Chapter 131: Chapter 131: Anuma's Sword (5)

I turned Al Fahri into Anuma’s Sword, and the unification of the scattered tribes in the southwest is a foregone conclusion.

However, I couldn’t just leave it at that.

In the game, I naturally did well, but just in case. It wasn’t a success I had achieved myself.

The timing of the tribal unification was even accelerated compared to the game.

I needed to give him goals. That’s why I was thinking of laying out a long-term plan for Al Fahri.

“To be precise?”

“Let’s start with reclaiming the West in detail first. The tribal unification shouldn’t be too difficult.”

Last time, I only talked about the possibility in general terms. Since it was after I left, I had to talk about the specific goals.

It would motivate Al Fahri in the speed of unifying the tribes.

“Hmm. Aren’t you thinking too lightly of the tribal unification?”

Al Fahri frowned. He’s not wrong. The perspective of the person involved would be different.

Having to coordinate the interests of various tribes in the middle would be quite troublesome and tedious work.

However, I don’t need to be that considerate.

Honestly, since I spoon-fed him everything, it’s only right that he does the rest himself.

“The start is important. They’ll all try to stand beside you, but joining underneath is different from an alliance.”

Still, I could give some advice.

It’s a method the intelligence agency uses when absorbing an organization, and it wouldn’t change much if applied here.

“Treat the tribes that submit and join early well at first. Then differentiate their treatment. They’ll all try to join early then, without exception.”

“It’s not a problem that can be solved so easily.”

Al Fahri pouted. I know he’s not stupid. That remark means he wants me to help him some more.

Rather, he’s smart enough that it’s closer to trying to get more out of me.

“You should understand what I’m saying more or less, right? This much is enough. I’ve helped you this far, should I help more?”

Realizing that his intent was seen through, Al Fahri clicked his tongue with a disappointed look and shrugged his shoulders.

“You’re right. It’s actually enough. Thank you.”

It’s a relief that he obediently acknowledged it. I made him into Anuma’s Sword, so asking for more would be unconscionable.

He probably knows that too. He was just probing, just in case.

“Then let’s go back to talking about the reclamation of the West. It’s important that you quickly unify the tribes here. You understand?”

“Yeah. We need to enter the period of chaos from the civil war in the West to seize as much land as possible.”

As expected, he’s not stupid.

“You’ll be cooperating with the ruler of the Western Archipelago. They’ll start from the lower coastal areas of the West, and you’ll start from north of the Melain River.”

“The connection you mentioned before?”

“Right. They’re preparing to devour the West according to my suggestion.”

“But you see…”

Al Fahri looked at me with sharp eyes.

“You don’t seem to be just someone walking the path of the sword, no matter how I look at it.”

It’s a keen observation. It was an expected question. From Al Fahri’s position, it’s natural to have doubts.

The reason I didn’t correct Binsad’s words at our first meeting was to gain his trust at the time.

Al Fahri also had the potential to become Anuma’s Sword, so he went along with it, but he must have had doubts.

I already had an answer prepared.

“I understand. But it’s not completely wrong either. I am walking the path of the sword, but there are other circumstances as well.”

Al Fahri silently demanded an answer.

“I am hostile to the devil worshippers.”

“Well, I heard about that last time.”

“With just my individual power, I can’t stop them. That’s why I need forces friendly towards me.”

“…I see? Killing the Empress was surprising, but still.”

“I guarantee you, they can destroy this entire continent.”

He had a skeptical look on his face.

“Everything I’m doing is because of that. Chaotic lands are good places for them to spread fear, so it’s better for you to devour and stabilize the lands instead.”

“……”

“I know it’s hard to believe. I felt the same way. You’ll find out soon anyway. Within a few years. It could be sooner.”

That said, I have no plans to reveal my full identity to him right away. Al Fahri is not the same type as Casmak.

We haven’t built that level of rapport yet either.

If I carelessly told him, he might try to distance himself from me. This much is enough since he’s also connected to Ines.

“Hmm.”

“I understand your worries too. You suspect I might be from the Empire or a nearby kingdom’s forces, right?”

“…I won’t deny that.”

“It’s not like that. I won’t ask strange things of you, or use the flying horse as an excuse to threaten you.”

Al Fahri looked at me with deep eyes.

“What I want is one thing. For you to help me in the war against the devil worshippers. If you want to live on this continent, you’ll have to fight them anyway, so you won’t be at a loss.”

I shrugged and continued speaking. I know he’ll end up fighting the devil worshippers anyway.

But the reason I phrased it as a request was one thing:

If I really didn’t want anything in return, he might actually become more suspicious instead.

“And if I’m wrong and the devil worshippers aren’t such a formidable enemy, then you don’t need to help me. It means you won’t owe me anything.”

He had a deeply contemplative look on his face. I filled a bowl I carry around with water.

“If you still can’t believe it, I’ll show you one last thing.”

Then I put some dirt from the ground into the water and swirled it. I raised the purification power over the muddy water.

I deliberately didn’t conceal the light from my wrist. Al Fahri looked surprised at the blue glow. Under the moonlight, the muddy water was cleanly purified.

“Th-This is what? But you’re a son of the winds, right?”

“It’s a power I obtained from the Sea of Ash.”

“The Sea of Ash? That really existed?”

“Yes. It’s what the last Sky Whale left for me.”

The western natives naturally know what a Sky Whale is, since they originally lived in the West.

