The Final Desperation

Once Genji disengaged from battle, he backtracked to where he had left Astros earlier. Due to the ferret's fragile strength, Genji had opted not to bring him into battle, especially against such a powerful foe. This greatly irked the newborn, but Astros couldn't change Genji's mind.

When Genji found him, Astros was munching on an unknown fruit with great ferocity, as if he held a grudge against it. No, the grievance wasn't with the fruit, but rather with his own weakness and Genji's absence. It was a feeling similar to what Bruce had once experienced, only with a different motivation.

Instead of wanting to aid Genji in battle, Astros simply wanted to spend more time with him. Every moment away from his parental figure was bothersome, especially as he was still developing mentally. To maximize this time, Astros vowed to get stronger, hence the current scene.

Fruit juices stained his face, dyeing it a funny shade of pink. Sensing Genji's return, Astros quickly scarfed down the remaining fruit and let out a cheerful yip, demanding to be cuddled.

"Oh, what am I going to do with you?" Genji chuckled playfully and brought out a canteen of water to wash the sticky residues off the ferret's fur. Then he sat down beside Astros and examined the loot from the recent battle.

[You have slain Lion of Gold (Mini-boss)]

[You have obtained 43,692 coins.]

[Your maximum energy has increased by 32 points.]

[You have obtained Golden Fury (rare)]

"Only a rare? Damn, they really ramped up the difficulty in this world. If this was the Spatial Battlefield, an opponent of that level would have dropped an epic item. Fortunately, I have other ways to maximize my rewards."

At that moment, Bruce appeared beside him and handed him a flask of blood. Although this was only a fraction of the total amount, Genji was sure it would fetch a good price. After all, it wasn't every day that someone managed to obtain the blood of such a powerful creature.

As for the remaining blood, let's just say Bruce had a snack...

"Let's go trade this in before they get too far. With our speed, we should be able to catch up to them."

"Neeiiigghhhh."

 

---

 

Half a day later, Genji arrived at the Helix tribe's former settlement. The term "former" is specified because the tribe had already begun their migration, leaving only indentations in the ground where wooden poles once stood. Fortunately, the migration of hundreds left clear trails to follow, allowing him to easily reunite with them.

The tribal hunters took guarded stances as he rode toward them, but their tense muscles promptly eased when they recognized the familiar figure.

Genji stopped a short distance away, dismounted, and transitioned to an even-paced walk.

"You're back. What brings you here? I thought you wanted to travel alone," a few of his acquaintances greeted him.

"I have some unfinished business with Bechel," Genji responded, waving the flask of blood.

Understanding his intentions, the hunters stopped pestering him and led him to the elder. When Genji saw him, Bechel was the same as ever, guiding his grandson and preparing for his next tattoo session.

"I got what you asked for," Genji said bluntly.

"Okay." Bechel took the container and poured a drop out for examination. Once he confirmed that it was satisfactory, he handed it to Mokan and went to fetch the payment. A few minutes later, he returned with a sealed box made of wood. He opened it and gave Genji a handful of pellets—nine, to be exact.

"The last one spoiled," he explained.

Genji believed him because he could sense a discolored piece inside the box, so he didn't push the issue any further.

"Happy working with you," Genji said before leaving the vicinity.

When he was alone again, he passed Astros a random stick he found on the ground. Astros gave him a blank stare as if asking what he was supposed to do with it.

"Choose our direction."

Astros held his silence for a few moments before a series of yips and paw waves came out as if trying to convince Genji that he shouldn't leave such an important decision to chance. Genji simply stroked his fur and said, "It's okay. I believe in your luck."

Helpless, Astros could only follow his instructions and prop up the stick.

 

---

 

After a few days of traveling, Genji encountered another team of hunters. This time, they were much stronger than anyone he'd met so far. All of them had at least three inscriptions on their skin, with some of the stronger ones reaching seven.

The strongest hunters on average had 46 points in strength, making the team capable of fending off anything below a beast king. Even if they did encounter such walking disasters, they could still put up a decent fight and allow most to escape.

As such, they were unfazed when they spotted Genji. Rather, they welcomed him with open arms and readily guided him to their tribe when they heard his purpose.

"Here are our records. Let me know if you have any questions," the wife of a hunter said before returning to her everyday chores.

'That was much easier than I thought. I didn't even have to say anything else. To their credit, they are strong enough to disregard most threats.'

Genji parsed through the records and built a timeline in his notebook. For the most part, the timeline was uneventful, with a few sporadic incidents. At this point, Genji wasn't going through the records in full detail but rather skimming for possible leads. Nonetheless, it still took a few hours to complete the task since the tribe's history dated back 300 years.

Around noon, the wife returned and invited him to have lunch.

"Join us. It's our tradition to welcome guests with our signature soup," she said.

