Barbarian Quest

Chapter 233

Six-Fingered stared at his six-fingered hand. In the Blue Mist Tribe, it was tradition to make a child born with six fingers a shaman. Every generation in the tribe never failed to see one or two children born with six fingers, as if they were bestowed by the heavens.

Crunch.

Six-Fingered clenched his blackened teeth. He picked up a knife as he gazed at his six fingers.

“Kuk, kuk, kuk.”

Six-Fingered’s laughter made the candle flicker.

‘How many times have I wanted to cut these damn fingers off.’

His fate was sealed from birth. At a young age, he was dragged away by eccentric old men to learn all sorts of tricks. He was forced to swallow herbs so revolting they made him want to vomit, memorizing their tastes, names, and effects. When he was forced to dig through the entrails of animals, the stench would cling to him for days.

‘I ran away several times but was always caught again. I was beaten all night and even hung upside down.’

The path of a shaman was not easy. Although they did not die in battle like warriors, the hierarchical and apprenticeship system of the shamans was brutally harsh.

‘And before I even realized, I had become a priest of our tribe.’

But there was no freedom for Six-Fingered. Samikan, who became the chief in the same era, was more of a monster than a human. The power that should have been shared between the priest and the chief was all seized by Samikan.

‘Samikan is a historical warrior and a great chief.’

That was a fact that he could not deny. Samikan greedily swallowed all the power.

‘First, he swallowed the tribe’s power. He even made me, the priest of the tribe, his subordinate.’

Six-Fingered’s hands trembled. It was humiliating. Not following Samikan's orders only meant death.

‘And then he swallowed the west. He achieved the unification of the west, something no one had thought was possible.’

Samikan took Noah Arten, a man from beyond the mountains, as his partner, and actively utilized his knowledge. His open-mindedness made it hard to believe he had been born and raised in a tribal society.

‘Now he's trying to swallow the civilization that is much greater than us. He is truly a snake that devours the world.’

Samikan’s actions as a warrior were admirable. Who else but him could have achieved such feats? Urich? In Six-Fingered’s view, Urich lacked ambition. The Son of the Earth could never have created something like the alliance. It was possible only because it was the greedy, cunning, and wicked Samikan.

“I have lived my entire life as a slave to fate, Samikan.”

Without breaking free from Samikan, there would be no freedom at all.

Six-Fingered did not sleep as if he were waiting for someone. Only his thoughts wandered.

Creak.

The window burst open. It was a window Six-Fingered hadn’t locked. It must have been visible from outside because of the escaping light.

Rustle.

A hulking man squeezed through the small window. The density of his body was so high that it changed the air in the room. The most renowned warrior of the alliance, the man whose breath was even fierce.

“Urich, I knew you’d come.”

Six-Fingered recognized the visitor just by his shadow. Only the yellow glow from Urich’s eyes flickered in his shadowed face.

“Are you just going to stand there and not greet a guest?” Urich spoke.

“I didn’t know you liked formalities,” Six-Fingered replied with a chuckle. Urich slowly sat down.

“I’m sure you know why I’m here.”

“Did I not tell you that you would need my hand someday? Don’t just overlook a shaman’s prophecy, Urich the Son of the Earth.”

“Enough. If you want to brag about yourself, do it when I’m not around.”

“Why would I boast without a person to boast to? I’m not a madman.”

Six-Fingered had also attended the tribal council. He saw with his own eyes that Samikan was toying with Urich.

‘The time has come,’ Samikan thought. It was bound to happen someday.

Urich and Samikan were too large a presence to coexist, especially with their different dispositions.

“If there’s anything I can help with, just say the word. I am more than willing to help.”

“Samikan has been raising a snake.”

“Ah, don’t worry about that. He knew very well that he was raising a snake. A snake needs careful handling. It’ll bite even its owner if aggravated. Keke.”

Urich grimaced.

‘Six-Fingered, I’ve never liked you.’

But without Six-Fingered, it was impossible to strike at Samikan.

