Kaden wasn't certain what to expect. Partially he believed he would be attacked as he passed by someones territory or someone was just hungry. Yet, he was not attacked at all. He did sense some life under the sands, probably the worms. Some other hiding beasts. He might have even sensed a few Lower Cari, but no one bothered him.
"This is good", Kaden thought. "Seeing it be this way makes it pretty sure no one is going to do anything unless I clearly intend to stay around in someone's territory. At that point, I'd likely have to either take over or become subordinate. It is likely a bit different, if I find any cities or towns, though, but out here when there is enough territory and too few inviduals trying to take it, there is competition."
Not that desert was a good area to control for most.
After a few days of travel Kaden discovered what he determined to be a small settlement. It was built on rocky hill with very little vegetation, surrounded by the sands. It seemed to be home to some bird type beasts. Among them Kaden sensed a Lower Cari. The bird species was pretty familiar. Kaden had killed one of their kind, a High Beast, earlier. The one that used sand attacks.
Considering he too was a bird, he felt he would get better reception. He intended to test a few assumptions and getting better treatment would make things easier. The High Beasts nesting around wouldn't be a big problem, if something did happen. The ruler, the Lower Cari, could be a problem, but Kaden would be able to fight back and even escape, if required.
As for any slights in customs and such, Kaden was going to say that he lived in the north and had not interacted with other higher beasts. What a phoenix had been doing there was questionable, but Anuu had been there so his presence there wouldn't be completely out of place. If knowledge of his presence spread, those interested could assume that perhaps Anuu had been able to arrange birth for one of her children out there, even if it left some open questions. Such how was the birth flames been used. She had been at the No Man's Land searching for enough power to generate those flames at a great cost. A few inaccuracies shouldn't matter much, though.
"I expect my presence be known by the phoenixes at some point", Kaden thought to himself. "There is no need to hide too much. I would like to meet them. They surely know details about Anuu and what happened to her. Those who killed her. I promised her that I would have vengeance for her. I know two main culprits were two True Magi. Name of one I know, Havil. The other I do not know."
Kaden did not know what the phoenixes would think of him. What would Anuu's actions be seen as? Kaden hoped to show them it had been the correct choice. He had great respect for Anuu.
Some of the birds on the hill screeched a bit and flew away to keep eye at a distance while Kaden landed.
"What do you want?" A voice sounded from a little cave. It had been slightly built to be something more than just a 'cave', but not much. Sand compressed into shapes and walls smoothed out.
"I noted your territory here", Kaden said using his intent. "I decided to offer you a boon, if you are interested."
A massive bird appeared from the cave. It was larger than Kaden and sand seemed to move about it on its own. The wings were sand colored and looked like sand. Likely strangely colored feathers with sand within them. Kaden had found sand in his feathers annoying, but these birds used sand so it was probably different.
"Why?" The sand bird questioned. "Also why are you using intent. It's weaklings way."
"I had a run in with some humans", Kaden decided to say and pointed at his neck. "My throat has not healed completely yet."
"Hmph", the bird snorted. "You did not say why I shoud accept this offer of yours, phoenix."
So it knew what Kaden was. It didn't matter. Kaden tossed out the godless mana system. This time it was one of the versions he had handed to humans. If speaking with intent was seen as lower grade communications, he didn't want to give crystal with intent as its language.
"I found this sort of thing from humans", Kaden lied. "I discovered we Cari can use it too. The humans were worshippers of their God of Lies so its content is questionable, but I believe Cari will require it too, if humans will start to grow stronger."
For a moment Kaden saw greed in the sand birds eyes. Yet, it quickly changed.
"This is blasphemy against gods! Be it human gods or ours!" The sand bird said angrily.
To Kaden this reaction didn't seem genuine. Despite this sand started to swirl around the bird.
"But if humans use it, we will need to do so too. Do what you want", Kaden said and turned away ignoring the agression.
