Allison looked at Michael with worried eyes.

“It’s not about how powerful you are. It’s about what can happen once you meet that man.”

Viktor spoke up.

“Let’s hear it, then. Michael, how are you planning to deal with Lohann?”

Michael replied in a firm tone.

“I will kill him.”

The temperature in the room seemed to have dropped by a few degrees. Michael’s response echoed throughout the hall. Some people shifted uncomfortably, while others nodded with stern expressions. Most, however, showed no reaction. Maybe they were already familiar with the idea of death, or maybe they had just adapted quickly to the new world. Either way, nobody openly criticized Michael’s decision.

Viktor nodded slowly.

“I agree with you. It must be done.”

At that moment, Allison intervened.

“How can I let you go through with that? Let you add another death to your total? I know what kind of person you are. Don’t pretend not to care about taking the lives of others. You can’t go after Lohann.”

Michael shook his head with a bitter smile.

“As you know, I’ve already killed people before. It’s grown easier over time.”

“But I know the toll it takes on you!”

“Mother, please. I’m the most suitable person for the job,” he looked at Viktor, “I will hunt Lohann. Once I find him, I will kill him. That’s what I have determined from the moment he decided to use the lives of innocent people against me.”

Viktor had a solemn expression as he replied.

“I understand that you’re trying not to show weakness, but don’t burden yourself too much. You have already done much. It’s fine to let someone else take over from now on.”

“No. I must be the one to see this through. I don’t mind receiving some support, but I desire to go after him myself. It’s what I need to do.”

“Don’t falter.”

Michael had already stabilized his emotional state. The turmoil he felt after seeing his Mom had been suppressed. Her concerned and anxious expression pained him, but he knew his duty. More than anything, he wished to deliver retribution upon Lohann. Michael wasn’t some force of justice or a paragon of virtue, but he would never stoop so low as to take advantage of and even end innocent lives. He felt an instinctive rejection of the very idea. Lohann had crossed the line.

“I won’t.”

Allison opened her mouth, but eventually swallowed her protests and merely frowned. She stared at Michael like nobody else in the hall even existed. Her worry was palpable. He tried not to collapse again. Viktor spoke.

“Do you have a plan?”

Michael shook his head lightly.

“Nothing concrete enough to be called one, but Derek told me of two possible hideouts.”

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

“…Just like that?”

“I extracted the information out of him before I killed him.”

Both Viktor and Allison furrowed their brow at the same time. She was visibly sweating, while he looked at Michael as if Michael were an alien. It seemed that both people had realized that Michael had become someone dangerous. It didn’t matter why. In the meantime, the hall remained silent. Not a single person let out a sound. They, too, were absorbing the contents of Michael’s words. Viktor spoke.

“…We’ll rely on the information you have, then. Let me introduce you to my captains.”

As he spoke, he gestured at a group of people at the side of the main table. The group included Samantha and Leo, who kept throwing wary glances at Michael. Inwardly, Michael sighed. The truth of what he had done had effectively severed any possibility of building up new friendships. It was the consequence of his actions. He didn’t regret killing Derek nor defending himself from people who tried to kill him, but his actions had isolated him. It was a weight that he would have to bear.

After that, Viktor introduced the captains one by one, but Michael didn’t bother remembering their names. Not yet. He would only get to properly know them once he truly allied himself with the Challengers, but due to the very nature of the Territory Wars, it was unlikely for this alliance to ever come into being. His mother was part of the organization, which meant he would never be hostile to it, but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t compete.

She would change Villages if I asked her to, but I don’t want her to miss out on the better rewards.

The rules were still clear in his mind. Changing Villages decreased one’s rewards and increased the degree of punishment in order to keep people from simply moving to the Village with the biggest Territory. In order to maximize her gains, his mother needed to stay in Yellowbright.

I need to ensure Yellowbright has a good position among the Villages.

But that was a matter for another time. The most pressing issue was to quickly find and deal with Lohann. After introducing the captains, Viktor and spoke.

“Samantha and Leo will assist you, since you’re already familiar with them. The others will also be available. Before moving on, though,” the man looked at Allison, who was still frowning, “I’d suggest you take a breather. Rest. I’m sure you have a lot to talk about with your mother. Get some sleep. We’ll proceed once you wake up.”

Michael wanted to argue that this was no time to rest, but it was true that he needed to talk to his Mom. In the end, he merely nodded and turned around. Allison silently followed him out of the hall.

Viktor’s people also need to talk among themselves.

It was likely that some wouldn’t want to ally with a killer. Michael flashed a bitter smile. That would be the reaction of any sane, ordinary person. What had he become? His regret over the people he’d killed didn’t mean much if he was going to keep doing it. It existed solely as the dying embers of his humanity. Maybe the Dragon blood had changed him more deeply than he thought. As Michael’s mind was in turmoil, Allison spoke from behind him.

“Follow me. Let’s go to my room.”

She overtook him and led the way. He simply followed her. Eventually, after making their way through the winding dirt roads – which weren’t very different from Bluestone’s or Redglow’s, apart from the fact that they were watched by orcs instead – they arrived at a modest wooden building. Allison opened the door and walked inside. After entering, the first thing Michael noted was that there was a single bed, unlike his room at Redglow. Allison quietly muttered.

“I got a room for myself due to my position as the best healer.”

Abruptly, she turned around and hugged him. Michael hugged her back. He simply enjoyed his mother’s embrace. She spoke with a heavy voice.

“I’m sorry, Michael.”

“…You’ve got nothing to be sorry for.”

“No, I do. I wasn’t there for you since the beginning of this so-called Tutorial. Not even when you were forced to do… Terrible things. I’m sorry.”

As she spoke, her voice became choked up. Michael donned a bitter expression. He hadn’t been forced to do anything. He had chosen to kill those people, but he understood his mother’s perspective. The way she saw it, they had forced his hand. It wasn’t entirely true, but it wasn’t entirely wrong either.

The two of them sat on the bed. Allison spoke.

“After arriving here, all I could think about was you. I needed to know if you were fine.”

Michael nodded.

“It was the same for me. I’m glad to see you are safe.”

Allison smiled. It was a genuine smile. She stroked his cheek and looked at him as if his mere presence were enough to heal any kind of pain. Michael understood that she, too, had been through a lot. Her job was to continuously witness brutal battles and forcefully patch up her allies so they could continue to inflict suffering. In a way, it was merciless work. She supplied the fighters with a source of power that kept them in the fight.

The two talked without caring about the time. Slowly, the hours ticked by.