Ash was smart enough to quickly understand what Leo wanted to say just by looking at his eyes. There is no need for any words. It was so obvious already.

"Are you afraid?" Ash can't help asking this question first. She was really curious. With the current situation of Silver Kingdom right now, is Leo perhaps feeling afraid of it?

Hearing Ash's question, Leo was immediately pulled out from his current emotion of self-doubt.

Seemingly realizing something, Leo suddenly began laughing, "Hahahahaha!"

"It seems to me that you aren't!" Ash smiled.

"Why would I even feel afraid? The situation right now is in our favor." Leo stated.

"Huh?" Ash quickly became curious, "Our? or someone else's our?"

"Mischievous Lion organization's favor right now." Leo smiled mischievously.

As soon as she heard the word Mischievous Lion organization, Ash immediately became shocked.

"Don't tell me you're actually a member of Mischievous Lion organization?" Ash asked, although she already knows the answer to her question.

"Not just any member..." Leo replied before he took out a golden token with a smiling lion symbol. There was no need to hide his status anymore since the Mischievous Lion organization finally revealed themselves.

"Let me officially introduce myself. I'm Leo Heart, my Master is Olivia Heart, and she's also my sister-in-law." Leo introduced himself.

"Now that you know my real identity, are you feeling afraid?"

It was now his turn to return the question to Ash. Is she feeling afraid after knowing his status, hence she will back down and count the deal as something that never happened; or will she just laugh the same way as him and count his question as a joke? No one knows aside from her.

"Are you joking with me?" Ash doubtfully looked at Leo.

Just like what Leo had expected, Ash wouldn't feel afraid. In fact, her face right now only shows that she's excited and thrill.

Inside Ash's mind, "With a backer as powerful as Leo, why would she even feel afraid? No, who would even feel afraid? In the first place, Leo being a part of an organization was something she had already thought about before, so she isn't feeling that much of a shock right now. Also, Leo being a part of an organization is not only good for her but also for the entire Hybrids of Eclipse village. As a matter of fact, this was something that she really wishes to have. With this, her path forward as an Alchemist wouldn't be as hard as she thought it would be."

Although Ash has the potential to become a Grandmaster Alchemist, that is just a potential. She obviously can't achieve that without any Magical resources that she, unfortunately, can't get easily due to the fact that she has a 100 million gold coins bounty on her head right now. If she wants to further train her potential, then she needs to keep on practicing. Aside from that, she also needs another identity in order for her to officially be recognized as an Alchemist.

However, with Leo's background of being a discipline of a powerful organization, everything would turn to become different.

"So, you won't back down and live inside the Twilight Forest once again?" Leo asked to be sure.

"The moment I decided to follow you, I already braced myself for the things you will reveal to me." Ash replied. Leo already revealed to them that his a City Lord, a shocking status to have for someone 19 years old. So naturally, she already thought of bracing herself to whatever secrets he will have to reveal to her, eventually. Moreover, he's just too capable for someone in his age, hence he obviously has some sort of secret that he didn't reveal to her. Furthermore, he is also a Special Mage, a kind of Mage that is usually backed by a powerful organization or Noble Households. There are also a lot more things that really made her thinking of who Leo really was, such as how did he have a Defensive Magical Artifact capable of taking him from Shark Cemetery to their Eclipse village, why does he need to have power, support, and strength, and many more other questions that she had thought while traveling with Leo.

"Are you really sure? The Twilight Forest is just behind us, and this area is already far from the reach of Crimson Rose Kingdom. Moreover, the Silver Kingdom is currently at war right now, so having a village near this area is a lot safe compared to your place before." Leo further asked.

"Do you really want us to leave?" Ash really can't believe that Leo is still doubting her.

"Of course, I don't. I even went into too much trouble just to recruit all of you, which obviously meant I need all of you. But, you should already know right, that the moment you guys follow after me, you will be facing a high possibility of death...? It wasn't even part of our deal that you will be facing a war, instead, it was about you guys giving me power, strength, and support in exchange for me giving you the safe sanctuary." Leo explained.

"Huh?" Ash's face turned even more doubtful, "Isn't this war the beginning of us giving you the so-called power, strength, and support?"

