This battle was a beautiful victory!
But what truly roused the cave dwellers’ spirits was not the victory itself, but the awakening of the Great Priest!
This was the response bestowed by the Crystal Giant Tree, the proof that the supreme being they worshipped had not abandoned them.
It was an event worth celebrating for the entire Tribal Village!!
Therefore…the Chieftain did not kill the group of invaders, but instead prepared to lock up all those who had ceased resisting within the tribe.
These people would serve as living sacrifices to celebrate the Great Priest’s awakening, and as a gift to the Giant Tree that protected them…
From this day forth, the Dark Tunnel Tribe would welcome a new era…a better era!
“The Giant Tree grants us blessings! Great Priest!”
The Chieftain, half of his body crystallized, leapt off his giant rat with fervent eyes and knelt respectfully on one knee…welcoming the awakening of the Great Priest.
And the Great Priest before him seemed to be a cave dweller?
Yet, not quite.
Because this “cave dweller” was completely different from the ordinary ones.
The difference between this Great Priest and a normal cave dweller was like that between a plump “silkie chicken” and a flock of bald, featherless chickens.
That’s right, the Great Priest was the silkie chicken…
His entire body was covered in a layer of black-purple feathers, even his face was no exception, making it nearly impossible to see his features or expressions.
Yet…he didn’t have the beak or wings one would expect with such feathers, but rather, like an ordinary cave dweller, he had a half-human build, with fingers and toes…
In fact, judging by the Crystal Cane this long-haired Great Priest leaned on and his hunched figure, it seemed the extraordinary of the Dark Tunnel Tribe might even be physically weaker than an ordinary, robust adult cave dweller.
“The Giant Tree grants us shelter.”
The Great Priest slowly nodded to the Chieftain.
Then he glanced sideways at the humans, hands bound and herded back to the Tribal Village like livestock, their faces full of terror…
These prisoners of war were the best offerings and food…and only by keeping them alive for now could they be of greatest value.
However…as if noticing something.
The Great Priest leaned on his Crystal Cane and slowly walked toward the captives, raising a hand and waving it in the air.
“Stop! Everyone stop! Boys! The Great Priest wants to look at our spoils!”
The Chieftain immediately bellowed, making the warriors escorting the humans halt.
These human prisoners, already listless…fell into deeper panic upon seeing the Great Priest’s bizarre appearance.
The unknown is always the most terrifying, and even after seeing what he looked like, they still couldn’t be sure what he was…which only made the fear more suffocating.
Of course, the Great Priest, covered in black feathers, did not linger in front of these human captives for long.
Instead, as if he already had a target, he walked straight toward one person…
“Great Priest, this…is the leader of the invaders!”
Seeing the Great Priest’s direction, the Chieftain hurried to Blue Crow’s side.
He’s coming?
Blue Crow’s entire body tensed, his muscles taut as he struggled fiercely, only to find the Crystal Shackles binding him were extremely sturdy—there was no way to break free by brute force.
It’s over.
What should I do?
How can I possibly escape…
He…didn’t want to die here…
He had to survive, at the very least…
Step, step, step…
But before Blue Crow’s thoughts could settle, the Great Priest didn’t even glance at him, completely ignoring Blue Crow and walking right past him.
“Huh?”
“Found you…”
The cave dweller Prophet, leaning on the Crystal Cane, slowly stopped behind Blue Crow.
A pair of eyes, hidden behind black feathers, fixed on the person standing behind Blue Crow—
Nolan Seyreton.
“I have never seen…such a weak kin, my brother…Why would you do this?”
The Great Priest spoke slowly, but in the human tongue.
There was even a hint of an East County accent.
Huh?
Not only were those around stunned, even Nolan himself didn’t react for a moment.
Is he…talking to me?!
“Answer me…my brother.”
The Great Priest spoke again, his tone even a bit stern.
“You—”
Nolan opened his mouth, wanting to say something.
But for a moment, he didn’t know how to speak to this creature.
Brother…
How could he possibly be his brother?
He had never even seen such a strange being before…
“Nolan! What’s going on! Do you know him?!”
As Nolan stayed silent, Blue Crow in front couldn’t hold back any longer…he roared, like a drowning man grabbing a floating log!
“This…this elder! I am Nolan’s best brother! If you want to know about him…you…you can ask me anything! I know it all!!”
“Blue Crow?!”
“Captain, what are you doing, Captain!!”
$70…
“Make that coward shut up…”
The Great Priest rubbed his temples, as if his age made him intolerant of such close-range sonic attacks.
“Yes!”
The Chieftain beside him replied, then swung his stone spear like a club, smashing it down on Blue Crow’s head!
Whoosh—!
Thud!
“Wait..huh?!”
Thump!
The Captain collapsed on the spot, and the rest who wanted to speak instantly fell silent.
“Huff…It seems…you truly don’t understand your situation, my brother…”
The Great Priest shook his head slowly, still speaking to himself.
In the next second, he stretched out his feather-covered finger…and gently tapped Nolan on the forehead.
Whoosh!
“Mmm…”
After a wave of dizziness, Nolan’s consciousness slipped into darkness.
Thud…
“Take him to my room…lock up the others, and prepare the ritual when I give the order…”
The Great Priest gave the command to the Chieftain after one last glance at the unconscious Nolan.
“Yes! Great Priest!”
The Chieftain nodded slowly, just about to carry out the Great Priest’s order when…
Thud, thud!!
“Xia Li?!”
The mine tunnel…trembled slightly at that moment!
Bang!!
This time the shaking and crashing sound was even louder…even stone chips were falling from the walls and ceiling…
“Xia Li…that’s…the Crystal Wall in front of the village—”
Bang!
Crash——!!
Before the Chieftain could finish, the Crystal Wall at the front of the Tribal Village shattered!
“Uwaaaah——!!!”
Immediately, a pitch-black figure, shrouded in the aura of death, roared and charged in.
The cave dweller warriors, still cleaning up the battlefield, had no time to react—like bowling pins, they were sent flying!
With a series of crashes, they were “glued” to the walls and cave sides…
Reduced to piles of sticky flesh and blood.
“Shari Bru!? What kind of monster is that!?”
The Chieftain trembled slightly at the sight of the black-armored giant.
Because he felt an overwhelming sense of suppression from this thing!
It had nothing to do with bravery; it was a difference in level!
“Ahhh…”
Crash…
Behind the black-armored monster, a petite figure stepped calmly over shards of pale purple crystal and entered.
The girl’s white hair draped over her shoulders, and her red eyes glimmered with a fierce, mysterious light in the dim mine.
Looking at the corpses from the previous battle, still uncollected…the corners of her mouth beneath the black veil curled up.
“What a…refreshing sight~”
The scent of death, the smell of blood…made Ireya feel excited, delighted…
“Follower.”
“What?! Great Priest…is the other side…also an upper being’s…Follower?”
The Chieftain’s body suddenly tensed, his beady eyes staring at the Great Priest in disbelief.
Huff…
But it seemed this question didn’t need the Great Priest’s answer…
Because……
“Ugh…ah…”
On the battlefield, whether Dark Tunnel Tribe warriors or human invaders, their remains began to tremble in unison, letting out hoarse, inhuman howls…
“……”
Under the terrified gazes of the Chieftain…or rather, all the cave dwellers of the Dark Tunnel Tribe, these fallen tribesmen stiffly rose again…
In their eyes, there was no longer the terror of being killed, nor the courage of facing death.
Instead, there was endless hatred, a deep-seated loathing for the living, and for this world!