Chapter 345 - What Kind Of Doctor Is This?
"Actually, I was not too confident if Brother Leonhardt is a skilled doctor or not, but seeing that Brother Leonhardt had not denied it really puts my heart at ease." Goldenrod rubbed his hands together and spoke with an embarrassed yet honest smile.
"If you were not confident, then why would you still bring me here? Aren't you just asking for trouble if I was not as skilled as you had hoped? The Shaman's son shouldn't be suffering from a normal illness, no?"
Leon was a bit speechless. Perhaps, he was giving Goldenrod too much credit.
"Brother Leonhardt might have already realized this, but the Venerable Shaman had been looking for skilled doctors to treat his son. Anyone who can cure his son will be entitled to take anything they fancy from the Venerable Shaman's store or make a single request of the Venerable Shaman."
"All the medical experts have already tried their luck, but not a single one of them had been successful in treating the Venerable Shaman's son in the past 2 years." Goldenrod quietly whispered to Leon.
There was a reason why he took Leon here. If Leon was able to cure the Venerable Shaman's son, the Venerable Shaman might also let him pick a few items as a reward.
Shortly after they entered the courtyard, the Old Shaman directed, "Wait here for a bit."
The Old Shaman did not provide any explanation and disappeared into his humble abode with Little Bone.
Goldenrod looked at the Venerable Shaman's disappearing back, before he continued to whisper to Leon in a lower voice, "What you don't know is that for the past 3 months, the same doctor has been attending the Venerable Shaman's son. The Venerable Shaman is also very respectful towards this new doctor."
"Oh? Sounds the Venerable Shaman met a capable doctor. If that is the case, what reason is there for me to come here?" Leon asked nonchalantly without a hint of emotion.
Obviously, he did not believe what he said. If the doctor was truly capable, it should not take more than 2 months to treat a patient.
That being said, the Infertile Plains lacked the environment needed to grow medicinal herbs, and Leon did not know anything about the local doctors' methods in treating their patients.
He was only speaking relatively due to the Old Shaman's respect for the person.
"Capable doctor? No, that person is a quack doctor. I have seen his methods, and I believe Brother Leonhardt has a better chance at curing the Venerable Shaman's son than that person." Goldenrod said as he tried to bootlick Leon.
What else could he say? If the quack doctor does manage to cure the Venerable Shaman's son, wouldn't he lose the opportunity to upgrade his equipment?
Naturally, Leon did not buy into Goldenrod's bootlicking. Nevertheless, he was curious about what kind of illness the Old Shaman's son had contracted to cause all the doctors in the tribe to be helpless.
"Since you have seen the quack—Ahem, that doctor's methods, surely you must have seen the condition of the Venerable Shaman's son as well. Exactly what is he suffering from?"
"Demon Possession."
The one who answered his question was not Goldenrod, but the Old Shaman.
After the Old Shaman exited his abode, he glanced at Leon and said, "Are you really here to treat my son? How can you not even know what he is suffering from? Such news should have spread to every corner of the tribe long ago."
'I haven't even seen your son. How would I know what he is suffering from until I diagnose him?' Leon's mouth twitched, but he chose to remain silent.
Demon Possession was not an illness exclusive to the Old Shaman's son. Although it was not common, it was not exactly rare for humans on the Infertile Plains to suffer from this illness.
No cure had been found for people who suffered Demon Possession, but the Old Shaman had never stopped hoping that a time would come when there will be one.
"Venerable Shaman, if I may speak freely." Goldenrod respectfully requested.
After the Old Shaman gave him an acknowledging nod, Goldenrod began to explain, "Brother Leonhardt is not someone from our tribe, and I had brought him here shortly after the battle ended. This is why he is unaware of your son's symptoms."
"Oh? I see I see. So, you're the Leonhardt." The Old Shaman stroked his grey beard with a look of understanding, and his impression of Leon completely changed.
"You've heard of me?" Leon smiled plainly.
"Of course, I have. Don't underestimate how fast rumors travel, kiddo. You are the talk of the town right now."
"Makes sense." Leon nodded in agreement.
The Old Shaman gave Goldenrod a look and said, "Leave us."
"Eh?" Goldenrod was taken aback, but he recovered quickly with a bow and said, "I pray for your son's successful treatment, Venerable Shaman."
Shortly after Goldenrod left the courtyard to give Leon and the Old Shaman some privacy, the Old Shaman calmly asked, "You're not from around here, are you?"
Leon was surprised by the sudden question, but he did not lose his composure. He responded calmly, "As Goldenrod had said, I do not come from this tribe."
"You know as well as I, that was not what I was asking, but don't worry. If you really cure my son, I can help you keep your secret." The Old Shaman stated.
It did not take an idiot to guess that the Old Shaman had figured out Leon was not someone from the Infertile Plains.
Leon's brows were furrowed. But after a moment, they were relaxed with a sigh.
"Can I ask how you found out?" He asked respectfully.
"A normal person would have at least shown some reaction at the mention of Demon Possession, but you did not. And neither did you have the look of respect that everyone should have towards Shamans. You were too calm in both instances, so calm that I found it strange." The Old Shaman explained.
"But if I am a Shaman and know how to treat Demon Possessions, wouldn't it make perfect sense for my calmness?" Leon refuted.
"Then, if I was to ask you what a Shaman is, and what a Demon Possession is, would you be able to answer them?" The Old Shaman chuckled as he stroke his beard.
Leon could only shake his head ruefully as he was silenced by the question the Old Shaman posed. The lack of information was his undoing.
"Alright, follow me. I will take you to my son. Be mindful of your steps, and don't interrupt the other doctor during his treatment." The Old Shaman said.
Leon nodded and followed the Old Shaman inside quietly. As they passed a few rooms and headed towards the furthest room from the entrance, he began to hear soft mumbles that grew more audibly as they drew closer.
"Demon Possession is deemed to be incurable, but I don't believe it. What do you think? Now that you have seen it, are you confident in curing him?" The Old Shaman asked shortly after they entered the room.
On the bed, Leon was able to see a sleeping middle-aged man tightly restrained by high-level bindings that are reinforced with runic enchantments.
The middle-aged man had a similar appearance to all the other male warriors he had seen. He was tanned, huge, and extremely muscular.
The only difference was that horns were growing on his forehead and scales partially formed on his arms. As for anything else, it could not be observed on the surface with his eyes.
"A half-demonized, huh?"
Leon rubbed his chin in thought as he observed the middle-aged man. He was not in a hurry to inspect with divine sense, lest he awakens the half-demonized man.
Demon Possession was exactly as it sounded like. It was the process of Demon Core germinated and demonizing its host.
It had become apparent to Leon that even though these humans were able to harness Darkness Profound Energy, they were not freed from the risk of demonizing themselves.
"There's a chance, but it won't be easy," Leon stated after some thought.
Although the demonizing process had already commenced, the situation was still salvageable if the victim's mind had yet to be devoured by the Demon Core.
"As long as there's a chance." The Old Shaman said with a rare smile. Every time a doctor diagnosed his son, he had always been left with a disappointing answer.
"However, I want to ask…" Leon slowly said as he shifted his attention towards the person sitting beside the half-demonized man.
This person must be the 'quack doctor' that Goldenrod was referring to.
He could hear the person continuously chanting lines like "go to sleep, get better, it's going to be okay, and begone demon."
These four lines were repeated with such seriousness and so oftenly that although he had just arrive and had not been around for long, he was already getting headaches from it. Simply said, he was sick of hearing it.
"…What kind of doctor is this?"
"A Witch Doctor." The Old Shaman answered with a hint of respect in his eyes.
Leon was immediately left speechless.
Chapter 346 - Beast Tamer
Witch Doctor was another unfamiliar term to Leon. He had no idea what a Witch Doctor can do, but he assumed anything with a doctor in its name had to have something to do with treating people.
"This is… hypnotism, isn't it?" Leon asked.
"Interesting, so you can also understand this much with a glance. That is right. Master Woodrow is using hypnotism to stop my son from rampaging." The Old Shaman explained with an approving nod. If the person could not even see this much, he would begin to doubt his judgment.
The reason he decided to trust Leon despite the person having nothing to prove he was a skilled doctor or a doctor at all for that matter, was not because the Old Shaman was crazy.
It was because the Old Shaman had sensed a particular wavelength from Leon that only Shamans possess and decided to wager on that small possibility that Leon could do it.
"If not for Master Woodrow's help, my son would have completely demonized by now, and for that, I owe him a great favor. I have sought many doctors in the past, but they were all helpless to cure Demon Possession and only been able to delay the demonization process slightly."
"However, Master Woodrow is different. His hypnotism also affects the Demon Core and stop the demonization process." The Old Shaman further explained.
Leon nodded thoughtfully with understanding. He could tell that it was not just simple hypnotism to put the Demon Core to sleep. Although the Demon Core was not a sentient thing, it could indeed be treated as such.
"But in the end, this is just another delaying method and not a true solution to the problem." He stated.
"Be that as it may, it is better than my son demonizing."
The Old Shaman was silent after saying this, and Leon understood the reason.
Once a person is demonized, the Old Shaman would be forced to kill his son to prevent his demonized son from harming others.
"Why don't you tell me more about the Demon Possession and how your son managed to contract it," Leon asked.
