Otto stared out at the horde besieging his town’s walls with the same nonchalance he gave everything else. A crowd a thousand strong, with more Rank 2s than those secretly under his control. All under the command of the insolent ogre brazenly smiling back at him.

  “Woe to us, who have lost our home to savage beasts! We humbly call upon the hospitality of our brethren, and pray you grant us safe welcome into yours!” Barosa’s grand words boomed over the land.

  Otto simply stared, his lazy amusement unchanged. That this scheming warlord cut from the same cloth as him would so boldly claim to be humble warranted as much.

  “Will you not open your gates?” Barosa asked, the subtle implications of a threat lingered after.

  “My gates are narrow.” Otto spoke finally. “I’m worried a crowd of this size would damage them.”

  “Then we shall enter carefully.” Barosa lowered his tone to humor Otto’s pretense.

  “No, no. That won’t be good enough. I’d still take a loss.” Otto raised a finger. “1 Crystal from everyone that enters. A stone from the Rank 2s. Then I’d be able to repair any damage.”

  Barosa’s smile deepened. “Very well.”

  He motioned to the crowd behind, and it started walking calmly towards the town gate. Otto also gestured to some enforcers behind, who headed down from the wall on the other side to do the same.

  His subtly sly gaze lingered on the brazen new rival before he calmly took his leave. Both well aware of the conflict that lay ahead.

  ---

  Banda and Eres watched the refugees pour into town. In numbers alone they were merely half the strength of the current locals, but in truth the amount of peak rank 1s seemed about equal and they had eight Rank 2s to the town’s seven. Victory, among armies of monks, was determined by their powerhouses.

  Banda would normally be displeased with the sudden arrival of new threats, but that did not matter to him this time. Not since among them was the very alchemist they needed.

  “We must get the cure from him now.” He said to the one beside him deep in thought.

  “And haggle with what?” Eres asked plainly.

  Banda frowned. “Manastones.”

  They had more than enough. Including the two already in their possession, they had gained a staggering five whole stones from the core of the high-grade wight. Humans traded all things for these stones. He didn’t see why there would be an exception for this.

  “A few Manastones means nothing to people at that level.” Eres did not take her eyes of the crowd of newcomers. “We’ll wait until we learn what he wants. Then we’ll know what to bring.”

  Banda stared at her. He could see the swirl of schemes behind her quiet plundering eyes. Still, she clung to her human lies despite its failings before the truth of strength.

  He frowned but remained silent. He would wait for now. But only for a while more.

  ---

  A man with short hair and a commonplace face walked inconspicuously through the winding alleys. One would be forgiven to assume him unremarkable in power as well, but he was one of the few Rank 2s survivors from the other town.

  He calmly checked every corner as he moved, though the lack of of any pursuers made the act seem somewhat overly cautious.

  He passed through another turn, and was met by a dozen veteran guards will steeled gazes. The man gave them a single glance and walked straight past, none blocking his path.

  He glanced up at the humble building that was his destination. A glorified shack in the middle of unclaimed houses. Such was the land available to them outside of the territories claimed by this town’s overlords.

  It was a far cry from the manor he had become so accustomed to over the years, but he knew well that such trivial luxuries never rested a moment in his lord’s mind. The pursuit of strength was paramount, always.

  “Silik.” Barosa greeted loudly, the moment he passed through the door. “Tell me good news.”

  “The man ruling this town is named Otto. A peak Rank 2 Warrior with a high-grade martial art. Keeps a peak Rank 2 beastwoman by his side at all times. She had a mid-grade healing art but nothing else is known.” Silik spoke without delay or mistake. “Five other Rank 2s, all between the first and second stage. They don’t directly follow Otto but they pay tribute. None of them stand out.”

  “Is that so…” Barosa mused, somewhat unimpressed.

  “Also…” Silik continued. “Otto has some sort of shaman art. Plants a ‘seed’ within one’s soul which he can use to destroy it at any time. He controls over 200 people directly using this method, all at the peak of Rank 1.”

  “Oh?” Thought flickered through Barosa’s eyes. “Are you sure he only controls 200?”

  “Those are the rumors…” Silik admitted, understanding Barosa’s suspicions. “I did suspect he may be a Shaman Warrior, but all knowledge puts his physical strength clearly within the realm of a pure warrior. I questioned someone who had been here since before he first arrived in this town.”

  “I see…His position is more fragile than I expected.” Barosa’s ever present smile deepened, as he slapped his knee with force. “Prepare the fields. We’ll start growing the herbs as soon as possible.”

  Silik bowed his head. “Yes, my lord.”

