"So, you're a coward." The red yokai smirked, his jagged teeth on full display. "You should stop wearing those fancy masks—it doesn't suit a weakling like you."
His underlings roared with laughter, their mocking voices filling the air like a chorus of crazed jackals.
Asher shook his head in disappointment.
He had given them an out—a way to save face and walk away with money.
But it was clear now that money wasn't the issue. They weren't here to negotiate. They were here to humiliate.
"There must be someone behind this…" he murmured, his eyes scanning the area. Something wasn't right.
Trusting his instincts, he cast a spell, sending a pulse through the surroundings to reveal hidden presences.
'I knew it.'
They were surrounded. At least three dozen yokai lay in wait, their forms masked by an ability to blend into the environment.
It was a decent trick—but not enough to escape his notice.
