For whom do you fight?

General Anglius understood all that, and his eyes sharpened for a moment before he finally spoke.

"Open the gate and let our friend enter. It must not be said that the Constantine Country's military is ungrateful."

The lieutenant did not hesitate before nodding and going down to open the gate himself. Jormungandr only smiled as he observed this, his eyes calm yet carrying a silent intent that made General Anglius feel extremely tense.

It is said that cats are perfectly evolved ambush predators, capable of incredible feats. People usually don't see them as dangerous due to their small size and lack of killing tools, yet the tiny yellow cat could unleash spells that could kill dozens of demons stronger than bears, so Anglius did not dare to lower his guard. 

Vlad smiled as he saw the gates opening. Of course, it was not like they had a choice. Just as he could take care of this small horde, he could also confront the people atop the wall. However, he wanted to start on good terms, and while subduing them with strength was quick, it was not a path with much potential.

It didn't take long for Vlad to reach the fortress, and immediately, Jormungandr jumped onto his shoulder. The rest of the soldiers looked at the duo with awe, wonder, and admiration, but there was also fear and trepidation.

The young man had the physical might to face a horde, while the other was as fast as a shadow and could use spells to kill dozens of monsters. Together, they were simply an unsurpassable force for the soldiers.

Vlad could feel the tension in the air, and he just smiled before clasping his hands, bowing slightly to General Anglius, and showing his ID card.

"Vlad Xaos, a student from Codia University. He is my friend, Jormungandr. I'm happy to see you are all fine."

The tension immediately diminished as they heard that. Although the duo's appearance was odd, and their black eyes were certainly ominous, knowing that the young man was actually a human relaxed them. After all, even if he was powerful, it was understandable, as people now had the ability to do the seemingly impossible. For humans, it was the unknown they feared the most.

General Anglius glanced at the ID card, which seemed authentic. Of course, that did not mean he would lower his guard, but it did ease his tension a little.

"My friend, I thank you for your and Jormungandr's help. You are truly outstanding citizens of our country. We should speak in private; what do you say?"

"Of course, I will follow the general's guidance."

Vlad smiled as he uttered those words, his face peaceful, before gazing outside the fortress.

"By the way, you should tell your men to collect the corpses. After all, that is very nutritious meat and more than enough for all of us for months."

"We can eat them!?"

The young lieutenant couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, but he immediately quieted down when he saw General Anglius' gaze.

When speaking with an unknown force, one must be careful with every word. The young lieutenant's reaction was enough for Vlad to understand that food was a pressing matter for the people in the fort.

General Anglius' eyes were sharp as he glanced at the young lieutenant but soon sighed, as he could not really blame the young man. Food was indeed a problem since the base did not have much stock. It was close to a populated center, and there was no need for outrageous reserves, or at least that was what they thought before the apocalypse.

Food was one of the many reasons General Anglius focused only on defense and did not attempt to rescue people from the nearby towns. While the stronghold could hold ten thousand people, there was not enough food to feed them. 

Starving people generated discontent, which generated chaos, which could lead to revolts and inner fighting, and this was not something the general could allow.

General Anglius sighed for a moment before glancing at Vlad for a moment and turning to the rest of the soldiers.

"Go and collect the corpses. Just store them in the warehouses."

The soldiers nodded, and after glancing at the young lieutenant, General Anglius turned once more toward Vlad.

"Accompany me, please."

"After you."

General Casidius and Vlad walked to the headquarters, soon reaching a room with an office. The middle-aged man sat on the main chair before signaling for Vlad to do the same.

After that, the duo just glanced at each other. The first to speak would be the one in a hurry, needing more help, and would start on the losing side of the negotiation.

General Casidius's eyes were sharp, and his face calm, displaying a level of composure ordinary people could not achieve. Vlad's smile only grew wider as he observed those eyes, recognizing them as those of a true soldier, a man who had seen hell and returned alive.

Of course, that did not mean Vlad would just give up on the silent clash. Instead, he closed his eyes, and Jormungandr did the same.

General Anglius frowned as he observed this, wondering what the duo was attempting when he felt the current of energy in the world beginning to channel into them. As a Level 2 Warrior, he could feel the energy and knew they could help improve one's energy pool, but it was too slow. However, the speed at which the duo channeled it was beyond shocking.

"Ahhh. Okay, I give up. I'll start."

In the end, General Anglius could only sigh. If the duo was just going to cultivate during the meeting, he had no choice but to proceed.

Vlad opened his eyes the next second, but Jormungandr continued drawing energy as he was uninterested in talks.

"Mmm, if I ask your purpose, would you tell me?"

Vlad's eyes sharpened as he heard the question, and he smiled.

"I will give you an honest answer if you first answer this. For whom do you fight?"