Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: From Primitive Era Chieftain to Space Age Emperor
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The day of the departure ceremony.
I erected a platform in the village square by the communal fire and stood atop it.
At my side stood White Flame, to emphasize that she was the leader's woman, and below her I positioned Black Stone, Blue Wind, Red Rock, Eagle's Eye, and Yellow Hand.
The warriors were lined up front and center, while the regular tribespeople encircled them.
This was a deliberate arrangement.
Once the war ended and we absorbed a tribe of two hundred, agriculture would begin.
We were laying the foundations of pastoralism and evolving the village into a proper domain, so establishing a hierarchy was urgent.
Creating primitive power structures.
Until now, the tribespeople had informally looked after the power holders based on mutual understanding, but now it was official.
I drew in a deep breath.
A faint fishy smell wafting from the water, the earthy scent rising as the ground thawed, along with a touch of humidity.
Perfect weather for war.
"We endured a brutal winter. Do you remember last winter? So many froze to death or starved. Why? Because we lacked unity and failed to advance like we have. So what drives progress? People."
"......"
The tribespeople nodded in agreement.
I hammered home the need to bolster our population.
They could sense we were entering the dawn of an agricultural society, and a developed society proved it wouldn't let people starve or freeze.
Anyone not a fool could feel in their bones that population was key to launching that advanced society.
They had mastered the skills.
To my eyes, we were still sorely lacking, but this was an era with zero knowledge of pastoralism or farming.
As our numbers grew, these people would become managers.
No reason not to welcome war.
"We've worked hard for this day. We've advanced our weapons and birthed new tactics. Do you think we'll lose?"
"We'll win!"
"We won't lose!"
"Woo-ahh!"
The warriors' cheers erupted.
Longing gleamed in the tribespeople's eyes.
Faith that things could get better.
Desire for more than they had now.
I ruthlessly stoked that desire.
"We march!"
"Woo-aaah!"
Women approached the warriors they fancied, offering flowers.
Unnamed wildflowers, but that hardly mattered.
To modern eyes, it might seem routine, but I saw something else.
'I might be witnessing the birth of the primitive family right now.'
With agriculture's start came the concept of property, and women and children as objects of protection.
That marked the beginning of structured systems—the fundamental building block of a nation.
Marriage systems would need introducing someday, and I knew that day wasn't far off.
White Flame tied a short flower stem around my wrist.
The warriors bid farewell to the women and fell into line.
Discipline that made them look like a proper army.
No need during a march, but in front of the people—or the enemy—they needed to show precision.
With four up front bearing their scutums, we advanced in formation.
The sight of them marching with 3-meter spears was overwhelming even to me.
What must the enemy think, seeing this?
*
We advanced in grand style.
We'd spent the winter refining strategies and drilling, but once the long spears and round shields were born, we focused on demonstrating overwhelming power.
Show the enemy tribe a force they couldn't resist, strengthening our dominance.
Like in the Joseon era, civil officials becoming power holders was still unthinkable.
The warriors knew might equaled power.
That's why Black Stone, Blue Wind, and Yellow Hand joined the fight.
Early civil officials focused on brains, so they'd handle rearguard archery—but wielding power without any combat was impossible.
Ultimately, we'd need a system where completing military service earned full citizenship, but that was distant.
Even when enemy scouts appeared and vanished, we didn't halt.
Splash! Splash!
As we neared their camp, we straightened our posture and synced our steps.
To intimidate the foe.
The thawing ground squelched slightly underfoot.
The low hum of shields brushing together vibrated heavily.
Upstream Tribe scouts watched us more frequently.
They flickered like black dots in the tree shadows, then vanished entirely.
After half a day's march, the enemy camp came into view.
Quick Hand and the refugee tribespeople had described it, but seeing it firsthand made it worse.
Compared to Whirlwind Tribe, they were practically primitives.
Rickety fences and reed huts barely shielding from wind and rain.
