Return of the Fallen Volume 7 Chapter 50
A celebrative and joyful atmosphere filled this underwater volcano. Kazuki, Tozu, and Sasai all lost control momentarily as they dove headfirst into piles of crystals and threw scales high into the air.
Kazuki knew of his own greed and understood his own reaction but watching Tozu and Sasai lose it for a moment was unexpectedly funny. These Ancient beasts who covet power and stand near the tippy-top of the food chain. These beings with such strength and pride, at this moment, were dancing around like fools.
After a minute or so of this, the three settled down. A huge grin stretching across each of their faces.
“I didn’t expect Ancient beast could be so happy. Usually you Ancient ones come off as domineering and god-like. It’s strange to know that even Ancient beasts fall to the power of riches and wealth.”
Tozu shook his head.
“You mistake our joyous mood for greed Kazuki. To me and my younger brother, we don’t look at these mountains of crystal and scales as a source of money but rather one that will allow us to grow stronger much faster.”
Kazuki gave Tozu a quizacal look and Tozu went on to say.
“For us Ancient beast, it takes a long time to grow in strength. Our Magical beast cores require tremendous amounts of energy, a constant supply at that. That is why most Ancient beasts slumber for many years straight. You use very little energy while you sleep and while in that state we can still absorb vast amounts of energy. Naturally, we will grow stronger over time but if we have a source of immense power to draw from, we can reach higher states much much sooner. As I told you before, I have many gold mines back in my territory. As you know there is no such power in gold and therefore it is mostly useless to me. I and my brother as well used to have plenty of natural power sources in our territory but as more and more Ancient beast rose to power, the supply ran out and became depleted as they were continuously drained. For the past few hundred years, the Ancient beast around the north has been in short supply of energy sources.”
“The way you say that makes it sound like there is plenty in other places but not here.”
Tozu nodded.
“Correct. Most of the west is a wasteland because of the Miasma and there are a few Titans as well as a few other hidden experts already occupying other resources.”
“If Motozu was so tough to deal with, why not just go to those other territories and fight with other Ancient beasts for their resources?”
“Hmm, you should already know why. We Ancient beasts as you have seen are extremely territorial. We all have our places carved out in this world but it goes beyond that. If I and my brother were to go to other parts of the world, we would be seen as an invading force from the north. Whatever territory we try to take over, all of the Ancient beast in that region would combine forces to take on us two. Normally they wouldn’t work together but everyone is seen as being from a certain place. No matter what, we would be seen as northerners and would be seen as enemies anywhere else. Just as Titans do not cross into another titans territory, Ancient beasts do not enter other Regions. Since we are of the north, that would be the east, west, and south. Well, I guess the west is a special case but again there is nothing there for anyone.”
“If that’s the case, why not just kill the other Ancient beast in the north sooner and just take their resources?”
Sasai shook his large snakehead.
“Itsss not sssomething sssso sssimple.”
“My younger brother is right. If the two of us ever attempted a move like that, the other Ancient beast in the north would have combined forces and dealt with us, that includes Motozu. We could deal with the other Ancient beasts, it would have been difficult and we would have most likely have sustained injury. After that Motozu would have been able to wipe us out with ease. At the same time, this also kept Motozu in place. Had Motozu ever tried to go after another Ancient beast, all of the north would have been Motozu’s enemy.”
“That’s an actual rule? I wouldn’t have taken Ancient beast for beings that would stick to such human-like treaties.”
“There’s nothing human about a treaty nor peace. These things have long existed before the race of man ever walked upright out of the ancient caves. In order for us all to survive, peace between those that could destroy the world had to come about, otherwise, we’d all be fucked. This rule is an unspoken one between us but still, all Ancient beasts are aware of it and take it as the god’s words. You as well must abide by this unspoken law now as well.”
Kazuki had to do a double-take when he heard this.
“Wait what?”
Sasai spoke teasingly.
“You didn’t think you could jussst upssset the balanccce of the world and walk away like nothing happened.”
“My little brother is right. Although you didn’t know it before you killed all of those Ancient beasts, you know now.”
“Wait wait wait, what does me killing my enemies have to do with abiding by this weird rule? You two as well were coming here to kill Motozu because you thought it was weaker, had you succeeded you would have gone against your own rule, am I wrong here?”
“You are wrong. The rule is not meant to prevent us from killing one another more of what will happen or rather what could happen if we were to gain more resources and grow stronger. As Sasai mentioned there is a certain balance of the world. Having many Ancient beasts vying for resources in a single region keeps them all in check. By having that many compete and use up many resources, it prevents any single individual from growing far too quickly in strength and outpacing the others. In this way, our powers may not be the same but we are close enough so that one side can’t single handle slaughter the others. If one side kills the other then the ones who killed can reach a higher state much sooner. Tell me, what do you think will happen when the south or east find out about the number of Ancient beasts being reduced in the north.”
It didn’t take Kazuki even a second to realize what Tozu meant.
“War!”
Tozu nodded.
“Correct. The south and east will learn of what’s happened here and they will attack.”
“But doesn’t that mean they would be breaking the unspoken rule?”
“That’sss what happenss when the balancccce is broken.”
“The rule is there in the first place to prevent one from growing too quickly. The east and south can’t just sit back and watch us in the north grow beyond them. Since you were the one who started things off by slaying Motozu, you have to take responsibility. You have to join the north and help us oppose the east and south when the time comes.”
Kazuki raised a brow.
“That’s where you’re wrong. I may have killed Motozu and a few other Ancient beasts but the east and the south don’t even know of my existence. They would have no way of knowing who did any of this. Not only that, once you two are dead, wouldn’t they simply divide the north between them and peace would once again reign between the Ancient beasts?”
Sasai’s eyes widened in anger.
“You basstard, after what you ssstarted, you would abandon usss to our doom!”
Kazuki shrugged his shoulders.
This problem of theirs was truly theirs and theirs alone. Once he split the treasure with them, that was it. He would leave and hopefully would never see them again. He felt no guilt whatsoever and found the whole unspoken rule kind of stupid to begin with.
While Sasai was growing angry and angry, Tozu was still calm and he even smiled. Sasai couldn’t understand this and shouted at his brother.
“TOSSSU! HOW CAN YOU SSSIT THERE AND SSSMILE! THISSS UGLY HUMAN ISSS GOING TO LEAVE THISSS MESSS IN OUR HANDSSS!”
Tozu shook his head.
“Calm yourself brother, he’s not going to abandon us or rather he couldn’t even if he tried.”
Sasai had no clue what his brother was talking about and neither did Kazuki. The two both wore a confused expression but it was Kazuki’s laughter that broke the silence.
*Bwahahaha*
“You seriously think I’m going to take on a war with Ancient beast…For the two of you?”
Kazuki crossed his arms and just kept laughing until Tozu spoke up.
“Yes, yes you will. Not for my brother’s sake nor for mine but rather your own. Even if you disappear as far as possible, the Ancient beast from the east and south will learn of you, and do you know why?”
Kazuki’s laughter stopped as he got a bad feeling.
“It’s because I will be the one who tells them. There’s no way they will believe that just me and my brother did all of this and when they ask who did. It will be your name that slips from my mouth.”
A blade appeared in Kazuki’s hand in an instant and he flashed forward without hesitation.
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