A few minutes earlier.Kazuki squinted as he observed most of the warriors deserting the village. They must have found Priam. Don't die.

Having infiltrated the village's confines, Kazuki had concealed himself in a building. The simple wooden hut was as basic as it was sturdy. Inside, eight layers of dried herbs were spread across the floor. The skulcs lived in makeshift barracks.

Kazuki had experienced trenches full of corpses that smelled better than this dormitory. The stench was unbearable. Seizing the opportunity of lowered security, the hoplite left his hiding spot. Naturally, he headed towards the village center. The colossal runic menhir would be stored in Priam's world, but there could be other treasures. Moreover, if his rival faced one of the Bosses, Kazuki refused to be left behind.

He maneuvered through about fifty assorted shanties before reaching the enclosures. Bovine-like creatures grazed peacefully on straw inside. The skulcs kept their food supply within the village, presumably to protect it from predators. Kazuki waited for a moment before checking behind the enclosure. An empty space, the pond where the menhir stood, and other shanties.

Nothing of interest at first glance, but on closer inspection, Kazuki saw a hole.

A few meters to the left of the menhir, a pit descended into the ground. Kazuki looked left and right. The village now seemed deserted. Without hesitation, he emerged into the open and started running. For an uneasy second, Kazuki sprinted with nothing to hide behind before jumping into the hole.

It descended into darkness at a gentle slope, and Kazuki stopped just at the entrance. He listened. Nothing.

Satisfied and curious, he ventured into the tunnel. His senses were alert, searching for traps or signs of life. Fifty meters further and about five meters underground, Kazuki stopped. The path forked. On his left, a thick curtain of braided vines concealed a room. On his right, darkness. An uncomfortable odor of excrement and blood emanated from there.

The right path could lead to the females' quarters. The warriors were all males, but their description mentioned mothers and a rapid gestation period. No females were visible in the camp; one didn't have to be a genius to understand that they were probably herded underground. The monstrous way they were treated didn't make them martyrs - Kazuki was fairly certain they would try to tear him apart with their teeth if they could. However, treasures wouldn't be found in that direction.

Kazuki turned to the vines. He carefully pushed them aside with his spear before stepping into a room illuminated by a few luminescent crystals.

In the center of the room, an albino skeletal skulc was mating with a female. She must have weighed several tons. Her grotesque belly moved, the thin skin revealing the presence of a multitude of skulc fetuses. Without arms or eyes, the creature couldn't live alone. She had been mutilated to prevent her from transforming into a male warrior. Female skulcs were nothing more than egg layers.

In the list of things that should be burned with a flamethrower, this thing ranks just behind mosquitoes.

Revulsed by the noise, the smell, and the sight of the show, Kazuki focused on the white skulc. The act of copulation was not pleasant. The monster chanted in rhythm with its thrusts, and Kazuki squinted. The Shaman - Kazuki would bet his hand on it - was preparing a ritual. Certainly a way to shorten gestation or strengthen the fetuses.

[Symbiosis]. Without waiting any longer, Kazuki-Knightmare launched an attack.

Priam felt the ground tremble beneath his feet. An explosion had just occurred in the distance. [Echolocation] calculated the epicenter: the village. The second Boss must have found Kazuki. Or the other way around.

A deep sound caught Priam's attention. The wind fell silent, and no skulc spoke. The only sound was Skull's raspy breath. Priam locked eyes with the Tier 1 and lost his nonchalance. For the first time since his father's accident, his smile faded. A sign of concern, tension, or concentration.

Sometimes all three at once.

A green mountain of muscle, Skull wore vine pants and a red scarf. One didn't have to look far to understand where the dye came from. The tyrant loved blood, and he was so powerful that the entire village obeyed him.

Priam's supernatural instinct told him that his chances of victory were slim. But not impossible. After all, he had his breath, his spear, his internal world, and...