For the next few days.
Lucas Reeve didn't return to the idol. Receiving Prayer Power didn't require his physical presence. Even if Lucas Reeve were now far away in Columbia, as long as people in Sargon believed in him, he could still continuously receive Prayer Power from there.
To prepare for the upcoming chieftain replacement ceremony.
Lucas Reeve and Zumama, one person and one soul, worked almost day and night adjusting the engine and the entire control system and energy efficiency of [Big Ugly]. Lucas Reeve was fine; in his soul state, he didn't need to sleep at all as long as his soul remained in good condition. But Zumama, being a creature of flesh and blood, couldn't keep up. However, thanks to her Fidia racial traits, Zumama was quite resilient.
At least, after three days without sleep, Zumama was still full of energy.
If the "involution kings" from his past life each possessed such an absurd constitution, the era would probably become more and more competitive. On the surface, they'd say they were sleeping, but in reality, they'd be wrapped in their blankets studying for three days and three nights. Or they'd say, I'm just going to the bathroom, but they'd be memorizing dozens of words on their phones while on the toilet.
In contrast.
It seemed the long-lived High Priest was a complete slacker.
He slept and woke up on time. For the first two days, he was still flapping his wings and flying around, but later he got too lazy to move, flying directly into Big Ugly's cockpit, waiting for Lucas Reeve and Zumama to give the order to start it up.
—Four Days Later—
The triennial or quadrennial Chieftain challenge ceremony of the [Eunectes Tribe] was about to be held. According to the original custom, a tribe's chieftain selection would be held within their own tribe, but things were different now.
After the idol in the temple showed its divine power.
The temple's status was once again elevated to the highest point in everyone's hearts. Even weddings and funerals over the past half-month had to be held in the temple, in the hope of receiving blessings under the gaze of the Lord God. Although, for these past few days, their Lord God had been hanging out with Zumama and had no time to watch them...
As the sound of firecrackers echoed in the central square in front of the temple.
Many residents from other tribes also came over to watch the spectacle.
The [Eunectes Tribe] chieftain election, which normally only concerned its own members, had now reached a scale no less than that of the Great Chief election. Even the Great Chief himself came to join in the fun.
And Arabu, the current Chieftain of the [Eunectes Tribe], had long been prepared.
He wasn't done being Chieftain yet. For this election, he had gathered his supporters early on, preparing to work together to defeat everyone else. Although it sounded a bit shameful, the rules of the duel were indeed 'no rules'. Forming factions was also a skill. Being able to gather enough help was, in itself, a talent.
Chieftain Arabu wasn't concerned about the other challengers, but there was one person he was very concerned about.
Zumama...
This little girl was born with the unique fighting blood of the Fidia. Her own strength and physical fitness were ridiculously high. After all, she was a formidable character who had once fought that Gavial for an entire afternoon. If she wasn't so uninterested in the chieftain election, it would be questionable whether the position would have ever been his.
I hope that little girl doesn't come...
If she doesn't come, I'm basically set...
But... even if she does come.
I have more than ten brave and battle-hardened Fidia men on my side. No matter how formidable she is, she shouldn't be able to fight so many with just two fists.
The duel ceremony was about to begin.
All the challengers had basically arrived in front of the temple. When Arabu didn't see Zumama, he breathed a sigh of relief. That little girl really didn't come... Looks like it's in the bag.
Before the duel.
Everyone, including the Great Chief, knelt down before the idol in unison, praying that the god's gaze would fall upon this place.
And then.
Amidst the shouts of the onlookers from other tribes.
The duel began immediately.
It was less a duel and more a chaotic brawl. In the vast square in front of the temple, a large group of people charged forward and started fighting. Many couldn't even distinguish between the challengers and the Chieftain's supporters.
Some with sharp eyes could even spot it.
One or two of the Chieftain's cronies were actually being cunning bastards, slacking off on the side, trying to launch a sneak attack on the Chieftain. However, before they could succeed, they were knocked to the ground by another challenger with a single punch. The scene was once extremely chaotic, but the onlookers from the other tribes watched with great interest.
The melee lasted for a full half-hour.
