Chapter 53: The Chieftain of Centaurs

Translator: StarveCleric  Editor: StarveCleric

That night, the skies of Vance City weren’t peaceful.

It was at a small market outside a mining area. It is also a place where many underground trade deals were done.

After all, this market is rather far from the city and there are only broken slums in the surroundings. Movements would leave behind trace, making it hard for an ambush to succeed, thus effectively preventing assaults from other gangs.

Even so, there is still a messy graveyard here that is used to bury those unlucky fellows who thought that this was a safe land but still ended up sleeping here.

The residents here are also used to overlooking the scene of 2 trading parties failing to come to an agreement and breaking out in a fight.

At this moment, another trade wasn’t successfully negotiated and the both parties came to blows. If I have to point out something was different about it, then I could only be say that the scale of this conflict is slightly bigger…

The injured Ancient Red Dragon is howling in agony. The big window opened in its abdomen bleeds continuously and its wings are tied together tightly by a pitch-black spider silk, unable to spread it open at all.

TL: I will just stick closely with the author’s use of his, her and it

“Want to eat, but Ah Pa don’t allow…”

The gigantic eight-legged spider keeps harassing her, the mysterious venom that it left on her paralyses her physical body. In a state of dizziness and blurred vision, she was completely unable to leave the surface.

“Crimspur! If you continue acting so indecisive, our agreement will be cancelled. You will have to face the wrath of us, the Royalty Faction. Or maybe, do you think that your strength can rival with Ya Ding Si, your scheming can compare with Lionheart. If so, you can just wage war on us directly. Do you want to try to see if the 12 Senators will just end up with 10 Senators before you can return to Xiluo!

TL: Ya Dang Si -> Ah Dang’s full name (Still looking for a better name)

The roar of the blue crystal Bone Dragon in the sky made the indecisive two muster up their determination.

“The Corroded Plains of Ants!”

Following the furious howl of the Ant King Lamost, the Soul World that belongs solely to him activates and the entire world changes. The badly injured Dragon Queen Molly is forcefully dragged into a decayed plains.

“Bzzst.” “Sisi” A bizarre sound coming from the movement under the ground of the plains could be heard, making one instinctively feel threatened.

Soon after, ant holes open one after another and a beige-colored giant Ant Soldier appears from within. They aren’t very strong individually but what that causes fear is their endless numbers.

It wasn’t long before the deserted land is full of holes. Below each and every hole is a kingdom of an ancient foreign ant-shaped race. Responding to the call of their king, countless Ant Soldiers opens their own ant hole. They are the soldiers and servants of the king when he was still alive. Just that this time, from the look of their Soulfire burning in their blue-green eyes, they are a member of an undead army.

Before Lamost was killed, he was the king of an ancient bug tribe. When his corpse was resurrected as an undead, his kingdom revived along with him.

The long years have caused their physical body to become mostly decayed, resulting in their strength being diminished significantly, but his endless people is still his pride.

The Ant Warriors raise their oddly-shaped spears and wooden barriers and shouts their cheer before charging in fearlessly. The Elephant Ants which are about the size of a small hill serve as their War Beasts while the Flying Ant Officers carried Poison Sac Bombs filled with acid and begins their strafe of death. The Ant Queens standing at the very back starts to release their Dark Witchcraft which is long-lost in history.

In an instant, the powerful Dragon Queen ends up being lynched by the army of Ants. When she kills one, ten others rush up to fill their place. Her Dragon Breath burns hundred Flying Ants to their death, but thousand more appear afterwards. Furthermore, the troublesome Death Curses and Dark Witchcraft is fatal and dangerous.

There isn’t a single Undead Senator that is easy to deal with. Lamost may be weak individually, but he has a strong Soul World to make up for it. It is just that his powerful Soul World ‘The Corroded Plains of Ants’ depletes his mana extremely quickly, so he doesn’t use it usually, causing his ranking to be on the lower side.

“Hmph! An idiot who uses Soul World to make up for his lack of strength. If Ya Dang Si didn’t harass the Dragon Queen, she would be able to fly and the first thing she would do is to kill you even at the risk of aggravating her injuries. Idiot, individual strength is the basic and the most important of all.”

