Chapter 15: The Wise Chieftain

The chief remained silent throughout Hugguz's narration. After Hugguz finished the tale, he looked at the floor, still bowing.

"Hmm, it really wasn't your fault," Rugozonus said as he stood up. He then looked at his father, who simply commented, "You still are inexperienced." Glancing back at Hugguz, who remained on the floor, the chieftain spoke in a hoarse voice.

"For now, prepare for the funeral. Invite all the other Frostzards. A brave warrior has died today. We will have an official meeting after a few days when all the elders return."

"As you wish, my lord." With that, he left the Blood Hall, the headless corpse still on his back.

The hall seemed to have gone quiet, with only the breath of the young chief and the presence of the chieftain felt.

A few seconds passed before the young chief, Rugozonus, banged his fist on the arms of the chair. Anger was still visible in his actions as he tried to control it. While almost all the parents of this Frostzard clan would give combat training to their offspring, not making them focus on any other field, this chief was different.

The leader of the 7th generation, the strongest leader of the Frostzard clan, the bravest and the mightiest warrior who brought this bloodline to its peak. Unlike other Frostzards, he forced his child to practice strategies and try to control his instincts along with combat techniques.

Though this slowed the speed at which Rugozonus advanced to other ranks, which dissatisfied him too, the clan leader knew this was for the best.

Finally, the lizard couldn't resist his urge and ended up exclaiming, "We should attack that coward! It was all because of him! A headless corpse, he's provoking us, He should be executed!"

Hearing this, the chief slowly turned his head towards his son, a strange glint flashing through his eyes. "First of all, watch that tone, boy." His frosty voice entered Rugozonus's ears. "You lack discipline; looks like I need to discipline you once again."

'Discipline me? More like beat me up.' Rugozonus thought inwardly. Though his father was different from other Frostzards, at the end of the day, he did belong to this clan. Just like any other Frostzard, he would choose violence.

Once upon a time, a wise old man said, there are many paths to a destination but the ones chosen by fathers related to sons come with great pain.

Sometimes the most simple-looking methods were also the best ones.

After taking a small pause, the clan leader continued. "Second of all, this isn't just blant provocation. This is also that monkey's way of trying to make it up with us, reconcile. He wants to reconcile."

"Reconcile?" A look of confusion spread over his face. He looked at his father, seeking enlightenment.

"Throughout the history of our clan, many have humiliated our brave warriors. Some have hung their headless bodies over the gates, while others just returned their bones. Some didn't even return anything. But this monkey is different." Taking another pause, he stared right into Rugozonus's face.

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"Do you still not understand the meaning behind his actions?"

As Rugozonus felt the weight of this question over his head, he spoke in a straightforward manner. "It's been a few days since this monkey has come to this region. Maybe, because he doesn't know much about us, he ended up making this mistake."

But after he spoke these words, he realized what kind of stupid thing he just said. Though the chief was expecting some kind of foolish answer from his son, who had a nut for his brain, he never expected someone could go to such a grandmaster level.

'Return the few seconds of my life wasted, asking you questions.' The chief thought inwardly, and then spoke. "One should think a hundred times before they speak. In your case, it becomes a thousand. Sigh, all those years spent in training you went down the drain."

Not allowing his son to speak any further, he continued, "He is trying to settle this matter but also provoking us. In fact, his actions lean more towards provocation. Giving us the corpse is an act of reconciliation, but giving it without a head is a matter of provocation.

On top of that, many races will come to know about this matter. This is also a matter of humiliation."

Humiliation. Though the Frostzards respected this new clan leader, at the end of the day, all that mattered to them was strength and pride. They hated humiliation. Humiliation that came due to a general under the current chief. Distrust would slowly accumulate among the people.

In every clan or country, there undoubtedly were people who would eye the throne. Such people existed in almost every political situation. Such people existed in this clan too, though the distrust among the common Frostzards would be less, the enemies of the current leader would take advantage of it.

Rumors, conspiracies, ploy... These would just make his position unstable.

'Willing to do anything for pride, Sigh, sometimes I just think, how did this bloodline survive for so long?'

With another deep sigh, he looked at his son. "So what do you suggest, what actions should be taken now?"

'Another test!' Rugozonus thought, slightly panicking. After a few seconds, he once again gave a rapid answer.

"Father, we must retaliate. This monkey is too outrageous; he must face the consequences of his actions. We cannot allow our clan's honor to be tarnished. We need to show the world that we are not weak and that no one can humiliate the Frostzards without facing severe consequences. Allow me to lead an army and drag that monkey's headless corpse!"

Rugozonus said as he immediately stood up and walked towards his father, bowing down in front of him. In his mind, by speaking these words, he had painted a perfect portrait of a brave warrior; everything was going according to his plan. Now all he was waiting for were a few pats filled with pride.

But they never came. This confused Rugozonus slightly, but before he could understand what had happened, the environment became externally cold. Raising his head, in front of him were two cold eyes. The rest of the body was hidden by some strange darkness.

Looking at those familiar crystal-clear blue eyes, an illusory murmur rang out in his mind.

'So you have chosen death... So you have chosen death... So you have chosen death... So you have chosen death... So you have chosen death...'

On the peak of the Oce Gate Mountain was a Frostzard. He looked like a lonely figure, standing on the peak. Right beside him were Graves, Graves of his loved ones. Today a new grave had been added to it.

He felt sadness descending on him. This was the chief of the Frostzards, a great figure. And though he looked perfectly fine, even being able to joke a few times this just went on and showed how great of a control he possessed over his body.

But right now he felt like he might lose that control. The anger that surged within him was eating him up slowly.

The so-called greatest leader of this generation was actually someone who ran from many battles. Someone who believed in surviving.

Countless sacrifices, deaths, madness. But he did not regret it.

This is the path that I have chosen; I'm already on the right path! I have no regrets.

A/N: I will be taking a small break, so there might not be any chapter tomorrow or day after. Thank you for understanding.