Point of View: Rogan
After a few seconds of silence, I finally answered.
"My cultivation stagnated again."
It wasn't unusual.
As a warrior increased in level, both the difficulty of cultivation and the amount of resources required to advance also increased.
That was normal.
The real problem was something else.
"I already knew what I needed to do to continue advancing… but this time, I had no way to solve it."
I looked directly at my son before continuing.
"I needed more resources."
"Far more."
My voice grew colder.
"But I could no longer continue stealing the same amounts without raising suspicion."
That was the limit tormenting me.
Until then, I had managed to hide everything perfectly.
No one suspected anything.
No one saw what I was truly doing while traveling between tribes delivering supplies.
But if the amount of missing resources increased too much…
Everything would collapse.
And I could not allow that.
My eyes narrowed.
"I couldn't allow my stagnation to last too long."
"Eventually, someone would start questioning why."
There were too many things that could go wrong.
But above all…
I could not bear imagining the future.
The thought of inferior beings surpassing me simply because they had been born with better talent…
It was unbearable.
My voice hardened even further.
"There was only one path left for me."
The icy wind swept through the forest as snow continued falling slowly around us.
"If I wanted to solve that problem… I had to become the chief of the tribe."
I paused briefly before finishing the sentence.
"And for that… I had to kill your grandfather."
The chains tightened violently.
Tharok tried to stand again, but in his current state he could barely move.
I ignored him and continued speaking.
"It was the only solution."
Though saying it was far easier than doing it.
"Your grandfather was stronger than me, more experienced, and more skilled in combat."
"If I challenged him following the tribe's rules…"
"I would lose."
There was no other possible outcome.
A dry laugh escaped me.
Someone's image appeared in my mind.
"That's why I resorted to another method."
My gaze slowly lowered toward him.
"Poison."
Tharok's breathing became much heavier.
His eyes filled with hatred.
"Yes, son."
"I poisoned your grandfather."
"Liar!"
His roar echoed through the trees.
"You couldn't have done it!"
"You were always leaving the tribe to deliver supplies!"
I nodded slowly.
"That's true."
But he still didn't understand.
"I wasn't the one who gave him the poison directly."
Obtaining it had already been difficult enough.
The tribe selling it guarded it carefully, and I barely managed to acquire a small amount.
That was why I needed help.
And that help appeared on its own.
Before I could continue, Tharok spoke again.
"It was Marek… wasn't it?"
A smile appeared on my face.
"It seems you're finally beginning to understand."
There was no point hiding it anymore.
"Yes. It was him."
"The poison alone wasn't enough to kill your grandfather quickly."
"It had to be administered little by little."
"For a very long time."
"And Marek was perfect for that."
I looked once again at the snow-covered forest.
"He was always jealous of you, son."
My voice sounded indifferent.
"But that jealousy turned into hatred once you started being with Sara."
Manipulating him after that was incredibly easy.
I only needed to push him a little.
Promise him an opportunity.
Make him believe he could reclaim what 'belonged to him.'
Tharok spoke with pain in his voice.
"I didn't take Sara away from him…"
"She never loved him."
I stayed silent for a few seconds before responding.
"And she never truly loved you either."
His gaze trembled slightly.
"She only wanted power, status, and resources."
I nodded slowly.
"That's true."
In some ways, Sara was very similar to me.
Ambitious.
Pragmatic.
Capable of doing anything to obtain what she desired.
"But Marek never wanted to accept that."
"For him, you were responsible for everything."
I heard Tharok breathing heavily before he asked again.
This time, his voice was much lower.
Heavier.
"I can understand what happened with my grandfather…"
He slowly raised his head.
"But why kill my mother?"
I looked up at the sky.
Darkness already covered almost the entire forest.
Soon the abominations would begin moving more frequently.
I needed to return.
But…
I had already gone too far.
Why stop now?
Drakar's tribe wasn't that far away, and with my cultivation level, I could still retreat without too much danger if I left soon.
Besides…
Perhaps a part of me truly wanted someone to know the whole truth.
I sighed slowly.
"Fine…"
"I'll tell you about your mother."
The wind blew through the trees as I watched him silently.
I didn't know whether I was doing this because I was certain I could still leave safely…
Or because I wanted someone to understand how much it cost me to get this far.
Everything I had to sacrifice.
Everything I had to destroy.
My eyes lowered toward him.
"After all…"
"You're the only one I can tell this to."