Mordred looked towards the north with a troubled heart. An intense sense of dread washed over him, and he grabbed his chest. Arietta asked with a worried face, "What's wrong? Are you sick?"
Mordred tried to smile. "No… probably not.”
Seeing his pale complexion, Arietta tried to convince him to rest, when suddenly Merlin knocked on the door from outside the reception room.
"Your Majesty the Holy Queen, the Crow envoy has arrived."
Mordred took a deep breath and nodded, trying to reassure Arietta that he was okay. Arietta sighed quietly and said, "Guide them inside."
With Arietta's permission, Merlin guided two young Crows into the reception room.
One of them stepped forward. "It is nice to meet you. I am Helios, who came as a representative of the Crows on behalf of my father."
"I am Hecate and I am here as the assistant for the small chief." said the other one.
Mordred opened his eyes wide at Helios and Hecate’s greeting. He was genuinely surprised, not knowing that these two would be the ones in the envoy.
"Nice to meet you. I am Arietta, the Holy Queen. Thank you for coming."
"No, my brother has been under your care, so I should be the one offering thanks." Helios smiled brightly and looked at Mordred. "You've gotten a lot stronger, Caron."
Mordred was hiding his strength, but after having gained a lot of experience, he was now as good as any elder of the Crows. Considering his musculature, he would likely be even stronger.
"Please call me Mordred. I am now the escort of Her Majesty the Holy Queen." Mordred answered politely while he broke out into a cold sweat. He thought he had become much stronger, but he still couldn't measure the power of his eldest brother very well.
"That’s right. Since I am not here for personal reasons, we should speak formally. Before that though, I would like to talk to Her Majesty alone. Would you mind sending out your escort knight along with my aide for a while?" Helios asked Arietta.
Mordred shook his head and objected, but Arietta nodded.
"Of course. Sir Mordred, please step out for a moment."
Since she was trying to restore trust with the Crow tribe, it would have been strange for her to refuse. Of course, according to the common practice of international relations, it would normally be impossible for a foreign envoy who was not a diplomat to ask for a private meeting with a queen. But the Crows didn’t fit with the common practices of the world in many ways. Mordred had no choice but to follow Arietta's will, as this was an important meeting for the Holy Kingdom. The Helios he knew wouldn't cause any trouble, anyway. Hecate, who left with Mordred, erased his solemn expression and poked Mordred in the side with a playful smile.
"Hey! Have you been well?"
"Well, I had more fun than when I was in the village. What about you?”
"Me? I'm always the same. I thought maybe I should have just run away from home with you, but now that I think about it, there's no place with more magical ingredients than Olympus Forest."
Before he knew it, Hecate had become a madosa too after crossing over the walls of the Magic Way on his own without a teacher. He was a genius who would have astonished Merlin if they met. Mordred took out a book for his hometown friend.
"Here, take it. It's the book you asked me for when I left."
It was a Druid's magic book, which contained Merlin's essence. Hecate looked at the book in shock.
"You obtained this? It contains information about secret techniques too. Did you steal it?"
"Ah, watch your tone, you punk. I did my best to get this, thinking of you. If you don't like it, give it back."
When Mordred reached out to take the book back, Hecate quickly hid it in his pocket space and smiled. "You can't take it back! Are you trying to take away a gift you gave someone?!"
"Then just say thank you!"
"Thanks! You are my best friend! You punk!"
Mordred pushed away Hecate’s head as Hecate tried to hug him.
"Never mind. Considering you guys separated me from Arietta, I assume you have something to tell me, so what is it?”
Hecate’s expression changed quickly. "You’re so quick-witted. Would expect nothing less from a Blade."
Mordred asked Hecate, giving him a flick on the forehead, "So what do you have to say?"
"Come back to us now. Soon, Helios will be the chief. Then he can appoint someone other than you as the keeper of the holy place. Helios himself said he'd do it."
Mordred stopped moving, as if he were frozen.
