After Alex's group's defeat, each tribe returned to their respective areas, gathering in a melancholic atmosphere. For them, it wasn't just about losing a match; it was about disappointing Alex's expectations. They felt incapable, weak, and inferior.
Seeing this, Alex began his address:
"I know you wanted to win, but you didn't. I won't try to motivate you. We lost simply because we're weaker than they are. We can only improve with time. As for me having to fight, I doubted this wouldn't happen. Regardless of the outcome, even if you had won, I would have had to prove myself anyway. So, all of this was inevitable."
Hearing Alex's words, they could only accept the loss and move forward. At that moment, they sensed someone silently approaching their camp.
It was an elder, but no one had seen this elder before.
Aurélio positioned himself in front, stopping the unfamiliar elder.
"What do you want here? I know we lost the second match, but you'd better not try to humiliate us. Don't forget, you also lost to us in the first match—to me!"
Stopping, the unknown elder looked at Aurélio and lowered his head in acknowledgment.
"Don't worry, young one. I'm not here to humiliate you or anything of the sort. I've come because I have something very serious to discuss about this competition, about Scar, and why he wants to hand the tribe over to your leader."
Hearing this, Alex allowed him entry.
Upon entering the tent, the elder bowed to Alex.
"Pleasure to meet you, Chief from beyond the waters. My name is Fuji, and I am an exile. Yesterday, a companion of mine met with Scar to confirm our suspicions. Unfortunately, they were corr—"
Not understanding anything, Alex interrupted.
"Wait, stop. Start from the beginning. I don't understand you. You said you're an exile, so why are you here?"
Realizing he had rushed, the elder apologized.
"My apologies. I had to tell you something urgent, but it seems I was too hasty. Let me start from the beginning, then. To do that, I must tell you about Scar and how he became the tribe's leader."
"Years ago, when Scar was very young, he was already stronger than anyone in the tribe. Not only that, but he was also more intelligent. In the beginning, he was ostracized by everyone. The only reason he wasn't expelled was that his father was the tribe's chief at the time, and his mother was the leading woman. He was protected but not accepted by the others because he was different.
As Scar grew, he demonstrated skills no one had ever seen. Even our neighbors, back when they were normal, knew about the little red monkey."
Alex raised his hand, signaling the elder to stop.
"Hmm. I'll hear your story, but first, tell me what your goal is. Anger? Resentment? Revenge? You said you're an exile, so Scar wouldn't want you around here. Before telling me your story, tell me your intention."
Looking at Alex and his tribe, the elder bowed his head and let out a sad sigh.
"My intentions? Just one: for Scar to die. And not out of anger or revenge, but simply because someone like him should never have been born. He is a monster—not one of us. He's something bad, very bad."
Hearing the elder's words, Alex became even more certain that his theory about Scar hiding something big with this competition was correct.
"Very well. Proceed. I'll hear what you have to say and decide accordingly."