Chapter 169

Together with the giants, but unrelated to them, he steps out beyond the door.

Heeba stood there, dumbfounded.

“Whyyy now of all times…?”

Her appearance had changed greatly.

Unlike when she was young, she now exuded a mature presence appropriate for her age.

Though her beauty remained, her entire body was tightly wrapped in black cloth—even her hands and feet.

And the city he finally ventured outside to see… It was almost eerily similar to the current state of things, resembling ruins in every way.

“…”

Here, though it’s the past, my body remains anchored in the present.

But why did the giant at the entrance let me pass so readily? Why didn’t Zora try to stop me?

Thus, amidst this atmosphere swirling with unknown questions and confusion…

With thunder and lightning crackling, and accompanied by a brilliant flash of pure white light, it arrived.

At first, I thought it was something else entirely…

But it was clearly a boy.

Dressed in a combination of snow-white and gold, with strikingly white hair and golden eyes that evoked riches untold. His handsome features were unmatched, leaving no doubt.

Suddenly, it hit me—he resembled someone intensely.

Heeba glared at him, cursing under her breath.

“Bahram! Did you have to chase me here?!”

Bahram?

That’s who this guy is?

– …This is surprising.

The Demon King muttered as if bewildered by the situation.

Then—

“To me, your existence seems even more absurd.”

As the boy walked forward, he stared directly at her, the Demon King, and spoke.

“…Huh.”

Then he turned his piercing gaze toward me, speaking directly.

“You don’t belong here. Am I right?”

“…”

Heba too, along with the many giants behind her and what appeared to be the beast Aeshumara, looked perplexed by this boy addressing an entirely different direction.

After a moment’s pause, I replied.

“Do you recognize me?”

“So… Are you asking me?”

Heba seemed confused, thinking the question was directed at her, but the Demon King understood immediately.

– Is there such a thing as coincidence in this world? Or not?

“I hope you and yours can observe me closely as I do you.”

I glanced back at Heeba, subtly nodding to hint at something. She seemed to understand and led the giants and others away.

Suddenly, a flock of crows began covering the sky.

It wasn’t just that.

A firebird appeared too, alongside a massive bull that seemingly erupted from nowhere—both from the ground and the heavens.

“I would like to have a brief conversation with you.”

“…”

Right now, am I not supposed to be observing the past?

I’m thoroughly baffled.

Most of all, I hadn’t realized it earlier while riding a white horse and surveying the area, but up close, this kid looks exactly like you, Dad—down to the smallest detail.

No, wait.

Rather, it might be more accurate to say you resemble him.

“I know nothing about you or yours. I’ve heard nothing. But how come you’re here? And you seem to know me personally. Or perhaps you’ve seen someone who looks like me? Your attitude doesn’t suggest formal knowledge of me—it lacks respect, reverence, hatred, or fear.”

Even as I faced him head-on…

After pondering aloud, he crossed his arms in deep thought before responding.

“Nah. That doesn’t matter right now.”

He asked again.

“Do you know me?”

“…”

This time, the Demon King answered on my behalf.

-Bahram Yashidt. Bereratragena. There are quite a few titles we could discuss, but let’s leave it at that for now.

“That you outsiders can even communicate with us in our language is astonishing, let alone understanding so much.”

Outsiders?

-Victory encompasses wisdom and intelligence, does it not?

“I appreciate the acknowledgment.”

Neither humble nor modest,

he accepted the compliment as if it were merely stating the obvious, without any joy in being recognized. Would anyone really rejoice over being told something they already knew?

To some, this might be the highest form of absolute praise.

But for him, it’s simply everyday common sense.

He exudes nobility without arrogance, inspiring reverence and awe.

His very existence feels like proof of that.

“If neither you nor yours interfere, I intend to suppress these beings according to my duty. It won’t be easy, so I’ll likely imprison them. Still, they are ultimately our people who must eventually awaken and reform.”

“Weren’t those same people you and your army wiped out completely?”

In response to my words, he reacts.

“Did you witness that battle? It happened over a thousand years ago.”

A thousand years?

Behind us, a commotion begins—a forced skirmish, perhaps.

