Barbarian Quest

Chapter 165

"Declaring Urich as the Son of the Earth... I never asked for such a thing, Six-Fingered."

Samikan said, adjusting his feathered helmet. The meticulously placed feathers made his head look even larger, and the gold-plated helmet shone like the sun itself.

"The other shamans and priests agreed too. Without presenting Urich, the Great Chief’s seat wouldn't have been surrendered so easily. Everyone is wary of your monopoly on power."

Six-Fingered spoke eloquently.

"You always speak well with that silver tongue of yours. Today is a day of joy, so I won't interrogate you any further."

Samikan laughed, patting Six-Fingered's shoulder.

Samikan stood up and looked toward the coastline. He had conquered all of the land from the foothills of the Sky Mountains down to the sea. The Great Samikan was not an exaggeration. He had united the scattered tribes into one alliance.

Even if the alliance were to dissolve, the links that were connected once would not easily break.

"Samikaaaaan!"

Samikan stepped onto the platform, looking at the warriors. The alliance's warriors gathered on the beach, shouting Samikan's name.

Whoosh!

The shamans threw finely ground hallucinogenic powder into the fire. The flames surged momentarily before subsiding.

Screech!

A hawk soared into the sky.

"A good omen!"

The warriors shouted, seeing the hawk as a good sign.

"The heavens and spirits have led Samikan to be our leader!"

Six-Fingered shouted loudly, drawing a response from the crowd of warriors. The hawk flew up at the perfect time. Obviously, it was one that was already caught and released at just the right time. The shamans were familiar with such tricks.

"Woooooah!"

The warriors roared, their hearts boiling with excitement. They swelled with pride, knowing that what they were partaking in was a legendary moment.

Step, step.

Samikan sat down on a chair that was prepared for him. It was covered with various animal skins. Lion and wolf heads hung from the armrests.

"I, Samikan, have ascended here in obedience to the heavens' decree, and I will not do anything that betrays the heavens' will. It doesn't matter where I, you, we, are from, what language we speak, or what we believe. I, Samikan, will treat all brothers fairly, and no discord or discrimination during our expeditions and conquests will be a basis for inequality."

Samikan, like Urich, desired unification. An intertribal group not bound by past resentments and tribal distinctions.

"All warriors are equal and equivalent. From now on, there are no victorious or defeated tribes. We are one tribe born from the same earth, looking up at the same sky."

Samikan took a deep breath. He held a sword and spear, one in each hand, and raised them high.

"We are the tribe of the sky!"

The warriors leaped and shouted. Even warriors who had no special feelings for Samikan were moved by the collective roar and joined in shouting Samikan's name.

"There shall be no slaves anymore! We do not enslave our brothers and sisters! Release the shackles! Those who wish to return home will be free to do so! If you wish to wield a spear, be given one!"

"Ooooh!"

Slaves were released in all directions. Not only male slaves carrying the loads of the alliance warriors but also the female slaves who had been sex slaves were freed.

'There will be dissatisfaction, but such feelings will be buried in this flow.'

Urich watched the changing tribe. It wasn’t possible to come up with a policy that satisfied everyone.

"Urich, the Son of the Earth!”

"A warrior born from the earth, fights like a beast, and is as solid as rock! The man who crossed the Sky Mountains with the permission of the heavens and blessings of the spirits!"

The shamans elevated Urich, splashing the blood of beasts on his body.

"Son of the Earth..."

Urich murmured lowly. He never saw his parents' faces. Abandoned in the plains, he was raised by the Stone Axe Tribe.

No warrior opposed the shamans' praise for Urich. Urich had earned his stripes as much as Samikan. Without Urich, the alliance would not exist.

Samikan was the leader chosen by the heavens, and Urich was the warrior gifted by the earth.

Urich and Samikan were sanctified by the priests and shamans. If they wished to do something, the warriors would follow without hesitation. Sanctity meant absolute righteousness.

'The shamans have granted Samikan and me immense power. It seems I've gained mine thanks to Samikan, though...'

Urich clenched his fist. He knew that it was a simple blessing of the shamans, but it still gave him a blood-rushing, dizzying sensation. The earth connected to his feet suddenly felt unfamiliar and disorienting.

Drip, drip.

Blood covering Urich's body pooled on the ground beneath him.

Urich closed and then opened his eyes.

'Where did I come from, and where am I going...'

Urich bent down to grab a handful of soil.

Splash!

In the distance, waves crashed. Urich looked up toward the crevices struck by the waves.

'Ulgaro.'

A warrior wearing a winged helmet looked at Urich from the dark crevice.

"Urich! Raise your hand and respond to the cheers of your warriors!"

Six-Fingered approached Urich, whispering. Urich raised his hand high. The roar for Urich was no less than the accolades poured on Samikan.

'Sun god.'

As he looked up at the sky, Urich couldn't open his eyes due to the sun emerging from behind the clouds. The harsh sunlight seemed to scold Urich. Shielding his eyes, Urich looked back down and shook his head.

'Pull yourself together, Urich.'

The earth, which had seemed to sway like being drunk, found its place again. Urich took a deep breath and drew his sword. Looking at the smooth steel blade, he regained his composure.

"Wooooah! Uuuurich!"

As Urich drew his sword, symbolizing his resolve, the warriors also drew their weapons, showing that his resolve was reciprocated.

'...This is the only thing I can rely on now.'

Urich stared at the gleaming blade. The eyes that were looking back at him were those filled with anxiety about having nowhere to rely on.

