Chapter 333

As silent signals passed between the great warriors, Oleg seemed oblivious, once again explaining the need for support.

“Right. So we must prepare and rush to the northern wall immediately…”

“No. That’s not possible.”

A chilling voice.

Stunned by the firm refusal, Oleg widened his eyes and puffed up his fur.

“…What did you say?”

The grey bear Suin, Yevgeny, shook his head and stepped forward.

Arseny and Lavrenty also smiled coldly, blocking Oleg’s left and right.

Clearly, they were moving to surround him.

The thickly rising hostility shook Oleg’s fur.

“You bastards, what are you doing…!”

“Think about it, Oleg. If that stupid head of yours can even think, that is.”

Lavrenty drew the great sword at his waist and mocked him.

He had never liked Oleg much. Ever since he tried to establish dominance and had a fang ripped out.

“Once His Majesty and the six great warriors are gone, this country will be ours, won’t it? Since it’s impossible for the humans to cross the Heavenly Mountains, even if His Majesty regrettably passes, we won’t need to worry about the aftermath.”

Arseny continued.

The jaguar Suin bared his teeth and grinned.

Without a hint of hesitation, he spoke of treason against the king.

As if everyone present shared the same thought, no one pointed out the blasphemous remark.

“You crazy bastards!”

Oleg grabbed his axe.

The other great warriors also drew their weapons in unison.

A tension that could explode at any moment hung between them.

It was just before a five-on-one melee.

“Stop, Oleg. You don’t think you can win against the five of us, do you? Stop this futile resistance and surrender. You have no reason to pledge your life and loyalty to His Majesty either.”

Maxim tried to persuade Oleg.

As the rhinoceros Suin said, Oleg had no reason to be loyal to Ryurik. They weren’t even from the same tribe.

Oleg’s tribe, the Snow Tiger clan, was already extinct, leaving only him.

“……Indeed, there’s no reason to pledge my life and loyalty.”

Baryakrus was a country created by Ryurik, who subjugated the warring tribes by force.

While ordinary warriors were captivated by his power and pledged loyalty, it was natural that some of the great warriors, who were like chiefs of their respective tribes, harbored resentment.

Since Ryurik’s power was overwhelmingly strong, they had never shown hostility before, but with this perfect opportunity, a rebellion was almost inevitable.

“Right, so…”

The five great warriors felt a slight relief as Oleg seemed to be persuaded.

Even though it was five against one, Oleg was a great warrior so strong that he had no equal in Baryakrus except for Ryurik.

Fighting him was not a pleasant task.

“But that doesn’t mean I have a reason to betray!”

Oleg fiercely shouted and swung his axe at Lavrenty.

“You stupid bastard!”

Lavrenty, who hastily rolled away, began to curse, and the great warriors all charged at Oleg.

The roar and clamor shook the fortress’s reception hall.

A bloody battle between six regenerators who wouldn’t die easily unless their necks were cut. Every time the weapons tore through flesh, blood gushed like a fountain.

It was an hour later that the fiercely struggling Oleg was finally subdued.

“Ugh…!”

Oleg, collapsed on the floor, let out a weak groan.

His axe, with its broken handle, was embedded in the wall, and his severed limbs showed no signs of regenerating.

Exhausted, even his regenerative powers had failed.

“Serves you right, you arrogant bastard!”

Lavrenty kicked Oleg’s head.

He too was covered in blood, his right arm completely severed and rolling on the floor.

The other great warriors were also panting heavily, with parts of their bodies torn or gouged out. Their regeneration had reached its limit.

“I regret that it has come to this, Oleg. With such power, yet you misjudged and ended up rolling on the floor.”

Arseny, gasping for breath, approached Oleg and pressed the blade against the tiger’s neck.

He intended to behead him and finish him off completely.

“…Wait. Hold on, Arseny.”

Maxim stopped him.

Perhaps due to the rhinoceros Suin’s tough hide, he was the least injured among the five.

“Wait? Are you serious, Maxim? If we don’t finish him off now, he’ll start regenerating soon.”