Just as he flew away there were some minor attacks that were easy to avoid. The sand bird didn't follow.
"Haha", Kaden laughed to himself as he looked behind. The little test was successful. "That duplicitious bird is just putting up an act. He totally wants it and is going to use it. I believe I will merely need to treat the godless mana system as something Cari are willing to use, but it is seen as questionable thing. Perhaps like contraband. I can work with this."
Kaden wondered for a moment for who the act was for. The High Beasts living under its rule? Some form of show of strength to make a point? Simply to 'gently' tell Kaden to fuck off? After all he was hading out shady goods for seemingly no reason. Kaden himself would be suspicious, if someone just randomly appeared and gave him such things.
There were a few more tests to be done. Was it just a fringe town overlord like the sand bird that would accept any personal gain. It didn't even bother to truly question why Kaden was handing out what he did. A small excuse was enough. Did it simply believe some attempt to be generous for the good of Cari kind? At any rate, what mattered is that it did accept it. Would those at the cities accept it too? Then he would need to find a way to have it spread widely among Cari too.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
Kaden dropped a few more crystals with the godless mana system along the way. He no longer visited any of Lower Cari he found, but he made sure to openly hide something near them and have someone notice him do it.
He stopped to watch from a distance as later a High Beast came and ransacked the supposed 'treasure' he had hidden.
It was interesting to watch. The High Beasts grovel before their rulers far more than humans do with theirs, but both are just as quick to go for personal gain. Kaden felt that the High Beast was better to give the godless mana system to than the Lower Cari sand bird. This was simply because the bird seemed more concerned about maintaining his status and power over his little hill. The High Beast on the other hand probably wanted to grow and was willing to act for it.
Not that Kaden cared much. Both of them were acting on greed. It wasn't all that different on how humans acted. Culture is a bit different, but at the bottom everyone acts the same.
On the way, by the time Kaden started to see more of Cari civilization around, he stopped again to continue his observations what was roughly a mid sized town. By its size it was much smaller than human equivalents. The population of actual Cari, from Lower Cari to Higher Cari, was much lower than population of humans living in similar conditions. There were High Beasts around, but each of them basically followed a Lower Cari. They were smart enough for quite a few things, but they were not yet above that intelligence limit.
The town itself was likely some midway point between outer parts of Frika and the central jungle. It had gotten rather green already a while ago and the thick jungle loomed not too far in the distance.
He observed quite a few more differences. It seemed there was in general someone ruling the territory, yes, but that Cari only kept order in general. In truth, those below lived basically by the rule of strength. So as long as they didn't destroy things and cause too many problems could fight as much as they wanted. And indeed, they did fight with each other for whatever reasons.
"Why hasn't this devolved into an anarchy yet?" Kaden wondered as he watched two Cari start fighting apparently over some trade deal. They were quite loud so Kaden could hear even from a distance. In the end the two left. Kaden couldn't say whether or not their business ended there. None of them seemed unhappy. "There is probably more to this than I think ... or it is completely normal and no one cares that everyone fights every now and then."
The buildings and everything, while general purpose was similar to what humans had, the materials, sizes and shapes were quite different. Those living in there were Cari, not humans. Materials needed to be tougher. Places needed to fit many different species. None of this surprised Kaden.
While he kept eye on things, he also gave a good look to the godless mana system he was using himself. He had only did some minor changes as tests and he had a few ideas he had to upgrade it. Such as, if he was getting in the mana by understanding their concept, then what about those next to them? Like, fire mana was pretty close to heat mana and such. Extend the idea of life mana?
Kaden had understood that to upgrade the godless mana system it was mostly about deepening ones understanding of the concepts.
There were some things to be done about refining each of the steps too, but those were more difficult.
In comparison, thinking about mana and its concepts was far more efficient way.
Eventually Kaden had seen enough and went to the town to see what sort of things one could find in there. He noted quickly that he attracted attention.
