Chapter 997: The Game of the Brave
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Meng Chao was stunned for a long time before he said, “So you’re telling me that a cruel battle can happen anytime and anywhere?”
“That’s right. On the streets, in the taverns, and in the casinos… The more people there are, the more likely it is that a battle will happen.”
Ice Storm explained, “The procedure and rules of a duel have been greatly simplified. A clan warrior can swagger on the road and issue an invitation to a duel whenever he sees a member of an enemy clan, an enemy he has a feud with, or even an ugly warrior. Generally speaking, the other party will absolutely not and cannot refuse such an invitation. Whoever rejects such an invitation will be ridiculed by everyone. Don’t even think about commanding the troops and s.n.a.t.c.hing valuable spoils in the following war.”
“At the same time, they can also raise the stakes in front of everyone—resources, armor, and the relationship between the two sides, you name it. For example, two clan warriors would each have a team of a hundred servants. After they fight, the winner would have the right to command the loser’s team, and the loser would become the winner’s viceroy and listen to the winner’s orders in the war. That’s what it basically means.
“Of course, it’s okay to use underhanded tactics and blunt blows, but if we don’t fight openly in front of everyone, we won’t be able to win the other party’s allegiance and spread our fame.
“As for casualties, there definitely will be some. Advanced orcs have thick skin and flesh, plus being beaten to death in a duel doesn’t happen often. If it does happen, it’s not a big deal. It’s just a response to the ancestral spirit’s summons.
“According to the Turan tradition, an unrestricted duel like that is known as the Game of the Brave. But in my opinion, it’s more like the final madness before the blood sacrifice for the alliance. It’s a carnival that will last for half a month. It’s also the most generous sacrifice to the ancestral spirit before the expedition, using blood and death. I hope that the ancestral spirit will bestow good luck to the entire clan.”
Meng Chao was speechless when he heard this.
He had a deeper understanding of the advanced orcs’ valor now.
“Does the Game of the Brave play out every time the glorious era begins?” he asked.
“That’s not the case. If the two glorious eras are close enough and the heroes from the previous war haven’t fallen, then there’s no need to play the Game of the Brave. They can still rely on their prestige to effectively control the clan’s army.”
Ice Storm said, “If a clan is particularly powerful and produces an ultimate powerhouse who possesses absolute dominance, then under an ultimate powerhouse’s command, there’s no need to play the Game of the Brave.
“However, in a situation like this, the heroes of the past have fallen one after another, and the various great clans have been conserving their strength and expanding crazily during the long era of prosperity. Countless proud and arrogant soldiers, as well as valiant generals, have emerged. As such, they must play the Game of the Brave to give them complete dominance so that it will be more beneficial for the next battle command. This is what thousands of years of war experience has taught us
“So…”
Meng Chao was still in disbelief. “The people who die in the Game of the Brave… die in vain?”
“If they die in the Game of the Brave, it just means that they are not strong enough.”
Ice Storm spoke matter-of-factly. “Since they are not strong enough, dying in the Game of the Brave is the best end for them.
“After all, it is better for a weakling to die in Black-corner City than to lead thousands of soldiers and horses into the battlefield, then die there. At the same time, countless subordinates and comrades would be killed, causing the battle line to collapse. It’s better to lose the game, right?”
“That seems to make sense. What about the totem armor?”
Meng Chao was more concerned about this question. “The winner can s.n.a.t.c.h the loser’s totem armor at will?”
“Theoretically, yes, as long as the winner has the confidence to eat the loser’s totem armor.”
Ice Storm said, “In practice, every totem warrior can absorb totem armor with a limit—this part is easy to understand. A warrior wearing a layer of armor is definitely more powerful than a warrior without armor. However, a warrior wearing ten layers of heavy armor might not be more powerful than a warrior wearing two or three layers of heavy armor, because the former might be crushed to death by ten layers of heavy armor. Even if he wasn’t crushed to death, he probably wouldn’t be able to walk anymore, do you understand what I mean?”
“Understood.”
Meng Chao nodded. “Too much is too little. Any power is a double-edged sword.”
It was the same for Dragon City’s cultivation system.
The higher one’s level was, the better it was.
The higher one’s level was, the more spirit energy would pour into the brain and stimulate the brain. However, it would make people hear more chaotic sounds and see more bizarre scenes. They would be more susceptible to the influence of the ancient ruins’ summon. As a result, they would be deranged and become deformed monsters.
The first expert at the peak of Heaven Realm who Meng Chao knew, “Soul Breaking Saber” Luo Wu, had the ability to break through to Deity Realm a long time ago. Yet, he did not dare to take this step because he was worried about the backlash from the power in Deity Realm.
As for the former number one expert of Dragon City, Battle G.o.d Lei Zongchao, when he reached the age of a martyr, he could only curl up in Battle G.o.d Palace, which was isolated from the interference of the spirit magnetism. His body of flesh and blood was in a state of neither life nor death. It was also the embodiment of such a backlash.
