Varahan Palace!
Standing in the throne room while being glared at by countless Ministers and other high members of society was a team of four Wean Clansmen that had been sent as delegates.
At a glance, it was evident that they were all newly formed bodies for each. As they were at the Life Stage, their original stack was back home, and only one body per each had been dispatched. Such an action spoke volumes about their intention, which was to trigger the Varahan Empire's higher-ups.
Even if they were to get killed, they were just losing a newly formed body.
"Since your Majesty, the thief who stole the throne, dares feel arrogant enough to challenge our all-powerful Leader," The Delegate Leader, a young body seemingly in his late teens, shouted while holding a decorating scroll whose only function was to prove his identity as a Delegate of the Wean Clan, "Our gracious, all-powerful Leader accepted the offer to teach an arrogant Ewworm its rightful place."
"And HENCE!" He roared, ignoring the fact that pretty much everyone in the throne room except the Varahan Emperor had raised a Spirit Weapon, intending to kill the Delegates, "We're proposing to build a shithouse strong enough for Sumatra's biggest Ewworm to thrash about in a pile of shit as a rotten corpse."
"Of course, if you're too poor to afford even that, please say so." He concluded with a grand bow, "We'll graciously fund its construction, since it's only right that we do as the ones with money, power, and authority."
"Can't expect much from fucking leeches, can I?" He stared at the Varahan Emperor provocatively and let out laughter filled with mockery, "Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Ha…!"
"Seems I'm still lacking." The Varahan Emperor, Narkahamy let out a pitiful sigh, "I've still yet to learn,"
He eyed the four delegates and muttered without an ounce of anger, "The art of begging with arrogance, I mean."
"Well, no matter." He shrugged, "I'll steal that too from the Wean Clan."
"So?" He eyed the delegates, "Do you have anything else original that you can pride yourself with? Tell me so that I can steal it too."
"That's it, your Majesty." The Delegate Leader bowed, feeling absolutely incensed by Narkahamy's words, 'Don't lose your cool. You need to anger them the most, and not be triggered instead.'
"Then, shoo!" Narkahamy waved his hand and eyed a nearby Minister, "Please give the necessary alms to these kind…beggars…puhahaha!"
He burst into laughter, "It's hilarious how these Wean Clansmen think they're a big deal when they're a thing of the past."
"Treat them with care," He commanded the minister, "Fragile beings, they are. Prideless, they may be, but boy, they are tasty."
"Soon, I'll have everyone here feast upon a Boar King's flesh."
"You…FUCKING BASTARD!" The Delegate Leader roared as he turned around and rushed towards Narkahamy, only then noticing in shock as his body ran forward. He saw his headless body rushing forward while his point of view remained stuck in place.
He craned his eye to the top and stared at the figure of Mesupoh holding his severed head, "You'll die a gruesome death one of these days."
"I'll make a note of it." Mesupoh scratched his cheek, "I've been hearing it too frequently these days, so I made a list."
"Tell me your name and I'll jot it down." He casually bowled the Delegate Leader's head towards the remaining three delegates who had been a tad slower to react. "Please don't die here. His Majesty will force me to wipe the grime clean off these floors. I rather do it on the battlefield."
"We'll relay your response to our Leader." The youngest of the three Delegates stepped forward to cup his fists respectfully towards both Mesupoh and Narkahamy. He then tossed a Vara Slip to Mesupoh and took his leave, "Please send the resources listed in it to the mentioned location. We're expecting it in four days."
He then eyed Narkahamy once and bowed with respect, "Your Majesty, I have a piece of advice to you, since you don't seem angry despite our cheap provocation."
"Powerless threats don't offend me." Narkahamy coolly waved his hand.
"Then, please commission a portrait of yourself before the day of the Varahan Challenge." With that, the three Delegates left the throne room.
"What was that?" Mesupoh frowned at the choice of words used by the Delegate at the end, "What did he mean by that?"
"He wanted me to make a portrait of myself since you lot will not be seeing me after the Varahan Challenge." Narkahamy chuckled, "Basically, he said I'll die."
"That…damn pig!" Mesupoh turned around, intending to lead a charge into Binkn Megacity immediately and slaughter a bunch of Wean Clansmen in retaliation.
"Don't bother," Narkahamy waved his hand and eyed all the agitated Ministers, "Whether I win or lose, there will be a war following the Varaha Challenge. Conserve your strength until then."
He then glared at the Ministers, "And increase your cultivation! The Wean Clansmen have plenty at the 9-Life Stage and our strongest has just recently entered the 4-Life Stage."
"At least, hit a State of Harmony." He chided the Ministers and dismissed the session. He then beckoned Mesupoh as the duo walked into the Varahan Emperor's private corridor and entered the room with the status of Amita Brimgan.
"Are you sure I can come here, Boss?" Since it was just the two of them, Mesupoh changed the way he addressed Narkahamy. "Isn't this your private space?"
"It's alright," Narkahamy waved his hand as the duo took seat on the floor, "I feel peaceful here. This is merely a statue of the Royal Zinger, something I made. It's purely spiritual, but whenever I'm tensed these days, I spend the time here contemplating."
"Are you worried, Boss?" Mesupoh asked.
