Chapter 437 435-The Shadow Clan's Predicament
The morning after the quelling of the Shadow clan rebellion, Ethan awoke early.
He scanned his surroundings, noticing the absence of Sherry, which struck him as slightly odd.
Ethan began his search for Sherry within the Shadow clan's territory.
Each member of the Shadow clan he encountered expressed their gratitude to him.
It was clear to all that Ethan had been instrumental in saving them.
"We thank you, for without you, Dart's rebellion would have succeeded!"
"We express our gratitude. The great Power of Shadow will bless you. It will certainly remember your act of saving the Shadow clan."
"We are indebted to you. The Hero Spirits of our great Shadow clan will surely bestow their blessings upon you. You will undoubtedly be able to enter Valhalla again."
Faced with such gratitude from the Shadow clan members, Ethan felt somewhat embarrassed.
He knew very well that it was not he, but Sherry, who had saved the Shadow clan.
However, he couldn't possibly explain this to every member of the clan.
Despite his efforts, Ethan was unable to find Sherry anywhere in the Shadow clan's territory.
Left with no other option, Ethan approached a member of the Shadow clan and inquired, "Have any of you seen Sherry, your new High Priest?"
Though the Shadow clan member was eager to assist Ethan, he had not seen Sherry either.
With no other leads, Ethan had no choice but to continue his search by asking other members of the Shadow clan.
After inquiring for quite some time, Ethan finally found a member of the Shadow clan who knew of Sherry's whereabouts.
Sherry was not within the Shadow clan's territory; she had actually gone to Shadow Moon Lake, accompanied by other elders of the clan.
Once Ethan confirmed Sherry's location, he swiftly made his way to Shadow Moon Lake.
The spot where Sherry and Ethan found themselves was opposite the area where Dart had been the previous night.
Sherry was there to conduct a burial ceremony for those of the Shadow clan who had perished in the previous day's rebellion.
The former High Priest of the Shadow clan had already been sent to Valhalla by Sherry.
When Ethan arrived at Shadow Moon Lake, Sherry was leading a prayer for the deceased members of the Shadow clan.
The expressions of grief were evident on the faces of everyone present.
Ethan chose not to speak, not wanting to disturb the solemn gathering.
Although he wasn't very familiar with the other members of the Shadow clan, they had fought alongside him in the battle the day before.
He, too, began to silently mourn.
As the new High Priest of the Shadow clan, Sherry had many responsibilities to attend to.
After the burial of those who had died in the rebellion, she intended to return to the Shadow clan's territory.
Ethan intercepted Sherry on her way back; he had important matters to discuss with her.
He sensed that Sherry might be unwilling to continue their journey together.
"Ethan, what is it? As the High Priest of the Shadow clan, I am quite occupied. If you don't have anything important, please don't delay me," Sherry spoke, her tone markedly different from before.
Ethan, though puzzled by the change in her demeanor, keenly sensed it.
"I think we need to talk. You seem very different from before, and I want to know why. Also, you've been engrossed in handling the affairs of the Shadow clan. Don't you plan to continue our journey together anymore?"
Faced with Ethan's questions, Sherry didn't immediately respond.
After pondering for a moment, she slowly said, "You're right, we should have a proper conversation. Let's go somewhere more secluded. It's better if others don't overhear our discussion."
Sherry and Ethan moved to a remote spot by the edge of Shadow Moon Lake.
There, Sherry finally revealed her true thoughts.
"I don't think I can continue accompanying you on your journey. I must protect the people of the Shadow clan. We have already faced tremendous calamity. If I, as the High Priest, leave again, it would be too pitiful for the Shadow clan. Do you really wish to see the clan suffer such a tragic fate? Don't you want all members of the Shadow clan to live safely and happily within our territory?"
Sherry's series of rhetorical questions left Ethan at a loss for words.
What she said was indeed the truth; the Shadow clan was facing a tremendous crisis.
Although Sherry, as the new High Priest, possessed immense power, her responsibilities extended beyond ensuring the safety of the Shadow clan.
She also needed to help the clan regain its prosperity.
After some contemplation, Ethan seemed to understand Sherry's perspective.
He decided not to proceed with his journey immediately.
Instead, he resolved to help Sherry eliminate all threats surrounding the Shadow clan before moving on.
"I understand why you made this decision. I am also willing to offer my help. I won't continue my journey right away. I'll assist in resolving all troubles faced by the Shadow clan before proceeding."
"Of course, I can't help with matters specific to your people – that's something only you, as the High Priest, can manage. What I can offer is to eliminate all hostile forces surrounding the Shadow clan."
"I assume there must be some monsters near your territory that pose a threat. After dealing with these creatures, I will scout further areas to ensure there are no more dangers to your clan."
Ethan's response deeply moved Sherry.
She hadn't expected Ethan to genuinely offer his help and to understand her decision so empathetically.
Tears glistened at the corners of Sherry's eyes, and she struggled to speak, knowing that any attempt to talk would only make the tears fall.
Ethan moved to her side and silently wiped her tears away.
"You are now the High Priest of the Shadow clan; you shouldn't cry. As the High Priest, you must shoulder the responsibility of protecting your entire tribe. Your strength is already formidable, and even without my protection, you can handle any danger on your own."
Ethan's words only deepened Sherry's sense of gratitude.
Breaking into a smile through her tears, she quickly composed herself.
As the High Priest of the Shadow clan, just as Ethan had pointed out, she needed to remain calm and strong.
"I can do it! Now that I am the High Priest of the Shadow clan, I will not shirk my responsibilities. Before you eliminate the threats surrounding our clan, I hope you can offer me one more piece of assistance."
Ethan nodded, generally inclined not to refuse requests from Sherry, especially since she had previously provided him with much help.
"Just tell me what help you need," Ethan said. "I plan to stay in the Shadow clan's territory for a while, and I should be able to handle all the troubles during my stay."
Sherry nodded in agreement with Ethan's words.
"The help I need from you is to clear out the water creatures in Shadow Moon Lake. Our people of the Shadow clan have long been afraid to fish in the lake because of the creatures lurking in its depths."
As Sherry mentioned the creatures of Shadow Moon Lake, Ethan felt a slight sense of unease.
He had not sensed the presence of any monsters in the lake.
Sensing a shift in Ethan's mood, Sherry smiled and said, "It's not just you who cannot sense the creatures in the lake. None of the previous High Priests have been able to detect them either."
" Although I now possess the powerful Power of Shadow, I can only sense these creatures at night. The creatures in the lake are quite strong and pose a significant threat to our Shadow clan. That's why I hope you can deal with the water monsters in the lake."
After Sherry's explanation, Ethan gained a better understanding of the situation with the lake's creatures.
His purpose for staying with the Shadow clan was to eliminate threats in their vicinity.
Naturally, the creatures in the lake fell under this category.
"There's no problem at all. I will investigate the situation in Shadow Moon Lake as soon as possible. Once I have a clear understanding of everything in the lake, I will eradicate all the water creatures," Ethan responded without hesitation.
He gazed at the waters of Shadow Moon Lake while speaking to Sherry.
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