Chapter 84: You Go Eliminate the Priest

Garos descended like a burning meteor, a comet, carrying terrifying power that made the jackal-people tremble in fear, landing on a large open space within the territory.

Boom!!!

The earth shook and the mountains trembled.

The entire Howling Cliff shook violently, with gravel cascading down and countless dust clouds filling the air; a thick shockwave, carrying water vapor, spread out in rings, flipping the nearest wooden sheds like paper, knocking the jackal-people over, while the Blood-Tooth Commander had to dig his claws deep into the ground to steady himself.

When the dust cleared, Garos slowly straightened his body.

At the edge of the crater beneath his feet lay more than a dozen jackal-people knocked unconscious by the shock.

The explosive scales on his body had absorbed the kinetic energy of the fall, turning a searing red; the intense heat evaporated the fine rain, forming dense white smoke swirling around him.

Although they did not understand what the searing red dragon scales signified.

Yet every jackal-person felt the danger deep within their hearts, smelling the scent of death.

The target had landed exactly as he wished.

Shall we fight?

The Blood-Tooth Commander fell silent for a second, then suddenly erupted.

—But not to attack.

He performed a standard five-limbs-to-the-ground prostration before Garos, his forehead striking the ground heavily, his face full of flattery, while the tail behind him wagged frantically, unable to suppress his own awe and desire to please: "Great Dragon Lord! The Red-Eye Clan pledges eternal loyalty to you!"

This time, it was sincere.

Garos's size was deceptive; if he did not display his power, the jackal-people clan might have hunted him as a slightly stronger young dragon, but he was far more than just slightly stronger than an ordinary young dragon.

Now.

Having witnessed Garos's might, the jackal-people's innate instinct to follow dragons was triggered; all previous scheming vanished, and they were deeply subdued by Garos.

"Stand up."

Garos said.

When the Blood-Tooth Commander and the other kneeling jackal-people rose, Garos spoke at a leisurely pace: "Not all biological clans can become dragon kin; you must demonstrate your value to me before you are worthy of pledging loyalty."

After witnessing Garos's strength.

The jackal-people were filled with a desire to worship and follow, almost eager to rush forward and lick Garos's claws.

Except for the priest.

Fearing Garos might change his mind and look down on the Red-Eye Clan, the Blood-Tooth Commander quickly said: "Please give your orders; what must the Red-Eye Clan do to please you?"

Garos narrowed his eyes slightly and asked in return: "Jackal-person, do you believe in the gods? Tell me your true thoughts!"

The Blood-Tooth Commander's ears trembled slightly in the rain, his Adam's apple rolled, and then his eyes glanced sideways toward the priest.

The Red-Eye Clan believes in the gods.

—That was what he wanted to answer, but the words stopped at his lips.

The Blood-Tooth Commander glanced again with his peripheral vision at the two jackal guards.

They had once been the bravest warriors in the clan, but now they were puppets without desire, unable even to engage in the mating that other jackal-people loved most!

Corrupt-Claw called this a 'gift'.

But the Blood-Tooth had personally witnessed the ritual process—fifty jackal-people locked in iron cages tearing each other apart, with only the last two survivors being infused with black blood to receive the gift.

During the great drought in the wilds last year.

The Red-Eye Clan sacrificed thirty percent of their prey, praying for the gods to send rain, but gained nothing.

The priest said the gods required more sincerity.

And that would starve more clansmen, leading the clan to ruin.

The Blood-Tooth Commander was naturally vicious, not a kind creature, and felt no pity for ordinary clansmen, but as the clan leader, he placed great importance on the survival of the entire group.

The losses from sacrificing to the gods had long since far exceeded the benefits, gradually dragging the Red-Eye Clan down.

The Blood-Tooth not only did not believe, but even harbored some disgust toward the gods.

More accurately, he did not hate the gods themselves; how could a mud-footed wild dweller dare to despise the lofty gods?

What he hated was the humiliation of being deceived and ignored.

Yengogu had never truly protected the Red-Eye Clan, and Corrupt-Claw's curses always cost more than they yielded.

But this dragon before him was different.

His strength was visible to the naked eye.

After a few seconds of silent contemplation.

The Blood-Tooth Commander lowered his head and replied to Garos: "I report to the Dragon Lord that the Red-Eye Clan believes in the gods, but this faith is like the vulture's loyalty to carrion, existing only when needed."

