Outlaws 1

Novua and Fiona had left the room, leaving Don Valentino alone with the elven lady who had previously taken his place. With the same eye color and shape as Don Valentino's, she gazed at him passionately, having witnessed his handling of two of the Union's greatest knights. As expected from the man who had stolen her heart.

Since Don Valentino acquired the title of the Wealthiest Person in the Union Tribes of Volhara, the lady who always by his side earned the title of First Lady of Valentino. She possesses a beautiful, captivating smile, sharp fangs that hint at her race, and silky long white hair that sways easily in the breeze. As a former member of the Elven race, she has inherited a sharp pair of ears.

Most men are easily captivated by her persona—an elegant and fashionable woman living amidst gold and wealth. Yet her heart remains unshakable, chained by her unwavering love for Don Valentino. She would dare to leap into the deepest chasm or plunge into the darkest ocean for him, even changing her race in the most terrifying ways to become one with him.

Vienna Valentine is her name, the inheritor of the Valentino bloodline.

"So, darling, are you going to visit him one last time or something? You told me he was your savior," Vienna asked.

"It's been a long time, though. A reunion might be fun. But that's exactly what he wants," Don Valentino replied, contemplating as he crafted his plan to eventually turn the tides in his favor.

Don Valentino grew more confused as Malakar, now known as Schordinger, drew closer in his thoughts. His countermeasures against Malakar were far from complete, constantly hindered by the vast power difference between them. He had carefully crafted millions of plans to keep Malakar from standing in his way, but each one failed as he became consumed by overthinking the gap in their power.

There was once a man who could defeat Malakar, but that was a long time ago, and the one who conquered the highest peak now rests in peace. Don Valentino had traced the lineage of that man, which led him to the woman who now stands by his side—his girlfriend. It seemed like a promising countermeasure against Malakar, or so Don Valentino thought. But after witnessing the H.O.U.N.D.S fall to Malakar while they remained in hiding, he now doubted if the fate of the past would repeat itself.

Vienna's beautiful smile and face, which Don Valentino adored so deeply, made him hesitant to involve her in his plans. Yet knowing her devotion, that she would do anything for him, he changed his mind—deciding to use her for the greater good he sought to achieve.

Don Valentino drew closer to her. Slowly, he reached for her face, pressing his lips softly to her cheek, savoring the tenderness of her skin. He grasped her shoulders and embraced her in a graceful, passionate hug. In that moment, the two became one, as the lady surrendered herself completely into Don Valentino's strong hands.

Slowly reaching for her back, Don Valentino removed the clothing that covered Vienna's neck. His sharp, large fangs emerged, sinking into her tender skin. He drained the blood from her through the bite, leaving her body dry, without a single drop of blood shed.

Vienna collapsed to the floor, unable to move a muscle, her eyes staring into nothingness as her vision slowly faded away.

Don Valentino's mouth was filled with blood as his body began to swell, his eyes turning a deep red. In an instant, he regained his youth after drinking Vienna's healthy blood. His skin rejuvenated, his muscles expanded like those of a bodybuilder, and his fangs grew sharper than ever.

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"HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?!!!" Fiona shouted, shocked by Schordinger's plan to infiltrate the grand casino.

With power at his disposal, Schordinger confidently planned to raid the casino through the front door and immediately drag the Bloodthirst before his lord. However, the situation had changed; Fiona now intervened in Schordinger's affairs to provide him with information about the casino and its ties to the Union.

"It is what it is. I do what I want to do; this is how I solve everything," Schordinger said confidently.

"No, no, no, NO! It's suicide! You don't know what you're facing. Even for a Valentine, the grand casino is too much!"

Hearing Fiona mention the Valentine name again, Schordinger immediately realized that the casino's forces would be quite troublesome, and he needed to act accordingly. Now bearing the name Jerome Valentine, he had to maintain his disguise. Such a reckless decision could jeopardize everything he had worked for.

