The King had been suspicious of Su Hao for some time, his instincts honed by years of battle. So when he saw Su Hao's sudden actions, his pupils shrank in alarm. "Huh???"
"One"
In that fleeting moment, everything changed. The "Eight Hundred" bomb detonated, and a blinding white light erupted from the epicenter, expanding with violent speed. It consumed the two Wyverns, the King, and Su Hao in an instant, leaving nothing but searing brilliance in its wake.
"Buzz~"
A deafening hum accompanied the shockwave, and before Su Hao could brace himself, the force hit him like a hammer, launching him through the air.
"Boom∼——!"
The thunderous explosion shook the very heavens, its roar echoing across the landscape as the earth trembled beneath its might.
The ground tore apart under the impact, the soil churning and flinging debris—rocks, splintered wood, and shredded grass—into the sky like a storm.
In the blink of an eye, the battlefield was transformed into a wasteland, with dirt and smoke swirling outward in every direction, forming a thick mushroom-shaped cloud that loomed over the devastation.
Though the explosion only lasted a moment, to Su Hao, it felt like an eternity. Time slowed as his senses overloaded. His ears rang with a persistent, high-pitched whine, drowning out all other sounds. His armor clanged with the force of the blast, and his body felt like it had been struck by lightning. Blood spurted from his mouth, splattering across the ground as he was thrown into the air, tumbling uncontrollably.
Yet, even in the midst of the chaos, one thought echoed in his mind: 'I'm not dead'.
Dazed and weakened, Su Hao struggled to move, his limbs numb and unresponsive. His body, battered and bruised, refused to cooperate, but his mind clung to a single goal—survival. He knew that as long as he could regain his strength, his ‹Healing› runes would do the rest. He just had to hang on.
The violent explosion had rendered his ‹Perception› rune ineffective,leaving Su Hao blind to the aftermath. He couldn't tell if the Wyverns or the King had survived, but surely, with such a powerful explosion, they couldn't have. 'They have to be dead.'
He thought with grim satisfaction.' I've survived this [Calamity]. I should leave while I can.'
Despite the urgent need to flee, Su Hao didn't move. Instead, he lay still, forcing himself to calm down, to focus. He guided his blood Qi through his body, the energy flowing like a river as he hastened to restore his strength.
Slowly, feeling returned to his limbs, and the dull ache of his wounds flared into sharp pain. He grimaced, but pain was a good sign—it meant he was still alive.
After a tense two minutes, the world finally quieted. The smoke began to settle, the echoes of the explosion fading into the distance. Su Hao, his body still trembling from the impact, managed to stand.
He immediately activated a ‹Healing› rune, and a soft, warm light enveloped him, knitting the shrapnel wounds that had peppered his body. It was nothing short of miraculous that none of the injuries were fatal, despite how brutal they appeared.
Wincing, Su Hao scanned the battlefield. Amidst the carnage, he saw the two Wyverns lying near a massive crater, their enormous forms barely moving. They were still alive, but only just—clinging to life with ragged, shallow breaths.
Su Hao frowned as he surveyed the scene, his heart racing with unease. "Where's the King?" His [Radar] was slowly recovering, but there was no sign of the King's body.
He glanced at the distant horizon, his legs twitching with the urge to run. "Whether the King's dead or not, it doesn't matter anymore. Better to leave now, while I still can."
Just as he was about to sprint into the wilderness, a voice, low and hoarse, cut through the silence like a blade.
"Traveller... Where do you think you're going? Cough∼, cough∼!"
Su Hao froze in mid-step, his breath catching in his throat. Slowly, he turned, and there, emerging from the smoke, stood the King of He'an.
He was battered and bloodied, his once-proud armor cracked and scorched. His helmet was gone, revealing his face—blood dripping down his tangled white hair, his eyes blazing with fury.
""You're... still alive?" Su Hao whispered, his eyes wide with disbelief. He could hardly comprehend it—how could anyone have survived such explosion.
The King, clutching his broken blade with trembling hands, let out a savage, blood-flecked growl. "Did you really think... you could kill me too?" His voice was rough, strained by the effort of breathing, yet it held the undeniable force of a warrior who refused to die. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, Traveller... but I won't die so easily!"
....
Though the King of He'an stood battered, bloodied, and worn, his presence remained imposing. Su Hao could see that the King was gravely injured, yet his iron will hadn't diminished.
'Run!'
Su Hao wasted no time on pleasantries. Turning swiftly, he bolted away, his feet pounding against the shattered ground.
"Whoosh—Boom∼!"
The sound of the King's movement was instantaneous, as if the air itself was ripped apart. The King stomped the earth with such force that it left a crater, propelling him directly in front of Su Hao, blocking the path.
Despite the chaos of battle and his own wounds, the King's rage had simmered into something more dangerous—calm determination. His gaze was steady, and his voice carried the weight of finality.
"Traveler, you can't escape from me," he said. His eyes flickered to the shattered remnants of his blade, and he sighed as if lamenting a truth. "So, these are your runes? I won't deny it—your runes could give humanity a power unmatched, perhaps even conquer the entire continent. But I stand by what I said before. You've spread them recklessly. Give up on your unrealistic dreams and return with me to He'an City."
Su Hao narrowed his eyes. "And who are you speaking for? The ruling nobles? Or the people?"
The King's eyes flashed with annoyance. "There's no difference!"
