They did not take any prisoners.

The notion of complete extermination might have struck some as undeniably severe, but not a single hint of hesitation crossed the minds of Ivatar, the Zoran Tribe’s chief, and the chiefs of the allied tribes.

Eugene, an outsider unfamiliar with the ways of the forest, refrained from interfering in their affairs, much like the rest of the group. The Kochilla Tribe had long embraced cannibalism and human sacrifices as customary to their existence.

As such, even from an outsider perspective, they were barbarians who could not be kept alive.

“You were a big help.”

Having completed the arduous task of tidying up the battlefield, the remnants of destruction were evident to all. Despite the formidable might of Kristina's divine magic, the allies had not emerged unscathed. The toll was substantial, with a considerable number of lives lost and numerous individuals left wounded and in pain.

Every last warrior of the Kochilla Tribe met their demise, leaving no survivors in their wake. It was an unequivocal triumph for the Zorans and their forces. Ivatar, overwhelmed with a sense of satisfaction, beamed a smile and offered a gracious bow of gratitude to Eugene's group. “If you had not helped, we would have never stood a chance in the war.”

Although the conflict within the sacred grounds of the Footprint of the God of the Land had come to an end, Ivatar's forces opted against an immediate return to Zoran. Instead, they chose to press forward, steadfast in their march toward the heart of Kochilla Tribe's capital. The elite troops of the Kochillas had been vanquished, leaving a path devoid of formidable opposition. Moreover, the pervasive influence of Edmund's sinister black magic within the capital ensured that the number of survivors would be scarce.

Ivatar planned to make use of the momentum to completely conquer the Kochilla Tribe. With such a landslide victory, the leaders of the allied tribes fully supported his decision.

A chuckle escaped Eugene's lips as he observed the chiefs gazing at Ivatar with a mixture of admiration and reverence. He found the situation rather amusing, considering that not too long ago, most of...