  ---

  Banda watched the farmers at work from atop the town’s walls. Rather than the golden stalks most humans grew, these new town farmers instead planted purple-striped leaves.

  “How do they grow herbs?” Banda asked. He was told that such magical plants only grew in the wild on their own.

  “It’s not that unusual.” Eres answered casually. “Farming herbs is common in Eden. Even the major powers on the upper floors can manage lower grade herbs, though to a lesser extent. Still… it shouldn’t be this easy for a mere rank 2.”

  “He found an opportunity.” Banda deduced.

  “Most likely.” Eres let her hand drop from her waist as she walked down the stairs of the wall. “But that isn’t important. We can use this.”

  “How?” Banda asked as he followed.

  “By a visit to Tath, first.”

  “No.” Banda objected.

  “Yes.” Eres asserted back, ignoring his scowls. “It’s a crucial step.”

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  ---

  “Useless dogs!” Tath smashed a clay vase over one of her underlings head, hard enough to knock him unconscious. The others around didn’t dare try to help him. “Get out! Anyone who comes come without a mid-grade herb, I’ll use as mountain bait!”

  The underlings fled without a moment’s pause, leaving behind only the mad slumlord and the pair of heroes waiting quietly before her.

  “This might be to your liking.” Eres said as she held out a cloth sack.

  Tath twitched her head around and snatched it away. She rummaged in and devoured the two mid-grade herbs without even stopping to see what they were.

  “Our antidote…” Eres demanded.

  “When you bring me more.” Tath snapped.

  “We’ll bring you more after we get the antidote we need to live.” Eres didn’t back down from the increasingly unstable petty tyrant.

  Tath’s eyes narrowed, her face mired in irritation and grim desperation. Though in the silence that quickly settled into something close to rational thought. She bled out the herbal pills and tossed them over.

  “You have it, now go.”

  But the duo lingered despite her hostility.

  “...if it’s herbs you want… that new town lord is growing whole fields of them.” Eres started to speak her poison with careful composure.

  “You think I don’t know that?!” Tath yelled. Anger tightened over her face in an instant. “Low-grade herbs are worthless to me!”

  “Do you really think he can only grow low-grade herbs?” Eres gave a single calm question in return, and Tath’s attention perked up. “I’ve never heard of someone growing whole fields of herbs before. He must be hiding something. A powerful town lord like that must be keeping the best things for himself.”

  Tath stared at her in silence, and then fell into mumbling contemplation as she paced the room. Eres watched her for a short while, and then simply walked away as Banda followed in kind. The slumlord had already forgotten they were even there.

  ---

  “17 acres are sown, another 12 are being ploughed as we speak.” Silik reported.

  “That is not enough.” Barosa replied, his expression neutral.

  “Those were the only acres available to us… Everything else in this sanctuary is claimed.”

  “No matter.” Barosa declared. “Take whatever we need.”

  “My lord.” An underling from the house guard approached. “There are visitors.”

  “One of the slumlords?” Barosa asked, with some interest.

  “No. Two Rank 1s. They claim they have an offer that will interest you.”

  “Hmm. Send them in.” Barosa settled back into his chair.

  The underling headed back outside and Banda and Eres entered shortly afterwards. As soon as they stopped at the center of the room before him, Barosa snapped his fingers and two peak Rank 1 heroes at the side of the room attacked the duo. And just as quickly, Banda swatted his away as Eres blasted hers.

  “Impressive.” Barosa smiled wide at them as he leaned forward, showing no sign of concern at their performance. “You should work for me.”

  “We are enthralled to Otto.” Eres stated plainly.

  “Life as a tendency of changing quickly.” Barosa pressed.

  “...we aren’t adverse to working with you, should things really change.” Eres refrained from answering strongly, though clearly showed her preference.

  “Hmm.” Barosa leaned back in his chair, his expression returning neutral. “So… Why have you come to see me?”

  “You are an Adept Alchemist, yes?” She asked.

  “I am.”

  Eres’ eyes sharpened. “We need an mid-grade antidote.”

  “That is within my abilities. But what do you have to exchange for it?” Barosa kept his wide gaze on them.

  “5 Manastones.” Eres offered.

  “Too little.” Barosa gave a blunt response.

  “6.”

  “Too little.”

  Eres paused for a moment. “What is your price?”

  Barosa raised a wide hand. “50 Manastones. I will lower the price if you have information I consider to be of value.”

  Eres paused again, her subtle expression gave away little. “Otto is a peak Rank 2 Warrior. He has a high-grade art called Crimson Edge.”

  She watched for his reaction, and the broad-faced giant of a man gave none at all. He already knew that much.