"A Demon Core is naturally formed when our people are soaked in the Black Pool for the Rite of Baptism. But as you know, A Demon Core is something demons have, and humans would demonize if they have it. But thanks to the method our great ancestors had managed to develop in the past, we can refine the Demon Core, make it our own, and thereby granting ourselves the power of demons."
"However, sometimes, and under various conditions, control of the Demon Core is lost, allowing it to germinate and demonize its host. This all public knowledge, and many of these cases are recorded. But the exact cause for the loss of control was never figured out."
"All this information can be found in the tribe's central library. If you think reading them will help you treat my son, I can take you there to peruse them first." The Old Shaman suggested after a lengthy explanation.
Leon did not reply immediately fell into deep contemplation.
Recalling how his adoptive father and the ex-disciples of the Illusory Butterfly Sect all had Demond Cores inside them upon their return from the dark lands, he figured that the so-called Black Pool must be black water collected from the Black Swamp.
As for whether any changes had been made to this black water, he could not exactly say, but he does believe the Darkmoon Tribe would have made some changes to the black water to suit their cultivation.
He found out that the humans on the Infertile Plains are all daredevils. It was basically keeping a ticking timebomb within themselves.
In the Divine Realm, no one thought about forming a Demon Core to gain the ability to control Darkness Profound Energy.
If it was found out, except for the Demon Divine Region, they would be mercilessly hunted down by the other three Divine Regions.
"That won't be necessary. We can begin the treatment immediately." Leon declined the suggestion and said with a shake of his head after some time. That being said, there was still a glimmer of interest in his eyes.
It would be a lie to say that he was not interested in visiting the tribe's central library. He had not anticipated there being one and was pleasantly surprised that there was indeed one.
Libraries held a vast collective amount of knowledge. Even if the library only contains general knowledge, it was still beneficial for Leon to learn them. It will help him understand the Infertile Plains and human history on these dark lands.
"If you have any preparatory request, feel free to state them now," The Old Shaman shortly response with a hint of eagerness.
Leon nodded and said, "In that case, please ask the Witch Doctor to end his hypnotism and retreat from the patient. I do not wish to be interrupted during the treatment process."
"This…" The Old Shaman slightly hesitated.
Leon understood the Old Shaman's concerns and shrugged, "Well, you can choose not to inform him, but I cannot guarantee that there won't be any problem during the treatment in that case."
"Then I'll leave my son in your care. Don't disappoint me." The Old Shaman said decisively with seriousness.
The Old Shaman did not say it, but Leon understood that if he failed and cause the Old Shaman's son to demonize, he had to be prepared to face the Old Shaman's wrath.
After the Old Shaman informed the Witch Doctor, the person appeared to be disgruntled as he ended his chant and flashed Leon a displeased look.
"I won't be taking any responsibility if something goes wrong!" Master Woodrow said.
"You don't need to worry about that," Leon said coolly.
"You can begin at any time, but the sooner, the better, of course." The Old Shaman said ordinarily, but it was clear that he was urging Leon.
Since the Witch Doctor was no longer using his hypnotic chant, the slightest disturbance could awaken the half-demonized man.
Leon did not need the Old Shaman's remaindered and chose not to respond as he focused all his attention on the bedridden person. His divine sense was sent out and swept over the person.
…
Meanwhile, outside the southern entrance of Darkmoon City, the hunting team had begun to gather after finishing their preparations.
"Are you setting off now?"
"Yes, Chief," Goldeneye answered, feeling honored that Chief Valencia personally came to see them off.
"Remember, if you find the situation to be too dangerous, retreat immediately. Do not force the issue. The tribe cannot afford to lose someone like you." Chief Valencia kindly reminded.
"Thank you, Chief. I will keep that in mind."
Goldeneye suddenly recalled something essential and said, "Oh, right. On our way back, my brothers and I noticed an unusually large number of vagabonds heading south towards our direction. I found this strange and thought that the Chief should know."
Chief Valencia immediately furrowed her brows as she found something amiss with the intel. Vagabonds should be fleeing in the opposite direction of the Bone Calamity, not head towards it unless they were tired of living.
"I doubt they are coming to help fend off the Bone Calamity. Are you they were vagabonds?"
"This…" Goldeneye scratched his head embarrassedly and said, "I'm actually not too sure about this, Chief. I was in too much of a hurry to study them carefully."
Chief Valencia could only shake her head after hearing his reply. She could only alert the sentries to keep an eye on their outer perimeters for suspicious movements.
"Since you don't know, then never mind. You don't need to concern yourself with this issue any longer."
"Understood."
Goldeneye did not question the Chief's decision. She would naturally know what to do with his information.
After bidding his goodbye, he departed the city with 200 other Great Warriors on foot. They left with haste, and after three hours into their journey, Darkmoon City was already out of sight.
"Big Brother, the distress signal was sent many hours ago. Even if we rush there, they would have resolved the problem by now. Is there a need for such haste?" A Great Warrior asked.
They had traveled a great distance back to their tribe, and before they were sufficiently rested, they were forced to set out on another long trip.
Goldeneye shook his head and said, "This Bone Calamity is much stronger than the last one. It always has been. Don't forget how many of our brothers and sisters have fallen in battle. The fact that the Blackwind Tribe sent a distress signal clearly proves how much trouble they are having."
"Big Brother, look! It's another distress signal—No, there's two of them!" Another Great Warrior suddenly pointed in the distant skies.
"For them to send another two distress signals, the situation over there must have reached a critical point," Goldeneye said solemnly with a frown.
Everyone suddenly realized how dire and desperate the Blackwind Tribe's situation must be in for them to send another two distress signals.
The journey to Blackwind Tribe was going to take another 12 hours, roughly at their current pace. By the time they get there, there might not be a Blackwind Tribe!
"Continue to journey. I'll head there first to check the situation." Goldeneye said decisively.
"Big Brother, are you going to…"
Goldeneye nodded.
He brought his thumb and index finger together and gave a deafening whistle that traveled far and wide.
Shortly after, a loud cry was heard, before the enormous shadows of a Dark Wyvern could be seen descending from the skies above them.. Goldeneye hopped on its back and took off into the distance.
Chapter 347 - Blackwind Falls
Watching their team leader fly off on his Dark Wyvern, the group of Great Warriors was all filled with respect and envy.
"Aiya, I wish I was also lucky enough to find a Dark Wyvern Egg and raise a Dark Wyvern to become my life companion as well." A Great Warrior said enviously.
"Hahaha, keep dreaming! If you really want one, you should just visit the Dark Wyvern Nest and steal one." Another one laughed.
"Ptui! You really want to see me gone, huh? Who doesn't know the strength of adult Dark Wyverns? Going there is simply suicide! What I meant is to be lucky enough to find a random Dark Wyvern Egg like Big Brother Goldeneye!" The Great Warrior spat.
"Honestly, I'd be happy having any flying mount at all. Alas, demonic beasts are too difficult to tame with their high aggressiveness and low intelligence. Only demonic beasts like the sub-species of True Dragons, Dark Wyverns are relatively easier to tame if raised since birth."
"That's for sure. Adult Dark Wyverns are simply too prideful to be tamed." The vice-leader of the group shook his head before he said, "Alright, that's enough chit-chatter. Let us pick up the pace. We still need to save our allies."
"As if you care about that, vice-leader. You just don't want to fall behind after seeing how much stronger the others have grown from the battle with the Bone Army." A Mid-rank Great Warrior smirked.
"No need to call me out like that." The vice-leader smiled.
…
The Blackwind Tribe was not inferior to the Darkmoon Tribe. They had their own Shamans and defensive formations to prevent their Blackwind City from being overrun, but despite that, the situation could be described with one word, tragic.
Since the start of the Bone Calamity, they had lost more than 70% of their fighting force. 50% of those losses happened in the last few hours after their first line of defensive formation was torn down.
The total death count equated to more than half of their tribe's population and continues to climb ever higher with time.
In addition to the losses they sustained throughout the battle, they had also wiped out 90% of the 2.1 million-strong Bone Army.
Looking at the statistics, it seems like it would be a pyrrhic win, but that is actually far from the truth.
Even if the remaining 8 thousand people fought with everything they have, they were still up against 210 thousand Bone Demons. Among these 210 thousand Bone Demons were also several hundreds of Behemoth-class Bone Demons.
It was just a matter of time before they face annihilation.
"Where are the reinforcements?! It has been many hours since we sent the first distress signal! Our defensive line has already been breached! At this rate, we are all going to die!" A Blackwind Tribe's Great Warrior said with agitation.
Despite having hundreds of wounds and losing half an arm, the Great Warrior continued to fight furiously with desperation at the forefront of the battlefield.
"They are most likely too busy fighting their own battles! It'd be a miracle for help to come this soon!" Another Blackwind Tribe Great Warrior spoke.
The Great Warrior continued to fend off the onslaught of Bone Demons desperately like everyone else, but the flames of hope in his eyes had already died out.
Death Energy has corroded his body through his numerous wounds, as blackened spots could be seen in various places. His blood has turned black, and his body exuded a pungent smell of death.
Even if the Blackwind Tribe manages to repel the Bone Army, he would still die, nonetheless. No one was more familiar with the Great Warrior's condition than himself.
Despite knowing death was inevitable, he did not give up on fighting. On the contrary, he fought even harder. The more Bone Demons he eliminates, the higher the abysmal chance of his tribe's survival.
"Chief, we won't be able to last much longer! Our city wall has been broken, and our defensive formations have been rendered useless! What should we do?! The Bone Demons are getting too strong!" A Great Warrior cried on another part of the battlefield.
