"What's up you called for me?" Ivory asked.
"Me and you are going on a special mission," Alfie said.
Ivory raised his eyebrows in confusion. "You just woke up from a two-week coma. What's with the hurry?"
"There's something I need to check. I need you as a backup if anything happens." Alfie urged.
"Doing something dangerous are we? Alright, I'll come." Ivory agreed.
"Can't have our divine lord dying in vain." Ivory joked.
"Is that what they've been calling me?" Alfie asked.
"The first hundred, yeah. The rest don't take it too seriously though." Ivory explained.
Alfie sighed in response, "Alright let's go."
Ivory chuckled before he followed Alfie deep into the forest.
***
Horace was internally panicking the moment he realized that he ended up on the same plains.
Usually, every return he would end up in a different place, making it so that he never got too comfortable since he couldn't predict what was gonna happen next.
In this return, though he knew what was gonna happen, but despite that he dreaded that fact even more so.
He would have rather been left in clueless ignorance than know his fate.
***
"You wanna tell me what we're about to do?" Ivory asked.
"We're gonna be meeting with another lord," Alfie admitted.
"And you know this how?" Ivory questioned.
Alfie gave an awkward look before he explained his thinking on what was happening.
"That's honestly more far-fetched than you being from another universe," Ivory claimed.
"It's more likely that someone implemented those memories into your soul than someone having a gift that rewinds the whole universe." Ivory countered.
"I know, that's why I'm going to check the place out to see if there's an actual lord there," Alfie said.
Ivory immediately stopped in his tracks, causing Alfie to also stop.
"Did it ever. Occur to you that the place we're going to might've been a trap?" Ivory questioned.
"I mean that's why I brought you right..?" Alfie whispered.
Ivory slapped Alfie in the shoulder immediately, "You are an idiot in the worst ways."
"If there really was a trap you'd be able to sense it right?" Alfie asked.
"If someone is powerful enough they can sneak past, but at the moment no it's probably not a trap." Ivory sighed.
"How powerful are we talking about?" Alfie asked.
"4 stars or higher," Ivory said.
"But you're only 1 star??" Alfie exclaimed.
"Skill beats raw power. I've been using my talent for 10,000 years. I've learned enough tricks to bypass a few stars." Ivory bragged.
"What if we're facing someone who is 4 stars?" Alfie asked.
"We'd be dead long before we would even notice," Ivory said.
"Plus new lords get a grace period. Nothing above 3 stars can interfere for the first month." Ivory explained.
"Why is that though? Sounds kinda convenient, you know." Alfie asked.
"Not a clue. I'm not one of those researchers." Ivory shrugged.
"I'll probably ask my parents when I get out of here," Alfie noted.
"So you found your way out huh?" Ivory asked.
"Yeah. Did I not tell you?" Alfie asked.
"The moment I came back, you were already in your coma. Couldn't ask you much then could I." Ivory joked.
"Ah true. Yeah well, my parents are pretty well off." Alfie bragged.
"No shit Sherlock. Are they powerful? I might know them." Ivory asked.
"My dad's William Deo, and my mom's Ariel Deo," Alfie said.
"What's their star level?" Ivory asked.
"Both are 9 stars," Alfie smirked.
"..."
"Nothing to say?" Alfie asked.
"Shut it you spoiled brat." Ivory bickered back.
Traveling for a little bit over an hour the two arrived 50 miles away from their settlement and into the vicinity of the other lord's territory.
Searching around the two didn't find any signs of settlement. However, what they found in abundance were monsters.
Strangely enough, this region appeared to have a greater concentration of monsters than the average.
It was as if something was attracting them to this location. While that showed the two that something special was here, the lack of a settlement caused Alfie some doubts.
It was only an hour later with careful searching that the two found a small dirt hut built into a hill.
Right beside it, although mudded and made to be hidden was the glimmer of an archway.
"There really was another lord here," Ivory said.
"I don't exactly see the scouts and settlement you talked about though."
"Those were just guesses. I never really got to see the place. Plus maybe they're going for a different strategy." Alfie rebutted.
"So what's the plan now? I doubt you're here to just meet them." Ivory asked.
"I'm here to make them a subordinate, if possible," Alfie stated.
"Hm, they would make a good one. But it's not like they'll give in easily. If that's really their power they're basically guaranteed to become a powerhouse." Ivory argued.
"Ivory, you've died once before, right? How'd you feel when dying?" Alfie asked.
"... Alright I get what you mean. Someone would have to be a psychopath to fully use that talent." Ivory accepted.
"Even the most battle-hardened warriors fear death when it comes knocking. Think about what they must be going through."
"That's all according to the fact that they have the talent you're thinking of." Ivory grounded.
"True, it's possible that they don't have the talent I'm thinking of. But it's better if I meet them and make sure I'm wrong." Alfie claimed.
"Speaking of which, it's probably due to them that the monster concentration is higher huh." Ivory guessed.
"It's a possibility. You said that a 3-star serpent came rushing towards the settlement after I unlocked my talent right?" Alfie confirmed.
"It was during your tribulation, but I'm guessing it must've also noticed you then too." Ivory nodded.
"Then I see no reason why their talent couldn't do the same," Alfie admitted.
"Makes sense. What's your plan?" Ivory asked.
"I'll offer them what they need most. Protection, security, and enough resources to grow." Alfie stated.
"Good plan, but I don't know if they're here. The place seems deserted." Ivory noted.
"Seems like it, yeah. Maybe this isn't the place." Alfie agreed.
Just as the two of them were getting ready to leave, the door to the dirt hut swung open.
"What's your offer…" a frail girl asks.
Before the two turn around, Alfie gives a smug look to Ivory. He frowned in response, knowing that he was down a few bucks.
He'd have to give it to Alfie on this one. Indirectly talking to the other lord actually managed to lure her out.
Now though came the hard part of it all. Convincing her to join them.