The Final Desperation

The meeting kicked off with five oppressive auras sweeping the area, alarming everyone and drawing their attention. Tracing the source, Genji spotted four elderly men and 1 woman walking toward the center. It didn't take much to figure out these were the awakened warriors of the plains, the initiators of this meeting.

Fighters from their tribes followed behind them, maintaining order and directing everyone to their seats. Among this group, Genji spotted Bechel chatting with some acquaintances and helping with the work.

'That answers where he's been the entire time.'

Once everyone had settled down, the five warriors started the meeting with some announcements.

"We've gathered everyone here for a few reasons, but the main one is to stop the war. This conflict has gone on long enough. End it before it spirals out of control and consumes us all. You have 1 week."

This was not a suggestion; it was an order. Genji knew from the graveness of their tone that they were ready to use force if necessary, even if it made them appear hypocritical. They had the power to do so and no one could stop them. All the representatives knew this and nodded, despite many unwilling eyes.

"Good. Now that we have that out of the way, let us get to the main topic. Since ancient times, many have believed in the Primordial Echo, a mythical treasure promising absolute power to its wielder. No one has ever managed to confirm its existence, rendering it a subject of folklore." The speaker paused and gazed into the crowd, letting them digest this information before boldly continuing. "Until today that is. And we have reason to believe it will open up a new path of progression, one surpassing our inscriptions."

The crowd looked back at him with vacant stares before suddenly bursting into widespread commotion. Murmurs of disbelief, doubt, excitement, and other extreme emotions flooded the area in a hubbub of indistinguishable noises, capable of deafening anyone who listened too closely.

The ground shook and the air tremored like a mirage in the desert. However, none cared about this phenomenon, for they were too distracted by the shocking news presented by the speakers.

Well, everyone but the realm members fell into this category since many of them already suspected the existence of this treasure. Even those who weren't aware instantly connected this to their mission objective since the wording was so similar.

'It's here. I wonder which person figured this out.'

Genji was certain a realm member was behind this since the mystery wouldn't have held until now if the natives were capable.

The speakers waited until the scene quieted down before addressing the barrage of questions.

"No, we have not figured out the exact location of the Primordial Echo. We're still searching for it, but we have narrowed it down to an area after parsing through countless historical records. We decided to announce this because it's deep in the wilderness, and will be very dangerous to retrieve. We hope to rally allies for this endeavor, but there is no pressure to participate. However, only those that help us will obtain information on the new power system."

The speakers answered a few more questions before ending the discussion. "That's all for today. Join us if you're interested. Otherwise, stop occupying the land. This area isn't meant to sustain so many people."

The guests were being evicted. The monoliths weren't interested in those who wanted to sit on the fence and benefit without contributing. If they wanted to take part, they better make up their minds soon, or they would be left behind.

Genji didn't rush to make a decision and approached Bechel first. To his surprise, the elder didn't seem interested in the event and was packing up his supplies.

"What gives? You spent so long to get here, and you're just going to leave?"

"The younglings are always anxious about new things. But sometimes, it's better to not get involved. These ancient mysteries are not as simple as they think," Bechel replied with a wise tone.

"What's that supposed to mean? Do you know something they don't?"

"Take it as you will." Bechel smiled but refused to say anything else.

"Fine, whatever. I want to buy your formula." Genji stopped beating around the bush and directly stated his intentions.

Bechel shook his head. "Sorry, I don't have it anymore. I can't sell it to you."

It was a weird way to reject him, but Genji didn't pay much attention to it. "Won't you reconsider?"

"I really can't."

"I see. Forget it then."

After Bechel finished packing, Genji followed them out, prompting the elder to ask, "Are you sure you should be following us? You might miss the event."

"I can afford to send you off. It's not like they'll start right away."

This response told Bechel that Genji hadn't given up as he claimed, but was rather taking a different approach. However, Bechel didn't call Genji out on this, and they rode onward in silence, leaving Mokan confused by their antics.

'What are they doing now? Why are they just staring at each other?'