Their filthy, bare-chested appearances triggered a strong sense of dissonance.
To think that was us not long ago.
The enemy milled about in panic.
Having only fought ragtag foes, they were stunned by intruders armed with unfamiliar gear.
"Woo-aaah!"
But their chieftain bellowed, and the enemy warriors snapped to and charged.
Sloppy movements.
Short spears, stone axes, stone knives—that was their arsenal.
No intention of meeting those short spears head-on.
"Nock arrows!"
Kud-duduk!
Twenty-five bows angled at 45 degrees.
The long spears pointed skyward, slung diagonally over shoulders—a well-practiced maneuver.
Grand as "long spears" sounded, they were still heavy and sturdy enough to manage.
Arrows flew into the enemy, embedding in limbs and torsos.
Even glancing hits from obsidian-and-bone tips caused serious wounds.
"Aaaagh!"
"Kuaaagh!"
Thighs, calves, arms, chests pierced indiscriminately, blood spraying everywhere.
A single volley dropped many foes.
"Shields."
Tung! Tung!
The enemy flung a few short spears in panic.
Most fell short.
Two lucky ones reached us but bounced harmlessly off the shields.
"Lower spears."
Spear shafts leveled at the enemy.
As expected, those charging at their chieftain's urging skewered themselves.
Thud! Thud!
"Aaaagh!"
Overwhelming terror and despair.
Half the enemy's torso impaled on the spear, they vomited blood.
Then died.
'Should've skipped the arrows?'
I'd shot to thin their numbers, but maybe overdid it.
Wonder how many able-bodied men I'd salvage now.
Facing weapons they'd never seen, they fell like autumn leaves.
Those rolling on the ground had lost the will to fight.
Whirlwind Tribe had just arrived, loosed arrows, and lowered spears.
Yet the battle was over.
Our gear was so superior they couldn't even dream of engaging.
Fifty enemy warriors? Felt like it should've taken five hundred.
Then a booming voice echoed from their camp.
"Fight like men!"
A challenge to single combat?
I could've ignored it, but in this era of macho tribes, it'd undermine the chieftain's authority.
Unfortunately—or fortunately—in our tribe, the name Whirlwind was all-powerful.
No fear of losing, anyway.
I dominated physically, and with upgraded gear.
No reason to lose if I stayed sharp.
"Make way."
The shield wall parted slightly.
I gripped a short spear and charged out.
This was a throwing spear, not a thrusting one.
We'd grooved the shaft lightly for forward balance, with short, wide fletching to prevent wobbling in flight.
Winter-long project: Quick Hand and I throwing, retrieving, refining—the ultimate weapon.
Miss, and I'd bash his skull with it as a club.
"Hup!"
My right arm strained.
Momentum from the run, plus the spear's weight.
My physique was unmatched in this era, so it flew at tremendous speed.
Even I was shocked—piercing the enemy chieftain's chest in an instant.
Splaaat!
"Gaaack!"
Heart hit? Blood gushed wildly.
Momentum carried him up the spear, slamming into a nearby tree—like an execution.
"......"
"T-Tiger!"
"A big tiger!"
The enemy gaped and trembled.
Limited vocabulary—they likened me to a "big tiger," high praise.
In a world where tigers drove tribes away.
Pfshaa!
Blood fountained from the impaled chieftain's heart against the tree.
He died.
"Anyone else wanna step up?"
Enemy warriors averted their eyes.
Sign of defeat.
At the same time—
"Woo-aaah!"
Cheers exploded from our lines.
My diehard fan Eagle's Eye riled the warriors further.
Even hot-headed Red Rock nodded, acknowledging my prowess.
"Whirlwind blew away their chieftain!"
"He flew into a tree! We should preserve that as a monument!"
Yellow Hand eyed the tree-pinned chieftain thoughtfully.
Planning to paint it back home, probably.
I reined in the warriors.
"The Upstream Tribe is ours now!"
Time to collect the spoils (humans).