Somewhere in the city of the Darkmane Tribe...

"That mongrel!" Troy roared in anger upon receiving the report from the warriors who had just returned from Grimjaw Mountain. "He dares to give me an ultimatum?! That lowly brat!"

Jafar and the other Elders of the Darkmane Tribe were also present when the messengers had arrived. None of them had expected to hear such a result. It was simply unexpected.

The warriors feared for their life as they might all be killed after passing the message. After all, they were very familiar with their chieftain’s hot temper. With that said, all the servants in their chieftain’s residence were terrified of his temper.

Troy took in a few deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down. He didn’t know if the Chieftain of the Aslan Tribe was a lunatic. But through this incident, he realized one thing.

If he didn’t take this seriously, his sons would be killed without a second thought.

Troy was a madman himself, so he understood that it only took one small push for someone to end up the same way as him.

And if Leone really killed his sons... his reputation would take a massive hit.

Troy understood that whether he listened to Leone’s ultimatum or not, he’d be ridiculed behind closed doors. The young man deliberately left him no way out.

Even if he brought his army to annihilate the entirety of the Aslan Tribe, one thing was certain.

His sons would die.

Although he had one more son, he was a useless bum whom Troy couldn’t care less about.

Cain and Travis held potential because they were ambitious. On the other hand, his second son, Byron, only cared about women and wealth.

He was a disgrace to their family. Had he not been Troy’s son, the bastard would have died a hundred times over from the hands of the people who hated him.

"Jafar, do you have a suggestion?" Troy asked.

Jafar sighed. "It seems that we have underestimated the Chieftain of the Aslan Tribe. Even if we decide to send our armies to trample on his tribe once and for all, we must first pay the ransom for the Young Lords to be released.

"Also, the news that Grimjaw Mountain has high-grade iron ore deposits has surely reached the ears of the other high-ranking tribes by now. Godwin’s son, Wayne, has returned to their tribe with four wagons filled to the brim with iron ore.

"If the Warclaw Tribe intervenes, we won’t be able to touch the Aslan Tribe even if we want to. In any case, you have to make an important decision today, Chieftain. It’s either you wage war against the Aslan Tribe after securing the Young Lords or accept this insult with a broad mind."

"Accept this insult?" Troy spat on the ground. "Who do you think you’re talking to, Jafar? Do you think I’ll just allow him to slap me in the face without retaliating?"

"The final say is always yours, my Chieftain," Jafar replied. "Whether we go to war or not is entirely in your hands. But if we must, it would be best to first determine the Grimhowl Tribe’s stance. After all, they are allied with the Aslan Tribe."

Troy clenched his fists so hard in response. He had momentarily forgotten about the alliance between the Aslan and the Grimhowl Tribes.

The Aslan Tribe meant nothing to him. But the Grimhowl Tribe was a different matter. The two tribes had a bad history with each other.

If Troy didn’t handle this matter carefully, the Grimhowl Tribe might attack his city while his army waged war on the Aslan Tribe.

"Jafar, please make a trip to the Grimhowl Tribe," Troy ordered. "We must know whether they will protect the Aslan Tribe or not. If they do plan to help their ally out, I want you to use everything in your power to convince them to stay out of it. It doesn’t matter if we have to make concessions!"

"So, you plan to go to war with the Aslan Tribe?" Jafar asked.

"Yes," Troy replied. "But only after I retrieve my sons. We will need that much time to make preparations to erase that mongrel from the face of this world!"

This time, Troy didn’t plan to take any chances. He would order his people to capture Leone alive. That way, he could personally torture the Chieftain of the Aslan Tribe and make him wish he had never been born.

"Very well." Jafar nodded. "That brat is a bit cheeky. I also want to see where his confidence is coming from. Worry not. I’ll make sure the Grimhowl Tribe will stay out of this. I’ll give them an offer they won’t be able to refuse."

"Good." Troy nodded. "Meanwhile, I will prepare the ransom for my sons. He dares to send me an ultimatum? I’ll make sure to skin him alive!"

When the meeting ended, Troy immediately gave an order to prepare the twenty wagons of iron ores Leone had declared.

He wholeheartedly hated the fact that he had to concede into paying the ransom for his sons. If he only knew this would happen, he would have just paid the four wagons of iron ore meant for Travis’ ransom.

Yet, Troy didn’t do that.

He was a very petty man.

The thing that mattered to him most was reputation.

However, Leone didn’t give him a way out this time. The young man had slapped Troy in the face, even though their territories were far from each other.

This was a humiliation that Troy wouldn’t be able to accept.

If he didn’t wage war against the Aslan Tribe, people would think he was scared! And that was the last thing he wanted anyone to think about him!

He was the Chieftain of the Darkmane Tribe. Someone who had the monopoly over iron ore in the Borderlands.

He both had wealth and power in his hands. If a measly tribe in the east could walk all over him, wouldn’t that make him a laughingstock?

Wouldn’t that make him look like a joke?

"Courting death!" Troy said through gritted teeth. "You dare look down upon me!"

A sinister expression appeared on Troy’s face as killing intent surged within his chest.

In his mind, Leone had already crossed the point of no return the moment he dared to give him an ultimatum.

The young chieftain might have won this round through cunning and audacity, but Troy firmly believed that strength was what truly ruled the Borderlands.

And once the Darkmane Tribe’s warriors marched eastward, he would make an example out of the Aslan Tribe for all to see.

He would trample on their honor and pride, letting his men have their way with their women!

His warriors would then drag Leone back in chains before the eyes of everyone who dared to mock him.

He would humiliate him in front of everyone!

However, Troy wasn’t aware that at that very moment, far away in the east, Leone was already preparing a welcome gift for the Darkmane Tribe.

A gift that Troy would never forget.

One that would shake the entire Borderlands to its very core.