His thoughts had taken a completely different turn.
Life and death... were both parts of the natural cycle, like two sides of the same coin.
Perhaps, Nature... had been with him all along.
It wasn’t some distant, unattainable ideal. It was in every step he’d taken, every event he’d experienced, every person he’d protected.
’He had been too fixated on the superficial symbolism of ’Nature’ and had overlooked the journey itself.’
’What he was meant to become wasn’t some lofty Natural Envoy, holy branch in hand. That wasn’t him.’
’His power stemmed from the way of the Knight, from his Undead form, and from death itself.’
’To punish death with death, to counter destruction with protection, to stand on the border of life and death and guard the nature and order he believed in... This was the true path he was meant to walk.’
The instant this realization flashed through his mind, he noticed that a tender, jade-green sprout had, at some point, quietly coiled around his exposed ribs, gently brushing his empty chest cavity and giving him a ticklish sensation.
There lay the white and pale-yellow Sunflower. It was his heart, and it truly existed.
Arthur gently touched the sprout with his fingertip, a faint joy for this new life welling up within him.
’So... this is my rebirth.’
...
The heavy gray fog was pierced by a rapier, revealing Calvin’s figure as he blocked with his sword held horizontally.
Although he looked ragged, with several new scratches on his armor and his breath somewhat uneven, his eyes shone with a bright light.
He saw it.
He had finally seen Lide’s sword clearly.
And had decisively blocked it.
Meanwhile, Lide’s figure emerged from the gray fog, rapier in hand. He sighed softly. "Calvin, I still underestimated you."
"I take back my previous assessment. Your path has long been at your feet. You just lacked the chance to fully embrace it, just like Arthur."
"Enough talk. Let’s go again!" Calvin was no longer fixated on becoming Extraordinary or passing some trial. His eyes burned with pure fighting spirit.
He had only one thought now: to defeat the formidable opponent before him.
His figure charged forward again, like a Gray Eagle spreading its wings, parting the gray fog as he brought his sword down on Lide with both hands.
[Gray Eagle Slash]
"CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!!!"
Sparks flew within the gray fog. The clash of metal was as dense as a downpour. Two figures weaved through the mist at high speed, their battle so fierce that Glen, hiding in the back, watched with his heart in his throat, barely daring to breathe.
"Arthur, are you feeling better..." He was about to turn and check on the persistently silent Arthur but was shocked to find that, at some point, Arthur had already stood up.
Arthur turned his head to look at Glen, his soulfire burning steadily. "Thank you for your concern. I’m fine."
After speaking, he started walking toward the two who were fiercely battling in the gray fog.
"Strange..." Glen scratched his messy hair, watching Arthur’s back. He couldn’t help but feel that something was off.
’Why do I feel... like Arthur’s a bit different now?’
But he couldn’t put his finger on what exactly was different.
Calvin was forced back by Lide. Panting, he retreated a few steps, just in time to glimpse the approaching Arthur. He quickly asked, "How is it? Did you have any realizations?"
Arthur nodded, his words concise. "I gained a great deal."
Lide’s gaze also fell on Arthur, shifting from an initial casual scrutiny to a grave intensity.
"You succeeded?"
"Captain Lide, thank you." Arthur’s flickering soulfire met his gaze calmly. "But it’s time for us to leave."
"His Majesty is still waiting for us."
Lide didn’t reply. With a flick of his wrist, the rapier in his hand erupted with a dazzling silver light, transforming into a silver comet that shot toward Arthur’s chest.
Yet in the next instant, no one saw exactly what Arthur did.
They only saw the menacing silver comet seem to hit an invisible wall. It spun off course and flew away, stabbing diagonally into the ground several meters away, the light on its blade rapidly dimming.
Looking at Arthur, he still held a hand raised, now gripping a flaming Knight’s Longsword.
Unlike before, the flames were the color of withered autumn leaves, tinged with a deep, dark red, and emanated an aura of decay and decline.
It was as if it were the opposite of holy radiance, the flame of silence at life’s end.
But strangely, the first impression this flame gave was not one of evil or fear.
Because, like its master, it was tranquil and reserved, as if abiding by an ancient vow of guardianship and order.
This was a fire of death, born to protect.
The one who wielded this sword was a Death Knight who fought to protect.
The scene instantly fell silent, with only the gray fog flowing soundlessly.
After a long moment, Lide finally spoke, his voice laced with complex emotions.
"Go. I am not your match."
"Thank you." Arthur sheathed his Knight’s Sword and gave Lide a formal Knight’s salute.
Calvin also snapped back to his senses at this moment. He looked at Arthur, his gaze turning complex.
"We can leave?!" Glen ran out from his hiding spot, ecstatic.
"Wait." Lide suddenly called out to the three who were preparing to leave.
Glen flinched in fright and ducked behind Arthur again, poking out only half his head. "Ca-Captain Lide, is there something else?"
Lide ignored him, simply beckoning toward the gray fog beside him with a gentle tone. "Anna, come out."
The young female Knight they had seen before emerged timidly from the gray fog. She stood beside Lide without a word, her head lowered, not daring to look at Arthur or Calvin.
Lide reached out and patted her head gently, his gesture filled with the affection of an elder. "Anna is from the Fifth Legion and the future hope of the Kingdom. Take her with you when you leave."
Arthur said nothing, merely nodding.
Even Calvin, surprisingly, didn’t object. He only gave Anna a faint glance, his tone as cold as ever.
"We’re leaving now. If she can keep up, she can come. If not, too bad. We don’t have time to look after a burden."
Anna bit her lip, wringing her hands anxiously. She looked up at Lide, her eyes filled with reluctance and hesitation. "Teacher, I want to stay here, with you..."
Lide smiled gently, a smile that seemed to shed a great burden. "Learn well from Arthur and Calvin. They are true Knights. I’ll come visit you when I have time."
"Really?" Anna’s eyes lit up, and she relaxed a little.
"Really. When the flowers bloom next spring, I plan to go back and see the northern domain. You can come with me."
Lide ruffled her short, wine-red hair, his voice gentle. "Go on."
"Okay, goodbye, Teacher!" Anna nodded emphatically and trotted over to stand behind Calvin. In her nervousness, she almost bumped into him and quickly whispered, "Sorry."
Calvin had no interest in bickering with a little girl. His mind was completely filled with Arthur’s seemingly casual sword stroke from earlier, and the insights he had grasped during his own fight.
"Miss Anna, over here, over here." Glen, on the other hand, was very welcoming. He waved her over, trying to ease the tension.
"Mister Calvin is just like that. Don’t mind his sour face; he’s not a bad person at heart. He’s a good guy."
"I-is that so..." Anna replied in a small voice, but she couldn’t help looking back every few steps at Lide, who remained standing alone.
Lide said nothing more. He just stood there quietly, giving her a small wave.
Lide watched until Anna’s figure, following the other three, disappeared completely into the depths of the gray fog. Only then, when they were truly gone from sight, did he slowly turn around.
He walked away alone in the opposite direction with a steady gait, leaving behind only a lonely silhouette that was gradually swallowed by the gray fog.