"Prince Baik, a trail."

The party had been gathered swiftly in the morning despite the new kobolds and their restlessness. Virm was in the midst of their group unarmed and bound to look as little imposing as possible with Baik nearby. Ango followed near but to the rear to keep an eye on one half of the kobolds while Moxli took up the front's duties and scouted. As simple as a formation can be, their mob-like group made quick travel time away from the tower.

And for about three hours, they had walked unimpeded along the familiar section of wood he rushed through after leaving Bailaka. They had found the camp and been searching from its proximity as best he could fathom with Virm giving directions of where he recalled them coming from.

Searching stopped only because Moxli had found something near one of the clusters of trees, kneeling down and running his fingers along a root with splintered bark.

"As if hit with a steel toe boot," he remarks, not paying the approaching prince any mind. "Either that or a Chimera was marking its territory."

"Doubtful," Baik quickly answered. "We killed a chimera some time ago here and we've seen no shift in the wolf population. It'd be impossible for a chimera to be this close but not be seen or noticed with the local animals."

Part of me still feels connected to the one I ate, too. I don't know why, but I think I'd know if another chimera did this.

Virm approaches and looks between the two and the root but the human at least understands he's here to help moving things, not provide input. It was the sole reason Baik didn't mind Virm despite the dangers he could pose if he became disloyal; a human roughly his size or larger and with significant physical strength was a massive boost to the workforce of kobolds. And having him with them made it harder for humans to act, especially once they realize someone his size lost. The mere presence of Virm was a morale-targeted attack that may give Baik the window he needs to move first.

"But the real question is whether or not this is from humans or a different party. Elves live in the forest, too, and the demons aren't beyond investigating the death of humans who could've been scouting them. We need more information."

Baik kneels down beside Moxli, setting his hand over the damaged root. "Which way did they go, Moxli?"

The older scout finally looks his way before looking around at the nearby treeline. He points at a nearby tree with a branch almost out of arms' reach being snapped in two.

"I think they're heading eastward. We should locate Hanaya and have her rejoin us, though, if we're going to keep going."

All of the kobolds chatter but Virm clears his throat, drawing Baik's attention. Ango, too, looks over at the mention of Hanaya.

"Sir," Virm speaks shortly, trying to keep his words in their language to avoid miscommunication. However the next words only come after he frowns and are distinctly in the human tongue. "If it's towards the east... I think it may be demons."

If it's demons, that makes things more complicated; the humans and demons were apparently not in open war, but they could perceive the death of humans here as a signal that the kobolds were becoming a problem within the forest. Kobolds able to take down a squad as large as the one he did would be rare; it was a likely means of exposing his existence to anyone who understood his species' capabilities. Baik turns his gaze toward the branch Moxli pointed out and gets up, the prince setting a hand on his sword's hilt and the other into his sash.

"Ango, call Hanaya back."

His friend sets the shield down instantly, raising his now-free hand to his mouth and letting out a short and long howl. Ango hadn't even fully lifted the shield before the kobolds around them began freaking out at the noise of brush breaking around them. Seconds later, Hanaya emerged with much of her body coated in a layer of mud with hardly any clothes on: her scouting and hunting training had taught her how to stalk, so she acted independently of them up until now to act as a skirmisher if they were engaged.

"About time."

Hanaya walks over and grabs a fur sling-bag from Ango, setting it down and pulling out her gear.

"Now that I'm here, I guess you have a plan?"

Baik doesn't look back, keeping his eyes forward. He does momentarily break his focus to set a hand on the rising shoulder of Moxli, keeping him at his side.

"Some of one. Our foes likely have no idea they're being tracked, but chasing after them with what little information we have on this section of the forest would be foolish. Moxli, set a trap here incase they come back. Once it's ready, we're going to split the squad up into two with Ango leading one section and you the other: fan out and sweep slowly and quietly. Hanaya will act as our flank guard and Virm will stick with me between both groups as we move."

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

Moxli immediately nods but waits until he's let go to move to the nearby trees and set handfuls of bone caltrops. Ango and Hanaya share a look of battle-readiness, their confidence finally starting to return at the idea of action instead of all this walking, while the kobolds around them begin splitting off to follow their respective leaders.

The human stays with Baik and waits, watching the kobold prince for a time. The usual air between them wasn't as bad as Art and Baik, but his apprehension stuck in the air like a poison. Even if he couldn't understand the kobold language being spoken between all of them, he could see and figure out what Baik was considering.

"You really think you can kill demons? I know you're a not a normal kobold, but-"

Baik turns and meets his gaze, silencing the human with a smirk.

"But what? You think I'll be in danger?"