"It would be a lie if I said I wasn't." Narkahamy expressed his concern, "We have investigated Falrami's case and are now aware that Wean Clansmen can use their tusks to absorb the effect of our Blessed Influence."
"KalTara is definitely capable of it, and at greater efficiency too." Narkahamy let out a mild sigh, "This fight won't be simple but a rally. The one who loses focus first would die."
"Hae you not figured out a counter for the Boar King's attacks?" Mesupoh became perplexed upon hearing Narkahamy's thoughts.
"Do you think I would challenge him if I didn't have the means?" Narkahamy chuckled, "However, that is the issue. Both of us can counter each other now that I stand at the same level as him."
"Then, what's the plan?" Mesupoh asked, "Shall I lead an army into the Varahan Enclave while you're fighting the Boar King?"
"No, just watch the fight." Narkahamy tapped the floor, "You'll learn a lot from it."
"That's it?" Mesupoh frowned, "But Boss, shouldn't there be something more? Like a plan to destroy the Boar King once and for all?"
"There's nothing." Narkahamy smiled, "All I want is for every competent Free Human of the Varahan Empire to witness this fight in close-up and bask in the presence that oozes from our battle."
"Boss…" As he thought, Mesupoh shuddered, exclaiming in disbelief, "This fight itself is your goal."
"Precisely," Narkahamy nodded, "You're finally beginning to use your head in the right direction."
"Basically, my fight will allow the lot of you to become enlightened about entering the State of Harmony." Narkahamy said, "That's my goal."
"Thank you, Boss!" Mesupoh teared up in gratitude, "No one cares about their subordinates as much as you."
"That's why everyone follows you, no matter where you wish to go or what you wish to accomplish."
"It's all a part of life." Narkahamy laughed and got up, "Alright, I'll be training for the time being."
"Yes, Boss!" Mesupoh saluted and left the private corridor while Narkahamy walked towards its end and entered his study.
"You're here," Seated in the study was YoriBuntara, her expression vastly more confident than before. However, the moment Narkahamy made a mild, snapping noise, she flinched and shrunk back into the sofa she was seated upon.
"I have a proposition for you," Narkahamy said as he grabbed YoriBuntara and drew her close to his figure.
"…Yes," YoriBuntara became shy in response as her arms weakly hugged Narkahamy.
"I want to see how much strain your tusks can endure." Narkahamy muttered after a pause, "You're a Boar King now, after all."
"I can…endure anything," YoriBuntara murmured and screamed in pain as she assumed her Boar King form.
Once she turned into the Boar King, Narkahamy experimented upon her and gained a lot of benefits. Only after that did he send out the Varahan Challenge to KalTara.
Even after gaining the power of the Boar King, YoriBuntara was unable to break free from Narkahamy, whether physically or psychologically. She was merely someone who lived for his sake, unable to think of anything else, irrespective of how much strength she gained.
Moreover, even after she became the Boar King, YoriBuntara was weaker than Narkahamy, for she was only at the 3-Life Stage. Whenever she made an extra body, it was only after Narkahamy told her to do so, which was only for his consumption or experimentation.
"Argh!" She screamed in pain as her two tusks exploded, unable to handle storing the Blessed Influence he had seeped into them.
"Indeed, there is a limit." Narkahamy nodded as if he had expected it, "The Vara I produce has already surpassed a Boar King's Vara in terms of quality."
Primary Nature—Blessed Inheritance!
Secondary Nature—Voracious Nature!
Tertiary Nature—Vara Accum!
His build remained the same as before. The only thing that changed was his understanding regarding the Empyrean Boar Race, and the strengthening of his Tertiary Nature.
Once he consumed the Boar King flesh on a daily basis, experimented upon its body, and researched the Vara it produced, he was able to figure out the direction in which he could take to raise the quality of his own Vara.
As a result, his Vara Accum's potency increased, which steadily elevated the robustness of his Human Avatar. And thanks to its effects, his Primary and Secondary Natures too grew stronger.
State of Harmony—Blessed Influence!
Blessed Influence—Stealth!
His presence vanished promptly as Narkahamy observed his being, 'Indeed, the improvements are great. But that's not all!'
Blessed Influence—Boar King Transformation!
But immediately after, he returned to human form, approached YoriBuntara and punched her Boar King form in the face, chuckling upon seeing the mild dent that formed on her head, 'I can harness some of its power in my human form.'
"Next, is this." He casually severed YoriBuntara's tusk after it had regrown and seeped a Blessed Influence inside it. He then threw it to the latter and spoke, "Activate it and attack me with it."
"Okay," YoriBuntara activated the Blessed Influence of Ring Blade in it and targeted Narkahamy, blurting out in shock upon seeing it be absorbed into Narkahamy's Human Avatar, "How?"
"A Wean Clansman used it recently. But after my experimentation, I figured out its limitation." Narkahamy grinned, "It can only be stored in a Wean Clansman's tusk. So, they can only store two Blessed Influence."
"Now," He patted himself, "I've just applied it to my whole Human Avatar. So, I can simply absorb all attacks generated through the Empyrean Boar Race's power system."
"I cannot absorb if the attacks are stronger than the acceptance capability of my Primary Nature." Narkahamy grinned, "And currently, my Nature of Blessed Inheritance is the most potent here."