"Hmm…hmmmm…lala…laaa…lalalala!" Virala hummed a tune as he flicked Spirit Containers with his little finger like he was flicking booger. Each Spirit Container was only able to hold one unit of Prana. While exposed to the environment, its already unstable state worsened rapidly, causing it to form cracks, about to shatter in a matter of seconds.
"Let's see…how many variables does this make?" Virala muttered as he stored his thoughts in a Spirit Container cluster, forming a list, "Only when I'm prepared for all scenarios can I react promptly. Twenty variables…is that all?"
He continued to think while observing his surroundings. By now, the entirety of the hill's surface was covered by Spirit Containers, with a good fraction of them in the process of dissipating. The reason he was doing this was simple—alarm!
The moment his other body were to enter the vicinity of one of the tossed Spirit Containers, they would explode in certain way that Virala would be able to react promptly. Considering how he was facing Gannala, it was prudent that he takes all the necessary precautions, "Considering that she's raised by Inala, there should be a lot that she's hiding from even the Mammoth Clan."
While he was doing this, his tail elongated to a length of forty metres and was constantly targeting the Mystic Eaters in the tunnel. The tangible data that condensed in the air, as a result, was spontaneously absorbed into his Spirit Container cluster as Virala swallowed them, muttering in response, "I see, so through the mind aspect of Prana, Orakha is able to imbue some simple commands in the Mystic Eaters. They'll follow that religiously."
"But, simple commands are the limit." He stared at the tunnel to see the Mystic Eaters continue to transport resources out of the tunnel, only to meet their end in the hands of Virala, "Without Orakha available here to actively alter their commands, they cannot even react to my actions, since it's not something they've been commanded to do."
Transport the resources!
That was the only command given to the Mystic Eaters. Hence, they continued to do that, not having the sentience or even minimalistic thought processes necessary to think and react to Virala. Only large Mystic Eaters were capable of such, but they were Prana intensive.
Since there was no need for them in the current situation, Orakha didn't create them. Not only did they require a lot of Prana to be condensed, but their upkeep was a serious drain on his reserves. As he was there to overlook the situation, Orakha didn't wish to waste Prana.
As a result, not that he had vanished, Virala had free rein of the place. Right as he absorbed the data of the four hundredth Mystic Eater, the data cluster related to the Mystic Eaters in his mindspace churned in response.
A few pieces of data flowed out of the cluster and joined together like pieces of a puzzle to form a statement.
[I'll shield you from Brangara's detection means until you've matured. Until then, we'll use my Minor Treasure to cooperate. So, don't do anything stupid by targeting the Mammoth Clan.]
"A show of cooperation once again?" Virala grinned, "Interesting bastard, as expected of a sleazy merchant. You're always on the lookout for benefits…"
While Virala muttered in interest, he was at a loss for words, noticing that something was amiss, "I know why he wants to cooperate with me. We both have a lot to gain from each other. But…"
He frowned, observing the stream of resources continued to be brought out by the Mystic Eaters, "What does he gain from the Mammoth Clan?"
Mammoth Treasury? That didn't seem likely as Orakha wasn't compatible with it. Weaponisation? It was unnecessary, considering the abilities of his compound Human Avatar. Whatever he wanted, Orakha could actively morph his Human Avatar to achieve the effect of.
Tusk bone powder? That was never a resource he needed, since Orakha pretty much followed the Free Human style of Human Avatar building while remaining a Mammoth Clansman. He basically had the best of both worlds.
A safe place for the kid he has with Maroppa? The Mammoth Clan was the last place that could be called safe. After all, the moment Brangara catches a breather and adjusts to his newfound strength, he'd actively target the Mammoth Clan.
Considering Orakha's abilities, he could head to any Free Human Kingdom and become their King. With his Gold Grade strength, he was strong even in the Brimgan Empire, not to mention Free Human Kingdoms.
Since he could gather minerals in their purest forms through his Mystic Eaters, there would be no need to waste time, resources, and manpower on factories geared toward the refinement of ores into minerals.
His ability netted in results that were one hundred percent pure and almost instantaneous. Even if the Kingdom's King was unwilling, with a mere show of Orakha's various capabilities, he'd have to bow down.
And as long as he leaves a Minor Treasure of Orakha's Checkpoint in Maroppa and the child he has with her, he can sense the latter's condition and revive to rush to their rescue almost instantaneously.
