have noticed roughly half of their members missing. “Seems a few humans died during the battle. If even Team 1 humans died, I can’t begin to guess how many more perished during the battle.”

With Denuchi’s permission, the hybrids that lost their contractors fled once they escaped Lazuli Caverns. He did it for two reasons: first, to give the hybrids a chance to escape with their lives, and secondly, to give himself and the others no way out.

Due to the human’s army’s policy, Yeshua would execute Denuchi and the remaining hybrids once he discovered their teammates defected.

Denuchi had gone all-in. Either they survived and escaped free men, or they would perish here. There was no in-between.

“Either way, we’ll find out soon enough,” muttered Denuchi as he gazed upon the horizon. “They’re getting close.”

Akeme nodded and faced the distance with a grave expression. “Should arrive in the next thirty minutes to an hour.” He glanced at Denuchi. “Are you ready?”

Denuchi gripped the battlements. “I don’t have a choice. I must be ready.” He then glanced at the sky. “I just hope the kid made it out safely. I won’t forgive myself if we sacrificed a child for our freedom.”

“Don’t look at it that way.” Elok patted Denuchi’s shoulder as he looked at the rolling winds. “If we survive this, you’ll get a chance to save hundreds of children, hybrids, and beastkin alike. It won’t bring the child back, but it’s an excellent way to honor his memory.”

“He isn’t dead, yet,” argued Denuchi with a stiff grunt. “But, I will keep your words in mind. Thank you, Olek.” Denuchi glanced at the rest of his party. “Thank you all for going along with my madness.”

“Sure thing, Boss!”

A few kilometers away, Rao Wu jogged with the beastkins as they approached Fort Drakon. It had been a long trek, but the end was soon in sight.

“Stop!” Rubik called a stop as the group reached the apex of a sandy hill. Frowning, he focused on the lone fort surrounded by a moat in the distance. His gaze then traveled to a black mass in the distance, rushing in the fort’s direction.

“Yeshua.” Rao Wu crouched low as he watched the human company charge toward the Fort. “We made it in time.”

“Looks like you were telling the truth.” Rubik glanced at Rao Wu. “How fortunate.”

Rao Wu shivered as he looked into the captain’s cold eyes. Only now did he realize that Rubik still suspected him this entire period. Rubik would have executed him if he made any funny movements or attempted to escape.

Rao Wu swallowed hard and then looked at the soldiers. “Are these guys for Yeshua or me?”

Rubik’s lips spread, revealing a devilish toothy grin. “Both.” Fortunately, he added just as Rao Wu’s hairs stood on end. “They’re a contingency. You have nothing to fear since you told the truth.”

“Haha. That so.” Rao Wu let out a dry laugh and then turned his attention back to Yeshua’s army. “What’s the plan? We can’t get too close. It’s all plains from here on out. But if we wait, we might miss the timing before they enter the fort.”

Rubik glanced at the skies. “We chase. I would have preferred to confirm the Shaman’s Orb’s location, but tailing is not an option. Look up.” Rubik pointed at the sky. “Yeshua always ensures he has eyes watching for an ambush.”

Rao Wu’s eyes narrowed when he saw faint silhouettes flying in the skies, recognizing the birds that attacked him in the battle. Indeed, even tailing from a distance was no longer an option because those birds would give away their positions.

As a result, Rao Wu and the other beastkin followed Rubik’s charge as he jogged down the hill and then chased after the human forces.

“Boss!” Akeme’s knuckled turned white as he saw Yeshua’s squadron rushing towards their location. However, his features then brightened with a bright smile when he noticed something peculiar. “The hybrids boss! They’re gone!”

Denuchi’s eyes burned bright as he gazed at the squadron. Indeed, there were no signs of hybrids. What’s more, the humans roughly numbered forty-something, indicating they’d suffered severe losses in the battle. “Haha! Rao Wu, that rascal actually did it!” Bolstered by the good news, Denuchi steeled his nerves and then said, “Alright. Let’s do this! We won’t waste the kid’s good work.”

“Sure thing, boss.” Ramy then called over the squad members in the courtyard. “Showtime, ladies! Get your butts up here!”

Four hybrids quickly ran up and joined Denuchi, Ramy, Akeme, and Olek on the wall.

Ramy then took out a dark green spherical object that was roughly the size of a basketball. It looked like a crystal ball with a murky green solution inside. Every so often, a vertical line would appear in the ball, giving it the appearance of an eyeball.

Ramy gave the Shaman’s Orb to Denuchi, who gently cradled with his right arm as he watched Yeshua stop in front of the moat. Then with a pleasant smile, he waved his left arm and greeted, “Hey Yeshua. Been a whi—”

“Cut the bullshit!” Yeshua interrupted with an angry shout. “Beastkin reinforcements are chasing behind. Open the gate!”

Denuchi’s eyes widened in shock. He glanced at Akeme and whispered, “How did the beastkin know to come here? Yeshua isn’t the type to let himself get followed.”

Akeme, in turn, whispered with hopeful eyes. “You don’t think the kid had something to do with it?”

“Rao Wu?” Denuchi’s heart burst with joy as he thought about the little tyrant. “Hehe. I hope so. That means we owe him even more.”

“Boss?”

“You don’t get it? This works even more in our favor,” answered Denuchi. “We have Yeshua right where we want him!”

“Denuchi!” An impatient Yeshua angrily shouted, fed up by Denuchi’s silence. “I said, open the gate!”

