[The Hall of Leadership]
The Supreme Leader sat silently on his throne, his eyes closed and his expression calm and serene, though his brows were furrowed in a mysterious manner. His mind was working rapidly, analyzing the dilemma they faced. He reviewed every possible scenario, but his frown did not ease.
Although the knowledge of Sollivan’s true nature had brought him some relief, he was not foolish enough to let his guard down completely because of it.
After a short while, he finally opened his eyes and looked at the young noble standing respectfully before him.
"Blear, are you sure of what you said? Are you confident that your followers didn’t overlook anything?"
Blear raised his head and looked into his father’s eyes with confidence, then replied politely, "I’m certain, Father. We searched the area multiple times, and the result was the same each time. There were no traces other than those of the hybrid boy. Even after tracking them, we lost his trail near a plain ruled by a powerful beast."
Blear’s brows furrowed, and he paused for a moment before adding in a doubtful tone, "Your concerns are valid, Father. Upon reconsidering, the traces left by the hybrid were strange and fragmented, as if he had suddenly appeared in that location."
The warriors’ ability to track traces was the second thing they prided themselves on, after their strength. But the traces left by Sollivan had left them deeply puzzled. They had been unable to follow them once they disappeared near the plain of the powerful beast.
Even after hours of searching, they had found nothing despite combing the entire area. Concealing one’s traces wasn’t impossible, but Sollivan was weak and helpless, making it impossible for him to possess such an ability.
Even the possibility of a powerful individual aiding him seemed unlikely, especially given the circumstances in which they had found him.
Blear’s frown deepened, and at the same time, a strong curiosity arose within him, making him eager to uncover the truth about the hybrid he had brought back. To him, as much as Sollivan posed a potential threat, he was also an opportunity to understand the truth about primal blood and the powerful clans beyond the vast plains.
Blear was a strong young man of high status, but that was limited to his tribe alone. If he ventured far enough from his homeland, he would become just another ordinary person with common blood, like the majority of the world’s population.
However, he had no desire to remain confined to his homeland forever. His ambitions were great, and he aspired to reach heights beyond his father and ancestors. Why not leave the plains for better, more prosperous lands?
The Supreme Leader looked at him and noticed the subtle changes in his expression and aura. Immediately, he understood his thoughts.
He shook his head and smiled faintly. Seeing his ambitious and conflicted son reminded him of his own youth. He, too, had entertained such wild thoughts and fantasies when he was young.
For this reason, he decided to remain silent and offer no advice or guidance, leaving time and experience to refine his son’s ambitions and character. Observing his son’s mental state made him forget his original purpose. After a moment of silence, he let out a long sigh, expelling the gloom that had settled in his chest.
His long sigh snapped his son out of his daze, and Blear looked at him. At that moment, he found his father gazing sharply at a specific corner of the tent, his eyes as piercing as a hawk’s, as if they could see through a person’s depths and penetrate thick walls.
Blear slowly turned his head and looked in the direction his father was staring, but all he saw was a wooden wall covered with some embroidered leather.
He furrowed his brows and looked back at his father, only to find him still gazing in the same direction, as if he could see beyond the wall and into the distant, dark horizon. Then, he heard him say with a hint of sarcasm, "There’s no need to overthink it. Everything will be revealed in time."
The Supreme Leader turned and looked at him with a gaze that carried some tenderness, without losing his regal dignity. Then he said in a gentle tone, "Go and rest. You’ve traveled a long way. There’s no need to dwell on this too much. I’ll take care of everything. All you need to do is—"
His words suddenly stopped. His brows furrowed deeply, and a strange look appeared on his face. He quickly turned and looked in the direction of the stone tower, and his surprise turned into shock, followed by an extremely stern expression.
The drastic changes in his expression did not escape his son’s notice. With fear and hesitation, Blear asked, "What’s wrong, Father?"
His fear was not unfounded. The things that could make his father show such expressions were few and far between. If it wasn’t an attack from an enemy force or a powerful beast, he couldn’t fathom what kind of disaster they might be facing.
The Supreme Leader froze for a moment, then his usual stern expression returned. He turned slowly and replied in a cold, dark tone, "A powerful presence has emerged in the isolation tower."
These words struck Blear like a thunderbolt, making his head ring. His thoughts tangled, and strangely, a vague image of the human boy appeared in his mind, deepening his frown.
He didn’t understand why he thought of the human hybrid the moment he heard about the well. In a hesitant tone, he asked with a hint of fear, "The well... Does this have something to do with the hybrid we sent with the priest?"