Hecate continued, "And I heard the rumors. Something about a prophecy claiming you will betray the Holy Kingdom? That's why you’re in an awkward situation right now. If you're going to be treated with suspicion here anyway, you should come back to your family."
Mordred's heart ached as if he had been stabbed sharply in the chest. At the same time, he could see through the purpose of the Crow envoy. The reason why they decided to use a diplomatic envoy was to create a situation where Mordred had no choice but to have a conversation with them.
"… So the purpose of this visit was me. You didn't mean to improve relations with the Holy Kingdom."
Mordred stared fiercely at Hecate. Even faced with Mordred's aura, Hecate chuckled. "As expected of you, Caron. That extraordinary head of yours remains. Everyone always thought you just depended on your instincts, but I know. You're smarter than you look."
"Hecate!" Mordred shouted, growing impatient.
As Mordred's aura turned into martial aura, Hecate raised his hands. "Calm down, we'll still improve the relationship. However, it will be just a trade exchange relationship, not an alliance including military support."
Mordred gradually reduced his aura. It would be perfect to form an alliance with the Crows now, but it was too much to hope for at this stage, while the relationship was still on the mend.
"Is my going back one of your conditions?" asked Mordred.
Hecate shook his head, "No. Our main purpose is to ask you to return, but you know that Helios hyung respects your opinion more than anyone else."
"He probably knows that even if he forcefully takes me back, I’ll just run away again."
"Well, there's that, too. Anyway, with this, this envoy has accomplished its purpose. It is up to you what happens next.
Mordred was deeply troubled by Hecate's words. If he followed them now, wouldn't the betrayal that the prophecy said be fulfilled? Merlin did always say that small choices could change the future. At the same time, however, he felt conflicted. Would following them fulfill the prophecy? Was it a betrayal or not? Which choice would be best for Arietta? When he was worried, he always just did what he wanted to do, rather than thinking. That’s how Mordred had always been.
* * *
Hecate turned towards Helios. "Wouldn’t it be better to force him to come home? I don’t know about the Knights of the Round Table, but the way the nobles and soldiers working in the ancient castle looked at Caron made my skin crawl.”
Helios smiled kindly. "You have to respect Caron's choice. Plus, hardship leads to growth. If things go as the witches say, the Holy Kingdom will be destroyed, so he will grow even further. Personally, I am looking forward to the next time we meet."
Helios' words sent a small shiver down Hecate’s spine.
* * *
Shortly after being shocked by the deaths of Yvain and Ovain, news came that five more Knights of the Round Table had been killed on the front lines.
"Felinore, Digor, Lucan, Garfleet, Meraugis."
All of them were top Knights of the Round Table who could have taken down a hundred enemies on their own. It was unfathomable that five of them had died on the same day. Especially Felinore, who had wielded the Spirit Sword, which was equivalent in power to the Holy Sword.
"What has happened, Sir Urien?" asked Percival.
Urien grabbed his ragged right arm with a pale complexion.
"The Giant King himself has come out. That monster smashed a whole division alone."
The Giant King had made an appearance. After the death of two great warrior heads of the Giant tribe, the Giant King could no longer endure it and came out, sword at the ready. The news spread quickly. With the appearance of Giant King, Arietta summoned the Knights of the Round Table and the staff of each army. Various opinions were exchanged at the meeting, but they soon came to a conclusion.
"This is an opportunity for us. The fact that the enemy king has come out means that they are cornered. We should take this chance we have been given to subjugate the Giant King."
But their opportunity was also accompanied by a crisis. The Giant King was a monster on a different level, one that defeated a whole division alone. There was only one person they could think of that might be able to defeat him. Everyone looked at Mordred.
However, they couldn’t help but recall the prophecy, too. Would it be okay to let the Crows and Giants meet when both only respected the strong and had strong competitive spirits? Could they be sure that if Mordred was captured, or if the Giant King somehow spoke with him, that he wouldn’t join the enemy? The Knights of the Round Table were convinced that it would not happen unless he was deceived into doing it, but the other generals, who were not nearly as close with Mordred, didn’t share the same sentiment. The knights had great authority, but in the end, it was the generals who were in charge of the operation. After a long meeting, Mordred was eventually left out of the operation to subjugate the Giant King. Caradoc, Gwalchavad, and Tristan insisted on Mordred's participation until the end, but it had already been decided. As the meeting ended and everyone dispersed, Mordred grabbed Tristan by the arm.