This silent confrontation continued for another hour before Mokan couldn't bear the awkwardness anymore and decided to speak up. "Do you think-"

But before he could finish his sentence, the ground suddenly erupted, and a massive mouth full of serrated teeth sprang up around them. Genji immediately reacted, grabbing both Astros and Bruce by the neck.

He forced Bruce back into sheath form and simultaneously conjured a crystal pillar beneath him, which he used as a foothold to flashstep out. Bechel followed his example and escaped with Mokan in tow.

A harsh crunch sounded as the rocky ground crumbled like soft tofu. At that moment, their ambusher emerged from the ground, shaking its head from side to side to spit out the previously chewed stones.

The creature had a slim body resembling a crocodile, but its mouth was far more elongated, making up half its body length. Supporting it were long, triangular claws capable of tearing through rocks so effectively that it might as well be swimming through the ground. Yet its most prominent feature wasn't its physical adaptations, but the scale crown sitting on top of its skull.

"Where did this fucker come from?" Genji cursed, hurling massive crescents of light at the beast.

The creature swung its massive jaws, dispersing the attacks with a fierce chomp before diving back into its tunnel. Its presence vanished almost instantly, demonstrating a stealth level rivaling Genji's own.

"You holding up okay?" Genji asked, noticing Bechel's rugged breathing.

"Yeah, just not used to forcing my body after so long."

"Doesn't seem like it to me. You're not the speed type and you're also carrying Mokan. You sure you can hold out against this guy?"

The beast emerged again before Bechel could answer, prompting another rushed movement from him. On the other hand, Genji was more aggressive in his dodge, leaving two streaks of cutting intent and a bottle of poison behind. Then he activated Berserk and delivered a mighty kick to the jaws, forcing them shut on his "presents."

Using this rebound, Genji landed beside Bechel and continued the conversation. "See? Your chances don't look good, especially if I escape by myself. How about you make a deal with me? Give me your recipe, and I'll stall this guy while you escape."

Bechel considered the proposal and asked, "How far are you willing to go for this?"

"You mean combat-wise?"

"No, in general."

"I told you this before. As long as the price is high enough."

"I see." Bechel fell into thought, leaving Genji to confront the beast king again.

An enraged roar reverberated across the field as the beast recovered from its stun. Yet before it could take action, Genji slammed his dagger into its side, knocking it to the ground.

Dagger Arts: Impact Strike

The crystallized energy protecting his hands decomposed back into energy as Genji conjured shadow flame with his other hand. The beast narrowly rolled out of the way, sustaining a light cut on its stomach. Its teeth glowed an ominous red before lunging at Genji, mouth wide open.

Genji sensed a direct confrontation would be disastrous and moved to dodge. However, the beast adjusted itself with uncanny dexterity and chomped again. Attack after attack struck at Genji, forming a relentless chain that slowly etched closer to him. Eventually, he couldn't dodge anymore and was forced to use Dance of Death to teleport away.

Upon catching the silhouette, the beast twisted its body, using its weight to slam its prey downward. Simultaneously, the ground rippled and became fluid-like, letting the beast phase through as if diving into water.

Everything then returned to normal, with only claw marks to show for the clash. Genji's decision to evade was correct, as he would have been dragged under and buried alive had he been grabbed by the beast. Even if he endured the burial, being trapped in the beast's domain would put him in a very precarious situation.

Yet before he could get any respite, the beast lunged at him again. Genji performed another position swap and counter-attacked. Seeing this, the beast swiped its claws, converting itself into a spinning torpedo, supported with a tail attack. Genji understood that it would be difficult to control the impact and used his last teleportation to disengage.

"Have you thought it through?" Genji asked, appearing beside Bechel. "Because I'm not fighting this guy any longer."

"Yes, but let's swap roles," Bechel answered and tossed Mokan over.

'!!!'

'?!?'

Both Genji and Mokan reacted differently to this unexpected change, but Genji managed to compose himself in time to catch Mokan.

"What's the meaning-" Genji wanted to ask, but his words were cut off when Bechel brought out a scarlet card, the same kind that one would get after killing a realm member. 'What the? Why does he have one of those?'

