LEVEL EVERYTHING UP in my Eldritch Tribe

Lyerin's lips curled into a mocking grin as he looked down at the assassin.

"Compared to the other members of the Borgias family, you're one of the brightest," he sneered, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

The assassin's face twisted in fury, and his entire body trembled with rage.

"LYERIIIIIIIIIN BORGIIIIAAAAAAASSSSS!!!" the assassin roared, his voice hoarse with fury.

His shout echoed through the streets, reverberating off the broken walls. He pointed an accusing finger at Lyerin, his eyes burning with hatred.

"You turned the Borgias Family into dust! You—manipulator, traitor! You used the other clans, twisted them against us, and watched as our family was decimated!

"All for your ambitions! The blood of our kin is on your hands, and as a Borgias, I swear we will not rest until your body is turned to shreds!"

Lyerin's laughter rang out loud and clear, a booming sound that seemed to shake the air around them.

Hahahahahahahaha!

His voice was full of dark amusement, growing louder with every second as if mocking the assassin's words themselves.

It was a laugh that didn't just dismiss the man's rage—it crushed it, reduced it to nothing but ashes in the wind.

When Lyerin finally stopped, his face was calm, yet a predatory gleam shone in his eyes.

"I'm not a Borgias anymore," he said, his voice firm, strong, and brimming with pride. "I am Lyerin Stonehooves now. The Borgias family is no more. Just a name that faded into the dust of history, like all who were too weak to survive."

The assassin's face contorted even more, veins pulsing in his neck.

He bared his teeth as he shouted back, "I am Borgias! And you—you're nothing but a traitor! A monster who betrayed his own blood for power! While you were tearing apart the family, I was fighting for its honor!

"And because I was away from the main base, I survived! I live to avenge our fallen! Every breath I take is a promise that I will see you destroyed.

"You... you will never be free of us! We are coming for you. Those who had survived. We swore that will hunt you down even at the end of your life, drag you through the dirt, and tear you apart piece by piece!"

The assassin's voice grew louder with every word, his rage pouring out of him like molten lava.

"The blood of every single Borgias screams for vengeance! You think you can escape that? You think you can run from the family you betrayed?

"We will find you! I will make sure that your name is cursed for generations, that your bones are ground to dust! You may think you're safe now, hiding behind these mindless beasts and your pathetic new tribe, but you will never be safe!

"We will burn everything you've built, destroy everyone you care about, and when you are finally on your knees, I'll be the one who rips your heart out of your chest!"

Lyerin simply raised his hand and stuck a finger into his ear, feigning irritation at the assassin's screaming.

"Gods, you talk too much," he muttered, twisting his finger as if trying to block out the noise.

He blew at his fingertips with a loud Pwa! and then laughed again, this time a short, mocking burst.

"Hahaha… You done? Honestly, I think you're more annoying than threatening at this point."

The assassin's eyes were wild with rage as he reached into his cloak, pulling out a smoke bomb and holding it between his fingers.

"I'll tell everyone where you and your pathetic tribe are!" he shouted, a crazed smile spreading across his face.

"You think you can kill me? By the time you try, the entire world will know your location! The Borgias will come for you—everyone will come for you!"

But before he could make a move, Lyerin's eyes gleamed dangerously.

With the smallest shift of his foot, the ground beneath the assassin quivered.

Suddenly, the assassin's footing was lost, the earth tilting just enough to make him stumble.

His eyes widened in shock as his balance wavered, his grip on the smoke bomb loosening as he struggled to stay upright.

"Go ahead, do it," Lyerin said with a calm, almost bored expression.

He watched the assassin's terror with cold amusement as the man slipped, barely catching himself before falling entirely.

The smoke bomb rolled out of his hand, landing harmlessly at his feet.

The assassin's face was a mix of shock and frustration as he realized he had been outplayed once again.

Lyerin's voice was low, but filled with an undeniable authority. "You're wasting your time. Kill him!" he ordered, turning away as if the assassin was no longer worth his attention.

The Pig Orcs moved in an instant, their massive forms closing in around the helpless assassin.

His eyes darted wildly, realizing too late that there was no escape.

As he met his end, his last thoughts were not of revenge but of the terrifying realization that Lyerin was far beyond anything the Borgias had ever imagined.

Suddenly, Lyerin's voice boomed through the air, "WAIT…" louder and sharper than a crack of thunder.

"STOOOOP!"

His command froze the Pig Orcs in their tracks, their hulking forms halting just inches from the Borgias family assassin, whose eyes went wide with shock.

The Orcs, who moments ago were ready to tear the man to pieces, now stood completely still, awaiting further orders.

The assassin couldn't believe what he was seeing.

His breath came in ragged gasps, his heart pounding in his chest as he struggled to comprehend why Lyerin would stop his own warriors.

Lyerin crossed his arms, a devilish grin spreading across his face.

"Go on," he said, his voice dripping with mockery. "Tell them where I am." He chuckled darkly, as if this was all some grand joke.

The Borgias family assassin was speechless. He stood frozen, his mind reeling.

"What... why would you..." He swallowed, trying to find his voice.

"Why would you let me go? Aren't you afraid of what will happen?" He took a step back, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Is this some kind of trick? What's your game, Lyerin?"

Still, Lyerin only laughed, watching the man's confusion with amusement.

The assassin's voice rose again, a frantic edge creeping in.

"Are you really just going to let me go like this? What are you planning? What do you want from me? Do you think I'll spare you if I leave? Why stop your Orcs? Why not kill me now?"

His mind raced of reasons.

"Is this part of some larger scheme? Are you setting a trap? Why risk it?"

He glared at Lyerin, looking so desperate for answers.

"Do you think you can avoid the Borgias forever? Why are you so calm about this?" His voice trembled with frustration. "WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?!"

Lyerin let the assassin's questions hang in the air for a moment, savoring the chaos unfolding in the man's mind. His smirk never wavered.

Finally, with a casual shrug, he said, "I just want you to go."

The simplicity of the statement only deepened the assassin's confusion.

He searched Lyerin's face for any hint of deception, but all he saw was that infuriating smirk.

It was maddening.

But then, something clicked in the assassin's mind.

He remembered.

The survival game.

The chaos, the destruction, the sheer ruthlessness with which Lyerin had torn through every opponent, leaving nothing but ruin in his wake.

The image of Lyerin standing amidst the carnage, cold and calculating, flashed through the assassin's memory.

Suddenly, a cold sweat broke out on his skin, and all the hairs on his body stood on end.

Lyerin was toying with him.

There was no other explanation.

This calm, almost flippant demeanor was a sign of something far worse lurking beneath the surface.

If he made a mistake—if he got careless—he would be dead before he could even react.

But still, if there was any chance of surviving this encounter, he had to take it.

He had to believe that Lyerin was giving him this one opportunity, however slim, to escape.

It was his only chance.

Without another word, the assassin nodded to himself, steeling his resolve.

His body tensed, and in the next instant, he flashed into motion, "Swoosh!" darting away from Lyerin and his Pig Orcs.

He moved with all the speed he could muster, disappearing into the shadows, his heart racing as he fled for his life.

Lyerin stood there, watching the man disappear with a satisfied grin.

He had no need to chase him down.

He doesn't really care what happens next.

Yaaaawn!