ACCEPTANCE

Standing on opposite sides, the two groups stared each other down with clear hostility. The tension in the air was evident, and the only thing that gave one side an edge was their obvious superiority in strength—Group One. Breaking the silence, Sedric smirked and took the lead.

"I must say, this is unexpected. Killing an Alpha myth… even I'm not sure my group could pull that off. And yet, somehow, a bunch of brats and an old man manged to do it. Well, I guess it's my lucky day. I'll say this once: hand over the Tempest Wolf, or things will turn ugly for you."

Sedric's threatening glare was enough to unnerve most, sending chills through the opposing group. Orlan, Jane and Fatty, visibly exhausted and unsure how to respond, stood in silence. Finally, the old man, Orlan, stepped forward and addressed Sedric.

"I believe you're Sedric."

Orlan sighed before continuing.

"Don't you find it disgraceful? Grown men stealing from children after all they've risked to defeat this mythical beast. It's rightfully ours. Why lower yourself to taking what doesn't belong to you?"

Sedric glanced at Orlan from the corner of his eye with a grin before fully turning to face Group eight.

"Listen, old man, our orders were simple: hunt at least one myth. It doesn't matter how we achieve that—fighting, stealing, or whatever it takes. Perhaps you're new here, so let me spell it out for you."

With a serious expression, he added.

"In the Arcane Citadel, survival is the only rule. There's no good or bad here, only instincts. You proved yours by taking down an Alpha myth, but unfortunately for you, you've run into us."

Fatty and Jane gritted their teeth in frustration, feeling as though the situation was going nowhere. Having spent years at the Arcane Citadel, they knew all too well how ruthless Sedric and his men could be.

They were among the few who didn't get pushed around by soldiers, despite being Slaves. Meanwhile, Orlan remained composed, quietly observing Group One, who seemed ready to strike at any moment.

Despite all the bargains Orlan tried to strike with Sedric, including suggesting they split the loot equally, Group One remained determined to take everything. Realizing a fight was unavoidable, Group Eight also prepared their weapons.

Meanwhile Abaddon remained seated by the Tempest Wolf's carcass, unbothered by the commotion.

As he sat, Abaddon glanced briefly at Orlan, reflecting to himself:

'I remember my mother once saying that Head Butler Orlan was a veteran. Despite not awakening, he dedicated his life to mastering the spear. They say in his prime, he could even compete with early-stage rankers. It's no surprise he still moves with such energy, even now.'

'I, on the other hand, was never a fighter. While my siblings trained daily in the courtyard, I often sneaked away to the library. There, I gained vast knowledge about myths and their weaknesses. I was mostly a bookworm—the black sheep of the house of Drakon. But now, that decision has given me knowledge others lack. It's time to put it to use.'

Just as the two groups were on the verge of clashing, Abaddon's calm voice broke the tension as he proceeded to walk towards the groups.

"We'll give it up, so don't attack."

Sedric and his men were momentarily taken aback, while Jane and Fatty were utterly bewildered, struggling to comprehend what they had just heard. All eyes turned to him as he approached them.

Jane sighed in frustration, struggling to make sense of Abaddon's words.

"What are you saying? We put our lives on the line to kill this myth, and now you want to just give it away?!, if we gotta fight, so be it."

"Yeah, boss."

Fatty chimed in anxiously.

"Even I don't think it's right to just hand it over."

Orlan, visibly conflicted, turned to Abaddon with a weary, questioning gaze. Despite the discontent brewing within his group, Abaddon remained firm on his words.

One of Sedric's men chuckled mockingly, pointing at the young boy approaching them.

"Wait, is he your leader? That kid? You've got to be kidding me old man."

Meanwhile, Abaddon strode forward, brushing past his companions, and stopped before Sedric and his men. As he locked eyes with Sedric, he reflected inwardly once more:

'So this is the strongest slave in Arcane Citadel, he certainly lives up to his reputation. Standing before him makes me question if he's even human. Still, fighting him now would be suicide, and if we do, my group won't survive to see tomorrow.'