  “His beastwoman partner is a capable healer.” She tested the waters first to gauge her next words, finding the same response as before. “He has a deceptive style of fighting. Mercenary-like. And while he pretends to be a drunk, he never actually is.”

  Barosa peered into her eyes. “45 Manastones.”

  “...None of the other slumlords are his rival, until recently.” Eres did not miss the faint interest that flickered within Warlord’s eyes. “The one called Tath is in the third stage now. Likely at the peak. She found a trait that allows her to consume herbs raw, and mimic their effects. As well as increase her cultivation. She will undoubtedly take interest in your fields.”

  “Oh? Barosa now overtly displayed his interest, along with his expectations for more. 30 Manastones.”

  Eres kept her subtle focus on the town lord’s every minute reaction. “Otto is a Warlock.”

  A deep attentiveness struck back at her, far more intense than mere interest. Barosa’s eerily wide eyes bared down on them like the pressure of a beast, but neither of the duo flinched.

  “Are you sure?” He asked.

  “I saw him summon a pack of imps once, when he thought no one was looking, and send them through the town.” Eres claimed without a hint of doubtfulness.

  Barosa beamed wide at her, the weight of his grand smile almost oppressive. “Excellent.”

  He withdrew two small glass vials from the satchel on his belt and tossed them over to the duo. Eres waited for Banda’s approval before downing the murky green liquid in one gulp.

  Immediately, she felt a fierce fever come over her but she bore with it, and soon it settled into an easy warmth which too quickly faded away. The poison binding them to Tath’s whims had been cured.

  “I will have a good price for any other information of value you bring.” Barosa spoke as his presence grew. “And… remember my offer, in the days to come.”

  Eres maintained eye contact for an suitable amount of time, and quietly took her leave alongside Banda.

  ---

  “What is a warlock?” Banda asked as she had called Otto one.

  “Someone who makes deals with demons and fiends to gain power.” She glanced at him. “It taints the soul, damning one to eventually be taken by the Abyss.”

  “Why do it then?” Banda questioned. Power that leads to death is no power at all.

  “Desperation.” Eres answered plainly.

  “Otto does not seem desperate.” Banda narrowed his eyes.

  “Otto is not a warlock. Barosa is, as are much of his goons. I could barely stand the infernal stench of it.” The words left Eres’ mouth vindictively.

  “...Why did you lie?” Banda asked, not for the sake of curiosity, but to judge.

  “Because people will easily believe that others commit the same acts as them.” Eres spoke plainly as she kept her gaze casually ahead. “Barosa is just another Otto. The best thing for us is for them to eliminate each other. Or at least wound the survivor enough that they can take advantage.”

  She turned to him. “If I told Barosa the truth, he’d most likely leave. If he was smart enough. And then we’d be right back where we were. Besides… at the very least, we can use him to get rid of that junky while keeping our hands clean…”

  Banda noted the strangeness of her choice of words, but did not inquire. He was displeased.

  There was still too much scheming. Too much human cunning. Human cunning was different from the cunning of beasts. Humans did not know how to survive. Greed made them blind to what was most important.

  “The strong survive. The weak flee until they are strong or they die.” Banda told her. It was the highest truth. The unbreakable law of the forest.

  “Things are far more complicated than that.” Eres asserted back, and Banda grew more annoyed.

  She did not understand. She refused to. Banda could almost feel the invisible chains tighten around him, as though he were tied to stone at the edge of a fracturing cliff.

  It vexed him. He had once thought the worst was to be at the mercy of something stronger, but to be bound to a weakness he could not control or cast away was a frustration unlike any he had ever felt before.

  If there was a way to be rid of it, he would gladly walk that path without a second thought.

  ---

  “How could you not find it?!” Tath screamed with bloodshot eyes. “It is there, it must be there!”

  “...t-they grow only low-grades herbs.” The underling she glared at stammered out through his fear.

  “Only low-grade?!” She clutched his head with both hands, lifting the flailing man into the air as she started to squeeze down. “Low-grade, low-grade, low-grade, but they grow whole fields of it!”

  Tath crushed his skull into gory chunks as her demented rage grew. “He is hiding something! I know it!”

  Another underling flinched as she turned her gaze to him. “He must have a secret field!”

  “You know this?! Where is it?!” Tath lurched close to him.

  “O-only he knows! Barosa, he must be keeping it secret!” The underling resigned himself for the worst, but Tath started to think in silence.

  “Yes… Yes, only he knows.” She turned back to her terrified crew. “Summon everyone! Now! We will find my herbs!”

  They scrambled into action at the order of their slumlord, who now bore a crazed smile. In her eyes, they was only power and freedom ahead.