As the four beastmen left Lakan on his own, one of them hesitated.

  "Rhazak, are we really going to abandon him? Our task was to accompany him, you know. Even though he has human blood, we shouldn't just leave him. What if he survives? Then we’ll be the outcasts," Gnashka said.

  "Nah, he won’t survive. There are thirty wild boars—that’s overkill, you know. We’re just getting rid of a child who shouldn’t have beastman blood in him. Don’t be so nervous, Gnashka," Rhazak replied.

  Gnashka, a hyena-like beastman with a cunning gaze, an opportunistic nature, and a mouth lined with long canines, let out a dry chuckle.

  "All of you, don’t say anything that might cause us trouble, okay? We’re doing this because his mother committed a taboo by giving birth to someone with filthy blood," Rhazak warned.

  The four beastmen took their time returning to the group, making it seem as if Lakan’s death had been a tragic accident. However, what they didn’t expect was that Lakan had survived—and had even made it back before them.

  "Welcome back. Thanks for all the help, by the way," Lakan said scornfully.

  The four beastmen were shocked to see him alive.

  Rhazak was dumbfounded. "How did you survive?"

  "Shh! People might hear you. Just go back and proceed with the meeting—come up with a scenario to report," Lakan responded.

  Rhazak couldn’t comprehend how Lakan had survived. He knew Lakan was capable, but not as a warrior—only as a strategist. Without another word, he quickly left, passing by Lakan.

  "Don’t ever do something that stupid again, or I won’t forgive you next time," Lakan said angrily.

  All the enslaved people gathered for the meeting, with the main agenda being how to proceed from this point forward.

  "By the way, Lakan, thank you for your service," Elder Ulganar said.

  Lakan stood proudly. "Thank you for trusting me, Elder."

  Ulganar did not acknowledge the four beastmen, as Baloga and Zarik had already reported what had happened. However, Lakan convinced them not to punish the four.

  "So they already know, but why are they not punishing us? They must have helped Lakan—that's why he succeeded," Rhazak whispered.

  Elder Ulganar, the oldest among them and the one who had guided the enslaved people through their suffering, ensuring it was not unbearable, began the meeting.

  "Lakan, report on what happened. How did you execute your strategy?" Elder Ulganar asked.

  Lakan explained the plan he had devised.

  "As per our original plan, we used monsters to lure the adventurers. We spotted a group of wild boars, and I acted as bait while the other four hid behind the trees. Once the boars got close to the adventurers, they ambushed them from their blind spots, launching a surprise attack and killing them," Lakan said.

  "Is this true, Baloga and Zarik? Did he come up with the plan?" Elder Ulganar asked.

  "Yes, elder, it’s the truth. We followed his exact strategy," Zarik confirmed.

  Amused, Elder Ulganar nodded. "Since I have given my blessings to this child, I expect great things from him. I want him to be one of the leaders here, especially for the teens and children. He has already proven himself as a capable warrior and a brilliant strategist for his age. Any objections?"

  "No, Elder!"

  "Elder, I object!"

  "Mogdar, why are you objecting? Do you wish to be the leader of the youth instead?" Elder Ulganar asked, displeased.

  Mogdar, a sixteen-year-old orc warrior, stepped forward. Like Lakan, he had a mature build for his age. Orcs were naturally large and strong, but Mogdar's physique rivaled even seasoned warriors.

  Back when they were slaves under Viscount Beaufort, Mogdar had been the champion of the fighting arena in the Teen Category. Even Rhazak had fallen to him. While all the teen slaves were forced to fight, Lakan had been too young to participate at the time.

  "If I’m going to follow someone, I want them to be stronger than me," Mogdar declared.

  "Hey! Mogdar, even though you are strong for your age, you can’t lead our people," Dalangpan said, his voice firm yet laced with concern. "You don’t have the capabilities—brute force alone isn’t enough to lead.”

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  "Let’s ask Lakan first. What do you say, Lakan?" Elder Ulganar asked, his gaze steady as he awaited a response.

  "Well, if that’s what you want, then so be it. We can fight to determine who is more capable of leading," Lakan replied.

  Elder Ulganar frowned, concerned. "Are you sure? Mogdar is a champion of the slave arena, you know."

  "Yes, Elder. But can we wait a bit? I’m turning thirteen in five days. I just want him to save face when he loses—to a teen, not a kid," Lakan said mockingly.

  "What an arrogant fellow…"

  The surrounding slaves overheard his words and began to think Lakan was being too bold.

  "And also," Lakan continued, glaring at Mogdar, "when I win, you will follow my commands without question. Is that acceptable to you?"

  Mogdar glared back at Lakan. "Of course. The same applies to you if I win."

  "Before we proceed with the meeting, each race must choose a representative or leader. It would be unfair if some races couldn’t voice their opinions," Elder Ulganar stated.

  After a while, each race had chosen their respective leader.

  "Since Lakan’s achievements have greatly benefited us, I want him to speak first before the rest," Elder Ulganar declared.

  As the highest authority among them, Elder Ulganar was making deliberate moves to help Lakan establish his leadership, recognizing the young warrior’s potential.

  Lakan stepped forward confidently. "Then I'll go first.