Sedric, in turn, studied Abaddon with an intrigued expression.

'That gaze... no fear, no hesitation. This is the first time a kid looked me in the eye like this without trembling. Is this really just a kid?'

On one side stood Group Eight, feeling humiliated and disappointed with their heads down. On the other side was Group One, clearly enjoying the situation.

Breaking the silence, Abaddon said firmly.

"Take the kill—the body and the soul-ore. Just don't go back on your word. Leave us be. The sun's setting, and staying here any longer will only put us all in danger."

Sedric gave a faint smile and replied.

"For a kid your age, you seem to understand the bigger picture better than those behind you."

He paused, glancing at Fatty and Jane, who seemed deeply let down. Orlan, however, remained unmoved.

Gesturing to his men, Sedric instructed them to seize the Fire Tempest Wolf's body and the soul ore.

As Sedric's men walked past, they couldn't resist taunting Group Eight.

"What a bunch of losers."

"Right..Imagine putting in all that effort just for us to walk away with the prize."

Another chimed in sarcastically.

"It's just the way of survival, the strongest preys on the weak after all."

Another man added with a smirk as he deliberately shoved Fatty and Jane aside while passing. Abaddon casually turned to his team and signaled it was time to leave.

Judging by their expressions, they were seething with anger, but they were powerless to do anything about it.

'This must be a blow to their pride. They probably think we're acting like cowards. But from the many war strategy books I've read, knowing when to retreat and when to strike is the key to ultimate victory, only then shall you be ever victorious.'

Abaddon thought.

'I've come to accept who I am now, and I'll do whatever it takes to survive another day. I can't die while the murderers of my mother still roam free. That tormenting pain—far worse than any wound to my pride—drives me forward. Pride is a luxury I can no longer afford.'

Without wasting any more time, Group eight took on the leave through the forest, empty-handed, Sedric watched them leave. For a moment, he felt pity for them, but he quickly dismissed it.

'In a harsh world like this, you need a heart of iron to survive. My actions may be inappropriate, but I'm sure one day they'll understand—especially that brat.

The scene shifted to Group Eight, walking empty-handed through the forest. Jane was several paces ahead, while Orlan stayed by Abaddon's side. Fatty trailed behind.

Suddenly, Abaddon stopped in his tracks, prompting the others to halt as well. Jane, however, yelled furiously at him.

"Wait? For what? After giving away our hunt, now you want us to wait and risk being late? Do you know what the soldiers will do to us?!"

Abaddon responded with only a bored sigh, which infuriated Jane even more.

"You know what? At first, I was reluctant to accept you as the leader, but I thought it would be fine."

Fatty, sensing the tension, intervened.

"Jane, quit it. We've already handed it over. Nothing can be done about it, and besides, it's not his fault, we wouldn't be able to take on Sedric and his men even if we wanted to."

"Not his fault?"

Jane snapped.

"After all we went through to obtain that myth, who made the sole decision to hand it over without consulting us?!"

Her outburst left the group silent. Abaddon still didn't respond, and even Fatty struggled to defend him. Orlan, meanwhile, simply observed, standing guard over his young master.

After a long silence, he finally spoke, pointing toward a massive boulder that appeared to have crushed a tree.

"I don't recall saying anything about abandoning our hunt for them. We'll get it back, but for now, it's best to hide behind that boulder and watch the show unfold."

This left the team puzzled, but Abaddon only deepened their confusion when he pulled out a bundle of large purple leaves from behind him.

"Take this and rub it over yourself now."

Abaddon handed one to Orlan, then to Fatty. Though hesitant, Fatty took the leaf without questioning it, Jane on the other was still annoyed and due to that refused to follow Abaddon's instructions.

But, her attitude suddenly shifted when Abaddon shot her a devious smile.

"If you want to see tomorrow, I suggest you take it, or you'll be meeting Krypharoth, the ferryman of souls."

At last, the entire team did as Abaddon instructed. They quickly took cover behind the boulder, waiting for whatever Abaddon had warned them about.