Chapter 294.1 : Kioris!!

Kioris always furrowed his brow.

The Moose Centaur tribesmen often asked him what he was worrying about.

But he would only shake his head, take a sip of his foamy drink, and remain silent.

Some things were pointless to share with them.

It had been several days since his brother, Scela, and four other tribesmen had followed that man named Ging, who called himself "a descendant of Don."

Kioris couldn't defy the decision of the old tribal chief, nor his brother Scela.

As long as the two most influential figures in the tribe decided to interact with the "human tribes," most of the Moose Centaur would not oppose it.

But he remained deeply wary of Ging and the "humans" who were about to arrive.

Both the old chief and Scela were too trusting of "humans."

Aside from Don, we know almost nothing about them. Apart from Don, we've never had long-term contact with any "human."

Not all "humans" are like Don. Just as not all Moose Centaur are warriors—some of them are cowards.

This was inevitable.

Kioris took another sip of his drink, silently staring at the tall, gray-white gates of the tribe, his brow tightly knitted like a rope.

I must keep a close watch on those "humans," he thought. If they do anything to harm the tribe, I will expose them! 

This is my responsibility!

As this determination filled his mind, he suddenly heard shouting from the stone tower atop the gray-white gates, mixed with excited tongue-clicking sounds.

What's happening?

Kioris looked up and saw the tribesmen stationed at the gate towers shouting loudly toward the ground below.

Then, other tribesmen broke into a gallop, rushing toward the house where the old chief resided.

What happened?

He had been lying halfway on the ground, with his lower body tilted to rest on the floor while his upper body stayed upright to drink. But now, he suddenly rose to his feet.

"I have to see what's going on."

Kioris set down his wooden cup, decorated with strange patterns, and stepped out of the cramped house. His four hooves clattered against the muddy street.

The muddy roads were a tradition of the Moose Centaur Tribe.

They could have paved the streets with stone or bricks, but they refused to do so.

The Moose Centaurs believed that stepping into the mud every day brought them a sense of comfort.

At this moment, a large group of Moose Centaurs had already gathered in front of the enormous gray-white gate.

The commotion earlier had piqued their curiosity, and they crowded around, questioning one another about what had happened.

The messenger sent to inform the Elder Chief quickly returned, galloping back to deliver a report to the guards.

After a while, the gray-white gate began to creak and groan as it slowly lifted upwards.

Watching this, Kioris's brow furrowed even deeper.

Normally, the single entrance to the Moose Centaur Tribe was rarely opened.

Each time it did, it was usually for warriors leaving or returning, mostly for hunting trips.

The only group that had recently left and hadn't returned yet was the small team led by Scela, though their mission wasn't for hunting this time.

Could it be that Scela and his team were back?

And with them, had they brought the "human tribe members" who had recently settled nearby?

If so, I have to get a closer look.

If something doesn't feel right, I must intervene and stop the Elder Chief and Scela!

Kioris quickly pushed forward, his pace brisk. When he reached the dense crowd blocking his way, he shouted loudly, "Move aside! Let me through!"

The Moose Centaurs turned their heads and, seeing that it was Kioris, made way.

Although he couldn't compare to Scela, he was still a brave warrior of the tribe, respected by all. The Moose Centaur quickly made way for him.

Kioris managed to reach the side of the gray-white gate. Aside from the Moose Centaur guarding the area, he indeed saw a familiar figure.

Scela walked in, carrying a long spear and a massive shield on his back.

His safe return was immediately met with cheers from the gathered Moose Centaurs. Scela responded warmly, waving back at them.

Outside the tribe, the dangers were countless. Even for a warrior as strong and fearless as Scela, there was no guarantee he would return safely each time.

Over time, the tribe had developed a custom—whenever a warrior returned, everyone would celebrate and cheer loudly for them.

This tradition showed the strong sense of unity within the tribe.

And every time, the cheers for Scela were the loudest.

Of course, Kioris thought. After all, my brother is the strongest warrior in the entire tribe.

His furrowed brow relaxed slightly after confirming Scela's safe return, but then tightened again when he noticed the unfamiliar figures beside him.

Who are these people...?

Standing next to Scela were Ging and a man in a black robe with a triangular hat.

At this moment, they walked into the tribe's gate side by side. Strangely, Scela and Ging flanked the black-robed man, as if he were the center of the group.

Why is this stranger at the center? What... what's going on here?

If it were Ging, that would be easier to understand.

Ging had once offended the tribe by failing to follow the "Moon Ritual," leading to misunderstandings and angering Scela and the other warriors.

But Ging had redeemed himself by challenging and defeating many warriors, including Scela and Kioris, in consecutive battles. His victories earned him their respect.

Later, Ging realized some of his actions had unintentionally disrespected the tribe's beliefs. He sincerely apologized, which further gained him the tribe's approval.

Among them was Scela, who had become friends with Ging after an initial clash.

Later, Scela decided to help the Moose Centaur tribe connect with the "human tribe."

Of course, even though Kioris lost to Ging, he never fully acknowledged him.

Being defeated in skill was one thing; completely trusting the opponent was another matter entirely.

However, even so, if the person standing in the center of the three of them right now were Ging, Kioris could accept it.

After all, their tribe revered "strength above all." Since Ging defeated Scela, he was worthy of admiration, respect, and even worship.

So, if it were Ging, it would make sense. But why was the person standing in the middle now neither Scela nor Ging?

Kioris, who knew Scela like the back of his hand, could see that as Scela laughed and pointed out various areas of the tribe, he also showed clear respect toward the man in the black robe.

This respect was far greater than what he had ever shown Ging—almost as if the man beside him were the tribe's old chief himself.

How could this be possible? 

Who was this man? Why was Scela acting so...

Before Kioris could figure it out, his eyes widened in shock.

He noticed that two of their fellow tribesmen had just entered, and one of them was injured!

The injured tribesman was being supported by another, with clear bandages covering his wounds—yet these bandages weren't from their tribe's usual healing methods.

Kioris quickly realized that the person who treated the wounds was likely a "human."

The next moment, a group of humans entered in single file, followed by two Moose Centaur warriors.

To Kioris, most of these humans looked unnaturally small and underdeveloped.

Only the tall, round man caught his attention for a moment longer.

These humans... they just walked in like this?

One of our tribesmen was injured, and they allowed humans to treat him so casually? 

Scela and the others know how to heal; why didn't they handle it themselves?

Questions upon questions flooded Kioris's mind.

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