Chapter 1113: New Chieftain

On the ground, Zu Lazabu's corpse had burned to ash and was scattered by the wind, leaving a pool of molten iron from melted armor, and the "Shatterlight" battle axe lay beside it.

Ke'ersaluo glanced twice and sighed inwardly.

In truth, at first he only wanted to defeat Zu Lazabu to establish his authority and, by right, ascend to the chieftainship; he never intended to kill him, and there was no real enmity between them. After all, Zu Lazabu was the most powerful Sunfire Warrior, someone he might need later.

He was also Ke'ersaluo's grandfather, and killing his own grandfather with his own hands would inevitably give others ammunition.

However, Zu Lazabu sensed some truth during the battle, forcing him to kill him; in the words of a past life: "You know too much."

"Travel safely," Ke'ersaluo whispered to himself.

He reached out, and the Shatterlight battle axe flew through the air into his hand; then, with a flare of his Flaming Angel Wings, it transformed into a beam of light that appeared on the high platform above the audience.

High Priest Tu Su Er, Chief Guard Captain Zan Jin, and many senior holy warriors of the Sunfire Tribe gathered here.

Most of them were not as fanatical as the troll commoners, still reeling from great shock.

Ordinary holy warriors and commoners lacked a clear understanding of Zu Lazabu's strength, but they knew well how mighty the former chieftain was—far beyond the level of historic Sunfire Warriors, utterly unbeatable.

Yet Zu Lazabu died in the arena.

Moreover, it was obvious that Ke'ersaluo won easily; he never unleashed his full power at the start, merely showing a hint of it, and slew Zu Lazabu with a single sword strike!

Even the Loa Deity was no different.

But Ke'ersaluo is not Loa.

At this moment, Ke'ersaluo descended onto the platform, his massive Flaming Angel Wings seemingly eclipsing the sun; one hand wielded a great sword, the other a battle axe, and the holy light they emitted pressed down like a mountain, suffocating the holy warriors.

They gazed in awe as Ke'ersaluo descended before them, drawing ever nearer, until they could no longer meet his eyes and bowed their heads.

The cries in Gularbark Arena thundered.

Yet the trolls on the platform dared not utter a sound; the stark silence felt eerie, and some senior holy warriors' hands trembled uncontrollably.

Ke'ersaluo's gaze swept over the trolls, knowing that some were like Zu Lazabu, and suspicion rose within him.

The stronger the power, the sharper the sight, the more one can discern clues.

Yet certainty remained out of reach.

Ke'ersaluo looked at Tu Su Er, the High Priest who had originally backed him; now, although his face showed respect, the priest's soul‑eye revealed intense emotional turbulence, hesitation, fear, while he tried to maintain composure outwardly.

Beside him, Chief Guard Captain Zan Jin lowered his head, his thoughts unreadable.

Some holy warriors glared angrily at him.

Ke'ersaluo surveyed them; most of these holy warriors had been Zu Lazabu's close confidants, some even shared blood with him, being direct descendants of Zu Lazabu, holding senior positions in the Chief Guard and Sunfire Blade, with prominent status.

Now that Zu Lazabu is dead, they are destined to be purged, stripped of power and rank.

"Ke'ersaluo!"

A senior holy warrior finally could not hold back, leapt forward and, trembling, shouted at Ke'ersaluo: "The chieftain is your grandfather, who raised you from childhood; how could you kill him? Even the fiercest wolf cub would never bare its teeth at the alpha that birthed it, you shameless…"

Ke'ersaluo merely stared at him.

As he continued the tirade, his voice gradually fell, eventually silencing, his face flushing bright red.

Ke'ersaluo recognized the senior holy warrior; his name was Selika, Zu Lazabu's most favored son, effectively his own uncle.

Yet he gave no reply, deeming him a fool who could not see the situation clearly.

The most pressing matter before him was not Zu Lazabu's death, but the trolls' doubt about his identity as the Divine Chosen "Ke'ersaluo".

"High Priest?"

Ke'ersaluo spoke.

His voice was soft, yet to Tu Su Er's ears it rang like thunder on the plain; their gazes met, and Tu Su Er instantly felt a terrifying pressure and grasped Ke'ersaluo's intent—he must immediately declare his stance and choose a side.

Tu Su Er's expression wavered as he turned to glance at the trolls on the platform: two Sunfire Warriors and over a hundred senior holy warriors.

At this moment, if he were to shout…

No!

Tu Su Er noticed the two weapons in Ke'ersaluo's hands; the Divine Technique greatsword and battle axe flickered faintly, emitting a wisp of pale gold flame—though not intense, the platform's temperature clearly rose a bit.

