The old Tiger Tribe member paused, then lightly chuckled. "Lord Kent, the iron armor of the Highland Alliance is indeed well-crafted, but the warriors of the Grassland Alliance prefer more flexible and lightweight leather armor. In this regard, the manufacturing techniques of the Highland Alliance don't seem to have any particular advantage."
He was not wrong. Throughout the Red Soil Continent, the Highland Alliance was famous for its heavy armored legions, while the Forest Alliance was known for its jungle warriors and hunters, who favored lightweight and well-protective leather armor. In fact, the Forest Alliance excelled in leather armor crafting, surpassing the Highland Alliance's techniques.
"No, what I mean is magic-infused armor that doesn't require magical affinity to activate," Kent said.
"What?" The old Tiger Tribe member thought he had misheard, and the other Tiger Tribe members also showed signs of shock. "This... this is impossible!"
"Otherwise, how do you think this barbarian warrior, who just joined us, was able to easily defeat an opponent of the same level?" Kent snorted lightly and said, "Now, tell me, what conditions do you have that would be worth me speaking with you this much, even releasing you?"
Sweat appeared on the old Tiger Tribe member's forehead for the first time. He turned his head, glancing at his companions, as if making some decision.
"Of course, Lord Kent," the old Tiger Tribe member slowly said. "I hope to have the opportunity to establish a trade relationship with you... for magic-infused armor. But before that, let me introduce ourselves."
"I am all ears."
"We come from the Cold Spine Mountain Range, a branch of the Tiger Tribe throne." The old Tiger Tribe member paused.
"The Forest Alliance... is already in the midst of internal strife."
In ancient memory, long before any written records, before the light illuminated the continent...
It is said that a small tribe from the Evernight Continent once settled here on this continent.
No one knew where the Evernight Continent was, and no one even knew if it truly existed. However, merchant caravans from beyond the continent often brought tales of the Evernight Continent, with some claiming that it held the secrets of this world, and others saying that the origin and end of the world lay deep within its depths.
Among the many proverbs passed down, one, though unverified, claimed to have originated from the depths of Evernight:
"The place of departure is also the place of return..."
"Death is also rebirth..."
In the songs of wandering minstrels, crossing the frozen poles, and reaching the farthest mountains, at the end of time, one would arrive at the Evernight Continent. There, darkness reigned, and this was the origin of its name. There were rumors that the Evernight Continent was surrounded by ice seas and volcanoes, filled with terrifying giant monsters, even dragons.
Most would doubt the truth of these tales. If the Evernight Land was truly as terrifying as they claimed, then why would a tribe manage to survive there?
No one could provide an answer.
Nevertheless, this legendary tribe from Evernight gradually thrived and spread across the Red Soil Continent, becoming the ancestors of all tribes. Their first footprints reached the forest, where the abundant resources and wild beasts provided precious food. Some tribe members settled there, while others continued exploring the vast continent after a brief stay.
The grasslands were their second stop. The gentle land and the sky so close made some of their tribe members stay, unable to leave. The remaining members moved on, reaching the highlands.
Like sparks that grow into fire, new life spread across the vast continent, taking root and flourishing with their footprints.
Later, ancient wise ones harnessed the power of nature and the stars, creating the sacred Eye of the Sun. They placed the Eye deep in the highlands, where the land was closer to the heavens. Two giant spears were also driven into the highlands to guard the Eye of the Sun. These two spears were the present-day Uru Buk Mountain.
The light from the Eye of the Sun began to shine. Under its influence, people in different regions received guidance, discovered the power of the Void, and began to explore the unknown world of powers. In this process, different tribes gradually mastered various abilities.
The tribes of the Grassland Alliance became intensely interested in the vast starry sky early on. With utmost reverence, they worshipped the stars, exploring the connection between the stars and the mind. Through this process, they discovered and mastered what would later be called "Star Techniques"—abilities for divination and prophecy, using it to communicate with the world.
The Forest Alliance tribes, on the other hand, learned from the natural world, deeply researching the survival methods of animals, learning the abilities of hunting, evasion, tracking, and survival from the beasts. During this learning process, they merged with the life-filled Blackwood Forest and became a race capable of mastering the skills of the beasts. They believed that the way to survive in the world was to continually strengthen oneself and grow powerful in order to coexist with nature.
But... nothing ever remains unchanged...
No one knows when, but cracks began to form between the tribes of the Forest Alliance, and these rifts grew larger and more pronounced over time.
A few years ago, several tribes within the Forest Alliance, skilled in earth-based powers, began to rise. After years of exploring the power of the earth, they developed a series of deadly abilities, which triggered concerns from the other tribes. This caused a split between the earth-based tribes and the sky-based ones.
The leader of the strongest earth-based tribe, Leo, proposed at the council of the eight tribes to once again wage war on the Highland Alliance, expanding their territory beyond the Blackwood Forest. However, this proposal was dismissed by the leader of the Eagle Tribe, who invoked the peace treaty signed after the previous war.
In a fit of anger, Leo did not act immediately but led his Earth Warriors to launch a surprise attack on the Eagle Tribe's camp that night. The unsuspecting Eagle Tribe members were slaughtered in their sleep, with Leo personally tearing open the chest of the Eagle Tribe leader and pulling out his bloody heart, before ordering the extermination of the entire tribe.
Only the Eye of the Sun would remember all of this, as the young Leo and his Tiger Tribe warriors refused to acknowledge their bloodline. They did not want to accept that their bloodline had inherited the vast lands of Blackwood Forest, known as the "Land of Life," which had now been overshadowed by the shadow of death.
The leader of the Forest Alliance, Leo's father, the King of Giant Bears, Udo, ordered the assembly of warriors from the various tribes to hunt down the traitors. However, his orders never reached their destination, as the tribe leaders who had sworn allegiance to Leo had already betrayed Udo. They bound him and brought him before Leo. Udo could only watch as his son, Leo, the traitor of the Forest Alliance, declared himself the King of the Tiger Tribe and smiled as he slit Udo's throat, leaving his father's eyes open in death.
Leo hung his father's head on the flagpole outside the tribal council hall, announcing that the Tiger Tribe was officially separating from the Forest Alliance. "Those who submit will live, those who resist will die." The three earth-based tribes swore loyalty to Leo's Tiger Tribe, while the remaining tribes perished one after another under the pursuit of his warriors. Even infants were not spared.
The rebellion lasted for months. The Blackwood Forest became a place of dark slaughter, and in the end, the young faction led by Leo, representing the earth-based abilities, defeated their sky-based kin and drove them out of the Blackwood Forest. The few neutral tribes, as well as the Tiger Tribe throne faction that did not support the slaughter, became disheartened and left, migrating to the Cold Spine Mountains to the west of the Blackwood Forest.