95 The Recrui (2/2)

”The only way to free me from my contract is death… Mine or my contractor's…” Azuma insisted. ”Tell him, she-elf.”

”Actually,” Aura glanced at me before continuing. ”Dean figured out a way to bypass that.”

Azuma's eyes widened at her words. He coughed a few more times. Then he said, ”Impossible… how?”

Noticing the interest in his tone, my eyes glinted with delight. In fact, I found it difficult not to rub my hands together like a supervillain.

”The same way we broke through the Curse of the Morrigan,” I answered. ”Well, it's a little more complicated than that but—”

”—Look out!” Luca yelled.

He drew Shaqs' battle-ax and swung it down on an incoming hobgoblin. The creature had rushed us after it noticed its commander was awake. Sadly, this meant Luca relieved it of its head.

I waited for the severed head to flop on the floor before I pointed my falchion at Azuma's chest.

”As I said, it's complicated, but we can do it. We can free you from your chains…” I glanced around me. More and more of Azuma's immortals noticed their boss was alive. They would begin their suicidal assault to save him soon. This was going to turn bad if I didn't convince Azuma sooner. ”You don't have to die. Your men don't have to die. But I need you to surrender now.”

”A true warrior doesn't surrender,” Azuma coughed.

His breathing turned ragged again. It seemed like Aura's healing potion wasn't enough to bring him to good health. Lucky for us.

”A true warrior doesn't get his men killed when he knows the battle's lost…” I reasoned. ”Azuma, I know you care about your soldiers especially since they're mostly viseres. That's why I want you on my side.”

But it wasn't Azuma who responded to my crazy idea.

”W-what?!” Luca asked in surprise.

I raised my hand to silence him before focusing my gaze on Azuma, hoping to will him into submission.

Azuma scrutinized my face. ”That could never work…” He jerked a thumb back at the surrounding chaos. ”You've killed many of my soldiers already.”

”And you've killed some of mine… Maybe even more than we've killed yours,” I reminded him.

”So how will that work?” Azuma asked. ”We could never trust each other.”

”Actually,” Aura interrupted. ”We have precedent… those drow who were giving you so much trouble… well, we tried to murder each other too before they joined us.”

I nodded my head. ”Now we're all just one big happy family…”

”Why would you do that? Risk yourselves with an alliance without certainty?”

I raised an eyebrow at him. ”Because just like the drow who've made my Foolhardies stronger, I'm certain you and maybe your viseres will be of use to us too.” Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click for visiting.

I know, I know. This plan was crazy. Sure, got your big rival to join your cause. Good luck with that, Dean! But, just based on our previous conversations I could tell there was no deep-rooted loyalty between Azuma and his fairy masters. My offer just might be the push he needed to finally rebel.

”At the very least, we wouldn't impose a cruel cage like the Curse of the Morrigan on you,” Aura added.

”Plus, we're foolhardy… It's in the name,” Luca sighed.

I wasn't entirely sure if my brother was on board with the plan, but at least he was helping. I think.

”So, what do you say?” I asked.

It was very hard to keep my eyes trained on Azuma while his soldiers were trying really hard to get to him. I could hear them screaming insults at me while promising to save their commander.

Azuma spent another few seconds in contemplation. As if we weren't on a time limit. The battle would spill over our patch of quiet soon enough.

”You're sure you can break the chains that bind me and my viseres?” he asked again.

I nodded. Aura nodded. Luca sighed.

”Hurry up with your negotiations, guys…” Luca insisted.

I ignored him and answered Azuma's question. ”Yes… but it'll get rough. Might even kill you.”

This actually made Azuma laugh. Another fitting cough ensued.

Luca left my side so he could support Edo and Ashley who were busy keeping our enemies at bay to scold me about my reckless plan to recruit Magesong viseres while on a battlefield.

Luckily for all of us, Azuma finished his coughing fit and yelled in a voice that barely had any strength in it but was crystal clear nonetheless, ”Lee~~eroy!”

There was a response from the young blonde-haired soldier who only a second ago had desperately dodged a swipe of Azuma's glaive.

”Yes, sir?” the soldier said.

”Enough fighting… we're quitting this battle,” Azuma said.

Uncertain soldiers looked among themselves before lowering their weapons. It was as if hearing their master tell them to stop battling made them lose all their will to fight. It wasn't just the viseres either. Even the elves and hobgoblins under Azuma's command followed his order.

And just like that, with only a few sickly words from a half-dead man, the conflict between the Foolhardies and Azuma's Immortals ended suddenly.

At the back of my mind, I wondered if I could ever get my own forces to be that unquestionably loyal to me. I thought about it, then I shrugged. Probably not.