"Challenging the Bagdas of other tribes!" The Grand Elder's mouth slightly opened in surprise. Though Ul had often shocked him since acquiring the Bagda training method, nothing compared to the astonishment he felt now.
"Yes!" Muria nodded. "I've already challenged all the powerful creatures around our tribe. Now they run when they see me—they're no longer worthy opponents. I need new challengers."
"Ul, you've already surpassed all previous Bagdas of the Tunan tribe. Isn't that enough?" The Grand Elder asked helplessly, unable to understand why this young tribesman was so battle-hungry.
"Not enough, far from it!" Muria shook his head, then answered firmly, "I still need to grow stronger! With my current strength, I can't defeat the Miasa."
"In that case, go ahead!" Seeing Muria's unwavering determination, the Grand Elder didn't bother trying to dissuade him. When such a powerful Bagda made up his mind, there was no stopping him.
"Golden-level peak strength—what's so powerful about that?" Muria muttered with disdain as he walked out of the treehouse, glancing at his hand. He then headed straight for his home, where he needed to inform his parents.
...
A short while later, Muria found himself surrounded by over ten Ikon, including his father. He looked at them, feeling a bit helpless. "I'm going to challenge the Bagdas of other tribes. I can go alone; there's no need for all of you to follow me!"
"Ul, are you looking down on us?" one of the Ikon laughed, teasing him. "We're coming along to witness you defeating the Bagdas of other tribes. You wouldn't deny us that, would you?"
"Don't worry, Ul. We won't be a burden. You just focus on your challenges, and we'll watch from the sidelines," another chimed in.
"Fine!" Muria sighed in resignation, looking at his enthusiastic clansmen. He couldn't refuse their company.
"Meowstar!" Muria called out toward a tree hollow, and soon, a massive, menacing black beast leaped out.
This tiger-like beast, nearly ten meters long with a tail three meters in length and a standing height of four meters, had a body covered in black armor plates with sharp spines at its joints. A crescent-shaped horn adorned its head.
This was Muria's most recent mount, a horned armor beast. Due to its feline-like appearance, he named it "Meowstar." The name, much like how he had tamed the beast, had been accepted after he subdued it. Now, whenever he called, Meowstar would immediately come out, obedient as ever.
"Let's go!" Muria mounted Meowstar's neck and led the charge out of the tribe. Behind him, over a dozen Ikon followed on their Gale Horses, and overhead, their flying companions, the Blue Creek Beasts, flew after them.
...
"Tunan Tribe's Bagda, Ul, has come to challenge your tribe's Bagda!" Muria quickly found the first tribe. He displayed the distinctive markings of a Bagda, radiant and brilliant even under the sun.
"A Bagda from the Tunan Tribe! Our tribe has not yet produced a Bagda as young as you, so I'm afraid you'll be disappointed."
A group of Ikon quickly gathered before Muria, and one who appeared to be their leader respectfully addressed the young Muria mounted on the horned beast.
"No Bagda? That's too bad." Muria shook his head in disappointment and withdrew his markings. He noted the Ikon's choice of words—they hadn't produced a young Bagda, but they likely had elders akin to the Grand Elder of the Tunan Tribe, who, despite aging, still possessed the title.
Muria wasn't interested in forcing an elder to fight him. That would be too cruel. So, he left the tribe with his companions, gaining a sense of the rarity of Bagdas.
Fortunately, when Muria found the second Ikon tribe, with a population of nearly two thousand, they had a Bagda in his prime who accepted Muria's challenge.
When they reached an open area to fight and revealed their markings, the difference between them became glaringly obvious. Muria's markings were intricate, bright, and dazzling, covering his body and turning him into a humanoid light source.
In contrast, the Bagda from the Qingtian Tribe only had markings that sparsely covered his upper body. The gap between them was evident.
The ensuing battle was uneventful—Muria's physical strength, durability, speed, and combat skills all completely overwhelmed his opponent. It wasn't a fight but a one-sided beatdown.