As the Tribe Chief of Blackwind Tribe, Blackarrow was naturally aware of the dire straits they were in despite being tied down by many Bone Kings.
"Razorleaf, go back and gather all the remaining survivors towards the North Gate! Help will not be coming! If we want to live, we must cut open a path and flee to the north! Go! Leave this place to me!"
Blackarrow continued to fend off the Bone Demons with a Bone Saber he was not accustomed to.
Chief Blackarrow was another Battle Master, but unlike Chief Valencia of the Darkmoon Tribe, he was a rare bow-user with incredible firepower.
With his Tier 5 Dominator's Bow, Blackarrow had sniped down many Bone Kings and other Behemoth-class Bone Demons that had arisen in the past few hours.
Nevertheless, bow-users had a very extreme limitation, their ammunition. After fighting for so long, Blackarrow had long run out of arrows to fire, which was also around the time the distress signal was sent.
"Are we abandoning the tribe, Chief?! What about you?! You are not used to using saber-type Soul Weapons, Chief! How will you be fine without me here to assist you?!" Razorleaf questioned.
"We are not abandoning the tribe! The Blackwind Tribe is its people, not the city! The city can be rebuilt, but people cannot be revived! Understand? Don't worry about me and go! Someone needs to cover the rear, and that person can only be me!"
"But how can we go without—"
"Stop being a pansy and go!!!" Blackarrow roared angrily.
Seeing how headstrong his Chief is, Razorleaf had no choice but to comply. He nodded silently with red eyes and left.
…
By the time Goldeneye reached the Blackwind Tribe, half of Blackwind City was already destroyed and almost overrun by the powerful Bone Army.
"This situation here is so much worse than what I had imagined! It is already too late! The Blackwind Tribe is finished! I must quickly report back to the Chief, so we can have ample time to prepare for what's to come!"
Goldeneye was shocked.
The city was on fire and smoldering thick black smoke billowed into the night skies while towering white giants bulldoze their way through the fallen city.
"Hm?"
Goldeneye was about to pat his Dark Wyvern and take off when he suddenly noticed a situation in the city's northern parts.
"There are still people left! They are trying to break free from the encirclement and flee north!" Goldeneye concluded after a short observation.
To help or not to help?
He was told to retreat if he found the situation too dangerous, but he cannot ignore the lives of so many people! He must stay true to his Warrior's Way and honor the alliance! After a short moment of hesitation, Goldeneye made his decision. He must help!
"Let's go, pal. Let us help these people out and give them a chance at life!" Goldeneye rubbed Dark Wyverns neck.
Roar!
The Dark Wyvern gave a mighty roar in response to his words and began its dive with great speed towards a group of Bone Knights on the ground.
"Mama, look! It is a Dark Wyvern! A Dark Wyvern coming straight at us!" A child pointed at the sky and exclaimed while being carried by a female warrior.
"Oh no, what bad luck! Why is there a Dark Wyvern! Are we destined to die here?!" Another female warrior wailed in anguish.
At this moment, the Blackwind Tribe had less than 7000 people left. While the warriors led the charge and fought their way through the 30 thousand Bone Knights on the northern side in a wedge-like formation.
Razorleaf was at the forefront of the group, but he still managed to slip a quick peek at the sky before his eyes lit up.
"That Dark Wyvern belongs to the Dark Wyvern Rider, Goldeneye of Darkmoon Tribe! Help is here, everyone! Charge with me!" Razorleaf roared with hope.
"Dark Wyvern Rider, Goldeneye?! I've heard of him! Ah, I also want a flying mount! How envious!"
"Now is not the time to be worrying about that!"
The warriors were evidently rattled with excitement by Goldeneye's arrival with their chatter.
Although the Dark Wyvern tamed by Goldeneye had yet to reach adulthood, its strength was still comparable to a Rank 1 Transcendent. After all, Dark Wyverns were one of the superior species among the Dark Continent's demonic beasts.
"Goldeneye, my brother! You are late!"
After the Dark Wyvern swooped down and clawed through the crowd of Bone Knights with its powerfully sharp talons, Goldeneye raised an eyebrow and shouted, "Better late than never!"
"Hahaha, and for that, we are very grateful!" Razor laughed excitedly. When he failed to see anyone else coming, he asked, "Where're the others?!"
"I'm the only one! The rest of my team are still on their way! I can only assist your people in fleeing from here! As for your city, I am sorry to say this, but it is f*ked!"
"Dammit!"
Razorleaf was rather disappointed to hear this. He thought there was hope in overturning the situation and reclaiming their city, but that hope was quickly dashed.
In the end, they were still forced to abandon their city! Their home!
Chapter 348 - Crimsonfog Tribe
Over at the Crimsonfog Tribe, a completely different situation played out compared to the Blackwind Tribe.
While Darkmoon Tribe suffered moderate losses, and the Blackwind Tribe suffered disastrous losses, the Crimsonfog Tribe could be said to have suffered barely any losses at all during the Bone Calamity.
The 2 million-strong Bone Army was utterly decimated by them.
Although each tribe was similar in strength, this was only known on the surface. In truth, the Crimsonfog Tribe was the most mysterious of the three tribes.
This is due to their city's unique location that lies directly west of the Black Swamp's central region and north of Darkness Mountain Range.
Their tribe had the duty of guarding the Death Passage that led to the other side of Darkness Mountain Range and had the appearance of a black mountain after it was cleanly cleaved in half by some great power.
It was said that on the other side of Darkness Mountain Range lies the origin of demons and also the place most dense in Darkness Profound Energy. It was rich to the point that Darkness Profound Energy could be felt billowing out from the Death Passage.
At this moment, Crimsonfog City could not be seen from outside as it was hidden within an incomparably vast and dense fog of swirling blood mist.
This blood mist was generated by a specially constructed defensive formation, specifically built to protect the city from the Bone Calamity by obscuring vision and giving off false senses of vitality.
The Bone Army could not even get close to their city. The moment they stepped into the blood mist, their undead army was thrown into disarray and confusion before they were picked off one by one by the warriors of the Crimsonfog Tribe.
It was a complete one-sided victory.
Inside the blood mist, the tribe's warriors could be seen collecting bones as they clean up the battlefield and bring the bones back to the tribe to be processed.
The city was full of activity as the Crimsonfog Tribe prepped for a celebratory feast.
Knock! Knock!
A warrior stood outside of an office and knocked on the door, before a casual voice filled with vigor and majesty answered from inside, "Come in."
"Chief Baskara." The warrior greeted before getting straight to the point. "The Blackwind Tribe sends multiple distress signals. Are we just going to sit here and watch them fall to the Bone Calamity?"
"That is their own problem. No one asked them to be so greedy for treasures and settle their home so close to the Black Swamp. Perhaps, they are also the one to spark the Bone Calamity. I can only say that they have brought this upon themselves. If they are smart, they will abandon the city before taking too heavy a loss." Chief Baskara began to speak.
"Also, I need to correct you on one thing, Redfang. We are not just sitting around here." Chief Baskara's aura became more solemn as he said sharply, "We have a noble duty in guarding the Death Passage and must be ever ready for whatever crawls out from that hellish place. We can save the Blackwind Tribe, but if we lose the Death Passage in the process, we lose everything. Don't you forget that."
"Y-Yes, Chief Baskara. I have misspoken." The warrior kneeled in apology.
Chief Baskara nodded and said, "Since you understand, then get up. A man should not kneel so readily, and as a warrior of Crimsonfog Tribe, you must always stand tall and proud."
"Only to you, I kneel, Chief Baskara." The warrior buttered up the Chief with a smile.
Chief Baskara turned a blind eye to the person's bootlicking and nonchalantly asked, "Is that the only reason why you came to see me?"
"Err, yes, Chief." The warrior scratched his head awkwardly.
"Then you can take your leave now." Chief Baskara said coolly.
After the warrior complied and closed the door on his way out, Chief Baskara resumed inspecting an ancient scroll in his hand with the other hand behind his back.
If not for the bulging muscles and vigorous aura on his body, he would have given off the impression of a scholar in ancient times. That being said, he did not understand a single word on the ancient scroll.
Nevertheless, it did not stop him from being interested in the information recorded on the ancient scroll.
"Continue with your findings, Sonia." Chief Baskara ordered.
He was not the only person in the office before the warrior entered. There was another person by the name of Sonia.
Sonia was tanned like everyone else, but she not muscular like the other female warriors in the tribe. Her skin was silky smooth without a single scar, and her eyes were dark and charming like the starry skies that could only be seen when the dark clouds are cleared.
She was a woman of great appeal, but what Chief Baskara appreciated was not her beauty. It was her wisdom.
"Yes, Chief. According to my research, this ancient scroll appears to be a sort of diary, several thousands of years old. The scroll itself is made of oak, while the ink—"
"I don't want to hear any of that. Just tell me what it says on the scroll." Chief Baskara interrupted her, but she was not offended by the Chief's rudeness and simply smiled respectfully, "Yes, Chief."
Although Chief Baskara showed great interest in the history of the items he managed to scour from the ruins on the other side of the Death Passage, he was still an Early-rank Battle Master.
It was not worth it for her to show discontent and risk angering such a person. It would only put her in an unfavorable position and waste valuable research time.
In any case, she was just getting to that diary part. After a short nod, she continuing to recount her findings, "The scroll speaks of a fallen star that once crash-landed on the continent many years ago, and from that fallen star, all manners of strange creature spilled forth along with the spread of darkness."
