Chapter 178
Chapter 178
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 178
Chapter Title: Gisua of the Dog Tribe
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A stone chamber carved from rock.
What was once the meeting hall of the "Knight Society" now bore little trace of its former self.
On the day the city fell.
The knight commander's portrait and the round table were discarded.
The assembly hall had been remodeled in the beastkin style.
Scrolls inscribed with each tribe's teachings hung on the walls, and the floor bore clear marks of chiefs clashing in contests of strength.
Crackle, pop—
A massive bonfire blazed in the center of the assembly hall.
Surrounding it were twelve cushions.
Tiger, rat, wolf, sheep, monkey, ox.
Seats for the six chiefs and shamans of the northern tribes.
"Lady Gisua, you're on your own again this time."
The tiger tribe's shaman asked, her tail swishing playfully.
She was the most senior among the shamans, and the novice-like Gisua bowed her head.
"Though we lack numbers, I serve as both chief and shaman."
"Oh dear, you should prepare the next shaman soon. You won't pass on the role until you bear a child."
"......I'll do my best."
It wasn't uncommon for a woman to serve as chief.
But to hold both shaman and chief positions simultaneously was proof of the tribe's diminished strength.
The western tribe's chief, Rat Head Sobak, trimmed his whiskers and sneered.
"What do you mean 'do your best'? With barely six legitimate heirs, where's the time to make a shaman?"
"The name 'Twelve Legitimate Heirs' rings hollow."
The western tribe's shaman chimed in.
Tiger Head Jian's eyebrow twitched.
"Enough."
All eyes turned to him.
"This isn't a gathering to insult anyone. We're here to discuss the next 'Ancestral Succession.'"
A tribe's chief bore the title of "Head" before their name.
Tiger Head, Rat Head, and so on.
Ancestral Succession was the ritual to add "God" to one's title.
Only those acknowledged by the Twelve Legitimate Heirs and who had mastered the twelve techniques could receive it from the shaman.
A chief who completed Ancestral Succession grew vastly stronger.
Like Yahuhan, reborn as Dragon God from "Dragon Head" on Babel's 10th floor, who slaughtered the mighty heavenly knights.
"Tch."
Rat Head Sobak clicked his tongue briefly.
"That's exactly why, isn't it? The Dragon God declared that once all Ancestral Successions are complete, the Divine Realm War will begin."
Sobak's scornful gaze turned to Gisua.
"Isn't there that useless one tagging along? No chief to receive the Dog God, so the shaman has to do it—and even that's only half-baked."
As Sobak kept clicking his tongue, Gisua's face flushed and her fur bristled.
Monkey Head Ukou waggled the stem in his mouth.
"Man, old timer, your personality is something else. Is that the kid's fault? You know the dog tribe charged bravest against the hybrids."
"That was then, this is now. We're short one 'god' for the Divine Realm War."
Sobak shot back sharply.
Divine Realm War.
The grand battle where the six gods of the north clashed with the six of the south to determine the true leader of the beastkin.
The chiefs' faces grew troubled.
The enemy was formidable.
Yahuhan, who had ascended to Dragon God alone long ago.
No one could claim victory over him.
Reading the room, Sobak continued.
"I'm not pleased. The dog tribe has only half its techniques left anyway. If they can't inherit it perfectly, they should disband, reveal their secrets to us, and advance martial arts to a new—"
"Sobak."
Gisua growled, claws digging into the floor.
"Is that what you call words?"
"What if they are? Puppy."
Sobak casually drew a hidden weapon.
"You know skilled dog tribe warriors have already joined other tribes. Some even claimed legitimate heir spots there."
Gisua gritted her teeth.
Sobak spoke the truth.
One of Sobak's Twelve Legitimate Heirs was a dog tribe defector.
The dog tribe's brain drain was severe.
They had endured years of hardship restoring the lost Dog God techniques.
During that time, their power waned, and they couldn't stand tall against other tribes.
