"Quite a few more, actually," Satou confirmed cheerfully. "But I Choose to use this set for particular skills to be familiar with them."

Kelvin pulled himself to his feet, using his spear as a support. "Lord Satou... that [Phase Step] ability. Can it be countered?"

"Yes, but not easily. The intangibility only lasts one second, so if you can predict when I'll use it and delay your attack—" Satou began.

He was interrupted by the sound of running footsteps. Everyone turned to see a young goblin scout sprinting toward the training ground, his face flushed with exertion and urgency. The scout's eyes were wide, and he was breathing in ragged gasps that suggested he'd been running at full speed for some distance.

"Lord Satou!" Goby called out while still twenty feet away, unable to wait even a moment longer. "Lord Satou! Urgent news!"

Satou's expression immediately shifted from relaxed instructor to alert leader. "What is it?"

Goby skidded to a stop, nearly falling in his haste, catching himself on his knees. He looked up, gasping for breath. "Demon Lord Loki... has arrived!"

Lyra's voice cut through the morning air with calm authority. "Tell Lord Loki that Lord Satou will arrive shortly. We just need a few minutes to conclude matters here."

Goby bowed deeply, still catching his breath from his frantic sprint. "Yes, ma'am! I'll inform him right away!"

He turned and bolted back toward the administrative building, his feet kicking up small clouds of dust as he disappeared around the corner of a nearby structure.

Satou turned back to face the exhausted warriors scattered across the training ground. The morning's demonstration had been more intense than any of them had anticipated, and it showed in their faces—a mixture of exhaustion, newfound respect, and a deeper understanding of just how vast the gap between their power levels truly was.

"Griminir. Kelvin." Satou's voice carried across the training ground with quiet authority.

Both goblins immediately straightened despite their obvious fatigue, their eyes snapping to attention.

"You're coming with me," Satou continued, then his gaze shifted to the young orc who'd shown such impressive adaptability during the fight. "Urgot, you as well."

Urgot's eyes widened in shock, then blazed with excitement and pride. "Me, Lord Satou?" His voice cracked slightly with emotion.

"You've demonstrated excellent tactical thinking and quick adaptation today," Satou said, his tone carrying genuine approval. "Those are exactly the qualities needed for what's coming. This will be good field experience for you."

The young orc's chest swelled with pride. His father, Urgak, stood among the watching warriors, and Satou could see the mixture of concern and pride warring on the orc chief's weathered face. This would be Urgot's first real mission beyond the settlement's borders—a significant milestone.

Satou turned to address the remaining warriors on the training ground. "The rest of you, continue your training regimen. Grendel is in charge while I'm away. Work on the techniques we practiced today, focus on adaptation and unpredictability. Remember what you learned this morning."

"Yes, Lord Satou!" The chorus of responses echoed across the training ground.

Satou started walking toward the administrative building, his stride purposeful but unhurried. Lyra fell into step beside him naturally, while Griminir, Kelvin, and Urgot hurried to catch up despite their exhaustion. The younger warriors were practically vibrating with nervous energy—being personally selected by Lord Satou for a mission was both an honor and a responsibility they clearly felt the weight of.

As they walked through the settlement, Satou could see his people going about their morning routines. Goblins and orcs working together on construction projects, children playing in designated safe areas, guards maintaining their patrols with practiced efficiency. The settlement he'd built from nothing, the home he'd created for those who had nowhere else to go.

I won't let Merc Assault threaten this, Satou thought grimly. Not again.

They reached the administrative building—a sturdy structure that served as the settlement's center for important decisions and meetings. It was larger than most of the other buildings, with a main hall for gatherings and several smaller rooms for private discussions.

Satou pushed open the heavy wooden doors and stepped inside.

The first thing he noticed was the presence. The administrative building's main hall was filled with demons—roughly thirty of them arranged in a loose protective formation. Each one radiated centuries of experience and combat prowess. These were Loki's personal guard, elite warriors who served one of the most powerful demon lords in the realm.

At the center of it all stood Demon Lord Loki himself, positioned near the large window that overlooked the settlement. He was dressed in his characteristic elegant but practical attire—dark clothing that somehow managed to suggest both immense wealth and immediate readiness for combat, with subtle magical enhancements woven throughout the fabric.

The moment Satou entered, Loki's face broke into a genuine smile of relief and warmth.

"Satou!" Loki crossed the distance between them in quick, purposeful strides, and before Satou could properly greet him, pulled him into a brief but firm embrace—highly unusual for demon lords, who typically maintained formal distance. "It's good to see you on your feet, I came as soon as we had actionable information."

Satou returned the embrace, appreciating the genuine concern. Despite Loki's position as a powerful demon lord, despite the political games and careful maneuvering that came with that title, this felt genuine. "It's good to see you too, Loki. And thank you—for everything. For Morgana's help saving my life, for tracking down information about Merc Assault, for coming all this way personally."

Loki pulled back, his expression shifting from relieved welcome to something more serious, though the underlying warmth remained. "That's what allies do, Satou. We watch each other's backs. Besides, after what that bastard did to you, finding him became personal for me too. Nobody tries to kill someone. I've invested time and effort into helping without facing consequences."

Satou's eyes flickered with that familiar cold fury at the mention of his torturer. "You found him?"

"Better than that," Loki replied, his smile taking on a predatory edge that reminded Satou why this demon lord had survived so long in the cutthroat politics of the demon realm. "But first, let me introduce everyone properly."

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