“Hey, spit it out.”

“Nyo.”

“Spit it out! The Chick will drown if you don’t!”

“Pyak osF shik heatd, shud uhp, AH, you bastard give that chew toy back!”

“It’s not a chew toy. This is emergency food and your sibling. Calm down already. It’s been three days.”

Colt reprimanded Fluff. The cat snorted before pouting and seeking Sera for comfort. Colt was left to tidy up the mess it left.

“Are you okay, little chick?”

“Mm.” the crying ball of feathers nodded its head as it tried to stop its tears.

It had been three days since Colt was stabbed and almost died. He looked at the Chick and felt a special connection to it.

He and this Chick already have a form of special bond. According to Fluff’s begrudging explanation, he and the Chick already formed a bond, and he’d already been given the Gift.

‘I had you almost killed because that’s the only way for this loosed lip bastard to give it to you.’

‘Wait, doesn’t other Magical Beast only need to make something called a [Blood Pact]? Why is mine so hard to get?’

‘Those Magical Beasts are weak. Their Gift doesn’t hold a candle against ours. No Magical Beast can gift you complete immunity to Illusions. And you got that from me after I entered your dream that one time.’ Fluff stated.

‘Oh, I remember that one. That one dream where you slap my forehead, right?’ Colt didn’t really care about that slap as he didn’t feel pain then.

Fluff felt relieved that its partner wasn’t so much of a butthurt and proceeded to further its explanation.

‘This little Chick’s Gift is an unnaturally strong vitality. Its effect is fast regeneration and doubles your stamina and progress. You’re now also immune to poison and ailments, meaning it will be harder to kill you. It also doesn’t have any drawbacks, so it’s a pretty good trade-off for almost dying, right?’

‘That’s useful…I won’t have to fear much about death by disease. Fate can’t pull me towards a Deus Ex Machina using poison and diseases now, nice one. But let me confirm this. What about the thing you said about dying if I ingested a World Tree’s Leaf?’

‘That’s a lie.’

‘Oh…well, I didn’t die, so who cares.’ Colt chose to let it go. Fluff also activated its Gift to ensure Colt won’t be angered. Fluff wasn’t taking any chances.

While Colt was busily tidying the Chick, the carriage stopped. Colt exited, and no one was there other than Neun.

The soldiers were left behind the clean up the Valley of Death. The cause of the Valley of Death coming to be was the World Tree and the Chick sucking up all the life around them.

The World Tree took the life of the land, and the Chick influenced the soul of the dead to protect it from danger.

Hundreds of years passed, death continued to happen, resulting in thousands of lives being controlled. Neun had already slain every Master-Class undead. Now, what remained were those weak enough for Colt’s Platoon to take care of.

‘Those guys will hate me, but that’s what they get for signing up. It was voluntary. hehehe.’

Leaving the soldiers to train in the Valley of Death and have them survive that place for three months was the plan all along. However, he changed it to “cleaning” the Valley of Death instead of trying and survive.

This training was rather harsh and dangerous. But on where it currently stands, those soldiers of his were useless. They need to be ‘upgraded’ before they can be of any use in the upcoming war.

‘I’m getting stronger. My soldiers can’t be any weaker. They must reach Rank-7 Warrior to escape the cannon fodder fate.’

Most of the Eastern and Western Continent soldiers were at Rank-6. This was the case as the barrier for the majority of soldiers are Rank-6. Those who can reach Rank-7 were captains. Lieutenants were Rank-8 and Rank-9 for the Colonel. Phase two Pathfinders were Vice Generals and Generals alike.

Shickly and Liron, who became Generals at Rank-7 were exceptional cases as they stopped a war at this stage of their lives.

‘But still, this ranking system includes only the elites of the Army. As for those weaker, they are nothing but glorified cannon fodder use to gauge out the enemy. It’s sad but true, and I don’t want my men to end up like that.’

He wants his men to be as strong as one of the elites.

‘Heeheeehee, after this, I’ll send them to the Magical Beast Forest and make them eradicate as much Monster as possible. I’ll train real killing machines.’

Colt would have them do it, but that’s something to happen for another time.

Focusing on the present, Sera prepared the food for everyone, and Colt already finished after a few minutes.

But, he was not the first to finish, as Sera and Avern stepped out first, saying.

“I need to sort things out.”

Colt watched them leave, but he didn’t question what it was that they wanted to do. He already knew they are in pain.

‘Must have sucked not managing to do anything against Julius.’

Though Colt was also severely beaten by Julius, he didn’t mind it that much because he’s alive. That’s his goal, staying alive, honor and victory can eat shit if he can’t live.

He may have been defeated, but overall, he won.

However, for Sera and Avern, it was a pretty big blow. Especially to Sera.

After Sera learned that Fluff could talk, she made it recount what happened when she fell to Julius’ illusions.

Long story short, she learned of Colt’s ‘pride’ and ‘honor’ being trampled to the ground as he begged for her and Avern’s lives.

Being trained to become a Combat Butler, Sera was ashamed of this turnabout. Her self-loathing fueled her Red or otherwise known Fire Aura. With Sera burning with rage, her growth became nothing less than explosive.

As for Avern…Colt couldn’t say anything. Avern’s been going around and talking to himself. The only thing Colt can make out of it is that he’s talking to spirits.

Either that or he’s troubled with being ignored by Sera and was mulling over it, ‘It’s still weird though.’

Colt knows that they’ll get over their issues without his help, ‘It’s better to avoid getting wrap up in all that. My words might appear patronizing.’

He was dedicated to dealing with his own problems.

“What is it that you need from this old man, Young Master?”

Colt went up the carriage roof to find Neun, watching the stars.

“Teacher, I just wanted to ask about Mutations and if it’s possible to do it while still being low-leveled Warrior like myself.”

“Don’t even think about it, you can’t just initiate a mutation. Try it, and you’ll most likely die; you’ll explode after having your blood boil and organs ruptured.”

Colt was left speechless.

Neun laughed at Colt’s reaction. He decided to change the subject, “Young Master, what are you going to name the little Chick?”

“…I said I’d name it Chickpea or Fat Chick, but it said no, so we decided that it will think a name for itself.”

“Young Master.”

“Yes?”

“Your naming sense sucks.”

Colt was once again speechless.