Chapter 834
Animal World
Alistair originally had no intention of directly fighting with other Ascenders.
The main reason was that even if they were killed, it wouldn’t stop their actions – this was the most crucial reason.
Although these people seemed to have grudges and would fight when they met… Alistair had no conflict with them. She could well Be a spectator to the struggle between two parties, and then peacefully run to the side to complete her mission.
Even for Extraordinary beings on the Transcendent Path, killing should not be the goal. Or rather, precisely because it is the Transcendent Path, killing becomes a means.
For Transcendent beings, everything is just a means.
Moreover, Alistair knew the background of “This painting” from the very beginning.
This was because it was a fairy tale written by her grandfather, Jacob, when he was young—the world of “The White Horse King”!
Alistair had read that fairy tale.
This fairy tale obscurely recorded the secrets of the Battle of Punishing Heaven and the Battle of Cracked Land. He had merged two completely different events, so for those who only knew one of them, it could not be considered a kind of allusion.
—In the past, carnivorous animals led by the red Giant Bear and the golden Lion ruled this World. They were not allies or subordinates to each other, but they jointly divided the entire grassland, preying on other herbivores.
In the end, the herbivores united. Led by leaders such as the white Horse and the green Deer, they fought wits and courage with these powerful and ferocious carnivores, overcoming the strong with the weak… eventually defeating the ferocious Giant Bear and becoming the new kings, restoring peace to the grassland.
The golden Lion’s attitude was ambiguous.
He initially seemed to want to help the Giant Bear, but felt that the animals were too angry; he also wanted to lead the herbivores to defeat the Giant Bear together, thereby becoming the sole King of the grassland—a much better Monarch than the Giant Bear.
However, the Lion argued with the protagonist of the fairy tale, the White Horse. The White Horse believed the Lion was too Arrogant, while the Lion thought the White Horse was too foolish—he never believed that the powerful Giant Bear could be defeated from the outset. In the end, the two beasts parted on bad terms.
Under the Fox’s persuasion, the Lion decided to display his tolerance and compassion to the outside world.
He created a sanctuary, where animals that did not wish to participate in the conflict gathered to himself. He did eat meat… but as long as there were enough animals living there, he could eat only those that died of old age, which would be equivalent to no longer killing.
He did successfully gather a group of animals that did not want to participate in the war.
However, a Mole disguised as a herbivore quietly infiltrated. He told the herbivores that he was a herbivore, and told the carnivores that he was a carnivore, thus becoming good friends with them, but secretly ate the Lion’s strategist, the Fox. Finally, he was discovered by the angry Lion, who then ate him.
After the war on the other side ended, the Lion planned to fight the White Horse to the death. However, at this moment, the Mole burrowed out of the Lion’s chest. In the end, the Lion’s Legion saw that the Lion was dead and immediately fell apart, scattering in all directions. The Mole did not flee; he pledged allegiance to the White Horse, but the White Horse, wary of the Mole’s past actions, did not accept him.
However, the White Horse, seeing that the Mole had killed the Lion, spared his life. But he was not allowed to approach his kingdom and expelled the Mole.
Among them, the red Giant Bear represented the Giants and their God, the Supreme Heaven. The green Deer represented the Elves and the Eternal Holy Kingdom, and the White Horse was Arthur, the Knight King, before the ascension of the Silver Crown Dragon.
The golden Lion represented the Hrasal Empire, the Fox might be a Demon Scholar, or possibly a Mage or an Alchemist… and the Mole was undoubtedly a Child of the Moon.
Because she had the strategy in hand and knew who would ultimately win… Alistair directly found the White Horse King.
Although he was an Avatar of Arthur, he did not seem to recognize Alistair.
This meant that the White Horse was not “himself” at least.
However, he still accepted Alistair’s help, and did not shy away from accepting the guidance of the “Evil Wisdom” that Alistair claimed to possess.
“As long as I can defeat the more Evil King of the Giant Bears, any means are permissible.”
The White Horse said so.
This was clearly the style of a Transcendent. Perhaps it was for this reason that he accepted help from Alistair.
In the first round of choices, the question “What story is this fairy tale telling?” had three answers.
“The Battle of Cracked Land,” “The Battle of Punishing Heaven,” “Both.”
—No one was stupid, so everyone chose “Both.”
Alistair was unsure how many people had entered this painting.
But everyone chose the same answer… This caused them to collide as soon as they landed.
And this old Mage in the posture of a “Baboon,” although he had not read this fairy tale… in the first round of choices, he had also keenly discerned the allegory of the fairy tale itself.
Then the most valuable faction was undoubtedly the Silver Crown Dragon, represented by the “White Horse.”
This was a future Pillar God!
…As a result, this Baboon told the White Horse at the start that he had to be his advisor. As a wise sage, he would lead the chosen Monarch to victory, and others were clearly not up to par.
—What the hell are you bringing, you’re bringing it, didn’t you see me standing on the back of the horse!
Do you want to steal my contribution?
I came first!
Because Alistair was unsure if she could out-argue a Mage skilled in philosophical debate, Alistair directly decided to take action—to physically destroy the opponent’s thoughts.
The Night Demon she summoned was also influenced by the style of this World and turned into a crayon-style cartoon. It looked like a rather cute Little Crow, and its attack effects also became extremely simplistic.
The Baboon Mage, unhurriedly, raised his staff and summoned a portal of azure light, then disappeared from his spot.
The White Horse felt somewhat helpless about the quarrel between the two “wise men”: “I don’t think you need to argue. If you have better opinions, I can listen to them all…”
“Not necessarily, Highness.”
Alistair asked with a stern face, “Do you think he has hatred for the Giant Bears? Or rather, do you think he came for victory, or for justice?”
“…Hmm. You are right.”
The White Horse pondered for a moment, and still chose to believe Alistair, who had arrived earlier: “He just wants to be the ‘chosen Monarch’, not to end the rule of the Giant Bears. Honestly, I don’t really care if I become King or not… If the Golden Lion wants it, I could let him be the new King.
“As a fellow carnivore, he is much more rational than the Giant Bears. If there must be a carnivore as the Monarch, I would choose him.”
“I believe you, Highness,”
Alistair said in a delicate Fox voice, but only you can be King. The Lion is untrustworthy… If you don’t believe me, let’s go and see.”
On the other side, the Mage, who had long planned to escape, directly teleported in front of the Lion.
It was a giant sleeping Lion. He was awakened by the Baboon’s voice, and his eyes opened a slit.
“Just as Your Majesty thought,”
The Baboon Mage said respectfully to the Lion, “the White Horse wants to become the new King.”
“Heh heh… He will fail.”
The Golden Lion’s voice was calm and deep, “He can be my general, my adopted son… my Queen. But he cannot be the Monarch. This is for everyone’s good. Because no one would think that a herbivore could be a King. Even the Deer cannot do it—no one truly fears the Deer, because he does not ‘eat’ others.
“People fear the Giant Bears, yet are loyal to the Bear King. It is because he is ferocious enough.
“What can the White Horse bring? He will only fight for grass with others—he and his subjects eat the same things, in the same places, and people do not fear him at all. Then how can they obey him?”
“What Your Majesty says is true,”
The Baboon replied respectfully.
But he sighed in his heart, knowing that he could only change his path.
(End of this chapter)
