-----


    You have been affected by a shadow ability: Shadow Cloak


    ----


    Legs was not the only one that was affected by this shadow ability, all the other warriors of the 8 major tribes were also affected and this kept them alive.


    At this moment, they all hid inside a huge dpidated tower.


    From the holes from battle that filled the tower, the superhuman warriors watched outside with dread to see what was going on.


    "They''re still roaming around the streets". They whispered.


    "But the Hound''s ability seems to be working".


    "They''ve not discovered our scent yet".


    Unlike the Identity Merge shadow skill, Brutus'' Shadow Cloak ability simply formed a camouge around the tower that changed their scents.


    The undead Titans that roamed around the streets were unable to detect them, even the Warrior Titans that patrolled asionally.


    160 elite warriors from the 8 major tribes were mobilized for this mission. At this moment, there were less than 70 superhuman warriors present.


    In just a few days since entering Titan territory, more than half of the elite warriors of the Vanguard Squad were annihted by the undead Titans.


    After sacrificing so much of his blood and mana to enable Brutus save these warriors, Legs was already drained as he sat down to rest and recover.


    With blood still on his face, Commander Knock finally turned to look at this stranger who saved them all. "On behalf of my squad, I thank you".


    "The 8 major tribes will never forget this favor".


    "I am Captain Knock, a warrior of the Kong tribe".


    "May I ask which tribe youe from?"


    -----


    You have recovered 50% of your mana points


    ----


    Legs finally raised his head to look at this warrior. "I am not a warrior of the desert, I came from far beyond to help someone".


    "Help someone?" Commander Knock and the others were surprised.


    This was when Legs turned to look at Altan before bringing the blood token. "I am here under his will".


    As soon as Altan saw the blood token, his eyes lit up in joy as he clenched his fists and stood up. He briefly made a gesture of worship towards the Hermit, this was a sin in his religion but he didn''t care at this moment.


    The Tree God didn''te to his help but the Hermit did.


    Altan walked towards Legs as he looked him in the eye. Through their eyes, Legs understood his question and answered. "The World".


    He turned to look at Christensen. "The Magician".


    "We''vee to help".


    Seeing the calm Altan who they thought they knew speaking in code words with these strangers who saved them, Arya and the other survivors were surprised.


    "Altan, what is going on?" Commander Knock finally asked as he could no longer keep silent to the awkward atmosphere.


    "I sought for their help". Altan turned and bowed before the Commander.


    "They will help us defeat the Titans".


    "…"


    Even Legs himself was petrified at such a bold im but he stopped himself from speaking, he could not stop his eyes from twitching though.


    "…" Commander Knock looked at Altan and the stranger in surprise.


    The next moment, he shook his head as his shoulders slumped slightly in defeat. "The mission already failed".


    "Look around, we already failed".


    Legs and Altan looked around at the other warriors.


    Looking at them, Legs only saw looks of defeat adorning their faces. Meeting Legs brought a false sense of hope in Altan, but seeing the defeated look on hisrades'' faces, Altan remembered the horror of the Titans.


    ''Amak, Arya, Anabel, Altan, Arnold, Argast, Ackermann, you are all to report to the elder''s pyramid with me''.


    He still remembered Captain Aegon''s voice when he recruited them like it was just yesterday. Of their protector team of 7, only 4 survived till now.


    Ackermann, Arya, Arnold, and Altan were the only survivors.


    Altan vividly remembered it when the Warrior Titan grabbed Amak and feasted on him. The look of horror on Amak''s face, the look of horror on his own face, he was not sure he would be able to forget it.


    Despite being a seasoned veteran warrior himself, going up against the undead Titans was an experience that no warrior should face.


    Thud!


    Altan slumped down also as his eyes drooped in defeat.


    On seeing this, Legs already knew what was happening. ''Not this please''. Heined but he also knew that he was the only one who could change it now.


    He turned to face Knock. "You''re the acting Commander?"


    "Yes".


    "Have youpleted your mission?"


    "No".


    "Do you have a n for you and your warriors to retreat to safety?"


    "…"


    "Do you?"


    "No".


    "Good, and you have the guts to look so forlorn".


    "You all are not cry babies for f*ck''s sake, you are warriors, warriors of the 8 major tribes of the Great Desert whom I''ve heard so much about".


    "Where is your conviction? Where is your belief?"


    "If you retreat now, none of you will make it, you''ll all die".


    "And let''s say you make it, then what? You''ve seen the power of the Titans, you want to give up and let the Titans feast on your wives and children the same way that they did to yourrades?"


    "Stop…" Commander Knock hit his head with his right fist.


    "You want to listen to the screams of your sons and daughters dying to the Titans because you were too cowardly to go on with your mission?"


    "Stop".


    "Where is your Spartan conviction?"


    "You want to watch your homes burn because you were too much of a coward to stand and fight…?"


    "Stop!" Commander Knock stood up as he red at Legs.


    Legs finally calmed down a bit as he raised his hands in surrender to indicate that he meant no harm, he continued in a calmer voice.


    "I don''t know much about the Titans, but this much I know".


    "You faced them without knowing much but here you are, with like half of your numbers still intact, this squad not being annihted yet is a miracle".


    "You know why you suffered so much? You didn''t know the Titans".


    "Now, you know them better and you have me".


    "I have a n to at least help us get to the truth of all this mystery".


    "What is your n?" Commander Knock asked.


    Legs''s rant already made all the warriors'' attention to be attracted, now they waited for him patiently to answer, his words already riled them up.


    "My n is simple".


    "Since we already know a lot more about the Titans, we should device a n on how to carry the fight to their pce and discover the truth".


    "The Ancient Titan pce is 15 kilometers from here to the south".


    "My student and his Shadow Hound with some helpers can scout ahead for us for Titans". Legs looked all the warriors in the eye. "I trust their ability, with them as the scouts, the Titans will not discover us".


    "…" Christensen''s face turned red as a sudden pressure was heaped on his shoulders, such trust from his master left him red-faced.


    "So long as we can discover the truth behind the reanimation of the dead Titans, your mission would have been more than half-wayplete already".


    This time, Legs was saying the truth. Darvis arc was so far behind his timeline that he already forgot a lot of things before his reincarnation back here, and that included most knowledge about the Titans and the Clown Society''s ns.


    He was also clueless about the mystery behind the Titans.


    "What of our retreat after discovering the truth?" Drog asked.


    Legs turned to look at him. "We''ll face that when the timees".