429,

From the wine glass, Alexander reminisced about the days of the past. In order to make a living, Alexander became a court guard.

Different from the central region of the continent, Kakarl in the south was situated in the most resource-rich area. Developed along the mountains, it possessed a wealth of diverse mineral resources. Expanding along the coast, it enjoyed countless maritime resources.

Unfortunately, the advantageous geographical environment not only brought long-lasting prosperity to Kakarl but also attracted invaders who constantly came to plunder its resources. This was not a coincidence; everything was taken as a matter of course, as all living beings fought for survival.

Among the most common invaders were the Steel Tribe from the east. Driven by development and resources, they would occasionally launch attacks. Then there were the mountains and forests to the west. Sometimes it was the rampaging demons, and other times it was fully grown monsters causing havoc.

But these were minor issues compared to the battle eight years ago. Alexander felt indifferent about them. Eight years ago, dozens of Earth Rock Dragons appeared at the southeastern tip of the continent. No one knew where these dragons came from, only that they were moving towards Kakarl. Wherever they passed, became ruins. In order to stop these dragons, Alexander embarked on the most perilous battle of his life.

Whether living or dead, the terror of the dragons couldn't be summed up in just a few words. But after that battle, Alexander survived. From an unknown private, Alexander leaped from a court guard to become a Templar Knight, and later was even known as the "Dragon Slayer."

As time passed, with his renowned giant sword, Alexander accepted another mission of death. That was five years ago, during the shocking battle where seventy-two Templar Knights combined forces to defeat the Great Archmage that shook the entire continent. It wasn't just the Templar Knights who participated, even the demons took part in the largest joint battle in history, uniting all countries on the continent for the first time. After that battle, Alexander survived once again.

Countless formidable enemies defeated, countless farewells to loved ones, and countless near-death experiences. From a private, Alexander steadily made his way to where he stood today—the strongest existence in the holy city of Kakarl.

Compared to the man in front of him, Cyclone was just a boy in Alexander's eyes. But he, too, like himself, bore the title of a hero.

Originally, there were no expectations, until they started to chat.

"Haha~ so that's how it is~"

"Yeah~ even if your body is weak, you still want to stand up~"

Each word from Cyclone deeply resonated with Alexander.

"That's right, knowing that you might die, but still wanting to continue fighting."

No longer drinking wine, Alexander's mind became clearer as he chatted with Cyclone.

"Death~ hehehe~ sometimes you think, if you could die in battle for such a cause, it would be a kind of relief~"

"Have you ever thought that too?"

Finding many similarities in Cyclone's thoughts, Alexander joyfully chatted with him, feeling like he had found a kindred spirit.

"But it also depends on who the opponent is."

"That's right~ if the opponent isn't strong enough, continuing the fight would feel meaningless~"

"Ha ha ha~"

"Hee hee hee~"

As the two chatted, time slowly passed by.

"It's about time."

Approaching the early hours of the morning, Alexander set down his glass.

Because he had work the next day, Alexander knew it was time to leave.

"Haha, had a great time chatting today, kid."

"Yeah, uncle!"

As Alexander got up to leave, the door of the bar was pushed open.

The sudden movement caught Cyclone's attention.

To his surprise, it was two court guards.

In that instant, Cyclone knew it was not good and quickly glanced towards Alexander's direction.

If Alexander left at that moment, the guards would likely take his seat where he left his large sword.

In that case, Cyclone would be in a position where he could easily be exposed.

So, Cyclone made a decision in that moment.

"Leaving so soon? I was hoping we could... have another round of drinks?"

Looking into Alexander's eyes, the conversation provided a suitable reason for Cyclone to turn his back towards the court guards.

If Cyclone were to walk away now, he would come face-to-face with the guards.

Alexander could leave, but he would have to delay a bit to make the guards notice there were still people inside the bar.

Once they walked in, even if Alexander was gone, Cyclone could confidently leave.

Considering this, Alexander looked at Cyclone.

"Another round of drinks, you say..."

***