[Handing My Position to That Guy...?]

Garuda gazed at Garon with a complex, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠subtle glint in his eyes and muttered to himself.

[Wasn't I supposed to erase that guy? I don't want to become a high god like this.]

Garon grumbled in a dissatisfied tone.

[What I want isn't to become a high god—it's for that damned bastard to die.]

At the blaze of his fury, Garuda paused as if in thought, then clapped his hands lightly.

[Ah, I get it. Garon, you're still pissed off, huh? Because back then, I devoured your contractor.]

Garuda shrugged.

[I was young and foolish at the time. I wondered if eating a contractor who could wield the same power of conflagration would make me stronger.]

He said it as if it were no big deal.

[Hey, I didn't eat him because I liked the taste or anything. It was just to find a way to get even stronger.]

[...Look at him. We should've just erased the bastard, heart or no heart.]

[Calm down. We all admit now that even gods aren't perfect. Gods fall in love, mourn, and sometimes get greedy too.]

Garuda pointed at Kalderet and Garon in turn.

[We're all the same. My mistake came from my own imperfections as a god... Urk, uwaaaagh!!]

Garuda's neck snapped back as he convulsed with a scream.

"Shut your mouth."

Adel peeled off the North Sea Ice Crystal pendant that had been pressing into the back of his neck.

[Keh, kek... You little shit.]

Tears welled in his eyes as Garuda snarled at Adel.

"Mistake? Don't let that word touch your lips. You only became a high god by luck, hogging the most rift power."

Adel said coldly.

"Keeping a god like you alive, without even the awareness of one, is solely to pass your position to Garon. Nothing more, nothing less."

[You think I'll help you if you pull this shit? You think I don't know why you want a high god's power? It's to ignite the Holy Flame.]

Clutching his neck, Garuda staggered to his feet and spat at Adel.

"Right. The Holy Flame's power is a blessing that only applies to desert tribes recognized by a high god. I'll use it to let Ulan conquer the desert before the central Nine Kingdoms' war ends."

[From what I remember, Ulan's master is Hien. Talking about conquest—you must be his son... Has the White Ghost died?]

"He's alive."

[A guy who's not even Ulan's chief yet, spouting such nonsense. You're the one lost in vain dreams.]

Garuda waved him off.

[Get out. I'll even give you the phoenix egg, so stop with the bullshit and scram. I'd rather vanish than hand my position to Garon of all people.]

[Same to you. Fine, just wait a bit. Like Adel said, if you don't reclaim your heart, I'll complete the Immortality Books and come back to end you.]

Garuda flinched, his shoulders trembling.

[No way... That damned spellbook made by the ancients still exists?]

[Think that's all? We've already found one volume and know where the other is. While you're scrambling for your heart, we'll come back to take your life.]

Garon's words made Garuda grimace and grind his teeth.

[...Why are you all so desperate to devour me?!]

[You reaped what you sowed. You've made too many enemies—not just humans, but gods too.]

"Garuda, I'll give you time to think. Don't do anything you'll regret."

[Regret? Me?]

Garuda scoffed at Adel's words.

"Yes, you. Telling you to yield your high god position to Garon isn't just my greed. You were definitely regretting it that day."

[......]

Garuda fell silent. Kasan followed after Adel, cradling the phoenix egg.

[I regret it...]

The empty cave held no warmth left behind. In the darkened space where even light couldn't penetrate, Garuda muttered like a sigh.

[Is this really the end? If we just leave after stirring shit up like that, that bastard will definitely burn down the Ivory Tower to find his heart.]

As they descended Thousand-Year Volcano, Garon vented his frustration.

"Calm down. We bluffed, but we don't have a way to kill Garuda right now anyway."

[True, but...]

"Still, he'll be anxious. A high god of conflagration is a symbol of resurrection—but only with a heart."

Nothing was more terrifying than encroaching death. That was why mortals could be strong, and immortals couldn't dominate the world.

"The choice is his. But no matter the outcome, we'll take that high god position."

Adel said.

"We need to prepare for it."

He gazed at the North Sea Ice Crystal.

"A ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠winter high god like Kiransha, Garuda's natural counter, can crush a heartless god of conflagration."

[Let him grow it himself or lose it—his choice. That Garuda... he's got a headache coming.]

Kalderet nodded at Adel's words.

[I still don't like it.]

But Garon didn't hide his displeasure.

"Kasan, hatching the ancient tree won't be easy. But as a chief protecting his tribe, you must do it."

"...I'll keep that in mind."

At Adel's words, Kasan carefully cradled the egg.

