Elemental Cats

As Hassandra paused to take a breath while talking, she realized that there would be no going back if she continued. She subconsciously looked around to ensure that their surroundings were safe. She doubted herself for a second, but now that she had come so far, there was no going back. Her companions were also worried, but they had already resolved themeselves to trust in Hassandra's decision. And they patiently waited for her to finish what she was saying.

"Since I don't know that much, I'll keep what I'm going to say short."

"Okay."

Although it seemed like Hassandra was dragging it out more than necessary, Toz couldn't help but appreciate the building anticipation he felt about what she was going to reveal to him.

"The general is planning some incredible operation that, if successful, will end the war."

"..."

For some reason, despite Hassandra stating it clearly, Toz wasn't quite sure that he followed. Wasn't it the general's job to plan and find a way to end the war? He wondered if maybe Hassandra was the real reason for their group name since it seemed like she knew how to joke around. All that posturing and drama to reveal that the general is planning to end the war.

Hassandra sensed Toz's disappointment and realized that she had left out too many details in her attempt to keep it short, so she hurried to elaborate.

"The general's plan is so risky that if the Tribe of Death even senses or thinks that something might potentially be wrong, it will fail. From what I have gathered, it's going to be at least two parts. One where a large part of the Alliance of Kingdom's forces are gathered in an offensive, and another part consisting of an infiltration unit piercing the depths of the Fortress of Death."

Toz was beginning to understand why Hassandra was so cautious when revealing it to him. If it was true that the plan could fail if the Tribe of Death and their proxies even suspected something was off, it made sense that it required utmost secrecy. However, Toz wasn't sure what to do with the information Hassandra had shared with him.

Thankfully, it looked like she would explain that, too, without him having to ask.

"The large-scale offensive is probably going to be an all-out brawl. It won't give you much in terms of contribution. But the infiltration part is another story. If you have enough skill and strength, and the person backing you is influential enough, taking part in that mission should be more than enough to make up for the losses incurred by our interference."

Toz pondered on Hassandra's words for a few moments.

If what Hassandra said was true, and it seemed like it was, Toz almost like it was fortunate that they had foiled his plan. If they hadn't, he wouldn't have gotten a chance to even what about the mission until afterward. If it even happened in the first place. Toz's attempt at infiltrating, whether successful or not, would surely raise some kind of wariness at the demons' headquarters, which would have made any subsequent attempts that much more difficult.

But now that his attempt at infiltrating the enemy base had failed, Toz might get an opportunity to partake in a mission that, if successful, would lead to the war's conclusion, which would definitely be a greater achievement than merely sneaking inside the base and causing a ruckus. Even if he didn't play an active role, merely being part of the mission should be enough for Dyra to use as a basis to give him a ride to the Transcendent Realm.

Toz turned to Hassandra with gratitude in his eyes.

"Thanks. I'll explain how I discovered your string on the way back."

As soon as Hassandra processed what Toz said, she beamed in joy. She had successfully conveyed her sincerity and convinced Toz to tell her how he saw through her magic. Although, it was more Toz repaying a debt of gratitude than accepting her sincere wishes.

Vatel, Kaler, and Hullie were a little surprised at how Toz invited himself to accompany them back to the base. But they didn't mind. None of them were close-minded enough to care about the difference in origin. If anything, they were curious to know more about how Toz got so strong while from the Mortal Realm. Traveling alongside him would allow them to fish for clues. Toz could also help keep watch over the two figures from the Tribe of Death while they transported them to the base.

The battlefield had danger lurking anywhere, and an extra set of eyes was welcome, whether it be to watch the two robed figures or their surroundings, especially when the owner of that pair of eyes was a skilled fighter. Since they were transporting two high-value hostages, another person would be a great help. Two people directly related to the Tribe of Death wasn't something any of them wanted to lose the achievement of capturing.

Since the power structure and organization of the Obsidian Empire and the Tribe of Death were different, capturing the two robed figures wasn't quite the same as capturing someone like Dyra. But it was still similar to capturing a distant relative of the imperial family, just from a promiscuous branch family. Their value was lowered by their number, but a gem is still a gem, even if there are more of them.

The Lightning Rascals and Toz and the cats introduced themselves to each other once again, a little more relaxed this time, to commemorate their cooperation. After which, Hassandra revealed that one of the reasons she recommended Toz join the infiltration group was the stealth ability he and Lucy displayed. There wasn't any need for Lucy to stay hidden anymore since they had still seen him during that small gap when the robed figures' cover broke down, so he also got to know the Lightning Rascals.

After Toz and the Lightning Rascals properly introduced themselves to each other, they first decided on a watch order and how they would act during their trek back to base before they started moving.