Akata and Tabet stood across from each other panting. Both of them were tired from fighting for over half an hour now. Akata was back in his original appearance with red furs. Sweat was running down his forehead and he was hunched over while gasping for air. He was giving it his all in this battle to make the most progress he could and find his limit.

Tabet was also hunched over panting but he was clearly in a better condition than Akata. That was because his cultivation base was higher than Akata’s, thus he had a large amount of stamina to keep fighting whereas Akata just had the power to contend with him.

The crowd was already well into the battle between the two. It was an intense battle that neither of them wanted to give up on. Even though Tabet clearly had the higher cultivation base, he still had to fight with all that he had. It made him realize that he couldn’t slack in cultivation either and had to work much harder than he had before.

Akata raised his chest up into the air and started laughing. “Ahahaha. I’m not able to win against you just yet. For now, at least, I’ll give you the victory. However, if you give me a bit of time I’m sure that I can win against you.” Akata smiled at Tabet and said happily. He was happy he had this chance to safely gain a deeper understanding of some principles he had. And that he had the help from his friend Tabet.

Tabet was confused at first but slowly understood why Akata was giving up. Akata didn’t have the energy to contend with him. Tabet himself had a much bigger stamina pool than Akata did. The only reason he was so tired was because he had to control his Illusion Domain throughout the whole fight. It was extremely straining to him yet it helped him to further understand it.

Tabet nodded and said, “Okay then. But this won’t be our only fight of course. I’m not satisfied with just leaving things here. You’re absolutely amazing haha.” Tabet grew a smile as he spoke on. He was jubilant that he got the chance to spar with such a genius as well. Someone who could, at the 7th Grade of the Mortal Rank match up to the Great Circle of the Docile Rank, was someone who was absolutely spectacular.

Both Akata and Tabet looked at each other smiling as the golden barrier slowly began to dissolve away. Although it was faint, they could sense that the surrounding crowd had grown a bit stronger. This was because the attacks that the two had landed against the barrier helped to nourish the crowd. Mostly the younger generation was nourished as it wouldn’t help the elder generation as much since they had a higher cultivation base, so they rejected it.

Great Lord Taple looked out toward the two and nodded his head. It didn’t quite go the way he wanted it to but it was acceptable. Only he knew what he had wanted the outcome to be. Perhaps he wanted Tabet to win, or wanted something to be used, either way, it didn’t matter now.

“Tabet is declared the winner of this Battle of Elements.” Great Lord Taple said clearly. “Our tribe is on the road to reaching great heights. To do this we have to become much more stronger than we are now. Even though we have become a smaller tribe, it will make it easier to help the younger generation easier as well. We can focus on individuals and increase our cultivation at a much faster rate. We will grow to become so strong that looking back, it would seem as if we had been ignorant of our ways of cultivating.

Quality is better than quantity. We will strive to make our tribe about quality and soon will turn this island into a utopia. We will make this a new land and slowly build it up to great heights. It will rival the surrounding territories and we will have power that they have to respect. This will only happen if we put in the work to accomplish this.” Great Lord Taple was up in the sky looking around at the surrounding tribe that held at least ninety percent of the tribe members.

“You may be wondering why I want us to become so strong. Well I will let you know that there is an important reason for this. However, I can not say what that reason is right now. Nobody besides me knows, not even my own son. But, I ask that you put your trust in me and follow my lead. I ask that you put your faith in the Lords and allow us to bring this tribe to new and outstanding heights. If you do that, there is no doubt that we as a tribe will look down upon this world from high up.” Great Lord Taple’s voice boomed throughout the island as he finished what he was saying.

The crowd looked at Great Lord Taple’s figure and couldn’t help but be silent. They had figured that Great Lord Taple had a reason for them to get stronger but couldn’t guess at what it was. However, they still held complete trust in him. He was their Great Lord after all, an exalted and powerful figure within the tribe. His age surpassed all of them, his knowledge surpassed all of them, his strength surpassed all of them. How could they not follow behind someone like this?

It was hard to tell who did it first but after a breath of time all of the Scarlet Tigers were bowing their heads down toward Great Lord Taple. Any of the powerful tigers that were in human form transformed back into their original tiger forms. It was a grand sight to see hundreds of tigers bowing their heads toward a single being. This sight was something that even moved Great Lord Taple’s heart.

“I will follow your lead!” Multiple voices sprang up simultaneously as they yelled out to Great Lord Taple. Soon more voices boomed out as well. And more until the whole crowd was yelling out at the same time.

“I will follow your lead!” The sound of it became louder and louder as it came to Great Lord Taple’s ears. Not only was the sight mesmerising, the sound was soothing and awe-inspiring. It carried a hint of decisiveness and yet also a deep deep respect and devotion.

“We will follow your lead!” After a bit of silence it was as if the minds of all of the Scarlet Tigers synchronised and they had one voice, one body, and one mind. It was as if the tribe became a single being. If the sight could be said to be mesmerising, then the sound of their voices would be described as awe-inspiring.

It was so beautiful of a scene that a single teardrop formed in Great Lord Taple’s eye and fell down to the ground. As it fell it sparkled as the sun’s rays hit it. The moment completely capitulated Great Lord Taple.

Even more shaken than him, however, was Tabet. He was flabbergasted at the sight of over a hundred of his tribe members giving their complete trust in his grandfather. It was amazing to see even a single figure show so much devotion toward a powerful being, yet his whole tribe held utter faith in his grandfather. They didn’t doubt any of his words and had happily accepted them, not as a request but as a commandment.

Akata stood there shocked as well as he sensed the hundreds of beasts bowing their heads down. He sensed the devotion that they had for Great Lord Taple and felt the trust and faith they had in him. It was simply beautiful to feel and was imprinted within his mind. This was a moment that he would never forget. He even felt the need to help this tribe accomplish its goal, but he knew that he was too weak to make any kind of difference.

Great Lord Taple was at a loss for words as he looked at the crowd below him. He truly didn’t know what to say right now. How could he find the words to communicate to such a devoted crowd… no… to such a loving family such as this?

“We will rise together!” A voice rang out from down below. It wasn’t a particularly powerful voice but it was enough for the whole crowd that was bundled together to hear the words that were just spoken.

Everybody turned their heads toward the direction the voice came from. When they saw who had spoken the words they were surprised but then nodded their heads in agreement.

“I will be your future Lord one day but as of right now I am not strong enough to lead this tribe. That is why I need your help in becoming stronger. I will grow alongside you all and I will rise with this tribe. I ask that you all help me to reach new heights and I will do the same for each and everyone of you.” Tabet’s voice semi boomed out to reach the ears of all the Scarlet Tigers in the vicinity.

“Hahaha that’s my boy!” Another voice rang out in the crowd. A figure flew up into the air and waved his hand causing Tabet to fly up as well. “All of us Lords are weak and will need the aid of our tribe to rise. Without you all, we wouldn’t be here today. I will like to ask you all to help me to grow stronger as well.” Lord Tafei said sincerely to the crowd that was now below him. Tabet soon appeared at his side in the air and he also looked down at the crowd below him.

Great Lord Taple nodded his head in satisfaction and appeared in the air beside Tabet. The three Lords stood in the air looking at the crowd of hundreds of Scarlet Tigers below them. Great Lord Taple and Lord Tafei stood on the sides while Young Lord Tabet was in the center of the two. Tabet looked at both of them and then looked downwards. Simultaneously, almost as if they had discussed it previously, the three figures bowed down to the crowd below them.

It wasn’t a bow of devotion like the crowd below them had just done, but was a bow out of mutual trust and gratitude.