"All the time!" Sloth narrowed his eyes, not buying the innocent act William just put on.

"I can't believe you see me like this," William kept going on his act as being innocent, turned his back to Sloth and added, "after all I've done so far? I've always placed the interest of everyone else above mine and my guild's!"

"..." The two old men looked at each other in silence before Fang sighed. It was clear to them if they walked down that road, the one William dragged them into, then they'd lose the debate with that youngster!

So both decided in tacit understanding, and without exchanging a single word, to drop talking about this matter, for the time being. "Who will lead the defences here while we are away?" Fang asked, and William smirked while giving them their back.

He knew he got them played right where he wanted, and if not for the current situation, he'd even laughed on the entire thing, "Don't worry, I'll handle that," he answered Fang while turning into his monstrous form, "Go now, we don't have much time to waste!"

The two of them watched William move and attack the enemies around. They looked at the huge back of that fox monster before Fang patted on Sloth's shoulder, "let's go," he advised, "he is the only one able to control the Chimeras' den plus formations plus lots of stuff. If he decides something, we have to follow his suit!"

"Who said that?!" Sloth was still fuming with rage, "who appointed him as our leader?!!"

Fang looked around, as if what Sloth said was utter madness, "do you have any doubt from the start, my old friend?" he shrugged, as if he heard the most absurd comment today, "let's go, no point in dragging this matter for long."

Fang got how Sloth felt and thought about this entire situation, and yet arguing about who was leading this entire war from start till now was so bizarre actually.

William could hear what happened between the two old masters perfectly, and he chose to totally ignore the entire topic. He focused on doing his part, killing enemies around this spot, and trying his best to help others at nearby places by using his arrows.

"I hope they don't take much time," William wasn't feeling any pressure. From time to time, he'd return to hit the den to make sure it wouldn't release anymore Chimeras. As for the enemies around, they were already in disarray, fighting without proper leadership, and many heard the news about the falling of Lingerie and lost most of their fighting wills.

William knew they weren't fighting for a belief or a cause; they were mercenaries. The best of them would belong to the palace directly, and the environment of that place made sure they wouldn't have any comradeship feelings towards each other.

It took almost half an hour from Fang and Sloth to gather as much materials as they could. The two spread the word and acted themselves to buy lots of time.

This was in the heart of a heated war, so even if they gave the order, most spirit masters were burdened in fighting the enemies, not free to deliver stuff over.

"Here," Fang handed many rings over to William once he and Sloth arrived at the bomb location.

"Good, how about you?" William turned to look at Sloth, and the latter evilly shrugged.

"I will give them over," Sloth paused, before gritting on every single word he said next, "but I'll keep watching you working and will handle the materials you ask for."

"This is non-sense!" William acted as if he was hurt or something, "how can you not trust me after all this? I told you; I'll just use the materials I need and will hand over the remaining materials that I didn't use."

"Sloth… Come on!" Fang rolled his eyes when he heard the useless debate between the two, "just give him what we agreed on!"

"No," Sloth acted stubbornly, "I'll leave the defence mission to you, I know you can handle it perfectly without me," Sloth didn't wait for Fang to say anything, got closer to William and looked at him directly in the eye, "now let's go and start working on that plan of yours."

"Fine," William acted as if what Sloth did didn't bother him at all, "but make sure to not slow me down, or else…" William moved his two hands, to mimic the eruption of the bomb.

"These two…" Fang couldn't help but shake his head in powerlessness, "go and leave this war to me…"

Before he'd continue his words, he spotted William stopping just below the den. The latter took out a few metallic tables, lots of forging items like anvil, ovens, and other stuff, plus things related to alchemy.

"What are you doing?!!" Watching William do this in the middle of the war made not only the two old masters frown, but everyone else fighting around them.

No sane person doubted what William should have done, by going out of here, taking the bomb with him, and started working on his solution away from this war.

"What else?" William evilly laughed, "did you think I'll leave this war and do my plan right away? How about the other ticking bomb?"

"What ticking bomb?!" Sloth felt faint numbness at his scalp that he ignored, alongside the urge to hold William from his collars and threaten this annoying youngster till he spilled out what he had in his little head.

"Did you forget about the den?" William simply pointed towards the Chimeras' den, without even sparing it a glance, "I'll work over most of the details here, prepare everything, then we move out!"

"Wait, what will happen after you two leave?" Fang felt nervous when he placed the den again in the picture.

"You'll be on your own," William looked lightly at Fang, before turning to Sloth, "not my call, it's his… So don't blame me!"