Neun just finished killing the last of the undead. However, trouble had yet to stop coming to find him.

A sharp and focused killing intent erupted from inside the cave.

“So, I was right after all. It was the kid…tsk. I was too preoccupied with the undead that it slipped my mind and even let the Young Master leave my side.”

Neun had always been warry of Julius.

Julius was a beastman that coincidentally landed on Colt while he was training. He never really stood out other than the fact that he was non-human and his strange attachment to Colt.

Though Neun was warry of Julius, he couldn’t really say anything against him.

His attachment to Colt was totally understandable because of his supposed “gratitude”. Colt was the kind noble who helped him, and Julius used that to his advantage.

‘The Young Master is too kind. He might be a good person and is looked up to by many people. But…he’s too kind for his own good.’

Colt was a person of kindness. He never admits it and acts cold to everyone else, but he always leans on doing what’s best for the masses.

It attracts people to him as it makes others trust their future to him, but it was too exploitable.

Kind people tend to get the end of the stick. Those who trust others easily were taken advantage of and die early.

“Alpha, move! I need to go to the Young Master’s side!”

Neun’s nose twitched just as he was about to enter. Twisting his body, he intercepted a sword aiming for his neck.

“Not bad, old man.” A man garbed in black stated.

Neun saw this man, and almost immediately, he scowled.

“That aura of yours is really familiar. Were you the one who killed the blonde? If you are, then you must know you’re no match for me. Leave this place, or I’ll fucking slaughter you and the other four hiding in the shadows.”

Neun took note of the hiding four. His senses were heightened in the state of urgency.

“Sorry old man, but I think our job is to take care of you! And you talk big for someone your age. What, do you think you’re the only one capable of undergoing Mutation?”

The hands of the man mutated, and Neun sunk to the ground.

“Gahahaha! This will be easy! If I knew you’re this weak, I would have finished you off that night!”

Laughter from the man echoed in Neun’s ears, and the old Butler, who had been stressed out all this time, looked back!

“You know what? Who cares about what you do, I think I’m just going to slaughter you all now.”

Zara exploded into the scene. Alpha, who was watching the entrance, showed a fearful smile.

‘Oh, they are fucked.’

===

“You bastard!”

Sera rushed Julius with her short sword drawn. Her eyes had turned a complete red, and a red aura surrounded her body.

Upon seeing Colt getting stabbed in the back, Sera awakened her aura. With the manifestation of the red aura, her strength took an explosively leap.

Behind her were two summoned undead. Avern was also pretty pissed at the moment. While Sera wants to tear Julius apart, Avern was merely following her lead.

Avern’s intent was unclear, but with the emotion of seeing Colt getting stabbed, he thought that Julius deserves death.

However, against Julius, even if there were hundreds of them, none would suffice. Pulling the knife from Colt’s back, Julius glared at the two.

Julius raised his hand, and a golden light came out,

“Illusion Art: Sleeping World.” the light flashed, a moment later, Sera and Avern were both on the ground, sleeping.

Julius looked at them with disdain, but Colt sprung up from behind him just as he was about to approach them.

With a black aura coming out of his body, his presence was relatively obscured. Colt wielded his sword without hesitation.

Though he was in pain, Colt drove that feeling down his gut and powered through it.

He was getting weaker, his swing was slow, but now, his sword was sharper.

‘Illusion isn’t effective on me. Tsk, I have to subdue this kid. I’ll make him talk on who’s after my life.’

Colt could see opportunities from Julius. If he can pinpoint who it was creating all the trouble, Colt would be able to plan ahead properly.

Sparing Julius was a must for him to achieve this.

The decision of subduing Julius obviously came to be because Colt couldn’t bring himself to kill a kid his age.

Despite this, he was still prepared to take a limb or two. Colt may be kind, but he had also grown to be quite ruthless.

He swung his sword, and Colt expected to take an arm or a leg. Even if the kid before him dodges, Colt would be able to meet him with a maneuver.

However, Julius didn’t evade.

Julius moved forward with a knife on hand. He wielded the knife with grace, Colt’s defenses were bypassed.

The knife traveled at a set pattern. It moved like a slithering snake and reached Colt’s abdomen.

Julius and Colt locked eyes.

Julius had an unexpressive face. As he looked at Colt, he stated, “You’re too weak of a warrior. Did you think your meager skill can triumph over my hundred of years of experience?”

Spsshhh!

As Julius withdrew the knife, Colt fell to his knees.

Julius walked past Colt and stepped up to the altar. He reached out to the capsule holding the World Tree, and felt the overwhelming energy of life.

A smile blossomed from Julius’s face. He was teary-eyed as he held it near his forehead.

‘This was not the plan, but… it’s all worth it. If I bring them this and take only a leaf, I’ll be pardoned, and I’ll get what I have been searching for. A single leaf is enough to revive anyone from the brink of death…surely, this would work.’

He turned to Colt and then gripped the knife tighter. He wanted to say something, but Colt, who was doing his best to sit down, beat him to it.

“Julius, I really don’t want to die, neither do I want those two to meet that fate. So…can you spare our lives? See it as you compensating for the food you ate.”

“…Are you saying your lives are just worth a couple of meals?”

“Meh, could be lower, really.”

“....” Julius remained silent.

“You see, I don’t know why you’re doing this, but I can guarantee that you will gain more than you will lose if you let me live.”

Colt wants to live. He can’t die here; he had a family to return to.

Death here was not something he wants.

He wants to return to the family, waiting for him. Negotiating or begging, whatever anyone calls it, Colt would be sure to do it.

However, Julius tightly gripped the knife, “…I like you and your ideals scion of the Edgeworth. But…I need your head to sow discord and incite rage.”

Julius already raised the knife, and Colt was prepared to intercept it with his own. But on the back of his head, Colt knew that he would most definitely die here.

Slash!

Julius cut through the air, but then, the entire cave shook.

Hong!

Everything began to shake, and the stalactites that hang on the ceiling dropped. Unluckily, right below the falling stalactites were Sera and Avern.

“Damn it!”

Seeing this, Colt immediately turned his back to Julius. Pushing his body beyond its limits, Colt dashed forward and wielded his sword.

Slash!

Colt blew the stalactites away, keeping Sera and Avern safe!

But he forgot that another person was trying to take his life.

Stab!

A flying knife stabbed deeply onto Colt’s back. He looked back and smiled at Julius, saying, “That’s rather…dirty.”

“I don’t care, as long as it gets the job done. Now, please die!”

Julius dashed forward. His claws extended, and clearly planned on tearing Colt’s head off.

Colt could only watch his end, ‘I didn’t think I’d die here...what luck.’

Julius dashed forward, expecting to reach Colt in moments. He was a beastman with heightened physical capabilities and years of experience, after all.

With his head and body lowered, what he met was not Colt, however.

What he met was an azure fist aiming to get his head.

It was then that he heard the echoing voices of the men that were supposed to be outside!

“Captain! RUN!”

Julius somehow managed to raise his head. There, he caught sight of one of the few memories that would be engraved in his mind.

The sight of old Butler Neun being held back by three people but still somehow managed to overpower them and reach this place in mere moments.

“Surprise! Mother! Fucker!” Neun repeated his words when he first punched Julius!

Colt, who was watching all this, raised both brows.

‘What luck indeed.’