Chapter 138 The Successor of the End (Part 7)

In Hyperion, the palace of the Northern King is the hottest, situated atop a natural hot spring. The rising steam is like the blood flowing through the body, and the land outside has the only soil in the city that is not frozen by ice and snow.

The five obelisks that rise high among the white peaks are also the location of the Fangbing High Hall.

Tobas and Mien, as representatives of the Podrolites, sat in the main hall of the high hall, listening to the laughter and commotion of children playing barefoot outside the high walls.

Also seated together were twenty-three tall, reddish-brown cursed bear spirits, both men and women, who were all mercenaries and servants.

One of the fattest men was particularly eye-catching. He was a head taller than the tallest person present, with skin as black as ebony, a thick curly beard adorned with metal and bronze bells, and a falcon tattooed on his bare back.

He was clearly from another tribe, and it was unclear why he was with the Northern King.

The Northern King sat at the northernmost end. He was the oldest, about eighty years old. Although his hair was thinning, he was still strong. He did not wear cotton clothes, but only a woolen leather coat with a white bear embroidered on it.

The Northern King patted the strange man's shoulder with his pale hand. The strange man stood up, showing a height advantage that was even greater than when he was sitting. The two communicated in a very tacit indigenous language. Afterward, the strange man quickly left the high hall, his movements even more agile than expected.

Tobas and Mien learned many accounts here that differed from historical accounts.

Long before the Great Migration to the South, another group of humans fled the Red Diamond Road in the North from the Imperial Wars of Unification and established habitable towns in the lowlands of Molière, which are now the towns of the North.

During his ten-year partnership with the caravans, the great-grandfather of the King of the North found himself unwilling to stay with them. He left the northern towns and led 30,000 warriors to sweep across the Morrie Highlands, establishing the first and only colony city on the Icefield.

My great-grandfather attempted to establish a second kingdom on the ice plains, but he encountered a cursed bear spirit during his subsequent conquests. He died in the Rock of Suffering, and his body was transported to the Eternal Frozen Sea.

The grandfather of the Northern King, as the most outstanding human warrior in the North, ended the Bear Spirits' rule over the Bitter Rock. At the young age of twenty-five, the hero participated in the conflict of the Ice Serpent tribe, successfully defeated the Ice Serpent leader, and attempted to expand the colony to the central part of the Ice Plains.

However, just as he was about to take down the Ice Leopard Tribe, he discovered something unexpected.

Some creatures without flesh and blood, ghosts charging into battle with horns, and wizards with octopus heads—it is said that all these ghosts come from another dimension, the Void Realm.

Not long after, the grandfather of the Northern King ended his colonial career on the ice plains and became a kind old man who had completely lost his fighting spirit. He soon renamed the colony Great City.

The era of human colonization on the ice plains has ended, and at the same time, the demon legions begin their invasion of the Podrolite Empire.

The grandfather of the Northern King, who had lost his will to fight, was unwilling to join forces with the Podrote and fled to Hyperion in his later years.

The Northern King turned around and looked out at the long sky. Perhaps it had been a long time since he had gazed at such a beautiful sky.

"Doman City could have been a strong shield for the Podrol Empire, but it was very young and very short-lived. According to the dwarves, Doman City was reduced to ice ruins. The will of humanity never dies, but the young human descendants have forgotten how to fight. They choose to flee, intermarry with the bear spirits or dwarves, and become a northern tribe with a more complex bloodline."

"The descendant you mentioned, is it the one who just left?" Tobas asked.

The Northern King nodded: "The descendants of humankind live on the frigid summit of the world, alongside those bear spirits who are even larger than themselves. Their sole purpose in life is to hone their physical bodies."

"But what's the difference between those pampered Lord Podrolts and those who don't stand up to resist the demon legion!"

Mien felt a jolt of fear, as if a sharp sword had pierced his chest.

The King of the North suddenly burst into laughter: "Well said! I thought the Podrote people would completely lose their will to fight under the shadow of the demon legion."

"Most Podrote people are like this, but the flame of hope has not been extinguished."

"So you've come not only seeking asylum, but also want to unite with us?"

"Yes, I hope the Podrolites can join your ranks."

"What benefit would this bring me?"

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

"I can let you join us, but what gift will you bring us?"

"I can tell you the demon legion's greatest weakness."

"explain!"

"Demons live in purgatory and are afraid of the cold; that is their greatest weakness!"

"You're very good at diplomacy. What's your name?"

"Tobas".

"Tobas? Why does that sound a bit like..."

“I was born in the north and was brought to the central region when I grew up.”

"Are you a general of the Podrolites?"

"Servant".

"Servants! The Podrolites deserve to fail!"

“You can’t blame them. I don’t have royal blood, and I’m still very young. They can’t possibly choose a child to be a general.”

"This is the North, child. This is no longer the Podrol Empire. We don't care about age. If I gave you a team, what would be the first thing you would do?"

"Simply increasing physical strength is useless; one must also learn to arm oneself with one's mind. As far as I know, the demon legion has united with the orcs, naga, dark elves, and other dark forces. Although humans have also united with the light elves and angels, it is difficult for races to maintain long-term trust. This is the main reason for the destruction of the Podrolt Empire."

"Anything else?"

“Every force of light is arrogant and conceited.”

"besides."

"The Podrot people want to become the leaders of the forces of light."

“You’re right about everything, but you need to understand now that the forces of light have been defeated one by one, so there’s no need for us to consider forming an alliance anymore.”

You're wrong.

"What's wrong?"

“Each Bear Spirit tribe pledges allegiance to a totem: the snow eagle, the ice wolf, the ice bear, and many other unknown animals can become loyal friends of the Bear Spirits. We should unite all available resources.”

"You want to train animals to be allies too?"

"Wolves, eagles, and bears are all the best allies."

"Good! Tobas, as long as you pledge allegiance to me, I will give you an army!"

"no."

"Why?"

"I am loyal only to this King of Podrolot who is by my side."

If Tobas hadn't mentioned Mien, the King of the North would have completely forgotten that there was someone sitting there.

How insignificant Mien was in the eyes of this king, the distance between him and Tobas was comparable to the entire northern continent.

Mien was also surprised that Tobas had not forgotten their promise.

However, the braver and smarter Tobas appeared, the more it aroused Mien's worry and jealousy. He was somewhat restless and could not look Tobas in the eye, seeing some kind of magical power within them. He did not know why he had such thoughts.

The dream of becoming King of Podrote is probably impossible now, so why is Mien still so concerned about becoming king?

His mind became increasingly twisted due to fear of being taken away, jealousy of being surpassed, and various other experiences.

This world doesn't belong to Mien; he wants to escape.

'You want to escape, don't you? You hate this world, don't you? You despise your status as crown prince, don't you?'

'I really want to cry, but I can't even find a quiet place to cry; enemies are everywhere.'

'You still want to be king? Becoming the King of Podrolott is impossible.'

Who says fear can't be a form of strength? Who says the world is ruled by the brave?

'They lack the vision to see your power. Only I can help you become king, but you don't belong to them; you belong to us.'

'Who are you? '

'I am you, your power, your thoughts.'