His eyelids twitched wildly; if he were to utter a word of doubt, he would instantly meet the same fate as Zu Lazabu.

The multitude of senior holy warriors offered no sense of security.

Moreover, not all holy warriors understood the situation; most importantly, he only harbored suspicion, lacking proof.

The god's awakening was real, and the bestowed Divine Technique genuine; so far, everything favored the Sunfire Tribe.

Though some aspects were odd, the deity's mind was inscrutable…

Ultimately, reason and reality gained the upper hand.

Tu Su Er clenched his teeth, stepped forward two paces to the platform's edge, faced the troll spectators in the arena, his face alight with excitement, and shouted loudly: "People of the Sunfire, Ke'ersaluo has defeated Zu Lazabu and claimed this great victory."

He paused, then said, "According to the pre‑duel agreement, the victor shall become the tribe's new chieftain."

"All hail Chief Ke'ersaluo!"

Tu Su Er turned, led the way to half‑kneel before Ke'ersaluo standing at the platform's center, shouting loudly and offering a solemn salute.

The High Priest's support signified divine approval.

Although Ke'ersaluo is the Divine Chosen, his bond with the deity surpasses that of the High Priest, the temple priest's standing among the trolls is irreplaceable and carries strong symbolic weight.

With Tu Su Er's bow, the outcome was sealed.

"All hail Chief Ke'ersaluo!"

On the platform, Zan Jin suddenly also half‑kneelled in salute.

He represented Zu Lazabu's old faction—the Chief Guard and Sunfire Blade. Many senior holy warriors were startled; both tribal powers had submitted, so what hesitation remained? Thus, the holy warriors each half‑kneelled, loudly proclaiming their respect to the new chieftain.

The troll spectators in the stands, unaware of the details, simply shouted along, rejoicing in the god's awakening and the tribe's birth of a stronger chieftain.

Lei En flew into the arena's sky, spread his arms, and received the people's homage.

The Sunfire blazed overhead, glory bestowed!

This scene would remain unforgettable for nearly one hundred thousand trolls for the rest of their lives.

That night.

Sa Erta remained immersed in revelry; every square, every street, every obelisk in the city was lit with bonfires, bright through the night. The trolls danced around the fires, loudly praising the blazing sun, repeatedly chanting the god's doctrine while drinking and feasting, and discussing the battle today in the arena between the two generations of chieftains.

Each troll was exhilarated; after more than ten thousand years of waiting, they finally witnessed the god's awakening, and the Sun Tribe would shine again.

The holy warriors who had received the Divine Technique were incessantly asked by their kin to demonstrate it, earning countless envious glances.

In combat sparring, the Divine Technique displayed great power.

Whether holy warriors of the same rank possessed the Divine Technique became the main factor deciding victory.

Healing, amplification, defense, killing!

The myriad clever uses of the Divine Technique opened the trolls' eyes; holy warriors without the Divine Technique resolved to increase their prayers and frequency, offering their loyalty to the god, hoping to obtain the Divine Technique soon.

The Sun trolls seemed to glimpse the future—a bright horizon!

Yet some trolls saw something else above that light—a shadow hanging over the tribe's sky, obscuring the blazing sun.

Tu Su'er, atop the temple, looked down at Sa Erta, and after a long moment withdrew his gaze from the brightly lit city, letting out a faint sigh.

"Alas…"

A flash of light flickered at the corner of his eye, then a voice sounded: "Why does the High Priest sigh?"

Ke Er Sao Luo's figure appeared beside him.

Tu Su'er's eyelid twitched, and he hurriedly said, "Chief." He couldn't help thinking that this new chief's methods were inscrutable, imposing an even stronger pressure than the former Zu La Zabu, as if no movement of the tribe escaped his perception, his speed astonishingly swift, appearing in an instant.

He must be more cautious in the future, even when alone.

"I sigh for the tribe's past hardships; for over ten thousand years we have sacrificed too many trolls, migrated, wandered, repeatedly teetered on the brink of extinction, yet we endured and finally rooted ourselves in the God‑Abandoned Land, building Sa Erta."

Tu Su'er pointed to the city below, "All this was hard‑won; our predecessors shed countless sweat and lives, and the spirits of our ancestors watch us."

"Indeed, it was not easy," Ke Er Sao Luo nodded.

He could understand Tu Su'er's point, hoping he would not destroy the ancestors' achievements, yet he was not being perfunctory and had no intention of harming the tribe.

Even if he said it, Tu Su'er would not believe him.

The seed of doubt had taken root; only the future, with facts, could prove everything.

Tu Su'er did not pursue the topic further, and whispered, "Chief, have you already subjugated the Guard and the Sun's Edge?"

