Cassandra Viola, Chieftain of the Ragnarok Tribe and Guardian of the Life Tree, Appears
‘Whoa… that thing’s massive. They call it a mini World Tree, and I can’t deny it’s impressive as hell.’
Geum Taeyang and his party stood roughly a kilometer away, gazing at the Life Tree Oasis. With thousands of Ragnarok tribespeople living there, the oasis itself was enormous, and the Life Tree rising from its center towered like a building over fifty stories high, majestic and imposing.
“I can truly feel why they’ve survived in this desert since ancient times, Advisor Camilla. The name ‘Life Tree’ suits it perfectly.”
“According to ancient texts preserved in Grace, the Life Tree was even larger in the distant past. The oasis was far bigger as well.”
“It must have rivaled the actual World Tree back then.”
“Indeed, Great Khan.”
Staring at the fully revealed Life Tree Oasis, Geum Taeyang spoke to Camilla in a tone almost like reciting poetry, overcome with admiration.
“The Amazoness warriors we deliberately let escape last night have surely informed them of our situation by now.”
“Honestly, Advisor Camilla couldn’t understand your orders, Great Khan. A perfect surprise attack would have been far more effective…”
“Haha! Just wait and see, Advisor.”
Before interrogating the Amazoness officers, Geum Taeyang had privately ordered only Camilla and Darius to release one prisoner. What the hell is this guy planning?
‘Damn, that’s intense.’
After chatting with Camilla, Geum Taeyang focused intently on the Life Tree Oasis and its surroundings, clicking his tongue in awe.
‘I can feel an enormous amount of energy. It’s not just for hiding and revealing the oasis—this energy feels downright dangerous.’
He was scanning the enemy lines with his True Mana Detection. The area around the oasis felt like an invisible trap; any army that stepped in carelessly would be torn to shreds.
“Advisor, can you sense the energy around the oasis as well?”
“Though modest, I possess a fairly high-level mana detection ability, so I’m aware of it.”
Camilla also possessed True Mana Detection. I heard Camilla was a mental-type Awakener back in the game, but I didn’t realize she was this skilled.
Camilla was indeed a mental-type Awakener. Her class was Mind Weaver, the Guide of the Mind. Classified as a supporter, its primary ability was reading an opponent’s mind or mental powers to respond accordingly. It sat between a healer and a regular mage, and while uncommon, those who could treat mental afflictions were precisely these Mind Weavers.
“Then, could you scan the area for us, Advisor?”
“Of course. I’m glad I resumed spiritual training and reached A-rank for the sake of helping you, Great Khan. It feels good to finally put it to use.”
However, Camilla had abandoned the path of the Mind Weaver at age twenty-one. Until she turned twenty-five, she had remained at B+ rank. Finding satisfaction as the Mohican tribe’s advisor, she had restarted her spiritual training in hopes of being useful. Perhaps that strong motivation had triggered a breakthrough—Camilla Jasmine had recently become an A-rank Awakener.
Omnisight
Camilla dismounted and concentrated her mind toward the front, activating her special technique. Omnisight—the eye that sees all, an overwhelming scanning skill.
“Ooooooh…!!”
When Camilla cast Omnisight, Geum Taeyang, who had been watching the front with her from behind, couldn’t hide his shock.
The traps! I can see all of them!!
The magical traps surrounding the Life Tree Oasis were now visible even to him. As an Awakener’s stats rose, the quality of their skills naturally improved as well. At B+ rank, Omnisight had only allowed the caster Camilla herself to see the scan results, but at A-rank it could now be shared with allies who possessed a certain level of Awakener ability.
“So Cassandra’s strength isn’t just because of the Life Tree. Its roots stretch that far and can attack intruders.”
“That’s not all. The sparkling things further ahead are the Life Tree’s seeds. They can ignite at any moment and transform into guardians of the Life Tree or extending tree trunks.”
Geum Taeyang thoroughly enjoyed the excellent intel Camilla provided. Camilla, pleased that her lord Geum Taeyang highly valued her improved abilities, explained everything with utmost sincerity.