"Its what I am, I believe", Kaden though to himself and ignored the looks. "Phoenixes are perhaps what could be considered a higher race. They got an actual god. They are powerful too and don't move around too often, I believe. Now I suddenly appear in this random town."
Kaden didn't just go to have a look. He planned to get rid of whatever things he had picked up along the way. Such as the loot from killing Juren and Marwen. Not that there was much. He had discarded most things he viewed worthless.
He found a Cari, a trader. It was not the one Kaden had observed to have a random fight, though. This trader was some kind of human sized rodent, a rat, with metallic claws, which were covered with layer of greenish goo. It was likely toxic. There was a passing thought where Kaden wondered, if such a thing would harm the objects the rat handled.
"I would sell some things", Kaden told the rat with intent. "I killed some humans and I have no need for their stuff."
The rat frowned, but quickly put up very similar experssion when human traders started business.
"Hehe, phoenix is a rare sight", the rat said rubbing its clawed paws together. "Show me what you have."
Kaden took out random trash, but also things like Marwen's chains. While it had worked fine against the hunter team, it wasn't the sort of weapon Kaden used. In fact, generally speaking, it was the most valuable thing Kaden had to sell. Marwen had not carried much more than he had needed for his work. Juren had not even been at Condensation stage, and despite his religious goals, he was still a soldier and also did not carry much.
Around at this time, Kaden noted he was attracting attention. Not because of the things he was selling, but because of himself.
"Look at that phoenix", someone somewhere behind Kaden said. "So small and speaks with intent."
"He has probably been kicked out", another voice said. "A weakling runt such as this one is a shame to those prideful bastards. Watch what is happening."
Kaden ignored the jeering. It annoyed him, but he could ignore it. While this the rat was looking over the stuff and then he pulled out something like ten or so mid grade crystals.
"Gehehe, I'll pay you this much for these", the rat told Kaden.
It was a robbery. Small fraction of what Kaden expected. He also expected high grade crystals due to many of the items being from Marwen, who would use tools and weapons matching his Condensation stage cultivation.
"So that is how it is", Kaden realized. "I look weak. I will be taken advantage of."
Then he decided to reply to the rat directly. He directed a weak Life Well at him. He didn't want to attract attention by blasting in middle of the town, but Life Well could be directed and it would be painful.
The rat started to flail about and quickly decided to strike back. Yet, Kaden was far stronger than he seemed externally. He put the Life Well at full power. The rat was still a Lower Cari and it wouldn't die immediately, but Life Well would surely cause harm. This also allowed Kaden to avoid the toxic claws. He expected, if he was to get poisoned badly, the antidote would be costly.
"Are you messing with me, rat?" Kaden said after he pushed the rat to the ground after it fumbled its attack as Kaden's spell cranked to full power and pain with it. Then he stepped on him, presssing with his talons uncomfortably hard. "A weakling like you should hide in a hole and hope you aren't noticed. I don't care about you. I would kill you, but I think that could cause problems that I really don't need. So now ... give me a proper price that I like. If its not a proper price, I will consume one of your limbs each time I have to ask again. Once you run out of limbs, I'll leave you alive and find someone else. Lets see how you will be taken advantage when you flail about limbless."
Kaden tossed the rat back to its little stall and stopped the Life Well.
The rat was breathing hard and gave an enraged look at Kaden, but it was intelligent enough to get the hint. It tossed out more crystals until it was about ten times more than what it had originally offered and this time it was properly high grade crystals. This was much closer to Kaden's original expectation. In fact, it was a bit more. Kaden accepted the crystals and went away.
He still kept getting the looks, though.
"This is what it all was", Kaden continued his previous thoughts. "The fights happen when strength needs to be confirmed." Then he sighed as he understood his problem. "I will attract a lot of troubles. I'm noticeable. Smaller than average. I'm also injured for the time being and its not healing properly."
Yeah, that could be a problem indeed.