Yeshua expected the usually obedient Denuchi to do precisely as ordered. However, to his shock, Denuchi grinned and then replied with a teasing smile, “No.”

“What!?” Yeshua refused to trust his ears. Did Denuchi just say no?

“I said, No.” Denuchi playfully reinforced his decision and then added, “Order Team 1 to break our contracts, and we’ll let you in.”

“Are you crazy!?” Yeshua thundered, his eyes turning black with rage. “You must have gone mad, huh!? Open this gate or else—”

“—Or else, what!?” Denuchi coldly interrupted and then exploded in a burst of dark, animated laughter. “Are you daft? What? You’ll Death-Bind me? Go ahead!” Denuchi stretched out his hand and then said, “I’ll throw the Shaman’s Orb in the moat. Go get it if you can.”

“You!?” Yeshua gritted his teeth as he glared at Denuchi. “Do you have any idea what you’re doing now?”

Denuchi shrugged. “Some of my teammates ran away, so you’re going to execute me anyway. Might as well die a free man.”

“Is that what you’re scared of?” Yeshua’s eyes lit up. “Don’t worry about that. I swear I’ll wave that penalty this time. I won’t place blame on y—”

“Cut the bullshit, Yeshit!” Akeme interrupted with a snort. “You’re wasting both our time. Break the contract or sit outside and wait for the beastkin’s reinforcements.” He paused and then added, “Oh, wait, here they come.”

“What!?” Yeshua quickly turned around, but his gaze darkened when he didn’t spot a soul. He then turned to see the hated hybrids laughing at him. “You dare!?”

“Yes, I dare!” Akeme shouted as he flipped his middle finger. “Fuck you, and fuck your mother, piss-for-brains! It’s so simple even a ten-year-old could get it. I don’t know what’s taking you so long. Release our contracts, and we’ll let you in. Do you think we want to stay here longer than we need to? Obviously, your reinforcements will arrive in a few days.”

Akeme was about to launch another tirade of insults when something suddenly caught his eyes. The wolf-hybrid shielded his eyes from the setting sun and peered at the horizon as he muttered, “Boss, are you seeing what I’m seeing?”

Denuchi’s eyes widened as he looked into the distance. “Is that really?”

“Do you think I’m foolish enough to fall for your tricks twice?” Yeshua cursed the hybrids and cursed that hated child in particular. Denuchi wouldn’t have dared do this if Yeshua had his full force.

However, at that exact moment, one of Yeshua’s soldiers tapped his officer’s shoulder. “Um, captain. It’s real this time.”

“What?” Yeshua turned, and his gaze chilled when he saw several beastkin rushing towards them, leaving a trail of dust in their wake. “Damn it!” Without wasting time, he ordered, “Team 1! Break Your Contracts!” He then glared at Denuchi and said, “I won’t release you until I receive the orb!”

Denuchi calmly nodded. “That’s fair. Release my teammates, and I’ll lower the drawbridge.”

Following Yeshua’s commands, several soldiers quickly finished the chanting process to break their contracts. Summoning circles appeared beneath the soldiers and Denuchi’s squad and then simultaneously shattered into light particles, signifying the end of the contracts.

“Boss!” Akeme shouted as his heart blossomed with newfound freedom. However, his joy instantly turned to worry when he saw Denuchi’s sad smile. “What do we do, boss? What about you?”

Denuchi chuckled as he looked at the orb and then at the beastkin in the distance. “What do you mean? We had a deal, right? We’ll lower the gates as agreed” He then glanced at Akeme with mischievous eyes. “I’m going to gamble one final big one on the kid. This gamble will put your lives at risk too, but it’s the only way I survive this. Are you guys in?”

“Whatever you want, boss!” The crew unanimously agreed. Boss Denuchi had taken them this far. Although it appeared a bit selfish, they chose to trust the boss one last time.

“Hehe, you’re all a bunch of fools.” Denuchi chuckled and then signaled Akeme and Olek, who jumped down to the courtyard.

Grrr…

Yeshua grinned as the drawbridge began dropping with faint groans. Those fools. He would deal with Denuchi and the other hybrids once he was out of danger. However, just as he envisioned their demise, the bridge suddenly stopped halfway.

Yeshua’s eyes jumped with a hint of fear as he stared at the halfway-suspended bridge. After several seconds passed, he looked up at Denuchi and shouted, “What the hell are you doing!?”

Denuchi chuckled and waved his hand, “I promised to let down the drawbridge. I never said how far it would go.”

“DENUCHI—"

“Oh, and I’m sorry, but I can’t give this to you.” Denuchi lightly tapped the Shaman’s Orb and then said, “I already promised to someone else, you see.”

Yeshua’s gaze blazed with fury as he roared, “WHO!?”

Denuchi grin as he raised his hand and then pointed at the nearing beastkin squad. “Him.”

Yeshua turned, and he nearly exploded with rage. “YOU!?” Who could have made the captain so enraged? In his anger, Yeshua instantly unleashed Death-Bind, causing the death ring to appear around Denuchi.

“I’ll deal with you later.” Yeshua spat in Denuchi’s direction and then drew his blade as he walked toward the beastkin, eyes peeled on the smallest one that led the charge.

A couple dozen meters away, Rao Wu’s eyes shone with murderous intent as he licked his lips. “Xian Da, Lu Lin! Let’s end this!”