Chief Baskara tapped his feet in thought with a frown. Afterward, he shifted his gaze from the ancient scroll and onto Sonia before doubtfully asking with a solemn look, "Are you sure that is what the scroll records?"
One could not blame him for asking this. He had heard similar things many times in the past by the same person whenever he brought a new scroll for the person to decipher.
"You can doubt my character, but you cannot doubt my ability!" Sonia responded strongly with a frown. This was one thing she cannot ignore.
In the Crimsonfog Tribe, a useless woman can only be used to warm the bed. If the Chief deemed her useless, she would lose her backing and protection. That was not something she wanted.
"Then how do you explain this? You have said similar things for 9 times in a row. Do you think I am easily fooled?" Chief Baskara asked gloomily.
"How the hell is it my fault if you keep giving me scrolls of different people recounting a catastrophic event that they had witnessed? I should be the one doubting whether the subsequent scrolls you give me are real or not!"
Seeing how upset and angry Sonia was, Chief Baskara could tell that she spoke seriously without any falsehood.
He felt awkward and guilty for doubting the person, but his pride as the tribal chief did not allow him to apologize. He chose to outright ignore the issue by changing the subject.
"Ahem, in the end, what can you surmise from your research?" Chief Baskara asked with a poker face.
Sonia did not expect a formal apology from the Chief, nor did she hope for one. As long as her ability was not being questioned, she would not pursue the matter.
"From the clues that I have gathered, the fallen star mentioned in the text does not seem to be referring to an actual fallen star from the Outer World, but something enormous, nonetheless. No matter what that thing is, though, I have speculated it to be the source of demons and the abundant Darkness Profound Energy appearing in our world."
Hearing this, Chief Baskara sighed and said, "I have also guessed as much from what you have told me much earlier. Can't you give me something new?"
"If Chief Baskara can give me a complete scroll to study, perhaps I might also be able to learn something new instead of deciphering these repetitious recounts of events." Sonia rolled her eyes and said.
"I also want to, but it's not easy exploring those ruins. They are always teeming with demons. We've already lost two Peak-rank Great Warriors to that place in the last expedition." Chief Baskara said with a deeper sigh.
Peak-rank Great Warriors were one rank higher than High-rank Great Warriors and one rank below the Extremity-rank Great Warriors, which was also the apex rank of the Great Warrior Realm. After that is the Battle Master Realm.
Peak-rank Great Warriors all had strengths of over 200 thousand jins. One can imagine how pained the Chief looked for losing such capable warriors on such a trip.
Chapter 349 - A Shaman's Ability
Boom!
A bloodied figure slammed into the ground at the Blackwind City's center square with enough force to turn an ordinary human into a meat paste as a small crater was formed underneath from the impact.
That person was the Blackwind Tribe's chief, Blackarrow, an Early-rank Battle Master. The body of such a person has been tempered beyond the boundary of ordinary human limits. It was incredibly tough and capable of exerting strengths of up to 500 thousand jins.
The impact was naturally not enough to crush the person.
At this moment, Blackarrow was surrounded by powerful Bone Demons on all sides. As soon as he picked himself off the ground, he was forced to receive the next barrage of attacks from Bone Kings and Behemoth-class Bone Knights.
He was given no time to rest, and his situation looked especially grim with no hope of survival. His only saving grace was that the Bone Demons could all attack him at once due to their huge sizes.
Not only that, but the Bone Demons would also get caught in the attack of their own kind. Behemoth-class Bone Knights would sweep some Bone Kings, and Bone Kings would sweep some smaller Bone Demons like the unevolved Bone Soldiers and Bone Knights.
Swoosh!
A Behemoth-class Bone Knight with an arrow stuck in its head swept Blackarrow with another one of its colossal attack in an upward swinging motion. Blackarrow had limited space and had no choice but to do his best and receive the blow head-on with his saber.
Pang!
Blackarrow was launched into the air and sent flying in another direction along with many Bone Demons that were also caught in the attack.
"Watch where you are attacking, you f*cking giant goofball!" A Bone King roared angrily as he kicked the foot of the Behemoth-class Bone Knight.
A crimson light flickered in the Behemoth-class Bone Knight's empty eye sockets as it lifted its giant bone feet and stomped down.
Boom!
The stomp missed its intended target as the Bone King hurriedly dodged it, but a few other Bone Demons were not so lucky.
Their bones were crushed into fine sand before a compelling force pulled them towards the Behemoth-class Bone Knight and absorbed into its already humongous body.
"Are you trying to rebel?!" The Bone King growled as it sensed the Behemoth-class Bone Demon no longer listening to its commands.
"Don't bother antagonizing it. It has begun to develop its own sentience. It is normal for it to be a little rebellious if you make it view you as an enemy." Another Bone King spoke. If it had a face, it would be frowning as it said this.
"Stop wasting time and get that human! Such a strong human would make a fine vessel for our soul once he is killed!" A third Bone King said excitedly with flashes of red light in its dark sockets.
Boom!
A stable stone tower was still standing tall amidst the wanton destruction of Blackwind City. But after Blackarrow was sent smashing through it, the top half tipped off and scattered into a pile of rubbles on the ground.
The impact caused not so much of a grunt from Blackarrow as he twisted his body in midair to face the direction he was flying. It was towards another crowd of Bone Demons with a towering Behemoth-class Bone Soldier among them.
Despite being sent flying left and right, the Bone Saber remained firmly grasped in Blackarrow's hand. To lose his weapon was to plunge his already abysmal chance at survival deeper into the abyss.
He hacked out with a powerful slash and cleave through the Behemoth-class Bone Soldier as a dense amount of Darkness Profound Energy was absorbed shortly after, strengthening both him and the Soul Weapon.
"For whom do you fight so hard, human?!" Bone King said as it caught up and clashed with Blackarrow.
"You're the only one left in this city! The people you were protecting have long left and abandoned you! There is no longer a need for you to fight so hard! Give up, human! You have done enough! They are safe! You can rest now!"
The Bone King tried to entice Blackarrow and weaken his determination, but not only did it fail to do so, but it also reinforced Blackarrow's will instead.
"Such tactics will not work on me! My people did not abandon me! I chose to stay behind for them! And the more of you I kill, the safer they will be!" Blackarrow said firmly as they continued to clash.
"Hmph! Incorrigible human! You could have a place among our ranks, but instead, you choose the path of death! In that case, just roll over and die for me!"
"Hahaha!" Blackarrow laughed wildly like he had heard the most ridiculous thing ever before. He glared at the Bone King and sneered, "To embrace death or to resist and be killed? What difference is there between the two?!"
Blackarrow continued to fight valiantly.
Bang!
After the other Bone Kings and Bone Demons caught up, the Behemoth-class Bone Knight with an arrow stuck in its head swept out with another one of its colossal attacks and sent Blackarrow flying away again.
"What the hell are you doing?! Are you trying to kill the human or help the human?!" The Bone King roared and kicked the bone giant again.
The bone giant immediately responded by attacking all the other Bone Kings and Bone Demons in its vicinity with its gigantic bone mace.
"Look at what you did! You made it terribly upset!" Another Bone King blamed after getting implicated in the attack.
"That is not it, there is something wrong with this fella! He has gone completely rouge!" The Bone King explained.
It was not long before the Bone Kings caught wind of something amiss before one of them roared, "The humans must have done something to it! It is no longer one of us! Take it down!"
The Behemoth-class Bone Knight never stopped attacking. After 'it' heard the Bone King's words, it attacked even more strongly and quickly.
Alas, Behemoth-class Bone Knights may be slightly stronger than Bone Kings, but when they are ganged up on by multiple Bone Kings and other Behemoth-class Bone Demons, they will fall eventually.
Blackarrow also did not realize the bone giant had been helping him, but he faintly guessed something after glancing at the arrow stuck in the bone giant's head.
He was a bow-user, and a bow-user did not just need a good bow but also good arrows. Naturally, all his arrows had been enchanted by one of his tribe's Venerable Shamans.
…
The Blackwind Tribe's survivors had already broken away from the encirclement and fled several dozen miles north with the help of Goldeneye and his Dark Wyvern.
Pfft!
An old man suddenly spurted blood within the group and collapsed to the ground with a pale face before a boy cried, "Grandpa!"
"Venerable Shaman!" The crowd also cried shortly after the boy. As they were moving at a relatively fast pace, it was quickly noticed by everyone the moment they stopped.
"Make way, make way!"
Razorleaf pushed his way through the crowd and asked, "What happened? Why did you all stop—"
He stopped abruptly after he glanced down at the weakened old man just as the person spurted another mouthful blood.
"What happened to you, Venerable Shaman?" Razorleaf asked in shock before his eyes turned ferocious and glared at the crowd, "Who did this?!"
He was incredibly mad.
Shamans did not have great individual fighting strength, but they dabble in many things related to magic and runes and are the greatest supporting pillars of the tribes.
The weakened Shaman was their Blackwind Tribe's only Soul Weapon Maker. His importance could be imagined.
"No need to look. It was the Bone Demons that harmed me." The Shaman said weakly with a bitter look before he fell unconscious.
Razorleaf and everyone else was confused, but the boy quickly explained, "Grandpa has been secretly assisting our Chief, but it must have been found out."
After hearing this, they were even more confused. They are already so far from the city. How could the Venerable Shaman have assisted their Chief left behind in the city?
