Chapter 576: Conflict (1/2)
The green sparrow introduced Gravis enthusiastically. Gravis was the pride of their region, a level four King that managed to beat an Emperor. There had been a select few beasts that managed to fight an Emperor as level five Kings, but they were the stuff of legends. There hadn't been one in millennia.
”How far has the southern region fallen?” a grey elephant said with disdain. ”A measly level four King is already considered equal to an Emperor. You are really throwing away the last bits of respect I had for you.”
Gravis furrowed his brows. He was pretty sure that the whole continent knew about him by now. Additionally, did that elephant just comment on the southern region? Did this mean that there were regions?
”Don't judge a snake by its scales, Borro,” the green sparrow said. ”The Emperor he has beaten is standing right behind him.”
Of course, the green sparrow was referring to Morus, who always stood quietly behind Gravis.
Borro, the grey elephant, huffed in disdain as he threw a side-eye at Morus. ”A traitor that colludes with fish,” he commented. ”We land beasts are much more powerful than the sea beasts, yet the northern and southern region can't even deal with some fish. I'm ashamed to call myself an Emperor when you're also calling such a fish-fucker an Emperor.”
Morus remained silent, but his tail cramped up in rage. Morus followed his master's orders, which was why he didn't act.
Gravis' brows furrowed even more. ”Why are you talking to these idiots?” Gravis transmitted to the green sparrow.
”They are from the western region,” the green sparrow answered with a voice transmission. ”Nearly all Emperors from the western region are like this.”
”Why?” Gravis asked.
”Because only the northern and southern regions fight the eastern sea. The sea beasts already have it quite hard resisting our two regions. If we send the third region at them, they might collapse. The Ultimates don't want that since they want tempering. This means that the western region is not fighting with the sea beasts.”
”They see that our southern and northern regions are not able to overwhelm the sea beasts and think us to be useless. That's why they always show such disdain,” the green sparrow explained.
”That's great and all, but why are you talking to them?” Gravis asked back.
”Because of you,” he answered.
”What do you mean?” Gravis asked with a raised eyebrow.
”Whenever a known Emperor from our southern area challenges one of them to a duel, they always back off for a multitude of reasons. Yet, their small-mindedness won't accept that you have the power of an Emperor as a level four King. That's why I called you over,” the green sparrow explained with some mirth in his voice transmission.
”So, you want me to kill them instead?” Gravis asked.
”You want tempering, don't you?” the green sparrow asked smugly. ”Isn't fighting an Emperor some good tempering?”
Gravis actually had to agree. If the green sparrow hadn't so openly explained his reasoning, Gravis might have felt manipulated. Yet, since the green sparrow was so forthcoming, he actually appreciated the sentiment.
”Some insults are not reason enough to kill someone from our side,” Gravis sent back. ”I'm actually interested, but such useless words are nothing. It doesn't matter what someone else thinks of you.”
The green sparrow didn't like the answer, but as long as Gravis didn't agree, there was nothing he could do. It was all up to him.
”Look at them,” the grey elephant said to the brown buffalo beside him. ”They are obviously talking to each other merrily. The southern region has truly fallen.”
Gravis turned to the elephant and looked neutrally into his eyes. ”Your words are meaningless,” he commented.
”Be silent, King! Know your place!” the elephant shouted with disdain.
”You're truly lost in your own world,” Gravis commented again. ”I have better things to do than to talk with a blind and deaf elephant.”
With that, Gravis turned around and flew away.
”You've finally realized your place, King of trash,” the elephant commented. ”Trash begets trash, and as long as such trash keeps existing in your region, you will forever only have trash.”
Gravis stopped.
Then, he turned around. ”Repeat that,” he said emotionlessly.
The elephant huffed. ”I said that trash begets trash. Your useless southern region can multiply however much it wants, but as long as trash like you exists, all the southern region's offspring will also be trash. It's your southern region's fate to remain trash. That's why our western region doesn't procreate with your southern region. We don't want trash offspring,” the elephant said.
Gravis flew over and stopped before the smirking elephant. ”So, my offspring is trash?” he asked coldly.
The elephant spat in disdain to the side. ”Of course it is! Look at you! How can anything good come from such a black lizard-thing like you?”
”You and me, life and death duel,” Gravis said coldly.
Gravis could ignore insults about himself. Yet, his children were his weak spot. No one was allowed to insult them!
The grey elephant was taken aback by the sudden challenge, but then his disdain only increased. ”Me, an Emperor, fighting a mere King? Fighting you would be a loss of status for me.” Then, the elephant's disdainful smirk widened. ”But you can fight my chosen King. If you manage to beat him, I will duel with you.”