Chapter 612: The Last Stand of Pride ( 612 )

Gumarak slowly left the war room, his heavy footsteps echoing down the stone corridor. A few of his top dwarven guards and senior officers followed quietly behind him.

He walked calmly, each step carrying the weight of leadership. The burden of making difficult decisions was heavy on him.

Finally, one of the officers couldn’t contain himself and asked, “Chieftain… are you really sure about this?”

Gumarak didn’t stop. His voice was steady, calm but firm.

“Yes. I don’t want any more of our people to die. We’ve fought long enough. We’ve shed enough blood.”

He glanced over his shoulder at the officers behind him.

“If that boy—Garius’s youngest—takes things seriously, none of you would be safe. Not even our best warriors. He’s not someone we can defeat with stubborn pride or simply with steel.”

His eyes looked straight ahead.

“It’s better to surrender peacefully than to fight to the death and lose everything we have left.”

Everyone went quiet.

The hall became heavy with tension. Gumarak’s words hung in the air, like a burden no one wanted to carry.

One of the younger officers clenched his fists. “But… Chieftain… if you surrender… who will lead us?”

Gumarak paused in his steps. He looked straight ahead, then slowly turned his head to face the officer.

His voice was low and final.

“That will be up to the boy to decide.”

He let the silence hang for a moment before saying,

“You all know what surrender means. We’ve lost. The only thing left is to protect what we still have. If giving up my throne can keep our people alive—then so be it.”

No one argued back. Not because they agreed, but because deep down, they knew he was right.

Meanwhile, at the large gate…

Javier was casually waiting, grilling meat on a portable spit over an open fire. The delicious smell filled the air, making even the guards on the wall glance down, drooling.

He expertly flipped the meat with one hand and with the other, tossed a piece toward Buddy.

Cuquawk! Buddy caught it in mid-air and happily started eating.

Javier was sitting cross-legged, chewing on his own piece of meat.

Then, the heavy gate began to slowly creak open.

A nervous dwarven soldier stepped out from behind it and carefully approached.

“Umm… our Chieftain said… you can go in and meet him in his throne room,” the dwarf said, trying to sound formal.

“Mmm… munch munch… I will,” Javier replied without looking up. “After I finish eating my meat.”

The dwarf blinked. The smell of grilled meat drifted closer, and he slowly took a step forward. His stomach growled.

Javier noticed.

“Want some?” he asked casually, nodding toward the grill.

The dwarf hesitated, eyes wide. Then he nodded.

Javier smirked. “Here. Help yourself.”

He tossed a nicely cooked piece onto a plate and slid it toward the dwarf.

The dwarf caught it like a treasure and bit into it.

“Th-Thank you…”

“Don’t thank me. Just eat,” Javier said.

Soon, more nearby dwarves couldn’t resist. A few approached, hesitant at first, but their hunger and the tempting smell drew them in. Before long, several of them were kneeling near the fire, eating with tears in their eyes.

“By the stone…” one whispered between bites, “This… tastes like heaven…”

Buddy, now sitting beside Javier like a noble pet, chirped happily, his beak snapping up another treat.

Javier wiped his hands on a cloth and slowly stood up, the meat still sizzling behind him.

The gate, now fully open, revealed the road leading to the dwarven capital’s throne room.

Javier smoothly climbed onto Buddy.

“Alright, let’s go,” he said.

Cuquawk!

Buddy kicked off the ground and dashed forward, his talons pounding against the stone. The surprised dwarves quickly moved aside, watching the orange-feathered creature race past them like a gust of wind.

They stood quietly, watching the oni-masked rider disappear down the main road toward the palace.

Inside the capital, the streets were silent.

Windows were slightly cracked open. Children peeked out. Blacksmiths and merchants paused their work. They had heard rumors—that strange boy with inventions, that puppet army, the halflings slaughtered. Now, they saw him with their own eyes: a blur of orange feathers and black armor.

Javier didn’t slow down for anything. His hand rested casually on Buddy’s reins.

They went past the plaza.

They passed the forges.

And soon, the tall royal palace came into view.

As they approached the front steps, dwarven guards in full ceremonial armor were already standing there.

Buddy slowed gradually to a stop.

Javier climbed down.

One of the royal guards stepped forward and bowed deeply. “The Chieftain is waiting inside, in the throne room.”

Javier nodded silently.

Then he slowly stepped inside.

The grand halls of the palace, once filled with loud laughter and strong voices, now echoed only with silence and heavy footsteps.

He passed by dwarven guards and servants standing on either side. Many of them looked thinner than expected—faces pale, cheeks sunken. Their armor hung a little looser than it should.

Inside his mind, Javier sighed.

This is what war does. It causes starvation, fear, waiting, and nothing is certain anymore.

He didn’t stop walking.

His samurai boots rang against the stone floor. Step by step, he moved toward the massive double doors leading to the throne room.

Two royal guards opened the doors without a word.

Inside, at the far end of the wide chamber, sitting on a high stone throne—was Gumarak.

The Dwarven Chieftain.

His beard was shorter than the stories had said, but his presence was strong. Flanked by his most trusted elites, all tense and silent. Their eyes were fixed on the boy wearing the oni mask.

Javier moved forward calmly until he was halfway across the throne room.

Then he stopped.

And took off his helmet.

His black hair fell loose, his face calm but serious.

He looked up at Gumarak.

“…I’m here on my father’s instruction,” Javier said firmly, his voice echoing through the throne room.

“You surrender peacefully,” he continued, locking eyes with the dwarven chieftain, “and follow me to the Beastkin Kingdom in peace.”

A pause.

“Because I don’t want to use force.”

The hall grew tense. No one moved. No one dared speak.

Gumarak remained silent.

His eyes lowered slightly, as if in thought.

But within—something stirred.

A whisper. A howl.

—Weak!! Coward!! USE ME!! We can crush him!! Rip him apart!! Devour his body!! His power!!

Gumarak’s body gave a subtle shudder.

Then… a smirk curled across his lips.

His gaze slowly rose to meet Javier’s.

“…Very well.”

( End Of Chapter )

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