Noticing their confusion, the boy had no choice but to further explain, "The Bone Demons are like mindless puppets that only follow the wills of others. As long as we inject our wills into them, we can overwrite the commands of the higher-ranking demons and control them as we please."
"It has been had on the Venerable Shaman." The crowd sighed with admiration.
After understanding the reason, the crowd was filled with greater respect for the Shaman. They were not sure of the exact details, but the Shaman's soul must have been harmed significantly.
"Who would like the honors of carrying the Venerable Shaman?" Razorleaf asked the crowd.
Many hands were raised, but Razorleaf only needed to pick one.
"You will do." Razorleaf pointed at a young male warrior.
Shortly after, he said, "Alright, we need to continue moving before the Bone Army catches up. Do not let our Chief's efforts go to waste."
Everyone immediately nodded with a heavy heart.. Although the chances were slim, they prayed that their Chief was also able to escape safely.
Chapter 350 - Bicker At The Storefront
Darkmoon Tribe, Old Tailor's abode.
"Do you want to keep this thing?" Leon asked nonchalantly as he showed a glass bottle with a squirming Demon Core sealed inside to the Old Shaman.
The Demon Core shown in the glass bottle was not the same as the one he had last destroyed after his battle with Balthazar in the Capital.
This one did not have any sharp legs and lost its solidness. It was like a blob of sticky black slime with a bit of sentience and would latch onto any living thing in its vicinity like a parasite.
It needed a host to live. Without one, it will eventually die and solidify back into its spherical crystal form.
"What? No way. Take that thing away from me and destroy it!" The Old Shaman said decisively with repulsion towards the glass bottle in Leon's hand.
The Old Shaman had seen what a Demon Core looked like, and it did not look anything like this. Every warrior had their own Demon Core, and he was also no exception.
His Demon Core was round and filled with Darkness Profound Energy, but this 'Demon Core' before him was tainted with a mixture of Demonic Energy inside it.
Leon nodded.
He had expected such an answer and had only asked out of courtesy. After all, it was the Demon Core of the Old Shaman's son.
Without the Demon Core, the Old Shaman's son would no longer be able to manipulate Darkness Profound Energy to temper his body and will forever be stuck at the High-rank Great Warrior Realm.
The Demon Core seemed to have sensed the impending doom that would soon befall it and tried to break free from its containment, but it was futile.
It was too weak to even put a crack on the glass bottle. Before it could resist for long, Leon's hand burst into scorching hot flames and engulfed the glass bottle entirely.
Boom!
The Demon Core combusted after the red flames contacted the Darkness Profound Energy and Demonic Energy inside. However, under Leon's strict and skillful manipulation of his flames, the explosion was carefully contained.
The Old Shaman and the Witch Doctor only saw the red flames transformed into a revolving ball of black flames before it was reduced in size and disappeared into thin air completely.
"How is the treatment? Is it done?" The Old Shaman asked shortly after seeing that his son had yet to awaken from his slumber.
"For now. The first step is already done. Let me rest for a bit, then I will help your son recover and wake him up." Leon said tiredly.
"Alright. Shall I arrange a room for you to rest in?" The Old Shaman nodded and offered.
Leon shook his head and said, "There's no need. Just here will do. I only need a few minutes to recover some energy."
After that, he sat on the cold floor and closed his eyes in meditation.
The treatment had been relatively straightforward and smooth according to the plan. Nevertheless, it has also taken much of his time and mental energy in the process.
To stop the Old Shaman's son from demonizing completely, he only needed to extract the Demon Core, the source of the problem. But this was not something medicine could do and required the use of his Divine Will.
He could have chosen to destroy the Demon Core while it was still inside its host body, but this was a much riskier move as the Demon Core would retaliate and endanger the host.
The Demon Core had also tried to retaliate when he was extracting it from its host with Divine Will, but it was not as violent.
Even so, the Old Shaman's half-demonized son had awoken during the treatment process. However, Leon had made preparation for this by immobilizing the person through sealing their acupoints.
As such, the half-demonized son could not move a single muscle throughout the treatment process that lasted a few hours.
It was almost time for the start of the great feast.
At this moment, Ironhead was at the front of the tailor store waiting with Goldenrod. It had taken him half an hour to find Leon's location at the tailor store and had been waiting there ever since he learned that the person was treating the Venerable Shaman's son.
"Do you really think Brother Leonhardt will be able to cure Demon Possession? We don't even know much about Brother Leonhardt's medical skills… yet you took him here to treat Big Brother Hardrock…"
"…If something goes wrong, it'd be difficult for Brother Leonhardt to withstand the Venerable Shaman's wrath… If something happens to our guest, you best be prepared to explain yourself to the Chief." Ironhead said solemnly to Goldenrod.
"Huh? The Chief cares that much about this person? No matter what he had done for our tribe, it does not change the fact that he is an outsider. Why would the Chief care so much about this person?"
Goldenrod was startled.
"Outsider?"
Ironhead laughed coldly and said, "He might be an outsider, but he is still someone the Chief wants to recruit! Even if that is not the case, what do you think will happen when the other tribes and vagabonds here that the guest our Chief personally invited, died on the same day they were invited into the city?"
"They will think we are untrustworthy people who repay gratitude with malice! Who would still want to join our tribe if we were labeled with such a bad reputation?! It would be like a slap on our Chief's face. Even if you have the Dark Wyvern Rider as your blood brother, he will not be able to protect you from the Chief's wrath!"
Goldenrod was inwardly shaken after Ironhead spoke and gave him a stern glare. The pressure from a Great Warrior was not something he could easily withstand.
"Big Brother Ironhead has spoken too seriously." Goldenrod said with a forced smile before he continued, "These things will not happen. Brother Leonhardt will definitely be able to treat Big Brother Hardrock!"
"Not a single person has been successful in treating Demon Possession in the past! How can you be so sure that he will?" Ironhead questioned seriously.
It was not like he was doubting Leon's abilities and hoping Leon would fail. In fact, it was the opposite. It was just that the consequence of failure was too severe for it to be taken lightly.
"I'm not sure at all. I am hoping that he will be able to treat the Demon Possession! If we do not even have a little bit of hope, when will the Demon Possession ever have hope of being cured?" Goldenrod said.
Shortly after, he sighed, "Actually, I did not think it could become such a serious matter. I was just trying my luck and hoping to be rewarded with the leather guards for referring Brother Leonhardt in case he succeeded."
After being silent for a moment, Ironhead coldly said, "In case he succeeded, you say? What a good F*cking 'In case he succeeded!' If Brother Leonhardt succeeds, you also get a chance of being rewarded. But if he fails and gets killed by the Venerable Shaman, you would be freed. Either way, it is a win-win situation for you! I did not know you were such a schemer!"
"With such a scheming mind, how can you not have foreseen such a huge potential problem? Perhaps, you do not care about the tribe at all? Well, why would you, right? As long as you have your brother, you two brothers would still be accepted anywhere you go!"
Goldenrod was so shocked he began to sweat profusely. That is some serious accusation! He quickly retorted, "Why are you trying to villainize me, Big Brother Ironhead? You are wrongly accusing me!"
"Am I? I heard you lost a bet to Brother Leonhardt and forced to become his subordinate."
"Well, that is true… but this is unrelated!" Goldenrod defended himself before he suddenly thought of something and said, "Hold on. Do you have a grudge against me or something, Big Brother Ironhead? Don't tell me, I've slept with one of your women before?"
"What did you say?!" Ironhead glared at Goldenrod and almost exploded.
"Ahem, ahem, forget what I said. I have misspoken, Big Brother Ironhead." Goldenrod retreated awkwardly and almost choked on his own words.
He had slept with so many women in the tribe that he could not even remember all these names and relationships with other men.
Unbeknownst to the two people's bickering, Leon had already succeeded in treating the Demon Possession and only needed to nurse the Old Shaman's son back to health.
Chapter 351 - You Must Be Pulling My Leg!
After 15 minutes of quiet meditation, Leon recovered some energy back and opened his eyes.
The Old Shaman and Witch Doctor had been very patient and did not disturb his meditation during this time.
Initially, the Witch Doctor had looked down on Leon. But now, those traces of contempt had been wiped clean from his face. He had no right to look down on a fellow Shaman.
"Are you sure you have rested enough? Feel free to rest some more." The Old Shaman spoke out of concern. He was unsure if the second step had any more risks involved, but it was better to be safe than sorry.
"There's no need. I've rested enough."
Leon shook his head. He naturally understood what the Old Shaman was thinking and said, "You don't need to worry. There is no danger to your son. The most important step has already been completed successfully."
"Is that right? That's good then." The Old Shaman nodded with relief as he glanced upon his son's sleeping face.
The Demon Core has been removed, and the demonization process has been stopped completely, but the slight demonic changes to his son's body were still present.
"Is there something you can do about these scales and horns?" The Old Shaman asked.
"I can tear them off if that is what you want. Your son's natural regenerative capabilities will be able to heal his body back to normal, but do you really want me to do that?" Leon asked.
Looking at the state of the person's body, it did not really look like someone who had undergone a demon transformation.
"Personally, I think it looks pretty cool. These changes do not really make your son look like a demon but more like someone with a dragon bloodline. Perhaps, it is better to ask if your son wants them removed or not after he wakes up." Leon continued to suggest.
Hearing what Leon said, the Old Shaman hesitated. While demons are hated, dragons, on the other hand, are a symbol of strength.
