The murmurs in the room grew louder, with everyone brimming with questions, but none dared interrupt Cliff as he spoke.
After he finished, Yadha remained speechless, until a sudden interruption broke the silence. A young elf entered, carrying a bird that looked like a cross between a hawk and a pigeon. Attached to its leg was a small piece of parchment.
"A message from the Shizukesa clan!" the elf announced as he hurried into the room.
Viola, who had been seated, stood up, took the message, and handed it to Cain. The elder elf unrolled the parchment and read its contents, his eyes widening in alarm.
"It seems the Shizukesa clan has joined forces with the Dwarves and Orion clans to confront the horde," Cain began, his voice grave. "But they've been cornered. If we don't intervene soon, they might meet the same fate as the Dhakat clan."
Yadha clicked her tongue in frustration. "Couldn't have been worse timing."
Akumu, who had remained silent until now, finally raised his hand. "I have no issue swearing allegiance to you," he said, turning his gaze to Cliff. "You are strong, and you've made your followers strong too. Serving someone like you would be an honor. However..." he paused, his brow furrowing.
"How do you plan to deal with these demons? Before the Shizukesa report, you were already planning to help them, but now we have two crises on our hands. And winter is coming—how do you intend to handle it?"
Cliff leaned back, meeting Akumu's gaze. "As I said earlier, we have no choice but to help them. Our survival depends on it. If we don't become the predators, we'll become the prey."
He let his words sink in for a moment before continuing. "Once the elves absorb these mana gems, I expect their essence stones to strengthen considerably. I may not have seen them summon their contracted spirits yet, but Dahlia explained that even with unawakened essence stones, they're a valuable asset on the battlefield."
Viola suppressed a small, smug smile at this, clearly proud of her clan's abilities.
"For the Ibara clan, we'll do the same—strengthen their essence stones with mana gems. That should allow them to maintain their mana-infused weapons for longer periods." Cliff looked at Akumu, seeking confirmation. "What do you call it again?"
"It's called 'aura,' sire," Akumu replied.
Cliff chuckled softly. "Right, aura. I'd like you to teach me how to use it properly someday. I tried it on my own, but it didn't go well."
Rakahn had mentioned earlier that the ogres were likely to keep the hostages alive until winter. "We have about a month before winter hits," Cliff declared, "but we're not waiting that long. One week is enough."
"A week?" Akumu raised an eyebrow. "Do you think we stand a chance in such a short time, especially as mere constant-tier warriors?"
Cliff's smile widened. "It only took them two days to confront the horde and now..." He glanced at Rakahn and Dahlia, "...they've ascended to variant-tier."
Everyone in the room exchanged surprised looks. While they had sensed a change in Rakahn and Dahlia's presence, none had been able to pinpoint the cause until now. Cliff seized this moment of awe to press on.
"Rakahn will lead this operation," he announced. "He will take Dahlia, Renald, Viola, and Yadha with him. I want your essence stones ready to absorb whatever those 'demons' throw at you."
He then turned to Akumu and Cain. "I'll stay here with you two. Akumu, I'd like you to teach me the basics of mana manipulation, spellcasting, and how to tap into my affinity."
Cliff scanned their faces, searching for any hesitation. His gaze lingered a moment before he sighed and added, "But of course, all of this is only possible if you accept my offer of loyalty."
The room fell silent again, the weight of his words hanging in the air.