What Gria said is the truth. For powerful fighting races like Undead Lords and the Dragon Tribe, their overwhelming talent restricts them for developing their own path suited to them. While their talent may be able to overpower them, but it also means that the level of the other techniques that they learn will be much lower. However, for them to face the weak mortals, just using their physical body would suffice.

TL: Meaning they focus on their race talents rather, causing other aspects to be lacking

In fact, in the eyes of a portion of extremists, mortals must cultivate to reach the height as them and they view this fact as an evidence of their great strength and their high-born. If they need strength, they just need some time to retrieve it from their bloodline. Things like cultivating and studying aren’t needed for them.

Of course, there are also quite a few who are like Einz Mezus, who despite being an Ancient Red Dragon but reached quite a scary level of attainment in the field of both Wind Magic and Fire Magic.

However, those are like Little Red are still the minority. Most of the members of the Dragon Tribe still depend on their physical talent to feed themselves. They normally just sleep and wait for them to evolve by themselves with the flow of time. In fact, there are quite a few Dragon Tribe who don’t have Soul Imprint. But, simply by using their fearsome physical body and basic strength (basic stat), it is not that difficult a task to tear apart a few Legend-ranks.

As for Undead Lords, there are quite a few who are born strong that acts that way as well. Even more so, Ah Dang is a monster without any notion of power rank. However, even SemiGod Humans have to be careful around him.

Fine, our Lord Gria will never admit that she doesn’t have a Soul World at all and she is very envious of this powerful Soul World, especially when this Soul World has been praised by a certain someone and acknowledged by the masses.

“Hmph, what the Soul World that is the closest to the level of Undead Emperor. It is just that he has the same type of Soul World as the Emperor, that’s why his one has been overestimated by quite a bit. What is the use when he can only sustain it for 3 minutes? Look, it is already revealing its true form.”

The situation of the fight below changes. The panting Lamost finally finds himself unable to sustain his Soul World. As the illusory world starts to shatter, the heavily wounded Dragon Empress starts her counterattack.

Crimspur stands in front of Lamost to guard him. With a strong physical body, he makes up for them deficiency of the Ant King. On other days, they have always teamed up like that. However, this time, from the look of the black figure that is suddenly descending from the sky, there is no chance for him to strike.

“Die!”

Gria dives and sends a fatal Phosphorus Dragon Breath down, plunging the lands into a sea of green flames. This kind of vicious poisonous flame is extremely acidic. If it gets on you, it will immediately penetrate the bones and burn it to ashes. Even if it is Molly, in the face of this dangerous sea of flames, she could only retreat.

Her movement to dodge the flames gave Ah Dang an opportunity. From the form of a Spider which represents binding, he turns into an ink-green big-mouthed monster in a distortion. With the entire body of a gigantic deformed monster that seems to have only a mouth remaining, he uses his short legs to jump up in a manner reminiscent of a frog. Opening his wide mouth that is big enough to bite into mountains, he actually directly swallows the Dragon Queen!

“…This isn’t eating. This is attacking!” For delicious food, Ah Dang is enlightened for once.

With her life in danger, the Dragon Queen gives a final look at her wings which is bind and corroding under the spider silk. Then, with a twist of her body, she actually retreats a few steps in an awkward position in midair.

“AHHHHH…. OWWWWWW!!” Even so, in the next second, dragon blood and a shriek of agony fills the air. The Dragon Queen has just suffered a heavy blow.

With that mouthful from Ah Dang, her two dragon wings disappear. But the Dragon Queen smiles in response.

“Like this… I can finally fly.”

The vicious Dragon Queen actually took the initiative to gift her own wings to Ah Dang. After getting free from the spider silk which restrains mana, she regains her ability to fly. Losing her 2 wings as support, it will be more difficult, but the ability to fly of the Dragon Tribe doesn’t just depend on their wings.

Using all of her remaining mana to fly, a formless wind lifts the Dragon Queen’s massive wounded body and lifts her up rapidly.

Without any consideration about her mana consumption, her speed is actually much faster than usual days. Even without the support of her wings, for the Red Dragons who are the most skilled in flying techniques among the Dragon Tribe, it isn’t difficult for her to shake off a Bone Dragon who is known to be slow.

Her calculations are well done, but…

“OUCH! Who is so inconsiderate, flying around with their eyes closed!!”

