It was a wooden stake, roughly the thickness of a bowl, driven vertically into the ground. The stake stood about three to four meters tall, its surface glistening as if coated in resin or perhaps smoothed by the constant touching of many hands over the years.

Such upright stakes were common among the Omatikaya clan, but what was affixed to this particular one was exceptionally rare, perhaps unique within the entire clan.

It was a skull, desiccated and shrunken, yet still the size of an adult human head—ferocious and ghastly. Though apparently mummified and thoroughly air-dried, the vivid yellow and red warning stripes remained startlingly clear, almost popping out at the viewer.

The object was disturbingly familiar to Fang Senyan; his team’s storage already held an exact match: the skull of a Thanator. And here, in the Omatikaya clan’s village, the ground beneath the stake bearing the Thanator skull served a function akin to an emperor's throne. It was where the Omatikaya Clan Leader, Eytukan, and the shaman, Mo’at, sat. No one else dared encroach upon that forbidden ground.

Witnessing this scene, a thought sparked in Fang Senyan’s mind, yet he held back from immediate inquiry. Instead, he continued to pour drinks with practiced enthusiasm. Shortly after, several clan members brought in several Peacock-Deer to be roasted, and the feasting—great mouthfuls of meat and draughts of liquor—continued joyously. When the banquet reached its zenith, young unmarried Na’vi began to rise and dance for one another, filling the air with exuberant energy.

Only then did Fang Senyan approach to toast Mo’at. Waiting until her spirits seemed suitably lifted, he subtly instructed Jin Kuang to inquire about the Thanator skull.

The mention of the relic instantly energized Mo’at. It turned out her grandfather had been a Toruk Makto—a Rider of the Great Leonopteryx—of immense glory, effectively the leader of all the Na’vi on Pandora. After the Toruk he rode passed away of old age, they had the high honor of severing its head, treating it, and displaying it as a totem to protect the entire Omatikaya clan. (It sounded grisly, somewhat akin to Egyptian mummification, but it was considered the greatest honor, earning Mo’at the epithet "Daughter of the Dragon.")

After a moment of consideration, Fang Senyan finally posed his carefully framed question:

“Then... I once heard a story back in our Pot-Lid Clan. While mining underground resources, they unearthed a stone coffin. Inside that coffin was the skeletal remains of a Thanator skull. Curiously, this stone coffin was buried beneath a pathway, constantly trodden upon by countless feet every day. Such a strange practice is truly perplexing.”

Mo’at’s expression immediately turned grave:

“Burying the skull of a Toruk with such solemnity in a stone coffin shows respect for that mighty and sacred creature. But burying it beneath a road is a deliberate act to trample upon the dignity and glory of the clan it once protected!”

“In the entire history of the Na’vi, only six Toruk Makto have ever been tamed. The situation you describe could only have occurred with the long-vanished Iknor Tribe. The Tayrangi Clan, which annexed them, treated the Toruk they worshipped in precisely this manner. If we do not strengthen our defenses, we risk being swallowed by other clans, who would treat the skull of our Toruk Makto with the same contempt!”

Hearing this, Fang Senyan finally grasped the bizarre origin of that buried stone coffin. He couldn't resist asking the next logical question:

“It sounds like the Toruk Makto skull is vital to all Na’vi?”

Mo’at replied with proud assertiveness:

“Of course. It protects our warriors from harm during the hunt; it ensures the safe birth of our children; it brings misfortune upon enemy armies in battle. Furthermore, only a Na’vi clan blessed by the protection of the Toruk totem can communicate better with Eywa, the Great Mother.”

“Wow!” Fang Senyan exclaimed. “That sounds wonderful, almost omnipotent. Then why would the Tayrangi Clan bury that Toruk skull totem?”

Mo’at answered soberly:

“They fell into the sin of bloodshed and slaughter; they began to degenerate. Therefore, their clan was unworthy to be acknowledged by the Toruk totem.”

At this point, Fang Senyan understood why Ril had so abruptly turned hostile on him that day. Given the immense importance of the Toruk skull totem, it stood to reason that once they entered this world, many Contractors would choose to aid Ril, but surely at least half would choose to fight alongside the Na’vi clans! Forming a cooperative (Friendly) relationship with any Na’vi clan could trigger high-level quests related to the Toruk skull totem for them all.

