After the earlier discussion was over, Chloe asked the attendant to bring us refreshments. While waiting, we talked about the upcoming raid.

I got to admit that I was still slightly skeptical about our numbers for the mission. I mean I knew Chloe was in a category of her own, and I wasn't too shabby, Not being able to die and all. But those guys seemed to possess a lot of combatants.

We were what? 8 people in total?

No matter how powerful we were as individuals, the risk of being overwhelmed was still present.

I mentioned it to the group.

They paused their conversation and turned toward me. The shifters twins tilted their heads at the same time, eyes gleaming with a predatory light.

The giant of a man named Arum looked at me with understanding, then smiled reassuringly. As for Kalia and Lorn they didn't bother reacting in any capacity. For them, I may as well not have spoken.

I was still puzzled by their lack of concern.

Prince Eric smiled full of schadenfreude. Then he turned to Chloe.

"You didn't talk to him about us?"

"I didn't have the time, things were so hectic here. I believe I only mentioned your existences recently." Chloe smiled wryly.

From this exchange, I felt like I was missing something important.

"Before that, Miss Chloe, who is this man?" One of the twins, Liye, I believe, raised the question.

"Ah. Yes. I should have done the presentations, but Kalia's story threw me off slightly."

"This is Samsara Yu. He was the one who found the enemy HQ. He is also my partner, I ask that you give him an appropriate amount of respect. As for what he is? that's up for research. If you insist on putting a label on him, I guess 'Undying' is a pretty fitting one." Chloe proceeded to introduce me to the group.

I saw Lorn raising his eyebrows, his eyes gleaming with complicated symbols.

Kalia threw a glance my way as well. Her eyes were glowing with a crimson hue. They both seemed to be dissecting me as if I was suddenly far more interesting.

"To answer your question, our numbers should not be an issue. Unless we are facing characters in the leagues of my father, or god forbid, Atticus." Chloe calmly addressed my worries. I could feel her confidence in her team through these words.

"Every one of them is capable of facing a large number of middling supernatural by themselves. As for top-tier supernatural entities, they can at least handle 3 of them individually." She added.

My pupils constricted. I had to renew my evaluation of these people. Though, maybe not as powerful as Chloe, all of them seemed to be close behind her level.

"If you are still not convinced, Mister Yu we can spar together." The giant-like Arum said helpfully. Though he spoke warmly, his eyes were alit with battle-lust.

I was taken aback by his candidness.

"That's a great idea. It will allow for a better understanding of each other." This time it was Lorn who had spoken. Somehow, unlike Arum, I didn't think he was seeking to reassure me. It was more like he was taking advantage of the situation to study me.

I guess his interest spiked after Chloe's introduction.

-----------

We quickly found ourselves in the garden of the mansion. Lorn made various signs with his hands before raising them abruptly. A similar ward to the one surrounding Atticus's house appeared, covering the entire garden.

Chloe signaled with her chin toward the mansion and I understood the safeguard.

"Well, it's done. This barrier should protect us from prying eyes as well as interruptions." Lorn said to Chloe.

"Now, let's do this. Shall we?" Arum who had already removed his upper clothing. He spoke from the delimited circle which was to serve as a ring.

I let out a long-suffering sigh and walked toward him.

It was now apparent to me that questioning the group's strength however indirectly was an absolutely bad idea.

Since I heard the sparing proposition, I tried to convince them that it was wholly unnecessary. I had full trust in Chloe.

If she said that we were sufficient to confront this demonic cabal, then we were.

Standing in front of the 2,04m giant, I felt completely dwarfed.

He had a built that spoke of power and sturdiness.  He had a tattoo-like mark on his skin. It started below his chest and likely continued toward his back.

From what I could see it resembled some sort of humanoid beast.

"I am human. A shaman from the Lowa Tribe on the Roath Continent. We can be defined as a type of magic user I guess. We are mostly focused on spirits. We bind spirits to ourselves allowing us to call their power.

At 13, I bounded one of the strongest spirits according to my people's lore. Its name is Valken, the spirit of the bloodspilled earth.

Since then, I am it and it is me."

After this introduction, he bowed respectfully and shifted into a fighting position.

It was one of their tribe traditions. For an honorable duel, both participants need to state their names and origins. As such, I followed suit.

"I am Samsara Yu. I am not aware of my origins past the fact that I was born in Nebula City, tens of kilometers away from here.

As for what I am, that too is unclear. The only thing I can say is that I am truly undying. At least, nothing gives me a reason to believe that I will perish one day.

With that said, you don't need to pull your punches. Or even control yourself. Killing me is temporary after all."

Finished, I executed a bow following his example.

I adopted a defensive posture. I was not underestimating him after what Chloe told me.

"Very well my friend, let start." The giant spoke with satisfaction.

Momentously, his mark glimmered and his sclera became pitch black. His irises and pupils were indistinguishable from one another. They were both purple giving the impression of a purple moon shinning in the void.

He was wreathed in a dark purple aura within which the figure of a humanoid beast could sometimes be seen.

I was assaulted by an inhuman wave of hostility and bloodlust.

Suddenly, he pounced. The guy moved at a speed that was illogical for someone with his built. Before I could blink, I was airborne. A rain of blows fell upon me. Each of them was heavy and full of power.

It seemed Arum had taken my words a bit too seriously.

CRACK.

This sound repeated a few times, indicating I had broken a staggering amount of bones. Finally, the assault stopped as I found myself on a knee breathing hard.

Already my wounds were knitting together and my bones were mending. In a few moments, I was in fighting shape once again.

I rotated my wrists and cracked my neck, still feeling sore from the impromptu beating.

"You pack quite the punch," I said truly impressed.

"And you are quite resilient for such a small thing. A lesser supernatural would have been deader than dead by now. The rate of my blows is even enough to overwhelm the healing of middling combat-oriented sup." The giant thundered with an almost feral voice.

"Is that so? Well, I am grateful for the compliment. Though, I believe it's my turn now." All emotions had bled away from my voice. I was now truly committed to the fight.

Which meant using all I could to prevail.

My willpower answered my call and formed the outline of a giant fist. It was in a harmonic state with my own. It could only be seen because of the twisted air.

I pulled back and punched at him despite the distance separating us. The air was violently impacted.

Surprise colored his face as he ate the cart-size fist frontally. He was sent flying for a few meters in a miserable state. His body rolled and dug through the dirt before stopping. Our audience fell silent, taken aback by the power I just demonstrated.

This was not some kind of intricate move or the like. It was merely sheer brute power, no finesse involved.