Both Shalara and Zalika immediately supported the young matriarch's decision. They both knew that Alex had been fighting for them from the beginning. Raknar and Tharoh, on the other hand, had their doubts, but they came from different places.

Raknar was the first to confront these doubts. "Kid, I have no doubt that you're a warrior with great potential, but leadership requires much more than strength. First, we need to have our people, and as long as the Ra clan remains enslaved, I can't follow you."

"Don't doubt that we will fight to rescue the Ra clan. In fact, we will fight to liberate all gnolls on the Iretar Peninsula."

"What about our enemies? We should make them suffer for the torment they inflicted on our kin," a raspy, deep voice sounded. Tharoh, the last gnoll in the room, and someone Alex didn't know much about, finally voiced his doubts. This gnoll had a dark, scar-filled appearance.

"I don't plan to embark on a homicidal rampage across the continent to punish those who mistreated us," Alex stated firmly. "However, rest assured that just as I swore there would be no mercy or truce for the demonic and corrupting powers, I won't show any to the enemies of our people and their slavers."

Tharoh gave a sinister smile, pleased with the response, and began emitting a sound similar to the famous laughter of hyenas but much more sinister.

"Very well, human, I'll follow you."

"I will too if you genuinely plan to liberate the other clans," Raknar added.

"Good, if we're all in agreement, it will be much easier to convince the rest. Now we just need a bit more information to decide our course," Alex said, a bit hesitantly.

"I've gathered some information. With the map you brought, I was able to roughly locate us in the forest and explore the nearest points of interest. It seems the Kron have at least three outposts in the vicinity, each seemingly belonging to different factions, as I saw some minor skirmishes break out among them," Tharoh said, pointing to the locations on Alex's map.

"Do you think we can exploit their differences?" Alex asked.

"Hardly. Even if they hate each other, they hate us more," Tharoh replied.

"What about their forces?" Raknar inquired.

"At least 15 warriors and an equal number of potential fighters. There are communities of around 50 Kron each, but they have at least three times that number in slaves."

"And what about our side?" Alex asked.

"Only the three of us can manipulate our energy. There are ten men at most capable of serving as soldiers," Raknar responded.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

"Five to one, our odds are surprisingly good," Alex said in a self-deprecating tone. "We won't be able to take them head-on. Did you identify any way to attack them, any weaknesses?"

"I saw them conducting patrols, generally in pairs. That could be an option," Tharoh suggested.

"It's an option, but we have to consider that once we start fighting, we won't be able to stop. If our enemies notice something is amiss, they could sound an alarm or even try to call another settlement. We need a plan that allows us to liberate the settlement without them being able to alert anyone else," Alex emphasized.

"Is it necessary to go to such lengths? If we consider that level, it will be very difficult to take action," Raknar interjected.

"Our goal is to free the slaves. If you recall our escape from the carts, we had to leave hundreds behind because most were in no condition to walk. I expect something similar, if not worse, this time," Alex replied. He turned to face Tharoh. "Is there a post weaker than the others or with any particularity?"

"There is one post with only a small barricade as its defense. Apparently, that village is dedicated to collecting herbs, although from what I could see, there are very few of our kin there. The other two have a small wooden wall protecting them."

"Problematic. It will be really tough to fight like this, and we don't even have equipment. Speaking of which, I know it's crazy to ask, but do you know of any way to get it?"

"There are places, my lord, the most challenging part will be paying for it," surprisingly, Atasha knew the answer. "You must remember that this new land is extremely rich in resources. There are enclaves of many factions trying to seize it, and from my knowledge, there are some independent enclaves. These were also marked on the map."

She pointed out to Alex the locations, and thanks to Tharoh's scouting skills, they quickly identified the direction they were in and had a rough idea of the distance.

"The remaining question is, what can we trade?" Alex inquired.

"Well, my lord, we have a stock of minor medicinal herbs, as well as a couple of espherulas. These should be worth a considerable amount, although if we try to sell them ourselves, we're very likely to be cheated," Atasha replied.

"It will be relatively risky, but if we want even a minimal chance of waging war, we'll need a logistical network, at least a city that can provide us with a trade window," Alex finally remembered something and searched among his belongings for a small pouch he had acquired from the cavalry he had defeated alongside the elves and dwarves. "Does anyone know what this powder is? Although it has a high energy density, I can't use it to stimulate my own, unlike the herbs we use daily."

The various members passed the pouch from hand to hand, but none could really identify what it was until it reached the elderly Shalara.

"My lord, if I remember correctly from your story, the Kron carrying this was especially strong and could only be brought down by the elf's magic. If it's what I think it is, this must be Kan powder, a rare mineral resource essential for training Kron warriors. However, if I recall correctly, I believe it's also useful for some elf species."

"Wait, there are different elf species?" Alex asked, confused.

"There are different species of everything, my lord. You'll probably encounter humans from other worlds who are identical to you but have small physical and energy-related differences," Atasha replied.

"Huh, interesting. Anyway, now that I know what I have might be valuable to someone, it's even better," Alex responded with an optimism that was hard for the others to match. They could buy weapons, but the task that would come afterward was anything but easy.

Finally, they all agreed that Alex would travel to the nearest independent city-state with about five soldiers. There, he would sell the valuable herbs they had collected to buy weapons and armor, food, and, if there was anything left, some tools for the camp.