When the last challenger finally fell under a "righteous group beating," Arabu finally breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed his position as Chieftain would continue for another three years...
However...
Just then.
A slender figure emerged from the rainforest not far away.
The people in the square in front of the temple didn't see her at first, but the onlookers from the other tribes did, and they gasped one by one. Zumama's reputation was not small in the other tribes either.
A fanatic who loved tinkering with metal lumps and also a freakishly strong monster.
She's also here to compete for the position of Chieftain?!!
This is going to be a good show.
Time to watch the drama unfold~~
The expression on Arabu's serpentine face, who thought victory was in his grasp, changed slightly. But after seeing the dozen or so helpers behind him, he relaxed again...
"Zumama? Are you also planning to challenge for the position of Chieftain?"
Chieftain Arabu shouted at the top of his lungs.
And Zumama, having stayed up for many days, was finally showing some fatigue. Her feet were a bit unsteady, and she didn't look to be in good shape.
"But! Let me make it clear!! Even if you defeat me, don't expect us to admit that the metal junk you tinker with is really that impressive!!!"
"??"
The current chieftain's cronies blinked their snake eyes in confusion, looking at their leader.
What's with that...
Why does it sound like you think you might lose before the fight has even started?
Although they thought so too.
Zumama's strength was really... a bit too strong.
Even though there were more than ten of them, but...
It was really possible they couldn't win. Although the probability of not winning wasn't that high, only about eighty percent.
Zumama shook her head and said, "That is also my purpose for coming, Chieftain Arabu."
"Everyone!"
Suddenly, Zumama began to give a speech.
"Have you ever seen a Mobile City?"
"What the heck is that? Can you eat it?"
The onlookers from the other tribes whispered among themselves. Compared to this 'speech', they preferred a direct fight.
"The magnificence of a Mobile City is something we, who stay in the rainforest all day, can't even imagine. That massive steel creation is even larger than our entire Tiacau tribe."
"Manpower will always have its limits."
"So, I've come here this time, under the gaze of everyone, to witness my mechanical creation!!"
Zumama waved her hand.
"Grandpa High Priest!!"
Suddenly!
The ground in the depths of the rainforest began to shake.
The sound of heavy footsteps and the grinding of mechanical gears resounded throughout the temple. People from other tribes might not know, but the people of the [Eunectes Tribe] knew very well that this was the sound that came from the back mountain all day long!!
With the snapping and falling of the outermost trees.
A large machine slowly walked out of the rainforest.
Behind this machine, several exhaust ports were continuously emitting black exhaust fumes. The roar of the engine caused the entire machine to bob up and down. At the very top of the machine, a large blue bird wearing sunglasses sat nonchalantly in the cockpit, its pair of wings moving as nimbly as human hands, constantly fiddling with the various buttons in the cockpit.
"!!!"
"Holy cow!!"
"What the hell is that thing!!"
At this moment, not just Chieftain Arabu, but even the Great Chief's eyes widened. They had never left the rainforest in their lives, never had contact with the outside civilization. Let alone machinery, for them, the most advanced goods from the outside world were sickles and hoes.
As for this kind of large mechanical creation driven by an engine, they had not only never seen it, they couldn't even imagine it. The concept simply didn't exist in their minds.
This contrast was like showing a robot to an ancient person.
Big Ugly wasn't that big.
It was only a little over four meters tall, and its surface armor was very cheap. A single Originium Round could probably pierce it. The roar from the engine sounded like an old man on his last legs, who might just keel over at any second. This pile of old parts cobbled together reminded Lucas Reeve of the Mark I from the movies of his past life—it looked worn and tattered, but it was quite functional.
"Holy cow, the metal junk is moving!!"
"Awesome, that's Zumama for you. She really managed to make something out of that metal junk."
"I've known since she was a kid that Zumama was smart."
"I wonder if it can beat the Chieftain? This metal thing... doesn't look very smart..."
The residents of the other tribes chattered among themselves, most of them curious about this metal contraption. After all, they had never seen anything like it.
"...."
