We now go back to the POV of Watsumoto and the Shizonian Tribe 805 Years ago. At the present moment, a young Watsumoto and another Shizonian walk side by side, their faces etched with a somber expression. As he walks, the younger Watsumoto's long black hair swishes back and forth, brushing against his leaf-textured pants. The other Shizonian has black hair sported in a mohawk, intricate markings adorned on his face, and the same clothing as Watsumoto. His name is Rygono, Watsumoto's brother. Watsumoto arches an eyebrow at Rygono. "Brother, what do you think Father has summoned us for?"
"Honestly, I don't know what to tell you. All these long months of father's illness have my mind all over the place."
Watsumoto gives Rygono a reassuring touch on his shoulder. "It'll all be ok, Rygono. When Father is gone, you and I will be the new leaders of this clan. We can make a legacy that even surpasses his."
"Thank you, brother…"
Finally, Rygono and Watsumoto arrive at their father's pier. Upon entering, they see Shozono, the current Supreme Chief of Shizonia, lying in bed, his weakened frame wrapped in blankets. Despite that, he still gives them a welcoming smile. "Come to me, my sons, For I have a gift and a task for you to do."
"What is it?" asks Watsumoto.
"My end is drawing near. I can die at any moment now, and I need to ensure that whoever I choose as the rightful chief of our tribe. What I request for both of you to do is find something of great value. It can be one thing; it can be multiple. Whatever you give me, give it out of great desire, and I shall consider one of you as the rightful ruler of our clan. Now go, my sons."
They depart from the pier, and the peaceful forest envelops them. The only sounds are the rustling of leaves and the occasional birdcall. "Brother, do you know what you will give Father yet?"
A small chuckle escapes Rygono's lips. "I haven't given it much thought yet, brother, if I'm being honest, but I figure I'll just give him some livestock or something."
"Brother, I think you should take this a lot more seriously; this can decide who becomes the chief of our tribe."
Rygono's steps crunch on the unkempt leaves as he walks away from his brother and heads toward a vast, open field. "You worry too much, Watsumoto. We can give Father a rock, and he'll appreciate it. Don't overthink it!"
Not long after he departs from Rygono, Watsumoto scours the forest for a present to bring back to his father. "Brother and I knew this day would come, and yet, I still don't know what to give Father," While searching, Watsumoto hears feet rustling through the untrimmed leaves, catching his attention. "Who goes there?!"
"Young Lord, it's me…" Ralzhon steps out of the trees, his face a mask of stoicism as he glances at Watsumoto
"Chief Ralzhon, how are you?"
"I am great, young Lord. I heard Shozono has just continued the process of anointing the Supreme Chief. Do you know what you will give him?"
Watsumoto's face contorts into a frown as he hangs his head. "I've been thinking about what I will give him for hours. I don't know what to do…"
"Ah, don't you know your brother has already figured out the gift he'll give?"
"That's typical… he always beats me to everything…"
Ralzhon advances towards Watsumoto, his expression serious and unyielding. "Young Lord. That's not a bad thing at all. While he just picked something with little thought, you're giving much more thought to your gift than he is. The point of this gift thing is to see which heir will take their time to make the best decision for the sake of our tribe."
Watsumoto furrows a brow in confusion. "Why are you telling me this? Isn't this unfair for brother?"
"I've already visited him. I've done this the last time when your grandfather was the supreme chief. I always advise the heir on the decision. However, this is the first time I already know who will be the Supreme Chief before he's appointed."
"What do you mean?"
"I can sense it within you, your passion, ardent care for others, and the boundless will burning within you. You are the next heir to this clan. I know it."
"But… But… I don't think I'm ready. I'm not even seven thousand suns old yet. This is all so much to me. What if I don't-"
Ralzhon grins as he places his hand over Watsumoto's mouth, silencing him. "You'll have me to guide you. Just as I have done for many millenniums."
"Despite that, I don't know what gift to give him."
"You will figure it out, young Lord. Don't over-exert yourself," Ralzhon disappears into the horizon, leaving only the faint outline of his wings in the sky.
Watsumoto furrows his brow in contemplation, his mind racing with possibilities until a spark of inspiration hits him. "I got it. I'll give my tribe everything I own. Becoming the chief of my tribe requires great sacrifice. That's what I will do!"
Watsumoto makes his way back home and summons a legion of tribal men. "Will you all take everything I have here as a gift offering for Father when the time comes?"
"Sure, we'll start grabbing everything now," says one guard. The guards walk in and load his belongings onto several wheelbarrows.