"Come back alive."
Tristan replied with a smile at Mordred's intense gaze. “Who do you think I am? I am confident enough that I will survive at the very least."
"… Yes. I trust you, Tristan. Who else could I trust, if not you?"
Mordred and Tristan smiled and bumped their fists.
* * *
The work went smoothly, from preparation to execution. Identifying the Giant King’s location, luring him in, and preventing reinforcements from going to his rescue by conducting local battles, were all carried out as planned. The site of the operation was Golgoda, a holy land where many historic battles had taken place. The holy land was an inconvenient place for battle due to its dense mana, but it was the best place for the Knights of the Round Table, who could use the power of the Holy tribe to access the power of the World Tree. The Giant King lost all of his few remaining men in the trap prepared by the Knights of the Round Table, who then revealed themselves from the forest, raising their swords towards the Giant King.
"Your life ends here, Giant King!"
The Giant King had been watching his warriors die at the hands of the Knights of the Round Table with an amused expression, but now he was moving. As if his subordinates dying was nothing, he burst into laughter.
"Hahahaha! You dare try to kill me when you only amount to this much!?"
Everything had gone according to plan for the knights. One thing that the plan couldn’t account for, though, was the Giant King’s sheer strength.
Tristan was stunned by the Giant King’s aura. "That’s crazy. Is that bastard even human?"
The premise for the operation was misguided from the beginning. That monster was unbeatable.
"Stop the operation! Everyone retreat!" Percival commanded.
As the leader of the operation, his situational judgment was quick and correct.
"You dare try to run away from me?!"
The five-meter-tall Giant King struck the ground with the Spirit Sword that increased in size to match his body. The trees shook violently and the ground rose like a tidal wave. While everyone struggled to stay on their feet, Palamedes used his ability to kick through the air, avoiding the unstable ground. Once he was within striking distance, he swung his sword at the Giant King. At the same time, the Giant King swung his Spirit Sword at the flying Palamedes, and right as their two swords collided, Tristan's arrow pierced through Giant King's eye. It was a tremendous skill, almost like magic, that let him shoot with such precision despite the violently shaking ground and his still-injured hand.
"Hahaha! There are some decent enemies!" The Giant King roared.
Palamedes writhed in pain on the ground, his right arm nearly torn off by the Giant King’s blow. The Giant King pulled out the arrow stuck in his eye and chewed on his own eyeball, skewered by the arrowhead.
"How dare you leave a scar on my body that will last for life? That’s a great achievement for you! If your hand wasn’t all messed up, you'd have killed me for sure! I should thank Jabal! In honor of your achievements, I shall end your life.”
Tristan burst into laughter in the face of the Giant King’s killing intent. "Hahahahaha! Stiff Captain! Let us sacrifice ourselves!"
Percival understood Tristan's words right away. The number of the Knights of the Round Table mobilized to subjugate the Giant King was over fifty. If they were exterminated here without completing the operation, there would be no future for the Holy Kingdom. Some would have to sacrifice themselves to ensure victory. Percival stepped forward.
Gwalchmai also stepped forward, spouting flames from his mouth. "Count me in! Captain! Tristan!"
Palamedes, holding a sword with his only remaining arm, also stepped forward. "Me too. All that’s waiting for me back home is retirement! Won’t be so bad to just retire right here and now!"
"I can't miss this kind of thing! Even though we were born on different days, didn’t we swear to die on the same day, Captain?" shouted Bors.
"Me too…!"
As soon as Gwalchavad tried to join in, Tristan blocked him.
"No, we’re already over the quota. The haggard ahjussi and the solemn vice-captain will suffer if you die too."
Five courageous knights stood before the Giant King, who laughed loudly.
