At that moment, the inside of the area separated by the only energy barrier sustaining its existence was covered with a purple smoke veil. Because of the explosion that occurred where Bookworm was when Golden Cobra was hurled, visibility had dropped to zero. The important figure of the Orc Empire, hiding inside the formation based on two-layered defense, wanted to bring the enemy to their knees with one last attack.
"You, get ready to make the attack you made in that tunnel!"
Alyon squeezed the shoulder of the Nameless Ten Leader, and after taking a step or two, he began to shout towards where Bookworm should be.
"Hey Apostle, how is your Master?"
Perhaps the Nameless Ten couldn't see anything, they didn't understand why the Orc Chief was shouting, but Alyon was obviously aware of some things. He shouted towards the inside of the purple smoke, and the vortex formed before two breaths passed began to tear the poisonous smoke apart. The human-shaped silhouette was slowly becoming visible, standing upright.
Its right hand was in the air, and it had gripped Bookworm by his throat. It was obvious the last poison attack had no effect on it. If Alyon hadn't called out to it, it wouldn't mind standing inside the purple veil, but as soon as it heard the word Master, it preferred to clear its view.
"How do you know?"
Alyon had seen it, but apparently, it hadn't noticed Alyon. When the Master was severely injured after the attack of the Founder of the Holy Blood Sect, it was the one who took him and fled. It became clear how it passed through Nafız's Blood Dome; these didn't constitute an obstacle for the Apostle.
"He didn't look very well after Draco's attack. I was wondering what happened for a long time, you had run away before I could ask how he was, if you remember?"
While Alyon was talking to his enemy holding his son in its hand, he looked calmer than ever, and he had a tone of voice as if he held all the trump cards. The silhouette, possessing an appearance falling behind Bookworm's physical features, began to growl along with the last sentence. The Orc Chief saw this and raised the stakes.
"Did you know, the First Leader of the Holy Blood Sect inflicted such damage to its Master that its subordinates had to come and save him. It doesn't say, but he probably kicked the bucket somewhere!"
At that moment, the last energy area sustaining its existence also shattered to pieces; the silhouette had turned its face to Alyon, and Bookworm was lying on the ground now. The new target was him; the Orc Chief took a step to the right and gave his final order to the Leader of the Nameless Ten.
"Open a hole in the wall separating the place the researcher is in, immediately!"
The orc warrior, who had made this attack before and then held onto life thanks to Nafız, didn't hesitate for even a moment when he received the order. He raised his sword above his head, transferred the life force flowing from his body onto it, and finally directed the blood-red attack exactly to where White Well was.
"It's coming, quickly!"
Alyon shouted once more, turned his back to the enemy in an unprecedented manner, and began to sprint towards the shield he told his subordinate to break. The Nameless Ten Members didn't even notice when the Apostle passed by them; within two breaths, the attack their leader made by spending his life force shattered the shield; while Alyon protected himself with his right arm, he made his left hand into a spear and swung it towards White Well's heart.
His fingers, about to reach their target, stopped when they pierced the researcher's flesh and broke his ribs. The result was very close; if they could advance a little more, White Well would definitely die, but the arm that was to push his hand didn't belong to Alyon's body anymore.
"I am dying, quickly take us to the other laboratory!"
Alyon, whose left arm was severed by the apostle, didn't even let out a sigh; clenching his teeth, he continued to attack the Chief Researcher. Unlike him, White Well was shouting at the top of his lungs, and the person he targeted was none other than the Apostle.
The Nameless Ten members had frozen; where there were three people just a moment ago, now there was no one. On one side was their leader trying to hold onto life, on the other side was Bookworm lying unconsciously, and the others had disappeared along with Alyon.
"What will we do?"
Until one of them asked this question, they stood not knowing what to do, but the Deputy Leader came to his senses and took charge of the situation. Two people stayed next to their leader who attacked using his life essence, two people including himself ran next to Bookworm, and the remaining five people were responsible for the security of the surroundings.
When Bookworm opened his eyes half an hour later, they let out a deep sigh of relief; even though their leader's condition was critical, the well-being of the person before them concerned the entire Orc Empire. It was their first time seeing him without the hood of his purple robe, and the deformation he experienced while mastering the poison art was glaringly obvious.
"Where is my father?"
This was the first question of Bookworm who couldn't find the strength to sit up yet. They didn't know how to answer; what could be said in such a situation? How right was it to say to someone whose life was still in danger, your father sacrificed himself for you?
They stayed silent, and Bookworm, who could understand everything, understood this too. The next job of the Nameless Ten Members, who made both him and their leader drink the medicines pouring from his ring, was to save the female orcs in the place turning into an incubation wall.
Two hours had passed after the treatment when Bookworm asked the Deputy Leader to explain everything. He was better now; even if he couldn't stand up, he could speak. He listened to everything silently, a drop of tear slid from his eye and fell onto his hand covered with purple veins.
The female orcs saved by the Nameless Ten who hadn't lost their sanity were watching him from a corner; the person who broke the energy wall by putting his life on the line was where he fell. Bookworm turned his right hand, and a mechanical communication device they had never seen before, having the green orc fist seal on it, appeared.
"We will wait here! You can take care of your friend and our compatriots we saved. I will notify Nafız of the situation!"
Bookworm, politely saying leave me alone, pressed the small button needed to make a voice recording and began to speak. He had no strength, he formed three sentences at most, and the Mechanical Peregrine opening its wings disappeared by passing through the shaft where the platform was.
Just as the Four Major Merchant Guilds of the Mercenaries' Lodge had private communication tools, so did the Orc Empire. The Mechanical Peregrine with the green orc fist seal on it was exclusive only to the Dynasty Family, and now, the fastest communication tool on the World of the Six Civilizations was taking the latest news to someone from the family.
"Did you cut your hand, sir!"
Far away, in the camp area of the Hell Realm army, the goblet in the hand of Nafız drinking together with the Elemental Ten and Jashua cracked. While the broken piece slipped and fell to the ground, it had first wandered on her green skin, leaving a red trace.
"I don't know, I guess!"
Nafız put on a surprised expression while looking at her hand; a broken piece of a simple glass goblet had managed to cut her skin. It had been so long since such a thing happened that she was watching the flow of her own blood like a little child.
"We will start attacking tonight! They formed a protection shield covering the entire pass, and I want to see how long this can continue!"
Jashua's mind was completely on the war that would take place; his name, his title, his kingdom depended on his success here, and naturally, this situation ensured he couldn't think of another subject.
"Will we also be in the attack?"
Siomha, the new leader of the Elemental Ten, had thought they would have a role if the energy shield was attacked, but the answer she would get a second later was in the opposite direction.
"The Elemental Ten will step in when the forces of the Companions of Light start fighting. Since the Mercenaries are using the inventions of the Empire of Machines to fight, let us respond to them with weapons coming from the Orc Empire!"