After leaving the Iron Tusk Tribe behind, William launched himself into the sky once more and continued his search for the final tribal settlement. Several minutes passed before he arrived above a densely forested region that immediately stood apart from the territories he had visited earlier.
The Earthen Fang settlement possessed a completely different character from the other tribes.
Unlike the Mistwalkers and Iron Tusks, who had established their villages around large open areas, the Earthen Fang people had built their lives directly into the forest itself. Massive ancient trees dominated the landscape, their trunks so wide that entire structures had been constructed around them.
Wooden shelters rested among tangled roots, elevated platforms connected distant branches, and narrow pathways wound through the dense vegetation like veins running through a living organism.
The forest seemed an inseparable part of their identity. Only a single large clearing stood among the endless sea of green.
At the center of that clearing stood the chief’s throne, surrounded by gathered tribesmen and women who appeared to be participating in some form of open court.
As William observed the settlement from above, he released a quiet sigh.
The entire process had begun to feel repetitive.
Every tribe demanded the same confrontation and challenges from him; the process was feeling repetitive at this point. Although the circumstances surrounding each tribe had proven different, the overall task remained unchanged.
Even so, William still intended to give them an opportunity to explain themselves. Whatever else happened afterward would depend entirely upon their answers.
Without bothering to approach through the tribe’s entrance, William descended directly from the sky. A powerful gust of wind swept across the clearing as his feet touched the ground.
Conversations stopped immediately. Every eye in the area turned toward him.
The chief, who had been presiding over the gathering only moments earlier, stared at the unfamiliar figure with obvious surprise.
William did not waste any time. The moment he straightened his posture, Solar Authority Pressure erupted from his body.
An invisible force spread across the clearing.
Heavy thuds echoed one after another as warriors, hunters, and guards alike collapsed onto their knees or fell directly onto the ground beneath the overwhelming pressure.
Even those who possessed considerable strength found themselves completely unable to resist.
The chief himself was no exception.
Wrapped in a large wolf pelt that seemed to symbolize his authority, the Earthen Fang leader struggled for a brief moment before being forced down alongside everyone else.
William slowly walked forward until he stood directly before him.
His expression remained calm.
"I am the Supreme Commander of the Eternal Sun Empire," he said evenly. "I have come to enforce the will of the Empress."
The gathered tribesmen exchanged nervous glances. William continued without pause.
"When the Empress summoned the tribal leaders of this region, why did you fail to appear?"
His tone remained controlled, but there was a sharp edge beneath the words. After dealing with the previous tribes, his patience had become significantly thinner.
If the man attempted to deceive him or offered another meaningless excuse, William was fully prepared to end the conversation immediately.
The Earthen Fang chief trembled visibly.
He quickly lowered his head until it nearly touched the ground.
"Please spare me, great lord," he said hurriedly. "I was pressured by the other two tribes into rejecting the Empress’s summons."
William narrowed his eyes.
The answer immediately sounded suspicious.
"That is a rather embarrassing admission for a tribal chief," he replied. "I never expected to hear that the leader of an entire tribe simply obeyed the wishes of neighboring tribes."
The chief swallowed nervously.
"My lord, the situation is more complicated than it appears. The Mistwalker Tribe and the Iron Tusk Tribe both awakened their ancestral spirit weapons. Meanwhile, my own tribe has failed to do so. The balance of power between us has already shifted dramatically, and our position has become increasingly vulnerable."
William remained silent for several moments. His expression reflected obvious doubt. However, his reasoning seemed true.
Unlike the previous leaders, this man possessed no strange artifact protecting him from William’s aura. Both Jun and Dane had carried ancestral treasures that weakened or resisted William’s pressure. This chief had nothing of the sort.
That fact alone lent some credibility to his words.
More importantly, William’s Omniscient Eyes revealed no signs of deception. The man genuinely believed what he was saying.
William rubbed the back of his head thoughtfully.
"I have already dealt with the other two tribes," he eventually said. "They have received the consequences of their actions. The only question remaining is whether you intend to oppose the Empire moving forward."
The chief answered immediately.
"No, my lord. I have no objection whatsoever to recognizing the authority of the Empress."
The response came so quickly that William found himself slightly surprised. There was no hesitation or any attempt at resistance.
The man simply accepted the situation.
William gave a small nod.
"Very well. In two days, you should travel to the Imperial capital and formally receive approval from the Empress."
The chief immediately bowed again.
"It shall be done, my lord."
William studied him for a few moments.
The complete lack of hostility felt unusual after everything he had experienced today. Eventually, curiosity got the better of him.
"Why are you being so cooperative?"
As he spoke, William subtly activated emotional manipulation.
A wave of fear settled over the tribal chief, encouraging him to reveal his genuine thoughts without attempting to conceal anything.
The chief swallowed before answering.
"My lord, as I explained earlier, our tribe currently possesses no ancestral spirit treasure. The other tribes have already gained advantages that we cannot match. Under such circumstances, it would be foolish for us to antagonize a powerful force like the Empire."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"In truth, I had already been considering ways to establish a closer relationship with the Imperial Family. I even intended to offer my daughter’s hand in marriage to the Crown Prince."
William blinked.
For a brief moment, he genuinely did not know how to respond. This man had reached that conclusion entirely on his own.
"You planned a marriage alliance?"
The chief nodded enthusiastically.
"Of course. Such relationships have always been useful when securing long-term cooperation."
Then his eyes suddenly brightened. As though struck by inspiration, he looked directly at William.
"My lord, now that you are here, perhaps you would like to meet my daughter?"
The smile on his face widened considerably. From his perspective, it was better now that William had arrived here and proven his mantle in front of the whole tribe.
After all, who would not want a son-in-law capable of suppressing an entire tribe without effort?
William immediately sensed where the conversation was heading.
"I am not interested," he replied flatly. "A positive relationship with the Empire does not require a marriage arrangement."
Unfortunately, the chief appeared completely unconvinced.
He had already begun turning around.
"Please wait, my lord. It will only take a moment. My daughter is exceptionally..."
William did not stay long enough to hear the rest. The moment the chief began moving, William shot into the sky and disappeared with a twitching expression.
He had absolutely no interest in becoming involved in that conversation.
After spending the entire day dealing with tribal politics, hidden conspiracies, parasitic chimeras, and stubborn leaders, the last thing he wanted was to discuss marriage proposals.
Within moments, he left the Earthen Fang territory behind.
William flew directly toward the capital city of Veridian Province. The familiar skyline soon appeared on the horizon.
Once he arrived, he immediately sought out Derek and informed him about everything that had happened throughout the day, including the situations involving all three tribes.
At this point, only a single matter remained unresolved.
He still needed to revisit the Mistwalker Tribe the following day and talk with his new slave tribal chief, Jun, regarding the situation among the tribes and also the spirit treasures.
Once that was done, the problems plaguing Veridian Province would finally be settled, allowing William to move on to more important matters.