'It's the same even now.'
Gisua hung her head.
Weak power.
Thus, unsatisfactory results.
Mocked and frustrated warriors defected to other sects.
Power weakened further.
In Babel, they couldn't harvest enough 'inner cores (coins)' or 'treasures (items)' to satisfy.
Skilled warriors defected again.
A vicious cycle.
Crack!
Monkey Head Ukou's bamboo staff shattered the bonfire logs.
Sparks flew to the ceiling.
"Really, cut it out, old man. If Hugwan were here, he'd charge you."
Ukou bared his furious fangs in warning.
"Tch, the young ones already getting chummy..."
Sobak still clicked his tongue.
Next Tiger God: Tiger Claw Hugwan.
Next Monkey God: Monkey Head Ukou.
Both were Gisua's childhood friends.
Ukou, having soured the mood, subtly winked at her.
'Don't mind it. Old fart's nonsense.'
'Yeah, thanks.'
A brief signal passed between them.
The meeting resumed, but Gisua stared silently at the floor.
'I want to get revenge on them too.'
Her grudge against the northern tribes ran deeper than anyone's here.
Her father had wandered other tribes to restore the Dog God techniques.
He knelt and begged for access to their generational duel records, meetings with retired legitimate heirs.
The southern tribes pitied the dog tribe and yielded easily.
But the northern tribes did not.
They made her father a laughingstock.
The hybrids were defeated by the northern Dragon God.
The southern dog tribe, who charged first and failed, was just a joke.
Instead of handing over records, northern chiefs used him as a sparring dummy.
'Father......'
He had an incomplete Dog God technique.
No time to train, all spent restoring it—how could he match other chiefs?
Her father was beaten like a ragdoll by northern chiefs.
Yet he never used a single Dog God technique.
Revealing it would let them dissect and steal every move.
He returned, lingered from sparring injuries, and died.
What they barely made was the 'half-baked' Dog God technique.
The half-baked fruit of her father's life.
But the dog tribe became the world's joke.
Northerners saw them as laughable, southerners as a shame tarnishing their name.
'I need power.'
Unjust death, unreasonable world.
Power to shatter it all.
Father's death, tribe's fall—all from lack of power.
'I need power!'
Power to halt the tribe's fall.
Power for father's vengeance.
Power not to rely on friends' pity.
Power never to be scorned.
Power was needed.
'If you desire power, call us anytime.'
One demon's face flashed by.
Recently on floor 40, a three-headed dragon visited.
The dragon introduced itself as 'Great Dragon Duke Azidahaka.'
'You are fine material.'
'We wonder how strong you'd grow with our power.'
'If you need power, call us where no one is.'
The three-headed dragon tempted with reptilian mirth.
The Great Dragon Duke knew.
Among beastkin chiefs, she faced the harshest straits, most vulnerable to temptation.
Thus, she must not fall for it.
'But......'
Power was needed.
To surpass this harsh reality.
She said nothing until the meeting ended.
Crash!
An outdoor dungeon near the city.
Her recent training ground.
Orbs dropped from the shattered stone golem.
"Green inner cores."
She silently picked up the fallen cores.
Since entering Babel, a new world opened to beastkin.
Parchments unfolding before eyes, infinitely spacious bags, colorful inner cores and treasures from yokai.
Inner cores especially revolutionized beastkin training.
Consume an inner core and circulate qi to raise desired stats as wished.
Boost mind and wisdom for deeper martial comprehension; strength and agility to unleash theoretical techniques.
'The elder legitimate heirs said a lifetime for one essence.'
Gisua's face soured.
Now, any chief mastered all twelve god techniques as a matter of course.
'Has the qualification for godhood fallen to earth?'
In the past, one or two chiefs per era might claim 'Twelve Gods.'
Now, all chiefs ascended to 'god.'
'Time to head back.'
Gisua, having felled a great yokai, headed for the exit.