Totem armor only made this kind of backlash more specific.
“The winner usually won’t deprive the loser of his full set of totem armor. They will only take a bit of it as a token so that the loser can swear to the ancestral spirits in front of everyone that they will obey the winner’s orders throughout the entire glorious era. That way, the winner can also be considered to have the loser’s full combat strength.”
Ice Storm further explained, “Of course, many of the clan warriors from lowly backgrounds would be far from reaching the upper limit of their totem battle armors before the start of the Game of the Brave. In that case, their attacks would often be even more ruthless. Regardless of the consequences, they would first seize enough battle armor fragments.
“Such people are also the most likely to be devoured by the fierce souls hidden within the battle armor fragments and transform into Origin Warriors.
“Nevertheless, no matter how the totem armor circulates, to the entire Blood Hoof Clan, it’s actually not a loss.
“Because the totem armor can store its master’s battle experience and killing skills and transfer these experiences and skills into the next master’s brain. The masters fight and kill, live and die, but the totem armor will exist forever, and become increasingly strong.
“Therefore, the more intense the Game of the Brave is, the more severe the casualties of the big clans seem to be. In fact, they have obtained a large number of warriors with real battle experience, as well as totem armors that are even more powerful. They will definitely be able to unleash even more terrifying combat power in real battles.”
“I understand now. It’s like a rusty war machine that needs a lot of blood and internal organs to be lubricated before it can rumble and operate to its limit… in the shortest time possible.”
Meng Chao mumbled, “Is everyone going to partic.i.p.ate in the Game of the Brave?”
“Of course not. If you’re afraid of death, you can just hide in the Blood Skull Arena. Even the elite warriors of the Ironhide Clan can’t just barge into the Blood Skull Arena to die, right?”
Ice Storm said, “However, you won’t be able to boast about your bravery like that. Instead, you’ll be ridiculed as a coward who only dares to fight in the arena according to the rules. Even the servants under you will be disloyal and think that they’ve followed a cowardly master.
“Besides, the major clans will allocate troops, resources, and combat missions according to the results of the battles in the next half month. Those who have nothing to gain in the Game of the Brave will be sent to defend the city or the logistics team. Only the truly brave ones can enjoy the glory of conquering the city and raiding the fortress—and glory is everything for the warriors of Turan.”
Meng Chao nodded and stared at the snow leopard warrior. “So, Lady Ice Storm, you will also partic.i.p.ate in the Game of the Brave, right?”
“That’s right, I will definitely partic.i.p.ate.”
Ice Storm frankly said, “Since you’ve killed Big Buck, I don’t need to hide it from you. My purpose is not to spread my name and seize a higher position and more troops in the Blood Hoof army. Those are such boring things.
“I only have one purpose, and that is to have more totem armor fragments.
“Although the Mithril Ripper is already very strong, I feel that it has not evolved to the limit that I can bear.
“In other words, what I’m going to do in the Red-gold City requires me to have a stronger totem armor, preferably ten times stronger than the current Mithril Ripper.
“Even if… Even if I become an Origin Warrior tomorrow, I still have to devour more totem armor fragments today!
“In order to stabilize the totem power in my body and reduce the probability of becoming an Origin Warrior, I have to simultaneously devour a large number of golden fruits, totem beast flesh, and cores. It’s to feed the monster in my body and allow it to unleash its ferocity through more battles.
“That’s why I have to control a battle team of several hundred people. It’s the only way I can obtain enough resources and capital to engage in a bet with other Blood Hoof powerhouses—even if I don’t have half a soldier under me, if other people are willing to fight me, it’s impossible for them to take out a large number of resources as a bet.
“According to the Game of the Brave’ tradition over the past hundreds of years, when the carnival in Black-corner City reaches its peak, small-scale street battles will no longer be satisfying. The powerhouses who have hundreds or even thousands of servants under their command would often transfer their troops to the open land outside Black-corner City to conduct larger-scale battles. They could fall anywhere between armed combat, drill, and war…”
“Real battle drill?”
Meng Chao thought of the suitable words.
“That’s right, it’s a real battle drill to prepare for real war.”
Ice Storm said, “And on the day of the Sacrificial Blood Alliance, almost all the families will pull their main forces outside the city to carry out an actual battle drill in the largest scale. They will use blood, smoke, and shouts to please the ancestral spirits. At the same time, they will get the famous warriors of the past half a month make a grand appearance in front of all the Blood Hoofs.
“After that, I will sacrifice to the ancestral spirits, sign an alliance agreement, and swear an oath for my army to march out.
“As long as I have enough servants under me, I will be able to move to the edge of the battle drill area without anyone noticing.
“Then, I will escape this d*mn place while everyone’s attention is focused on the center of the field!”