Genji thought it would be nice to take a break and agreed to her proposal. He was handed a bowl of clear soup with vibrant grass cuttings at the bottom. It was a strange dish, but the others drank it with relish, so he didn't make a big deal of it.

As the warm liquid slid down his throat, a refreshing feeling washed away his fatigue.

'I can see why they like this. It's like a healthier version of caffeine.'

Genji took the opportunity to approach a hunter and strike up a conversation. "Can you tell me if there are any other tribes nearby?"

The man grinned and replied, "You're in luck. Follow your original trajectory and you'll encounter many. Keep going and you might even come across the monoliths."

"Monoliths?" Genji asked.

The man's expression grew strange as if evaluating an alien. "Are you serious?"

"Yes," Genji answered casually, aware that he had just revealed his ignorance.

The hunter's gaze became even more curious, but he didn't keep Genji in suspense. "The top tribes all have Awakened warriors guarding them. We refer to these five as monoliths because they stand strong in the face of adversaries. They always emerge unscathed whether it's a flood or beasts."

"I see, is that why so many people settle here? For protection?"

"You catch on pretty quickly for someone so clueless."

Genji made no comment, focusing on another detail. "Five? I thought there were six Awakened warriors. What happened to the last one?"

This time, it was the hunter who seemed confused. "Six? What are you talking about? There have always been five. It's been that way for years. No one else has advanced since. We would know because any tribe that does advance would hold a grand celebration to announce the good news. The status of monoliths is more influential than you might think."

Genji set aside the inconsistent information and asked one last question. "What about vitality stones? The ones that strengthen the body when you absorb the energy inside."

"Ah yes, miracle stones. They are a staple currency around here."

"Thank you, that's all I wanted to know."

Genji got up from his seat and returned to his historian tasks, this time with a different knotted rope. Due to the size of the tribe, many families kept their own records, each with unique nuances. The general framework remained the same, so Genji used this method as a way to review the information and check for any details he might have potentially overlooked.

He then moved on to the next tribe and repeated the process. With each instance, he became more proficient at the skill, thereby reducing the time spent. Occasionally, he would hunt a passing bison and bring it to the tribe he would visit next. It turns out people are much more willing to help him when he comes bearing gifts.

In this manner, one peaceful week passed.

"I think this is as far as this plan can go," he muttered. "I learned a lot, but none of this is helpful."

Bruce perked up from his corner and gave an "as I thought" look.

"Don't look at me like that. I know it might have been a huge waste of time, but I tried at least."

Genji got up from his straw mat and stretched his stiff body. Then he walked outside, where a heated argument was taking place. From what he could tell, it had been going on for a while and involved two youths.

Genji was familiar with one of them as he was the son of a hunter, while the other was a complete stranger. Genji listened to the commotion with the other bystanders and understood the gist of the conflict.

The two teens from rival tribes were both in love with the same girl, but her family would only marry her to the more capable hunter. In this case, it was the teen from the current tribe. However, the girl preferred the boy from the rival tribe, which led to this situation. It was a classic love triangle.

After several rounds of back-and-forth arguing, the two agreed to duel for the right of marriage. The crowd, eager to watch this drama, cleared a circular opening for them. An older hunter counted them down, and the match began.

Both sides exchanged attacks, but it quickly became evident that the local youth had the advantage. There was a good reason the bride's family preferred him. Yet, as he positioned himself to deliver the finishing blow, he accidentally stepped on a loose pebble, messing up his stance.

Furthermore, the opponent had unleashed his strongest attack, only to face less resistance than expected. The result? A heavy hit that shattered the local youth's arm. A sickening crack followed the piercing of jagged bones through the skin.

It was a severe wound, almost crippling if Genji had been unaware of EverRealm's healing abilities. But in this primitive world, the injury was as good as permanent.

The opponent was far more heavy-handed than acceptable, but there was nothing the adults could do about it. Everything had happened so quickly that it could only be deemed an "accident." Unfortunately for the local youth, this "accident" had cost him his future.

"Leave and don't come back!" the angry father yelled at the rival. "Or this will become personal!"

Fearful of the consequences, the rival scurried away. The crowd also dispersed following the shout, leaving only the grieving father and the pale-faced youth, his teeth clenched in untold pain.

Everyone made way for the aggrieved father as he carried his son back to their tent, the emotional pain evident in his eyes. Genji openly followed them, prompting the father's fury when they reached the tent.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT?" the father shouted, his face red.

"How many miracle stones will you pay if I heal that arm?" Genji asked.

The man's face twisted further, and his tone grew angrier. "How dare you?! I may be unstable right now, but I'm clear-headed enough to see your desperation-exploiting lies. Do you take me for a fool?!"

