"Chief, we captured the culprit that was responsible for the mass slaughter of our Clansmen." A group of masters said and knocked on the door leading into the study of the Mammoth Clansman who was in charge of the entire Mammoth Clan.
They had created a temporary settlement on the peak of a mountain—nearby the Varahan Enclave's entrance—after levelling its top, creating a place for Mammoth Clansmen from different settlements to mingle freely.
Carrying a bound Brangara and standing before the largest building was the group of masters that had captured him.
"The culprit was an Empyrean Boar?" A surprised voice resounded from inside as the doors opened.
Just as the leader of the group intended to bring in Brangara, his body failed to budge. Despite urging himself to move, he couldn't. There was no formidable pressure exerted on him, no Nature had been activated, etc.
But even with nothing being used on him, he couldn't move. No amount of struggle could make him even budge the slightest, not to mention bat an eye. Just as he was feeling suffocated due to being unable to breathe, a voice resounded, following which he could move once again.
"Sir Renduldu, please don't play around with a kid of my Clan." The Chief of the Mammoth Clan had spoken.
Once the master was able to breathe, he gasped for air and stared into the room, only now spotting a second entity in the room, seated opposite the Mammoth Clan Chief.
This entity had a humanoid body but sported an octopus head. The tentacles were faintly ethereal while a strange form of ink circulated over his body, like clouds moving through the world. They appeared and disappeared.
A glance at it and the master felt as if he had aged by a hundred years, terrified in response.
At the Mammoth Clan Chief's words, the octopus-headed entity, Renduldu laughed, "I was just joking, Undrakha. Don't mind me. I simply wanted to test the strength of an average master of your Clan."
"Surely you have better things to do…" The Mammoth Clan Chief, Undrakha sighed.
"I don't," Renduldu said without hesitation. He then stared at the group of masters and waved his hand, "We're talking here. So, run along, kids."
The group of masters stared at the Undrakha in response, scurrying away when their Chief told them to leave.
"They are pretty obedient to you," Renduldu commented. He then snapped his finger, causing Brangara's figure to appear next to them, "This kid is pretty gifted, I must say."
"An Empyrean Boar that hasn't lost its mind. That's a first." Undrakha muttered as he calmly inched his hand forward and touched Brangara's forehead, seeping in his Prana as he muttered amidst Brangara's pained cries, "Tertiary Nature of Cultivator. By gaining this after eating my Mammoth Clansmen, he can now cultivate like humans."
He stared at Renduldu solemnly, whispering, "That's similar to you. He's exhibiting the characteristics of a Mystic Grade Pranic Beast."
"For now," Renduldu didn't seem bothered by it, "But the moment he absorbs enough Primary Natures, he'll fall victim to his race's curse. There's nothing avoiding that."
"But, isn't it dangerous?" Undrakha frowned, "He might be the first among many. Isn't your race the only one blessed by Sumatra Continent to attain the Mystic Grade?"
"That is the case," Renduldu nodded.
Mystic Grade Pranic Beast—Empyrean Tentacle!
Empyrean Tentacles were called the Blessed Race of Sumatra Continent. There existed only four individuals in this race. And if one of them dies, they would naturally be reborn, just as how a Parute Tree begins growing for no reason at all.
The four Empyrean Tentacles were split between the four Grades of Iron, Silver, Gold, and Mystic.
Iron Empyrean Tentacle, Silver Empyrean Tentacle, and Gold Empyrean Tentacle; These three lived at random locations on Sumatra Continent.
And when one of them devours the remaining two, it evolves into the Mystic Empyrean Tentacle. It was that simple for this rate to attain the Mystic Grade status.
Once the Mystic Empyrean Tentacle reaches the pinnacle of cultivation and attains Transcendence, it would ascend to a higher plane, leaving Sumatra Continent.
Immediately after that, Iron, Silver, and Gold Empyrean Tentacles are randomly spawned on Sumatra Continent. Throughout history, a Mystic Grade Pranic Beast had only emerged from the Empyrean Tentacle race. There had been no exceptions.
Hence, they came to be called the Blessed Race of Sumatra.
"You know," Renduldu spoke in nostalgia, "When I was an Iron Empyrean Tentacle, I barely had any strength to fend for myself. When I was on the brink of death, your Mammoth Clan Ancestor saved me. For the next couple of centuries, she raised me as her pet, then a teacher, and eventually a friend, teaching me plenty of things."
"I eventually accumulated enough strength and experience to hunt the Silver Empyrean Tentacle. Eventually, I got the Gold Empyrean Tentacle too, becoming the first among my race where an Iron Empyrean Tentacle attained the Mystic Grade." Renduldu sighed.
"I know that already." Undrakha tilted his head in confusion, "Why are you telling it again?"
"Just because," Renduldu's eyes glimmered faintly as he stared blankly into space.
Following that, he recovered and spoke, "We're only called the Blessed Race of Sumatra because we figured our path to attain the Mystic Grade and perfected it. Why do you think other races cannot do the same?"
He stared at Undrakha, "Aren't you trying to forge a path too?"
"You're right," Undrakha nodded, "As the possibility didn't seem to exist in Sumatra, we are preparing to head into another continent."
"Why look elsewhere when there's a possibility right before you?" Renduldu smirked and pointed at Brangara, "If you use him, the Empyrean Tusks will be able to attain the final step necessary to enter Mystic Grade."
"Are you seeing it through your ability?" Undrakha asked in excitement.
"It's not clear to be frank." Renduldu said, "Only after attaining Transcendence can I see it clearly. But if I were to enter the Transcendence Stage, I would have no other choice but to ascend."
"Even if I were to make the necessary preparations up there and use the channel built by my race's Transcendents, it would take me a couple millennia to return."
"So, it'll take at least two millennia before you can help us directly." Undrakha nodded and stared at Brangara, "Well, I can think of a way to use him."
"How?" Renduldu asked in excitement as his eyes glinted.
"I'm sure you're able to see it already." Undrakha laughed, "We Mammoth Clansmen are experts at digesting things, you see."
"Interesting," Renduldu grinned and calmly patted Brangara, "Resign yourself to your fate, young brat."
Brangara wasn't even able to bat an eyelid, staring blankly like a sculpture because of whatever Renduldu had done to him. All he could do was passively hear the conversation, feeling the approaching doom.
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