Chapter 1110: Usurpation

Bang! Bang! Bang…

A rapid, deep drumbeat rang through the clouds, echoing from the highest point across all of Sarta; the trolls in the city froze for a moment at the sound, turned toward the Sunfire Temple on the mountain, then dropped what they were doing and rushed toward the temple at top speed.

In the plaza before the Sunfire Temple, squads of temple guards surged forward, forming order and clearing a large open space in the center of the plaza.

Tu Su'er and Ke Er Sa Luo stood in the middle.

The temple High Priest had already donned a splendid, heavy set of armor, radiant with gold, wielding a spear nearly three meters long called the Sunfire Spear; he looked more like a Saint Warrior than a priest. The only symbol of his priestly status was a massive golden necklace around his neck, finely crafted, strung with twelve crystals engraved with sun runes.

Around Tu Su'er stood elite temple guards, including over a dozen senior Saint Warriors and dozens of Sunfire Priests, all impeccably equipped and radiating intense holy light.

These trolls formed the temple's core strength, the High Priest's confidence in counterbalancing the Chief.

Ke Er Sa Luo's gaze swept over them.

The temple guards also curiously sized up Ke Er Sa Luo; they still didn't know what had happened, but their faces bore a solemn expression.

In the past, every time the Sun Drum was struck, it signaled a major event for the tribe!

More and more trolls gathered on the plaza, standing behind the lines of temple guards, looking at the High Priest with nervous, uneasy eyes, whispering to the trolls beside them.

Bang bang bang…

A heavy, orderly thudding of footsteps arrived.

Tu Su'er looked over; the crowd in the plaza automatically cleared a passage, and a troll taller and more massive than any other strode forward.

His armor resembled a golden fortress, intricately designed and dazzling, with runes, feathers, and scales adorning everything from helmet to warboots; the armor bore numerous repair marks, which trolls saw as battle‑earned glory, each scar representing a great victory.

Weighing at least three thousand pounds, the armor did not slow the troll's stride at all.

A massive wheel‑shaped greataxe hung from his back.

In Ke Er Sa Luo's view, the troll resembled a moving little sun, its holy light blinding, and even when heavily restrained it still exuded a suffocating pressure.

By human transcendent standards, at least nine Soul Transformations, reaching above Thirty-level!

This troll is the ruler of the Sunfire Tribe, also its strongest, the former grandfather of Ke Er Sa Luo, Chief Zu Lazabu.

"Chief!"

"Greetings, Sir Chief!"

When Zu Lazabu appeared, he instantly became the focus of the room; wherever he passed, the trolls all paid respectful bows, their faces filled with awe and admiration.

The Chief did not come alone; a large contingent of Saint Warriors followed behind him.

Every one of these Saint Warriors was elite; trailing Zu Lazabu was a towering troll who was also a Saint Rank strongman, one of the tribe's three Sunfire Warriors, named Zan Jin. He was far younger than the Chief and the High Priest, having risen to Sunfire Warrior only a few decades ago, relatively inexperienced, yet deeply trusted by the Chief, serving as the chief's personal guard captain and also deputy leader of the Sunfire Edge.

Below Zan Jin were hundreds of senior Saint Warriors, each leading their own units—personal guards, hunting squads, and patrols—forming the various components.

Because time was short, Zu Lazabu could only muster about three thousand people, dispersing them around the plaza.

At the same time, more Saint Warriors arrived, joining the Chief's ranks.

Zu Lazabu led just over a hundred of the Chief's personal guards, cutting through the troll crowd, and swiftly reached the center of the plaza before them.

"High Priest," the Chief asked in a deep voice, "what is the purpose of striking the Sun Drum?"

He did not conceal his displeasure.

Although the Sun Drum is controlled by the Sunfire Temple and can be struck by the High Priest whenever he deems necessary to summon the tribe without informing the Chief in advance, the usual practice was that Tu Su'er would always consult him first before beating the drum.

Zu Lazabu felt his authority was being challenged, and keenly sensed a hint of something unfavorable toward him.

While questioning, his sharp gaze swept past Tu Su'er and landed on Ke Er Sa Luo.

"Ke Er Sa Luo, what are you doing here?"

"And your hunting squad, why did they return early? Why haven't they reported to me? Huh?" Zu Lazabu's imposing aura pressed down, his rapid questioning leaving the squad's Saint Warriors looking panicked, with two or three even trembling.

Only Ke Er Sa Luo remained composed, "The Chief will know soon enough."

Zu Lazabu narrowed his eyes, his golden pupils flickering several times deep within, clearly having detected something odd about Ke Er Sa Luo.

The two share a grandparent‑grandchild relationship.

Although they were quite distant and had never paid much mind before, Ke Er Sa Luo never dared speak to him, as if he were a different troll.

Zu Lazabu immediately concluded that today's matter involved Ke Er Sa Luo.