After a short ponder, the Old Shaman nodded, "What you say makes sense. It is my son's body. It is best to ask him for his opinion on the matter."
"Alright, allow me to finish off with the treatment and wake him up," Leon stated as he pressed his palm onto the person's chest.
Very soon, his palm began to glow with a soft green light as the regenerative properties of Wood Energy were channeled into the body of the Old Shaman's son.
Trivial injuries throughout the person's body, new and old, slowly healed at a visible rate as the Old Shaman and Witch Doctor saw a few scars disappear.
Five minutes later, Leon unsealed the person's acupoints and retracted his hand.
"Is it done?" Old Shaman quickly asked as he inspected his son.
Leon nodded, "He should be waking up very shortly.
True to his words, Hardrock woke up a few breaths later.
"Ugh…. Where am I?" Hardrock immediately shook his head as his whole body ached and felt sluggish. It was like he had been sleeping for a very long time.
"Papa!"
Little Bone had been very sensible on the side. But after seeing his father wake up and speak familiar words instead of crazy growls, he immediately pounced onto his father's chest in joy.
"Hoho, easy there, little guy." Hardrock rubbed Little Bone's head warmly before he suddenly paused in discovery. "Hm? You've grown a bit bigger, haven't you?"
"It's been two years since the outbreak of your Demon Possession. It's good to have you back, son." The Old Shaman sighed emotionally.
"Two years, huh?"
Hardrock was still a bit confused and disorientated after waking up, but his mind soon regained clarity and said, "Wait, did you just say Demon Possession? How am I still…"
"…Alive? You can thank these two for that. This little brother Leonhardt here is the one who completely cured you of your Demon Possession, but without the help of Master Woodrow's hypnotic mysticism, you would have also turned into a mindless demon long ago." The Old Shaman explained as he introduced the two to his son.
"Oh? Demon Possession finally has a cure?"
Hardrock was astounded as he glanced at Leon and Master Woodrow. He was even more surprised when he saw how young Leon appeared, but he quickly accepted the fact.
His father would not be so bored as to play such a joke upon his recovery. Moreover, what could be more surprising than curing Demon Possession?
"I thank the two esteemed Witch Doctors for saving my life," Hardrock spoke with heartfelt gratitude.
There was nothing wrong with what he said. Curing Demon Possession was akin to getting a second chance at life.
He wanted to get up and pay his deepest respects to both of them, but his body struggled to carry out his will.
"You have just recovered. Just lay down and continue to rest. There will be plenty of chances for you to pay your respects in the future."
Master Woodrow glanced at Leon before he shook his head with a wry smile, "Also, I don't dare claim to be a Witch Doctor in front of this little brother. My ability is nothing compared to his."
Leon was not fully aware of what defines a Witch Doctor. Thus, he chose to remind silent and not offer his opinion.
Although he did not speak, the Old Shaman did.
"Hahaha, no need to be so humble, Master Woodrow." The Old Shaman laughed heartily. It was natural for him to be in a joyous mood after his son's successful recovery.
"Little Brother Leonhardt's abilities are indeed astounding, but we must not ignore your own ability and contribution. By definition, a Witch Doctor is someone who can heal people afflicted by the supernatural."
"Although you could not heal my son's body like Little Brother Leonhardt did, you were able to soothe his soul and free his mind from the agony of Demonization. Isn't that right, my son?�� The Old Shaman soon directed the question to Hardrock.
"Eh? Ah, yes. Yes, that is right. I felt like I had been in a very long pleasant dream. I had no idea I was afflicted with Demon Possession until I was told so just now." Hardrock gave an improvised response.
"Hahaha, thanks."
Master Woodrow smile wryly, feeling a bit better after hearing their words. Their good intentions, he had received them.
"Alright, I shan't keep you both waiting any longer. Let us leave and head back to the storefront. I am sure my son could use some rest. Also, I stand by my words. Since my son has been cured, the both of you may take anything from my store." The Old Shaman said straightforward.
Having laid in bed for so long, Hardrock wanted nothing more than to get out and move around, but after being given a look by his father, he shook his head ruefully and chose not to voice his objection.
He was a fully grown man, but no matter one's age, they will always be humbled before their parents.
"Anything, you say?" Leon said as he rubbed his chin in thought.
The Old Shaman strangely had a bad feeling from Leon, but he was a man of his words. He nodded and firmly stated, "Anything!"
"I did not do much. I will not be asking for too much. Just the Tier 4 Fur Cloak will do for me. Surely Little Brother Leonhardt does not have a problem with this decision, right?" Master Woodrow asked.
"If Master Woodrow does not have a problem with it, then surely I will not have a problem with it either." Leon laughed lightly in response.
This Master Woodrow has given him a good impression. He was nothing like the quack doctor Goldenrod had mentioned. And from what he had learned, this Witch Doctor was also a Shaman.
"What Master Woodrow? If Little Brother Leonhardt is fine with it, you can just call me Brother Woodrow or Woodrow by name."
"Then, I will call you, Brother Woodrow." Leon smiled.
Master Woodrow immediately nodded with a satisfied look. It was never wrong to build a good connection with such a talented and promising young Shaman. The Shaman circle is initially small, to begin with.
As the group of three headed back to the storefront, Ironhead's eyes lit up as he immediately spotted them.
"Brother Leonhardt, you are alright!" Ironhead said before he proceeded to greet the other two along with Goldenrod.
"Greetings, Venerable Shamans."
"Venerable Shamans."
The Old Shaman and Master Woodrow acknowledge their greeting with a nod. Shortly after, Master Woodrow strolled over to the left display and picked up the Tier 4 Fur Cloak from the wooden stand.
"I have been away for a few months, and my family is surely missing me, so I will head back first. If Little Brother Leonhardt is not busy, feel free to visit me at my Fragrant Tea Abode."
"If I'm free, I will be sure to pay you a visit," Leon assured.
Shortly after Master Woodrow had disappeared from view, the Old Shaman asks, "So what would you like, Little Brother Leonhardt?"
Leon proceeded to look left and right at the items on display. His brows began to furrow as he contemplated. The bad feeling in the Old Shaman's heart grew worse after seeing Leon like this.
After some time, Leon asks, "Can I take everything?"
The Old Shaman's heart was shaken and almost keeled over from shock as his hunch was right. He inwardly cried, 'You must be pulling my leg! Please learn some self-restraint!'
Chapter 352 - Three Factions
"Little Brother Leonhardt must be joking." The Old Shaman said wryly with a stiff smile. "If you take everything, my tailor store will be forced out of business for some time... must you do this?"
He was, after all, a person of great status. Others would at least be mindful not to take too much, but Leon did not seem to be concerned about this at all.
"I guess taking everything is a no-go then, huh?" Leon continued to rub his chin in thought.
"Since I have said you can take anything, you can indeed take everything. But do you really want to do this? Little Brother Leonhardt should learn some self-restraint and not be too greedy. Why not take a step back so everyone can be happy?"
The Old Shaman did not refuse Leon. This means that Leon could, indeed, take everything. It is just that the other party will not be happy with it.
Leon shrugged and said, "Alright, I don't need to take everything. So long as the store can remain operating for business, you will still be fine with me taking anything, right?"
The Old Shaman's brows were furrowed, but he did not see anything wrong with Leon's words. Thus, he nodded, "Yes!"
After that, Leon resumed browsing the wares of the store before he said, "These leather chest, guards, skirts, shin guards, leather boots, I'll take the full set."
The Old Shaman gave an approving nod of acknowledgment. He did not have a problem with this. It seemed that his words had reached the person.
There were several dozens of items on display, but the set of leather armor only accounts for five of them.
However, Leon was not done and glanced at another item on display before saying, "That lion head cloak, I will also take it."
A wolf head cloak and bear head cloak was also on display in the same section, but he thought the lion one suited well.
He was relatively small in build compared to the warriors of the plains, but if he wore something like this, it would at least make him look quite domineering and powerful.
Of course, that was not actually important. It all came down to how impressively made the lion head cloak was that compelled Leon to select it. It was enchanted by Tier 5 runes.
"Is that everything? Shall I wrap everything up for you?" The Old Shaman asked.
Leon shook his head and said, "Nah, it's fine. I intend to wear them right away. Also, there's just this one more thing I wanted."
"What is it?"
The Old Shaman gave Leon a cautious look.
"The leather pouch behind the counter," Leon said with a wolfish grin.
The Old Shaman felt his scalps tingle. The leather pouch was an interspatial storage item used for holding Dark Crystals. How did the person know there was a leather pouch behind the counter?
The Old Shaman's brows were slowly furrowed, but they began to relax shortly after, as a smile was formed on his face.
"Alright!"
Sometime later, Leon left the store with a leather pouch in hand as he repeated throw it in the air and catch it.
"Brother Leonhardt sure knows how to maximize his gains. I wonder how much Dark Crystals are in there?" Ironhead asked curiously by Leon's side.
Leon paused his steps as he recalled the Old Shaman's strange smile. Reasonably thinking, the Old Shaman should not have part with the interspatial pouch so readily if it held a fortune inside.
"I'm quite curious too," Leon said.
Shortly after, he opened the interspatial pouch and swept his divine sense inside for a quick look. After a few breaths, he retracted his divine sense and shook his head with a sigh.
There were only 2500 Dark Crystals inside the interspatial pouch. It was no wonder that the Old Shaman was able to part with it so willingly.
