After travelling for another 3 hours, the group finally arrived at Negi's base.
Negi's HQ was located right on the middle of a huge plain. The plain's surroundings were filled with forests and right in the middle of it there was a shallow river. Most of the other buildings were concentrated near the HQ with the exception of the farm that was located in the other side of the river, some dome facility that Apollo had no idea what it was and a huge tower that stood a bit away from all other buildings, near the northern forest.
Aside from Negi's base, it was possible to see a small camp on the other side of the field which should be owned by Negi's Ally whose name Apollo didn't know.
"It seems like we are late..."
As soon as Apollo's group exited the forest they were greeted by Negi's troops who pointed him a place where he should make his camp.
"Sorry but we can't allow military units near our HQ. Please understand."
"Hmm. No problem."
Apollo knew how easy it was to break one's HQ. As long as they entered inside, a single swing of a heavy weapon was enough to reduce the fancy computer into metal scraps, and now that he stopped to think about that, he was way too careless, letting Negi and Hayate approach their base undetected like that.
What if they had bad intentions? What if instead of heading to the Palace to meet him they had gone to his HQ and destroyed it while he was carelessly lazing around in his bed? This time it was okay but it's better to not take such risks a second time.
Once their camp was set, three identical young men with beautiful faces, perfect bodies and blue hair approached the camp wishing to talk to Apollo.
"Master Negi would like to meet you. Can you accompany us for now?"
Hearing their request Apollo frowned his eyes and asked back:
"Alone?"
The two handsome men nodded but soon completed their answer.
"Yes. But if you are worried about your safety, you are allowed to bring up to two servants."
"Then I shall do so. Rose! Alyssa! Come with me!"
"Yes!" (Alyssa)
...
"Rose?"
Apollo looked around and didn't found not even her shadow much less herself.
"Did she still not come back???"
"I... think so, Master."
The one to answer was Hime, who had taken her place since the little incident in the forest.
"All right, then you come in her place."
"As you wish!"
Instead of going to Negi's base, the three beautiful soldiers directed Apollo to a tent located in the middle point between Apollo's camp, Negi's base and Negi's Ally's camp.
"Master Negi, we brought Master Pedobear here!"
"IT'S APOLLO!!!!"
This time Apollo didn't let it slip! Actually he shouted so loudly that the guy who had just announced his title lost his balance and fell on the ground. Negi and 3rd Player stared at him surprised while even Hayate who was behind Negi felt cold sweat on his back as he was the cause for all this.
"I'm tired of this joke! One more time and I won't care anymore! I will even join forces with the enemy if that's what it takes to make you shut the fuck up!"
Hearing his indignant tone, Negi lowered her voice and answered like a scolded child.
"A-All right... I-I'm sorry if I offended you in any way..."
"Hmph!"
Walking heavy steps, Apollo sat on the empty chair in the opposite side of the table.
The table in the middle of the tent held an open map which Apollo easily recognized as the Island map due to the notations Negi Camp, P. Camp, and so on... There were a few chess pieces over the map and it seemed like Negi was discussing with 3rd P. the battle strategies that they could implement.
"Cough Cough! Welcome, Master P-pollo to our humble tent. This is Master Jaylee, my trustworthy ally. Master Jaylee, this is Master Apollo who I told you about. He will be providing support to our defensive efforts with the help of his servants."
"Nice to meet you, Master Apollo. You can call me just Lee."
"Nice to meet you Just Lee. Feel free to call me Apollo."
"No, just Lee. Ugh! You know what, forget it! Call me whatever you want!"
Apollo hid his snickering behind his hand but soon controlled himself going back to a serious face.
The Master called Jaylee was around 1.6m in height, a bit over weight, he had black hair and black eyes, his age appeared to be in the early twenties, maybe even less, and Apollo could bet a hundred bucks that he suffered bullying while still in high school. If one word could express Apollo's first impression of Jaylee, this word was no doubt gofer.
"Sorry, Lee. I won't do it again. Just answer my curiosity. Did you have a tough school life?"
"Why does everybody always asks me the same thing?? And the answer is no! My private tutors were excellent! Why the hell should I lower myself and go to school?"
(Private tutors!? What the hell!? This guy's family is rich!? If so, why does he looks like a bum?)
Yeah, it seems like someone just lost those hundred bucks. Jokes aside, Jaylee's family owned a variety of stores and was filthy rich, but while Lee's older siblings loved to waste their money in branded clothing and other luxuries to show off their status, Lee never cared about this and only cared about games, animes and mangas which resulted in making people misunderstand him, thinking he was just some poor otaku nobody while in truth he had more money then he could waste.
Behind Lee were his two servants, two woman with red hair, pointy ears, with lean bodies similar to dark elves. One of them wore maid clothes while the other wore a one-piece dress which made it hard to distinguish her profession.
"All right then, can we start now?"
"Sure."
"Yes."
"Then I announce the start of the first NJP Alliance meeting!"
"Wait! Why NJP?"
"Negi, Jaylee and Pe-Ah!!! Sorry! Let me do it again!"
"Hmph!"
"Then I announce the start of the first NJA Alliance meeting!"