Chapter 1308: A Second

They had been sent to face a monster.

The thought alone sent a heavy shudder through Kancilot’s entire being. Suddenly, his will no longer seemed so sturdy. The strength in his body was waning at an alarming pace.

At first, he had strained every fiber of his being to resist the crushing weight of Atticus’ overwhelming will.

But now, cracks had begun to form across the surface of his own will. At any moment, it would shatter, and he would be crushed.

Yet, King Kancilot’s eyes were lifeless. There was no trace of panic in them, only shame. Death didn’t scare him.

In truth, he had already died centuries ago, the day his wife and daughter were killed by the invading force.

The only reason he had endured all these years was because of Lancaster’s stubborn refusal to let his king die.

If not for his old friend, Kancilot would have embraced death long ago. He would never have been given this chance to bring his family back.

The king was far from stupid. Though he had lived a hollow existence for centuries, his old instincts had never truly faded.

He knew that Dravek’s words had been meant to provoke him into going after this child monster. Even so, he had agreed for one reason, because it was the truth.

Believe it or not, he was still the god of Kariot. And Dravek, great and powerful as he was, still couldn’t do as he pleased in Kancilot’s world. He could still sense lies when they were spoken.

The king had no idea how it was possible, but he knew one thing for certain, Dravek had spoken the truth. There was a chance to bring his family back. He just had to find it.

Kancilot’s gaze shifted to his elites, and another surge of shame washed over him.

Many of them lay convulsing on the ground, their wills shattered beneath the suffocating weight of the monster child’s.

The pain they endured was unimaginable. Some had been charred black, others reduced to nothing but ashes.

’I’m sorry,’ the king clenched his fist. He had been the one to rally these people. He had promised them victory. But all they were getting was... this.

’It’s over.’ The thought crossed his mind just as his eyes fell on Lancaster. His gaze widened.

The large man stood with his sword raised high, his body sizzling from the sheer heat of Atticus’ will. Cracks had spread all over his will, his knees had buckled so badly that both knees touched the ground.

The king’s eyes locked on the blood flowing from Lancaster’s eyes, ears, and mouth. Even at this distance, he could feel the raw, searing pain radiating from his friend’s body.

Yet, despite it all, Lancaster still turned to look at his king, his eyes unwavering.

"M-my k-king... I-I’m with y-you!" Lancaster forced out through bloody, gritted teeth.

Kancilot’s eyes widened even further. Another wave of shame surged through him. He looked at the others. Many were still struggling against Atticus’ will, blood seeping from their orifices, but the fierce light of determination never left their eyes.

"M-my k-king!"

"W-what a-are your orders?!"

"W-we’re w-with y-you!"

Their voices, ragged with pain yet unyielding, overlapped one another. The king heard them all, and the shame burning in his chest only grew heavier.

His people were still fighting, still standing with him, while he, their king, was on the verge of surrendering to death. It was disgraceful.

They had been dealt a cruel fate and pitted against a monster. But that was their lot. Their destiny.

And as Kancilot looked at his men, those who had stood by him from the very beginning, he realized he had almost made the same mistake again. He had been moments away from losing yet another family.

A fire sparked in his eyes.

He forced himself to straighten and turned his gaze back to Atticus. Determination burned where shame once dwelled.

"Forgive me, Lancaster," the king said.

Lancaster’s head jerked toward him, confusion flashing in his eyes. But before he could speak, a surge of light burst from the king.

’Will.’

The thought struck Lancaster instantly, but his eyes widened as he realized something. This wasn’t just the king’s will. The light carried a golden tint along its edges, something he had witnessed only once before.

’World’s will.’

The understanding dawned, but it was too late to stop him. The world’s will collided with Atticus’ overwhelming crimson presence.

A golden light blazed across the sky, brilliant and imtense. For a moment, the crimson hue that had swallowed the world was gone. There was only gold.

When it faded, the people of Kariot stared, stunned. Their god and the monster child were gone, vanished from the planet.

They looked at one another in disbelief, their breaths ragged. With Atticus gone, the crushing weight of his will had vanished as well.

"Where... where did they go?" one of the circle members asked, his gaze darting to Lancaster.

The large man was about to speak when a curse rumbled from the sky.

"Ah, shit! That fool just had to take the fight to the arena. Now we can’t watch the rest, argh!"

The circle members whipped their heads upward. Two figures hovered calmly in the air.

The one who had spoken had azure hair, crimson eyes, and was dressed far too casually for such a moment.

No one had noticed them until now. Still, they couldn’t be blamed, they had just barely escaped death.

"Who are you puny fools staring at?" Ozeroth’s voice cut coldly through the air, his golden gaze sweeping over the battered circle members.

Lancaster’s expression darkened. A bad feeling churned in his chest the instant he laid eyes on them. He quickly motioned for the others to stand down.

"Don’t worry," Whisker said with a grin. "We’ll let our all powerful god handle you. He won’t take long. Just a second should be enough."

The circle members felt a deep chill crawl up their spines. Whisker’s words were clear, he believed their god wouldn’t last a second against the child god.

And after the overwhelming display of power they had just witnessed from Atticus, they couldn’t bring themselves to doubt him.