"Did you all see what happened earlier?"

The warriors of the Bloodtusk Tribe looked at the man who spoke with solemn looks on their faces.

Everyone unanimously considered him the strongest warrior of their tribe. They even went so far as to give him the moniker the Juggernaut.

This nickname was because of how he fought. Anyone who stood on his way would simply be demolished by his overwhelming strength.

In Daedalus’ ranking, this person would be considered as a Rank 3 Warrior, someone on par with Ulric before he became Leone’s vassal.

"Yes," one of his closest friends replied. "Owen, what do you think will happen next?"

The Juggernaut crossed his arms over his chest and looked at his fellow warriors.

They had followed Malcolm to Grimjaw Mountain with their families, for they also understood that the Bloodtusk Tribe was only a shell of its former self. If they stayed, the only fate that awaited them was to be absorbed by the other tribes.

So, why did they choose to go to the Aslan Tribe instead of the other tribes?

It was because they saw potential.

A low-ranking tribe that stood up against the middle-ranked tribes and actually won. This feat was the very first in the history of the Borderlands.

Although a low-ranking tribe winning against a middle-ranked tribe was a miracle... the same tribe winning against a high-ranking tribe bordered on the realm of impossibility.

They had not yet fully committed to merging with the Aslan Tribe, so they had room to maneuver.

If they decided to leave now, he was certain that Leone wouldn’t stop them.

"There is a high chance that the Darkmane Tribe will declare war on the Aslan Tribe," Owen answered calmly. "We’ve been here for quite a while, but the only place we could roam is the forest. Not the fortress itself."

He paused for a while as he scanned the faces of the warriors around him.

"You’ve also heard his statement, right?" Owen stated. "Leone Frontera admitted that he wouldn’t win against the Darkmane Tribe. However, he also said that he wouldn’t lose. As someone who had fought against him and survived that day, what do everyone here think of his words?"

They couldn’t possibly forget that fateful day.

It was a nightmare they wished they could have woken up from.

They had come to Grimjaw Mountain, confident that trampling over the Aslan Tribe would just be as easy as walking to the local butcher to buy a piece of meat.

Unfortunately, they were wrong.

They had walked to the local butcher not to buy meat, but to get butchered themselves.

Even so, the scale of the battle would be very different in a war against a high-ranking tribe.

The first problem was the number of warriors each tribe had.

The Darkmane Tribe had over a thousand, while the Aslan Tribe only had hundreds.

Not even more than five hundred.

This was their reality. And yet, their chieftain didn’t bow down to Cain’s arrogance.

He made Cain kneel instead.

When Owen saw that scene, he couldn’t help but feel the blood boiling in his chest. Not out of anger, but out of admiration.

A feeling that he hadn’t felt for a very long time.

"As it stands, the Aslan Tribe and the Darkmane Tribe will clash against each other," Owen said calmly. "It may not happen right away, but probably after the ransom has been paid for his sons and his warriors.

"If his heirs died here, he will never be able to raise his head again in the Borderlands. Because of that, he has no choice but to take them back first, even if it means losing face. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind paying the ransom either. In his eyes, he can just get it back after he stomps the Aslan Tribe for good."

The other warriors nodded in agreement. This was indeed something the Darkmane Tribe would do.

"So, are you going to leave?" one of the warriors asked Owen.

"Let me just say this," Own replied. "My decision should not affect your decision. I came here bringing only my mother with me. Yet, all of you brought your families.

"Compared to me, all of you have more to lose. If you feel like your lives are in danger, it will be best to leave this place while you still can. However, I am staying here."

Owen noticed that none of the warriors around him looked surprised. It was as if they were already expecting this to happen.

"I guess you guys have also made your decisions as well." Owen shook his head helplessly because a glance was enough to tell that the majority of the people who had traveled with him had no intention of leaving.

"I think it will be best if we let the Chieftain of the Aslan Tribe know our decision," one of the warriors proposed. "The earlier he knows about our choice, the sooner we can help him defend this place from the Darkmane Tribe."

"I agree."

"Seconded!"

"I support it as well."

With the warriors voicing out their agreement, Owen nodded in understanding. Since they were living with the Stormhorn Tribe, Owen asked a warrior if he could call Malcolm for them.

Since he was the middleman between them and Leone, Owen wished to speak to him as soon as possible.

When Malcolm arrived, he was briefed on the Bloodtusk Tribe’s decision.

"Are you sure about this?" Malcolm asked. "Once you do this, there is no turning back."

"I’m sure," Owen replied.

"Good." Malcolm nodded. "I’ll tell the Great Chieftain your decision."

Malcolm then hurried back to the fortress to report the decision of the Bloodtusk Tribe.

The Stormhorn Tribe, on the other hand, overheard their conversation, and was also deliberating whether they should stay or leave.

Brann had already talked to them a while ago and urged those who wished to seek asylum to other tribes to decide as fast as possible.

He and Gromm were going to stay with the Aslan Tribe, and no one would be able to change their minds.

In the end, both tribes decided to stay and formally become part of the Aslan Tribe.

Of course, Leone welcomed them with open arms and immediately asked some of their warriors to go to the fortress. That way, they could start digging the cavern that would serve as residences for their people.

When they entered the inner part of the mountain through the tunnels, they were all shocked by what they saw.

The ground was paved with a stone walkway, while the ceilings were the same. It was as if they had just entered a very big house made of stone, hidden deep inside the mountain.

The paths led to the different residential areas belonging to the Alborin Tribe, the Riverfang Tribe, and the Black Wolf Tribe.

Of course, the first members of the Aslan Tribe had their separate dwelling, and that was where Leone also lived.

Although all of them were now part of the Aslan Tribe, he still made sure to honor those who had decided to become his people first.

With pickaxes in hand, hundreds of warriors moved to dig through the mountain in order to make space for their own home.

For the time being, Leone asked the members of the Stormhorn and Bloodtusk Tribe to live in the hidden valley, where their accommodations had already been prepared for them.

It was then that Owen realized why Leone was confident. Indeed, even if they didn’t win the war, they would certainly not lose.

With a place to hide until everything was over, the Aslan Tribe could easily make a comeback.

For some reason, Owen and the members of the Bloodtusk Tribe started pitying the Darkmane Tribe.

They had no idea who they were dealing against. And perhaps they would never know until the day of the decisive battle between the two tribes officially started.