"The king of the Dark Swamp has recently broken through to Dominator. Our Red Forest is the closest to them; I reckon they want to make an example of us," Elizabeth said, sipping her tea.

"Dominator..."

Another term Herag hadn't heard before, probably denoting a level above Level 6.

The Mushroom King nodded: "Exactly. Our Red Forest and the Dark Swamp have been at odds for thousands of years. This time, their king has advanced to Dominator, so they will surely make a significant move. The skirmishes of late were merely probing our defenses, and that's why I've gathered you all here—to discuss countermeasures."

"Mushroom King, I think we need to strike first and catch them off guard," Squirrel Yom suggested.

The Poker Gentleman chimed in, "Yom, that's precisely what the Mushroom King intends. However, we need to consider how to deal with their king."

...

Herag listened quietly from the sidelines as the demons discussed strategies without hiding anything from him.

He was somewhat puzzled; these people didn't seem to know his specific identity, yet they discussed tactics without reservation.

It appeared they were sure he couldn't possibly be affiliated with the Dark Swamp, so they were indifferent.

Herag gradually understood from their conversation that next to the Red Forest was the Dark Swamp, home to a group of Dark Elves.

The Dark Elves lived in the Dark Swamp, a place inhabited by demon communities.

In the Red Forest, the Mushroom King led, gathering demons of many different species.

Squirrel Yom, the Poker Gentleman, and the other five demon leaders had also been living in the Red Forest for quite a while.

Their enmity with the Dark Swamp had been entrenched and insurmountable over time.

From their words, Herag deduced that "Dominator" referred to Level 8 creatures.

Beyond Dominator lies the Ancestral Level, while the Mushroom King is a Level 7 creature.

Originally, the king of the Dark Swamp was also a Level 7 creature, so although they constantly battled, neither could gain the upper hand, maintaining a delicate balance.

Now that their king has broken through to Level 8 as a Dominator, this balance is instantly shattered.

With years of accumulated enmity, the Dark Swamp naturally wanted to settle the score, starting with the Red Forest.

The demons of the Red Forest didn't seem overly worried, though their opponent had reached Level 8. Eradicating the Red Forest in one fell swoop was impossible.

If the adversary came into the Red Forest, their home ground, the Red Forest certainly wouldn't be fazed.

Having developed over so many years, the Red Forest had deep roots and numerous strategies.

Thus, these demons appeared quite relaxed.

After the discussion, the Red Forest demons decided to divide their forces into several groups to launch a preemptive strike on the Dark Swamp, disrupting some of their settlements.

The king of the Dark Swamp had just reached Level 8, likely needing time to stabilize, just awakening from slumber, and probably couldn't join the battle immediately.

The Red Forest planned to attack the Dark Swamp swiftly during this period, taking advantage where they could.

When their king eventually acted, they would retreat.

If they couldn't withstand the assault, they would offer reparations and reduce some territory.

After all, the Dark Swamp's king couldn't eradicate the Red Forest.

The king of the Dark Swamp, upon reaching Level 8, aimed to ascend to the Ancestral Level and become Ancestral Level.

In this scenario, he probably wouldn't risk his life, preferring intimidation by sheer force.

The Red Forest played the psychological game, appearing reckless and desperate in their confrontation.

Herag felt, after listening, that the Red Forest embodied a fearless stance—as if having nothing to lose.

Their attitude was one of indifference to death, believing that as long as they fought to the last, the Dark Swamp's king, if injured, would struggle to ascend to Ancestral Level.

It didn't matter if they perished, as they weren't aiming for Ancestral ascension, being merely weak demons.

As for whether the king of the Dark Swamp could ascend, it was beyond their concern. Even if possible, nobody knew how many years it would take, and it wasn't worth worrying about now.

Ascending to Ancestral Level was not easy; the Abyss Plane might not produce an Ancestral Level being for countless years.

"So it's decided—proceed as arranged, lead your forces and set out. Remember, speed is vital, giving them no time to react. Let them know that the Red Forest is not to be trifled with," the Mushroom King commanded.

"Understood," Squirrel Yom and the others nodded.

The Mushroom King turned to Herag, asking warmly, "Mr. Eternal, would you be interested in observing the battle?"

"I can," Herag replied.

The Mushroom King said, "Mr. Eternal should still be in the early stages of awakening. Our battles might accelerate the recovery of your memories."

"Thank you," Herag responded simply.

"Then let Yom accompany you. His front line is the easiest, with little danger," the Mushroom King suggested.

"Yes, sir," Squirrel Yom said, looking at Herag, "Lord Eternal, you can come with me."

Herag nodded in agreement.

The tea party concluded, and the participants headed in different directions.

Herag followed Squirrel Yom to the eastern part of the Red Forest, which was Yom's territory.

Upon arrival, Herag discovered that most of Yom's subordinates were also squirrel-type demons.

However, apart from squirrels, there were many other kinds of demons, all exuding powerful auras.

Squirrel Yom's squirrel followers were the main force, numbering two to three thousand, with the weakest possessing the strength of a Level 3 Wizard.

There were quite a few at Level 4 and Level 5.

Herag realized he had underestimated Squirrel Yom's strength, as this squirrel form was evidently not his true form, with much of his aura concealed.

Herag guessed that Squirrel Yom was likely at least a Level 6 Demon; otherwise, he wouldn't be able to lead such a powerful demon army.

This demon army would be formidable even on the Boundary Land, enough to put the Boundary Land on high alert.

Within the Red Forest, Squirrel Yom was the weakest among the leading demons in terms of strength and influence.

Herag learned from Squirrel's casual talk that, aside from the Mushroom King, the strongest in the Red Forest was actually Dionysus, known as the Poker Gentleman.

This surprised him somewhat—he thought the headless giant should be the second strongest.

From the aura he had just perceived, the headless giant's aura was utterly terrifying, with an overwhelming presence.

It seemed now that others had suppressed their auras well, making the headless giant appear strong, while the truth was otherwise.

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