"Hahaha! You have a lot of courage to try to stop me with only five people. I dare you to even try to run away!”
Tristan, Percival, Gwalchmai, Palamedes, and Bors faced the Giant King, burning all of their life force. Palamedes, who had lost his right arm in a fierce battle prior, was the first to be killed. Next, Bors’ chest was pierced by the Giant King’s sword as he tried to save Percival. Then, Gwalchmai collapsed after exhausting all his strength to blast fire at the Giant King, leaving an indelible burn on the monsters’ chest. Gwalchmai's flames set the World Tree ablaze. The intense heat quickly toppled the tree, which fell on the Giant King, pinning him down for just a brief moment. Right then, Percival aimed his sword through a gap in the branches and pierced through the Giant King’s stomach.
"Let's die together, Giant King!"
“How dare you! Die alone!"
The Giant King jabbed the Spirit Sword through Percival’s torso. With one final effort, Percival slid his sword out from the Giant King’s belly and swung it swiftly upwards in one motion, slicing off the Giant King’s weapon hand.
"Cough! If you refuse to go with me, I'll at least take a little memento for myself!" said Percival with a smirk, blood dripping from his mouth.
The ground around the fallen World Tree began to collapse, creating a deep, dark crater. Percival fell backwards into it, along with the hand of the Giant King and the Spirit Sword, still stuck in his torso.
"Ahhhhhh! How dare you!!"
The arrogant Giant King ran wild, clutching his stump wrist. All his anger was now directed at the last survivor, Tristan, who had been maintaining his distance and firing arrows.
Tristan smiled at the huge waterfall of strong aura that was crashing down towards him, resigned to his fate.
"Sorry, Mordred. I don't think I can keep my promise."
Five knights fell into a long sleep that day at the hands of the Giant King. That very same day, Mordred, who saw their names returned without their owners on the temple’s stele in the capital, fell to his knees and cried endlessly. He cried, blaming himself for not going with them, even if by force. Now, there was no longer anyone left by his side.
Mordred looked towards the north with a troubled heart. An intense sense of dread washed over him, and he grabbed his chest. Arietta asked with a worried face, "What's wrong? Are you sick?"
Mordred tried to smile. "No… probably not.”
Seeing his pale complexion, Arietta tried to convince him to rest, when suddenly Merlin knocked on the door from outside the reception room.
"Your Majesty the Holy Queen, the Crow envoy has arrived."
Mordred took a deep breath and nodded, trying to reassure Arietta that he was okay. Arietta sighed quietly and said, "Guide them inside."
With Arietta's permission, Merlin guided two young Crows into the reception room.
One of them stepped forward. "It is nice to meet you. I am Helios, who came as a representative of the Crows on behalf of my father."
"I am Hecate and I am here as the assistant for the small chief." said the other one.
Mordred opened his eyes wide at Helios and Hecate’s greeting. He was genuinely surprised, not knowing that these two would be the ones in the envoy.
"Nice to meet you. I am Arietta, the Holy Queen. Thank you for coming."
"No, my brother has been under your care, so I should be the one offering thanks." Helios smiled brightly and looked at Mordred. "You've gotten a lot stronger, Caron."
Mordred was hiding his strength, but after having gained a lot of experience, he was now as good as any elder of the Crows. Considering his musculature, he would likely be even stronger.
"Please call me Mordred. I am now the escort of Her Majesty the Holy Queen." Mordred answered politely while he broke out into a cold sweat. He thought he had become much stronger, but he still couldn't measure the power of his eldest brother very well.
"That’s right. Since I am not here for personal reasons, we should speak formally. Before that though, I would like to talk to Her Majesty alone. Would you mind sending out your escort knight along with my aide for a while?" Helios asked Arietta.
Mordred shook his head and objected, but Arietta nodded.
"Of course. Sir Mordred, please step out for a moment."