So, there was no need to move with the Mammoth Clan.
Then, was it loyalty? Virala chuckled at the thought, "He's the last person to have one."
After all, the first day Orakha opened his eyes on Sumatra was when Resha shattered his jaw and fed him to a pack of Mud Vipers. So, if anything, Orakha only had hatred for his life at the Mammoth Clan.
After all, he hadn't lived there long enough to be influenced as a Mammoth Clansman. His childhood at the Mammoth Clan wasn't anything special. An orphan, plus afflicted with the Fragment Disease.
If he failed to prove his value to the Mammoth Clan, he'd be chucked into the mouth of a Pranic Beast. Just like all the Death Row Students, Orakha had heard the statement enough times that his attachment to the Mammoth Clan was at an all-
time low.
Recalling his memories from his time on Earth further built his resistance to the Supreme Tusk Gannala's influence. And even after he was revived, Orakha spent time dying and reviving through the Transcendent Eater.
Once he attained his current build, he obtained Raaha's permission to make a beeline towards the Brimgan Empire. "When I think like this, Orakha doesn't have a single good incident with the Mammoth Clan. Then, why is he on their side?"
"With the number of Sumatra Gold he has, and considering his powers, he can easily block Gannala's influence on him to a great extent. His three Gold Grade Natures would be influencing him to an extent that would easily drown whatever influence Gannala managed to stack on him." Virala became confused the longer he thought.
He then stared at his chest, observing the ribcage that the Minor Treasure of Orakha's Checkpoint had fused into. A few seconds later, Virala became stunned, too stunned to even speak. Almost five minutes later, he burst out in laughter, "You're bold! Fucking bold!"
"So that was it!" Virala slapped his head, "A business opportunity lies in every crisis. Is that it, Orakha?"
"Well, I'm also fishing for opportunity in a crisis," Virala muttered and became silent, continuing to flick Spirit Containers like booger while his stamp continued to harvest the data of Mystic Eaters.
Eventually, the Mammoth Clan arrived at the foothill, with Raaha taking the lead. 'He's here.'
Virala watched Raaha take a step on the hill while the Empyrean Tusks spread around, encircling the place. He looked around and failed to find Gannala, 'She must be underground. It's a stable approach to the situation, one that's the most robust.'
"But, why are you trying to fight me?" Virala expressed confusion at Raaha, "Did I claim myself as the Mammoth Clan's enemy?"
"I'll decide that once you're our captive." Raaha snorted as he stomped on the hill, seeping his Prana through it to turn the entire hill into sand.
"Aaah!" All the Empyrean Tusks exhaled fiercely, unleashing a cyclic gale that combined to form a tornado and lifted the entire sand hill into the sky, preventing Virala from fleeing into the ground through his Mystic Ewworm form.
Caught in the tornado, with his body spun across high into the sky, Virala remained unfazed. Even when the sand slammed into his body, he was unharmed. It would take a full-powered hit from an Empyrean Tusk to injure him, not a mere tornado.
After all, he had the combined physical strength of two Mystic Grade Pranic Beast bodies.
"I guess we can only have a discussion once you all calm down," Virala muttered as his gaze was serious, observing the bodies of all the Empyrean Tusks. He then noticed the tossed Spirit Containers explode in a certain fashion near the 102nd Empyrean Tusk, 'So, there you are.'
Tertiary Body Stage 1—Brangara!
Virala transformed into the human appearance of Brangara, emanating a presence on the level of the previous Boar King. Even though he wasn't the real one, his presence was the real deal, especially since it stopped all the Empyrean Tusks from continuing with follow-up attacks.
There was an instinctive fear and hesitation in their expression as using the opportunity, Virala clapped aloud, unleashing a shockwave that propelled him faster to the ground. He moved to a spot the farthest from the 102nd Empyrean Tusk, landing on the ground to comment upon the closest Empyrean Tusk, "It seems you're ready to listen to me now."
"Seriously, I'm not an enemy…" Virala transformed into his Mystic Ewworm form, used psychokinesis on his body to speed himself up to the limit, and flickered away from the spot, his heart thumping as he observed Gannala peek out of the ground, barely missing her mark since his reaction speed and movement speed were superior to hers.
But he hadn't even oriented himself when a hole opened on the ground at the spot he landed, as if expecting his arrival there. And flying out of it was a Nature Weapon.