Chapter 2 - Part 5 of 5 (Patreon)

“Tracing it back to us is going to be fucking hard. They might know that there is someone in the shadows. Does it matter? If we can get more people attacking them,will they be able to care about what’s in the shadows? We hit them now while they’re trying to find their balance.”

Erik grinned without an ounce of joy in his frigid blue eyes. His entire body seemed to radiate killing intent.

“You have permission, Commander Glosil, gut them.”

“Sir,” Glosil nodded.

“Rugrat and I will look after our resident skeleton…,”

“Erik,” Delilah started.

“We don’t have a special team to waste on watching over him. We also have a binding contract with the sack of bones. We need him to recover as soon as possible.”

“But,” Delilah started.

“Trust in us old men.We might not look like much and our skills might have fallen behind, though there isn’t anyone in Alva that is stronger than us,” Rugrat reassured her.

“As devious you mean,” Elise snorted with a smile.

“Stubborn more like,” Blaze muttered.

“Like bulls,” Glosil sighed and shook his head.

“Somewhat smart, at times,” Elan’s passive expression split into a smile.

“Did you hire this lot?” Erik said behind his hand to Rugrat.

“I thought you hired them?” Rugrat hissed back behind his hand.

Delilah let out a breath through her nose, but there was a smile on her face.

“Look, Rugrat has wanted to kidnap Egbert for years, made a belt and everything.”

“Don’t tell them about the belt!” Rugrat glared at Erik.

“Well, we only need his skull.”

“Alright,” Rugrat pulled out a loop of chain with a formation on it with a meek smile.

“Go grab it,” Erik closed his eyes. Just how in the hell did I get lumped with this idiot?

Rugrat pulled Egbert’s skull off. As soon as it was off of the table, the mana entering it increased. The speed that the new runes were created on his face increased in speed.

Rugrat activated the formation on the chain and stuck it to the back of Egbert’s skull. He looped the chain around his belt.

He looks like a redneck barbarian with a magical skull on his friggin hip, just needs some furs and a club.

“And on the plus side, he can’t wear his short shorts because they don’t have a belt loop,” Erik added.

“Done, you can have Egbert’s skull!” Jia Feng smacked the table. There was a semi-serious nodding of heads and Delilah let out an annoyed sigh.

“Very well. So what will the two of you be doing?” She looked at Erik as Rugrat adjusted Egbert’s head, pushing his shocked jaw closed. He kept doing it and it kept opening until his jaw fell off.

Rugrat looked around in a panic, holding Egbert’s jaw.

Erik cleared his throat hard.

“I need to finish my metal tempering. I’m useless until that’s done. Rugrat is combat ready and capable. If you need him Glosil, he’s a motivated and powerful individual,” Erik said.

Rugrat pulled out some duct tape with a loud noise he pulled off a long strip. Everyone looked over at his awkward smile and back to Glosil.

Rugrat duct taped the jaw back in place.

“You might both be too powerful. If you show up on the battlefield, you might be too strong. You are our trump cards. We don’t want to show you off right at the start.”

“Our people are fighting for us. We’re not going to sit in the rear,” Erik said.

Glosil closed his mouth, thinking hard.

“The people need to see their leaders,” Blaze said, helping out.

“Alright, there are a number of non-combat missions, back up for different operations. You’re right you are the two strongest people we have right now. Which is also why I would like to invite you to help out training people who are taking on new courses to get their qualifications. Medic, sharpshooter, tempering the body and their mana,” Glosil said.

“Let us know where we can be the most use,” Erik didn’t want to push too much.He knew it was putting Glosil in an awkward position with more to worry about. “Just know, if you need us or this turns on us, then Rugrat and I will back up you and our people with everything we can muster.”

Rugrat grunted in agreement as he secured his duct taped skull and took the rest of Egbert’s bones into his storage ring.

“Talking about covering for people, we need to talk about Vuzgal, about Hiao Xen and Chonglu. I think it is time that we made Chonglu the city lord. If the Willful Institute comes for us and we have Hiao Xen in power, then it makes things look bad on him and the Blue Lotus. I don’t want to piss off an association over this.”

“Rugrat is right, the last thing we need is an association that needs to be angry with us to uphold their honor,” Elise agreed.

“Delilah?” Erik asked.

“Get it done, Elan, make sure that he has the most up to date information. Elise, make sure that the merchants don’t get bold with the new leader. Commander Glosil, can you increase security just in case? Erik, if you talk to Hiao Xen and Head Lu of the Blue Lotus, that could go a long way in making sure Hiao Xen and the Blue Lotus look good and keep them clear of us, if there are any issues.”

People jotted down notes Delilah waited until they finished before patting the desk.

“Anything else?” A glance told her all she needed to know. “We have a lot to do and the Ten Realms doesn’t wait on anyone. Operation Doomsday will continue, Chonglu will be promoted and we’ll settle everything in the Beast Mountain Range. Lets just hope there are no other surprises in the near future.”