“What do you plan to do? Do you intend to block me here?”

“…”

Normally,

we should attempt some semblance of dialogue, however brief.

But somehow, it felt wrong.

Maybe because he looks so much like you, Dad, even trying to speak kindly feels off.

So instead, I made a counteroffer.

“If you step aside nicely, there won’t be any need for blocking or anything.”

“That’s impossible.”

He shakes his head.

“It seems it has come to this.”

-Carriel. Don’t forget what I said earlier.

The Demon King warns.

As she mentioned, this one is an undefeated War God who always wins in combat.

“…”

Still,

I’m not someone who fights to win.

Truthfully, I’ve never been taught how to win.

Summoning a sword from the void, I cloaked it in pitch-black energy.

“…You’re an outsider too, huh?”

I have no idea what he means.

“Does it matter?”

“It does. Handling chaos implies collapsing order. You yourself are inherently evil by existing.”

Despite saying this with your face, Dad, it makes me want to laugh for some reason.

“And what’s that supposed to mean? Do you actually think you can handle me with a weapon like that?”

“No.”

Of course not.

When a warrior wielding a golden sword appeared behind him, it confirmed my suspicion.

I casually deflected.

“I don’t know how to win.”

But…

“That doesn’t mean I’ll accept defeat easily.”

From the start, I’ve only known one thing:

Not losing.

Redirecting the force of an enemy’s attack back at them.

Ensuring malicious intent recoils upon itself, severing their own limbs with their own blade.

Since the beginning, this is all I’ve done.

And now,

I generate another shield.

“What… is that?”

His expression darkens.

Does he recognize it?

I deliberately shaped it.

Aegis.

Thus armed with both a sword in one hand and a shield in the other, I stand against a warrior twice my size.

The silent warrior appears bulky.

His face is partially hidden by a helmet, and his form isn’t fully defined.

His armor isn’t iron, nor hardened leather treated with special solutions—but his body swelled like steel itself.

Certainly, this entity is steel-like.

Yet the golden sword in his hand surpasses even steel in its greatness—an artifact of supreme power, forged from victory itself.

The golden sword wielded by those steel-like hands is undoubtedly the hammer of victors—vast, sometimes sleek, sometimes heavy.

It truly lives up to the metaphor of a victor’s hammer.

The moment I barely deflected the blow, the ground beneath me shattered violently from the backlash.

I regained my footing and blocked the following strike.

The sheer aftereffects carved through space itself, tearing apart the earth like a great monster raking its claws across the ground.

‘Undeniably.’

What matters most is that I endured.

The Aegis truly is an invaluable divine artifact.

An ordinary shield would’ve broken instantly under such force.

Even cloaked in darkness, my skill with it remains amateurish—I couldn’t possibly withstand the shockwaves, cutting force, and weight of that golden sword.

But this works.

‘So then…’

All that’s left is securing the distance to attack.

While deflecting and parrying with the shield, I return the impact and rebounding force. If he possesses a normal physical body, he’d surely feel the brunt of that shock.

Remaining unscathed suggests otherwise—that level of damage wouldn’t even faze him, let alone tire him.

A seasoned warrior wields the zenith of treasures, possessing a body like steel, boundless experience, and wisdom.

If the Demon King is correct, and this warrior embodies part of Bahram himself…

We shouldn’t expect mediocrity from him.

Good fortune?

Miracles?

We should account for him using even luck to his advantage.

Getting caught up in thoughts of winning against him is dangerous here.

Didn’t I already acknowledge that victory is impossible?

Instead, I must navigate a scenario where I cannot lose despite being unable to win.

And that…

Is something I’m rather familiar with.

Even with just a single sword in hand, I can carry on Grandeous’ sword techniques, his legacy.

Using the shield amplifies efficiency far beyond what a lone sword could achieve.

And that’s not all.

“?!”

The shield transforms into a spear—short, then long.

Thrusting forward as if to throw, I quickly pull it back.

Close-range engagements use the sword, but when he advances recklessly, whether it’s a spear or a shield, I adapt accordingly, either moving my body or standing firm.