Arseny laughed as if to say, “Don’t talk nonsense.”

Though Oleg was now a nearly dead corpse, exhausted of all stamina, once he recovered, he could regenerate any wound. They had to decapitate him now while he was incapacitated.

Maxim, who had been sitting on the floor, stood up and approached Arseny.

“That’s why we need a silver blade…”

Just lock him up in prison and be done with it. The Snowfield Tiger Tribe is down to just this kid, and it’d be a waste to kill him like this… If we take the time to persuade him, we might be able to change his mind. By then, Ryurik will already be dead. If he stubbornly insists on being loyal to a dead king until the end, we can just cut his head off then. Isn’t that right?”

“Definitely… It would be a waste.”

The silent lioness, Kseniya, also nodded in agreement.

“Kseniya, even you’re saying that?”

“Yeah! Why bother keeping this brat alive? Do you think he’ll thank us for it?”

The grey bear Suin, Evgeny, shook his head as if he couldn’t understand, and Lavrenti growled, ready to start a fight.

“……”

After a moment of thought, Arseny removed the blade from Oleg’s neck.

Two out of five. And with Maxim, the strongest warrior among them, opposing it, outright ignoring them would be too much of a burden.

‘There’s no good in causing division among ourselves now. We haven’t fully taken control of Varyakrus yet. So… Let’s consider it as owing a debt and make this concession. We can always deal with Oleg later since he’ll be locked up in prison.’

Having made his decision, Arseny sheathed his sword and stepped back.

“Fine. This time, I’ll go along with what you say, Maxim… But if he causes any trouble, you’ll be responsible. You understand that, right?”

It’s impossible for Oleg, with his limbs cut off and locked in prison, to cause any trouble, but a warning was still necessary. Otherwise, it would be hard to convince Lavrenti, who was grumbling about why they didn’t just kill him.

“…I’ll keep that in mind.”

Maxim nodded.

And so, Oleg was imprisoned deep within the fortress.

The Suin at the frontline base were all close aides of the five great warriors, so no one leaked the news of Oleg’s capture.

It was the moment when Ryurik’s final operation fell apart.

—

The place where Oleg was imprisoned was the deepest underground prison of the frontline base.

“Can that guy even wake up? He looks like he could die any moment…”

Kseniya, looking at the imprisoned Oleg, wagged her tail and muttered.

Oleg’s condition was so severe that even she, who wasn’t usually one to worry, couldn’t help but express concern.

His appearance was gruesome. Unhealed wounds oozed blood, pooling on the prison floor.

Thanks to his unique vitality, he wasn’t dead yet… but it was certain he’d die within a week if left alone.

Despite his injuries, the great warriors, wary of Oleg’s resilience, had thoroughly restrained him.

Silver nails were driven into the stumps of his severed limbs to forcibly hinder regeneration, and a collar with blades was fastened around his neck.

The collar was connected by a thick chain to the prison wall.

If he tried to escape, the blades would dig into his neck and sever it.

His torso was also restrained in a similar manner, making escape impossible.

Unless he could regenerate after being chopped into pieces by silver blades.

“……”

Perhaps he had passed out from exhaustion.

Until the moment he was firmly secured to the prison wall, the Snowfield Tiger’s eyes remained closed.

“Even if he wakes up, he won’t be able to move. Are you satisfied, Lavrenti?”

Maxim, who had personally restrained Oleg, calmed the dissatisfied saber-toothed tiger Suin and firmly locked the prison door.

“I’d be very satisfied if we just cut off his head in that state.”

“Be patient. If he’s absolutely unpersuadable, I’ll let you do it. Can’t you wait just three or four days?”

“Tch…”

Lavrenti still wore a look of dissatisfaction but didn’t complain further.

Even to him, Oleg seemed incapable of moving, and further complaints would only irritate Maxim.

The great warriors returned to their rooms, ate until they were full, and fell into a deep sleep.

They, too, were at their limits, their regeneration barely functioning.

The only way to recover their depleted stamina was through ample food and rest.

And so, night fell once again on the frontline base.

—

He smiled.

**Everything was going according to plan.**