"Is that really true?" Zankoku asked. His tone curious as well a bit hopeful.

"I don't know. It's just a rumor I heard. No one truly knows what's in there." Bone replied.

A heavy silence descended in the room. This rumor got them all thinking. The three demons in the room along with Ames were further intrigued, if this was true, it could come as a blessing for their race.

"Tell us about the bloodbands now." Lamia broke the silence as she pushed Bone to speak further.

"Ah, yes. Until the time I worked in the headquarters, the bloodbands had two thousand members. They have two captains that are master mage, Fang and Claw. There are three more captains, one of them is a fourth circle mage, and the other two fifth circle."

"And tiger, if what I know is right, then he's a mana master." Bone said in a grave tone.

Ames and the other's faces got ugly, their forces were far more and stronger than they had anticipated. If they clashed now, defeat was guaranteed without any doubt.

"Tiger is absent most of the time. He moves around to take the dirty jobs of the nobles. Whenever he leaves, either fang or claw moves with him. So only one of them stays back. Even right now, they are out of the city. And he takes mostly a month or two every time he goes out."

"When was the last time he went out?" Lamia asked.

"He moved out the day I came here from the headquarters. I've been here since a week, so, a week it is."

Ames shook his head in understanding as he listened to Bone. "Do all their leaders stay in the headquarters, or they have different bases?" He asked.

"Except Fang and Claw, the other three have their own bases at the periphery of their area. Each having two hundred men under them."

Silence spread again. No one was speaking anything. Ames had his fingers on his chin as he contemplated on the matter. After a long time, he finally started speaking.

"It's inevitable that we'll clash with Tiger and his bloodbands soon. But the main concern is that we're not ready at all. For the safe side, let us consider that he'd be back in a month."

"And when he is, we'll have to face a mana master, two master mages, two fifth and a fourth circle mage. Also, let's not forget his army of two thousand." Ames said thoughtfully.

"So, we have a month to grow strong. Both our cultivation realm as well as our group."

"And since we have to got to war anyway, why don't we strike and weaken them when they least expect us to." Ames said with a grin.

"My liege, you mean to say that…"

"We assassinate their three captains." Lamia interjected before Zankoku could finish. She nodded at the plan as her lips curved into a smirk.

"But my liege, there is no one among us who's adept in assassination. It requires silent and precise strikes, and we are all heavy fighters my liege." Zankoku said, bowing his head in shame, unable to be of use to his lord.

"That is true though. Not only he should be swift and silent, the assassin needs to be at least a fourth circle. Or else he won't be able to kill the captains." Lamia added.

Just when despair was about to take over their plans, Bone rained hope with his words.

"There is an extraordinary assassin in the outer zone. If he joins your gang, it will be a piece of cake for him to kill the captains."

All of their eyes opened wide in shock, they turned their heads abruptly at him. The dread filled faces brightened with hope again.

"Who is it? Do you know him?" Lamia asked excitedly.

"I don't. but even Tiger once asked him to join. Offering him the seat of the first captain. But he refused. The other gang leaders had approached him too, but he had rejected them all." Bone said.

"Why though?"

"He said he's chasing something far grander than their gang fights, and finds no scope of growth with them."

"Brave words. He's definitely a great warrior." Zankoku nodded in praise.

"What circle is he?" Lamia asked.

"Last time I heard, he was a fourth circle. But it's been almost a year. He could have grown stronger now."

"We have to get him to join us then. Do you know where he is?" Ames asked.

"I don't know my lord. I just know that he's in the outer zone." Bone said.

"What does he go by?" Lamia asked.

"He's called the 'Midnight blade'."

*****

The grand hall of the king's palace shimmered under the light of a thousand enchanted luminous stones, along with the grand chandelier above.

In the center of the hall, a long, polished oak table groaned under the weight of a magnificent feast. Nobles in their finest silks and velvets, adorned with family jewels mingled with the young participants of the tournament.

Among them, Luke and the boys were also surrounded by many young noble daughters, flirting and giggling with them.

Ruby, Adriana and Jane stood at a distance with glasses of champagne between their fingers, a frown plastered on their faces. The grip on the glasses tightening with each passing moment.

Noah was flocked by most of the noble girls. His long emerald eyes and hair, along with his pale new skin was pulling young girls like bees to flowers. Their eyes lovestruck as they were refusing to let him go.

Luke, Shane and Jordan were in a similar state, but the intensity was far lower than what Noah was facing.

"These high-class spoiled brats had never seen a man or what?" Jane scoffed at the scene in front of them.

"You can't just blame them. Look at our boys, they can't stop smiling seeing those soft and shy girls. There're the ones enjoying the most." Ruby added.

"Perverts." Adriana gritted her teeth in fury, her eyes spitting fire.

"His Majesty King Edgar has arrived!" Just then the doormen announced.

The huge doors split as they opened inwards. Edgar in his gleaming crown and golden robe entered inside with Vorthane and Cahill at his side.

But instead of a smile on their faces, gasps of shock and confusion erupted from the crowd.

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