The old ogre gripped his sword. Raze might have helped him the night before, but he wasn't going to disrespect the chief just because of a little help with a sword. He was ready to unsheathe and attack.

Raze looked at him. "Be careful of your next move. I have already warned you once. I won't warn you again," he stated.

He then looked at the chief. "The question you should be asking is this: why the hell did the Queen of Vermilion send a kid, three kids to be precise, to handle a negotiation concerning two different races? Hasn't that clicked for you?" he asked.

The chief looked at him with a confused gaze. "What does that have to do with any of this now?" he growled.

"If you saw three adults, you would think it's normal. If you saw three kids, you would think it's abnormal. There must definitely be something up with these kids for the kingdom to put such an important issue in their hands. Don't you think?" Raze said.

The chief thought about it for a few seconds and then replied, "Whatever it is you are driving at, I do not care." He looked at the old ogre again. "Finish him off."

As soon as he said those words, the ogre launched forward, unsheathing his sword and slashing in a perfect arc, using the training Raze had taught him the night before.

But before the sword could even reach Raze, he had already moved, dodging the attack. The blade swished through the air, missing him by just an inch.

Raze looked at the old ogre. "That's pretty nice. It seems you've picked it up well since I explained it to you," he said.

Before the ogre could react, Raze lunged forward and swung the bat at full speed. The ogre tried to block it, but Raze changed the direction mid-swing in an almost impossible manner. The bat slammed into the ogre's stomach, throwing him several feet back.

He skidded across the floor and came to a stop.

The chief's eyes widened. The old ogre was his strongest general. There was no way a child should have been able to push him back so easily.

Raze spoke again. "Be cautious of your next decisions. I've repeated this at least three times. Doesn't your good-for-nothing brain think before you act? If I've warned you this much, you should ask yourself why. Don't make this harder for yourself."

This time, the chief stood up. His anger had reached a boiling point. He didn't like the tone Raze kept taking.

He looked at the old ogre. "I said, kill him!" he bellowed.

The old ogre rushed forward again, swinging his sword explosively. Just from the force of the swing, the roof was sliced apart, and the ground split open. Wind exploded in every direction as the blade came for Raze.

Raze frowned and parried it easily to the side.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion as he swung the bat back and slammed it into the ogre's knee. Bones cracked as the ogre was sent crashing to the ground, wheezing and shouting in agony.

Raze looked up.

All the ogres stared in shock, including the chief. He was stunned. "How… how… how?" he stuttered.

Raze looked at him. "I warned you about this," he said, glancing at the old ogre groaning on the ground. "But you didn't listen."

He stepped over the fallen ogre and walked toward the chief.

At that moment, the female ogre tried to move, but Ella stood up and launched a powerful fireball. The female ogre immediately cast an ice spell to block it, but the force of the explosion pushed her back several meters until she slammed into the wall.

"Do not make another move," Ella warned.

Faye also got to his feet, ready to act the moment Raze gave the instruction.

The mysterious ogre made his move. He melted into the shadows and emerged behind Raze to strike, but Faye moved faster. He grabbed the ogre by the neck and slammed him into the ground so hard that the ogre couldn't move anymore.

The chief watched everything unfold, completely stunned. His entire elite squad had been taken down without any real struggle.

Raze looked him straight in the eye. "You see what happens when you don't listen?" he asked.

The chief ogre growled and threw a punch, but Raze caught it with one hand. The chief froze, staring at his clenched fist trapped in the grip of a small child.

Raze yanked him forward and headbutted him so hard that blood spilled from his forehead.

Raze rubbed his own forehead. "Ouch. That kind of stung," he said, then looked at the chief, who was staring in disbelief as blood dripped down his face.

"You see, you could've just listened and talked things out, and there would've been no need for all this violence," Raze said. "You might act like you have your people's best interests in mind, but I should inform you, we found the Life-Steal formation in the forest."

His eyes hardened. "We know you're doing something that goes against your own people. So before we start tearing you apart right here for everyone to see what's really inside you, you'd better listen."

When the chief ogre heard the words Life-Steal formation, panic flashed across his face.

He turned and looked at his son.

"Gundar, aid your father!" the chief bellowed.

Gundar, who had not laid a hand on the conflict until now, had no choice. He gripped the fallen old ogre's katana and rushed toward Raze. He would not disrespect his father for the sake of an outsider.

Raze clicked his tongue when he saw Gundar charging. As Gundar slashed down, flames erupted around the blade, revealing his talent in magic. The sword blazed with heat as it came down fast, but Raze was faster. He pivoted on his feet and slammed a punch straight into Gundar's chest.

The impact was so powerful that Gundar coughed blood, dropped the sword, and collapsed to his knees.

Raze looked at him. "I'm sorry about that," he said, before turning his gaze back to the chief. The chief was still enraged, but fear had begun to form in his eyes.

Raze spoke, his voice clear and crisp. "All of you, listen."

They were all in pain, but none of them were unconscious. They could hear him.

"This chief of yours, who wants you all to fight the lizard men for this land, has a secret. And I'm pretty sure it isn't known to everyone in this village," Raze said. "He has a Life-Steal formation surrounding the village."

The moment those words left his mouth, Gundar coughed again and struggled back to his knees. "What? What are you saying? Why would my father need a Life-Steal formation?" Gundar asked.

"I'm glad you asked," Raze replied, "because I'd like to know the answer as well."

"A Life-Steal formation only absorbs the life force of people who place their trust in a specific individual, turning that faith into power. So the real question is, what does your father need such a formation for? Who does he intend to fight? And more importantly, was he planning to sacrifice this entire village for it?"

Raze's eyes narrowed. "Does it have anything to do with the conflict against the lizard men? Because it makes no sense for a Life-Steal formation to be here otherwise."

He glanced at the chief. "Maybe when he tells us, we'll finally understand the real reason. Maybe then we'll finally see the truth."

The chief growled, his fangs bared. "That is none of your business," he snapped. "The Life-Steal formation is to protect my people, not to use them."

"Bullshit," Raze replied immediately. "Don't give me that crap. Do I look dumb?" he asked, smiling.

"You're hiding something, something even from your own son. And now I'm starting to think this conflict isn't just about land and territory. There's something deeper going on here."

His smile never faded as his voice turned colder. "You're going to tell me the truth, or I'm going to force it out of you."

The Chief frowned deeply. He pointed at Raze. "This is not what you were called to do," he roared. "The Queen did not ask you to dip your hands into our personal business. She only asked you to stop the conflict between the two races. Do not put your hand where it does not belong," the Chief roared in anger.

But Raze simply shook his head. "Oh no, no, no. This is just me being curious. It has nothing to do with the Queen's order. I just want to know why you placed a Life-Steal formation," he said. "What is the reason? Could there be more about this land that your village stands on that I need to know?" Raze asked with a smile. "Come on, tell me. Don't be shy."

The Ogre Chief, having had enough, suddenly produced a crystal. It was purple. The moment Gundar saw it, his eyes widened. "Father, don't," he said.

"Stay out of it, son," the Chief replied, looking Raze straight in the eye. "Do not force my hand. Leave this village now, or you will regret what happens next."

Raze looked at him in confusion. "What do you plan to do if I don't?" he asked.

The Ogre Chief answered by smashing the crystal into the ground.

Purple smoke burst forth, thick and vile, rising into the air before surging back toward him, entering through his nose, mouth, and ears.

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