Hearing Ash's words, Leo can't help smiling as he said, "Alright, then! So, is everyone also going to stay with me?" He turned to look at the others, who were already looking at them right now.

To be honest, they were already looking at them while the fat merchant was still telling the events that had happened in Silver city in the past few days, out of curiosity. But then Leo and Ash conversation about whether to continue with their deal despite this war or not quickly followed after, so they naturally can't help listening to the conversation.

Although it was disrespectful to eavesdrop on their superior's conversation, the situation wasn't something that can't be helped, especially since Leo and Ash were talking just right in front of them.

Hearing Leo's question, Chief Lago was the first one to step forward and said, "If fighting this war with you will allow us to finally have the so-called safe sanctuary, then I'll gladly fight with you!"

"Is that even a choice? Our leader Ash already agreed, so I'll obviously also agree!" Sebastian added.

"Sebastian is right!" Dan smiled.

"Is my voice even counted?" Sele rolled her eyes.

"Wherever Ash goes, this old man will also follow! And besides, I have already sworn my loyalty to her in the past, so it's not good for me to take it back." Old man Torre walked forward with his stick.

"I will also follow!" Ahmed added.

"Same for me!" Brad followed after.

"As a member of the 5 Divisions, I'm obliged to follow after my leaders!" Jeffrey voice out.

"Same goes for me!" Matt added.

"There are no cowards in the 5 Divisions, right?" Venice asked the other members of the 5 Divisions.

"Nooo!"

"We are great and powerful!"

"The 5 Divisions are mighty and strong!"

"How about those who aren't part of the 5 Divisions, are there any cowards amongst the other Hybrids?" Venice turned to look at the villagers of Eclipse village.

"Noooo!"

"No Hybrids are cowards!

"Exactly!" Ash suddenly interrupted while slowly turning to look at everyone, "We were always thought to be weak, and always been the ones to suffer and to be treated as mere slaves. But today is the time that we Hybrids would show to the others that we are also powerful, that we also deserve to live, and freedom should likewise be given to us like the other races!"

"Yessss!"

"All hail the Hybrids!"

"All hail the mighty Ash!"

Ash then turned to look at Leo while wearing a playful smile on her face, "You heard them, right?"

"Hahahaha, then let's go towards the Southeast Fortress and make it the territory of the Mischievous Lion organization!" Leo informed them as he walked up ahead of the group.

"Men, follow after Leo, our Master from now on and forever!" Ash ordered as she quickly followed behind Leo.

Chief Lago, Sebastian, Dan, Sele, and old man Torre quickly followed behind Ash, before being followed after by the 5 Divisions, and the rest of the villagers of Eclipse village.

At the side, the merchants of the numerous merchant caravans were left dumbfounded and thinking that those people might be crazy for thinking of attacking the Southeast Fortress with only 500 or so Hybrids. Although they can feel that those Hybrids have some strength, it is obviously not enough to fight against the Fourth Prince that protects the Southeast Fortress along with Commander Deck and Princess Elaine. Moreover, that territory is also under the protection of the Blue Fin Kingdom right now, so it is obviously impossible to beat them with just 500 or so soldiers.

.....

Night finally came, and right this moment, Leo was observing the Southeast Fortress in front of them.

Currently, they are hiding in a forest just 500 meters away from the Southeast Fortress wall, observing and waiting for the right chance to attack.

Although they have seemingly very high morale just awhile back then, it is obviously not enough to defeat everything in their path, especially since they are also aware of how dangerous the Southeast Fortress was right now.

The fat merchant awhile ago had just informed them through his explanation that the Blue Fin Kingdom has already sent some reinforcement and had even returned the Green Weed city and Blue Coral city to Silver royal family, which obviously meant that their soldiers are currently stationed at the East Coast, which also includes the Southeast Fortress.

Moreover, Princess Elaine is the wife of Fourth Prince Ethan, so obviously the Blue Fin Kingdom would send some powerful personnel to protect them, in fear that the Mischievous Lion organization, Sword and Magic organization, or Black organization might try to do something crazy such as to kidnap them and use them as a hostage.

So, right now, Leo is thinking of a plan on how to successfully invade the Southeast Fortress.