That same day.
A city shrouded in darkness stood on the southern bank of a river, encased within a vast black energy shield. No sunlight could penetrate the barrier, which emanated from a towering tree with black crystal leaves at the city's center.
Small hanging crystals dotted the streets, casting a dim, eerie glow over the shadowed city.
The Three-Eyed People who lived here were unlike those found up north. Their two lower eyes had pupils like a cat's—slit and sharp—allowing them to see in the perpetual darkness. Among them, certain individuals radiated an aura of magic energy, their bodies adorned with intricate purple markings, marking them as wielders of power.
Beneath the Black Crystal Tree, a young man knelt in reverence, his third eye open wide. Its pupil was pitch-black, so dark that it seemed to consume the dim light around him, casting an unnatural shadow in his presence.
Suddenly, the massive trunk of the tree rippled like the surface of a disturbed pond. From its depths, an old man emerged—his third eye bearing the same black abyssal pupil as the young man's.
Seeing him, the young man bowed even lower. "Elder."
The old man's gaze was piercing. "Daray, why have you disturbed my retreat? I entrusted you with making all decisions for the tribe in my absence."
Daray kept his head lowered. "Forgive me, Elder, but urgent news has arrived from Orm."
The spiritual energy in the air fluctuated, and from the swirling darkness, a black chair formed from condensed dark energy emerged behind the Elder. With an air of authority, he took his seat and gave a slight nod.
Seeing the Elder's approval, Daray continued, "Our tribe member in Orm reports that the coalition, which had been winning against the human invaders for the past half-month, has been blocked at Hern Fortress."
He paused before adding, "Also, our scout overheard that the Eyed Council has passed a proposal requiring all Middle-rank tribes to send an adequate number of soldiers, based on their capabilities, to join the war."
The Elder nodded, seemingly unfazed. "Our tribe is not required to send soldiers. You need not concern yourself with this."
Daray hesitated, confusion flickering in his eyes. Why? Their tribe was exempt from this obligation. He wanted to ask—but fear held his tongue. He still remembered the fate of Druk, who had dared to question the Elder once. His legs had been shattered for his insolence.
But the Elder noticed Daray's unspoken question. His lower eyes flashed with light as if weighing a decision. Finally, he spoke.
"Do you want to know why?"
Daray's body tensed. He shook his head quickly. "No, Elder."
But the Elder ignored his response, continuing as if he hadn't heard.
"I am preparing to advance to Silver-rank Shaman. Whether I succeed or not, I should tell you the truth—why our tribe chose to settle here and maintain relations with the small tribes to the north."
Daray had never understood why their tribe had settled in this region over 500 years ago in a region with already a large tribe, nor why the Elder had formed alliances through marriage with the smaller northern tribes. The forest part of the region was poor in resources, while the rich mountain ranges belonged to the WinterMoon Wolf Clan, searching for resources impossible.
Confused, he shook his head.
The Elder continued, "Do you know of the Wood Elf race, far to the south?"
Daray nodded. "I saw them once in Orm. They don't have a third eye like us, but they have pointed ears."
The Elder's gaze darkened. "To the Northeast, beyond the mountains, there exists another elven race—the Spider Elves. They inhabit the Night Forest region."
Daray was well aware of the Night Forest. The dark elemental energy there was so dense that the land was trapped in perpetual night, making it a paradise for dark elemental shamans like them. But it was also a forbidden zone—no one who entered had ever returned.
The Elder's voice grew solemn. "The Wood Elves and the Spider Elves are mortal enemies. Long ago, the Wood Elves signed an agreement with the Eyed Council, ensuring that the Spider Elves would never leave the Night Forest."
He paused before revealing the truth. "Our tribe was chosen to monitor the Night Forest and prevent the Spider Elves from leaving."
Daray's eyes widened.
"That is also why our tribe does not pay tribute to the Eyed Council."
Daray had always known that their tribe was exempt from paying tribute, something unheard of among Middle-rank and High-rank tribes. The first time he learned of it, he had been astonished. Every tribe—even the strongest—owed an annual tribute to the Eyed Council.
When he discussed it with shamans of his age, they had all assumed it was due to their tribe's secret ties with the Supreme Tribe—the Dark Thunder Tiger Tribe.
But now, he understood the real reason.
Their alliances with the northern tribes weren't just for influence or survival. They served a strategic purpose—to act as an early warning system.
And it had worked.
Through their northern informants, they had already received word that every single tribe in the narrow valley between the two mountain ranges had been wiped out.
The Snake Tribe had fallen to the Statue Tribe.
The rest? Destroyed by the invading humans.
A thought suddenly struck Daray. "Elder, then… the Statue Tribe advancing to Middle-rank status would benefit us, wouldn't it?"