"The hatched phoenix will protect not just the Red Dragonkin's young, but also Karsea's hatchlings."

"Hatchlings... We Ardragons saw the heavenly dragons' might in the Dragon War firsthand. Fighting them again is unthinkable, but..."

Kasan paused, then said to Adel,

"...If you can save the Red Dragon hatchlings, I'll leave the tribe and follow you."

His tone had shifted. Adel sensed the giant hunter's heart leaning more toward him and nodded.

"Say that when I bring back the hatchlings."

"...You met Garuda? No wonder the sky burned red. You okay?"

Hul stared at the two returning with the phoenix egg, unable to hide his surprise.

"Fortunately, it worked out. He really is a high god—words got through."

"No matter how I think about it, I doubt you talked it out."

Glancing at Kasan's expression, Hul seemed to guess the situation.

"Anyway, you're back alive. And you even got the phoenix egg—Father will be proud when he hears."

"I'm heading ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠back to the desert anyway. I already reported on the Garam Archipelago via magic orb."

"...What? A report via magic orb?"

Hul seemed more shocked by that than finding the phoenix egg in Gold Death Gorge.

"So like you...)

"I'll leave the phoenix egg with the Red Dragonkin for now. With this, they can move—so could you help find land for them to settle, brother?"

"Sure. If that works, no more friction with us. Nakrang owes you now."

"No need."

"It's far from here to the desert. I'll prep good horses—ride them, then switch to Kargon in the desert."

"I'm good. I'll take this."

Adel casually tossed the cloth draped around him forward, and it floated in the air.

"......"

Hul just laughed, at a loss for words.

"By the way, any news on our other brothers?"

"Well, I've been busy with the Red Dragonkin lately, so not much on the tribe. I hear Sirin started dealings with the central lands."

"Central?"

"Yeah. Seems like merchants are coming and going. He hunted armored bugs from Saha Tomb before."

Adel nodded. It matched what Rania had told him in the Garam Archipelago.

"Probably trading that... The emblem was hidden, so no clue on affiliation."

"Makes sense. What about Merka?"

"Him? He's not into power anyway. Lately, he's been leading hunts. After catching a Mantis Core, he asked me for high-rank monster locations."

"I heard he went hunting with our sister—looks like it succeeded."

"A-rank beasts are a breeze for him. He'll build more fame as a hunter."

Even as Adel spoke, he didn't forget Ruinxen.

So maybe he's not in the desert. Could be investigating suspicions tying him to the demon realm gate stones and the Forgotten Ones.

Adel felt the time had come. It concerned Merka, the brother he'd trusted most in the tribe—and a must-visit before the North Sea journey.

"He'd love hearing that. Back to the desert after so long? Rest up."

"I'd like to, but North Sea next. Stopping by the Ancestral Tomb on the way."

"...North Sea? No rest for you. You're the busiest among the brothers."

Hul clicked his tongue and nodded. A non-chief entering where the tribe's past chiefs' weapons were forged and buried—probably a first.

"Father actually allowing the Ancestral Tomb... Shocking."

Hul said.

"Not even chief, not a formal heir—just the eighth son, bypassing us all."

"If it's a bother, go first."

"...Kidding, kid."

"Me too."

Hul chuckled at Adel's cheeky reply.

"North Sea—means the Ice Palace? Why there?"

"Got a North Sea treasure from the Garam Archipelago lord. Delivering it, and checking some things."

"Huh, interesting."

"Why?"

"Bin left for the North Sea recently too. Remember? We met him before."

"Bin? Of course. He came to the first ritual summons after I returned to the desert."

"Yeah, that day was shocking. Ritual and bagging a basilisk for Hunt Day. Shame I missed the sight."

"Why's Bin going? Business in the North Sea?"

"Who knows. He's not hunter-like—always holed up reading or wandering."

As Hul said, Bin, who came with Sirin and Yoran, was the least standout of Hien's sons.

"Maybe found something fun."

"Bin to the North Sea..."

Adel muttered lowly.

"Like you said, maybe something really fun."

"Yeah? Got a guess?"

"Nah, just heard from you now."

"Hmm."

Hul eyed Adel suspiciously.

"You seem to know something."

"If I meet Bin in the North Sea, I'll pass on your regards."

"Do that. Safe travels."

"Yes."

As he said, Adel had a hunch about Bin's movements—but wasn't sure if now was the time.

Bin Temir. In his past life, the only brother who lived quietly like the wind, achieving nothing notable till death.

But he did leave one thing behind.

The exact timing was unknown. His legacy surfaced years later, in a diary left after his death.