TL: She says ouch in English.

The Dragon Queen who is anxious to flee accidentally bumps into a gigantic Dragon who ‘happens to be passing by’. If it was just a normal Young Dragon (within 10-meters), he would have been sent flying by the Dragon Queen. However, the one she bumped into just had to be an Ancient Red Dragon (30-meters and above) as well!

“Flying with your eyes closed, changing your path randomly and flying against the direction of the lane. Where did you learn your flying rules from? Aren’t you afraid that 12 points will be deducted from you at one go, causing your flying license to be confiscated?”

The Ancient Red Dragon who is full of nonsense yawns and gazes downwards curiously.

“Ohhhhh. Isn’t this my vicious old mother who ruthlessly killed her own husband, 1 son and 3 daughters? Why, are you so lonely that you can’t sleep that you sneaked out for a walk in the night? Hehe, looks like we are on the same line. Should we fly together?”

Molly, whose magic power and wind current which has been messed up by the crash, can only dive down straight like a metal ball. In the end, she realized that the flow of current has been completely controlled by the other party, causing her to be unable to even float. In the end, she gives up the useless struggle of flapping the remains of her wings, frustrated. She dives down straight like a piece of rock.

Below, the Undead Lords are waiting for her while sharpening their blades. In the end, she could only helplessly scream at the Dragon.

“Einz Mezus! You won’t die a proper death!”

Little Red simply yawns in response, turns around, glides away and continues on her walk, leaving behind just a single message.

“Old one, your teachings back then aren’t wrong. The howling of a loser is really hard to look at.”

TL: ?? -> Can mean old mother, albeit in a disrespectful way. It is also how the Dark Elves often refer to themselves with. In this case, it is a bit like a gangster-like way to refer to yourself.

—————-

The heavy black clouds crush the sky of Vance City. As the date to the auction draws closer, the atmosphere of the city grows more and more tense and suppressing.

A large portion of underground city lords didn’t leave after the Conference. That auction which hasn’t been publicized anyhow has already spread across the entire city. In their eyes, the show is just about to start. The new and old Autarchs are sure to cross blows on the auction, causing a change in the splitting of powers in the entire underground world.

A true God Equipment is going to be auctioned. An item that involves the absolute treasure of Xiluo’s royal authority is going to be auctioned. The intelligence network of the kingdoms and their Thief Guild isn’t just for show. A month is more than enough for the news to spread furiously on the surface.

As the city is quite close to the tunnel leading to the surface, the city is already full of experts coming from different land and different races. At the very start, the Beastman Sovereign has tried to seal the tunnel but very quickly, he realized that it was an arduous and impossible task. The allure of the God Equipment is too great. The normal Beastman Soldiers are meaningless to experts and if they happen to piss off the other party, they might just end up erased.

After their sentry posts has been cleaned more than 10 times, even though the order to seal up the path has yet to be lifted due to the ‘dignity’ of the Autarch, but in reality, the leader of those sentry posts has already been changed into the old and the weak. Of course, the soldiers who are being treated as cannon fodders aren’t foolish too. They gamble, play mahjong, drink alcohol and everything else except for stopping the passersby from the surface in the sentry post. The sealing order has just become the ears of the blind — decoration. Once again, the Lion King’s reputation goes down.

TL: I think it is eyes of the blind but I’m just going to go with the raws in the off-chance I’m wrong.

As the countdown to the auction starts, not mentioning the appearance of the Chaos beings like Demons and Undead, the public enemies of the surface, even the Seraphims, God Envoys and War Angels, the Order beings from the higher dimensions, can be seen on the streets. What is even more incredulous is that they actually seemed to have come to an understanding. Despite drawing their swords and staring at each other furiously, they didn’t start a war directly.

This kind of eerie situation makes one feel the coming of a storm even more clearly. To be truthful, looking at this situation, I feel that even if they send 2 SemiGods down and wins the auctions, they might not even be able to bring it out.

The ones who got hit the worst is probably the alliance between the Beastman Sovereign and the Dragon Queen. Apparently, there are people who don’t have the patience to wait until the day of the auction. The uninvited guests who tries to lay their hands on the Scepter grows more and more stronger and savage. When the thousand-meter long Mosgiel Giant Beast plummets rapidly from the sky of the city, not mentioning the Beastman who was caught in the blast, even I started to suspect if Vance will be destroyed just like that.

