Divine Beast Ascension

Chapter 435: Chat With Warak

‘I’m glad to hear that. Just keep in mind that unless it’s Kartzal’s forces acting against you and your prefecture, you’ll have no need to worry or take immediate action, despite how it may seem at the moment. And when Kartzal’s forces do act out, you’ll have both my support and the support of those I command,’ the man stated, reminding her of their agreement. ‘I know you’ve signed a contract, but it’s merely a temporary pact in place for the next three years. I wish to gain your full trust by then, so a contract won’t be necessary.’

‘Thank you, Master Eeole!’

Smiling at Treeda’s warm tone, the man chuckled, ‘You’re welcome. Now, go. You’ve been away from the others for too long already...’

As the man’s voice faded away Treeda spent a few seconds scanning over her new cultivation technique, unable to peel her eyes away. But, eventually, she did as the man suggested and returned to the arena floor, storing the technique for later inspection. In Treeda’s eyes, even if she had lost all the bets that man had secretly prodded her to make, gaining this single technique would’ve been worth it all, including the possible loss of her ancestral weapon.

“Treeda, what’s gotten into you?” Right off the bat, Warak called out to her. He had finally been shoved out of the cooking area thanks to Ania. And, out of everyone else there, he was the one person who wouldn’t dare hold back his questions regarding Treeda’s lone awkwardness in the stands. “Was that you kowtowing? I’ve only ever seen prefecture lords do that during their assignment ceremony, accepting their prefecture from Kartzal himself...”

Sighing, Treeda knew she wouldn’t be able to just ignore someone like Warak, “True, your eyes did not deceive you. But there was no one there, nor anything. If anything, I was just thanking Dominus for the amazing rewards I plundered from Kartzal and the lords.”

“Ah, I see! A worthy cause indeed!” Warak burst into laughter. He went to the head table, conveniently set up beside the cooking area. “Come, let’s sit. When was the last time you and I were able to just chat and enjoy the festivities?”

.....

“Ha! I wish I could say the wedding a hundred odd years ago, but that’d be a lie for us both.”

“True... That brat of mine is just too much,” Warak groaned, not hiding the pain he felt from just remembering that day. “I still can’t apologize enough for that brat’s behavior. If he didn’t have a perfect bloodline and affinity, I’d have disowned him time and time again. Even now, I’m still on the cusp of doing so!”

Treeda couldn’t help but comment, “Well, the moment you do disown that bastard, let me know. I’d gladly tighten the bond between our clans should that happen.”

“You’ll be the first to know! And the rest of the world will be informed as well! If Trada hadn’t managed to make it home and bond with your totem, I’d have crippled the brat and dragged him to your feet as recompense!” Genuine fury erupted from Warak’s tone. For a brief moment, it seemed like some godly essence was about to spill out but Warak was more than capable of controlling himself.

Their conversation hung in the air for a moment as a pregnant pause lingered between them.

‘... Warak, are you actually going through with this?’

Hearing Treeda’s voice in his head, Warak activated a silent formation on his ring. He scoffed, “I don’t mind telepathy, but this is better for our image. If we only sat and stared at each other, wouldn’t others get the wrong idea?”

Treeda’s amiable tone vanished as she replied, “We’re both taken and committed to our partners! Stop with the nonsense...”

“Fine!” laughing, Warak smiled. “But yes. I’m going through with this.”

“You understand the weight of this decision more than I. So why do you dare? Are you not afraid of Kartzal’s retaliation?” asked Treeda.

Warak leaned back into his seat, letting his mind wander for a moment. “Why... indeed? ... Because I want to.”

“Warak, you’re putting your entire clan at risk with such a decision. Yet you’re acting like this is inconsequential. I don’t get you!”

“As someone so close to the peak, how could I not be tempted...” Warak stated. His cocky, jovial tone disappeared in an instant. The dragon god was left speaking with a somber, feeble voice, something Treeda had never heard from Warak. “Treeda... I’ve been stuck in the same realm for a thousand years. Even if I’m able to live for another few thousand years, I can’t waste any more time. I need to change something. Otherwise, I feel I’ll be trapped at the early-god realm all my life, or perhaps break through to the low-god realm only to die years later...

“You’re clan also had an early-god in the distant past, at the same time as my great-great-grandfather. And both of our ancestors succumbed to latent injuries, passing away. However, a pressure that you don’t know, Treeda, is that of being the figurehead of your clan’s revival, or the feeling of being trapped in a realm you know you can somehow push through...” Warak wore a forlorn expression. “Treeda... I need this. My clan also needs this, but I personally need this alliance. I may never get a second chance at such a technique. Maybe one day, after you’ve entered the level of us gods, you’ll understand what I mean. To be all-powerful and stand at the peak... yet to feel restricted and unable to progress for so many reasons...”

Treeda blinked, getting a hint of an idea. “Warak... Are you talking about a block in cultivation? Or are you talking about Kartzal’s supposed support?”

“Both.”

“I see... But I thought the gods were given the best care and resources?” questioned Treeda.

Warak shrugged and answered, “Technically, we do, but not by a wide margin. And how can some slightly better resources help us gods, who’ve undergone a complete qualitative leap in strength? At most, I have a slightly better chance at raising a second god instead of furthering my own cultivation. But even that is nearly impossible without a consistent technique, a peak-king technique. And those are more regulated than ever before. Why do you think even Peimar decided to match your outrageous bet? Because Kartzal wanted your ancestral weapon enough to exchange it for multiple peak-king techniques.”

“That makes sense...” Fluster, Treeda sighed, “I just didn’t know.”