Chapter 94: Chapter 88: Beast
Zeke said, "I’m gonna stick with calling you Mammoth Head. Your title is too long."
[Wow, you could have added a ton of words just by using his title.]
(I don’t want to waste the readers’ coins like that.)
[Then what is this?]
(They like our banter. Shut up.)
Mammoth Head laughed and said, "Oh really?"
Zeke replied, "Well, it’s the least I can do for someone who was peeking at me in my own home."
The Heads of the other Clans looked at Zeke as if he were a madman with a death wish. Well, he was a madman, but that’s beside the point. Mammoth Head’s Clan was one of the strongest and most ancient of the Spirit Beasts. Some considered it even more ancient than the Dragon Clan.
In Spirit Beast Clans, only two things mattered: strength and bloodline purity. And as the Head of a clan so ancient, Mammoth Head was naturally extremely strong. He was so strong that he was considered the bona fide leader of all the Spirit Beasts.
Zeke had a feeling that the creature in front of him was one of the, if not the, current strongest beings in Murim. He gave him a feeling even more unfathomable than when he had first met the Heavenly Demon. Still, that only excited him more. He wanted to battle this beast. To Zeke, he was the only one who could help him gauge his abilities.
That is why he was trying to provoke him, but Mammoth Head’s reaction was completely different from what he had imagined. Instead of being offended, Mammoth Head looked at the other Heads and laughed boisterously.
He said, "I like this guy. It’s been a long while since I’ve met a Beast who actually speaks his mind. You all are too weak."
Zeke asked, "Beast? Has your age gotten to you, Mammoth Head? I’m a human."
Mammoth Head replied, "Son, I saw you during the sacrifice. Humans cannot have that level of strength. You have long left the realm of humans. And this is not me looking down on humans. Hell, I even have some modicum of respect for the strongest humans. It isn’t easy reaching their level with their pathetic bodies.
You must have heard how the Divine Beast War almost destroyed our world. It wasn’t ’almost.’ The Divine Beast War completely destroyed it. Our current world is built on the corpses of Divine Beasts.
As punishment for the sins of our ancestors, the human race was born. They were given wisdom while our wisdom was taken. The Spirit Beasts who were able to become stronger despite that created the current Spirit Beast Clans. The humans observed us and nature to create their cultivation methods.
Why do you think I let you sacrifice so many Spirit Beasts? If a human had done that, I would have killed them then and there. You might just be the first Human Spirit Beast."
Mammoth Head’s words made sense, but this led Zeke to another conclusion.
He said, "But that would make me..."
Mammoth Head finished his sentence, "A Pseudo Divine Beast."
Zeke said, "Damn. That’s cool and all, but I still need an answer."
Mammoth Head replied, "I already gave you my answer. You’re a Spirit Beast. There is no need for an alliance. You’re one of us."
Zeke said, "You don’t really expect me to believe that, do you?"
Mammoth Head replied, "Nah, I’m just fucking with you."
Zeke said, "You’re really different from what I expected someone of your stature to be."
Mammoth Head said, "I’ll take that as a compliment."
Zeke said, "It was meant to be one. So, your answer?"
Mammoth Head moved towards the table, and the other Heads moved back so that they were sitting behind him. Their intentions were clear: they would agree with whatever Mammoth Head decided. Mammoth Head stared at Zeke, and his expression became serious.
He said, "No matter how much you try to sugarcoat it and make it seem like a deal that benefits us both, the fact is that those three are your siblings while the Divine Beast and you have formed a Blood Bond.
So, training them is us doing you a favor. But I’m nearly convinced. You just need to sweeten the pot a little bit."
Zeke said, "Sweetening the pot by just a little bit might be an understatement. I mean, you have anything that you want yourself. You don’t need me for that. So, it would be a whole lot easier if you just told me."
Mammoth Head said, "I don’t know, you tell me."
The two stared at each other.
Zeke said, "Guys, go attend the banquet. Yonggi, you go with them. I had the chefs make your favorite dishes."
Mammoth Head said, "You guys go as well. You should be at the banquet. You are the guests, after all."
Everyone there understood the meaning behind those words. These two were telling them to fuck off. Politely. Everyone except Yonggi. He was surprisingly naive when it came to Zeke.
He said, "Then I’ll see you later, Hyung."
Zeke nodded and said, "Oh, I almost forgot. Make sure our guests get to fully experience our hospitality. We don’t have guests who are meant to return very often."
The trio chuckled and led the guests out of the room.
Zeke said, "We should take this somewhere else."
Mammoth Head shrugged. He didn’t really care, but he was curious.
He thought, ’What is the cub going to offer me? He can’t really have something, can he? Nah, there’s no way. He’s just stalling. But why?’
Zeke led him to a mountain. There was a gazebo at its peak.
Zeke said, "What if I told you that the sacrifice was to a real entity? What if I told you that the Asuran Neo-Nephilim Primogenitor is real?"
Mammoth Head said, "Let’s say that what you’re saying is true. But I still don’t see how that affects me."
Zeke said, "That’s because you didn’t let me finish. What if all of your ambitions could be fulfilled? And I mean all of them. Would that satisfy you?".