Fortunately, the 2 Underground Autarch has shifted their elite forces here. After paying a heavy price, the Scorpion-tailed Knights and Red Dragons managed to defeat the Giant Beasts who suddenly appeared and suddenly disappeared. When someone was surprised over the disappearance of the Dragon Queen over the course of the battle, another inconceivable rumor started to spread — Dragon Queen Molly has been assaulted and is heavily wounded.

TL: Not the same Giant Beast as the Mosgiel Giant Beast above that belongs to the Beastman

The Dragon Queen has been dominating the underground for over thousands of years. Even more so, her individual strength is within the top 10 of the entire underground world. (There are quite a lot of experts among the underground city lords. Autarchs only represent the influence) She is also well-known to be cunning. This kind of expert can escape even if they are defeated, so for her to be forced to the brink of death is quite unbelievable.

Furthermore, if it wasn’t for the timely appearance of the backups from the Dragon City, the underground Dragon City might have to elect a new Dragon Queen by now.

The ones who launched the attacks were the 5 Xiluo Senators. The reason? It is said that the Dragon Queen actually dared to owe the farmers their wages, so the head workers who failed in their protests for their salaries started to lynch her… Cough, alright, there is no is farmers in this world, nor is there head workers. The truth is the Dragon Queen hired assassins but she went back on her promise afterwards, saying that if they don’t the mission, she won’t allow the Undead Lords to come into contact with the Scepter. In the end, the angered Undead Lords surrounded her to beat her up.

However, those who are aware of the situation knew that this is the revenge from Sulfur Mountain City. After all, the ones who had their promise broken were only 3 Undead Lords but the one exacting the vengeance were 5. Furthermore, they directly assaulted her just after a bit of disagreement. Not to forget, there are also grudges among the Undead Lords, making this incident smell very obviously of a scheme.

In addition to that, at the key moment, the one who prevented the Dragon Queen from successfully fleeing is the Disaster of Veron Einz Mezus who happens to ‘pass by’.

Alright, I admit that it was my plan. To be able release her all her frustrations in one breath, Little Red was so happy… She has finally exacted revenge from the grudges she accumulated from being lynched in Sulfur Mountain City.

“Aren’t we being underestimated if stealing a few things can count as revenge? You hired Undead Senators as your fighters to attack me, so I will also hire them to exact vengeance on you.” This method of retaliation conforms to the hypocritical rules of peace of the underground world. Even more so, it lets the world understand that Sulfur Mountain City is not to be underestimated.

The individual strength of the Dragon Queen is the strongest back up for the Dragon-Beastman Alliance. Now that the news that the Dragon Queen is heavily wounded, the Beastman army which have already suffered quite a heavy blow delves into chaos. The morale which didn’t fall even when the Morsgiel Giant Beast was killed started wavering.

It is said that escapees started appearing in the military barracks that night. This is the first time ever since Shou built his army. It is said that the Lion King’s heart was broken. Previously, his hair turned white overnight. This time, his mane turned completely white.

The ones who wavered even more is the arrogant Dragon Tribe. The Dragon Queen got her into her high position by killing her husband. She depends on her individual strength to suppress and rule over 7 Dragon Cities. From the very start, the Black Dragons only view her as their leader in name, she was only able to dispatch the young Red Dragons. Now that she was defeated, everyone started pushing on the collapsed wall. The ambitious Young Dragons of the Dragon City is already plotting an opportunity for them to usurp the position while the older Elder Dragons even proposed to bring back Einz Mezus.

TL: Immemorial Dragons > Ancient Dragons > Elder Dragons > Young Dragons

But to me, what I was most surprised about is the sudden visit of the important guest in front of me.

Mage Hunter Minial, the Chieftain of the Centaur Beastman and well-known Myth-rank expert. If we are just talking about individual strength on the surface, he is even stronger than Shou. It is said that he has bad relations with Shou. His skills with the bow that combine the techniques of his predecessors with his own Magic Arrows is famous in the whole underground world. More importantly, I have a grudge with him…

“Margaret has been well taken care of by you. Minial, you actually dare to appear in front of me. You really think that your strength is enough for you to do as you please? You are not afraid of us bringing you down?”

