The afternoon sunlight filtered through the blade like leaves of the whitewood trees and fell on Zukah as he walked towards the settlement of the group leader, Kara.

He was currently walking through the north forest with vigilant eyes, as the north forest was filled with the largest number of beasts and animals.

The animals or beasts couldn't use the aura because of their low intelligence, but they were still dangerous as they had absorbed the natural energy that seeped out of the red and black mountains.

It was the same energy that made the Dhaevrak resistant to purple fog and miasma and allowed it to work only if it was injected into them by some wound.

His steady steps continued, and a few minutes later, the sound of flowing water brushed his ears.

"Finally..." he muttered and quickened his pace.

His eyes fell on a flowing river, and he began to walk towards its origin.

Before long, a waterfall came into his vision and with it came the huts that stood by the riverbank.

He stopped in his tracks and looked at Kara's group members.

All the squads sat circling ten campfires at various locations, and on each one of them, some meat was being cooked.

The aroma of the roasted meat and the fresh earthly smell of the waterfall drifted through the area and hit him at the same time.

The scent was so strong that he was nearly tempted to sit down and have a meal with them.

But before his desire could win over his reason, he shook his head and said, "Focus!"

His eyes scanned through the settlement, and Kara finally came into his vision.

He was standing on a boulder at the base of the waterfall.

Kara had a refined build, his dark eyes were focused, and his short black hair flickered across his face as he repeatedly swung his sword.

Similar to Naqir, he was also a relatively new group leader and had experience as one for six years.

Zukah watched him with a calm gaze and mumbled under his breath, "He still uses that sword..."

Only a bare few tribe members used swords. Because, unlike most weapons, mastering the sword was harder and required more training.

Even though the tribe members began to train at the young age of ten, they still didn't have the leisure of learning a weapon that took years just to be somewhat competent.

Kara's case, however, was way different.

He didn't choose the sword because he had gone mad for them. He chose it because it was of the man who had saved his parents during the war forty years ago.

The way Kara moved was no different from an elegant dance, and as Zukah watched him, he fell into a daze.

The sunlight traced the path of his sword, the heavy water drops touched it and exploded like gemstones.

A few moments later, the group members noticed him, but instead of calling out to him, they focused back on their meal.

Time passed, and the glow of evening painted the whole of the river into orange gold.

Kara finally lowered his sword and brushed his hair back before he turned towards his group members.

Zukah also came out of his daze and looked around with a puzzled expression.

"Zukah?" Kara called out while wiping off his body with a cloth.

Zukah looked at him and mumbled, "Kara..."

A faint smile appeared on Kara's face, and he asked, "Why are you coming here after getting your ass handed to you by a kid?"

A vein throbbed at Zukah's forehead, and Kara continued, "Just so you know, I don't want a sore loser in my group—"

"Shut up! You shithead!" Zukah snapped and strode towards him with a furious expression.

A shameless grin stretched across Kara's face, but before he could say anything else, Zukah cut off his words, "I am not here to join your stupid group."

He stopped a few steps away from him and added while jabbing his finger at Kara's heart, "And that kid is now a group leader, so give him the respect of one."

Kara's hands stopped, he threw away the cloth and muttered, "Wait, wait, wait! What did you just say?"

The corners of Zukah's lips arched upwards. He folded his arms across his chest and said, "Rion has become a group leader, and I am his follower."

Kara blinked in confusion and mumbled, "Have you turned stupid after getting your ass whopped by a kid?"

Anger erupted within Zukah, but instead of letting it out, he closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths.

'It's fine. It's fine. Calm down. Just think of him as a speaking kareth,' he mumbled in his head and finally opened his eyes with a profoundly calm expression on his face.

Suddenly, Kara felt like punching his face but he didn't know why.

He ignored that strange feeling and said, "You are being for real?"

Zukah nodded and said, "For real, real."

Kara rubbed his face and asked, "Which one of them died?"

Zukah's calm expression crumbled instantly, his eyes gleamed with sorrow that he had thrown at the deepest part of his emotional coffer.

Seeing those eyes was enough for Kara to understand who had died; his lips parted, and he mumbled, "Tarek died, huh..."

He placed his hand on Zukah's shoulder and comforted him while gripping it, "You already know how they keep me, Naqir and Sovra away... so I can't say much, but he must've been a good guy."

Zukah chuckled dryly and said, "Forget it."

Kara smiled and asked, "Why are you here?"

"My liege is going to hold a feast two days from now, and I am here to invite you to it," Zukah answered.

Kara smiled, placed his arm around Zukah's head and said while pulling him towards a nearby campfire, "That's all? Heh. Your group leader doesn't give you time to enjoy, does he?"

A reluctant smile appeared on Zukah's face, and seeing that, Kara declared, "Aye, you bastards! We have a guest, get me some zirua!"

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