Chapter 167: Storm Shadow
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 167: Storm Shadow
“So it wasn’t from natural causes.”
Storm Shadow’s eyes wavered as he looked at me. The proposal to completely annihilate the South was the final clue. Storm Shadow’s silence during the meeting was tantamount to saying he wanted the South destroyed. It was a complete departure from the disposition he had shown until now. Storm Shadow was the one who best understood the Great Tribe Leader's will. There was no way he would go against that will without a compelling reason. Watching Storm Shadow's wavering eyes, I could tell that my words had hit the mark.
“I will not speak of this to the other chieftains. I swear it on the honor of my lost name.”
At my words, Storm Shadow seemed to contemplate for a moment before nodding.
“That was a mistake…”
He seemed to think that showing his anger was the mistake. I quietly waited for him to speak. I was curious as to why this fact had to be hidden. I already had a rough idea of the reason, but what I wanted was confirmation. Only after a rather long silence did Storm Shadow open his mouth.
“The Great Tribe Leader's body was in a weakened state. To be precise, it would be more accurate to say his body had already reached its limit. The constant struggles after coming to this land had gifted him strength, but they also left fatal side effects all over his body. It was the same when you and Goff set foot in the Land of Glory.”
“.........................”
“There was a small battle that the other Green Skins do not know of. It was not a battle for the sake of battle, but a battle to protect.”
Simply put, it seemed his body had produced an output it could no longer handle. He must have sustained various injuries, and though he may have won the battle, his body was already at its limit. I figured the Great Tribe Leader must have also felt that his end was approaching. I kept nodding as I listened to Storm Shadow’s words.
“The Great Tribe Leader asked me never to speak of that last battle. He was likely concerned about the other chieftains, the other Green Skins, and the children who would be affected, all of whom would rush to avenge him. I swore I would not speak of it. And that is all.”
I expected as much, but it was just like the Great Tribe Leader. What he thought of until the moment he closed his eyes was not revenge for his own death, but the future of the Green Skins who would live on. I couldn't help but think he was more human than any human. Storm Shadow, too, must have known the Great Tribe Leader’s will. He was no idiot who sought only strength. He was a wise, intelligent Green Skin who understood many things.
“The Great Tribe Leader always spoke of coexistence. He wasn't talking about an alliance with humans. What the Great Tribe Leader was worried about was the ecosystem. I could not fully fathom the depths of his will, but I understood it faintly.”
“The ecosystem…”
“That's right. The maintenance of the ecosystem, and coexistence. The Great Tribe Leader knew that we desire battle. However, he was extremely negative about the outcome of endless battles driven by instinct.”
‘Coexistence.’
“Fighting humans is enjoyable. The Great Tribe Leader always said so. It was a concept he had not yet shared with the other Green Skins, but he often pondered… if, just if, all the humans on this land were to disappear… who would we fight?”
It wasn't a definitive answer, but most likely…
“We would end up fighting amongst ourselves.”
Storm Shadow nodded, and I felt a faint chill run down my spine. I was simply astounded at how far this massive, wise Orc had thought ahead. Coexistence… Even I hadn't thought of it. The Great Tribe Leader had been thinking about the blood that would be spilled in endless battle, and also about what would happen afterward.
Battle is certainly enjoyable. It's a feeling I can experience now, possessing the body of a Green Skin. That sense of exhilaration, something I never felt as a human, is a massive pleasure comparable to drugs or sex.
That is why Green Skins desire battle, hunger for it. They always struggle, always crave a great fight.
And…
They win.
If, as Storm Shadow said, a war of conquest were to break out and all the human cities were destroyed… if the humans lost their entire foundation and could no longer fight, then we… who would we fight?
Our kinship is strong, but there is certainly no guarantee that we wouldn't fight amongst ourselves. That is why the Great Tribe Leader held back.
He certainly possessed the power. The vast Land of Glory and the countless chieftains who followed him. He definitely had the power to fight, to win, and to conquer.
But it was not a power meant for fighting, but a power meant for protecting. The Great Tribe Leader does not swing his hammer recklessly. He had always, for his entire life, thought about the consequences his actions would bring.
For no particular reason, I glanced again at the hammer Storm Shadow had handed me earlier.
‘It's heavy.’
It was the same weight, but I could feel that it had definitely gotten heavier. Strength, Wisdom, and Honor… and coexistence. In an instant, my mind became a tangled mess. For me, who had always thought only of myself and my clan, it was too grand a concept.
I quietly stared at Storm Shadow. He had poured out the story of the Great Tribe Leader, but it seemed he was unwilling to dwell on that sentiment any longer.
“But Storm Shadow… is what you want revenge?”
“.........................”
He didn't answer. He was weighing the Great Tribe Leader's will, the future of the race, and his own desire for revenge. I couldn't know what he was thinking right now, but one thing was certain: in the previous future, a war had broken out.
