"My Lord King, is it really wise to make such a promise?"
Not long after Fergal left the hall, his most trusted advisor, an elderly druid, approached him, his voice tinged with concern.
As someone who had served Fergal for years, the druid was all too familiar with the king's obsession with collecting beautiful women and protecting his daughters with a near-morbid zeal.
"Hmph!" Fergal snorted, his voice filled with disdain. "A vow is but words. Did I say I would truly hand Emer over to that brat?"
Fergal called over one of his servants and spoke sharply, "Deliver this message to Norbert: I don't care what happens to the rest of them, but if Cu Chulainn, that blue-haired whelp, escapes, you'd better bring me your head as compensation!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!" The servant bowed and left in haste.
The druid observed Fergal quietly for a moment before speaking again, his tone measured. "Your Majesty, Cu Chulainn is not so easily dealt with. He is the son of the sun god, possessing a demigod's body—a gift Kevin the Man of Miracles does not share."
"I know." Fergal's lips curled into a cruel smile. "That's precisely why I told him to go to the Shadow Kingdom. Even if Cu Chulainn manages to cut through Norbert's three hundred warriors, the journey to the Shadow Kingdom will surely be his death!"
The druid raised an eyebrow.
"And if, by some miracle, he reaches the Shadow Kingdom, the queen will not take kindly to the presence of a sun god's child in her realm. She might even kill him outright!"
Fergal's reasoning wasn't entirely unfounded. In the cosmic balance of light and shadow, the Queen of the Kingdom of Shadows, Scathach, and the sun god Lugh were naturally opposed forces. Though some powerful druids and gods knew that Kevin had been Scathach's apprentice, this information was carefully concealed.
The runes Scathach used to obscure her involvement were ancient, learned from the legendary figure in the far north, with additional enchantments provided by Lugh himself. Thus, even Fergal's most trusted confidant remained unaware of Kevin's connection to the enigmatic queen.
"What about Kevin?" the druid asked, narrowing his eyes. "You seemed to hold him in high regard earlier."
"If he cannot handle such a minor challenge," Fergal said, his voice icy, "then he's not worthy of my attention."
Meanwhile, outside the castle gates, tensions flared among the Red Branch Knights as Kevin and Cu Chulainn argued about who should lead the charge.
"No, I'll take the lead!" Cu Chulainn insisted, his tone resolute.
Kevin, his mood sour after seeing his vacation plans evaporate into another encounter with Scathach, snapped back, "Why are you fighting with me over this? Do you think you're stronger than me now?"
Cu Chulainn glared. "I should take the risk! You've already done enough to help me tonight!"
"Dangerous tasks should be handled by the strongest!" Kevin shot back, meeting Cu Chulainn's glare with one of his own. "And right now, that's me!"
Connor, ever the mediator, stepped in with a cough. "Perhaps I should take the lead—"
"Shut up!" Kevin and Cu Chulainn shouted in unison, silencing him instantly.
Bruel and the others chuckled despite the tension. Even in such dire circumstances, the camaraderie of the group provided a brief moment of levity.
"Enough arguing," Bruel said, hoisting his massive axe onto his shoulder. "You two lead together! None of us are cowards. Let's fight our way out as one!"
Kevin spared Bruel a glance, biting back the retort he wanted to make. At least don't ruin morale now, he thought grimly.
The group of eleven moved swiftly under the cover of night. They left their horses behind, knowing the narrow paths would render them more a hindrance than a help.
At the mountain pass, Norbert stood at the head of three hundred warriors, their weapons gleaming in the moonlight. The full moon illuminated the grim faces of the defenders and the icy steel of their swords, axes, and spears.
Kevin stood at the front beside Cu Chulainn, gripping his red magic sword tightly. Connor took position at the rear to protect the group's flank.
As Kevin's group approached, Norbert raised his sword high and uttered a single command: "Kill!"
The three hundred warriors behind him echoed the cry in unison, their voices merging into a deafening roar.
"Kill!!!"
The sound reverberated through the mountains, carrying with it a chilling, oppressive force that threatened to crush the spirits of Kevin's group.
Kevin stepped forward, his expression calm but his body tense with resolve. He raised his magic spear high.
"Death Shooting Spear!"
A crimson streak of light tore through the night sky, crackling like thunder as it shot toward the enemy ranks.
The scarlet spear pierced shields and bodies with ease, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. When it finally reached critical mass, it detonated like an explosion, scattering warriors and weapons like leaves in a storm.
The devastation was instantaneous. Over thirty warriors lay dead or dying, and the once impenetrable line of defense was now riddled with a gaping hole.
The sight left everyone stunned, including Bruel and the other Red Branch Knights. The "cute" boy they had teased earlier now stood as a terrifying figure, his slim frame illuminated by the scarlet glow of his weapon.
Kevin's face paled as the spear returned to his hand. His body, though strengthened by years of consuming divine fruit, lacked the magical reserves to wield such power without consequence.
"HAHAHA!" Cu Chulainn's boisterous laughter shattered the shocked silence. He surged forward, his greatsword swinging with wild abandon. The ferocity of his attacks inspired the others to follow, their battle cries rising above the clash of steel.
Kevin watched them charge, his expression unreadable. Violence and bloodshed weren't his style, but on the battlefield, Cu Chulainn's raw brutality served as a rallying cry.
Connor approached Kevin, his smile faint but kind. "You're not fond of the bloodshed, are you?"
Kevin sighed, his gaze fixed on the chaotic melee ahead. "Not particularly."
With that, he strode forward, his expression hardening as he plunged into the fray. Connor followed close behind.
By the battle's end, Kevin had killed over fifty warriors, his precision and skill leaving a trail of bodies in his wake.
Cu Chulainn, though seriously injured, had cut down forty enemies before being saved by Bruel, who lost an eye in the process. Connor accounted for nearly thirty kills himself.
Of the eleven Red Branch Knights who began the night, only six emerged from the mountains alive. But their actions ensured that the name of the Red Branch Knights would echo across the continent of Erin once more.
For Kevin, this night marked the beginning of his legend—the prologue to an epic story that would etch his name into history forever.
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