Since she was trying to restore trust with the Crow tribe, it would have been strange for her to refuse. Of course, according to the common practice of international relations, it would normally be impossible for a foreign envoy who was not a diplomat to ask for a private meeting with a queen. But the Crows didn’t fit with the common practices of the world in many ways. Mordred had no choice but to follow Arietta's will, as this was an important meeting for the Holy Kingdom. The Helios he knew wouldn't cause any trouble, anyway. Hecate, who left with Mordred, erased his solemn expression and poked Mordred in the side with a playful smile.
"Hey! Have you been well?"
"Well, I had more fun than when I was in the village. What about you?”
"Me? I'm always the same. I thought maybe I should have just run away from home with you, but now that I think about it, there's no place with more magical ingredients than Olympus Forest."
Before he knew it, Hecate had become a madosa too after crossing over the walls of the Magic Way on his own without a teacher. He was a genius who would have astonished Merlin if they met. Mordred took out a book for his hometown friend.
"Here, take it. It's the book you asked me for when I left."
It was a Druid's magic book, which contained Merlin's essence. Hecate looked at the book in shock.
"You obtained this? It contains information about secret techniques too. Did you steal it?"
"Ah, watch your tone, you punk. I did my best to get this, thinking of you. If you don't like it, give it back."
When Mordred reached out to take the book back, Hecate quickly hid it in his pocket space and smiled. "You can't take it back! Are you trying to take away a gift you gave someone?!"
"Then just say thank you!"
"Thanks! You are my best friend! You punk!"
Mordred pushed away Hecate’s head as Hecate tried to hug him.
"Never mind. Considering you guys separated me from Arietta, I assume you have something to tell me, so what is it?”
Hecate’s expression changed quickly. "You’re so quick-witted. Would expect nothing less from a Blade."
Mordred asked Hecate, giving him a flick on the forehead, "So what do you have to say?"
"Come back to us now. Soon, Helios will be the chief. Then he can appoint someone other than you as the keeper of the holy place. Helios himself said he'd do it."
Mordred stopped moving, as if he were frozen.
Hecate continued, "And I heard the rumors. Something about a prophecy claiming you will betray the Holy Kingdom? That's why you’re in an awkward situation right now. If you're going to be treated with suspicion here anyway, you should come back to your family."
Mordred's heart ached as if he had been stabbed sharply in the chest. At the same time, he could see through the purpose of the Crow envoy. The reason why they decided to use a diplomatic envoy was to create a situation where Mordred had no choice but to have a conversation with them.
"… So the purpose of this visit was me. You didn't mean to improve relations with the Holy Kingdom."
Mordred stared fiercely at Hecate. Even faced with Mordred's aura, Hecate chuckled. "As expected of you, Caron. That extraordinary head of yours remains. Everyone always thought you just depended on your instincts, but I know. You're smarter than you look."
"Hecate!" Mordred shouted, growing impatient.
As Mordred's aura turned into martial aura, Hecate raised his hands. "Calm down, we'll still improve the relationship. However, it will be just a trade exchange relationship, not an alliance including military support."
Mordred gradually reduced his aura. It would be perfect to form an alliance with the Crows now, but it was too much to hope for at this stage, while the relationship was still on the mend.
"Is my going back one of your conditions?" asked Mordred.
Hecate shook his head, "No. Our main purpose is to ask you to return, but you know that Helios hyung respects your opinion more than anyone else."
"He probably knows that even if he forcefully takes me back, I’ll just run away again."
"Well, there's that, too. Anyway, with this, this envoy has accomplished its purpose. It is up to you what happens next.
Mordred was deeply troubled by Hecate's words. If he followed them now, wouldn't the betrayal that the prophecy said be fulfilled? Merlin did always say that small choices could change the future. At the same time, however, he felt conflicted. Would following them fulfill the prophecy? Was it a betrayal or not? Which choice would be best for Arietta? When he was worried, he always just did what he wanted to do, rather than thinking. That’s how Mordred had always been.
* * *
Hecate turned towards Helios. "Wouldn’t it be better to force him to come home? I don’t know about the Knights of the Round Table, but the way the nobles and soldiers working in the ancient castle looked at Caron made my skin crawl.”
