CHAPTER 311: WHISPERS BEFORE THE WAR

Averak had his hands behind his back.

His eyes calmly watched the chaos unfold.

Next to him, standing tall and composed, was Krovath.

His slit-eyes glowed faintly as he watched the battlefield with cold interest.

Neither moved.

Neither needed to.

Krovath broke the silence first. "Your heroes have grown stronger."

Averak nodded. "And your brood has become more... refined."

Krovath gave a soft chuckle. "Refined? That’s a kind word. I would say... more adapted. Survival forces evolution."

Averak looked to Hextor and Varnus, who were defending Hiera.

"War forces discipline. Training builds order. That is our way."

Krovath tilted his head slightly. "Yet both paths lead to the same thing."

Averak responded, "Power."

They stood quietly again as Seraine clashed blades with Quavira in a flash of light.

Then Averak spoke again.

"The balance has changed. I can see it. Your commanders push harder. Their limits have shifted."

Krovath gave a short nod.

"And so have yours. That woman, Hiera... I’ve seen support types before."

"But her voice reaches deep. She isn’t just a healer. She leads."

Averak nodded. "She carries the hope of many."

Krovath looked at him, eyes sharp. "Do you believe hope wins battles?"

Averak didn’t answer right away.

He watched Belvyr’s [Pulse Sync] glow across the field.

"Hope only matters if backed by strength. Otherwise, it’s just noise."

Krovath looked back at the battlefield. "Then we both prepare our strength."

Averak gave a small nod. "It’s the only choice we have."

Krovath turned slightly to glance at him. "Do you believe the third party will show themselves after seeing all this?"

Averak nodded once, slow and steady. "They will."

Krovath narrowed his eyes. "Why?"

"Because their goal," Averak said, "was to make us fight each other."

He looked back at the heroes and the Beastkin Brood clashing.

"To waste our energy. To cause losses. To weaken both sides at the same time."

"Crippling us both," Krovath muttered. "I see."

Averak nodded. "Yes. And if we really believed the other side did it, we might have started a full war."

Krovath clicked his tongue. "That would’ve given them exactly what they wanted."

Averak’s voice was calm. "But now, with this battle being only a test... a show of force..."

He looked into the horizon. "They’ll wait. They’ll think we’re too focused on each other to notice them."

Krovath smirked slightly. "So we bait them."

"Exactly," Averak said.

Krovath took a step forward, looking at Malka and Brangur fighting the heroes.

"We feign weakness," he said. "Then strike when they appear."

Averak nodded once again. "Let the battle play out. Let the world watch."

"And let the hidden enemy believe the timing is perfect."

Krovath’s eyes glowed faintly. "Then when they move... we end it before they understand what happened."

Averak smiled faintly for the first time. "That is the plan."

---

Not far from the battlefield, Zain stood calmly on a rocky cliff.

His arms were crossed, and his eyes watched the ongoing battle below.

Explosions flashed in the distance, ether waves clashing between the Hero Association and Beastkin Brood.

Velra stood beside him, arms folded, one foot tapping against the rock.

Her pink-lined bodysuit shimmered faintly under the light.

Savra leaned against a broken pillar behind them, arms loose, her red eyes half-closed but focused.

Zain tilted his head. "They’re quite strong."

Velra nodded. "They are. Both sides."

Savra smiled faintly. "Well, they are the top factions here. It makes sense."

Zain turned slightly. "The Beastkin Brood... how strong are they really?"

Savra stepped forward beside him and looked at the chaos happening in the distance. Her voice was calm.

"Like I said before—they’re a giant, just like the Hero Association. Their power is equal."

Zain raised an eyebrow. "That strong, huh? I didn’t expect that."

Velra nodded, her eyes narrowed. "No wonder they’re still standing, even with the Hero Association so close."

Savra smirked. "Exactly. But here’s something more interesting... Did you know they sometimes work together?"

Zain blinked. "Wait. The Hero Association and the Beastkin Brood? They work together?"

Savra crossed her arms. "Yeah."

"Not in the open, of course. But in the shadows... they’ve done things side by side."

Velra tilted her head. "That makes sense. You can’t have light without a shadow."

Savra smiled. "Right."

"The Hero Association handles the order. The Beastkin Brood... they handle the dirty work."

Zain looked down again. "So the Hero Association has a dark side too."

Savra nodded. "Every powerful group does."

Zain stayed quiet for a moment, then said, "I see. That makes this even more fun."

Savra smirked and stepped closer. "Of course, but let me add something else."

"Besides working together sometimes, they also can’t go all out against each other."

Velra raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"

Savra looked down at the battlefield and said, "Because if either one truly tried to destroy the other... it would lead to full-scale war."

Velra’s eyes widened as she thought it through. "And that war would burn the entire Supreme Island."

Savra nodded. "Exactly. Cities would fall. Zones would collapse. Too many people would die."

Zain looked back at the battlefield. "The heroes would try to protect the people."

"But the Beastkin Brood... they wouldn’t care, would they?"

Savra’s expression turned serious. "No. They don’t care about the weak. Only strength matters to them."

Velra tilted her head. "Then why hasn’t the Hero Association wiped them out already?"

"Because they can’t," Savra said. "Not without great loss. And the Brood knows it too."

Zain smirked. "So both sides wait."

Savra nodded again. "Yes. They wait and grow stronger. They poke at each other. But never enough to start a real war."

Velra stretched her arms. "Looks like that balance is being tested now."

Zain nodded slowly. "Maybe. But are you really sure the balance is breaking?"

Savra raised an eyebrow. "Why not? Aren’t they fighting right now?"

Zain smiled a little. "They are. But it’s not that simple, Savra."

Velra glanced at him. "You think this is just for show?"

Zain looked back at the battlefield. "It’s a warning, not a war."

Savra crossed her arms. "So they’re just testing each other?"

Zain nodded. "Exactly. No one’s trying to kill the other fully. Not yet."

Velra smirked. "So the real fight hasn’t even started."

Zain’s smile widened. "No. This is still the calm before the storm."