Seeing the Elder nod in agreement, a wave of guilt washed over Daray's face.
The Elder immediately noticed. His expression hardened. "What did you do?"
Daray hesitated before answering. "I… sent Lady Yeana to teach the Statue Tribe's wolf a lesson."
The Elder's face froze. For a brief moment, silence hung heavy in the air. Then his voice came, colder than before. "Send someone to stop her. She must not injure the wolf."
Before Daray could respond, a new voice interrupted.
"No need to send anyone."
Neither Daray nor the Elder flinched at the voice; they recognized it instantly. Turning their heads, they looked toward the source.
A Dark Panther lay lazily on a thick tree branch as if it had been there the entire time, silently listening.
The Elder's gaze sharpened. "Yara, where were you this morning? The girl, Yeana—she may seriously injure the wolf. If that happens, the humans might seize the opportunity."
Yara stretched slightly before speaking. "I told you—my shadow servants stationed outside the Statue Tribe's valley detected high-level spiritual energy fluctuations inside."
The Elder gave a slow nod. "And after that, the Statue Tribe began to change. Their Elder advanced to Great Shaman, binding an owl as his familiar. One of their hunters also broke through to the Spirit Blood Realm."
Yara's feline eyes gleamed. "That's why I went to check this morning. And I was in for a pleasant surprise. Let's just say… Yeana is no match for the wolf."
The Elder's expression shifted, curiosity flashing in his ancient eyes.
The Elder's expression shifted, curiosity flashing in his ancient eyes.
"Now, tell me… what exactly did you see?"
Yara's tail flicked as he spoke. "I watched the wolf fight against a human team. One of them—a Bronze-rank shaman—was controlling dead energy. The wolf managed to kill three of her corpse puppets and escaped with only a slight injury."
He carefully described the battle scene, detailing each movement of the wolf.
Daray's eyes widened in shock. Many magic beasts could defeat a shaman of the same rank, but those creatures typically had bloodlines strong enough to reach Silver rank or higher. The Earth Wolf, however, had a limited bloodline—one that could barely reach early Bronze rank at best.
The Elder, equally stunned, narrowed his eyes. "How? Then Yeana is in danger."
Realizing the urgency, he turned sharply toward Daray. "What are you waiting for? Go—send someone to stop her!"
Before Daray could move, Yara spoke again, his tone calm. "No need. I already sent a Shadow Spirit to communicate with the wolf. It will ensure that Yeana is only taught a lesson, nothing more."
A hint of amusement flickered in his feline eyes. "She's grown wings after advancing to Bronze rank—this will be a good experience for her."
The Elder nodded, though his mind was still occupied with a deeper question. "How can an Earth Wolf be this strong?"
Yara's voice was laced with intrigue. "The Statue Tribe's totem may have awakened."
The Elder's expression darkened. "So my father's suspicion was right… the Statue Tribe's totem was asleep."
They had long known the Statue Tribe's location. Yara himself had once gone to investigate the statue tribe himself went the new tribe formed calling them statue tribe around 200 years ago, but the moment he tried to step into the valley, he felt an overwhelming, life-threatening presence. It was a warning—one he dared not ignore.
The Elder's thoughts raced, then settled into a firm decision. "Daray, inform the Lake Fox Tribe and the Giant Toad Tribe to disband and merge into the Statue Tribe. With their totem awakened, they are destined to become a Middle-rank tribe. If we help accelerate that process, they will remember our favor."
As Daray nodded and prepared to leave, Yara stretched lazily and purred, "Darr, I'm not done yet. The most interesting part is still to come."
He leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "After the battle, I followed the humans and listened to their conversation. I overheard everything."
The Elder's expression turned grave. "The Statue Tribe allying with the humans could become a major threat to us."
Yara's tail flicked as he chuckled. "Darr, I have an idea."
He held the Elder's gaze for a moment before continuing. "Your advancement to Silver-rank Shaman is incredibly risky. Your chances of success are slim. But… if we acquire fruit from the Nine-Eyed Holy Tree, your success will be guaranteed."
The Elder's eyes narrowed. "And how do you propose we get such a rare treasure?"
Yara's voice was laced with cunning. "Simple—we let the Statue Tribe ally with the humans. Let them grow stronger. Then, when the time is right, we destroy the humans… and claim the merit for eliminating the threat. With that merit, we can demand the Nine-Eyed Holy Fruit from the Eyed Council."
The Elder stroked his beard, considering the plan. "But for this to work, the Statue Tribe must first agree to an alliance with the humans."
Yara's grin widened. "I already took care of that. I left a Shadow Spirit at the passage to discuss my plan with the Statue Tribe."