...
The scene on the light screen—of little Loki desperately climbing the cliffs of the Underworld—pierced through Harald's final psychological defense like the coldest arrow.
His massive body seemed to age in an instant. The Giant King of Elbaph, at this moment, was staggering under the crushing pain called "neglect" and "regret."
He walked step by step toward the purple-haired boy who had his back to everyone, his body still trembling slightly.
His son, Loki…
Every step was extraordinarily heavy, as if the ground beneath his feet wasn't solid earth, but paved with shattered pasts and icy reproaches.
"Loki… my child…"
Harald's voice was hoarse beyond recognition. He extended his enormous hand—covered in calluses and scars—and from behind, pulled Loki entirely into his broad chest.
He buried his face in his son's purple hair, scalding tears silently soaking the strands.
"It's all my fault as a father… I was negligent, I failed to protect you… letting you… suffer so much…"
This embrace and apology were filled with the heavy weight of paternal love and endless guilt.
Harald no longer tried to explain his "greater cause," nor did he seek any excuses.
As a father, he had been absent during the childhood when his son needed protection the most, even indirectly causing the tragedy.
This was the fault he could not shirk.
Being tightly held in his father's arms, feeling that familiar yet unfamiliar gigantic warmth, hearing the suppressed sobs and genuine repentance by his ear, Loki's body—which had been tense as iron—gradually softened.
He bit his lip, stubbornly refusing to turn around or respond, but his slightly trembling shoulders and gradually calming rapid breaths betrayed the turmoil inside him.
A mix of emotions.
Grievance, the bitterness of being understood, complex feelings toward his father's belated care.
And also a… longing for this family bond buried deep in his heart, one he himself was unwilling to admit.
He had always armed himself with violence, rebellion, and obsession with strength, as if that way he could ignore the pain of having been abandoned, ignore others' strange looks.
But deep down, that infant who had helplessly climbed in the cold winds of the Underworld had never truly stopped crying.
The light screen did not stop; it continued playing fragments of Loki's subsequent growth.
He caused mischief all over Elbaph, using pranks to attract others' attention.
Until that day, a group of uninvited guests—the pirates led by Rocks—set foot on Elbaph's land, searching for Harald.
That arrogant, unbound man with overwhelming power, who seemed to disregard all rules and prejudices, instantly ignited the flame that had lain dormant in Loki's heart.
After that, Rocks became the idol he desperately chased after, longing to become like.
The light screen faded slowly in the frozen frame of young Loki gazing up at Rocks with eyes sparkling in admiration, ultimately returning to empty darkness.
This segment of Loki's story came to an end.
"Haha! Sure enough, he's still just a kid who hasn't grown up!"
Rocks' signature laugh—carrying a hint of teasing and boldness—shattered the heavy atmosphere.
He strode over to Loki's side and forcefully patted Loki's sturdy calf. (He'd wanted to pat the shoulder, but with his height, reaching the shoulder was a bit of a stretch…)
Rocks had a smile on his face, but a trace of imperceptible emotion flashed through his deep eyes.
"Rocks! You saw it, right! How amazing I become later! I can even easily handle something as huge as that cow!"
Loki, jolted out of the complex emotions from his father's embrace by Rocks' pat, immediately reverted to his over-energetic self, eager to prove himself.
He messily wiped the still-wet tears and snot from his face with his sleeve, staring fixedly at Rocks: "Now I can board your ship, right?!"
"Tch,"
Rocks crossed his arms, "looking down" at Loki, deliberately drawing out his tone: "Later is later—right now, aren't you still just a little brat?
Your nose isn't even wiped clean! Board the ship? No way, no way~"
Rocks laughed heartily, but his refusal was crystal clear.
"Why not?!"
Loki got anxious, swinging his warhammer a couple of times: "I'm already pretty strong now! And I'll get even stronger later! Don't you need powerful crewmates? I'll definitely be able to help in the future!"
"Can't board means can't board!"
The smile on Rocks' face suddenly faded a bit, his tone turning unusually serious as he stared into Loki's eyes: "You think I'm messing with you? Kid, some paths aren't ones you can walk just because you look strong.
Your country, your family—that's what you should be protecting right now. Stay in Elbaph, get stronger, protect this place. That's what you ought to do now."
Loki opened his mouth, still wanting to argue, but "seeing" the unquestionable seriousness in Rocks' eyes, an inexplicable wave of grievance and loss surged up.