"I don't know what realm you're under, but take care of Mokan for me," Bechel said. "I'll make it worthwhile."

The card ignited and became wisps of energy that enveloped Genji.

"What did you just do?" Genji's gaze became dangerous as he reached for Mokan's neck.

At this moment, he obtained a strange prompt from EverRealm.

[Bechel has offered you the chain quest: Grandson's Coming of Age]

 

[Grandson's Coming of Age]

Part 1/4

Requirements: Ensure Mokan's safety by escorting him out of danger.

Note: Completing all 4 parts will yield you Bechel's Secret Formula(Legendary)

Note 2: This mission will automatically fail if Mokan dies at any point.

 

Genji skimmed through the information and relaxed his grip. "Fine. I'll do it." Then he dived aside, dodging another ambush from the annoying beast king, performing multiple rough rolls before hopping on his feet. "Hold on tight. I'm going full speed."

"Wait, what about gramp-"

"I wasn't talking to you," Genji interrupted, sensing Astros hop back on. An aerodynamic shell covered Mokan as Genji activated his speed multiplier. Then a raging headache assaulted Mokan as immense pressure acted on his body. When he regained his senses, he found himself on the ground, drenched in water that Genji used to awaken him.

"GRAMPS," Mokan shot up, only to encounter immense nausea and puke his guts out. Although it was short, Mokan succumbed to motion sickness. When he recovered, he bolted at Genji and grabbed his collar, yelling in fury. "WHY?!? Why did you leave gramps behind?!?"

"First of all, he chose to stay behind. Second, I don't appreciate your attitude after everything I did for you."

Mokan took several deep breaths and released his grip. "Sorry, I got too agitated."

Bruce manifested at this moment and nudged Genji, asking what the hell happened back there. 'How did everything become so complicated? Weren't we just taking a nice walk? Why does it feel like my brain isn't developed enough for this?'

"I want to know that as well." As he said that, Genji noticed Mokan gaping at him. "What is it?"

"Since when can he shapeshift?" Mokan asked, pointing a trembling finger at Bruce.

"Since always," Genji gave an uninterested answer and began analyzing the previous events. 

'Why does Bechel know about the realms? Most people shouldn't have that information. How did he create a quest like that? Does it have something to do with the scarlet card? And why did he stay behind when I could have achieved the same result? Is it really because I asked for his formula, and he wanted more in exchange? But why would he sacrifice himself like that? None of this makes any sense!'

Reaching this point, Genji decided to ask Mokan for more information. "Hey, Mokan. How much do you know about Bechel?"

"Not as much as I thought," he sulked. "I didn't even know he was so strong until today."

"Then can you tell me if Bechel met another traveler like me this month? Maybe during your migration?"

"No. You were the only one since we tend to avoid strangers."

'So it's not this month. That explains why Bechel knows about the realms. He must have heard it from the card's previous holder. The question is, how long ago was this? Is it recent, or a long time ago? How long has he been preparing this? If only EverRealm could tell me more about that card.'

[Information cannot be retrieved. The card is owned by OmegaRealm.]

'EverRealm, that doesn't help. I need concrete information. There are too many unknowns right now.'

As if answering his frustrations, EverRealm presented some more prompts. 

[You have completed part 1 of Grandson's Coming of Age]

[You have obtained: Bechel's Memento]

[You have obtained: Bechel's Travel Map]

[You have obtained: Fang of Jikikako]

 

[Grandson's Coming of Age]

Part 2/4

Requirements:

1. Pass Bechel's Memento to Mokan
2. Bring Mokan to the Forest of Clear Moon and present the Fang of Jikikako to the leader of the Lunar Clan.

 

Genji suddenly found three extra items in his inventory, which he took out to examine. The memento was the same necklace Bechel had given Mokan when he first traveled with Genji. Uninterested, Genji immediately passed this heirloom to Mokan, who was so saddened by it that he overlooked how Genji had pulled these items out of thin air.

"Gramps always gave me this when I go out alone. And every time I return, I would give it back. This action has become a token of assurance between us, but I never expected this is how the cycle would be broken." Mokan wept with many tears.

