Barbarian Quest

Chapter 142

After his drink with Samikan, Noah called the female slave from the Stone Axe Tribe for a private meeting.

"Where did you get that necklace earlier from?"

The woman was initially hesitant, but she soon confessed under Noah's insistence. Noah's eyes widened upon hearing her. His amputated right leg began to throb.

'Urich of the Stone Axe Tribe! Hes the man who crossed the mountains!'

Noah held a high position in the Blue Mist Tribe. Despite being an outsider, he was respected for being a key figure in the tribe's revival. He was the chief's close friend and advisor to the Blue Mist Tribe.

'I might be able to go back.'

A glimmer of hope, a hope that he had once abandoned, had come back. Noah didn't know how Urich managed to cross the mountains, but he knew that Urich must know a way.

'A path I can take even with my leg.'

The chances were slim, but Noah desperately longed to return home.

'But Samikan helped me. He was kind to a stranger from another land.'

Samikan understood the world beyond the mountains. He was Noah's only sympathizer and friend in this new world.

'Would Samikan understand me if I say I want to return to my side of the mountains?'

Noah didn't want to betray Samikan. He was a knight who had sworn righteousness to Lou and valued duty.

'The emperor desires to conquer the new world.'

Noah had a duty to report the discovery of the new world to the emperor. But he also had a duty to Samikan.

'What am I supposed to do?'

Noah closed and then opened his eyes. He made up his mind.

"Samikan."

Noah put on his prosthetic leg and walked toward Samikan's tent. Passing warriors bowed their heads to him. Even those who initially scorned Noah had come to respect him.

"Noah?"

Samikan, who was in the middle of embracing a woman, looked at Noah who was entering his tent.

"I have something to tell you."

After noticing Noahs serious expression, Samikan pushed the woman out of the tent and closed the curtains.

"I thought the drinking was over?"

Samikan took a sip of water from his glass, waiting for Noah's response.

"Gather some warriors and go to the Stone Axe Tribe again."

"The Stone Axe Tribe is already subjugated. Trampling them twice will only decrease the tributes."

"Samikan, there's a man in the Stone Axe Tribe who returned from crossing the mountains."

Samikan's eyes widened as he brushed back his hair.

"Youre saying we have to capture him."

"Once we do that, Im going to find out how he crossed the mountains."

"...Noah Arten, are you leaving our tribe?"

Noah twisted his lips, then extended his fist to Samikan.

"It is not the time yet. I haven't repaid my life's debt to you, not until you are the king of the plains."

Samikan nodded. He still needed Noahs hand. The conquest of the tribes had already begun, and he couldn't let Noah go at such a crucial time.

'But I'm also curious about this man who crossed the mountains.'

Samikan issued a summons, and by the next morning, prepared warriors were gathered. The tribal warriors' quick mobilization was their frightening strength. In the tribe, there was no distinction between warriors and other jobs. All adult males were warriors, ready at the chief's command in very little time.

"Hoouuuu! Samikaan!"

The warriors chanted their respected chief's name. Samikan was leading the Blue Mist Tribe's golden age.

Thump! Thump!

The Blue Mist warriors stamped their shields on the ground. The warriors, equipped like an army of civilization, carried shields and spears of almost identical shapes and sizes, moving in coordinated groups. Noah, a knight from the civilized world, had turned warriors into soldiers.

Creak.

It was difficult for Noah to travel distances with his prosthetic leg. He watched the tribal warriors from a palanquin.

'Individually, their combat skills are impeccable. Like knights born in a martial family, they grew up fighting and hunting from a young age.'

The barbarians, in terms of combat, were no different from the knights of the civilized world. Knights from birth were trained in combat skills generationally. The same was true for the northern barbarians, where fathers gave their sons weapons and shields, raising them as warriors. Western barbarians also formed groups of similar ages and competed with each other, growing through rivalry.

Barbarian warriors are naturally born to be warriors, just as a knight is naturally born to be a knight.'

Noah looked at the Sky Mountains.

'Even the empire is going to struggle to conquer this land. The Sky Mountains are treacherous, and the barbarians on this side are as fierce and untamed as those in the north.'

* * *

The Stone Axe Tribe was bustling with reconstruction. Healthy warriors went hunting, while women repaired tents and prepared preserved food. There was no time to rest, as they had to keep up with the tribute demands.

'If we don't deliver the tribute on time, we'll just be plundered again.'

A gloom hung over the Stone Axe village. Fortunately, the dry season hadn't arrived yet, allowing some leeway in rebuilding.

Chief Gizzle did his best in the reconstruction efforts. The elders, who didnt even join the fight, grumbled at the defeated chief, but the warriors who actually fought bore no grudge against him.

'It was a style of combat we had never seen. Losing was inevitable, and no one is to blame.'

Even the brave Stone Axe warriors helplessly succumbed. They fell to the ground, pierced by spears.

"Back in our days, all tribes around here trembled before us, not to mention the Blue Mist Tribe. How pathetic."

Elderly warriors and elders spat out as they looked at the state of the village.

"Shut it, will you? Just wait till the dry season, I'll be the first to send you off to the afterlife."

A young warrior snapped back at the elders' remarks. During the dry season, when food was scarce, the elderly would starve themselves without being told to do so. That was the tribe's way.