The well was no trivial matter. If you asked all the tribes in the central plains about the most dangerous thing they could face, their answer would be unanimous: "The emergence of abyssal beasts from the wells."
Yet, despite this, they were unwilling to give up the wealth that could be extracted from the wells. For this reason, the wells were strictly guarded and isolated in fortified towers and castles to prevent potential disasters.
The Supreme Leader did not answer his question. All he did was stand from his throne with full dignity, spreading his majestic and overwhelming aura around him. Then he said in a tone as stern as a royal decree, "Follow me."
...
Above the tribe’s massive gate, a middle-aged man leaned on a thick beast hide and drank a strange brown liquid from a crudely made wooden bottle.
The man had a large beard and unkempt hair, along with a massive scar that divided his face in two, reflecting the flames above the wall and highlighting his fierce and terrifying appearance. This was the same man Sollivan had seen earlier, the one who had opened the gate for them.
The disfigured man raised his bottle again and took a sip of the strange drink with sunken, drunken eyes. But his drowsy eyes suddenly became clear.
His hand froze in place, and his breath stopped, causing the liquid in the bottle to spill onto his face and cover his dirty beard. His brows furrowed, and without warning, he jumped from his spot and ran at an insane speed toward the leadership palace.
...
In a small tent in the eastern region of the tribe, a burly man held a small, gentle-eyed child in his hands and played with him happily.
Despite his massive build and stern features, the man’s eyes were gentle and clear, like those of a peaceful man. He had a small mustache and a light beard, and although he wore elegant clothes, his rough appearance remained unchanged.
"Wah!"
The little boy smiled and played with his father’s large hand happily, making the rough man’s heart soften. But his relaxed body suddenly stiffened.
His brows furrowed, and his gentle expression turned stern. He turned his head and looked in the direction of the leadership palace. Carefully, he placed the boy down in his cradle and covered him, ensuring he was warm and protected from the night’s chill.
He walked slowly out of his tent and closed the door. At that moment, all traces of gentleness disappeared, and he ran at an insane speed, reaching the leadership palace within seconds.
As soon as he arrived, his eyes met those of the disheveled man who had also appeared in front of the palace’s wide gate. The two men did not speak or greet each other. All they did was look at the man who had suddenly appeared from behind the gate.
Both men stared at the Supreme Leader with stern faces, then, with utmost respect, they struck their chests with their fists and saluted him.
"Supreme Warrior Kendrick greets the Supreme Leader," the disheveled man saluted first, then the burly man spoke: "Supreme Warrior Fredrick greets the Supreme Leader."
The rank of Supreme Warrior was no small matter. In their tribe, the "Red Horns," the Supreme Warrior held the highest status after the Supreme Leader and the High Priest. For this reason, there were only four Supreme Warriors, the elite of the elite and the undisputed strongest under the Supreme Leader.
The Supreme Leader did not respond to their greetings and ordered sternly, "Warrior Kendrick, summon the Death Warriors and surround the isolation tower. There’s a breach."
"As for you, Fredrick, you will accompany me inside the tower."
The two warriors were surprised and looked at each other in shock. They had sensed the Supreme Leader’s aura, which he only released in emergencies.
But they had not expected a breach or invasion from the well. Despite being among the strongest in the tribe, they were still far inferior to the Supreme Leader.
This explained why they hadn’t sensed the aura of the beast that had emerged. Their respectful auras disappeared, replaced by raw power. Warrior Kendrick looked at the Supreme Leader and struck his chest like a drum before rushing off.
As for Fredrick, all he did was stand in place and wait for the Supreme Leader to move. But his usual calm and peaceful aura had completely vanished, leaving only an urgent desire to go to the well and eradicate the problem.
Blear silently observed everything, secretly admiring his father’s dominance. A look of longing appeared in his eyes, and his desire to become stronger grew.
To him, the position of Supreme Leader was not guaranteed. Their tribe recognized only strength.
If he did not meet expectations and reach a high level, he would be sidelined by his followers, who would see him as unworthy. In their culture, status meant little, and people would not pledge loyalty to anyone weaker than themselves.
Unlike Sollivan’s previous world, where strength played a fundamental role, people still held some respect for those of high status, even if they were weaker.
After a brief moment of hesitation, Blear steeled himself and stepped forward, then struck his chest and said firmly, "Supreme Leader, let me accompany you."