Genji gave Mokan some time alone and examined the other items. The map was drawn using an unknown mineral on durable leather. It detailed the route they needed to take and the major landmarks along the way.

This map confirmed Genji's suspicion that Bechel had planned for this outcome. After all, only outsiders like them needed such a tool, since the natives could easily navigate the terrain using mnemonic stories.

Everything Genji needed to know was on it, so this task wasn't that difficult. The hardest part of the journey was its length, meaning he needed to pick between this mission or attending the tribal meeting.

'The tribal meeting might be important, but I don't need to attend it. I can always steal the treasure from them before I leave. On the other hand, I might not get another opportunity to obtain the formula, given my time left in this world.'

Just in case, he asked EverRealm if it was possible to track the person possessing the treasure with his compass

[Under rule 301 of realm competitions, the first person to obtain the objective will have 24 hours to prepare. After that, their approximate location will be announced at 2-hour intervals. Should you use an information-gathering item during this time, you will only obtain better results.]

'An indirect yes.' Genji made up his choice and moved on to the last item. 

The Fang of Jikikako was a canine tooth about the length of a human arm, wrapped in brown twine. It had a curved tip and pointy roots but was otherwise unremarkable. Genji guessed it held some significance to the Lunar clan, but it was useless to anyone else. Bechel picked these items well and ensured they wouldn't be stolen by the person entrusted with this important task.

'That's everything. If I want to understand more, I will need to complete this part. But before that, let's address the elephant in the room: how did that beast king appear here? This place is relatively close to the monoliths and should be a forbidden zone for beasts. Yeah, its ability might be troublesome, but it shouldn't be at a level where it can disregard all threats.

So why did it go out of its way to come here? There's no reason, especially when there are more efficient places to hunt. So it must be lured here, either by someone or something. For the sake of plausibility, I'll assume it's an object and not a person since few can escape from it. Based on this, can I find some explanation for it being so displaced?

Yes, the beast was chasing after a creature, possibly another ground tunneler of a smaller size, that provoked it. If the agitator was bigger, the beast king wouldn't have lost it and taken its anger out on us. So everything was an accident?!?'

Genji was taken aback by his conclusion, as it seemed outrageous that such an unlucky event was a result of coincidence, especially when he had Astros with him. 

'Well, it's lucky for me, but I doubt his luck is so strong. This isn't lucky anymore; it's almost improbable. No, there must be another explanation for this. Think Genji, think. Is it possible that someone controlled this critter to lure the beast king over to kill me?'

But Genji immediately dismissed this notion, as it would require the culprit to control the provoker from an absurd distance. Otherwise, they would risk facing the beast king's fury and potentially lose their lives before achieving their goal.

Moreover, accomplishing this feat was easier said than done considering the unbelievable skills it demanded from someone at the 2nd step. Is there anyone who can do that from such a distance? Yet the moment Genji had that thought, he had a sudden epidemy that explained everything. 

'Hold on, there is someone. Accidents, coincidences, and improbable events. Yes, it can only be him: the mastermind behind the tribal wars. One could be attributed to bad luck, but twice is too much of a coincidence for me, especially given the already unlikely probabilities. How could I have been attacked by that stray spear when they were battling so far away and ambushed by a beast king when I was so close to the monoliths? It's too coincidental to be an accident, despite it being the only explanation.'

Without hesitation, Genji activated his compass and requested it point to the person behind the encounter. The pointer spun around like a helicopter blade before gradually settling in the direction of the tribal meeting spot.

'So you do exist. You might have slipped under many people's radar, but you were too blatant. Now watch how I take care of you.'

Suddenly, Genji felt a probing stare from the same direction. It was evident who was spying on him, but Genji couldn't sense any nearby presences. It was another long-ranged ability that defied logic.

Then, the pointer fell, losing focus of the target and reverting to its usual state.

[The connection of fate has been severed. Ultimate Tracking has lost its effect.]

Tsk "Annoying. Don't let me catch you a third time or I will hunt you down, even if I have to do so over multiple worlds."

Then Genji grabbed Mokan and headed in the opposite direction, toward the Forest of Clear Moon.