But an unexpected presence lingered there.
She furrowed her brow.
"Did we say to meet here?"
"Twelve Legitimate Heir. Wolf Whisker, Haran. Greetings."
Haran and the other two cupped their fists.
"Twelve Legitimate Heir. Banjo."
"Twelve Legitimate Heir. Giya. Greetings."
She stared at the three silently.
She couldn't fathom why three tribal officers would come unannounced.
But the vibe was odd.
Bluntly, subtly arrogant.
'I'd rather not bother with courtesy here.'
She hesitated, then spoke.
"Lord Haran, your greeting seems a bit off."
"Oh dear! Our attitude offended Gisua, chief and shaman of the dog tribe. Haha, apologies."
Haran looked down stiffly.
No respect for the tribe's highest elder.
"What are you here for?"
Gisua's words carried sharp barbs.
He leisurely stroked his chin fur.
"The dog tribe's plight worsens by the day. Pushed around by other tribes, sent to the harshest missions."
"That is... my apologies."
Gisua bowed.
"As your representative, I'm sorry for not showing reliability. These hard times call for you heirs to trust and unite with me."
"Ahem, about that."
Haran growled, looking away.
As if conscience stung to meet her eyes.
"Our three heirs pledge to the rat tribe."
"Pardon?"
Gisua failed to grasp it at first.
Haran cleared his throat and clarified.
"Ahem, so, we're joining under Rat God Sobak."
"Are you sane?"
She yelled in disbelief.
"You're the dog tribe's Twelve Legitimate Heirs! Dog God's heirs, the tribe's greatest elders! A wolf who learned Dog God techniques defecting—does that make sense?"
"......"
They fell silent.
She knew, they knew.
But it was too unbelievable not to shout.
Haran erased his smile.
"The dog tribe's momentum is gone. Better entrust to a greater power like tiger or rat tribe. It would stem defections and ease life."
"Did that old rat pup say that?"
He didn't answer her question.
"If the whole tribe joins under rats, we'll recognize you as chief and keep the legitimate heir system. Otherwise, Dog God techniques leak to rats, and heirs shatter."
"Hah, what nonsense."
Gisua staggered.
'The dog tribe fallen this low.'
Pride of bravest against hybrids, legendary integrity—gone.
Left with...
"Just mongrel bastards."
Her gaze turned icy as frost.
Haran swallowed and spoke.
"One way to avoid that."
"Lord Haran, that nonsense from last time?"
She scoffed.
"Using my right to name you 'Wolf Head'?"
"......Exactly."
"Didn't I say no 'Wolf Head' without restoring all twelve Dog God essences? And you..."
Gisua eyed them pitifully.
"Cut the crap. Can't even beat me— what chief?"
"Khm! That's..."
"Naming a weaker male 'Wolf Head'? A Dog God chief who can't beat the shaman? Makes sense?"
If a stronger wolf existed, she wouldn't be chief and shaman.
Even equals she'd gladly name, but all fell short.
Banjo and Giya behind Haran exchanged glances.
Clank—
Iron claws, symbol of dog tribe, gleamed on their hands.
Haran sighed, frowning.
"So it comes to this, Gisua."
Under rats, Haran was promised dog tribe chieftaincy.
One condition.
'Get Gisua pregnant.'
Rat Head Sobak adjusted his mangled whiskers.
'Need next shaman for succession. A son could lead dog tribe later.'
'Impregnate Gisua. That's the path to Dog God.'
Recalling Sobak, Haran donned his iron claws.
"Thus, be my wife, Gisua."
"Truly, sunk to rock bottom."
Gisua was the dog tribe's top warrior.
Felled five heirs, inherited six Dog God essences.
'But three might be tough.'
Still, she couldn't lose.
Heirs defecting meant technique leaks.
At minimum, rip tongues, sever tendons.
Grrrrr...
Four fierce hounds growled savagely.