“How much control do you think you can exert?”
“I can’t stop the traps from activating, but I should be able to reduce our casualties somewhat.”
“Then focus that ability on the rest of the troops, excluding me.”
A supporter-class Mind Weaver didn’t only possess excellent scanning abilities; they could also buff allies and defend against enemy attacks. For defense, they could create protective barriers or, if an attack carried intent, scatter the attacker’s focus to make it miss.
While Geum Taeyang was holding a brief meeting to discuss how to dismantle the traps, a majestic echo-voice spread across the vast desert.
[An Omnisight user among you? I didn’t expect such a presence.]
“Is that Resonance?”
—Whoosh!
Camilla, who had been conversing with Geum Taeyang, turned her head at the echo-voice. Whoa—Resonance, the space-transmission technique used by S-rank and higher mental-type Awakeners!
Geum Taeyang turned his head as well. Resonance was an advanced magic skill that infused mana into one’s voice so it could be heard throughout a specific space, like the voice of a god. It was commonly called space transmission or echo-voice. A-rank or A+ Awakeners sometimes used it too, but only through scrolls or magical tools, and the range was limited.
Cassandra Viola’s voice is incredible!
The person speaking to Geum Taeyang’s group through Resonance was the S-rank mental-type Awakener and chieftain of the Ragnarok tribe, Cassandra Viola. Geum Taeyang had released one prisoner, and that prisoner had ridden through the night to inform Cassandra of the situation. Thus, Cassandra had already been waiting for them.
Thud!
Geum Taeyang dismounted and called out, “Hey~ Can you hear me, Chieftain Cassandra Viola of the Ragnarok tribe? I’m Geum Taeyang, Great Khan of the Mohican tribe!”
He knew that within a space where Resonance was active, one could not only hear the speaker but also converse in return.
[Greetings, Great Khan Geum Taeyang. You’re quite the bold character, just as I’ve heard. I prepared for the possibility of an invasion, but I’m still surprised. To make our Amazoness warriors talk…]
Cassandra responded to Geum Taeyang’s greeting as well.
“I handled them a bit roughly. Your warriors attacked our caravan, after all. We barbarians may call each other brothers, but if they attack us, they should bear the consequences, don’t you think?”
Geum Taeyang immediately entered a battle of wills.
[Brothers, you say. But if that brother sides with our enemy, then of course we must hold him accountable as well. The Mohican tribe has unified, yet I wondered if you still possessed the spirit of old—only to find you’re merely clinging to the humans.]
Cassandra gave a sharp reply to Geum Taeyang’s words. The Ragnarok tribe’s caravan raids were not merely for profit; they carried strong overtones of revenge and demonstration. Since ancient times, humans and barbarians had been in frequent conflict, and most barbarian tribes did not get along well with humans. Among them, the Ragnarok tribe was particularly hostile. From their perspective, Geum Taeyang’s Mohican tribe was a barbarian group allied with the Grace Kingdom—the humans they had clashed with the most.
“I, Geum Taeyang, don’t see the world in black and white. There are humans we can get along with, so there’s no need to be hostile toward all of them, is there?”
Geum Taeyang prodded Cassandra subtly—by mixing in casual speech.
[How insolent and rude.]
As expected, Cassandra Viola was properly provoked.
[So what does a rude man like you want? It seems you’ve brought some of our children with you. Do you intend to trade their lives?]
Still, Cassandra tried to steady her mind and handle the matter officially.
“I’m not interested in any trade. I plan to face you one-on-one, staking the fates of the Ragnarok and Mohican tribes.”
In contrast to Cassandra, the crude man Geum Taeyang wanted to proceed however he pleased, ignoring formalities. In short: since you messed with us, let the chieftain and Great Khan settle it—the winner takes the other’s tribe as well. That was why he had released a prisoner the previous night.
[You’re insane. I thought you were different from other men after seeing your exploits, but you’re just another fool repeating the chaos you once caused, Great Khan Geum Taeyang.]
