Echidna's Authority.
Har Jahar canceled the effects of the monster-controlling artifact after its brief use. Clearly, his intent was only to use it as a deterrent here.
"We need to stay together on one page for Echidna's prosperity. The Oni festival would proceed as per our customs with no changes whatsoever."
Har Jahar said in a deep voice. However, he also knew that the iron fist was only so effective. It had its limits. Plus, the sacrifices only worked best when there were genuine feelings attached to them. Har Jahar needed the monsters to take part in the process willingly.
Therefore, only deterrence won't be effective. To make the tribe leaders and their tribes submissive to his authority and cause, he had to adapt a carrot-and-stick strategy.
Therefore, he looked around before calling someone who seemed to be absent from the crowd.
"Kirin!
My child. Show yourself."
Har Jahar said to nobody in particular. In the next moment, however, a young Oni appeared in front of him and bowed her head.
This was Har Jahar's daughter, Kirin. She had two horns attached to her forehead just like her father, attesting to her Oni lineage. But the similarities kind of ended there.
Kirin looked more like a human than a monster. She had clear rosy skin with a distinct red tinge. She had a gorgeous face and a cute nose. Her eyes were golden just like her father's. But they didn't have any cruelty hidden in them.
Kirin had red-as-cherry lips that looked extremely delicate. Her ears were elf-like but not quite as stretched. She had waist-length golden hair that complemented her eyes. She had tied it in a ponytail while leaving the long golden bangs to fall on her forehead, drawing attention to her beautiful eyes even more.
The young Oni had a bodacious figure that was unexpected considering her cute face. She had ample jugs to give Sharon a run for her money. Her slim waist and shapely posterior were enough to make other female monsters have an inferiority complex.
She was tall, measuring more than six feet. But compared to her father, she could be considered young and small.
Kirin was wearing a warrior outfit meant for Oni women. As such, she revealed most of her feminine curves and assets. And yet, nobody dared to stare at her. Everyone liked keeping their heads attached to their necks of course.
Kirin was an oddball in a hall full of monsters. She was exceptionally beautiful. She didn't look like a monster even though she was sporting horns that were the sign of monster royalty. And her glowing green earrings would tell onlookers that she knew how to look elegant and cared for her looks, unlike most monster women.
Kirin was a Monster Overlord. She had just stepped into this evolutionary stage. And yet she could take care of most C-Rank entities with ease, thanks to her high elemental attainment.
Kirin had a hybrid element affinity-- spatial mist. As such, she was proficient with space, fire, and water elemental spells. Her elemental attainment was so strong that ever since she had stepped into the Monster Overlord stage, her body was always surrounded by mist. A mist that interacted differently with the spatial fabric.
With her elemental affinity, she could hide in plain sight by twisting the light and oncoming senses sent in her direction. The mist was part of her behavior. She would remain hidden most of the time until called upon.
Her elemental attainment had been ingrained into her behavior. Or to be precise, her playful yet pure behavior had shaped her elemental attainment in such a way.
Even now, Kirin's feet weren't touching the ground when she stood and bowed in front of her father. She was standing on a cloud-like white mist that would solidify only for her. As if the mist that surrounded her belonged to a different spatial fabric.
"Lord Father."
Kirin replied to Har Jahar's summons with simple words while keeping her head down. Har Jahar smiled before announcing to the crowd.
"You all must know from your clarity that Oni lineage can be gained with a ritual only known to Echidna's Oni royalty. Your existence as the children of Echidna will get altered when you follow through with that ritual."
Har Jahar flashed an evil smile and looked at the young monsters before adding up.
"During the Oni festival, whoever pleases our god the most will have a chance to experience the Royal Rebirth. I'll offer my daughter's hand to the person if and when the festival's champion successfully passes through the process."
Kirin was shocked after hearing that her father was planning to wed her to someone from the continent of Anfang. He often referred to the original denizens of the Anfang as well as monsters born here as lowlives.
No matter if the champion turns into an Oni royalty or not, Kirin didn't think her father's point of view would change about the champion. He'd still see him as someone that was born a lowlife. His father's behavior had also shown Kirin that she wasn't as precious to him as she had thought herself to be.
'Is it because I'm not a pure-blooded Oni? Because I was born here?'
Kirin thought of this and pursed her lips in desolation. She was conceived when her father had his way with an elf captive born here, who died after giving her birth. She was born here and yet received clarity that belonged to the children of Echidna.
A progeny between a monster and an elf shouldn't have existed. Therefore, Kirin's birth was an anomaly that might not repeat itself. Her existence was special. Her birth had doomed her to be seen as false Oni royalty in her father's eyes.
Har Jahar still treated Kirin as her daughter and gave her every support he could. He awakened her clarity way early when she was small and taught her all the customs of Oni royalty as well as the culture of Echidna. But there was a lack of fatherly love attached to that teaching.
Still, since Har Jahar had not completely abandoned her, Kirin had respect for his father. She still believed in Oni royalty customs and as such didn't raise any objections upon hearing her father's sudden decision.
"That's not all. Since the champion would become an Oni royalty, they would be able to travel back to Echidna when the warp gates are opened.
A new world is waiting for those who are willing to put their lives on the line with all their heart and emotions poured into the festival. Therefore, dare to take risks. Don't hesitate to shed blood whether it's yours or someone else's.
The festivals depict the greatness of a culture. Let me see the greatness of Echidna with my own eyes while we are all still here."
Har Jahar sat down on his seat and spoke. He then allowed the tribe leaders to make a final decision regarding the Oni festival under his presence. Kirin disappeared from her place after she realized that her role was over. She got back to dueling with her retainers afterward.
Each tribe leader had an agenda. Some tribe leaders were like Borul while others supported the Oni festival wholeheartedly. Borul had hidden plans of his own to make this subspace completely free of Har Jahar's control.
However, even he or anybody couldn't have known that the biggest spoiler of the Oni event was about to enter the dungeon.
AN: Kirin has been on VEH's cover for quite a while now ;)