He kept pressing with questions when Tu Su'er spoke, "Chief, the Sun Drum was established precisely for this day; please do not rush. Once the tribe gathers, a major announcement will be made concerning our tribe."

"What announcement? Can't I know it in advance?" Zu Lazabu furrowed his brow.

"No."

Tu Su'er shook his head, saying gravely, "This announcement is too important to be kept from the whole tribe; once the Chief learns of it, he will be very pleased." Seeing Zu Lazabu still doubting, he added, "The one who made this decision was not me, but a more esteemed one than Bi Duo."

Zu Lazabu was a bit bewildered; in the Sunfire Tribe, who is more esteemed than the temple High Priest? Isn't it only himself?

And that important announcement concerning the whole tribe?

A vague notion flickered in Zu Lazabu's mind, but he couldn't grasp it at once, so he merely nodded and continued to wait.

The drumming continued unabated.

Trolls in batches climbed from the city onto the highest platform, entering the Sunfire Temple plaza, and the Sunfire Edge under the Chief arrived continuously.

The Sunfire Tribe's total population is about 120,000.

But not all trolls reside in Sarta; over 30,000 trolls are scattered in villages outside the city, living in the forests.

Many hunting parties were unable to be notified in time; the city could not be completely emptied, and some Saint Warriors tasked with city defense had to remain on duty, unable to leave easily.

A little over half an hour later.

More than 60,000 trolls gathered on the Sunfire Plaza, packing it to the point of being impassable.

Tu Su'er raised his hand, and the temple guard who had been beating the drum stopped, the drumming finally subsiding. He stepped onto the newly built stone platform so that the tribe members in the plaza could see him; instantly, tens of thousands of Sunfire trolls focused their gaze on the High Priest, and the clamor gradually quieted.

"Praise the Sun!"

Tu Su'er faced the temple entrance, spreading his hands, arms at waist height, lifted his chin, looked up at the sky, eyes wide, and loudly uttered a prayer.

This is the Sun God's most standard prayer posture.

"Praise the Sun!"

All the giants followed suit, standing in unison and shouting together.

At that moment, whether chief, Holy Knight, or ordinary giants without holy light, their faces were filled with devotion as they prayed to the deity they had worshiped for tens of thousands of years.

Three times in succession.

The giants were familiar with this; every important tribal ceremony and prayer began with three chants of "Praise the Burning Sun," before proceeding to the main business.

But this time, after the High Priest finished praying, he went down directly.

Under the giants' surprised gazes, an unfamiliar Holy Knight stepped onto the platform. He looked young, and his armor displayed his strength; he was a senior Holy Knight.

"Who is he?"

"Why did the High Priest let him go up?"

The giants whispered among themselves, puzzled, but many recognized him and whispered, "I know him—Ke Er Sa Luo, who was promoted to senior Holy Knight two years ago, a hunting team leader, and also the chief's grandson."

"I just saw him return from the forest with his men, but without any prey, riding a terror‑horned dragon straight to the temple."

"Did something happen to them?"

The giants speculated.

Chief Zu Lazabu heard the discussion; while waiting for the tribe to gather, his subordinate Holy Knight had already reported Ke Er Sa Luo's unusual behavior, but the exact circumstances could not be determined at that moment.

Ke Er Sa Luo stood on the platform, scanning the crowd with his gaze, yet said nothing.

Gradually, the murmurs in the square fell silent.

The giants seemed to sense something; the atmosphere grew solemn. Under the watchful eyes of all, Ke Er Sa Luo inhaled lightly and said, "People of the tribe, I am Ke Er Sa Luo."

His voice reached every giant's ear clearly and without error.

"Today."

Ke Er Sa Luo continued, "My hunting team was ambushed by the Bounty‑Hunter tribe; casualties were heavy. Including myself, fourteen Holy Knights were slain by the enemy…"

Upon hearing this, the giants were stunned, unable to comprehend.

How can you be dead and still stand here speaking? Fourteen Holy Knights died, yet your teammates are all fine right before our eyes!

Chief Zu Lazabu wore a baffled expression, instinctively wondering whether Ke Er Sa Luo had lost his mind and was spouting nonsense.

Suddenly, a flash of insight struck his mind, and his whole body went rigid.

He knew!

Ke Er Sa Luo's voice rose sharply, drowning out the noisy doubts like rolling thunder, and he continued, "But we were resurrected and slew all the enemies. I can stand here speaking to you to deliver a divine decree—"

He shouted loudly, "Our lord Anse, the great Sun God, has awakened!"

Boom!

Ke Er Sa Luo's words struck like a thunderclap, exploding in the giants' ears, leaving every giant dizzy, their minds a blank.

The square was silent for a second, then erupted into a frenzy.

The giants' reactions varied: some were excited, some shocked, some thrilled, some ecstatic, but there were also doubts, disbelief, and uncertainty; most simply stood stunned, unsure how to handle the earth‑shaking news.

Whoosh…

Tens of thousands of giants, after their initial reaction, surged toward the central platform, emotions raging, shouting loudly, but their words were indecipherable amid the crowd.