There must have been another interspatial pouch kept elsewhere that holds the Old Shaman's entire wealth and savings.
"Whatever. 2500 Dark Crystals are good enough." Leon shrugged.
"There are only 2500 Dark Crystals inside?" Ironhead was also taken aback by the amount before he said, "Brother Leonhardt sure is unlucky. The Venerable Shaman must have transferred the Dark Crystals to his private pouch recently. I heard that 20 thousand Dark Crystals are usually kept inside."
"But Brother Leonhardt does not need to feel like you have suffered a loss. The interspatial pouch itself is worth around 20 thousand Dark Crystals. Also, with Brother Leonhardt's strength and ability, it would be far too easy for you to make that much Dark Crystals if you wanted to." Ironhead said.
He was not lying. The Old Tailor's store was a high-end store for Great Warriors. It was easy for Great Warriors to make a few thousand Dark Crystals by selling the Transcendent-level demonic beasts they hunt.
It was only people like Goldenrod, who had yet to reach the Great Warrior Realm that finds it challenging to save up a few thousand Dark Crystals.
Goldenrod had been following behind them silently with a forlorn look. The leather guards he had been eyeing was taken by Leon.
It was okay if Leon did not want it, but since he did, it was not right for Goldenrod to ask for it. He could only sigh melancholically.
"There is still roughly an hour left until the start of the great feast. Does Brother Leonhardt want me to take you to your accommodation to get familiar with the place, or what would you like to do?" Ironhead asked.
"How do you tell the time around here?" Leon asked curiously, considering it was dark all year round outside of the city and only relatively brighter during the night of the crimson moon with its cascading red light.
"Oh? Brother Leonhardt doesn't know?" Ironhead asked rhetorically before nodding in understanding, "Makes sense. Brother Leonhardt is not from around here."
"Do you see that fire tower over there?" Ironhead pointed before he proceeded to explain, "We tell the time by how big the flame is. It burns the brightest at the start of the day when it is lighted and usually burns out by the end of the crimson moon."
Looking at the clear burning tower, Leon's eyes flashed with understanding. There were clear indicators to measure how high the fire burned and as such.
At this moment, there was roughly a quarter of the flame left. This indicates that three-quarters of the day had almost gone by.
"I see." Leon nodded in understanding before he said, "I will have to trouble Brother Ironhead to take me to my place of accommodation."
"Hahaha, Brother Leonhardt does not need to worry. This is no trouble at all." Ironhead laughed lightly.
"If you say so." Leon smiled before turning to Goldenrod. "You don't need to keep accompanying me. You might have become my subordinate, but I will not restrict your freedom. Feel free to do what you want. I will call you again if I need you."
"In that case, I will bid goodbye here. Until next time, Brother Leonhardt, Big Brother Ironhead." Goldenrod paid his respects to both of them with a small gesture before leaving.
Watching Goldenrod's departing back, Ironhead turned to Leon and said, "Brother Leonhardt should be careful around this person and should not trust him easily, lest he brings you trouble."
"Oh? What makes you say that?" Leon smiled. He could see where Ironhead was coming from, but he was curious about what he had to say, nonetheless.
"You might not know this, but while our tribe seems very united on the surface, that only implies to outside threats. Inwardly, we are divided into three factions and are still stricken with internal conflicts. Aside from the neutral Shaman Faction, we have the Chief Faction and the Beast Tamer Faction. You can probably guess what faction this person belongs to." Ironhead explained.
"Is this something you should be telling me, an outsider?" Leon smiled at Ironhead.
"Err…" Ironhead froze at a loss for words. Shortly after he recovered, he rubbed his bald head embarrassedly and said, "Actually, we were hoping you would join our Chief Faction."
"Why don't you tell me more about the conflicts between the factions within your tribe?" Leon asked.
Ironhead felt a bit excited when Leon did not quickly refuse him. That means there was a chance at recruiting this person.
Just as he was about to explain, he noticed that Leon had unwittingly stopped following him as his attention was quickly grabbed by where the person was looking. It was a kid's playground.
He walked over and asked. "Brother Leonhardt is fond of children?"
"Hm? Sorry about that. Yeah, I am actually." Leon admitted, but his mind was still preoccupied with the familiar little girl he found among the crowd of children playing. It was Mia.
He did not expect to find one of them so soon. Also, Mia seemed to be doing just fine playing with other children and not held in captivity as he had anticipated.
Shortly after, Leon left with Ironhead and continued their trip to his arranged living quarters.
At the same time, Mia had glanced over with confusion.. She felt like someone had been staring at her just now.
Chapter 353 - Starfall
"Tag! You're it!"
A small boy of roughly 6 years old patted Mia on the shoulder before running off with the other kids on the playground.
"Ah? Hey, that's not fair!" Mia pouted.
She pushed the previous thoughts to the back of her mind and chased after the other kids as they played a game of tag.
Ring~!
Not long after, the bell rang before a female teacher holding a walking stick came out to fetch the kids on the playground and take them back to the academy nearby for schooling.
"Alright, children. Playtime is over. It's time to head back and resume class." The limping female teacher said warmly to the children.
The female teacher was another Great Warrior, but she had a lean build without excessive muscle mass like the other warriors at her level.
It was apparent that her body was not well trained since she had taken up post as a teacher. She had retired from battle after sustaining an injury to her leg and could not walk properly without her walking stick's support.
"Teacher Brunhilde!"
The children all ran over obediently once they were called and gather around the female teacher. Some were even hugging onto her legs, causing her to wobble uncontrollably.
"Easy, children easy. Teacher's leg is not in good shape. Teacher will fall if you continue to shake." Teacher Brunhilde said helplessly.
Most children immediately let go in fear of hurting their teacher, but there were still two naughty ones who refused to let go.
"Fall, fall, fall!" The two naughty children shook harder with excitement.
'These little shits…' Teacher Brunhilde inwardly cussed.
Teacher Brunhilde was fond of children. Otherwise, she would not have chosen to become a teacher after retiring from the hunting team. However, she was only fond of the obedient and quiet ones. The loud and mischievous ones were annoying little runts.
"Still not letting go?"
Teacher Brunhilde glared at the two naughty children with the imposing aura of a Great Warrior.
"Ahh! Teacher Brunhilde has become scary!" The two naughty children cried in fear and retreated while the other children laughed, "Haha! Serves you right for not listening to Teacher Brunhilde!"
"Alright, children. Be good now. Let us head back to class." Teacher Brunhilde put on her best smile again.
She only needed to use a little bit of her Great Warrior aura to scare the naughty children into obedience. If she had exerted a slightly stronger aura, they would have broken down into loud wails instead.
"Come, Mia. Don't fall behind now." Teacher Brunhilde called out after seeing Mia lagging behind the others.
Mia nodded and picked up her pace slightly. Although she came out to play with the other children, it was clear that she was still not used to her new environment.
Nevertheless, it was already fortunate that she did not suffer any bullying from the other children for having different skin colors.
Inside the classroom, there were no tables nor chairs for the children to be seated. There were only soft fur cushions stuffed with straws for the children to sit on.
After everyone was seated, Teacher Brunhilde began the lesson with a question, "Now, where did we leave off last time?"
"Teacher was about to talk about the Age of Darkness!" A boy answered after raising his hand.
"Oh, yes. I remember now. Thank you, Little Hector. But next time, remember to answer only after I call you. Otherwise, it will not be fair for the others who have also raised their hands. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Teacher Brunhilde." Little Hector said obediently.
Teacher Brunhilde nodded approvingly before she said, "It was said that before the Age of Darkness came, the world used to be a much brighter place. A sun would hang in the sky and illuminate the land in all its brilliance and glory."
"Torches of fire were not needed to light the tribe during the day, and at night, the moon would shine the land with its bluish-white light. But ever since the Age of Darkness came, the dark clouds blotted out the sun, the moon turned crimson, and humankind has never seen the light of day since."
Seeing Mia raised her hand, Teacher Brunhilde asks, "Yes, Little Mia?"
"What is the Age of Darkness, Teacher?" Mia asked curiously.
She naturally did not know much about the Dark Continent's history as she was new to the place, but her question made the other children rowdy.
"Ehhh? How can you not know about the Age of Darkness?"
"Not like you know about the Age of Darkness until a week ago, either!"
"Oh yeah…"
As the children chattered, Teacher Brunhilde smiled.
"Now, now, children. Be nice. Mia is still new around here. It is normal for her to be unaware of our history. But since I have talked about the Age of Darkness before, will you all be fine with me going over it again for our little friend Mia here?"
"Yes, Teacher!"
The children said in unison. They have yet to be familiar with Mia, but she was personally brought by the Chief to attend the academy. She had to be someone important.
Although they were only first-graders, they had enough self-awareness not to slight someone who could potentially have significant backing.
"Since that is the case, I will begin to talk about the Age of Darkness again. But before that, we must first talk about the Starfall that started everything. 3000 years ago, a colossal object fell through the atmosphere like a falling star and crash-landed into our world."
"This fallen star managed to pierce a hole in the sky and transformed the entire south into a desolate wasteland. The Age of Darkness came roughly 2500 years after that, which also happens to be 500-odd years ago."
Teacher Brunhilde spoke vaguely about history. In fact, what she knew was much less compared to the Crimsonfog Tribe. She only learned about it by word of mouth from her ancestors in the past.
