When Thalion approached, he saw a circle of hundreds of n and won surrounding Garrick, who was holding a younger woman by the neck. As Thalion flew closer, he noticed Garrick’s supporters moving in, trying to clear a path for their leader by pushing others aside. The entire scene was pure chaos.
He spotted Kaldrek and a few of his allies attempting to flank Garrick from above, but several of Garrick’s n, mostly archers, had already taken positions on the rooftops. The situation was at a stalemate with Garrick still holding the young woman hostage.
Ti for action, Thalion thought, as he shifted back into his human form and activated mistform. He reappeared two ter in front of Garrick and the captive woman, standing in the middle of the tense scene.
“Kill him!” Garrick yelled in panic, gripping the woman tighter and using her as a shield.
“Let her go!” A girl from the crowd cried out, tears streaming down her face.
“You can’t kill , and you know it,” Thalion said, his voice steady and confident as he took a step forward.
“What are you waiting for? Shoot him!” Garrick shouted at the archers above.
“Anyone who attacks will die,” Thalion declared, his tone unwavering as he took another step forward. This was trickier than he had anticipated. He had hoped to simply manipulate the blood in Garrick’s body to end the standoff, but Garrick was currently too strong for that. The archers remained frozen, their bows trained on him, unsure of their next move.
“Release the woman, and I’ll give you a three-hour head start before I co for you,” Thalion said coldly, his eyes fixed on Garrick.
“Sure—and what stops you from killing as soon as I let her go?” Garrick sneered, tightening his grip on the woman’s neck. Her face was turning blue; she wouldn’t last much longer.
Thalion hesitated. He didn’t want to give Garrick any leverage, but letting him walk away unscathed felt like a concession he couldn’t afford. Could the woman survive long enough for a healer to save her, even if Garrick snapped her neck? The thought of sacrificing her life for his goal weighed heavily, but the consequences of breaking his word would be dire. If he broke his word now, would the others still believe that he was not going to take their credits next week?
“First, get your people off the rooftops,” Thalion shouted, his frustration mounting. “It’s annoying having bows pointed at my head the entire ti.”
Turning to the crowd, he addressed them with authority. “Anyone who wishes to follow Garrick, leave with him now. If I see you again, you’ll die.” Perhaps Garrick would feel safer with his warriors around him. In the end, it wouldn't make much difference for him.
“I’ll take this woman with until I reach the jungle,” Garrick sneered, his eyes burning with hatred.
“If you kill her, there will be no safe place in this tutorial for you,” Thalion replied, his voice as cold as ice.
“n, we’re leaving,” Garrick announced triumphantly, dragging the woman with him as his remaining followers began retreating toward the gate.
Not everyone followed, though—more than half of his supporters stayed behind, a small victory for Thalion. Still, the dilemma remained: should he honor his word and let Garrick go, or break his promise and hunt him down?
Thalion sighed inwardly as he watched Garrick and his lackeys disappear into the jungle. Monts later, the young woman erged, injured but alive. He landed in front of her and quickly used his blood to stabilize her wounds.
Against his instincts, he decided to keep his word. As much as he wanted to chase Garrick down and eliminate him, he understood the importance of establishing trust with the people here. Breaking his promise on the first day would alienate them, and he needed their cooperation to build a future support system for his cultivation.
The support system was crucial—he couldn’t gather enough resources to upgrade all his forms on his own. And while he cared for his fellow earthlings, that care wasn’t selfless. He wasn’t about to risk his life unless it served his greater goals.
In the end, pragmatism won. Thalion clenched his fists, suppressing his frustration, and turned back to the people who now looked to him.
"Okay, I think it’s ti for you to know the truth," Thalion announced, leaping onto the gate and ascending slightly into the air so the thousands of survivors—now awake from the commotion—could see him. His voice, amplified with mana, rang clearly across the crowd.
"I played the part of a ruthless killer a week ago when I arrived here, and again today when I took all your credits," Thalion continued, his voice steady and sincere. Now hovering ten ters above the ground, he surveyed the crowd. Many of them still glared at him in anger, but others had begun to exchange their anger for curiosity as he spoke.
"Everything I’ve done has been to ensure my survival, as you’ve witnessed today. It’s not just Garrick or Michael I have to contend with, but also my forr comrades—Kael, Sylas, and Kai." A murmur rippled through the crowd at these nas. Many had heard of Thalion’s battles against the orcs and knew of how he had once saved Kael, Sylas, and Kai when Thorwald ambushed them.
"I’ve acquired special natural treasures—treasures that have slowed my progression despite their power," Thalion explained, bending the truth slightly. He wasn’t about to reveal the existence of his title or the outsider connection. That knowledge was staying with him. "Because of this, Kael and the others are hunting . Their god has given them insights that lead them to believe they can take those treasures from ."
The murmuring grew louder, but Thalion pressed on. "This is why I lied to you about buying a weapon to kill Ankhet. In truth, it was to give the power to survive another day." The crowd’s reactions were mixed. While many were still visibly upset over the loss of their credits, so expressions softened as they realized the situation's complexity.
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"Your credits have guaranteed my survival for now," Thalion said, his tone resolute. "Let repay the favor. Most of the credits I took will be invested into upgrading this base into a fortress—one strong enough to ensure your safety, even during the fifth stage when the undead arrive." His words caused a ripple of intrigue among the onlookers.
"I want all of you to beco as powerful as possible. To do that, we need to hunt and gather as many natural treasures as we can. I have tasks to attend to tonight, but tomorrow morning, we will et here, and I’ll present the next steps." Thalion concluded with a slight bow to the crowd, then activated mistform and flew back to his tower.
Back at his tower, Thalion got to work clearing out the corpses left behind. Being both a blood cultivator and the umbral predator had its advantages, and the task, though unpleasant, was manageable. He then sent ssages to Maike, Kaldrek, and Lucan, inviting them to a eting at his tower. There was much to discuss, and important plans needed to be set in motion. It was ti to begin building his base—or, more accurately, his support system.
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