Simultaneously,

I leap over the void, splitting the darkness to ambush from behind.

Anticipating his counter, I hold back from rushing in recklessly.

‘Confirmed.’

Surprisingly, this fight feels easier than facing the giants.

There were issues with size and elemental advantages when dealing with them, but…

This existence.

Through effort, reflection, and harsh real-world battles,

has achieved blind victories and transformed defeats into glorious triumphs, becoming a seasoned warrior honed through countless trials.

Still, he remains human—limited by flesh and bone.

And once I learned to skillfully wield the Aegis,

this fight became significantly smoother.

Just fighting, that is.

“!!”

A muted yell.

My skin tingles, my hairs stand on end.

He’s definitely strong.

And judging from his eyes and aura, he still has several tricks up his sleeve.

However, the same applies to me.

Since leaving the Water User’s valley, this might be the strongest opponent I’ve faced head-on.

…Excluding that damn Demon King, of course.

Still…

‘The God of Victory. His true strength can’t solely lie within this warrior’s existence.’

A War God isn’t merely someone skilled in combat.

That’s included, but ultimately, it’s about winning wars.

Our current confrontation is limited to battle.

Which gives me a slight edge.

Unless,

he allows this framework to persist.

If the game flips, the story changes.

“I acknowledge it. You are strong.”

The warrior speaks.

Soon, a bolt of golden lightning surges above his golden sword.

“But compared to the foes I’ve continuously faced, you’re nothing.”

Prove it.

Show me if you’re worthy to be my adversary!

His voice, though quiet, carried immense weight.

The warrior’s movements doubled in speed, his unleashed power overwhelming.

If this were a straightforward exchange of blows,

I’d have fallen or lost long ago.

But,

when defenses solidify, we reveal our true worth.

Deflecting his attacks, returning his force,

and even stealing the electrical currents and shocks to turn them into counters.

“What is this?”

His brief confusion fades.

This synergy suits me perfectly.

‘Astrape.’

The shield transforms into a massive spear of electricity.

Beyond gold, it becomes a mix of white and gold—a colossal spear.

Yet suddenly, it shifts into a dark, pitch-black current.

In my grasp, the swirling black current roars, tearing through the air like a banshee.

“Huff!”

He charges forward, alertness flashing in his eyes.

“Clang!”

It’s both spear and shield.

Everything so far was misdirection.

This divine artifact has no fixed shape.

It merely took forms based on my will.

This masterful deception revealed a fleeting opening.

And thus, I…

Aimed the colossal spear—not at him,

not at the golden sword,

not even at the vast warrior’s embrace…

But toward the distant massive bull.

The black lightning streaked along an unconventional trajectory,

piercing the neck of the bull as it lunged at a nearby giant.

“Crackkkk!”

The impact preceded the sound.

Dark currents surged, creating small storms that spread to nearby giants and flocks of crows alike.

In an instant.

A flash.

Even the firebird flaps its wings violently, affected by the aftermath.

Additionally,

I swiftly countered the warrior’s incoming slash with one hand.

By the time I threw the Astrape, the warrior instantly deduced that I couldn’t regenerate either the Aegis or Astrape.

Otherwise, this sudden assault would’ve been interpreted as a petty act of defiance.

Yet his eyes flicker with something deeper, darker.

Even if his heart burns hot enough to incinerate the world,

his mind remains icy cold,

cold enough to make northern winds feel warm.

Victory isn’t born from excitement or frenzy.

It’s built through sound planning.

Actions, however, must be bold and decisive.

‘What a joke.’

Ironically,

through this encounter,

I’ve realized something.

Unknowingly, I’ve become a seasoned warrior myself,

learning through him as a mirror.

I just lacked the awareness.

And I’ve never clashed with a warrior capable of awakening such realization.

Only now do I comprehend.

I’ve grown stronger.

There are only a few steps left.

Through this journey, I will surely uncover the answer.

Your ridiculous strength, Dad.

And also,

the resilience and power to overcome it.

The golden sword clashes with the obsidian blade.

Like serpents entwined, electric currents surge between the two swords, violently splitting the air.

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