In the battle outside Sulfur Mountain City, Minial’s Magic Combustion Arrow caused Margaret’s ‘Ice Aeon’ to be cast prematurely and 3 of the precious Saint Stones were destroyed. Fixing them would require an astronomical amount of gold coins. Margaret would grind her teeth in anger every time this Centaur is mentioned.

A size bigger than normal Centaurs, he doesn’t have any defensive object other than the copper Heart-Protecting Mirror. The huge bow on his back is rather eye-catching. If we just look at outer appearance, this gentle-looking Centaur with a long beard does have the aura of a scholar.

Right now, in the face of my enmity and challenge, the old Centaur smiles.

“I am really sorry for that incident then. I was negotiating with Shou back then and through a series of coincidence, I was brought to Sulfur Mountain City. If it weren’t for the Forbidden Spell being too scary that I would be caught in its midst, I wouldn’t have struck out. Besides, my attack towards Lord Saint wasn’t life-threatening and that should be enough to show my sincerity.

Despite it being an arrogant declaration, but I instinctively feel that he is speaking of the truth. After all, while being surprised that the Chieftain of Centaur would side with Shou, Margaret was curious why she didn’t meet with the Magic Penetrating Cluster Arrow where his expertise lies in. This also proves from another point of view that he is indeed speaking the truth.

“The entire underground world knows that we are different from those uncultivated barbarians who eat fresh meat and drink blood. I am quite pleased to see the losses of Shou and his subordinates, the bunch of butchers. If I wasn’t forced to play my hand, I’m afraid that my gifts and congratulatory letter would have been long sent to your residence.”

I have also heard a little about this. Centaurs and Taurens are known as the ‘Herbivore Alliance’ and they have bad relations with the current Beastman Sovereign Scorpion-tailed Lion Shou and his close subordinates. One side scolds the other as ‘fresh meat-eating barbarians’ while the other scolds them ‘grass-eating hoofed livestock’. This has already become a common situation.

“Then, why are you here today?”

I thought that he would start rambling about a bunch of what ‘the enemy of an enemy is an ally’ or similar kind of crap and just like other underground city lords, they forge a secret alliance with us. But the old Minial smiles bitterly and shakes his head.

“Wumianzhe, since we have already come to this step, why are you still playing the fool? Just tell me directly if you have any terms. Can you allow me to see my grandniece first!”

“What!?” This tone, it feels like the helpless compromising of an old wealthy merchant to the kidnappers when his nephew is kidnapped.

“Stop feigning ignorance. I will give in to your terms. I have no idea how you found out that Anya is my only kin, the candidate as the next Chieftain of the Centaur Tribe. I have obviously hidden so well for so many years… Just speak if you have any conditions, just don’t go too far. Otherwise, the bow and arrows in our hands aren’t that easy to deal with.

“WHAT?!” This time, I was really surprised. That number 1 misfortune lightning rod for me, the annoying silly lass who keep repeating her words is actually the candidate as the Chieftain of the Centaur Tribe? If she really becomes the Chieftain, then won’t the entire Centaur Tribe be destroyed?

“You… You all really didn’t know?” The instincts of an expert made Minial realize that I wasn’t feigning ignorance.

“I really didn’t know! Who would treat that silly lass as an important figure?” After my shock passed, I simply laugh while shaking my head. “But, now I know.”

Minial regrets his word deeply. Now, he must pay an additional price for his carelessness.

“There is no problem for you to meet her.”

But my decisiveness in letting her go make him extremely surprised. It isn’t that I don’t want to make use of this situation to extort something, but…

“… Quickly take her away. At least, before all of our plates are destroyed. Yesterday, quite a few of us used cups of eat dinner. Also, do you accept compensation bill? Given her rate of destruction, if you start accepting it late, you would have to prepare more cash.”

These few days, we finally understood why Anya keeps getting fired. It is enough that she is clumsy, a hardworking but silly lass is also cute. But, her luck is so bad that accidents can happen anywhere and everywhere. While wiping the glass, the glasses would break; while moving the tables, the tables would collapse; she would even meet with the collapse of the rotten floor while wiping it. This is a little too much for one to bear.