“Declare an oracle. Say there’s a good omen to the south, and a bad one to the north. Make it as grand as possible so we can sway the hearts of the warriors enough to make even Samikan acknowledge it.”

This was the situation that Six-Fingered had been waiting so desperately for.

“To the south?”

“If we head north now, the imperial army will be waiting in camp. Samikan is gambling on the fate of the west and the lives of the warriors. He’s willing to take a gamble with slim chances even though there are better ways.”

Upon hearing Urich’s words, Six-Fingered narrowed his eyes.

‘How can he lack so much in greed?’

Urich’s motives and goals were purely for the tribe and his brothers. He had no personal ambition whatsoever.

‘He is a terribly innocent warrior.’

Six-Fingered flicked his fingers as he thought. He slowly parted his darkly stained lips.

“Is that going to be enough?”

“It will be.”

“But if I declare an oracle of my own accord, Samikan will try to kill me. Remember, Urich. From now on, you are the one who has to protect me.”

Urich nodded. Six-Fingered and Urich grasped each other’s arms, making a pact.

* * *

Samikan struggled to wake up in the morning. The duration of his sleep grew longer, and the fatigue never seemed to leave him no matter how long he slept, leaving shadows under his eyes.

Wriggle.

Samikan clutched the edge of the blanket. The bed of the civilized was almost excessively comfortable.

"This thing makes people lazy."

Samikan opened his eyes wide and barely managed to sit up. Immediately upon waking, he checked for his weapons. He strapped his sword and axe to his waist and looked out the window. He could see the entire city from the lord's room, which was where he was staying.

The city of Havilond was still under the control of the alliance. The presence of the alliance forces had brought severe damage to Havilond. The resources that the city's residents had accumulated over the years had already run out.

‘We’ll get enough rest here, then we’ll fight the empire's main forces.'

One victory was all he needed. A single victory would immortalize Samikan's name. He would become a symbol of terror in the civilized world, and a legendary hero in the west, or even a mythic figure.

Samikan had given his warriors ample rest. The sun was already high.

'I’ve been sleeping too much.'

Samikan massaged his creaking neck and shoulders. While yawning lengthily, he noticed the warriors gathering outside the castle.

"Six-Fingered?"

He hadn't called for a ritual yet as the day of departure had not been set.

Samikan hastily grabbed his coat and stepped outside. The warriors silently followed him.

Six-Fingered gathered the shamans and held a heavenly ritual to discern the will of the sky. Naturally, many warriors of the alliance flocked to the event. Everyone wanted to know their future. Through the shaman's divination, the warriors sought comfort about what lay ahead.

Schriiing.

Six-Fingered drew a knife and ran it across a sheep's throat. The struggling sheep bled out.

"Oom, ooomm."

The shamans made throaty chants. The warriors held their breath, waiting for the result of the divination.

Riiip.

Six-Fingered slit open the sheep's belly and shoved his arm deep inside. He rummaged through the foul-smelling innards while screaming incomprehensibly. Soon, Six-Fingered's eyes rolled back as he convulsed.

Flap, flap!

Six-Fingered fell backward. As he pulled his hand out, a crow burst forth from the sheep's belly.

"A crow!"

"A crow soaked in blood!"

The warriors cried out in alarm. A blood-soaked crow burst from the sheep's belly and soared into the sky.

"A bad omen!"

A blood-soaked crow could never be a good sign. The crow circled over the city and then disappeared. Even the sky seemed to darken ominously.

"That’s definitely grand."

Urich smiled satisfactorily. It was a well-prepared ritual by Six-Fingered. It really seemed as though a crow had come out of the sheep's belly. Urich could tell that this was the trump card that Six-Fingered had on him.

"That is without a doubt a bad omen. That was a crow..."

"Where the hell did it come from?"

More crows appeared from the surroundings. The warriors' eyes wavered. Phenomena symbolizing bad omens occurred all around them.

