"Raka, I am sorry to say this," Ulug said as soon as Raka was out of the ancestral chamber.
Raka's golden eyes gleamed as he looked at the man, his father's loyal follower.
'I knew that this would happen, but I never expected it to be this intense!' Raka commented as he looked at the crowd behind Ulug.
Disappointment—that was all he felt when he looked at the crowd.
He could hear the whispers among the many about how the great Maluk had given birth to a failure.
He could also see some faces, full of scorn and mockery toward him.
'Well, it's not like I care about them anyway.' He turned toward the women behind him, his mothers.
Raka's face twitched in discomfort as he saw the faces of disappointment and worry on his step-mothers.
All along the way outside, they stared at him silently, never squeaking a word.
Raka understood their concern; his half-siblings were too young to fight for themselves, and since Raka was now guaranteed not to become chief, the first thing the new chief would do is make them abandon their children if they were to become his wives.
But still, Raka wasn't too worried, but when his gaze fell on his mother, his breath hitched as he felt as if his heart stopped beating.
Marana was biting her lip while tears welled in the corners of her eyes. Her nails dug into her palm, painting it red.
Raka's golden eyes wavered as he looked at her, "M-Mother…"
He felt a lump in his throat as he looked at her, the memories of the past flashing in his mind.
Just as he was about to walk toward her, a voice boomed through the air, "Raka!"
The voice was rough, containing power, anger, and pride.
Everyone present looked at the source of the voice to see a man who seemed to be in his 50s walking toward the ancestral chamber.
He had long hair decorated in braids, his blue eyes glinting with madness while looking at the chief's son.
"Hey! Move! That's Rhanar!" one of the crowd shouted as she pushed the one behind her, making way for the man.
Rhanar reached the steps of the ancestral chamber; looking at Raka, he said, "Boy, you have lost the right to take the chief's position!"
Rhanar mocked, his towering figure shadowing Raka.
Yet, Raka maintained his footing; he ignored Rhanar's mocking and looked toward Ulug, wanting to see if he would defend him.
Ulug, however, was talking to a man who was the same age as Raka.
Raka's eyes darkened as he recognized the man; he was one of the guys who tried to bully Raka when he was young, Darak!
'So you have left me, huh!' Raka mumbled inwardly, disappointed in Ulug and his father's followers.
Rhanar's eyes twitched at the blatant disrespect shown by Raka, 'How dare you, boy!'
His blue eyes gleamed with fury as he looked at him; he wanted to plunge the boy right here, but he held on.
He looked over to the old woman, who was smirking as she looked at Raka; perhaps she was the only person in the entire tribe who was genuinely happy that another light-wielder had graced the tribe.
"Elder!" Rhanar called, his voice showing a hint of respect for the old woman. "Since Raka has awakened the Light element, he will join you as your disciple."
Looking back at Raka, a smirk bloomed on his face as he continued, "He has to learn how to treat us, warriors who contribute to the tribe!"
The light element in this world was thought of as a non-combat-oriented element. It was an excellent element, known to heal wounds, and practitioners, if proficient, could even regrow limbs!
That's why any light element user was greatly respected and given an elder position in the tribe right after awakening.
So why was Raka facing disappointment?
Because, unlike the old woman, who was a commoner in the tribe prior to her awakening, Raka is the chief's son; he is expected to lead the tribe after his father.
Sure, the light element user is respected throughout the tribe, but the respect is not enough to make him the chief, the most powerful member of the tribe.
Light element users cannot hunt, cannot win battles against other tribes; hence, the disappointment.
The atmosphere became silent as everyone looked at Raka, who was hanging his head low, making it difficult to see his expression.
Rhanar grinned as he looked at him, his blue eyes glinting with pleasure as he thought, 'I will humiliate you just like your father did to me!'
Ulug, the previous chief's loyal follower, looked at Raka with a complicated gaze; he knew he was betraying Raka's trust, but he was forced!
'I am sorry, Raka,' he apologized inwardly, 'but I cannot let anyone else be the chief!'
He turned back to the youth, leaning forward, his eyes resolute, "Get ready to initiate the sacred duel!"
The youth's eyes shone with agreement as he nodded his head and said, "Yes, Uncle!"
Marana, Raka's mother, looked at her son with tears in her eyes. She could not bear her son being humiliated by the tribesmen, but she was helpless.
She cannot intervene, nor can she leave. She clutched her hands tightly, feeling as if her heart were bleeding with sorrow. 'I am sorry, son. Your mother is useless!'
Raka closed his eyes as he hung his head low.
His mouth twitched heavily, fighting the urge to laugh out loud while cursing the people around him.
'Hahaha! Those fuckers think this element is useless in combat!?' He mocked his tribesmen inwardly, his chest gloating with pride for his element as he continued, 'This is the most versatile element of all the elements!'
Raka, or the man who possesses the body, is a modern man with modern knowledge, a physics grad, no less.
Who but he actually knows just how useful the light element is!
Lifting his head with a grin reaching his ears, Raka opened his eyes, his golden irises glinting with ridicule.
Rhanar's eyes trembled with confusion when he looked at the boy; not just him, everyone was confused as to why Raka was smiling.
"Looks like he lost it, Uncle." The boy behind Ulug commented, feeling strange about Raka's behavior.
"I, Raka," Raka began, his voice loud enough for everyone in the crowd to hear; the skulls of animals in front of the ancestral chamber trembled, shining in various lights.
The crowd, noticing the skulls, widened their eyes in surprise; they looked at Raka as if he were mental, "N-No way!!" one of them exclaimed.
"Raka, no!!" his mother yelled in fright, fearing the consequences of what her son was doing.
"He has really lost it!" Ulug exclaimed as he looked at Raka with wide eyes, fear gripping his heart. "Why is he initiating the sacred duel!?"
"I, Raka, son of Chief Maluk of the Zorani tribe. In the presence of the spirits of the ancestors, challenge anyone who wants the seat of the chief to a sacred duel!"