708 Gannala’s Trade
Connected to a stream of water stretching out from the Dralh Sea through the Kappeet Channel was a body of water largely transformed by the Empyrean Snappers.
It had been created by combining eighteen lakes, four Channels, and two seas, and laying down a direct connection to the Red-Draft River, resulting in the widening of the largest water body that had been there originally, now renamed the Tsloch Sea.
The environment of Tsloch Sea was created to be as safe and nourishing as possible, as a result drawing in plenty of Pranic Beasts to form a new ecosystem. Similar to the Southern Veins in the Brimgan Empire, a vein network of land stretched through the Tsloch Sea while being an island.
This island served as the domicile of the Cooter Clansmen while Tsloch Sea became their new home and doubled down as their headquarters. Pressured by the Celestial Boar, they had been forced to group up.
They had originally been split into different branches due to the limited availability of resources. The Dralh Sea couldn't sustain the needs of more than forty Empyrean Snappers in the long run, as their primary source of food resource originated from the Phells.
The Empyrean Snappers used their bodies to fill the gaps in the Abyss Ring, which only needed 38 of them. Any more, and they won't have a good spot, which was why that number had been maintained until the Second Major Disaster.
Now, multiple water bodies had been connected to form the Tsloch Sea that was barely able to sustain the sheer number of Empyrean Snappers concentrated at the place, all 216 of them.
Their numbers were staggering despite the recent massacre by Brangara.
At the headquarters of the Cooter Clan, situated right next to a resting Empyrean Snapper that had now assumed position as the 1st Empyrean Snapper, hushed discussions erupted in increasing frequencies.
The cause was none other than the arrival of two Empyrean Tusks, their second arrival in fact. The first arrival happened a few years after the Empyrean Snapper massacre. It was where both sides laid down some terms and conditions in regards to a cooperation, one initiated thanks to Resha forging a relationship between each other.
"I have come to satisfy my side of the agreement." Gannala sipped the tea offered to her as she stared at the person nominated as the Cooter Clan Chief temporarily, who only had Silver Grade Strength.
The newly appointed Cooter Clan Chief, Naknak was nervous as he stared at the figures of Gannala and Harrala, able to feel the sheer pressure exuded from their presence, gulping in response.
Gannala and Harrala weren't just Empyrean Tusks but had three Natures, which made them significantly more terrifying than Empyrean Snappers with one Nature. Moreover, Gannala had a Mystic Grade Nature too, which made her even more terrifying in his eyes, so much so that he had difficulties breathing just to be in the same room as the duo.
"Yes…" He took in a deep breath and calmed himself upon feeling the gaze of his Deity. They were currently seated on the topmost floor of a stone-shaped tower, with only four pillars propping up the ceiling. There were no walls.
And positioned right behind Naknak, observing the Empyrean Tusk duo was the 1st Empyrean Snapper's gigantic eye. It remained neutral to its utmost level, understanding that this cooperation was a necessity for their survival.
Unlike Geugeu, there were many Cooter Clansmen stronger than Naknak. But he was appointed for the sole reason he could communicate with the Empyrean Snappers, which only became possible upon reaching the end of Mystic Mist Art after entering the 10-Life Stage.
He was silent for a few seconds, hearing what his Deity had to say before nodding at the duo, "Yes, we've made the necessary preparations already."
He then pointed towards a large stone building a couple kilometres away, one that was forty stories high, "The first batch of medicines has been stored there. We'll give you a batch every time you assist us with your services."
"Good, let's get things started then." Gannala got up slowly and approached the 1st Empyrean Snapper and reached out her hand towards its face, prompting Naknak, "Tell it that I'm going to start with it first. Tell it not to resist."
As Naknak nodded and finished his conversation, Gannala seeped her Prana through the 1st Empyrean Snapper's body and experienced a lot of resistance immediately. She glared at the 1st Empyrean Snapper and watched it gradually reduce its resistance, allowing her Prana to eventually reach the Empyrean Snapper's Spirit Container, following which she vanished, having equipped herself onto its Secondary Nature slot.
Tertiary Nature—Cultivator!
Gannala gathered the influence of her Tertiary Nature upon activating it at full strength, coursing it through the Empyrean Snapper that unleashed Subtle Terrain Domination instinctively. The effects of Subtle Terrain Domination didn't target her but instead harmonised with the effects of Cultivator she was generating.
Her Tertiary Nature had been derived through the assistance of the Cooter Clan, and if her Major Treasure of Arsenal's power, Internal Derivative Refiner could act upon it, she could even derive Subtle Terrain Domination from her Tertiary Nature.
Unfortunately, that wasn't a possibility for the time being, but the fact of the matter is that both her Tertiary Nature and Subtle Terrain Domination were compatible. As a result, she had barely begun the process when the Empyrean Snapper's Prana harmonised with the effects, resulting in the vanishing of its ginormous body, leaving behind only the mountain that had been growing on its back for many centuries.
"Ha…haha! How many years has it been since I last looked this small?" A bald, old man stood at the foot of the mountain, staring at his human hands, clenching them slowly. It felt awkward at first, unusual even, but as he moved them around, he got the hang of it usually.
His expression was fierce in terms of gratitude as he stared at the figure of Gannala who appeared beside him, nonchalant about the inconceivable feat she had just performed, "I thank you from the bottom of my heart."