  First, I want to acquire mounts, particularly wild boars. We can use the Terrakins' ability to communicate with them and tame them for our use.

  Second, based on this map, I propose heading northwest. There is a mountain range that can serve as our first line of defense. The forest at its base is thick, making it an ideal location for our encampment. Human adventurers will have difficulty reaching us since the terrain is too deep within the forest. However, for this plan to succeed, the Terrakins’ abilities will be crucial.

  Third, I want to assign jobs based on each race's strengths. Beastmen will handle hunting, Orcs will take on labor-intensive tasks like heavy lifting, Dwarves will focus on weapon crafting and construction, and Terrakins will be responsible for medicine-making and land reclamation. Demonkin will serve as night watchers and frontline fighters since they are more effective in the dark. With these roles clearly defined, we can efficiently build and sustain our camp."

  Lakan turned to the Terrakins with a respectful gaze.

  "Leader Orrin," he said solemnly, "this expedition can only succeed with your invaluable abilities."

  Then, bowing deeply, he pleaded for the Terrakin leader’s cooperation.

  "If we can be of help, then we are willing to do so. Your plan seems well thought out, and to think that you would rely on us—even though we have always been seen as an inferior race due to our small stature… This world prioritizes the strong," Orrin said.

  "To me, your race possesses the greatest abilities, Leader Orrin," Lakan replied with conviction.

  Orrin, the leader of the Terrakin, was a middle-aged man with joyful eyes, a bashful personality, and a natural talent for leadership.

  Chuckling modestly, Orrin responded, "You overestimate us, Hahaha! But if you truly believe we can contribute, then just say the word."

  Lakan bowed his head gratefully. "Thank you!"

  The other leaders and former slaves were stunned by the depth and brilliance of Lakan’s plan.

  "Oho! That’s an excellent strategy. I will support it, and so will the Orcs," Elder Ulganar declared.

  The others could clearly see Elder Ulganar’s favoritism toward Lakan. Sensing their thoughts, the elder laughed.

  "Hahaha! This is exactly why your father, Panday, always boasted about you whenever we spoke. Now, let’s continue the meeting. What about the rest of you?" Elder Ulganar asked.

  "I agree with Lakan’s plan, but I’d like to add something," Zarik said, standing tall. "I propose forming a small warrior unit. Baloga and I will train young fighters as a precaution in case the humans invade. The group will consist of warriors from all races, and I want experienced fighters to assist us as well."

  The Beastmen were taken aback—Zarik, their leader and the greatest warrior among them even back when they were enslaved, was openly supporting Lakan’s plan.

  "Me too! Ah, well… it’s going to be fun beat— I mean, training young warriors," Baloga added with a grin.

  Leader Orrin raised his hand. "I will also support Lakan’s plan since he recognizes our value. Additionally, I want to educate the children on agriculture. The Terrakin are small in number for now, so I’ll need assistance in gathering plants."

  "As for us Demonkin, we’ll simply go with the majority—no need to overthink it! Hahaha!" Baloga said with a carefree grin.

  "Now then, let’s discuss the loot. Report what you’ve gathered, Lakan," Elder Ulganar instructed.

  "Understood, Elder," Lakan responded. "The loot we’ve obtained consists of eight healing potions, six sets of armor, a small supply of food, twelve weapons from the storage, additional weapons taken from the adventurers… and twenty magic gems."

  Magic Gems were rare crystals that could be found within monsters. An ordinary animal could transform into a monster when exposed to a mana-rich environment. Over time, a Magic Gem would form inside them, granting them unnatural power. However, lacking intelligence, their minds would become corrupted, driving them to instinctively dominate others with their newfound strength.

  "We will keep the loot for now since there is no immediate need for them, except for the armor, weapons, and food. Since the sun is setting, we should rest," Elder Ulganar said.

  Lakan bowed his head gratefully. "Thank you!"

  The other leaders and former slaves were stunned by the depth and brilliance of Lakan’s plan.

  After the meeting, Zarik approached Lakan to ask about the incident involving the four Beastmen.

  “Lakan, why didn’t you say anything about Rhazak and his companions’ betrayal?” Zarik asked.

  “Well, even if I wanted to, I don’t want any disputes right now. Unity is essential,” Lakan responded.

  Zarik stared at him, assessing the sincerity of Lakan’s words.

  “I’ll reprimand them, and I’ll convince the other Beastmen to follow your commands—even though some might still hate you,” Zarik said.

  Zarik was impressed by Lakan’s strategies and sincerity. Although hesitant due to the Beastmen’s belief in the purity of their blood—even refusing to taint it, even in slavery—Zarik slowly began to accept that such beliefs were a hindrance to their survival.

  With the meeting set in motion, their path to survival had begun. Lakan’s commands were slowly becoming the unchallenged voice of authority among the groups. But just as his influence solidified, an unforeseen storm loomed on the horizon—one that even his sharp mind couldn’t predict. A crisis unlike any before was about to strike—a challenge that would test not just Lakan’s intellect, but his resilience and leadership. His strategies had carried them this far, but this time, mere calculation wouldn’t be enough. The path forward was treacherous, riddled with dangers he had yet to fully grasp.