"Grandpa High Priest!! Go~~"
Zumama stood below the sacrificial altar and shouted towards the approaching Big Ugly. The High Priest understood and immediately pushed a switch, skillfully maneuvering Big Ugly. Although he was just a bird, his wings were incredibly flexible, making it easy for him to operate the machine.
*BOOM!!*
With a loud roar.
The engine sounded like it was about to explode. *Thump, thump, thump*, thick black smoke spewed from the exhaust pipes.
And Big Ugly went straight for the Chieftain.
Its mechanical left arm shot out with astonishing speed, punching the Chieftain squarely. In an instant, the Chieftain was sent flying like a cannonball, rolling a great distance. Seeing this, the Chieftain's supporters on either side seemed to lose their will to fight and quickly fled.
In a moment.
Only Big Ugly and the Chieftain, who had been knocked unconscious by a single blow, were left on the field.
"????"
There was dead silence all around.
None of the many residents spoke; they all seemed to be stunned by the scene. Although the Chieftain of the [Eunectes Tribe] wasn't the strongest, he was by no means weak. But... this brawny man was knocked out cold by a single blow from this metal contraption. Although there was an element of a dishonorable sneak attack, but...
This was a no-rules duel!
A sneak attack wasn't against the rules.
And...
It seemed the Chieftain couldn't even withstand a single punch, which showed just how powerful this metal thing was.
Not far away, Zumama was already muttering to herself in excitement.
"Lord God! Did you see that? Our Big Ugly succeeded!! It's all thanks to your help."
Lucas Reeve said with a smile, "I was just providing support. In the end, it was all up to you."
Zumama's expression was sweet, and then she waved her hand again, issuing another command: "Grandpa High Priest, fire a shot at that empty patch of rainforest!!"
"?!"
Lucas Reeve: "What... an unfortunate choice of words."
Then the High Priest understood. He maneuvered Big Ugly to turn, its long, thick, black cannon on its chest aiming at an uninhabited part of the rainforest.
The surrounding onlookers didn't know what they were planning to do and watched with bated breath. As for the former chieftain lying on the ground... nobody cared anymore.
"Fire!!"
Zumama shouted.
The High Priest immediately raised his wings high and pressed a red button on the control panel.
Instantly!
The clanking sound of mechanical shafts rotating could be heard from within Big Ugly.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd.
The next second.
All the people heard was a loud bang, like a clap of thunder. The ears of some villagers close to Big Ugly were ringing nonstop.
A simple Originium bomb was fired from the cannon's muzzle.
And the area to the left of where Big Ugly had aimed exploded with a boom.
A small crater, five meters in diameter, instantly appeared on the ground. The trees in the rainforest on both sides fell down in the explosion, and dust rose everywhere.
"Huh? It missed?"
After firing one shot, the cannon in the middle of Big Ugly seemed unable to withstand the high temperature of the launch and was completely wrecked..
After all, it was a product hastily put together to make it in time for the Chieftain challenge, and would need to be modified and optimized in the future.
At the same time...
All the onlookers from the other tribes stared with wide eyes, completely petrified on the spot.
Holy cow!!
A miracle!!!
For these extremely primitive tribes, where axe-wielding warriors hacking at each other and competing in strength was the norm, an explosion of this level was no different from a miracle. Who, no matter how strong, had the ability to punch a five-meter crater in the ground...
No one had that ability.
Not even the previously acknowledged strongest former Chieftain had this ability.
For the villagers of a primitive tribe who worshiped strength, at this moment, after feeling the power of Big Ugly up close and so vividly, the look in their eyes completely changed. The curiosity they felt before had now turned into admiration.
Instantly.
Everyone in front of the temple erupted in cheers. As for the former chieftain who was still lying unconscious on the ground, he had been casually tossed aside. After all, having been defeated, he was no longer the Chieftain, just an ordinary villager. The current Chieftain is Zumama!
"Believe it or not!! I've known since she was a kid that Zumama was smart! A real scholar!!"
"Fighting? What's the point of fighting! Is fighting as good as studying?!!"
"With this thing, mining ore in the future will be a piece of cake!!"
"Chieftain Zumama, make one for us too!!"