...
However, just as Saint Garling tried to regain his confidence, the scene on the light screen abruptly shifted!
A violent, chaotic aura filled with destructive desire erupted like a tangible shockwave from the direction of Elbaph's royal castle!
Even through the light screen, the suffocating pressure was palpable!
In the hot spring, Shanks and Scopper Gaban both paled, conversation halting as they gravely looked toward the castle.
The frame instantly cut back to the castle hall!
It was no longer the earlier scene of guards besieging Harald. The hall lay in ruins—pillars cracked, ground pitted.
At the center of the wreckage, two colossal figures wrestled!
One was Harald—eyes completely overtaken by chaotic light, face twisted ferociously, issuing meaningless low growls!
His wounds healed at visible speed, but his sanity had clearly teetered to the brink of collapse.
The other was Loki—desperately holding back his father's giant sword, veins bulging on his forehead, teeth gritted as he struggled to endure!
Though still young, Loki's ancient Giant Tribe bloodline power had begun to awaken slowly. This strength gave him the foundation to stand against Harald!
"Wait—Dad! What the hell is wrong with you!!"
Loki roared. Under his father's berserk force, his massive body was steadily forced back, feet gouging deep furrows in the ground.
His eyes were filled with shock and confusion.
What terrified him even more was his father's current state.
"What the hell am I even supposed to be shocked about right now?! The fact that you got stabbed that many times and still won't die? Or that you killed so many guards… And what is this power?!"
Every clash between weapons and Loki's warhammer erupted with thunderous booms, numbing Loki's arms.
His father's strength had become abnormally, inhumanly powerful!
More guards rushed in at the hall entrance upon hearing the commotion.
Seeing the scene inside, they instinctively assumed it was Prince Loki causing trouble again—his "infamy" was well-known—and raised weapons to charge at him.
"Stop!!"
An aged yet authoritative roar rang out.
Elder Jorul arrived just in time to halt the guards. He was old and could no longer restrain Harald himself; he could only rely on the young and vigorous Loki to hold the line.
"It's not Loki! It's His Majesty… Harald has lost control! Quick—help Loki hold him down!"
Only then did the guards realize it was the king rampaging. The elderly Elder Jorul and Prince Loki were desperately trying to suppress the clearly abnormal King Harald.
They hurriedly dropped their hostility and joined the effort to restrain the frenzied king.
Under everyone's combined strength, Harald was temporarily pinned to the ground.
He breathed heavily, the black glow in his eyes flaring bright then dimming. His facial muscles twisted as if engaged in fierce internal struggle.
"Jorul… Elder… Loki…"
Harald's voice came in broken gasps, filled with pain and apology: "I… did something irreparable…"
His consciousness seemed to seize a fleeting moment of clarity, exerting every ounce of will to resist the cold command trying to devour him completely.
"Listen carefully… I'm about to… completely lose my mind…"
Harald stared fixedly into his son's eyes. Each word was squeezed out through gritted teeth, heavy with blood and tears: "Do exactly as I say… Loki, my son…"
"Tell every warrior in Elbaph… everything that happened in this castle… in full detail!"
"Tell them… it was me… Harald… who killed my own people! I did filthy things… I was deceived… and it's all my own fault!!"
Harald roared out the brutal truth: "They… the World Government… want to turn Elbaph's warriors into slaves! Into disposable tools of war!!"
Everyone around froze—including Loki and Jorul.
The information was too explosive, too earth-shattering.
Joining? Filthy deeds? Deceived? Slaves? War tools? They couldn't process it all at once.
"Elder Jorul…"
Harald's gaze turned to the elderly elder, voice carrying a final plea: "Let Loki… consume Elbaph's secret treasure…"
"What did you say!?"
Elder Jorul shuddered, staring at Harald in disbelief, then whipping his head toward Loki—who knelt on one knee, equally stunned.
Clearly, he knew what the "Elbaph secret treasure" meant. It was no ordinary item!
"With me like this now… you won't be able to stop me…"
Harald's voice grew fainter. The black glow in his eyes began spreading again. He slammed the back of his head against the ground, trying to use pain to stay lucid.
"Only Loki… can stop my slaughter… Elder Jorul… I beg you…"
With that, Harald looked at his son. Tears mixed with blood slid down his resolute yet despair-filled face: "Loki… my son… you must kill me… ascend the throne…
Only you can protect Elbaph… Hajrudin will be strong in the future too… but the one who can stop this right now is only you… Your power… is what Elbaph needs most… right now…"
Loki knelt there in a daze, listening to his father's words—like a dying testament—watching his pain-twisted face, his entire body trembling violently.
Not long ago, he had just lost his precious "Mama" Ida.
Now… his own flesh-and-blood father was personally asking him… to kill him with his own hands?!
A tsunami of emotions completely overwhelmed the young Giant Prince.
He stared at his father's eyes—gradually being swallowed by darkness yet still holding a trace of pleading and reluctance. His throat felt blocked; no sound would come out.
The light screen froze on this unbearably heavy, heart-shattering moment.
...