Azaroth decided to make Larkspur his new headquarters. It’s bigger, stronger, and easier to defend unlike the Fruit Village. Right now Azaroth is sitting on the chair the Village Head used to use, and he listened to Blac.
"The injured warriors are being attended to, both from our side and Larkspur’s side. Not many buildings were destroyed during the fight, and the village is still as intact as it was. Even the villagers are spared," Blac said.
Azaroth nodded. "And with the surrendered warriors, how many are there now?"
"We are looking at sothing closer to eighty."
Azaroth narrowed his eyes. "I don’t want those who can’t hold their own, and there’s no ti for training. Remove those who can’t fight and send them to the Fruit Village with twenty strong warriors. They will be the protectors of the village."
Blac blinked in surprise even as he expected it. "You are not going back to the Fruit Village?"
"There’s no reason to when this place is much better. There’s even livestock here kept by farrs," Azaroth waved. "Look for soone experienced from the Fruit Village to be in charge. If they disobey, they die."
Blac nodded, thinking to himself, ’Is Azaroth really interested in taking over all the villages?’ Then out loud he said, "So what’s your next plan now? The other Initiate Awakeners here have been killed."
Azaroth knew that they must be so weak, and that’s why they died. He didn’t need weak Initiates. ntally, Azaroth nodded his head in silent admiration of Greytown, which kept the Initiate level of the villages low by restricting them from hunting monsters. They were made weak by their lack of monster hunting, and that made it impossible for them to actually try to overthrow them.
"Clear away all the bodies. We will stabilize this place for today and then leave all my forr warriors here with a head to be in charge. We and the new warriors will be going to the other village tomorrow before the news spreads."
Blac digested the news in silence. He couldn’t help but wonder what Azaroth’s thoughts were. Is he saying he’s too powerful to stay and rule this village? But he nodded anyway. "As you wish."
The rest of the day passed like this, and soon Azaroth began to ditate and even try to draw essence from the air, but it’s difficult. No wonder the Awakeners are weak without a proper monster-hunting way.
Stallus and the others helped keep the town stabilized. It went easier when they killed four people who resisted their commands. When night ca, the villagers cooked a large cow-like beast with one single horn.
The next morning t them already ready and moving out. Both those on cat monsters and those who walked. Either way, they began to make their way over to the next village on their list.
It’s called Oakhaven, and their impressive forest garden boasts trees used for wood that can’t be found anywhere else in the prison world.
Azaroth made sure the warriors ate and rested a while once he got confirmation that they were now close. Anyone they saw on the way got killed. Not only because of Oakhaven, but for the other villages as well, so information about him and his warriors wouldn’t spread accurately.
"This is impressive," Azaroth said a while later as he stared at the tall wooden wall that surrounded the village. The wooden walls were made thickly with large wooden beams at each corner.
"Yes, Sir Azaroth. This is also known as the strongest wall, except for Greytown, of course," Blac said.
Stallus raised her brows and asked, "Is this the strongest wall?"
Blac shook his head. "It’s not. It only got that title because it was very impressive to make a wall this strong with wood. And maybe it’s also a way for the village to brag since this was all done with their own resources."
Catena yawned. "I hope they have good beds with the resources you ntioned."
Alex just shook his head silently with his hand on the handle of his sword.
Stallus studied the wall. "It’s tall, and we know they have arrows. The warriors won’t be able to take a position near it." Up at the wall they saw warriors already making themselves ready for the fight that was about to start.
Azaroth knew that, so he only said, "Then we won’t use warriors."
Up at the wall, the Village Head, an Initiate-level Awakener, narrowed his eyes and said loudly with a grunt, "What are they doing just standing there? Co closer and feel my anger!"
Warriors moved around him in the narrow space to set themselves between the slits to fire arrows.
The Village Head, Vim, isn’t worried. This is not the first ti that so villagers or bandits have tried to take his village. And it’s not the first ti that he beat the hell out of them.
Not only that, he has seven Initiate-level Awakeners and warriors. What’s there to be afraid of? He frowned. "A sha. They seem to know about my arrows and won’t co close, or else I’ll have put so many holes in their bodies they won’t know what hit them."
The warriors around him all laughed. They had done this so many tis they knew how this would go. The bandits might stay back and observe before they eventually turned and left, or they’ll co forward with shields.
Either way, it’ll be Oakhaven’s win.
"So what will you do now?" Vim murmured. But what was still baffling to him was how they were riding cat monsters. Maybe he’ll get his hands on them after the fight.
Suddenly the first four cat monsters moved forward and the warriors on them ca down.
And then began to walk forward.
Vim frowned because this had never happened before.
"Are those kids?" Vim asked in a surprised tone. "Are they trying to bargain with using kids as prisoners?" he asked. "But that can’t work! A sha, though. I really thought I’m about to see sothing different, but this is really stupid."
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