The one who became Great Tribe Leader was likely the Orc chieftain from the South. I was certain of it, as I'd never heard any rumors about the Northern Werewolves appearing in the South. The one who quietly threw his support behind him must have been Storm Shadow. The Minotaur of the plains, Earth Wave, probably fought a lonely battle. As I looked at him again, he spoke once more.
“I don't know either.”
A short reply. It was understandable. That's why he had chosen silence.
I began to think about which future would be most beneficial to me. The side that starts a war, and the side that doesn't.
The South disappearing might be to my advantage. If there's one thing that's changed from the past, it's that the West and the South have formed an alliance. Naturally, the scale of the war would be larger, and opportunities would surely come faster.
The problem is, can it be controlled? A war would surely continue for some time. I had made avenging myself on the Sword Saint my life's goal, but when I closed my eyes, more things came to mind than I expected. My brothers and my clan members.
And crucially, Mev and our child.
The Great Tribe Leader's concept was, in truth, less for those living in the present and more for the children who would live in the future.
I, too, now have something to protect. It is far too soon for a great war to break out.
“Green Skin who has lost his honor, Blood Dagger. What are your thoughts?”
Storm Shadow posed the question to me, but it was likely a question he was asking himself. In response to his question, I quietly opened my mouth.
“The choice is yours. However, I agree with the Great Tribe Leader's thinking, and I hope that you will lead us. You are wiser, more honorable, and more qualified than you think. The Great Tribe Leader never mentioned a successor. But as for why he always kept you by his side and shared so many stories with you, I am sure you know the reason far better than I, even without me having to say it.”
“..........................”
“Thank you.”
He placed a hand over his chest, and I placed my hand over mine as well. With my thoughts swirling, I left Storm Shadow's tent immediately, and soon, the next morning arrived.
Many chieftains had already taken their seats for the continuing meeting. The Orc from the South, who had spoken quite a lot in yesterday's meeting, was looking around with a triumphant air. He clearly thought his ideas were gaining traction. There was still plenty of time before the meeting was scheduled to start, but given the sensitive nature of the topic, many Green Skins had gathered early to exchange opinions.
Big Ogre, his eyes still red as his sorrow had not yet faded, and Green Goblin also appeared one by one in the meeting hall.
I slowly waited by the tent's entrance for Storm Shadow to arrive. As the time for the meeting drew near, Storm Shadow appeared. His eyes were slightly different from yesterday.
I quietly raised the corners of my mouth, and he took his seat with a determined expression.
“Let the meeting begin.”
A quiet but heavy resonance spread throughout the tent. As soon as Storm Shadow's voice announcing the start of the meeting reached my ears, I immediately spoke up.
“I have a proposal.”
I'm not used to all these eyes on me.
“Strength, Wisdom, and Honor. These are the values we Green Skins revere most, the words that the former Great Tribe Leader, Agar, engraved upon us. The strength to fight, the wisdom to think, and the honor to be respected. I believe these three things are the most important in deciding the next Great Tribe Leader. Commemorating the Great Tribe Leader's death with the blood of humans and electing the next leader in the process is not a bad method.”
At my words, the Orc from the South raised the corners of his mouth. But I have no intention of helping him.
“However, it is not a wise method. It may be a suitable way to test strength, but it is not wise. A battle for the sake of battle is not an honorable battle. It cannot be called honorable.”
When I checked the reactions, the Orc was, as expected, glaring at me with burning eyes. The Minotaur of the plains nodded, and several other chieftains also had expressions of agreement.
“We know. We know what an honorable path the Great Tribe Leader walked, how much he struggled, and how much he worried for and honored his descendants and the entire race. There is no need to test for strength. Last night, I thought continuously about the next Great Tribe Leader. I thought endlessly about who was qualified. And a Troll came to mind—one who, like the Great Tribe Leader Agar, sacrificed his entire life to fight honorable battles by his side, yet never sought the spotlight.”
“.......................”
“I recommend Storm Shadow as the next Great Tribe Leader.”
For a moment, they were all struck dumb, saying nothing. They, too, must have known without it being said. He is qualified. But Storm Shadow is not the only one who is qualified. After a moment of silence, they began to speak again.
“Storm Shadow is not the only one who is qualified. There are others besides Storm Shadow who can loudly proclaim Strength, Wisdom, and Honor.”
“That's right. The Orc of the South has also continued his honorable battles and struggles.”
“The same goes for the Minotaur of the plains, and the Werewolf of the North. I'm not sure how we should decide on the Great Tribe Leader…”
In an instant, the names of qualified individuals began to be called out, and the chieftains grew a little rowdy. Talk began to erupt from all over about whose honor was greater. Towards them, I slowly opened my mouth once more.
“A vote.”
They all looked at me as if to ask what I was talking about. It was the moment the concept of an election was introduced to Green Skin society for the first time.