It was clear the man didn't believe Genji, but Genji half-expected this. After all, it sounded too good to be true. Still, he patiently explained his offer, aware he shouldn't hold an emotional outburst against a potential customer.

"I'm asking seriously. The chances aren't high, but I might be able to do something about it. At worst, I can clean up the wound so he doesn't die from it. Tell you what, I won't charge anything if I fail. Why don't you give it a try? You have nothing to lose."

This was, of course, a lie since Genji could easily heal the injury, but it made his words more believable. And sometimes, being believable was all that mattered in a deal. That's how scams work.

The man hesitated for a few moments before decisively agreeing. "I have 23 miracle stones. Heal his arm, and they're all yours."

Genji inwardly smiled and gestured to the flap of the tent. "Lay him down. Then leave me alone. This is important. Make sure I'm not disturbed during the treatment. Otherwise, I can't guarantee anything."

The man nodded, placed his son down, and walked out to guard the tent. Genji looked down at the hissing teen and said, "No hard feelings, but it's best if you don't witness this."

Genji gave a swift chop on the back of the youth's neck, knocking him out. The following moment, wisps of cutting intent wrapped around Genji's fingers, allowing him to precisely the wound. He pieced together the shards of bones and poured a diluted healing potion over the cracks. Genji used a diluted version since this healing speed would seem more realistic.

After that, he brought out biodegradable stitches and tied the wound shut. A stick and cast followed, securing the arm in place. He finished all of this in under 5 minutes, demonstrating his capabilities in the procedure.

Genji worked on his notebook for the remainder of the time, subverting the expectations of a difficult operation. When the time was up, Genji walked out to meet the father, who paced nervously around the entrance.

"How is it?" the man asked upon seeing Genji, his voice laced with anticipation and anxiety.

"It's stable. Make sure he eats a lot of meat and doesn't agitate the arm. If you manage that, he should recover in two weeks."

Hearing this, the man rushed into the tent, wanting to confirm Genji's words for himself. Then he fell to his knees, tears of joy streaming down his face as the adrenaline rush wore off.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you," he repeated.

Later that night, Genji received his promised payment, and by the following morning, word had spread about this miracle. The tribe's healers also swarmed Genji, seeking his knowledge in medicine.

"I cut open his arm, put the bones together, and used my secret medicine to bind everything," Genji explained to the medical enthusiasts.

"Can you tell us how you made this medicine?" they asked, eyes full of intrigue.

"I can, but I don't think it will be helpful to you. The ingredients are hard to find and not native to this area."

This revelation filled the doctors with disappointment, but they instantly cheered up when Genji offered to teach them about the human body. Through this, Genji obtained a respectful reputation, and the tribesmen noticeably treated him better.

Due to this convenience, Genji decided to stay around for a little longer, hoping he could earn more vitality stones. And this opportunity came to him when more injuries occurred during a hunt. It was hard to believe such capable warriors would experience disabling wounds, but they had encountered another "accident" with a beast king.

Genji couldn't believe his ears when he heard this, but the details of the incident soon spread among the tribe. Apparently, a rival tribe had angered the beast king and was fleeing from its pursuit when they encountered the tribe's hunters. In their misfortune, they were implicated in the conflict and suffered massive casualties.

Interestingly, the rival tribe was the same one that had previously crippled the youth's arm. However, they couldn't pin the blame on them since the rival's entire team had been wiped out. The losses were simply too heavy for this to be premeditated, so the accident was dismissed as just that—an accident.

But as the "accidents" piled up, Genji started sensing something awry. If it happened once or twice, it could be explained by bad luck, but six times? It was almost too coincidental.

Someone was instigating conflict, and Genji was all in for it. However, he couldn't tell how they were doing it. In fact, he hadn't even seen their figure once. This led Genji to believe their ability worked from a distance, possibly in unconventional ways.

'Sure, do your thing. As long as you don't mess with me and I get to earn my stones, I couldn't care less.'

Through all these troubles, big or small, Genji earned another 81 vitality stones.

The tribe harbored similar suspicions and sent two ambassadors to negotiate with their rival, but they never returned alive. Instead, a sack filled with their dismembered remains was found outside the tribe one morning, enraging everyone.

Then they received news that the "casualties" the opposing tribe suffered were still alive and thriving. This was the final straw that broke the camel's back and prompted the tribe to fully prepare for war.

At this point, it wasn't about right or wrong anymore; it was about making the enemy pay. The tribe had fallen directly into the mastermind's plan.

"How ruthless. To incite war between two large tribes to increase your world income. If I had the right ability, this would be right up my alley. Too bad it's more efficient for me to kill stronger foes." Although he said that, he wouldn't give up his shadow energy for anything.

Bruce rolled his eyes at this comment and responded in kind. 'Master, your psychotic side is showing again. If you don't stop, I'm going to bring this up next time you claim to be a "normal" person.'