Simone was showing Tony around the camp.
"Uh, we've been walking for a while now and I still haven't seen any sunlight."
"That seems normal, considering we're underground. All of our main camps are located below the surface."
"But who are you people, really?" Tony asked.
"Some call us the Resistance... or the last hope of Earth."
"So I can leave whenever I want?" Tony asked again.
"Before that, I'd like you to meet our leader."
"Fine. Let's go meet your leader so I can finally leave."
After a few moments, they arrived in front of a large door. Simone said,
"Please, don't disrespect the leader. Everyone here respects him, and they'd be ready to kill anyone who doesn't."
"Alright, I'll behave."
She opened the door.
The first thing Tony saw was a large table in the middle of the room, surrounded by several people who all turned to look at him. At the far end of the table sat Canou Gérard.
When Tony saw his face, he smirked and imagined a miniature planet filled with black fire, chaos, and lightning.
The people in the room stared at Tony strangely, unaware that, high above their base, a destructive mini-planet was starting to form.
"Are you sure you want to do this, young Tony?" Canou Gérard asked calmly.
"Why not? You did try to kill me in the past. I don't usually become friends with my enemies."
Simone and the others around the table drew their weapons and pointed them directly at Tony.
"Do you think you can make it out alive, young Tony?"
"Judging by your aura, I'd guess you're Rank Seven now, huh Gérard?"
"Then you understand that you stand no chance against me."
"That may be true... but I just killed someone of your rank not long ago. What's stopping me from doing it again?"
"You really think you can take on all of us? There are more than a hundred people in this base. Don't do something you'll regret."
Tony looked around. He knew Canou Gérard was telling the truth.
He lowered his energy and said,
"Fine. I won't do anything... but one day, you'll pay for that attempt on my life."
Canou, his expression unchanged, replied,
"You're a child of Earth, just like us. So you'll help us fight the Chang Clan and the Payo Clan as a soldier. Do you agree?"
Tony's face showed clear disdain, but he accepted. He understood he couldn't just wander around freely without information—not without risking attacks from cultivators even stronger than the group he had just fought.
The others in the room sat back down and began discussing strategy.
Simone said to Tony,
"Come. As regular soldiers, we're not allowed to attend war meetings."
As Tony was leaving, he heard Canou Gérard say,
"If you're capable of fighting experts alone, I expect great things from you until the end of this war."
Tony, glaring at him, muttered,
"Yeah... we'll see about that," as he walked away.