Helios smiled kindly. "You have to respect Caron's choice. Plus, hardship leads to growth. If things go as the witches say, the Holy Kingdom will be destroyed, so he will grow even further. Personally, I am looking forward to the next time we meet."
Helios' words sent a small shiver down Hecate’s spine.
* * *
Shortly after being shocked by the deaths of Yvain and Ovain, news came that five more Knights of the Round Table had been killed on the front lines.
"Felinore, Digor, Lucan, Garfleet, Meraugis."
All of them were top Knights of the Round Table who could have taken down a hundred enemies on their own. It was unfathomable that five of them had died on the same day. Especially Felinore, who had wielded the Spirit Sword, which was equivalent in power to the Holy Sword.
"What has happened, Sir Urien?" asked Percival.
Urien grabbed his ragged right arm with a pale complexion.
"The Giant King himself has come out. That monster smashed a whole division alone."
The Giant King had made an appearance. After the death of two great warrior heads of the Giant tribe, the Giant King could no longer endure it and came out, sword at the ready. The news spread quickly. With the appearance of Giant King, Arietta summoned the Knights of the Round Table and the staff of each army. Various opinions were exchanged at the meeting, but they soon came to a conclusion.
"This is an opportunity for us. The fact that the enemy king has come out means that they are cornered. We should take this chance we have been given to subjugate the Giant King."
But their opportunity was also accompanied by a crisis. The Giant King was a monster on a different level, one that defeated a whole division alone. There was only one person they could think of that might be able to defeat him. Everyone looked at Mordred.
However, they couldn’t help but recall the prophecy, too. Would it be okay to let the Crows and Giants meet when both only respected the strong and had strong competitive spirits? Could they be sure that if Mordred was captured, or if the Giant King somehow spoke with him, that he wouldn’t join the enemy? The Knights of the Round Table were convinced that it would not happen unless he was deceived into doing it, but the other generals, who were not nearly as close with Mordred, didn’t share the same sentiment. The knights had great authority, but in the end, it was the generals who were in charge of the operation. After a long meeting, Mordred was eventually left out of the operation to subjugate the Giant King. Caradoc, Gwalchavad, and Tristan insisted on Mordred's participation until the end, but it had already been decided. As the meeting ended and everyone dispersed, Mordred grabbed Tristan by the arm.
"Come back alive."
Tristan replied with a smile at Mordred's intense gaze. “Who do you think I am? I am confident enough that I will survive at the very least."
"… Yes. I trust you, Tristan. Who else could I trust, if not you?"
Mordred and Tristan smiled and bumped their fists.
* * *
The work went smoothly, from preparation to execution. Identifying the Giant King’s location, luring him in, and preventing reinforcements from going to his rescue by conducting local battles, were all carried out as planned. The site of the operation was Golgoda, a holy land where many historic battles had taken place. The holy land was an inconvenient place for battle due to its dense mana, but it was the best place for the Knights of the Round Table, who could use the power of the Holy tribe to access the power of the World Tree. The Giant King lost all of his few remaining men in the trap prepared by the Knights of the Round Table, who then revealed themselves from the forest, raising their swords towards the Giant King.
"Your life ends here, Giant King!"
The Giant King had been watching his warriors die at the hands of the Knights of the Round Table with an amused expression, but now he was moving. As if his subordinates dying was nothing, he burst into laughter.
"Hahahaha! You dare try to kill me when you only amount to this much!?"
Everything had gone according to plan for the knights. One thing that the plan couldn’t account for, though, was the Giant King’s sheer strength.
Tristan was stunned by the Giant King’s aura. "That’s crazy. Is that bastard even human?"
The premise for the operation was misguided from the beginning. That monster was unbeatable.
"Stop the operation! Everyone retreat!" Percival commanded.
As the leader of the operation, his situational judgment was quick and correct.
"You dare try to run away from me?!"
