Kutcher and Prīōra had finally reached Tuziku on the outskirts of the village. However, Tuziku ordered them to escape farther away from the village while he stayed behind.
After the villagers caught up to him, he allowed himself to be captured after learning that Nēgus was the new village Chief.
Soon after, the mob took him back to the village, where Nēgus greeted him.
Upon arriving, Nēgus showed Tuziku what had become of the former Chief of the proud Hakashi Tribe.
The old man was covered in blood and wounds, his limbs tied as he was forced to watch his home being reduced to ashes.
"What the hell did you do, Nēgus?!" Tuziku shouted in a fit of rage.
Nēgus burst out laughing.
"What do you think?"
"I'm executing my revenge against this stupid old man who tried to have me exiled!" He wore a proud grin.
Tuziku glared at him furiously.
"How can you do that to your own grandfather?!" Tuziku gritted his teeth.
"It's his fault for taking the side of you and that failure I have for a little sister!"
Nēgus let out a smirk.
"And this is only the beginning of my revenge."
Tuziku gritted his teeth with so much passion that blood began to drip from his mouth.
"How can all of you people from this village allow this man to do something like that to your own Chief?!" Tuziku shouted at the villagers standing nearby.
"Their Chief?" Nēgus tilted his head in confusion.
"You seem to be mistaken, so I'll enlighten you on something..."
Nēgus crouched beside Tuziku, who lay on the floor in restraints.
Tuziku gazed at him, his mouth hanging open in suspense.
"After I was exiled, I didn't need to step foot into the village. I just needed to whisper a few words."
"At first, they didn't believe me. But seeing how I refrained from entering the village, they began to question my story."
"Soon after, I began planting a few seeds..."
"I began recommending myself as an adequate candidate to replace my grandfather as Chief."
He chuckled.
"It only took about three days before some of the villagers confronted the old man about the rumors. And believe it or not—he confessed that he was teaching you—the outsider—the Hakashi Technique!"
Nēgus burst out laughing.
"The old man actually tried to justify teaching our sacred Hakashi Technique to an outsider!"
He continued laughing, desperately gasping for air as he struggled to calm himself.
Tuziku remained silent. His expression alone was enough to translate his thoughts.
Nēgus took a deep breath before continuing.
"After the villagers confirmed the allegations, within the next week, I had the entire village on my side..."
"Then, this morning... it was time to make my move!"
Earlier this morning...
Just as the old man was returning from his early morning training session with Tuziku...
Ryōkōjū was walking along the narrow path on the village outskirts that led back to the village when suddenly—
"Yo, old man!"
A voice called out to him.
As the old man turned around, he saw his grandson, Nēgus, approaching him with a grin.
"Nēgus... what are you doing here?" Ryōkōjū's expression hardened.
"What are you talking about, you senile old man?" Nēgus approached closer.
"Last time I recalled... I was exiled from your village."
"As you can see, I haven't stepped foot in your village."
He extended his arms, attempting to highlight his location.
The old man glared at him suspiciously.
"Well, anyways, I was actually looking for you."
Nēgus let out an eerie smile.
The old man wore a confused expression.
"For me?"
"Well, yeah. Since you're the present Chief, and also since I'm not allowed to step foot in the village, I was hoping I'd run into you out here!"
"You can stop dragging this out now, Nēgus!"
"Get to the point already! Why are you looking for me?!" the old man snapped.
Nēgus continued to wear an eerie smile.
"Well, I'm sorry, but I had to at least let you know that you're being replaced as the Chief of the Hakashi Tribe!"
Ryōkōjū's eyelids opened unnaturally wide.
"W—what are you talking about?"
Nēgus chuckled.
"COME OUT, MEN!"
Suddenly—
Dozens of men from the Hakashi Tribe began emerging from the surrounding area.
They had been hiding behind the large boulders scattered across the rocky terrain of the Shiriku Region.
The men began surrounding the old man.
"What is the meaning of this?!" he shouted in a state of utter confusion.
Nēgus stepped forward.
"As of today—I've been officially elected as the new Chief of the Hakashi Tribe!"
"Elected?! Elected by whom exactly?" Ryōkōjū asked.
"Why, the villagers, of course!"
Nēgus stroked his fingers through his silky blonde hair.
"Impossible..." the old man muttered, denying it completely.
However, as he gazed at the countless familiar faces surrounding him as though he were a criminal, he immediately knew—
It was the undeniable truth.
People he had helped before.
People he had protected before.
They had all turned against him.
Ryōkōjū lowered his head and clenched his fists in anger.
"When did all of this happen?" he mumbled.
"If you must know, my dear grandfather..."
"Last night, I held a secret voting session outside the village to determine whether or not the people wanted me as their new Chief."
"Since you're a traitor—and I, your own grandson, was the one who notified the villagers about it—all suspicion surrounding me was instantly cleared."
Nēgus let out a proud grin.
"The majority approved me as the Chief."
"And I've already stood in for you as Chief before and made quite an impression."
"But you were too busy training that cocky little outsider brat our sacred technique, so you wouldn't know!"
He vented almost like a child.
The old man let out a smirk.
"...You've grown enough balls to take my position as Chief of the village—and yet, here you are acting like a child!"
He chuckled.
Nēgus' proud and joyous expression suddenly twisted into a dreadful sneer.
"Tch! How dare you!"
He instantly bolted toward the old man.
SMACK!
He launched a powerful punch straight into his jaw.
"I'm the Chief of the goddamn Hakashi Tribe! How dare you insult me!"
Ryōkōjū held his jaw as he gazed at Nēgus in disbelief.
Suddenly, Nēgus snapped.
He began to mercilessly assault his defenseless grandfather as the villagers he cared for so much watched in approval.
Ryōkōjū refused to raise a hand against Nēgus. In a futile attempt to defend himself, he could only guard with his arms.
The brutal ordeal lasted approximately ten minutes.
After he was satisfied, Nēgus wiped the sweat from his face.
"Phew! You have no idea, but I've been wanting to do that for a while now, old man!"
"Men, tie him up and let's take him back to the village!"
And those were the events that led to Nēgus becoming the new Chief of the Hakashi Tribe.
CHAPTER 58 END!