----------------------------------------

Despite how long he knew Baik, Virm couldn't help but feel fear at the look Baik had. His eyes had the dark crimson look he had when in a fight or around blood, amplifying the unease the kobold prince's smirk gave off tenfold. Virm may have been taller than Baik, but the species differences between them felt greater than ever despite just how human the kobold prince could look.

I don't think you will with that magic of yours. You can use magic we inherit in our bloodlines as if it was always yours. And I've seen the way you move, too: few among the lower ranking demons would be a threat at all when facing you.

The thoughts in his head were loud but fell silent between them. Baik turns and starts walking, leading Virm past Moxli and his trap setting so they have more privacy.

"Demons aren't like us," he speaks again, this time in the human tongue for clarity. Baik, after all, understood it better than he spoke it currently. "Bloodlines and knowledge are a mage's strength, but all demons get stronger as they slaughter others in battle. Their gods reward them with magic and power whenever they're satisfied. If we find a demon even remotely of age-"

"I don't care."

Baik's tone is cold in his language, his eyes not even looking at Virm.

"Threats to me and my tribe die. There are no exceptions and no way around it."

Finality in his voice makes it sound like Baik wants to end it there, but Virm knows better from hearing him talk with the girls at length's end. Celinus alone talks about how Baik will make a threat that should end most civil conversation between humans but keep going as if nothing truly happened. It's a tactic to instill silence that works too well, even on someone with a strong will like him and Artherias.

Both of them come to a halt, Virm moving to sit down beside a tree. It would be some time for Moxli to finish the traps, which was the only time all of them would get to rest since leaving the tower.

"Baik, all I'm saying is... you spared us and you stood to gain. Capturing demons... it may not be as easy as you think. Even if they can't use magic, some of them can change their form. You said before that you fought a chimera when you were younger and almost died. Imagine an adult chimera that had undergone multiple transformations. Even you can't overpower that."

This time he seems to make the prince silent, seeing him look at the forest canopy with a thoughtful and muffled sigh. The long tail of the prince sways to life and coils in the air like a reflex, tightening the scales along it almost like one squeezes a fist.

"Virm."

Baik turns his head and his still-red eyes pierce through Virm like knives. He feels all the muscles in his body locking up, flinching and unable to move beneath the suffocating presence of the beast that had made it clear he was his master over the last month. It was the presence of the one who turned Celinus into a demonspawn lover, made Artherias all-but-crippled as a warrior, and bowed the strong will of Renia to nothing more than a pawn or teaching tool. No kobold could replicate this aura and as the others nearby all froze up it was obvious just how intense it truly was.

In front of Virm was a murderous monster only a moment from snatching his life away like a toy. He didn't even need his sword to kill Virm; if Baik wanted, his few fanged teeth likely had the length and strength to tear out a human's neck. All this time and the success of the tower had resulted in them all getting healthier and better conditions, but the exchange had made the kobolds and their ruler stronger. Right now, the kobold prince was easily considered at the peak condition his young body could be in.

"Don't doubt me."

His words echo inside of him and Baik lets them keep him company, moving further ahead to investigate the nearby trees. Virm's heart races and beats in fear, but none more clearly at the sheer realization of why they lost and why this kobold had dominated them months ago. In particular, he saw it: the ground beneath Baik's feet darkened and the grass withered seconds after his foot lifted. In this angered and ready state, Baik was passively using his magic.

Renia, we were wrong. Baik doesn't have human in him that lets him use our magic types. This thing... h-he's like the sorcerers who serve the kings.

The crackle of kobolds moving around him makes Virm reluctantly stand, watching them follow Moxli away toward the flank before he, too, moves into his designated spot of the formation. The watchful eyes of Hanaya burn at his back, but his eyes had already returned to the prince ahead of him.

Baik isn't using our magic: he's creating his own emulating ours. All of his magic... is his will and sheer magic potential manifesting. He's... he's capable of using the magic that our hero used to kill the Kobold King in battle centuries ago. Baik is a Conceptual Mage.

No demons had been found yet, but his fear at their discovery is only growing. If Baik was able to learn the attack magic Artherias uses and the healing magic, then it was possible his magic was amalgamating everything he saw. And scarily enough, he had taught his druidess how to use the magic in a similar understanding. Virm may not understand magic very well, but the reality in front of him is that he was looking at a Kobold Prince able to teach magic to other kobolds... and all of them were learning it at a Conceptual Mage's ability. Even if they lacked talent, the sheer width of conceptual magic meant it had no limits besides the user's will. Baik may be able to do more than simply cast spells and heal given time.

What if he can emulate the abilities of demons, too?