"What you've done just allowed the Cooter Clan to continue its existence while minimizing the risks faced by the Empyrean Snappers." Saying as such, the 1st Empyrean Snapper bowed, unconcerned about the fact that Gannala was an Empyrean Tusk, seen as a rival by the Empyrean Snappers, or the fact that she was vastly younger in terms of age.
To him, it mattered naught, for Gannala's assistance placated his worries and allowed him to grab his brethren in human forms and flee to safety. Moreover, in human forms, all 216 of them could gather within the Spirit Weapon range of each other and stack the effects of Subtle Terrain Domination.
The absolute domain of authority they unleashed would be unbreakable for even Brangara. Moreover, the same group could even march together into the Varahan Empire and bring Brangara to his knees.
Just being able to assume human form transformed their despair into home. It was why he was truly thankful, setting aside his ego to bow without inhibitions.
"My Tertiary Nature of Cultivator…" Gannala hesitated for a moment before saying, her voice slightly emotional upon seeing an Empyrean Snapper bow to her without a hint of ego, truly thankful from the bottom of his heart, "It's not the same as Brangara."
"This Cultivator was created by my Dad, Inala alongside the perfect Empyrean Snapper, Wittral while taking assistance from the Empyrean Boar King, Brangara." She revealed the truth, nodding upon seeing the old man's disbelief, "It's the truth."
"Inala might have been the one to come up with the idea, but Wittral solved a great number of issues that popped up during the process." She said, embellishing the truth. Wittral and Brangara did contribute a lot to the creation of her Tertiary Nature, that was a fact. However, they never knew they were working towards it in the first place.
Gannala had a reason to cooperate with the Cooter Clan—medicines!
She wanted medicines in amounts that could easily bankrupt the Mammoth Clan, for she intended to raise Gold Grade Mammoth Clansmen. Hence, she purchased it from the Cooter Clan, trading them the opportunity to assume human form, plus equipping the Empyrean Snappers with suitable Nature Weapons.
Every time she gives them a Nature Weapon, she'll be given a large batch of medicines. It was similar when she gave human form to an Empyrean Snapper too. The second process was a goldmine of opportunity.
After all, Empyrean Snappers, just like Gannala and Brangara, weren't able to unleash their peak potential in human form. So, whenever they intended to stockpile a large volume of Spirit Pools, they'd have to assume Empyrean Snapper form.
And every time this happened, they'd request Gannala's assistance. For minimal effort, she'd be getting plenty of resources that benefitted her plan.
"Look here!" The 1st Empyrean Snapper bellowed at his loudest voice and beckoned the Empyrean Snappers to gradually gather in his vicinity. The expressions of everyone stiffened at the start before breaking into awe, excitement, and most of all, relief.
"If you please," He faced Gannala and asked respectfully.
"Of course, it's my pleasure." Gannala nodded and began to sequentially transform the Empyrean Snappers into their human form equivalent. Harrala watched the process from the side, her gaze one of admiration.
[Isn't she amazing, Dad?]
She thought, staring at the minor bump that formed on her wrist in response. The bump wriggled faintly in response as Yennda's voice resounded in her mind space, allowing the two to communicate.
[Do you want to do something similar?]
Yennda's voice was soft, treating the conversation as his most cherished memory, plagued by the thought that his daughter would eventually become tired of him. But until that dreaded moment arrived, he wished to be happy and assist her to his utmost capability.
[I don't intend to compete with Gannala, Dad. I just…wish I was a bit more competent.]
11:32
She had just uttered it when a large volume of information, from science to biology to information technology flowed into her mind, stunning her with the tens of thousands of foreign concepts.
Every piece of information that Yendda had read on the internet during his life on Earth was preset vividly in his memory, thanks to unlocking the third phase of Mystic Bone Art. Once unlocked at the Life Stage, it allowed the Mammoth Clansman to treat their body as a Bone Slip, able to remember every piece of information that was a part of their life.
They'll be unable to forget anything after that and will also recall everything that they had forgotten. In Yennda's case, he practically lived on the internet once he had been divorced, surfing through it for most of the day, except for when he slept.
[I…cannot understand anything, Dad!]
Harrala felt overwhelmed by the information, feeling her head spin. The quantity of information was nothing to an Empyrean Tusk like her, but the quality of information was terrifying.
[I'll teach you, from the basics. From mathematics to physics, I'll teach you everything I know. I may not be as competent as Inala to raise Gannala to the stellar level that she has attained now, but I'll do my utmost to make up for our lost time. In Sumatra, you will inherit my competence in the field of science and engineering. Will you…learn from me?]
Her eyes became moist upon hearing Yennda's words. Finally, she was doing something a daughter could do with her father, which was to learn his craft. 'He's opening up to me!'
[Yes! I'll learn everything, Dad!]
In the meantime, Gannala exited the Spirit Container of the fortieth Empyrean Snapper after giving it a human form, noticing Harrala getting emotional while staring at her wrist. 'Is she talking to Yennda?'
'I'm happy for you, Harrala.' Before she realised, a wide smile had formed on Gannala's face. Harrala's emotional state had rubbed off on her, causing her to shout in high spirits, "Alright! Who's up next?"
"I'll go through everyone in one swing!"