* * *

The dry season was coming to an end. Clouds gathered over the sea. The air was even more humid being near the coast.

The alliance had taken ample rest and was preparing to march once again. They packed plenty of dried fish and had the blacksmith hammer out their weapons.

The alliance had ended most of the long-standing conflicts in the west. Neighboring tribes did not fight each other under the alliance’s command. Resources and food were still scarce, but trade stimulated by the alliance’s expeditions somewhat compensated for the shortage.

"I will serve the Great Chief with loyalty."

The alliance retraced their steps through the tribes they had conquered. Samikan once again confirmed the loyalty of the tribal chiefs. The chiefs vied with each other to swear their allegiance to the new Great Chief's authority.

"I, too, will treat my brothers with fairness and sincerity."

On the way back, Samikan collected tribute. In return, Samikan promised protection. Tribes under the wings of the alliance would not be attacked by other tribes.

A new administrative system was necessary to maintain the unprecedented alliance structure.

Samikan systematically trained interpreters fluent in multiple languages and made several copies of the maps created on the expedition. Beyond the horizon was no longer an unknown land. The territories of each tribe were clearly marked.

Every time they camped, tribal chiefs and priests gathered to create new laws. Laws created with the consent of as many tribes as possible became universally accepted common sense.

"There are still tribes that have not joined the alliance."

"We've given them plenty of time to make their decisions."

The return journey was not entirely peaceful. At the request of alliance-affiliated tribes, they trampled tribes that had not joined the alliance.

The tribes requested the extermination of the stubborn tribes because getting rid of competing neighboring tribes allowed for the acquisition of more land. The alliance moved strictly for the benefit of its member tribes.

Joining the alliance brought benefits, and refusing meant vanishing from the earth. It was a cruel measure but a necessary process for swift unification.

The return path was also heavily stained with blood. Urich, as the Son of the Earth, always led the front. The warriors vied to stand beside Urich.

Fighting shoulder-to-shoulder with Urich was a great honor. Moreover, there was a belief that one would not die fighting beside the Son of the Earth.

"We can't fight the enemies beyond the mountains with enemies behind us. There are still quite a few large tribes that have not submitted to the alliance, just like this one."

Urich stabbed an approaching enemy's head with his sword. Brain matter slid down the blade.

"Hah, if I were them, I would've bowed to the alliance a long time ago. I don't understand why so many are stubborn and retaliate."

Vald swung his sword beside Urich, yelling. After taking heavy breaths, Vald beheaded a fallen enemy.

"The Phergamo tribe would have also become our enemy if I hadn't persuaded them. It shows that not all tribes are simply convinced by force."

Urich indifferently threw his axe. The enemy, struck in the forehead by the axe, toppled over.

"It always feels strange when you say something smart like that, my brother."

"I've always been smart, you idiot."

Urich laughed heartily. He kicked a half-dead warrior grasping at his feet. The sound of breaking neck and jaw bones echoed.

"Let's go, Urich! Lead us!"

Many warriors admired Urich. Samikan was a great tribal chief but an unreachable figure. However, Urich was approachable, and his essence was always that of a warrior.

"Gaaaargh!"

Enemies screamed in defiance against the alliance. They were fighting knowing they would certainly be defeated. Their resistance was somehow pitiful.

"Damn bastards."

The enemies resisted to the last man. Warriors who fought until annihilation were admirable. These warriors were not meant to die unnoticed.

But those who couldn't ride the current vanished into oblivion.

The west was in turmoil. Countless were swept away and sank in the torrent. It was an era where even those who might have made a name for themselves died miserably. Only those with both insight and luck could ride the current.

"Shit. The women and children are all dead."

The alliance warriors said as they entered the village.

"Those warriors got rid of their place to return to before coming up to us. That's why they resisted so desperately."

Dead women and children's bodies were seen everywhere in the village. The warriors of this village had killed their families before heading to battle with a resolve for death. They fought until death because they had nowhere to return.

'We've shed a lot of blood.'

Urich let his arm hang loosely, looking over the village left only with death.

Drip, drip.

Dark clouds from the west caught up with the alliance. Rain poured down.

Crash!

Lightning flashed, and warriors opened their mouths, howling like beasts.

"Ooooooooh!"

"The dry season is over!"

"Oh heavens! Look after us!"

Warriors stripped down to their loincloths to welcome the rain. They washed off the hardened scabs all over their bodies and moistened their parched lips and throats.

"Hoo."

Urich planted his sword in the wet ground. He ran his fingers through his hair as if he was showering with the rainwater.

The warriors ran past Urich, jumping with joy. Urich stared at them. They were his kin and his brothers.

Crash!

The dark clouds covered the sky, and the occasional lightning illuminated the surroundings.

‘Skulls?’

The warriors, running around naked, suddenly looked like dry skeletons. Eerie lights shook in place of their eyes.

Urich rubbed his eyes in annoyance. When he opened his eyes to look again, the skulls were nowhere to be seen and the excited warriors had returned.

“Shit.”

Urich clicked his tongue and pulled his sword out of the ground.

With the start of the rainy season, the alliance was able to relax a bit. Conserving supplies was no longer a large concern.

They had already retraced half of the distance they traveled on their expedition and were crossing the same wasteland that caused them an inconvenience. But this time, the land was covered in greenery after the rain, as if it had always been this way.

After successfully finishing their expedition, the alliance was finally back to the Sky Mountains. Samikan was now called the Great Chief.