Chapter 497: Bond

"(So, how is your day?)" asked Kai in a lighthearted tone. After a series of serious discussions with Marsha, he felt tired and simply wanted to talk about something without thinking of any consequences.

The eagle didn't know his intention and simply replied with an innocent tone. "(Everything is good. Thanks to your warning, I've asked all subjects in my territory to migrate to the east.)"

"(That's good. How many?)"

"(I am not sure myself, but due to how big my area is, I can only persuade around ten thousand magical beasts.)"

"(The wolf?)"

"(He is doing the same by using his subordinates. I'm pretty sure he is doing it better than me. Of course, he is taking care of my son today.)"

Kai laughed when he heard that the ferocious wolf could take care of someone. But seeing how organized they were and how the wolf leader protected his kin, he could see it coming.

He thought for a moment and smiled. "(I guess all of you're going to live. I don't think your destination will be attacked in a few decades due to the supply chain, morale, and soldiers.)"

"(I don't understand what you said, but I can see that we're going to live a long life. There is only one thing that concerns me. There may be a time where I need to become someone else's subordinate because I have heard that there's an absolute king around there…)"

"(Hmm.)" Kai crossed his arms and looked down, falling into deep thought.

The eagle, on the other hand, had something to ask. "(When that happened, I wonder if you need someone to help you.)"

"(Eh?!)" Kai opened his eyes in shock and looked at the eagle's back. "(You… What did you say?)"

Kai simply couldn't believe what he heard earlier. He understood what the eagle meant. The latter wanted to help him and became his subordinate.

This kind of wish was something he had seen recently. It was when the S Rank Bull faced him and the Oni. There were still three magical beasts that fought alongside the bull even though the Oni had ordered them to stop.

In other words, the eagle wanted to follow him even if they needed to fight against all odds. This was something unexpected even for him.

Unlike those from Emulda Kalan, the eagle desired it from the bottom of his heart, not some sort of obligation.

"(Are you sure about this?)"

"(Yes. I know that you have an army of humans, but I think I can do something more for you. I can fly like this and look everything from the sky, including the outside range of your hearing.)" The eagle tried to convince him as if he really wanted to help him.

Kai thought for a moment and let out a long sigh. He pinched the bridge of his nose and said with a helpless look. "(Listen to me. I'm honored to have you follow me, but… I don't think I can.)"

"(May I know the reason?)"

"(In the human's eyes, all we can see from you guys is simply your ferociousness. Every time we encounter all of you, none of them protect us. No, I should say that all of them attacked us immediately to the point they informed others to help them.

"(That was why when someone sees you together with me, it will be something weird and many will start becoming suspicious. And unlike you guys, my supremacy is not something absolute unless I've enough strength.

"(They may even come knocking on our door to get you to be a lab rat. I'm sure you know about how they're treated in the past. You will either become an animal in the zoo or an experiment subject. If it's the former, you will live in a cage for the rest of your life. If it's the latter, you will experience cruelty until your death. Hence, I can't accept you.)"

The eagle looked down and could feel Kai's genuine concern. Kai didn't reject him, but the warning was enough for the eagle to put down that desire.

The eagle fell silent for a moment and said, "(I understand. I won't ask it anymore.)"

Kai smiled and patted his back. "(Well, I may need some company when I'm retired. It's not like I'm planning to do everything in my life since I can understand that humans have brought destruction upon themselves. I can only help them regain their freedom… just a little before retiring and staying neutral like any other protector.

"(That's the best thing I can do to maintain the balance of this world. Though, I can have a fun time with my wives, so I don't really mind.)" Kai chuckled while looking at the eagle with a sad expression.

"(I can respect that. If fate indeed plays out in such a wonderful way, we may meet again in the future. At that time, I hope you haven't retracted your offer yet.)"

"(Of course. Maybe I should let my kids fly on your back. I'm sure they will like it." Kai chuckled.

"(Haha, maybe… in the future. Me and my son… You and your children. Flying together in the sky.)" The eagle smiled.

Kai and the eagle continued their talks as their relationship grew even further.

He had all the supplies he needed during the journey, so Kai didn't need to starve. The eagle also got some food from him while they continued to talk about all kinds of things.

Kai wanted to know about his life story, especially how he met his wife. In exchange, he also told him how he met his wife.

It was a good and warm atmosphere, surrounding them for a few days until they returned to the mainland.

The wolf and the eagle son were playing with each other when Kai and the eagle arrived.

"(Father!)" The eagle stood up and flapped his wing before turning to Kai. "(Thank you for everything.)"

Kai observed the eagle's body and saw that the clothes had been removed. The remaining scars were just too shallow and would disappear soon, so he felt relieved. "(You're welcome.)"

After Kai jumped off his back, the eagle turned to Kai.

"(There is actually something I would like to request. That is if you don't mind.)" The eagle suddenly called him again with an unsure tone. He looked a bit hesitant to request it, feeling like the request was too much.

"(Sure. Tell me.)" Kai nodded with a smile as if saying everything was fine.

"(I wonder if I have the pleasure to know your name.)"

Kai widened his eyes, forgetting the fact that they hadn't even exchanged names. Kai facepalmed and laughed until his body slightly leaned to the back. "(That's right. That's right. I forget that I haven't given you my name. Nice to meet you. My name is Kai Carter. What's your name?)"

"(I don't have a name. Please name me.)"

"(Are you sure?)"

"(Yes.)"

Kai pondered the name for a moment and said, "(How about Gieth?)"

"(Gieth… I see.)" The eagle nodded a few times, confusing Kai.

He tilted his head and asked, "(What? You don't like it? How about Birdie?)"

"I am Gieth, Kai Carter's Eagle Warrior. I shall leave this place for a while and hope that fate shall reunite us again!)"

"…" Kai, the two eagles, and the wolf leader laughed together. In the end, Kai formed a bond with the three of them and decided to name the eagle son Rooth and the wolf leader Fenris.

After that, Kai had successfully finished his mission since he had driven away tens of thousands of magical beasts from the area with the help of Gieth and Fenris.