Chapter 165 : Chapter 165

Chapter 165 : Beastkin Conference (1)

The World Tree, Maron's, words were not wrong.

Him bestowing blessings upon the elves and fairies was as good as helping me.

But for some reason, I didn't feel all that great about it…….

‘Since when did you accumulate enough power to bestow blessings?’

– Not long. I got some breathing room when you received the support of the demons and the northern knights in the North.

‘You must have even more now.’

I looked around at the Lizardfolk.

Whenever they met my eyes, they would stop in their tracks and offer a polite greeting.

I now knew well what the gazes of those who believed in me looked like.

After I killed the Octopus of Ten Thousand Eyes, not only the Lizard King Urseca but all the Lizardfolk under his command were giving me their trust.

The faith they offered would also be helping Maron build his power.

Not only the Lizardfolk, but Soler and the Black Veil also lent me their strength.

Soler had publicly announced that I had killed the Octopus of Ten Thousand Eyes and she also declared that she would no longer challenge for the title of Hero of the Adjak family.

Following Soler's declaration, her father, the head of the 3rd Autonomous Region, Milias, also made a move.

He withdrew his support for Soler and announced to the Council of Elders that he would support me as the Hero of the Adjak family.

Through this series of events, my achievements spread further and wider.

The selection of the Adjak family's hero was no longer just a family event.

Much debate went on about who would become the hero to succeed the peerless hero, Adjak.

Processes like these would also be of great help to Maron in regaining his divinity.

– You are right. Thanks to making you my apostle, I am accumulating more and more power.

Maron's dispirited voice made me feel unnecessarily sorry.

‘You did well.’

– No. Peace, that fellow is giving you strength, but I am unable to help.

‘That's not true. In any case, when we go to Myeolji, won't we need the power of death more than peace?’

– …….

‘You can continue as you are now. Soon, I too will draw out the faith of many, so that you won't be lacking no matter how much power you hand over to the elves or fairies.’

Maron was once the God of Death who commanded the world.

The God of Death who had even overwhelmed the Demon King in the Mythic Era.

There was no need to needlessly break his spirit.

In the end, the one to whom Maron would bestow the most power was also me.

‘The day I become the King of the Inoe. Please just wait for that day.’

— Alright. I will trust you.

I had once again conveyed to Maron that I would become the King of the Inoe.

The movement to install me as the King of the Inoe was actively underway.

Lizard messengers, holding the invitations to the Beastkin Conference, departed for the Lizard Kings scattered in various places.

The Beastkin lives scattered across a vast region.

Because of that, they said it would take quite a long time for the messengers to go, to receive a reply, and for the Beastkin to arrive.

‘It really hits me that besides humans and demons, there's another huge force in this world that has yet to unite.’

The Lizard King Urseca conveyed with confidence.

He said that no Beastkin king would fail to participate in the conference he was hosting, so all I had to do was rest easy.

But Keldric said to me while warming up.

“You're not just going to rest easy, are you?”

“Of course, just because we have free time doesn't mean we can rest.”

“Great! I knew it!”

Not just Keldric, but Bea and Everchen were also preparing on their own without me having to say anything.

My companions and I were not accustomed to rest.

Because we had always strived to use our time as efficiently as possible.

“How about a round of sparring?”

“Sounds good. Not here, how about in the swamp?”

“Ugh…… our legs will sink right in.”

“We need to learn how to fight in places like that too.”

My companions and I headed for the swampy area.

Bea on Nihel and I, with [Wings of Ainsitel] spread open, flew ahead.

Everchen and Keldric were falling behind a little, having to make their way through the swamp.

“What's the order for the sparring?”

“Let's have the four of us fight all at once in a free-for-all.”

“Sounds good.”

Bea nodded in agreement.

But Keldric seemed quite displeased with that decision.

“Everchen, hurry up and say you don't want to.”

“Why?”

“Bea is cheating by riding Nihel. We're at a disadvantage.”

“I think trying to go one-on-one with an archer is even more of a cheat.”

“……Then tell Polarin to fold his wings. We're the only ones stuck in the swamp.”

Everchen and Keldric looked at me at the same time.

“Saying we should get used to fighting in the swamp, but they're the only ones cheating!”

But Everchen just shook his head.

“Didn't you bring the shoes the Black Veil gave as a gift?”

“Huh, I left them behind? Don't tell me you?”

“I'm about to put them on now.”

Keldric's mouth fell open as if he felt betrayed.

But Everchen paid him no mind and took out the swamp flippers he had received from the Black Veil and put them on.

“Sparring, let's start right away.”

“Hey!”

A somewhat playful atmosphere was formed, but Keldric soon collected himself.

Kwangkwang!

Keldric slammed his fists together, making a threatening sound.

“Then, I'll start.”

I manifested Star-Devouring Severance from the very beginning and rushed to Everchen.

Kwagwagwang!

A Titan Blade fell into the swamp.

The sparring match between four 8th-Rank individuals began to make the swamp tremble.

***

Grrrrr…….

Balua, covered in blood, growled in a low tone.

Countless members of the Tiger tribe were watching, surrounding Balua. But everyone just stared at Balua as if they had lost their words.

And for good reason, because a large-bodied member of the Tiger tribe lay fallen before Balua.