Enraged, Cassandra hurled insults at Geum Taeyang. It was an extremely macho way of solving problems—exactly the kind the Ragnarok tribe had rejected when they built their current social structure.
Hmm… What on earth is he thinking? The Great Khan is showing some humility, but he seems to know quite a lot about the Ragnarok tribe… With this approach, it’ll be hard to get anything out of Cassandra…
Camilla also looked at Geum Taeyang with puzzled eyes. He had told her he knew little about the Ragnarok tribe, yet his handling of the prisoners and occasional bits of knowledge suggested otherwise. She had trusted him without question, but the current negotiation seemed very misguided.
“You’re scared. You’re supposed to be an S-rank mental-type Awakener, yet you’re afraid of a one-on-one duel like a cowardly bitch.”
[You vulgar human! It’s a leader’s sense of responsibility. Why gamble like that when there’s a rational way to solve this?]
Geum Taeyang was picking a fight at a truly childish level. Cassandra found his attitude absurd and scolded him like an immature son. In reality, Cassandra was a seductive thirty-nine-year-old milf.
“Heh heh, really? A leader’s responsibility and a rational solution?”
At that moment, Geum Taeyang’s lips curled upward with the expression of someone who had been waiting for the perfect opening.
“Advisor, please bring the top-priority prisoner here.”
Geum Taeyang requested the prisoner from Camilla. Normally he would have ordered Darius, but Darius was currently guarding the caravan camp, so Advisor Camilla was effectively serving as his second-in-command on-site.
Thus, at Geum Taeyang’s request, the top-priority prisoner was brought forward.
[Ah, Ivy…?]
It was Cassandra Viola’s daughter, Ivy Viola. Ivy Viola had a gag in her mouth and her hands bound.
What is the meaning of this! Why did the Mohican Great Khan bring Ivy here?
Looking at Geum Taeyang’s camp through the small pond in the Life Tree sanctuary, the orange-haired Cassandra Viola couldn’t hide her shock. She had never expected Geum Taeyang to bring her daughter Ivy. Of course not—there was an unspoken rule among barbarians. When the highest leaders met, they were supposed to respect each other’s dignity. If the one facing her now had been one of Geum Taeyang’s subordinates instead of the Great Khan himself, she would have anticipated Ivy being dragged out. Yet even though the Mohican leader Geum Taeyang had appeared in person, Cassandra was now confronted with her own daughter.
[What are you doing, Great Khan Geum Taeyang? Do you have no sense of basic courtesy or shame?]
“Yeah, just like you defined me—I’m vulgar and insane~”
[Kuh…!]
Cassandra showed her displeasure at Geum Taeyang for breaking the unspoken rule, and Geum Taeyang only provoked her further with his characteristically infuriating sarcasm.
“Even after seeing your daughter dragged out like this, you still won’t fight me one-on-one, Cassandra?”
[Of course not. I am the leader of our community. Do you think I would handle the current situation with personal emotions?]
Geum Taeyang probed her as if delivering an ultimatum. Yet Cassandra, failing to grasp the nuance, strongly emphasized her own principles.
“!!!!!!??????”
However, Cassandra’s expression inside the Life Tree sanctuary soon twisted in horror.
“Kuaaaah! Hah! Hnnngh!”
Shlick! Shlick! Shluuuurp!
Rip!
“Yeah! I’ll show you exactly what happens to your daughter because of your stubbornness, Mom!”
Geum Taeyang hoisted Ivy up and forcibly stripped off her lower garments, leaving her bare-bottomed. Then—
“Whoa! The Ragnarok tribe chieftain’s daughter’s pussy is top-notch!”
Thud!
Squelch! Squelch! Squelch, squelch, squelch!
“Mmmph! Hnn! Hnnngh! Mmmph!”
Struggle! Struggle! Struggle!
Grabbing Ivy’s virgin pussy, he rubbed and fondled it while spouting vulgar comments.