The things she does makes people mad, but when looking at her tearful and sincere apology and the fact that it wasn’t intentional, just plain bad luck, it was hard to harden one’s heart to criticize her.

“Quickly take her away. Do you see that file on the table? It is a report on the damage she caused. Remember to pay the bill before you leave.”

Minial, who is at a loss of whether to laugh or cry, nods his head, but…

“I’m not going back!” Unexpectedly, Anya directly refuses to go home.

“Why not? Is it because those bunch of bastards back at home treat you badly? Rest easy, your 2nd granduncle will stand up for you.” Shocked by the refusal of his grandniece, the dumbfounded Minial immediately replies frantically.

“No, that isn’t it. Big brothers treat Anya well. It is just that Anya doesn’t want to stay in Camule Grasslands.”

“Why? It can’t be that there is someone who is vying over the succession at the Chieftain. Don’t worry, as long as I’m here, you will be the first successor!”

“That isn’t it either. It is not because of such a boring reason.”

“Then?”

“No one wants to be the Chieftain or whatever. Anya just doesn’t want to stay in the countryside for the rest of her life. Anya’s goal is to become a rich lady of the city. 2nd granduncle, just look, there is nothing in the grasslands but grass and livestock. There is nothing nice to eat, no beauty products, no tall buildings or streets, no entertainment facility, no… (and 300 other stuffs).”

“…Anya had enough to the life where I had no relieve myself in the grasses. Anya’s goal is to become a wealthy lady in the city. It might not be very successful in the start, but I am finally on the right path after much difficulty, I’m definitely not going back. Those horrible days where there isn’t a single candle during the night and I could only sleep.

The little Centaur spoke faster and faster, talking and laughing at the same time. On the contrary, the old Centaur’s face is getting darker and darker. There are quite a few youngsters who left the Tribe for the sake of a comfortable life in the city, but he didn’t expect his precious grandniece which he put all his hopes on would actually be like that as well.

“… The big brothers and big sisters here treat me well. Even if Anya accidentally commit a mistake, they never criticize me or fire me like the other boss. I want to build my standing in the big city starting from here! I will first save my wages, then buy a little house. If I were to just work a little bit harder, there will be a day which I become affluent!”

“Enough!! I have really spoiled you too much. You aren’t worthy of being the descendant of the line of heroes of Centaur. To throw away the traditions of the golden bloodline of the Centaurs so casually. Despite having the noble blood of the predator of the Grassland, but for a cowardly and weak life in the city, you are willing to become a pig waiting in the fence to be slaughtered. You are the shame of the Centaurs. Come back with me now, I will train you properly.”

Old Minial drags the struggling Anya away. If it was just a few minutes ago, I would be more than willing to see such a sight.

But now, after hearing the declaration of this youngster, I suddenly recall a Thief lass who also came from the countryside. She might have also made a similar wish — ‘I will dig treasures out, become the number 1 wealthiest person in the world and live the life of a rich lady!”

Perhaps, other than their goals, the two lasses aren’t in the least alike. At the very least, Elisa succeeded in striking it rich in the end but I didn’t see the possibility of Anya’s goal being fulfilled. But somehow, I feel like helping this lass.

Thus, I stopped them both.

“Centaur Chieftain, perhaps we can talk about some interesting things. Such as the Beastman Sovereign. Such as the Blood of the Demons. Un, for example, if the Beastman Sovereign of this generation has already been corrupted by the demons, perhaps, it is about time to replace him. Maybe, it is the time for the Centaur Tribe to rise. Look, if Vance City is your future territory, then, maybe, the youngsters of your tribe wouldn’t always think about leaving the Tribe.”

2nd and last one today.

Ended up translating this chapter quite slowly. Was distracted by Ice Fantasy that was broadcasting by the side. Their characters and backgrounds are really too striking. Anyway, because I am distracted, there may be even more grammar errors in here.

Super long chapter, so tiring. Anyway, it’s a happy day for me since I drew Wind Polar Queen while writing this chapter. Maybe I should open the scrolls while writing next time. Finally, my 2nd nb5 after Zaiross ahahahhahahahahahahaaahHAHHAHAHAHAHHA

Wanted to post this tomorrow but I wanted to brag about my Tiana so…

Btw, just to clarify, un is the sound you make in acknowledgement to something someone is saying, something like the uh of uh huh.

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