"Yes, Little Hector?" Brunhilde asked after seeing Little Hector raised his hand.
"Does the Starfall and Age of Darkness have any relation to the existence of Demons in our world, Teacher?" Little Hector asked.
"That is an excellent question, Little Hector. Even I do not know the answer to that question, but it has been a popular topic of debate nowadays. Some theorists say the demons came to our world through the eye in the sky created by the Starfall."
"Others believe demons first appeared after humans got too close to the eye in the sky and got punished by the Sun's wrath."
"Which theory does Teacher believe in?"
The children asked after listening to this point.
"Me? Interestingly enough, I believe in both theories. They are at least more plausible than the crazier theories out there."
"Eh? There are more theories regarding the existence of demons in our world?" Little Hector was surprised.
"Of course, there are. Some say that the demons are the minions sent to carry out the Sun's wrath and punish the beings that treaded on the Sun's dominion in the past, and the reason demons are black is due to being scorched by the Sun."
"There's another opposing theory that states that the demons are not the Sun's minions, but the minions of a more primal demon sealed within the Sun. The demons escaped after the seal weakened due to the Sun dying."
"Whatever is the case, it is true that demons are our worse enemy and must be exterminated. It is either they die, or we die. The world we live in is dangerous, and without sufficient strength, we cannot hope to survive in it. Not long ago, we were almost overwhelmed by the Bone Calamity." Brunhilde inserted her own opinion at the end.
Other teachers might try to paint a beautiful world to give the children hopes and dreams, but Brunhilde was the opposite of this and did not hide anything from them.
She thought it was best to make them aware of the reality of things to prepare themselves for what they had to face once they grow up. The tribe needed warriors and not soft persimmons, grown in a greenhouse.
Various thoughts flashed in Mia's eyes. While the others had not seen the Sun, it was not the same for her. However, she was self-aware enough not to boast about it.
"What is it, Little Hector?" Brunhilde asked again, seeing Hector raising his small hands again.
"How does Teacher know so much? Even my parents don't know about these things."
"Are you sure they don't know about these things? Have you asked them about it before?" Brunhilde asked patiently with a smile.
"Ahh..."
Chapter 354 - Return To Capital
"Hoho, I am also fond of children. They are just so energetic and carefree. It really makes one envy their youthfulness as they have yet to learn the dangers of the world we live in. What about you, Brother Leonhardt? Why are you fond of children?" Ironhead said.
"Children are innocent and pure when they are still young, naïve, and untainted by the ugliness of human nature. They do not know greed, nor do they scheme against others, and their honest words can be trusted." Leon spoke after some thought.
Although Ironhead felt disagreeable with Leonhardt's opinion, he did not voice them as there was also some truth to what the person said.
He believes that not all children are honest and tend to lie when they want to get themselves out of trouble. But if they had not been negatively influenced by adults in the first place, would they have started to pick up bad habits?
"It seems Brother Leonhardt has had it rough living the vagabond life. Have you thought about settling down in a tribe? I can't say you will be free of worries within a tribe, but at the very least, you would not have to worry about scavenging for food and resources with other vagabonds on the plains."
Leon smiled wryly, seeing that Ironhead had not given up on the chance to sound him out and try to recruit him into their Chief Faction.
'Joining the Darkmoon Tribe might not be a bad thing. I will have a higher chance of finding the others if I can gain their trust and learn some inside information.' Leon thought.
Nevertheless, he could not join the Darkmoon Tribe so easily. He needed to make it a bit difficult for them. Otherwise, they might find it a bit strange.
"Why don't you tell me more about the internal conflicts within our tribe first?" Leon smiled lightly.
Ironhead shook his head wryly after seeing Leon change the topic. He had expected as much and did not try to press the matter.
"Brother Leonhardt might have already guessed, but our Darkmoon Tribe sits on top of a very rich deposit of Dark Crystals. Whether it was the past or present, the Dark Crystal Mine has always been controlled by the tribal chief. It was their duty to manage and distribute the Dark Crystals as rewards to the tribe's warriors fairly."
"But ever since Goldeneye tamed a Dark Wyvern, he has been gaining a growing number of supporters that wish for him to become the new tribal chief and take control of the Dark Crystal Mine."
As Leon followed Ironhead down the busy street, he gave him a glance and asked, "The position of chief has always belonged to the strongest warrior. Why would these people want to support someone who isn't?"
"That is the main problem for the conflict between our Chief Faction and the Beast Tamer Faction. Goldeneye may only be a Mid-rank Great Warrior, and it is uncertain whether he would ever breakthrough to Battle Master Realm, but it's a different story for his Dark Wyvern."
"His Dark Wyvern has the potential to rival Battle Masters once it reaches adulthood, and this isn't even the end of its growth. If it is groomed well, its strength could even rival Battle Kings. This is why people wish to use Dark Crystals to speed up the Dark Wyvern's growth."
"It is fortunate that these are only the hopes of the people supporting Goldeneye and not the person himself. Goldeneye is still rather loyal to the Chief. As such, conflicts between the two factions have only been verbal thus far. However, I fear for the day our tribe becomes torn and divided by physical conflicts."
"I see."
Leon understood the gist of the situation after listening to Ironhead's explanation.
In short, the Chief Faction supports Chief Valencia's fair distribution of Dark Crystals, while the Beast Tamer Faction wishes to monopolize all of the Dark Crystals for the Dark Wyvern's growth.
Personally, he favors the Chief Faction. The Beast Tamer Faction was too extreme. The Dark Wyvern might be tamed, but it was still a demonic beast, nonetheless. It was hard to say if the Dark Wyvern would always remain loyal to its master and not go rogue.
Seeing Leon appeared slightly nonchalant and did not express any opinion on the matter, Ironhead was somewhat disheartened. However, he did not bring up the topic of recruitment again. That would be left to the Chief.
"It seems we are here," Ironhead said abruptly after stopping outside the gate to a private courtyard with a single abode inside.
After unlocking the gate and passing a wooden key that looks like a three-legged stool to Leon, Ironhead said, "This is the key to the property."
"Oh? I get this whole place to myself?"
Leon was mildly surprised.
Although the interior was crude, it was considered luxurious in this place. The building was located within the inner city and appeared to have been previously occupied by another individual.
Ironhead nodded and said, "Yeah, the previous owner is deceased, so this place is currently without an owner."
"I'm sure Brother Leonhardt would like to rest inside. I will come back and pick Brother Leonhardt up for the great feast half an hour later."
"Why not come inside for a chat? There are a few things I would like to ask Brother Ironhead about." Leon offered.
Ironhead smiled warmly and accepted.
The private courtyard was relatively spacious and appeared to have been used as a training ground with a stone platform at the center and stone tables and chairs at the sides.
"What would Brother Leonhardt like to ask me about?" Ironhead asked after he took his seat on a stone chair.
Leon took the stone seat opposite of Ironhead and asked, "The great feast doesn't seem like just any big, sumptuous meal. What is it exactly, and where is it held?"
"Brother Leonhardt must have seen the huge amphitheater at the top of the rocky plateau in the center of our Darkmoon City."
Leon nodded, "Something like that is hard to miss."
"That is where the great feast will be held, and you are right to guess that it not just any normal meal. The meals for the great feast will be specially prepared by our tribe's finest Spirit Chefs to help our warriors recover quickly, to celebrate our victory, and to honor the fallen."
"If Brother Leonhardt had never tasted the cooking of a Spirit Chef before, I'm sure you will find the meals to be much to your liking." Ironhead said confidently before adding, "The food will taste great, and there will also be a good show to watch."
"It is also normal for there to be hotheaded warriors who will want to take the chance to challenge others in the battle arena at the center and show off in front of the huge crowd. After all, the entire tribe will be there."
"Is that so? Then I will be looking forward to it."
Leon smiled with interest before he continued to chat with Ironhead about some trivial things around the Darkmoon Tribe.
…
Human Domain, Crawford Kingdom.
Around this time of the day, the sun had risen high into the sky. Elizabeth and the two ladies returned to the Capital from their long war expedition.
"What happened here? Where did all the buildings go?" Elizabeth pulled over a city guard and questioned him with a commanding tone.
"Y-Your Majesty, welcome back! We were attacked by the Bloodfiend Sect sometime ago, but they were repelled by His Highness and Grandmaster Don."
The city guard quickly recounted everything he knew to the Queen without hiding anything. After Elizabeth understood the gist of the situation, she asked, "En, I understand. Where are they now?"
"Err… Grandmaster Don has left the Capital. He said he is going on a long trip to the Ishaan Kingdom to train and perfect his art of explosion…"
"Tch, that madman—Ahem, what about my son?" Elizabeth clicked her tongue and coughed awkwardly before asking.
"His Highness… It is better if His Majesty explains this. I am not too sure of the details regarding His Highness disappearance. We were ordered to inform you to see His Majesty as soon as you were to return to the Capital, Your Majesty."
Elizabeth's brows were furrowed after learning her son had disappeared. She was not happy to hear about this after being away from the Capital for some time.
Nevertheless, she nodded and said, "Alright, I understand. You can return to your post."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Shortly after, Elizabeth turned around to ask the two ladies, "Do you two want to follow me to the palace to see the king or head home first and see your families?"
"We wish to follow you to the palace, mother." Aria and Lynne answered in sync.
They missed their families, but they were not too concerned about their well-being as the Upper District's destruction was not close to their families' home.
On the other hand, Leon's disappearance has drawn their attention.