"Then, if you insist, the enemy might be tougher than I anticipated." Schordinger leaned back and crossed his arms. "But fear not; I won't be defeated so easily. I suggest you provide me with some troops—ten people might be enough."

Recognizing that Schordinger would make such a request, Fiona raised her head and confidently introduced her trump card. "Actually, there's one."

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The Union Beastman Tribe of Volhara is a kingdom led by the King of the Beastman Tribe, Leonhardt the Brave. The kingdom consists of various beastman races, including Avion, Taurus, Feline, Canine, and others, but one form rules them all: the Lion King. The tribes of beastmen live in harmony, creating a haven where each tribe coexists peacefully.

One man stands atop all the beastman tribes—a ruler who mediates every crisis in the land of Volhara, where natural disasters are a part of daily life. The king's life is never easy; conflict is rampant as the people vie for the power they crave and the will to defend their territory. It is indeed the opposite of harmony, but to achieve it, the beastman tribes must fight and defend themselves, or risk falling into humiliation. No one respects a tribe that shuns conflict; the struggle to defend one's beliefs is seen as a mark of respect among them. And when the fires of strife blaze, the King comes to mediate.

However, the complicated harmony is now slowly fading away, replaced by healthier conflicts, as the king claims. These fights for power revolve around currency, allowing some to dominate others, which may elevate the weaker factions within the Union Beastman Tribe of Volhara. The strong tribes are increasingly exploited, while the weak rise out of nowhere. Thus, everyone strives to rig the system and gain the power they desire, but instead of manipulating the system, they find themselves the ones being manipulated.

"Such a crisis befell our kingdom, our union, just because some outsiders have lots of money and circle them around. But we all know that he's not just some outsiders, a legendary evil he is." explain the leader of revolutionist gang, Buffon the Horn.

Fiona, Schordinger, and Buffon sat before the bonfire, where the revolutionary gang—who proclaimed themselves outlaws—gathered outside the city. This was a land where nobody dared to tread, a place where the days were scorching and the nights bitterly cold. No mere vegetation could survive in this harsh environment; only those who could endure extreme conditions thrived. Just like the revolutionists, fighting for what they believed in.

Buffon the Horn is the leader of the revolutionary gang, the one who championed the ideology of claiming what they believe is right. His giant horn signifies his belonging to the Taurus beastman tribe, which is meant to embody the power of peace. Instead, he wields the force of conflict to reclaim what is theirs.

His green eyes, with horizontal pupils, stared with visions of hope and dreams. His brown hair swayed in the cold wind as he recounted the story of the Union and the casino's origins. Despite his youth, Buffon understood the relationships between the Union and the casino as if he had been there when the casino first developed.

"People may call us terrorists, outlaws, or even criminals. But all we want is to restore the harmony of our kingdom that we once had." Buffon then picked up a log of firewood, holding it tightly as he stared at it. "We refuse to be ruled by inanimate objects such as papers." With that, he threw the firewood into the bonfire.

Schordinger mostly understood the conflict within the Union, but he still couldn't grasp the course of action that the King of the Union held tightly alongside his colleagues. While it had indeed improved the Union's economy and lowered their crime rate—distracting the people with the so-called healthy competition for power orchestrated by Schordinger's colleagues—he knew that it could never lead to anything good, especially within the casino.

"That's why Mr. Buffon, the Valentine's here with me to aid. I'm sure he can be a great help to achieve our dreams." Fiona explain.

Staring cynically, Buffon was filled with disbelief. "I know he's a Valentine, but does he share the same spirit as them? All I see is just an ordinary man, hoping to be a Valentine."

Feeling underestimated, Schordinger immediately spoke up. "I'm sorry, but I can't accept your words."

"As I expected!" Buffon raised his head, glaring at Schordinger with intense pressure. "Then what makes you a Valentine?!"

Schordinger lowered his head, adopting a subdued tone. "It's true that Valentine is my name, and without proper action, I can't prove my worth as a Valentine. However," he then lifted his head and spoke confidently, "the truth is that I bear the name Valentine. And I will prove my worth as a Valentine."