"These young ones, nowadays"

The elders shook their heads and moved on, knowing what fate awaited them once the dry season came. In times of tribute, feeding unproductive elders was difficult. Not only warriors die in defeat. The entire tribe suffers.

"Urich will come back with an alliance," a warrior abruptly stated.

"Urich? That braggart? Hah! Yeah right!" An elder scoffed in disbelief.

"I, too, will cross the mountains someday with Urich. A new world awaits there."

The younger, more adventurous warriors yearned for a new world. Curiosity and thirst for exploration werent only Urichs. Those dreaming of the world beyond the mountains were increasingly inspired by Urich's tales. It knocked on their hearts.

"Chief! The Blue Mist bastards are back!"

Returning hunters shouted as they entered the village. They had spotted the Blue Mist warriors approaching the village coincidentally.

Tension rose with the news of the Blue Mist's approach.

'What do they want now when there's nothing left to take from us?'

Chief Gizzle, anxious, donned his feathered headdress. Despite losing his status, he was never going to surrender his pride.

He climbed the watchtower, frowning upon spotting the approaching blue wave. The Blue Mist warriors, painted in blue war paint, were approaching in a swarm, kicking up a dust storm.

Step, step.

The Blue Mist Chief Samikan led his warriors into the village, surveying it with narrowed eyes.

"How is the reconstruction going? Good?"

Gizzle wanted to tear Samikan's throat out right there, but killing him would mean the annihilation of the Stone Axe Tribe.

"The tribute isnt ready yet."

"We didn't come for the tribute, Chief Gizzle. Understand we didnt want to do this either."

The defeated could not voice any complaints. The plains and the wasteland follow the law of the strong. The actions of a powerful tribe are justice.

"I dont think you brought all these warriors for just a stroll, did you?"

Gizzle clenched his axe. In the worst case, Samikan might be planning to exterminate the Stone Axe Tribe.

"Urich."

Gizzle's eyes widened at the name Samikan mentioned.

Urich? Why is his name coming out of Samikans mouth?'

Samikan smirked at Gizzle's surprised expression.

"Hand over Urich, the one who crossed the mountains. Then we'll leave without a fuss."

"Out of everyone, I didn't expect Chief Samikan to believe such tall tales."

Samikan twisted his lips.

"That's why you, the Stone Axe, lost to us. Stubbornness in not utilizing what should be, surrounded by old fools who resist progress. When I became chief, the first thing I did was send the elders who opposed me to the mountains with just bows and spears. Despite many resenting me, I eventually proved I was right with my results."

Gizzle's pupils quivered. Samikan suddenly seemed larger.

"...Urich isn't here."

"Don't even think of hiding him. The knowledge from beyond the mountains is a precious treasure."

Gizzle had never thought of Urich's knowledge as a treasure. Instead, he had merely dismissed it as lies and bravado Urich was using to drive him out of his throne.

Samikan persistently inquired about Urich's whereabouts. He knew the value of knowledge from beyond the mountains. Noah was a human from beyond, while Urich was a tribal member who had crossed the mountains and returned.

I need to know more about this Urich.'

Urich, the warrior who killed thirty warriors, was more important to Samikan for crossing the mountains than for his fighting prowess.

'We must hide our intent to ally with the Red Sand Tribe.'

Gizzle didn't like Urich but did his best for the tribe. If the alliance with Red Sand materialized, they could turn the tables with a surprise attack.

The Stone Axe Tribe's warriors understood Gizzles intention. They kept silent about the alliance with Red Sand. Even the elders, who grumbled about Urichs actions, did the same.

"Are you really not going to hand him over?"

"I really don't know where he went, Samikan. He left and returned to the tribe as he pleased. Would it even be surprising if he left again after seeing the tribe in ruins?

"I find it hard to believe that. We'll have to use force to get the answer we want."

Samikan threatened. An attack now would truly be the end for Stone Axe.

"Samikan, are you saying youre going to destroy Stone Axe over a fantasy about beyond the mountains!"

Gizzle shouted desperately.

"Beyond the mountains is not a fantasy, Chief Gizzle. My very own right-hand man is a man from the other side."

Samikan's eyes opened slightly. He raised his hand high. If that hand extended forward, the Blue Mist warriors would wipe out the Stone Axe Tribe once and for all.

Tap, tap.

One of the Blue Mist warriors ran up to Samikan, whispering something in his ear.

"The Red Sand Chief Belrua has arrived," the warrior reported.

Samikan turned around. Belrua, with dozens of Red Sand warriors, strode over to the Stone Axe village. Red Sand was not a tribe to be underestimated. They had gained influence and wealth through iron trading for a long time and had the most warriors in the area. Only dozens had followed Belrua to the Stone Axe village, but there were more than two thousand behind them.

"Better lower that hand, Samikan of Blue Mist. Stone Axe is an ally of Red Sand," Belrua warned.

Samikan finally realized and smiled faintly.

"I had no idea, Chief Gizzle, you are quite the strategist."

Gizzle was just as surprised.

That was much faster than I expected.'

Gizzle hadn't expected the alliance to form so quickly. He looked at Urich, who stood next to Belrua.

He must have formed the alliance as soon as he arrived and came back with them right away Was your offer that appealing to the Red Sand Tribe?'

The faces of the Stone Axe warriors brightened. They wanted to cheer for Urich but restrained themselves.

'Urich did it.'

Stone Axe was not yet shattered.

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