The easiest Toruk skull totem to locate in this world would undoubtedly be the one right before him—the one belonging to the Omatikaya clan (not the one in his personal warehouse). But acquiring it meant, without question, making an enemy of the entire Omatikaya clan. If this particular Na’vi group were easy to handle, then where would the protagonist’s narrative challenge lie? The original movie plot would have to be mangled beyond recognition.

By Fang Senyan’s estimation, Tsu’tey’s personal strength alone, while perhaps inferior to Lurtz in Middle-earth, was certainly in the same class. And the auxiliary abilities of the Great Shaman, the Daughter of the Dragon, Mo’at, were likely breathtaking. Therefore, he could further deduce that the value of the Thanator skull totem he currently faced was likely even higher than his initial estimate...

Since Fang Senyan realized Jin Kuang’s Charm stat still held influence over the Na’vi, he decided to strike while the iron was hot and press for answers to his other burning question:

“Great Daughter of the Dragon, I have one private question I wish to seek your counsel upon. If you tell me the truth, I will be forever grateful to you.”

Mo’at nodded:

“Eywa, the Great Mother, wishes me to aid all living beings. Ask your question.”

Fang Senyan continued:

“I have a friend whose mother fell gravely ill and required extensive funds for treatment. He came here and volunteered to survey unknown territories. Two months ago, he disappeared. The last message he sent us simply read: ‘Tsa’huk.’ Have the Great Daughter of the Dragon ever heard these five words?”

The moment the words “Tsa’huk” were uttered, the merriment of the Na’vi abruptly ceased. Every head turned toward Fang Senyan, and a cold sweat immediately broke out across his back. After a long pause, Mo’at finally spoke:

“Outsider, in our home, we are forbidden to speak that vile name... Mourn for your friend. If he became entangled with Tsa’huk, he has most likely returned to the embrace of Eywa.”

Fang Senyan insisted:

“But I cannot present only that statement to his mother as an explanation!”

Mo’at stared into the fire pit for a moment, then abruptly rose and walked toward the upper levels of the Hometree. As her silhouette dissolved into the shadows, Fang Senyan felt an impulse to follow, but he stopped himself. Acting on that impulse would most likely result in being thrown out by the Na’vi.

The lively bonfire celebration ended abruptly with Mo’at’s departure, and the entire clan returned to its tranquil, flowing quietness. Fang Senyan and his group were escorted away by five clan warriors mounted on Ikran, apparently to be sent back toward the Hell’s Gate. Among the escort was Tsu’tey himself.

Looking at Tsu’tey, Fang Senyan felt this fiery young man would be easier to deal with than the wily Mo’at. Once they had left the Omatikaya Hometree, he subtly nudged Jin Kuang. Jin Kuang immediately understood, putting on a mournful expression:

“Tsu’tey, my friend, if I should meet an untimely end, would you be willing to water my connection to the Tree of Souls for me?”

Tsu’tey, seated on his Ikran, looked slightly surprised:

“Why do you suddenly speak of death?”

Fang Senyan smoothly jumped in:

“Our friend vanished without a trace. Naturally, we must search for him.”

An impatient look crossed Tsu’tey’s face:

“Your friend is certainly dead. Did Mo’at not just say so?”

Jin Kuang maintained his earnest facade:

“If one lives, we seek the body; if one dies, we seek the corpse!”

Tsu’tey paused, seemingly processing the idiom. Then, with a sigh tinged with emotion, he relented:

“You outsiders... you possess deep bonds of feeling. Very well, even if Mo’at punishes me, I will tell you the truth.”

With that, he dismounted his Ikran and sat on a nearby rock. After a moment of deep contemplation, he began:

“Not all Na’vi possess hearts of tolerance and forgiveness. There are some Na’vi who believe only in violence and slaughter. Their views are irreconcilable with ours, like light and darkness, like water and fire. In times of famine, they even treat Na’vi from other clans as prey to be consumed. That is why we usually call ourselves Children of Nature, and we call them the Corrupted.”

“And Tsa’huk,” Tsu’tey continued, his voice hardening, “is the chieftain of one large Corrupted clan! That clan is called the Massaq, and he has always been notorious throughout the lands for his brutality and bloodshed. Legend says that long ago, during a famine, Mo’at’s own brother was captured by Tsa’huk and eaten. That is why the mere mention of that name causes Mo’at such profound sorrow. However, to wage war for vengeance would mean countless deaths within the Omatikaya clan itself. Thus, Mo’at must bury that hatred deep within her heart.”