Barbarian Quest

Chapter 234

The tribal leaders of the alliance gathered together and talked among themselves.

"Samikan won't live long."

"Well, there are many who still manage to live a long life with chronic illnesses."

"Still, a sick person can't lead the alliance."

"Haha, so what are you saying? Who can say to Samikan, to his face, that he should step down since he’s sick?"

"Well, there’s Urich."

"I don't think Urich can do the job as well as Samikan."

Urich was a formidable rival to Samikan. However, everyone agreed that Urich's capabilities did not match those of Samikan. While Urich was the absolute best in terms of warrior skills, the role of the Great Chief was separate from the skills that made a great warrior. That's why Samikan could still lead the alliance even as he was declining as a warrior.

"Soon, one of the two will disappear from the alliance. Didn't you see it? Samikan openly humiliated Urich at the last tribal council."

"But Urich has joined hands with the priest Six-Fingered. Six-Fingered sided with Urich."

The tribal chiefs maintained neutrality and observed the situation.

"We should be fighting the empire, not fighting among ourselves. This is shameful."

Some lamented the divided state of the alliance.

"You think there’s anyone here who doesn’t know that? That’s just the situation we’re in now”

Even when they were facing a common enemy, people found ways to divide themselves. The north was like this in the past, and the west was no exception.

The internal division Urich had tried so hard to prevent had already occurred. The alliance that had become split was not going to easily come together again. One side had to be cut out before further divisions occurred.

Urich and Gottval sat across from each other by a campfire. Urich, for some reason, talked with Gottval quite frequently. Gottval was good at listening to people and drawing them out.

"Do you want to be the Great Chief, Urich?"

"Mm, not really."

"Then why not just quit? Is there a need for you to oppose Samikan?"

"Hah, that’s easier said than done, Mr. Priest."

Urich laughed it off, but Gottval looked at him with an unchanged serious look.

"There is no such thing as ‘can’t.’ Everything is a choice."

"You wouldn't understand, Gottval. There are people who rely on me. If I leave my position, many of my people will die. It's not about whether I want the position of Great Chief or not. It's about the responsibility that comes with the position. Running away from one's responsibilities is dishonorable."

"I understand responsibility quite well myself. That's why I'm coming along with you."

Gottval looked around. All he saw around himself was barbarians. He had joined the alliance and was traveling with Urich.

"Following me... You know that's crazy, right? We're going to fight the empire."

"I can't just stand by and watch someone who has received my baptism stray from Lou. And also, proselytizing is the duty and responsibility of a priest."

Gottval had joined the alliance to proselytize. There were quite a few priests captured as prisoners within the alliance, but Gottval was the first to join voluntarily.

Crackle, crackle.

Urich added more branches to the fire. The smell of the wood seared by the flames filled the air.

"Hmph, whatever floats your boat. I guess I can’t stop you from digging your own grave."

Gottval was visited often by civilized mercenaries. Unlike the priests who were captured as prisoners, Gottval treated the civilized individuals within the alliance with kindness. He heard their confessions and sometimes offered blessings.

‘Gottval really is abnormal.’

Urich still couldn't understand Gottval's ways.

The alliance had attacked Gottval's city. The city of Havilond had suffered a merciless plunder. Yet, Gottval did not show any hatred or anger.

"If I had the power to stop you and the plunderers, I would do my best to do so. But there's no use in getting angry and hating when I can’t do anything about it. Hatred only eats away at oneself."

When Urich first met Gottval, he was just an ordinary monk acting as a military chaplain, but after losing an arm, his exemplary character gained attention, and he gradually gained fame.

Within a few years, Gottval had become the most famous priest in Havilond. Nobles visiting Havilond would even line up to meet him.

Even the priests who were being held captive came to see Gottval.

"Gottval, the one-armed saint. I have heard of you."

"That is an excessive title. I am simply Gottval."

Gottval shook his head at the title of saint.

"Has Lou forsaken us? Many are dying. The pain and screams of our brothers and sisters haunt us every night."

"Just because they are armed with madness and rage, it does not mean that we also have to be tainted by hatred."

"But..."

"Forgive those who are ignorant."

Gottval was among the most moderate of the Sun Priests, closely adhering to the fundamental teachings of Lou. Such moderate fundamentalists were rare within Solarism. As long as one was human, it was not easy to let go of hatred and anger.

"We cannot think like you, Brother Gottval. Every night, our boiling emotions do not settle. They have killed our brothers, violated our sisters, and set fire to the temples of Lou."

"If that's how you feel, then you can simply surrender to those emotions. But you would have to be prepared to accept the consequences. Do you have the courage to do so? The courage to act violently against Lou's will."

Gottval's voice settled low. The priest listening to him closed his mouth.

"If you don't have the courage to take up arms and fight them, then it is better to forgive. That is our way."

"Gottval, you are a great man but too idealistic. Not everyone can live that way."

A few priests left the meeting. However, those inspired by Gottval's words stayed seated, absorbing his message.

The alliance was heading south. Throughout the journey, Urich paid special attention to the safety of Six-Fingered. He called upon his trustworthy warriors to escort Six-Fingered.

‘Samikan will do whatever he can to eliminate Six-Fingered.'

Samikan could not assassinate Urich. If he removed a rival through wrongful means, Urich's faction of warriors would never follow Samikan.

'After eliminating or disgracing Six-Fingered, he is going to place a shaman that he likes in that position. Six-Fingered is scared out of his mind of Samikan, too.'

Six-Fingered had become haggard, hardly sleeping at night. Urich’s warriors were the only people that he could trust. The stench of herbs was terrible near Six-Fingered as he smoked almost constantly to calm himself.

"Harvald, take care of that herb-head. He's an important guy."

