Tribal Chief

The sunset faded, night fell, and the stars shone brilliantly.

Jiang You and his three young companions returned to High Barbarian Mountain with the remaining three forest wolf carcasses.

By then, a bonfire was already burning on the cliff, and the plump, thick-skinned boar was roasting on a spit.

The Eaglemen gathered in several rings around the bonfire, watching the roasting boar with eager expressions.

Some of the Eaglemen children were already drooling, their mouths watering.

Thick-skinned boars were the fattest, most succulent prey in the Whispering Forest. Even Jiang You and his companions rarely encountered one these days.

Stumbling upon three wolves surrounding and attacking a thick-skinned boar, then reaping the spoils, was a stroke of luck they seldom enjoyed.

Once the roasting was done, Jiang You received the juiciest piece of boar meat.

After all the Eaglemen had eaten and drunk their fill, a stooped old Eagleman with gray-white wings shakily rose to his feet. He walked over to the bonfire, faced the gathered Eaglemen, and spoke loudly.

"My fellow tribespeople, it has been three years since Chief Yi led all our young, able-bodied men to the Vast Sea Forest to join the war launched by the Thunder Titan."

"They have yet to return. They must have long since been buried beneath the sands!"

"Deep down, you all know that, don't you?"

The old Eagleman's words tore open the scab over an old wound, and the Eaglemen of the tribe lowered their heads.

Before long, Jiang You heard sobbing around him.

The Eagleman warriors were far too weak. Apart from their ability to fly, they had nothing to offer.

On a battlefield of such immense scale, they were little more than cannon fodder. The slightest spillover from a powerful fighter's attacks could kill them in droves.

"Thankfully, three years have passed, and some of our children have grown up. They can now help their mothers hunt. You, in particular, can even kill a forest wolf on his own."

The old Eagleman continued.

Half a year earlier, Jiang You had killed a lone wolf by himself.

"Every wolf pack has its leader. A tribe cannot go without one."

"I propose that You take Yi's place as chief of our High Barbarian Mountain Tribe!"

At last, the old Eagleman revealed his purpose.

He was too old, and the tribe had no grown men to bridge the gap between generations. Only Jiang You could serve as chief. Though he was still a young Eagleman, he was no less capable than an adult.

The first to voice their agreement were the young Eaglemen around Jiang You's age.

They had grown up alongside Jiang You and had long since come to admire him.

With the youngsters in favor, their mothers naturally had no objections. Thus, nearly half the tribe supported Jiang You becoming their new chief.

Even among those who remained silent, not one person objected.

And so it was settled!

The old Eagleman smiled in relief. He walked up to Jiang You and asked with a smile.

"You, are you willing to shoulder the future of the High Barbarian Mountain Eaglemen Tribe?"

As he asked, he watched Jiang You's composed expression and nodded inwardly.

Jiang You did not hesitate. He nodded solemnly.

"Elder, I am willing to become chief!"

Danger lurked everywhere in this primeval wilderness. Without transcendent power, he could survive only by relying on the strength of his tribe.

He was no longer a player. He had only one life.

Becoming the tribal chief was something he wanted, too.

They had spent three years together, day in and day out. He was not made of wood or stone. How could he feel nothing for them?

At the very least, I have to change the fate awaiting the Eaglemen of my tribe.

Jiang You silently resolved.

Late that night.

Moonlight spilled across the earth.

Jiang You lay on his back atop a large blue-gray rock at the cliff's edge, feeling the breeze beneath the starry sky.

After thinking it over...

Old Tortoise's quest really didn't mention how to avoid being burned by titan blood.

But since he was an ordinary tortoise back then, he couldn't have been far from the battlefield when he was bathed in titan blood!

At that thought, Jiang You's eyes lit up!

In the early days of the Human Empire's rise, Old Tortoise became famous throughout the world for his Thunder Power. That means he was most likely drenched in the Thunder Titan's blood.

And the Thunder Titan is the master of all the Eaglefolk.

Tortoises like water. The secret to how Old Tortoise survived bathing in titan blood must lie in the water!

As for where that water was, it must have been in the Vast Sea Forest!

The only one who could make the Thunder Titan bleed would be his mortal enemy, Blue Dragon King Arilletos!

Only a battle to the death between them could spill enough titan blood to rain down over the forest and onto Old Tortoise.

Then the answer is clear. I just need to find the stream or river where Old Tortoise lives, find him, and discover the secret to how he survived bathing in titan blood.

Then I can awaken transcendent power!

Everything suddenly became clear to Jiang You, and he continued working through his thoughts.

But the Vast Sea Forest is not somewhere just anyone can go. It lies along the border between the territories of the Titan Giants and the dragons, with large numbers of powerful subordinate races from both sides stationed there.

Every race will have plenty of transcendent fighters!

If I rush in recklessly, I'll be killed on the spot!

No one will care whether an Eagleman lives or dies! Not even those on the Titans' side.

There is only one way to get there: answer the Eagleman Royal Court's call to arms, just as my father did three years ago, and enter the Vast Sea Forest as an Eagleman soldier!

Once I hear the call to arms, I just need to set out immediately and head to the Vast Sea Forest ahead of the others.

Eaglemen are essentially scouts. If I arrive early, I'll surely be assigned to a reconnaissance squad. Then I can look for an opportunity to find Old Tortoise's hiding place.

As he sorted through his thoughts step by step, a tentative plan formed in Jiang You's mind.

The Royal Court recruits Eagleman soldiers from the various tribes roughly once every ten years.

Then I just have to wait seven more years. When the time comes, I have to seize the chance!