The five-meter-tall Giant King struck the ground with the Spirit Sword that increased in size to match his body. The trees shook violently and the ground rose like a tidal wave. While everyone struggled to stay on their feet, Palamedes used his ability to kick through the air, avoiding the unstable ground. Once he was within striking distance, he swung his sword at the Giant King. At the same time, the Giant King swung his Spirit Sword at the flying Palamedes, and right as their two swords collided, Tristan's arrow pierced through Giant King's eye. It was a tremendous skill, almost like magic, that let him shoot with such precision despite the violently shaking ground and his still-injured hand.
"Hahaha! There are some decent enemies!" The Giant King roared.
Palamedes writhed in pain on the ground, his right arm nearly torn off by the Giant King’s blow. The Giant King pulled out the arrow stuck in his eye and chewed on his own eyeball, skewered by the arrowhead.
"How dare you leave a scar on my body that will last for life? That’s a great achievement for you! If your hand wasn’t all messed up, you'd have killed me for sure! I should thank Jabal! In honor of your achievements, I shall end your life.”
Tristan burst into laughter in the face of the Giant King’s killing intent. "Hahahahaha! Stiff Captain! Let us sacrifice ourselves!"
Percival understood Tristan's words right away. The number of the Knights of the Round Table mobilized to subjugate the Giant King was over fifty. If they were exterminated here without completing the operation, there would be no future for the Holy Kingdom. Some would have to sacrifice themselves to ensure victory. Percival stepped forward.
Gwalchmai also stepped forward, spouting flames from his mouth. "Count me in! Captain! Tristan!"
Palamedes, holding a sword with his only remaining arm, also stepped forward. "Me too. All that’s waiting for me back home is retirement! Won’t be so bad to just retire right here and now!"
"I can't miss this kind of thing! Even though we were born on different days, didn’t we swear to die on the same day, Captain?" shouted Bors.
"Me too…!"
As soon as Gwalchavad tried to join in, Tristan blocked him.
"No, we’re already over the quota. The haggard ahjussi and the solemn vice-captain will suffer if you die too."
Five courageous knights stood before the Giant King, who laughed loudly.
"Hahaha! You have a lot of courage to try to stop me with only five people. I dare you to even try to run away!”
Tristan, Percival, Gwalchmai, Palamedes, and Bors faced the Giant King, burning all of their life force. Palamedes, who had lost his right arm in a fierce battle prior, was the first to be killed. Next, Bors’ chest was pierced by the Giant King’s sword as he tried to save Percival. Then, Gwalchmai collapsed after exhausting all his strength to blast fire at the Giant King, leaving an indelible burn on the monsters’ chest. Gwalchmai's flames set the World Tree ablaze. The intense heat quickly toppled the tree, which fell on the Giant King, pinning him down for just a brief moment. Right then, Percival aimed his sword through a gap in the branches and pierced through the Giant King’s stomach.
"Let's die together, Giant King!"
“How dare you! Die alone!"
The Giant King jabbed the Spirit Sword through Percival’s torso. With one final effort, Percival slid his sword out from the Giant King’s belly and swung it swiftly upwards in one motion, slicing off the Giant King’s weapon hand.
"Cough! If you refuse to go with me, I'll at least take a little memento for myself!" said Percival with a smirk, blood dripping from his mouth.
The ground around the fallen World Tree began to collapse, creating a deep, dark crater. Percival fell backwards into it, along with the hand of the Giant King and the Spirit Sword, still stuck in his torso.
"Ahhhhhh! How dare you!!"
The arrogant Giant King ran wild, clutching his stump wrist. All his anger was now directed at the last survivor, Tristan, who had been maintaining his distance and firing arrows.
Tristan smiled at the huge waterfall of strong aura that was crashing down towards him, resigned to his fate.
"Sorry, Mordred. I don't think I can keep my promise."
Five knights fell into a long sleep that day at the hands of the Giant King. That very same day, Mordred, who saw their names returned without their owners on the temple’s stele in the capital, fell to his knees and cried endlessly. He cried, blaming himself for not going with them, even if by force. Now, there was no longer anyone left by his side.