"There's a huge difference!" Su Hao snapped, his voice sharp with conviction. "I don't want the runes to be hoarded by a privileged few! What I want is for everyone to have the opportunity to make a choice, for everyone to have a chance to change their fate. Whether they succeed or not doesn't matter. If the runes are locked away, controlled by a select group, will the people really have that chance?"
The King's brow furrowed, the blood still trickling down his face blending with the dirt and grime of the battlefield. "You oversimplify the world, Traveler," he growled. "Not everyone can wield this power. The system we have—it's the product of generations of survival. It's why humanity has endured! It's not wrong!"
Su Hao's lips twisted into a bitter smile. "Don't start preaching to me about systems and foundations! Those are just words to justify the strong trampling on the weak! I don't mind that the strong thrive, but at least let the weak have a chance. A real chance!"
The King's patience snapped. "Traveler, don't presume to lecture me on humanity's survival!" His voice was fierce, like a sword's edge.
Su Hao met his fury with a calm intensity. "You're too stubborn, King of He'an."
The King exhaled, a weary sigh that seemed to carry the weight of his years. "You're smart, Traveler. Why don't you understand?"
For a moment, silence hung between them like a storm on the verge of breaking. Then Su Hao spoke, his voice softer but no less passionate.
"King of He'an, let me tell you what I see. When powerful beasts attack our settlements, do you know what happens to the common people? The weak have no power to resist; they can only flee in terror and despair, waiting to be devoured.
His fists clenched as he recalled the countless faces of helplessness, lives snuffed out without a chance to resist. "They don't even get the chance to try."
The King remained silent, but his eyes darkened with understanding.
Su Hao pressed on, his voice thick with the memories of his own struggles. "I've felt that same fear, that same helplessness, over and over and over. And every time, I told myself: If only I had a chance!
This world gave me the opportunity to learn, to grow. And I want to give that back. Not just to a few, but to everyone. Just a little hope. Enough for them to fight back.
Just a little bit will be enough!"
His words hung in the air, resonating with the weight of truth. He gestured to the devastation around them, the bloodstains, the remnants of battle. "My Runes can destroy any beast that threatens humanity. And I'm telling you now—I won't let you, or anyone else, hoard that power."
The King stared hard at Su Hao, his expression unreadable. For a long moment, neither man moved. Finally, the King spoke, his voice low and grim,
"If you're this stubborn, then I have no choice but to kill you here." His grip tightened around his broken blade. "I cannot allow humanity to fall into chaos. You're too dangerous, Traveler."
Su Hao's lips curled into a wry smile. "Then come. Try to kill me—if you think you can."
The King's face softened slightly, almost regretfully. "I don't want to kill you. You're a rare talent."
"I don't want to kill you either," Su Hao replied, his eyes steady. "If you leave now, we might even be allies in the future."
The King shook his head, the exhaustion finally catching up to him. "I'm old. There is no future for me. My time is nearly over, and I have no choice but to raise my blade against you."
He gazed at Su Hao with a strange mix of respect and sorrow. "If I win and you die, humanity will continue as it always has, but with the added strength of your runes. If I lose and you win, then perhaps humanity has chosen you to lead its future. Either way, I'll have no regrets."
The tension between them thickened as the King raised his golden blade in challenge. "So, let's settle this. A duel to the death."
Su Hao stood firm, his eyes never leaving the old warrior. Slowly, he raised his blade and pointed it at the King.
"Come," he said quietly. His body tensed, ready for the final clash.
Su Hao could understand the King's choice.
The King of He'an wasn't just defending a system—he was defending his very identity.
He had risen through the ranks, benefitting from the intricate web of power that had shaped human society. As the greatest beneficiary of that system, how could he betray it?
Thus, he was determined to protect the system that had elevated him to the top of humanity and to maintain the intricate web of relationships within the great families.
Su Hao understood that the King's convictions ran as deep as his own. The King couldn't abandon the very structure that had made him who he was.
At first, Su Hao's desire had been simple. He had wanted to give humanity a gift, a tool of survival. He didn't care about recognition or control; it didn't matter who received the knowledge of runes, so long as it helped humanity fend off the monstrous threats it faced. His intentions were pure—his only goal was the survival of the human race.
But then came the Bearded Beast's attack on Lingyun Town, and with it, everything changed.
Su Hao had stood there, witnessing the horror unfold in real time. He watched helplessly as the beast's massive tendrils wrapped around defenseless villagers—ordinary people with no means to fight back. They had screamed, but their cries had faded into the air as they were swallowed whole, devoured in mere moments.
Not a single one of them had the strength to resist. They were doomed before the battle had even begun.
That feeling was all too familiar to Su Hao. He had experienced it countless times himself—he had felt that powerlessness.
If only I had the chance…
It had been the same refrain echoing in his mind over and over, whenever death came.
Su Hao had lived on, waiting for his moment to change his fate. He had fought for that chance, clung to it, and used it to break free from the chains that bound him.
And now, looking back on those people in Lingyun Town—people who hadn't even been given the chance to fight—his purpose became clear.
Perhaps all they lacked was this one chance.
That was what Su Hao wanted to offer them: An Opportunity for the people of this world—one within his power to offer, but the choice to walk through it belonged to the people of this world.
He had waited a long time for his own chance...
Regardless of the outcome, at least there would be no regrets.
As for whether humanity would endure chaos?
Su Hao wasn't worried. Because no matter how bleak the future seemed, he believed that humanity's potential was limitless. If he could spark even a small flame of hope, it would ignite something greater. And from the ashes of the old world, a new, stronger one would rise.