The shamans also gathered among themselves, murmuring seriously. The atmosphere became heavy, making it hard to believe it was a pre-battle ritual.

Step.

Samikan strode through the midst of the warriors. The warriors parted ways, staring at Samikan.

"I have held a heavenly ritual before the battle, Great Chief Samikan," Six-Fingered spoke respectfully with his hands soaked in blood.

"As you should, Six-Fingered. Holding a ritual before the battle is only natural," Samikan responded nonchalantly.

He still watched the crows flying in the sky, narrowing his eyes.

"Bow!"

A warrior brought Samikan his bow. He pulled the bowstring far back and aimed at a crow.

Thwi—ip!

The arrow flew without hesitation and struck the crow. It was a display of archery skill worthy of a Great Chief. In the alliance, only a few could shoot a bow as well as he could.

"There's no need to fear prematurely about a bad omen."

Samikan, having shot a crow down, which was a symbol of a bad omen, looked around at the warriors whose morale had already dropped.

'I’m sure we could still advance if I pressed them, but... it's a tough fight even in our best condition. We can't fight the imperial army with an unstable army.'

Samikan looked afar at Urich mingled in the crowd, then turned his head and glared at Six-Fingered who had conducted the ritual.

Six-Fingered couldn't meet Samikan's eyes directly and pretended like he was casting another divination.

"Six-Fingered! Then, in which direction has heaven ordained?" Samikan shouted.

Six-Fingered pulled out the sheep's entrails and scattered them on the ground. Blood and intestines spilled, forming a bizarre pattern.

"South, Great Chief."

Six-Fingered showed the whites of his eyes as he responded.

"Then, we shall march south and receive the blessings of heaven. If our priest's words are correct, we will encounter good news there!"

Samikan tapped Six-Fingered's shoulder. The faces of the warriors, previously anxious about the bad omen, brightened up.

"You’re using that little power of yours very efficiently, Six-Fingered," Samikan said softly, audible only to Six-Fingered nearby.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Six-Fingered replied in the same manner.

"Were you seeking power just so you could rebel against me like this?"

Six-Fingered lifted his staff and repeatedly stamped it on the ground. Bones clattered, and the warriors matched their steps to the sound.

Whether it's the ancestors or heaven, the blessing of a transcendent being was crucial for the warriors. The power and authority of a priest came from the support of such warriors. As absolute as Samikan might be on earth, he couldn't be responsible for the warriors in the afterlife.

"I have lived my entire life as your slave, great Samikan."

"If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have risen to your current position. It was I who created that place for you, not anybody else."

"Even so, my fate and life are not yours. This six-fingered body that doesn’t even have a name will live by his own commands and will choose where he dies."

Samikan resisted the urge to slit Six-Fingered's throat. He wanted to tear the lips off the cunning man in front of him right then.

Six-Fingered felt Samikan's murderous intent and swallowed hard.

"I don’t have much time left in this world. I certainly won't live longer than you. You couldn’t have waited that much longer? Even though you’ve been enduring it all your life?"

"Honestly, I wanted to screw you over at least once before you died, Samikan.”

Respect and formalities were gone from Six-Fingered’s words.

Samikan laughed at his words. To the warriors, it seemed like he was just laughing because of the divination.

"This is much more like it—better than some talk about fate and whatnot. I’ll admit it. You got me today. This Samikan has been bested by Six-Fingered and Urich."

Samikan put an eyeball of the sheep that lay on the sacrificial altar into his mouth and chewed it loudly.

Samikan stepped down from the altar and looked at Six-Fingered again.

"Make sure you keep your eyes wide open, Six-Fingered."

After stepping down from the altar, Samikan looked around at the tribal chiefs and warriors. Urich, making eye contact with Samikan, nodded slightly.

Most of the alliance warriors just thought that the Great Chief changed his plan because of the omens, but the politically astute chiefs and head warriors knew a new power struggle was beginning. The ritual was just a part of politics.

'The time to choose a side is coming.'

It has long been a headache for the alliance. A two-headed beast does not live long.