In the end, all his words stuck in his throat, turning into an unwilling muffled grunt.
He lowered his head, kicking at the gravel on the ground.
If it had been anyone else rejecting him like this, he'd have already swung his hammer and caused chaos—but the other party was Rocks…
The person he admired most, the one he most wanted to follow.
An "order" or "suggestion" from his idol—he subconsciously didn't dare, and didn't want, to defy it.
Harald sighed helplessly upon seeing that Loki still wanted to board Rocks' ship. He knew he couldn't persuade Loki either.
But he could also understand why Rocks refused to let Loki join his pirate crew—Rocks' ambitions were too vast, so vast that even this "world" couldn't contain him…
Looking at her "son's" dejected back and her husband's helpless expression, Ida let out a soft sigh and walked to Loki's side.
She reached out and gently stroked Loki's messy hair.
"Loki-kun,"
Ida's voice was gentle and clear: "Rocks-kun… is actually protecting you, you know."
Loki jerked his head up, looking at Ida in confusion.
Ida glanced toward Rocks; the latter awkwardly scratched his nose and looked away, tacitly admitting it.
"What Rocks-kun is going to do… is very dangerous. The enemies he'll face are probably even more powerful and terrifying than we can imagine."
Ida's gaze swept over the Five Elders and God's Knights in the distance, each with their own expressions—her words carried implication.
"He might not fear it himself, but he doesn't want to drag you into it. He hopes you can walk a safer path, one more suited to you—
In Elbaph, by your father's side, growing upright and strong, protecting your home. That is truly what's best for you."
Ida was perceptive and observant; she had long seen through the various clues revealed by the light screen and Rocks' attitude toward Loki, understanding the true thoughts of this overlord of the sea.
Rocks' refusal of Loki wasn't because he saw him as weak or troublesome—quite the opposite. It was because he recognized the immense potential hidden in this boy and that pure stubbornness.
That's why he was even less willing to let him step too early onto his own path—one destined to be full of thorns, perhaps even leading to destruction.
After hearing Ida's words, Loki froze.
He looked at Rocks' slightly awkward profile, then at Ida's gentle yet firm eyes, and recalled Rocks' earlier words about "protecting your country."
The grievance and confusion from being rejected began to melt rapidly, like ice and snow under sunlight.
So… that's how it was?
Loki was, after all, still a boy—straightforward in his thinking, not skilled at reading human complexities or intricate considerations.
Only now, with Ida pointing it out, did he suddenly understand. His idol didn't look down on him; he was protecting him in a different way, thinking of his future.
A warm current mixed with even stronger fighting spirit surged into Loki's heart.
He sniffed hard, his eyes regaining their firm brightness.
"I get it!"
Loki puffed out his chest and declared loudly to Rocks, his voice no longer impatient but carrying a calm determination: "Rocks! You're right! I'm still not strong enough now! If I boarded your ship, I'd just hold you back!"
He turned to his father Harald, then looked at Ida and his brother Hajrudin beside him, clenching his fists tightly: "I want to get stronger! Strong like Dad—no, stronger than Dad! I'll protect Elbaph, protect Aunt Ida…
And, by the way, protect that useless big brother too!
After saying this, Loki burst into loud laughter. Hearing his words, Hajrudin looked displeased, glaring at Loki with black lines on his face.
But Loki didn't care at all.
"Rocks! Just wait and see! When I grow up, when I become strong enough—strong enough to help you, strong enough to face any enemy without holding you back…"
The young giant raised his head, his voice echoing like a vow amid the ruins of God Valley and the sea breeze: "At that time, I will definitely come find you!
I will definitely… board your ship! Become your most reliable partner!"
This wasn't the willful rant of a child, but an incredibly solemn vow about the future—made by a boy who had endured hardships, understood care, and found his direction!
Rocks looked at the unquestionable determination in Loki's eyes, listened to his youthful yet powerful declaration, and was momentarily stunned.
Then, the corners of his mouth slowly curved into a genuine smile—carrying relief and an indescribable touch of emotion.
He didn't say "no" again, only giving a light nod, as if to say: I'll be waiting.
Harald watched his son seem to grow up in an instant, his heart filled with a myriad of emotions.
Relief, heartache, and a faint worry about the future.
But he knew Loki had made his own choice and found a bright path that belonged to him.
As a father, what he needed to do now was support him with all his strength, protect him, and let him smoothly reach the future he had sworn to arrive at.
...