Chapter 196: Unusual Strategy

Late into the night, long after the banquet had ended and most of Galoria had fallen silent, Bao and Wolvrac sat with Ka'z beneath the open sky. The three of them had chosen a quiet elevated section overlooking the settlement, where they could see the scattered lights of dying campfires between the uneven hills and clusters of huts below.

The crescent moon hung high above them, casting a pale glow over the strange landscape while a cool breeze moved through the grass and carried the distant sounds of the sleeping clan toward them.

Bao and Wolvrac each held a cup of wine, occasionally taking slow sips as they looked toward the sky. Ka'z had a cup of water resting between his hands. He had already been offered wine earlier, but after the events of the past few weeks, he had no desire to cloud his judgment while discussing something as important as the survival of an entire race.

One cup was enough for him.

"We sincerely expected Tega and Layla to fail." Wolvrac finally confessed with a bitter smile as he looked toward the distant settlement. "Your clan has no reason to help ours, especially since you only concluded your conflict with the Ashmork Clan a few months ago."

Ka'z remained quiet for a moment before looking toward the old Chieftain. "It's actually because we defeated the Ashmork Clan and got our hands on the Ashmork Clan's infamous Red Scripture that I chose to fight for you."

Buzz!

Bao and Wolvrac immediately raised their heads.

The old Chieftain's eyes widened, while Bao lowered his cup without even realizing it. They had heard rumors about the Red Scripture before, but hearing Ka'z casually confirm that the legendary book actually existed was something neither of them had expected.

"The Red Scripture exists?" Bao leaned forward without meaning to, his normally composed expression replaced by genuine curiosity.

Ka'z nodded.

Wolvrac leaned forward as well, his old eyes becoming noticeably sharper. "What does it say that prompted you to help us?"

Ka'z adjusted his seating position and rested his back against the rock behind him. "The Red Scripture was written by the 13th Prince of Lanthor. He talks about the plan to conquer the entire Evergreen Forest and make it the kingdom's territory."

Buzz!

Bao and Wolvrac exchanged a stunned glance. The quiet night suddenly felt much heavier.

"The entire Evergreen Forest?" Wolvrac asked slowly.

Ka'z nodded. "That's what he believed was going to happen."

He took a sip of water before continuing. "In the human world, the gold, silver, and copper you have in your mines represent wealth to humans and other kingdoms outside this Evergreen Forest. I have a good reason to believe that the reason they are targeting your mines is to get the money needed to build a large army that can conquer the entire Evergreen Forest. If I let them take your mines, every race in this forest will suffer."

Buzz!

Bao suddenly jumped to his feet.

Wolvrac's expression darkened as he stared toward the distant hills, his fingers tightening around his cup. Neither of them immediately responded. The implications were far greater than simply losing a mining territory. If the humans truly intended to use Galoria's resources to finance a large military campaign, then allowing the Halflings to take control of the mines could accelerate the conquest of the entire forest.

Bao remained standing for several seconds before slowly sitting back down.

Ka'z simply sipped his water.

He had already spent enough time thinking about the matter. The two Gnolls needed time to process it.

"Layla and Tega told me you see visions and receive prophecies." Wolvrac finally said. "She claimed that's how you conquered Ashmork Village with only ten people and didn't lose even one. Is that true?"

Ka'z nodded firmly. "It is. All of it is true."

Bao immediately turned toward him.

"Does the heavens say anything about Galoria?"

Ka'z looked at the older Gnoll for several seconds before a small smile appeared on his face. "Galoria will win this war."

The words made both Gnolls tense.

"I was tasked with killing their Chief Warrior, Pumba."

Once again, Bao and Wolvrac were shaken.

They had expected Ka'z to know about the Halflings. They had even expected him to know about the existence of Pumba after hearing about the System's mission. But they had not expected him to mention the Chief Warrior's name so casually, especially when Ka'z had never met the man.

Wolvrac slowly raised a hand to his chest and rubbed it. He looked genuinely exhausted by the number of revelations being thrown at him.

"Pumba is a Gold Core Magus." Wolvrac warned.

"I'm aware, and I have a plan." Ka'z replied calmly. "That's why I'm having this discussion with you two. Are you willing to hear me out?"

Bao and Wolvrac exchanged a strange glance.

There was something unsettling about the calmness in Ka'z's voice. He wasn't speaking like someone who had merely come up with a desperate strategy.

After a moment, both Gnolls nodded firmly and Ka'z spent the rest of the night explaining his plan.

The conversation continued until the moon had shifted considerably across the sky. Ka'z explained what he needed from the Gnolls, how he intended to approach Pumba, and the role Bao and Wolvrac would play. Every few minutes, one of the two Gnolls would interrupt him with a question, only for Ka'z to provide an answer that made them even more bewildered.

The plan was insane.

By the time the first light of dawn appeared over the horizon, Bao and Wolvrac were no longer questioning whether the plan was crazy. They were questioning why they had never thought of something like it themselves.

___ Three Days Later ___

Three days later, the deadline given by the Halflings finally arrived.

Ka'z stood on one of the many elevated sections of land within the borders of Galoria, looking toward the distant forest. Bao stood beside him while Wolvrac remained slightly behind them. About a dozen of Galoria's strongest warriors waited nearby, all of them watching the same direction.

The morning air was tense. Everyone knew the Halflings were coming.

Then movement appeared between the trees.

Ka'z narrowed his eyes.

A group of thirty Halflings emerged from the forest.

They were unlike any other race Ka'z had encountered before. At first glance, they looked almost like humans, but they were barely over three feet tall, with the tallest among them standing a little above four feet. Their bodies were slim rather than muscular, their faces youthful, and their round eyes gave them an almost childlike appearance despite the weapons and armor they carried.

Their ears were pointed, as were their noses, giving them a distinct appearance that separated them from humans.

Each Halfling rode a different animal. Some rode antelope, others rode wolves. Several rode large beasts that resembled bears.

All of them wore matching blue clothing beneath leather armor, making it immediately obvious that this was not a random group of travelers. They had come prepared for confrontation.

Ka'z's eyes moved across them carefully, then they stopped on their leader. The Halfling rode a massive brown bear at the front of the formation.

He was older than the others, appearing to be somewhere in his fifties, with black hair streaked with several lines of gray. His hair was neatly combed backward and held in place, giving him a surprisingly refined appearance. Like the others, he wore blue clothing beneath black leather armor, but a red cape hung from his shoulders, immediately distinguishing him from the rest.

His face carried the signs of age, but his posture remained straight and confident.

Ka'z's eyes narrowed. There was something different about him. Even from this distance, Ka'z could feel the weight of his presence.

'So that's Pumba.'

The Gold Core Magus who had served as Chief Warrior of the Halflings for more than three decades. The man Ka'z had been ordered by the System to kill.

The two sides slowly moved toward one another until there was only a short distance between them.

Neither side spoke.

The Gnolls stood behind Ka'z, Bao's expression cold and focused while Wolvrac remained calm despite the tension. The Halflings watched them with equally serious expressions, their weapons still sheathed but their hands positioned close enough to draw them at a moment's notice.

Ka'z stepped forward, his eyes locked directly onto Pumba. For several seconds, the two stared at each other.

The tension was so thick that even the surrounding Gnolls seemed to hold their breath.

Then Ka'z did something that nobody expected. He lowered his head and bowed respectfully.

"Teacher Pumba... I have been expecting you!"