Novel Full Chapter 886: Banquet (IV)
Chapter 886: Banquet (IV)
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’Of course, you need to stress the fact that you’re a Primal Origin Lifeform,’ Cedric thought in amusement. ’Dare these fools to rebuke your claims, lure them into a trap, and punish them to make an example out of everybody.’
He could already tell how this game was going to play out. He also didn’t need to look around to see how others reacted to his words; he could simply tell by how silent and tense the atmosphere became. Some even stiffened when they heard him; it’s like they caught sight of a deadly predator looking their way.
“It’s been a long and difficult road, yet I eventually made it. From now on, we don’t need to fear our enemies. I stand as the strongest human alive. Fear not, for I will be standing behind you.”
“This gathering is for all of you, just as much as it is for me. I couldn’t have made it this far without you and my dear friends supporting me along the way.”
“Please, enjoy yourselves. I want all of us to remember this night.”
“Cheers!”
Nick raised a cup and downed it straight; so did the others. Everybody followed suit. The murmurs started and the music flowed; the lights turned soft, almost illusory and phantasmal. It definitely looked like the whole place was celebrating Nick’s achievement.
But some people, ones that are more perceptive than others, tensed up. The longer this went on, the more nervous they felt.
They knew that beneath this jubilant and celebratory mood, hidden daggers were being sharpened. Their owners are quietly waiting for the right moment to strike.
If the Human Sovereigns noticed this, they certainly haven’t said a word yet. They lounged around without any care for their surroundings. It’s as if nothing could faze them at all.
And just as the party was descending into a lull, somebody was finally unable to wait any longer.
“Dear Councillor Nicholas!” His voice echoed across the hall.
Everybody’s eyes zeroed in on him, instantly making him the center of attention. He stood at the center of the hall, looking up at Nicholas with a fiery gaze. His back was tall, his gait proud, and his suit was immaculately pressed, and it’s clear that he flourished at the center of the attention.
He held a goblet filled with red wine in his left hand, and he wore a thin yet confident smile on his face as he addressed the strongest human to ever exist in history.
“My name is Tavian Yellowbright, a humble and loyal servant of the council,” he said after performing a curt bow under the indifferent gaze of the councillors.
Murmurs started within the crowd as some people recognized who this was.
Most of them couldn’t believe it, and they couldn’t be blamed for it because, as far as they know, this man—Tavian—should’ve been dead.
That’s right. Here comes one of the old men who rose from their coffin, making a scene.
Tavian Yellowbright was once a legend amongst men. Although he never became as famous and as strong as Nick ever was, stories of him were passed down from one generation to the next.
He was once a warlord that marched the land, sundering the earth in his wake. He participated in the great war of sovereignty, leaving behind corpses of demons, dragons, beastmen, mechanoids, and bugs in his unstoppable march.
Tavian was a strong leader and very charismatic too. He swept people off their feet, making them join his army and earning their loyalty, so much so that his people were willing to die for him.
Alas, he was bitter. He was already too old when the great war of sovereignty began; he was way past his peak, and he never was that talented to begin with.
His dream was to become the strongest man ever. And some people often compared him to Nicholas in terms of strength and legendary status. But those comparisons were never really fair.
Tavian was way older than Nick, and Nick was far more talented than he was. Furthermore, Nick was always at the right place at the right time. He’s also found confidants who were just as talented as he was, and their group immediately propelled to the peak of Heavenly Star’s existence while Tavian could barely keep up.
Eventually, he was left so far behind, and when the war ended, so too did his myths. Tavian watched as the whole chaos realm celebrated humanity’s victory, singing praises about the newly ascended human sovereigns.
Where was he when this was all happening? At home, where all of his stories began, quietly licking his wounds and tending to the destruction that was left behind.
His envy burned brightly, only tempered by the cruel reality that he’d never be as popular, as strong, and as talented as Nicholas. Furthermore, he knew that his time was running out.
He refused to fade just like that, though. Initially, he thought that if he couldn’t do it, then at least somebody from his own bloodline could later down the line.
Tavian was aware that Nick’s whole family was gone except his distant relatives. His wife was killed, and the man refused to take another wife or start another family with another. Nick was a bitter old man, if you ask him.
At the very least, Tavian saw it fit to continue and pass down his legacy. And with that, too, were his hopes of one day usurping Nick’s throne, replacing him in history.
That’s the true extent of his bitterness.
He didn’t want to die just yet, but he had no other choice. He could feel his time fading away, escaping his grasp faster than he could find any solution.
In the end, all he could do was to retreat behind the scenes. He went into a preservation slumber, which basically rendered him in a suspended death. He left a little bit of his consciousness awake, just enough to guide his descendants and pay attention to the world outside.
In his mind, he was biding his time to return. Once somebody finds out a way to shatter the limitations and change things around, he will return and walk amongst the living once more and earn his rightful place at the top.
Well, it took some time, indeed, but it eventually happened. Someone did shatter the limitations, breaking through the true peak of existence.
Unfortunately for him, out of all people, it just had to be Nick.
Upon learning this, Tavian’s bitterness couldn’t be suppressed anymore. He’s had it with how unfair this world is.
So, he woke up and decided to shake things around. He knew that his fellow fence-sitters wouldn’t be able to sit still anymore either, so he might as well give them a hand.
If he could disgust Nicholas ever for one final time, he’d say that that’s worth holding on to his miserable existence for this long.
“I remember you,” Nick replied, his voice sounding a little nostalgic there for a bit.
“I’m humbled.” Tavian theatrically bowed. “I offer this toast to you, Dear Councillor. You grace us with your talent and generosity; you truly deserve to be where you are now.”
After saying this, Tavian raised his cup and downed it in a single gulp. He felt the dry and burning trail left behind by the alcohol at the back of his throat, but he didn’t wince.
His eyes continued to blaze with passion; his posture was a bit wobbly but wired to respond to any kind of disturbance before anybody could even blink.
Tavian might be old, but the instincts of a warlord were still strong in him.
“But if I may be blunt…”
’Oh, here we go,’ Cedric mused to himself, suppressing a smile from forming on his face.
“…I’d say I speak for everybody, but what exactly does it mean to the Primal Origin Lifeform?”
“Forgive me if I’m being too direct, but to be honest, this is just too fascinating! Even back in my youth, which was a very, very long time ago, the Primal Origin Lifeform Realm was but a myth. They say it existed, but nobody had ever truly reached that realm. They only dreamed of it; nobody even came close to attempting it.”
“And now, here we all are. You stand before us with this, frankly, shocking claim, but to be honest, and I think I could speak for everybody here again, we see nothing different.”
“Surely you wouldn’t mind imparting some of your insights with us? Of course, I am not asking for everything. I wouldn’t dare to disrespect you like that. Just some demonstrations, if you will.”
“Something, anything, that will prove that you truly are a Primal Origin Lifeform! Surely, a man of your status wouldn’t be lying to us, right?”
Silence permeated the hall. Well, no, not really; the music still flowed unabated, but everybody couldn’t care less about that. They’re all waiting for Nicholas to respond to the, frankly, very flamboyant challenge of Tavian just now.
Nick, however, defied their expectations. He sighed and threw a card at Gibson.
“Ooh, nice! I told you somebody will ask for a display.” Gibson chuckled as he pocketed the card he just got from his friend, much to the amusement of the crowd.