After the arena ended, Ke Er Sao Luo immediately went to the chief's hall and issued orders.

Zan Jin, leader of the chief's Guard, the various divisions of the Sun's Edge, the hunting captain, the patrol captain, the city‑defense captain, and all the tribe's senior holy warriors and the trolls assigned to duties, came to the chief's hall for an audience; clearly, the new chief was about to assume power.

Tu Su'er, to avoid suspicion, did not take part.

"Not bad." Ke Er Sao Luo showed a faint smile, but it carried coldness, and in a calm voice said, "Zan Jin has pledged loyalty to me; I agree he may retain most members of the chief's Guard, having removed only Zu La Zabu's descendants."

"What about the Sun's Edge?" Tu Su'er couldn't help asking.

"Most captains remain, but they cannot keep their original posts; I have separated them from their troops and reassigned them to other squads," Ke Er Sao Luo replied.

Tu Su'er let out a sigh of relief.

It was far better than he had imagined; only a reassignment, with power and status unchanged, so the senior holy warriors would likely have no complaints, and even if they did, they would not dare voice them.

When Zu La Zabu rose to power, he directly slaughtered a group of rival holy warriors, his hands stained with tribal blood.

By contrast, Ke Er Sao Luo was far more merciful.

"The blazing sun reigns above; the chief's tolerance is a blessing for the tribe," Tu Su'er praised sincerely, suddenly feeling his earlier worries were unnecessary.

Ke Er Sao Luo smiled.

He had never been a bloodthirsty person; wielding armed forces did not require killing. The Soul Eye could discern loyalty and treachery, and no troll could stir up trouble. Any hint of dissent would be detected by the hidden Thunder‑Forged Divine Weapon, causing the traitor to vanish without a trace.

A mere holy warrior army of thirty thousand, if not needed to use their status to conquer the Southern Continent, would not require such hassle.

Tu Su'er looked at the smile on Ke Er Sao Luo's face and felt a hint of contempt.

But he could not understand.

After a few seconds of silence, Tu Su'er asked, "Chief, what plans do you have for the tribe moving forward?" This was the question he had been pondering, hoping to gauge the chief's motives—whether truly for the tribe's benefit or hiding some scheme.

"Naturally, we will follow the divine edict: conquer other tribes, expand the faithful, and bring more trolls into the Church of the Sun God," Ke Er Sao Luo replied as a matter of course.

Tu Su'er was stunned.

He sensed something more and probed, "Chief, have you already set a target?"

"The Hunters' Tribe," Ke Er Sao Luo did not conceal, stating his thought directly, "Within three months we will defeat this greatest enemy, conquer them, and become vassals of the Sun Tribe."

"Three months!" Tu Su'er exclaimed in shock, then urged loudly, "Chief, is that not too fast? The Hunters' Tribe consists of eight tribes; they are the strongest force in the God‑Abandoned Land. We can only defend ourselves and must not provoke them lightly."

Ke Er Sao Luo dismissed it, "That was before; now the Sun Tribe is different."

"Chief!" Tu Su'er shook his head repeatedly, "Now only a few holy warriors have the Divine Technique, and they are not yet proficient…"

The Divine Technique indeed can greatly boost a holy warrior's strength.

In the past, one holy warrior could match three to four trolls of the same rank; now, with the Divine Technique, one could take on five, yet only a handful possess it.

The Hunters' Tribe numbers over a million trolls, more than ten times the Sun Tribe!

Even the strongest holy warrior cannot defeat ten alone; taking the initiative would be a suicide march, plunging the tribe into annihilation.

Tu Su'er was frantic, his eyebrows burning with anxiety.

He had just thought the new chief's tolerance was beneficial, but now realized Ke Er Sao Luo was so reckless and overambitious, possibly endangering the tribe far more than Zu La Zabu.

"I know the chief is eager to contribute to the god, but this cannot be rushed."

Tu Su'er earnestly advised, "The god has just awakened, and the holy warriors have just received the Divine Technique's blessing; the tribe's strength is entering a rapid growth phase. Give the tribe time, advance steadily; within at most thirty years we can conquer the Hunters' Tribe."

Ke Er Sao Luo's face showed indifference.

The High Priest was right; his starting point was correct, but he did not want to wait thirty years.

Not even thirty years; even three years he could not wait.

Lei En's plan is to conquer the entire Southern Continent within five years, placing Saint Gilies on the divine throne; even if the plan falters, it cannot exceed ten years.

Of course, this could not be told to Tu Su'er.

Keersaluo looked at the still chattering old troll, raised his hand to interrupt him, and asked: "High Priest, have you heard of the Sun God Ge Weng?"

(End of chapter)