The one who had fallen before Balua was the king of the Tiger tribe.

Though he had now become the former king after being defeated by Balua.

“To think the king lost to a half-tiger……”

“Don't say such things. From now on, the Tiger King is Lord Balua.”

The Tiger tribe was a race that worshiped strength.

Anyone could challenge the king, and if they won, they became the king.

That being said, it wasn't common for the king to change.

This was because no tiger with mediocre skills ever ascended to the throne.

But Balua was not mediocre.

He had the confidence to overcome anyone and the strength to prove it.

Grrrung…….

Balua growled once more.

This time, it was a growl uttered as a warning to the other tigers watching him.

The tigers froze in an instant.

Even without words, they clearly understood Balua's intent.

The tigers expressed their respect to Balua by digging their sharpened claws into the ground.

Balua looked around at the Tiger tribe.

‘To think that I, who was never even acknowledged as a member of the Tiger tribe, have become the Tiger King.’

Balua, who had human blood mixed in him, had not been accepted by the Tiger tribe. So, seeing the tigers paying their respects to him, he felt a new sense of emotion.

At one time, Balua was classified as a special individual even in the Adjak family and did not get along well with others, but his current status was different.

Balua was a proud member of the Twelve Swords of Adjak, and had at some point risen to a position representing the Adjak family.

But Balua was just grateful that the family had acknowledged him, and had faithfully carried out the family's work without demanding anything.

But now it was time for Balua to change.

He had made up his mind ever since Tayon, his closest friend among the 12 Swords, was dragged to Myeolji.

The one who helped him with that decision was Tayon's disciple and the most noted talent in the family, Polarin Adjak.

When Balua first saw Polarin, he had a habit of saying he would conquer Myeolji since his coming-of-age ceremony.

At first, he thought it was just the childish words of an ambitious kid, but Polarin Adjak gradually proved his words.

In the end, Balua came to acknowledge Polarin and to install Polarin as the family's hero and the King of the Inoe, Balua became the Tiger King.

Just then, the sound of footsteps approaching Balua was heard from somewhere.

All the members of the Tiger tribe had their claws dug into the ground. Balua looked in the direction the sound was coming from.

A single Lizard was running quickly towards Balua.

The tigers rolled their eyes and were on guard.

But Balua raised his hand as if to say it was alright, stopping the Tiger tribe's movement.

‘Looks like Polarin succeeded.’

As Balua had intuited, the approaching Lizard knelt on one knee as soon as he stood before Balua.

Then he held out a stone with the Lizard King's claw marks pressed into it.

“Lizard King. Urseca. Beastkin Conference. Wants.”

Grrrrr…….

Balua murmured lowly.

The Lizard's reaction was one of bewilderment, but the Tiger tribe rose from their spots at once.

Balua had become unable to speak after injuring his vocal cords in the past, but the Tiger tribe understood his intentions just from his low growl.

“The King will participate in the conference!”

“Warriors, prepare yourselves!”

Balua, who had communicated by writing among humans, had many thoughts as he watched the Tiger tribe who understood him instantly without him needing to speak.

‘This isn't so bad either.’

The Lizard who had come as a messenger unknowingly flinched at the spirit of the tigers.

***

A shining greatsword stuck in the swamp.

Thousands of arrows poured towards the greatsword.

A fiend that eats the arrows.

A red mist.

Kwarururung!

And even lightning striking from all directions.

Soler also participated in the sparring match with me and my companions.

The Fivefold Transformations of five people mingled together, threatening each other.

At that moment, I saw a striped pattern approaching through the swamp.

The Tiger tribe, led by Balua, was the first to approach the Lizardfolk territory.

But we did not stop our sparring.

Kwareung! Kwareung!

I struck lightning even more fiercely, pressuring Soler and I flew into the place where Soler's Fourfold Transformation, the Red Mist, was thickest.

The mist that Soler had spread gathered together to block my entry.

But I, having become lightning, swung Maron and cut through the Red Mist.

And I knocked Soler right over.

“Yaak!”

I helped up Soler, who was stuck in the swamp.

Around that time, the battle between Keldric, Everchen, and Bea also entered a lull.

“Let's call it a day for today, we have guests.”

At my words, my companions nodded and plopped down in the swamp.

We called it sparring, but we were fighting with everything we had, not even sparing our Fourfold Transformations.

One misstep could lead to a serious injury, but we clashed with all our might as much as possible.

I believed that this realistic experience would elevate us to the next level.

Seeing that the sparring had stopped, the Tiger tribe, which had been at a distance, also began to gradually approach.

Then, my companions also lifted their tired bodies.

“Was that what those humans did?”

“……Looks like it.”

The Tiger tribe approached, looking very surprised.

They must have been able to feel the power of the sparring even from a distance.

That was one of the reasons we didn't stop sparring even in front of the Tiger tribe.

It was to make them feel a sense of awe when they saw us.

And our intention seemed to have hit the mark exactly.

Some of the Tiger tribe even looked as if they were scared, belying their large frames.

I grinned and approached Balua. Balua also smiled faintly and approached me.

Cheok!

Balua's thick hand and my hand met.

We shook hands firmly.

“You've gone through a lot to come here.”

Balua shook his head.

“Please come this way. The Lizard King is waiting.”

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