We've all witnessed the conclusion of the Battle of Ryuu and The First Epic. As soon as the epic fell, the soldiers, monsters, and any surviving troops started to retreat, signifying the end of the war. The soldiers erupted in joyous cheers, exclaiming, "They're retreating!" "We won!" "Finally, it's over!"
In the midst of the soldiers' celebration, I ran towards Ryuu. Ryuu was lying on the ground, unconscious from his wounds, covered in blood, but somehow he had managed to survive and was barely breathing. Soon Hiroshi, Babu, and the King arrived on the scene. As Babu quickly tended to Ryuu, I turned to him and said, "How is this possible? His body is so bruised, he's lost so much blood, but he's still alive."
"I'm not sure," Babu replied, "I've never seen anything like it. His wounds seem to have closed on their own, and his organs appear to be unscathed."
The King, who was barely standing, approached us and explained, "Due to his bloodline, he was able to endure the fight for so long. And from his eyes and healing abilities, it is clear that he wields the 'claw of savagery'."
"The claw of brutality?" I repeated, puzzled.
"Yes, it's the second pure power of The Wolf bloodline. It manifests when one loses a significant amount of blood and is an extremely dangerous power," The King elaborated.
I inquired, "What makes it so perilous?"
"He single-handedly defeated an epic, which is proof enough. But to explain further, when a person suffers extreme blood loss and does not have enough control over their body, they attack the person in front of them without mercy. The stronger the person is, the more they can control this force, but if not, it's really difficult. But don't worry, once he regains consciousness he returns to normal. I'm sure Ryuu will be fine when he wakes up," the King assured us.
"For now, let's return to the Kingdom and celebrate our victory in the war," The King suggested, and we all agreed. Other than that, there was nothing else we could do. After all, we had won the war and I was sure that Ryuu would be better cared for in the palace.
We were in the midst of learning about Ryuu's newfound power, but at that moment, there wasn't much we could do. Following the King's orders, we ensured that Ryuu was safely placed in a horse-drawn carriage. Then, once the King knew that the Leader and the others were well, he invited the Naiton clan to join us to celebrate the victory and we all set off for the kingdom.
When we arrived at the kingdom, we were greeted with overwhelming enthusiasm and applause from the people. To them, we were heroes.
Despite the festive atmosphere, I couldn't stop thinking about Ryuu and the battle he had fought with the Epic. If he were awake, he would have loved to see the joyous scene. He always spoke about how great it was to be a hero, and I could now understand why.
The King hosted us in his palace and treated us to a magnificent feast. The banquet table he had prepared was the largest I had ever seen, with almost fifty seats. Most of the guests were singing, laughing, and having a great time.
Ryuu was taken to the infirmary, while Hiroshi and Babu enjoyed the feast, with Babu particularly ecstatic over the food. Tears streamed down his face as he savored every bite. I sat back and watched them, happy to be part of such a beautiful moment.
As the night wore on, the King and leader began to sing together, their cups in hand. Others at the table clapped along, setting the tempo for the song. It was a night to remember, filled with laughter and joy.
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In an unknown location within the Fifth Kingdom, a man sat on his throne, shrouded in darkness, and looked at Miron with disappointment.
"That's not why I sent you to the first kingdom, but you killed Kaika anyway. And you made the child turn against us."
"Forgive me for not foreseeing this, sir, but I knew Kaika well enough to know that he never gave up on his ideas, and I'm sure we'll find the child soon enough."
"Silence! You have failed me enough. The First Epic has been defeated, and I'm certain that the one responsible will come to us."
"You mean the boy. He must be the one. I believe he is a descendant of the wolf bloodline. Shall I return to the first Kingdom and bring you his head?"
"I understand your hatred towards the Wolf bloodline, my student. But everything has its time. You will have the opportunity to confront them soon enough. For now, focus on what I have tasked you with and return to the third Kingdom."
"As you wish, Master."
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I wanted to check on Ryuu and see how he was doing. When I arrived at the infirmary, I saw Hiroshi standing by the window, smoking a cigar. I approached him and asked how he was doing.
"I'm okay, but I ate a little too much because of Babu," he replied.
"Where is Babu?"
"After his tenth plate, he fell asleep."
Hiroshi turned his head to look at Ryuu.
"At first, he asked me for help, as if he were joking. Then he said he could help me get my gun back. I thought he was crazy, but this kid really has true power in him. And he doesn't seem like he's going to give up his idea. It's really crazy that we're going on an adventure like this with just a little help."
"Even though it's filled with difficulties, I think what Ryuu is doing is the right thing. He helps so many people. Even if they've lost hope, he catches up with them in time and helps them in all circumstances. I guess that's why I always want to help Ryuu. He's helped a lot of people but has also caused us to help others. You, Babu, and I have all helped somebody. I'm sure he sees in us a benevolent personality," I said.
"Yeah, we've done a lot of stuff. I don't know if anyone would be proud of me, but Babu's master would be proud of him, and your mom would be proud of you."
"I'm glad you fought with us, I don't know who would be proud of you, but we are proud of you," I replied.
"Thank you, Lezlie, that means a lot, now if you'll excuse me I'm going to get some air," Hiroshi said.
After checking that Ryuu was okay, I went out on the balcony and started thinking about my mother by looking at the stars. Because today was her birthday.
"Happy birthday, Mother," I whispered.