The Supreme Leader turned his head and looked at him with a less stern expression, and without hesitation, he replied, "Very well."
Although what was happening inside the well was still unknown, he was confident in his ability to handle the situation. Despite the danger, this disaster would be a good opportunity for his son to broaden his horizons and deepen his knowledge of the well and the abyssal beasts.
Blear smiled happily and wanted to strike his chest in gratitude, but his father’s rough hand gripped his shoulder and stopped him.
Before he could realize what was happening, his father took a step forward, covering hundreds of steps in an instant, as if flying at incredible speed. Blear’s hair and clothes fluttered in the wind, and his eyes widened to take in the exhilarating feeling of this long leap.
As soon as the wind subsided and the world around him regained clarity, he found himself standing before a massive, fortified tower. He looked around warily and in awe, then glanced at the four guards in front of the tower’s gate.
He felt a faint chill coming from behind him. He turned slowly and saw Supreme Warrior Fredrick, who had just arrived. He had been slower than the Supreme Leader, so he had lagged behind for a moment.
As for the well guards, upon seeing a group of unknown figures appear out of nowhere, they took a step back and prepared for combat. But as soon as they recognized the Supreme Leader, their eyes widened, their fighting intent vanished, and was replaced by great respect. At the same time, they gently touched their chests and bowed their heads slightly, saluting him.
"Your Excellency, the Supreme Leader."
"Open the gate." Although the Supreme Leader ordered them sternly, he couldn’t hide the slight frown that appeared on his face.
’What’s going on? The tower should be in chaos due to what’s happening in the well. Weren’t they informed?’
His brows furrowed. ’Perhaps the priests in the well have isolated the lower hall from the rest of the tower.’
The gate opened, revealing the long, torch-lit corridor. Without hesitation, the Supreme Leader and his companions walked inside. Their steps were incredibly fast, and they navigated the winding passages smoothly, having memorized the route by heart. After a few seconds, they reached the first white gate.
Clang!
The Supreme Leader took the keys from his pocket and quickly opened the gate, which closed behind them as soon as they entered.
Blear silently followed his father’s movements, observing everything without uttering a word. The situation was critical, and he didn’t want to distract his father from the task at hand.
They opened the subsequent gates with the same speed, and at the third gate, a dark aura saturated with a terrifying chill spread through the area, making him shiver involuntarily. He glanced at his father and Fredrick, but he noticed no change in their expressions, as if they were unaffected by this mysterious cold. Without hesitation, they continued descending the stairs.
When they reached the lower hall, they were met with a massive red barrier blocking their view of what was happening on the other side, but it couldn’t hide the aura of death emanating from behind it. The Supreme Leader frowned and muttered, "As I expected."
Then he put the keys in his pocket, gathered his energy in his fist, and with eerie calmness, punched the barrier.
Crack!
It seemed like an ordinary strike, but it was imbued with immense force, causing Blear and Fredrick to step back. The first layer of the barrier shattered, and a network of cracks spread rapidly across its surface.
There was no need for a second punch, as the wall began to crumble, turning into rubble within moments.
As soon as it collapsed, an angry scream echoed through the hall.
"You can’t!"
The Supreme Leader and his companions quickly scanned the hall, finding the priests busy completing the well’s seal. But what truly caught their attention was the mysterious shadow pouncing on Sollivan, who was trying to crawl away, albeit very slowly.
The Supreme Leader extended his hand and muttered angrily, "Damn it... It’s trying to form a contract with him!"
In an instant, he disappeared from his spot and reappeared beside Sollivan, but his intervention came too late.
The shadow had completely attached itself to Sollivan’s body, spreading over him like a black liquid crawling slowly across his skin, as if it were living paint.
Blear’s expression changed, and conflicting emotions appeared on his face. But what dominated him most was bitterness... and envy.
Yes, he felt jealous of Sollivan, who had obtained this rare, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He silently lamented not being born with strong blood like the wretched hybrid before him. He wasn’t sure of his feelings and didn’t know how to react to the situation, so he simply sighed and observed from afar.
"Ah..."
Sollivan’s eyes turned completely black, and darkness spread across his body, completely obscuring his features. He screamed in suppressed pain, trying in vain to tear off the black layer covering his skin, but all he managed to do was wound himself, causing drops of blood to seep out.
As for the Supreme Leader and the others in the hall, they silently observed, not daring to intervene. They knew well that any interruption to this process could lead to catastrophic consequences for both parties, and perhaps for the entire hall.