Urich entrusted Six-Fingered's safety to Harvald. Harvald was more trustworthy than any other warrior within the tribe. He would not betray Urich no matter what bribe Samikan offered him.

‘What a joke. Harvald is more trustworthy than my own brothers.'

Samikan's criticism wasn't entirely wrong. Urich relied heavily on those not from the west, which some warriors viewed unfavorably.

Urich and Samikan ran into each other at the camp. Samikan, who was already sitting and drinking, gestured for Urich to join him.

"Everyone seems to be waiting for me to die from my illness. They hover around me like stray dogs."

Urich walked over to Samikan. The surrounding warriors cleared the area.

"So when do you think you'll die?"

Urich took the cup offered by Samikan. He wouldn't poison it; both knew that well.

"I won't die before my destiny is fulfilled."

"Destiny? You sure it’s not your greed? Haha."

"So what if it is? If it's wrong for a man to strive for great deeds, then we're all sinners."

"Of course. But if you gamble with your brothers’ life, you deserve to lose your head."

"War is a gamble. No one can guarantee victory. That's why we seek the power of heaven and the gods. Anyway, cheers, for the spirits of our ancestors and the blue sky."

Samikan raised his cup, and the two clinked their cups lightly.

"Samikan, take your time attacking the empire. Do not rush it. They’re the ones who are getting anxious, not us."

"Your advice has been duly noted."

Samikan nodded with a smile. If he had shown anger, there might have been room for persuasion.

'The fact that he’s just laughing it off means he was never going to consider my advice.'

Samikan would use any means to redirect the alliance northward. His goal was to engage the empire in a decisive battle before his death, and Samikan always got what he wanted.

More warriors began to surround Six-Fingered. The Blue Mist warriors loyal to Samikan watched Six-Fingered day and night. Their fanatical eyes prevented Six-Fingered from sleeping.

"Y-you have to keep your promise, Urich. Y-you must protect me."

Six-Fingered was under tremendous psychological pressure. He was drying up with the fear of knowing that death could come at him at any moment.

"Man, stop worrying so much. Samikan won't attack you so blatantly. As long as we don't show him an opening, you’ll be fine."

Urich glanced at the distant Blue Mist warriors. They bowed their heads in greeting.

Harvald, guarding Six-Fingered, suggested to Urich that they should increase the number of guards.

“If all those warriors suddenly rush us, we won't be able to protect the shaman,” Harvald suggested.

“Don’t worry, Samikan won’t just attack like that. I know him well.”

“Then why does that Samikan keep sending so many of his men to be around the shaman?”

Harvald grumbled. He was a northern half-blood raised in the empire, unfamiliar with the culture of the alliance or warrior society in general. He couldn't dismiss the possibility that Samikan's warriors might attack.

“Just ignore it. He's increasing the numbers to put more pressure on us. Look at Six-Fingered. He’s growing more weary by the day. That's what he's aiming for.”

“It’s hard not to worry when he’s putting so many people around us.”

Harvald was also becoming weary from guarding Six-Fingered. His tone revealed his built-up frustration.

“It’s hard to ignore it... huh...?”

Upon hearing Harvald’s concern, Urich felt a sudden chill. An inexplicable anxiety began to creep up on him.

“Anyhow, end your internal power struggles as soon as possible. There is no chance that an army divided within itself can defeat the empire.”

After saying that, Harvald went back to guard Six-Fingered. Urich looked around.

Urich cocked his head and watched the Blue Mist warriors. Samikan wasn’t the type to share all his plans with his subordinates. Even if interrogated, they wouldn't know anything.

An unknown anxiety tormented Urich throughout the night.

As morning arrived, Urich strolled through the camp, yawning heavily. He hadn't slept well.

Step, step.

The sound of footsteps grew louder. Urich turned to look around. A group of heavily armed warriors had surrounded him.

“What’s this? You want to fight? Are you all lining up to die?”

Urich gripped the hilt of his sword, threatening the warriors.

“If you won’t cooperate, we are prepared to fight, Urich, the Son of the Earth.”

“Cooperate?”

“Great Chief Samikan has named you as the murderer of Noah Arten.”

Urich’s eyes widened then sharpened. He scowled.

“Accusing me without proof could jeopardize Samikan’s position. I arrived at the Arten outpost after Noah Arten was killed. How could I possibly have killed Noah?”

“You will be able to explain yourself in court.”

Seeing Urich surrounded by Samikan’s warriors, other warriors rushed in from all sides, brandishing their weapons.

“Urich isn’t someone you fools can lay your hands on! Piss off!”

“It is the Great Chief’s command!”

“Screw the Great Chief, we follow Urich!”

“That statement is treason against the alliance.”

The tension was palpable; a fight could break out at any moment. Warriors quickly grabbed their weapons to defend Urich. Dozens of warriors had gathered in no time, arguing heatedly.

Urich closed his eyes, listening to the growing commotion. He cooled the anger that was raging within. When he opened his eyes, he could see the crowd again. Things that were obscured by anger now came into view, and that included Gottval. He was praying with a face full of concern as he looked at Urich.

‘I can’t completely eliminate my anger like you. Anger is the source of warriors.’

Urich controlled his anger. He reached out to the other warriors.

“There seems to be a misunderstanding. They won’t be able to find any evidence that I killed Noah Arten. Don’t worry.”

“If anything goes wrong, we’ll raise our weapons for you, Urich. A cunning snake cannot rule over us. What we follow is a warrior whose blood runs as hot as fire.”

The warriors loyal to Urich shouted. The Valdima warriors with many burn scars especially revered Urich. There were many loyal warriors in the alliance besides just the Stone Axe warriors.

“Thanks for cooperating, Urich.”

Samikan’s warriors encircled Urich and moved. Urich was led to an open space that was formed in the center of the alliance camp.