"Now with your arrival, faith is in the past; the loyalty of the Red-Eye Clan belongs to you."

This loyalty was still 'the vulture's loyalty to carrion'.

Evil creatures are naturally like this.

But it can be guaranteed that as long as Garos remains as dominant as ever and does not become weaker than he is now, the jackal-people will obey him without question.

And for dragons, this is the simplest thing of all.

Dragons grow stronger as long as they do not die.

Jackal-people are eager to follow dragons; jackal-people kin are almost a standard for dragons, and this is the main reason.

Only creatures like dragons can withstand their 'loyalty', and apart from dragons, few other powerful creatures are willing to take jackal-people as kin.

"Hochi!"

Corrupt-Claw Priest's gaze darkened, and he said in a low voice: "This is disrespect! Take back your words! The faith and loyalty of the Red-Eye Clan can coexist! As subjects of the Jackal God, one must never abandon faith at any time."

Hochi was the name of the Blood-Tooth Commander.

Names like Hog or Hawk are common among the jackal-people race.

Opposite.

The Blood-Tooth Overseer did not respond to the priest's words.

In its heart, Garos weighed heavier; his thoughts mattered more than the priest's.

"Very well."

The Blood-Tooth Overseer heard the Dragon Lord's whisper, filling its heart with joy.

Garos glanced around, his gaze sweeping over the Howling Cliffs beneath the rain curtain, sweeping over the many wet jackal-wolves, and said, "No followers of the gods are allowed among my ranks."

The ordinary jackal-wolves were bewildered and showed no reaction.

Their brains could not hold much thought; they mainly pondered what to eat today and who to mate with, what to eat tomorrow and who to mate with tomorrow. They drifted with the tide; faith was merely a slogan shouted alongside the Overseer or the priest, and they understood far too little of the meaning of "followers of the gods."

But the Rot-Claw Priest understood.

When it came to his own faith, fury flashed in his red eyes, and the hair on his body nearly bristled.

"The Red-Eye Clan will not pledge loyalty to dragons who blaspheme the jackal-wolf faith!"

He responded with ringing clarity, his words striking the ground with weight.

Garos paid it no mind and spoke directly to the Blood-Tooth Overseer: "You, go kill him. Prove your courage, your loyalty, and your resolve to me."

The Blood-Tooth Overseer widened its eyes and looked at the priest.

Occupations such as shamans and priests in wild monster clans were often held by venerable and respected elders possessing wisdom; the Rot-Claw Priest was older than the Blood-Tooth Overseer and had nearly watched him grow up.

Blood-Tooth had always harbored wariness toward him; even after becoming Overseer, he still dared not be too bold toward the priest.

But now, with Garos at his back, the situation was entirely different.

Malice stirred his courage!

Suddenly, the Blood-Tooth Overseer threw back his head, and a roar rolling in his throat exploded like muffled thunder.

"For the Dragon Lord!!!"

Pack Domination!

A crimson halo erupted from beneath his feet, instantly enveloping the jackal-wolf warriors around him.

Their muscles swelled as if inflated, stuffed full of asphalt and oil, stretching their fur high; their fangs lengthened by an inch, and their pupils contracted to red dots the size of needle tips.

This was the Overseer's ultimate battle technique.

Once a trump card used against the Bone-Chewing Ogres, it was now wielded against a former symbol of faith.

The Overseer's prestige among his people, especially the warriors, was higher than the priest's.

Under the influence of his Domination Halo, the elite jackal-wolf warriors hesitated not; weapons and claws all turned toward the Rot-Claw Priest, and they roared, launching their attack.

Meanwhile, the Blood-Tooth Overseer stayed in the rear, shielding the warriors before him, making no rash move.

Garos noticed this and glanced at him.

The Blood-Tooth Overseer smiled ingratiatingly and spoke with conviction: "Great Dragon Lord, my strength lies in commanding warriors, not in personally charging into battle to slay enemies; please understand."

"The warriors are as my hands and feet, my weapons."

He paused, seemingly fearing Garos would disdain him for cowardice, so the Blood-Tooth Overseer puffed out his chest and added another sentence, saying, "But if you order it, I will certainly charge at the very front!"

(End of this chapter)