The tide of people surged, each hand reaching for Ke Er Sa Luo.

The human wall formed by temple guards took a fierce blow, on the verge of failing to hold back the crowd.

Rumble!

A massive sound boomed from the sky, shaking the void.

A sphere of light brighter than the sun suddenly appeared high above, radiating a vast divine aura. A terrifying pressure descended, enveloping the Sun Temple and the entire Sa Er Ta, imparting an unprecedented divine might.

The giants found the aura both familiar and alien, then knelt together.

"Praise the Burning Sun!"

"Praise the Burning Sun!"

"Great Anse, you have finally awakened…" A fervent Sun worshipper prayed loudly, tears streaming down his face, howling, "Wooo… Lord, after ten thousand years, you finally heard our prayers; this day has finally come… wooo…"

The giants in the square knelt en masse, offering their faith to the blazing light above, and some even fainted from overwhelming excitement.

Amid the prayers were cries, tears of joy.

High Priest Tu Su Er and Chief Zu Lazabu were also thrilled, especially Tu Su Er; as the most devout follower of the Sun God, he had prayed for a lifetime, and now the deity's arrival made him feel that even dying now would be worthwhile.

Tu Su Er fell to his knees, trembling uncontrollably, breathing rapidly, two streams of tears flowing from his eyes.

Zu Lazabu, after the shock, wore a face of ecstatic joy.

"Praise the Burning Sun!"

"Praise the Burning Sun…"

Each prayer rose into a wave that surged toward the clouds; some hunting teams returning from the forest saw the massive light over the city from afar, leapt from their mounts, knelt toward the temple, and prayed loudly.

"My people…"

A distant, ethereal voice resonated in every giant's mind, as if from a far‑off past, full of ancient weariness yet burning vitality, stirring their hearts.

Hearing the god's voice, another wave of giants, moved by faith, fainted.

He sighed softly, then said slowly, "In my twelve‑thousand‑year slumber, you have done well; it is your relentless prayers that awakened me. I am aware of the Sun Tribe's hardships over the years."

Tens of thousands of giants felt a sourness in their noses, and many burst into tears, filling the square with sobbing.

Tu Su Er shouted, "As long as you have awakened, everything is worth it."

"Alas…"

The giants heard a gentle sigh, "Thank you for your hardships."

He paused, then continued, "Now that I have awakened, I will protect the Sun Tribe. My divine power is still unstable, so I cannot bestow many blessings; I can only first grant the most contributing believers the Divine Technique. Your primary task now is to conquer other tribes, bring more of your kin under my doctrine, help accelerate my restoration, revive past glory, and lead the Sun Tribe to the pinnacle of the Gulaman Empire."

When his words faded, the light in the sky burst into thousands of holy radiances.

Each ray contained a Divine Technique rune, falling like raindrops, instantly merging into the giants' souls.

All trolls who receive the Divine Technique's blessing are at least loyal believers, regardless of strength, judged only by their devotion to the god.

The more devout the believer, the more Divine Technique blessings they receive.

Most of the holy knights who have obtained the Divine Technique gather in the central square and nearby areas, and are relatively powerful, but a few believers are outside the square, even absent; the Divine Technique's radiance directly flies to the city inside and outside, precisely merging into the target believer's soul.

The trolls bestowed with the Divine Technique are ecstatic; years of faith and prayer have been rewarded, and the flame of faith instantly burns even brighter.

Tu Su Er received the most Divine Techniques, over thirty.

Chieftain Zu Lazabu also has more than twenty Divine Techniques, second only to the High Priest.

He feels the power of the Divine Technique, and hears the god's will; his heart surges, as if he sees himself conquering countless troll tribes, defeating Ka Zi La Ta Jin, ascending the throne of the Golden City to become the "King of Trolls".

"At your command, my lord!"

Zu Lazabu replies loudly, suddenly sensing a strong aura; turning, he sees Ke Er Sa Luo levitating on the platform, with a pair of massive blazing angel wings spread behind, wielding a great sword filled with holy light, like an incarnation of the god.

He immediately gets a bad feeling; combined with Ke Er Sa Luo's earlier behavior, his heart sinks.

Sure enough, the voice of the god resounds in his mind.

"Ke Er Sa Luo contributed the most important prayer before my awakening; without his sacrifice, I would have to wait a hundred years to answer you."

"For this, I appoint Ke Er Sa Luo as my Chosen One!"

"You must not disobey."

As the speech continues, the god's voice becomes stern, filled with undeniable authority; the trolls, shocked, accept this divine decree, no one opposes, their hearts hold only envy and awe toward Ke Er Sa Luo.

Zu Lazabu, however, looks bewildered, feeling lost, both startled and angry.

Until the god's aura fades and the light in the sky dissipates, he cannot utter a word, watching Ke Er Sa Luo descend before him, solemnly saying:

"Chieftain, please abdicate."

(End of chapter)