Wastsumoto walks away from his home and feels the soft blades of grass tickling his skin as he lies down, his chest heaving with relief. "Finally, I have figured out the gift. Hopefully, this will grant me the title of Supreme Chief."
Watsumoto dozes off for four hours until he is jolted awake by a guard's nudge. "Your father has summoned you," says one guard.
"Oh, no! I dozed off!" Watsumoto's heart pounds with adrenaline as he dashes through the forest, his breaths coming in quick gasps as he hastens his pace. The door of Shozono's tree house swings open with a bang. Watsumoto bursts through, his chest heaving and sweat beading on his forehead. "Sorry, Father, I fell asleep on the grass."
Shozono's grin widens as he exchanges a look with Watsumoto, and a soft chuckle escapes him. "No worries, Watsumoto. You're here now. Now come over here with your brother."
Shozono's eyes land on Rygono. "So, what do you give me?"
Rygono dives his hand into his pocket and retrieves a gleaming gold coin. "I give you a gold coin. It's one of the finest jewels one can offer."
Shozono takes the golden coin and runs his fingers along its intricate etchings, examining its elements. "Interesting choice of a gift, my son."
Shozono shifts his attention to Watsumoto. "Now for you, Watsumoto, tell me what you gave."
"What I gave was everything. I gave everything I had to our clan. During the time I spent thinking about a gift, I realized that If I were to become the ruler of this clan, which is what I would need to give. Everything…"
Shozono beams with pride as he glances at his son. "Good job, my son. You've always had a good heart for everyone."
"Thank you, Father.."
Shozono glances at his sons, his eyes flickering back and forth as he weighs his decision. "I think it's apparent who the ruler should be…"
"…"
"…"
"…"
"Watsumoto, I choose you as the ruler of this clan."
With a furious expression, Rygono stomps onto the ground with a loud thud. "No fair! I gave you gold. It is good for our economy to trade with the other villages. And besides, I am stronger than Watsumoto. Why would you let him become the clan leader? It makes no sense!"
Shozono coughs heavily, clutching his chest with a pained expression. "My son, please have no anger before I enter the afterlife."
"I don't care!" Rygono's angry exit from the pier is punctuated by the sound of the door slamming shut.
Shozono's disappointment is apparent as he shakes his head. "Your brother has always had that temper of his. That's one of the many reasons I chose you even before the test."
"What? Really?"
"Yes, that test was just some confirmation that I needed. I'm glad to bestow my title upon you… I-" Shozono's violent coughing catches the attention of the guards who enter the room.
"Father, are you alright?" asks Watsumoto.
Shozono, weak and exhausted, places a trembling hand on Watsumoto's shoulder. "These will be my last words to you, my son. I believe you will surpass me as a ruler. You will do wonderful things for our clan. I know this because, like me, you have this inner power within you, showing you are the rightful chief of our tribe. I love you and your brother. Goodbye, my son…" Shozono's breathing grows shallower until it stops.
Watsumoto wipes away tears from his face and turns to his guards. "Start the funeral now and tell everyone to arrive at the graveyard in four hours."
"Yes, chief!" says the guards.
Watsumoto stands atop a pier, the weight of the past solemn six hours on his shoulders, as every clan member watches him with expectant eyes. His nerves become so intense that his throat tightens, rendering him speechless until he sees Ralzhon in the crowd, casting him a respectful glance. Watsumoto pauses, closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, and then opens his eyes to see the sea of faces before him.
"Don't worry, everyone. You're not the only one stricken with grief. My father has achieved remarkable things throughout his long tenure as Supreme Chief. The legacy he left behind for our clan is incredible, yet I kept asking myself how I would even be able to do what he did. I asked how I could amount to do what he did as a leader. How can I lead this great clan? Then, It dawned upon me during the funeral. I am not alone; I have an entire clan of people who can help me make us great. An entire clan who can bear the entire history of our ancestors on our shoulders and become even greater than the ones of the past! Today marks the day when we take the flames of the past and ignite one of the greatest futures for generations to come! Let's take the foundation from the past and build one of the greatest legacies ever!" Declares Watsumoto.
As the speech ends, the crowd erupts in cheers, but Rygono, who stands behind a tree, feels his anger and frustration grow. "It should be me; I should be the one who leads this clan, not him."
"What if I gave you the power to oppose this decision? What would you do?" says a scratchy, light voice behind him.
Rygono spins around to face a cloaked figure dressed in black. "What are you talking about?"
"I'll tell you everything if you simply agree with me.."