They all looked at him as if he had said something surprising.

"When have you not always been?" Alex asked.

"It would be useless to fight for the position anyway since we know who the strongest among us is," Stallus shrugged. "Though I don’t know the work of a group leader."

Azaroth didn’t say anything. Would the position of group leader serve him somehow? He couldn’t tell for now, but he knew no leading post ever lacked benefits, no matter how little.

"The group leader role is important. You will need it for when you are on a mission. The group leader leads the group; you all take orders from Azaroth anytime you are given a mission. He represents you," Kael said.

Azaroth turned it over in his mind with a brief frown. It would certainly benefit him to be the leader of the group; besides, he didn’t think he could take orders from any of the others.

"Are there any objections?" Kael asked, but his tone let them know he wasn’t expecting any.

"None, he’s qualified enough," Catena said.

"I’m in support," Alex chipped in.

"I already said it before. He’s the strongest here." Azaroth could hear it in her voice—the "yet" she didn’t add.

"Good. I told you before, or didn’t I? A competition between the two groups will still take place shortly. An eliminating competition that will determine who will be the Yamas of East Haven," Kael said, his voice low and flat like desert winds.

A lot of things were going to happen in the near future, it seemed, Azaroth thought. When would their masks be given to them? He wanted to get that out of the way as soon as possible so he could focus on gaining power without the fear of being controlled.

"And if the team failed in eliminating each other?" Stallus asked.

"Then you die, probably in a very horrible way." The words hung in the air like a bone stuck in the throat. And Azaroth knew that Kael meant what he said.

Stallus shifted restlessly. "I don’t mean I will decide not to kill the other team," she looked around unflinching. "But all of us in this group would not probably make it. How will the Inferno Legion do that?"

"All the Inferno Legion needs are four Yamas from this outpost," Kael said, and tension filled the air.

They all avoided looking at each other, but Azaroth’s gaze was steady for any who chose to meet it. This was it. If only the other team had some good students like Catena too, but maybe Alex could be replaced with Bella. Or Stallus.

All the Inferno Legion needed was four Yamas, meaning he, Azaroth, could rearrange his team with the death of others.

Azaroth smirked. "The Inferno Legion does enjoy its game."

Nobody replied for a while, even Alex’s face was stern.

"What do you mean?" Catena asked.

Time to add to the tension, Azaroth shrugged. "They’re giving you a chance to pick your teammates." He paused. "With blood."

It was as if the air was charged with the after-effect of lightning as tension tightened the room.

"A good way to put it," Stallus bent to look at Azaroth from her place, her blue eyes like hard ice gems. "But only if they would allow us to harm each other."

"This is the Hound," Azaroth said simply. Although he didn’t know, Azaroth knew enough about the Inferno Legion to know it was something they could do.

Stallus huffed. "They shouldn’t be training us as a team."

This struck Azaroth as true. Why was the Inferno Legion training them as a team when they even had different techniques? It must be related to why Kael Hound wanted them to win the duel at all costs, because it was something that affected them as a team.

"You are both right. I don’t know the rules, but competition in the Hounds usually goes along the lines of being a solo dog," Kael sighed. "It’s still going to take a while, and that’s why I want you to train as fast as you can."

"Not only for the duel but also because of the competition," Kael admitted.

"It shouldn’t be hard catching up to them. They only advanced three weeks ago," Alex said, his face had started returning to his cheerful state, but Azaroth saw that his eyes were still dark.

"Wrong." Kael pointed at Alex. "Three weeks is a lot of time to attune to your technique and start skill learning, and now they have an extra two weeks to prepare."

"Isn’t Azaroth the one you should be worried about?" Alex’s voice was dismissive.

"Stupid fool," Stallus muttered.

"I don’t care. At least for now, you are considered a team, and as such your training must be the same," Kael’s voice was hard and final.

Alex raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. "OK, Captain. But how are we catching up with those who already attuned their techniques to their cores?"

"How do you know they were attuned?" Azaroth asked. He didn’t feel anything different about the other team when they were together.

"I’m at a higher level than you." That was all Kael said.

Azaroth accepted that as enough explanation.

"Three weeks is average for attunement, but since it was Captain Zephyra, I doubt it took her more than two weeks to get her students to attune," Kael said.

"Well, we’re doomed then," Catena said and closed his eyes as if he’d had enough for today.

"Aren’t you the one more excited about this duel?" Stallus teased. "You initiated it, a show made for only yourself."

Catena opened his eyes and looked at Azaroth with guilty dark eyes. "I did not know there was such a difference in power."

Azaroth shrugged mentally. He hadn’t expected it would take this much time to attune, not to talk of learning skills. He would have to depend on his sword skills and Essence Forge.

"It matters not. I’m not planning on losing," Azaroth said. Maybe he could use his chaos core.

"Not to be that guy, but you might just end up losing because of..." Alex was cut off as Stallus glared at him.

"Who said anything about difference in power? By two weeks, you should be at the same level as the other group," Kael snapped his fingers in the now silent room.