"Tunan Tribe's Bagda, I admit defeat!" The Qingtian Bagda lay on the ground like a heap of mud, his joints twisted, and his limbs paralyzed, as he shouted in resignation, mixed with frustration.
"You're too weak. You need more training!" Muria said to the defeated Bagda lying on the ground.
"Did you come here just to show off your strength?" A female Ikon stepped forward, angrily questioning Muria.
"Of course not!" Muria replied with a laugh.
"Then why did you leave my husband in such a state?" She pointed at her husband, the defeated Bagda, clearly agitated. Other tribespeople were holding her back to stop her from rushing forward.
"Hahaha, don't worry. This is a battle technique I've developed. Although it makes the target look pitiful, if done right, it causes no real harm."
Muria laughed at the angry tribeswoman, explaining that he had used a technique to dislocate the Bagda's joints, akin to an otherworldly version of a bone-locking technique.
Crack! Crack! Muria approached the defeated Bagda and, amid the sharp sound of bones realigning, reattached all his joints.
Seeing their Bagda completely unscathed, the hostility among the onlookers faded, much to the relief of the thirteen Tunan Ikon accompanying Muria.
Muria and his group stayed the night at the Qingtian Tribe, at the invitation of the defeated Bagda. The next morning, they set out again, continuing Muria's journey of challenges.
This time, the number of Ikon following Muria doubled, with the newly added ones being the defeated Bagda and some of his tribe's elite.
Life among the Ikon was leisurely, and for Bagdas, it was often boring. So when Muria, a self-proclaimed challenger of all Bagdas in the Ayale Forest, appeared, those who were idle quickly took an interest and joined him. After all, their tribes didn't particularly need them.
"Being undefeated is so lonely!" This was the truest expression of Muria's thoughts as he moved from one Ikon tribe to the next, defeating Bagda after Bagda.
As his challenges continued, the reputation of Ul, the Tunan Tribe's Bagda, spread throughout the forest. His invincible streak attracted more and more Ikon to follow him, including several Bagdas.
These Ikon were eager to see if Muria could maintain his undefeated streak and conquer all the Bagdas in the Ayale Forest.
The forest trembled, beasts fled, and a vast black cloud filled the sky. It was a flying formation of over 300 Ikon, riding their Blue Creek Beasts. Below them was a cavalry twice their number.
Leading the formation was an Ikon riding a mighty, fearsome horned beast—Muria's reincarnated form. The large group of Ikon around him had gradually gathered as he continued his challenges.
At first, they had followed out of curiosity. But now, as Muria's invincibility persisted, those initial followers had started to look at him differently.
They were beginning to be awed by his strength. Their initial casual following had evolved into a genuine pursuit.
"Hmm!" As they advanced, Muria suddenly stopped and looked toward the distant sky. His sudden halt caused the Ikon behind him to stop as well, showing their disciplined coordination.
"What is it, Lord Ul?" One of the Ikon immediately approached and asked.
Muria didn't answer but extended his hand. A three-meter-long wooden spear was placed in his palm.
Gripping the spear, Muria raised it slightly, his arm muscles tensing. Bright, intricate markings appeared on his wrist, and light began to flow into the spear, transforming it into a spear of light.
Boom! Muria hurled the spear, a white streak soaring into the sky. As it cut through the air, circular shockwaves radiated outward, stirring a violent wind.
Boom! Boom!
A shattering sound echoed, followed by a deafening explosion. From the once-empty sky, a smoking object appeared, spiraling down toward the earth.
"Bring that thing to me!" Muria commanded, pointing toward the crash site. At once, several Ikon on their Gale Horses rushed over to retrieve the mysterious object.
_________________________
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! $5 for all!!]
[w w w . p a t r e o n .com / INNIT]
[+50 PowerStones = +1 Chapter] [+5 Reviews = +1 Chapter]