“The Sky Whale that fought against the devils gave me this power. If my will wasn’t the same as his, he wouldn’t have done so.”

There’s a bit of a leap in logic, but Al Fahri has no way of knowing the details.

And the shock from the purification would be strong too.

Didn’t Al Fahri himself become Anuma’s Sword through a shocking appearance? In reality, he was greatly shocked.

“Of course, this can’t prove everything about me. But that’s impossible anyway. I can’t prove that I don’t have any backing forces, can I?”

Al Fahri nodded his head.

“Alright. I understand. I just wanted to check. If I hadn’t trusted you to some extent from the beginning, I would have rejected your initial proposal.”

He said that, but he likely doesn’t have complete trust yet. He’ll keep an eye on me while securing what he can.

A little more time is needed.

That’s why I didn’t talk about my identity. My words will be proven true in time anyway.

I had no intention of asking useless things of Al Fahri either.

“Anyway, if there are benefits, there should be tradeoffs.”

Al Fahri smiled as he changed the subject. It meant it was his turn to put something out since he received my help.

“Don’t you need anything else? Like getting involved in trade of local specialties? I could arrange something separately for you at your level.”

“My traveling group doesn’t need such things.”

But I could utilize it in another way.

“Instead, open up a smuggling route to the Western Archipelago. It’ll connect with the archipelago through the Melain River.”

The reason the western natives go through Derenet is because of the Empire’s pressure and hatred towards the West.

Whatever the reason, it’s the people currently living in the West who took their lands.

But the situation with the archipelago is a bit different. They’re people attacking the West together with us.

We may not be joining hands, but there isn’t much animosity either.

In Derenet, they can’t get high prices. Diverting the goods through Casmak benefits both sides.

And of course, it would help me, who is moving for my own survival as well.

“The archipelago, not bad.”

Al Fahri also nodded his head. I then continued laying out the long-term plan.

Al Fahri occasionally asked questions and listened attentively with a serious expression.

When the discussion more or less ended, quite some time had passed. I checked the time and bid farewell.

“It got later than expected. Let’s stop here for now.”

“Yeah. Thanks again.”

“Pay me back later.”

“Cold as always. You must have had a hard time. Even as a son of the winds, creating a sandstorm couldn’t have been easy.”

“What’s hard about it? I did it for my own good.”

At that moment.

“Wait.”

My sense of perception detected a strange movement. Hardin Arwali was moving stealthily.

He wasn’t up to anything. At this early dawn, he was simply fleeing to survive.

Since he’s the tribal chief and the trial hasn’t happened yet, he wasn’t restrained.

It seemed he likely lost hope of surviving from our earlier conversation.

“Why?”

“Hardin Arwali is fleeing.”

“What?”

“The security must have been lax. But I understand since multiple tribes gathered.”

The security perimeter wasn’t clearly defined.

It was the day Anuma’s Sword arrived, and they even had a drinking bout in the evening. The natives always carry liquor with them on their horses.

“Those bastards……”

“No. It’s not a bad thing, rather.”

“Not a bad thing?”

Al Fahri was visibly flustered.

“Fleeing on his own means he’s a non-believer. And predicting and capturing his escape reinforces the conviction that you are Anuma’s Sword.”

“Hmm… I suppose that’s true.”

“We have to go after him. Get on your horse. He’s over there.”

I guided Al Fahri and his white horse with the winds, and simultaneously slowed down the horse Hardin Arwali was riding.

In less than fifteen minutes, Hardin Arwali was captured by Al Fahri.

The natives who welcomed Al Fahri back continued their praises with amazed eyes.

Because I had told him that as soon as he lay down to sleep, he would dream of a non-believer fleeing.

“To sense that and give chase! You truly are Anuma’s Sword!”

“Anuma’s Sword! Anuma’s Sword!”

Amidst the praises for Anuma’s Sword, Hardin Arwali was executed that dawn.

***

Since I had Hardin Arwali killed, there was no need to linger here unnecessarily.

Al Fahri led a force of about a thousand and immediately headed to the Arwali tribe.

An explanation and witnesses were needed for the death of their chief, and the other chiefs played the role of escorts.

The stated reason was uncertainty over how the Arwali tribe would react, but in reality it was just to look good in front of Anuma’s Sword.

Their chief was already killed. The Arwali tribe could not avoid the sweeping blade of judgment descending like a storm.

The trial of the Arwali tribe’s shaman didn’t even take five minutes. He was promptly executed, and Ines was rescued.

The Arwali tribe itself wasn’t immediately devoured. Anuma’s Sword must not become seen as a conqueror.

‘We have to accept those who submit and join.’

The tribe was already branded as non-believers anyway. Before long, the Arwali tribe would kneel to survive.

Regardless, there was no part for me, an outsider, to intervene in that process.

Afterward, each tribe returned to their original places, spreading word about Al Fahri in the southwest.

Some time later, when Anuma’s Sword’s fame had spread throughout the southwest, I was able to meet Ines near the Patrac tribe.

“Long time no see.”

“It’s been a while, Carlyn.”

But Ines’ expression when we met seemed quite serious. Not quite solemn, but rather… closer to worried.

I was going to ask about the prophecy, but the atmosphere didn’t easily allow me to broach the subject. Instead, Ines continued speaking.

“Be careful. Right now, darkness is approaching your vicinity.”

Author's Thoughts

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