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A chill swept the room and a heavy mood befell all individuals except Noah. Their expressions dulled and their eyes went hard.

Nora moved forward, approaching the room's exit. The others followed and soon they were in the sky flying forward to meet their adversaries.

The entire city had fallen silent. Up to the point that it felt like a ghost city. Terror and the doom of death hung above the residents of the city of Orphos. They all had hope, however. Hope in the power of their new leader.

Nora could feel the gazes and hopes of her people weighing on her shoulders with crushing intensity. She threatened to lose her cool, but one glance at the expert emanating the stench of death and intense calmness made her calm herself.

His silver eyes looked onward, toward the direction of the approaching party. The sheer auras that emanated from that point told of the heavy forces, but to her bamboozlement, she found curiosity in those ancient-looking eyes of silverness.

He had never removed his armor making her wonder why. Still, his composure even within that trouble could not have been faked. Even she herself struggled. And she was a leader who knew what it mean to be in real hot water!

Could he have been in a situation worse than theirs? How possible!

The experts had fallen silent. The more the group coming southward drew closer, the more Nora flew forward to the forefront of the group. Noah on the other hand remained in the back.

The others saw this and snarled inwardly, especially Julio who had lost face due to him.

In a matter of minutes; dead silent minutes, the group became clear and the size of the deployed experts made the experts lose hope.

"Already Twenty-five middle staged individuals," Nora muttered feeling her former confidence experience deep cracks. Her breathing threatened to turn erratic, but there were more.

Gasps filled the mouths of her team when they laid eyes on 10 grotesque-looking creatures.

'They truly are a sight to behold.' The sides of Noah's lips curved upward in an unfeeling smile. He called upon the inspection of the said beasts by the system.

[Krets]

[Rabid creatures born from an experiment that saw the joining of orcs, goblins, and bat creatures. Krets have the strength of orcs despite their thin nature. They possess the flight abilities of the crimson bats and gather about like goblins. They are extremely violent, but possess no magical abilities]

Noah read the contents of the silver screen before him, before focusing on the said creatures again.

Each one of the kret was tall. About 2.5m in height. Their features were thin as their skin featured patches of black and red with occasional brown spots.

The faces of the krets featured two dark eyes on either side of their heads, and rows of grotesque-looking teeth out in the open. Three claws for hands and a pair of black reptilian wings.

They truly were freaks of nature as their upright figure sent chills down the experts. "The embodiment of violence," Noah would call them due to what he sensed.

Still, before him, they remained nothing more than freaks. His unique nature threatened to allow the entirety of its authority out, but Noah bottled it up for now, lest he caused more trouble for the humans.

The group of thirty-five beings all within the fourth tier eventually arrived. Nora went forward to speak soon after.

"Good day," She started, seeing a person also come to the forefront of the group. His gaze was condescending and he carried himself with class and honor. Pride.

The blonde-haired elf raised his hand to shut her up and she furrowed her brows but made no reaction.

"We have not come to talk,' his voice was soothing and calm, but pompous. "The agreement has been broken. It also matters not if the human wasn't acquainted with you, as long as he had caused the deaths of our forces and approached you, then our agreement has been nullified."

"Can we not come to a compromise, we can give you something in exchange for peace," Nora articulated even if she had nothing in mind.

"We want nothing of such. And what makes you think we desire anything from you," the elf countered. His light cream garment flowing softly in the wind.

He was Merian, a powerful expert who had mastered all four elements and had Ice in his grasp. His prestige had been a lot as he had helped the elves conquer and hold onto a few large areas within that damned nation.

Nora sighed at that blatant refusal, she fell silent for a few seconds.

"If you have nothing more to say, we shall commence this battle. It is according to the orders of the higher ones," Merian announced allowing a staff to appear in his grip it palpitated with high-quality mana.

"Wait!" A masculine voice erupted from behind Nora. Her eyes darted and her head snapped toward the direction of the owner of the voice.

Her gaze fell on Julio's smirk and real trepidation sprung up in her being. 'What is he doing?' She screamed inwardly watching the expert float forward before glaring at her momentarily and focusing on the elf.

Wearing a smile, Julio opened his mouth to speak, but before he did so, he knelt mid-air and the eyes of the watching experts widened.

'What a surprising turn of events,' Noah noted from his position at that back.

"I ask that you accept me into your force. I am willing to do anything to live," Julio announced with a loud voice and Nora's aura flared with fury.

She stood ready to attack when Merian spoke.

"Going on with your plan will force out power on you and your city. Beware," the elf warned as the Krets growled, their dark and blood-thirsty eyeballs falling on her figure.

With eyes blazing with an azure-orange light, she calmed herself and watched intently as he spoke.

"I see you've understood the outcome of this battle." Merian's tone shifted to one inviting. His gaze had softened. The elves were always looking for human recruits to add to their force.

Julio raised his head and nodded.

"A wise man you truly are," Merian responded with a smile. Lifting his gaze, he studied the other experts and played on the situation to bring gains to the Order. His merit would increase well after all this.

Greed and hunger for power filled his mind at that realization.

"The Order is generous and able to compromise. I will allow any one of you who desires to escape death and join us to do so now. You have fifteen seconds."

His words were like a blow to the determination of the others. They trembled. No one wanted to die. That offer became increasingly favorable as the seconds passed.

Nora's eyes widened as she turned to gaze at the people she had worked with for years. Some more than others. She pleaded with her eyes. But life never went as she desired.

Four departed from the group, their expressions low and filled with shame. They hid their faces from Nora as they floated forward to meet Julio and bow before the incredible group.

One more person came forward. "You should come, lady Nora. There won't be shame to face. We would be dead to the world," the man suggested, going forward to bow before the elves.

Nora's arms dropped in defeat and gloom. She glanced at the others and saw their eyes were cold, but they did not join them. Rather they came and gathered behind her.

Out of ten, six had defected.

Nora glanced at Noah who had not moved and saw that his expression remained as calm as ever. At that point, even she had lost hope in whatever power that man had.

"Time's up," Merian announced. "It would seem the rest of you have decided to be unfortunate." An expression of disdain and even pity appeared on his face. But only then did he properly notice Noah's figure and frowned.

"You must be the one who caused all that trouble," the highly placed elf noted and the attention of both groups fell on him.

Noah remained silent and walked forward.

"Now that the sides have been chosen..." He started, not waiting for the other group to begin. "Shall we end this? I have a great guild to find." Noah's figure stood before Nora when he muttered a few words.

"Elder frost Golem."

RUMBLE!