"But why does He want to do this?"
Kane couldn’t understand.
Forging the Spear of War, sitting on the Iron Throne to await destiny’s arrival, this is not some ancient ritual that has existed since time immemorial, but rather a rule devised by Kaisaros.
This world is also a game.
Everything that happens here is to satisfy Kaisaros’s inner desires.
"Because this is the most critical moment." Ethan wasn’t surprised by this design; it was common enough. In some distant village, there existed a rule where ’to open your eyes, you must witness the death of your closest kin,’ compared to that, the rules designed by Kaisaros were much more humane.
"From a distant village, a human boy burdened with destiny, and here, this is the end of your journey."
Ethan thought that the taste of this, only Kane himself could truly feel.
During this time, he was likely to face persecution from the clergy, hunted by the Imperial Knights, with only an old steward-like Warlord by his side, and in such a scenario, for this Warlord, whom he had long regarded as family, to reveal this cruel final step, painted this human tragedy with the finishing touch.
"This was probably Kaisaros’s original plan, for you to welcome destiny’s arrival, you must give up your last important thing."
Only, Kane’s "character setting" had a major problem, resulting in him killing the Warlord before he could develop into his family.
"Just to satisfy His perverse taste?"
Ethan did not intend to argue for Kaisaros. Considering how He continuously reorganized the entire world in a fixed stage-play format, making every one of His creations act out remembered roles, it was clear that Kaisaros was definitely not mentally stable.
Moreover, Kane had uncovered the truth of the courage trial.
Everything happening here is to satisfy Kaisaros’s fantasy of winning the war, even though He knows He cannot rewrite the outcome of the war, He continuously uses illusory victories to numb Himself, gaining temporary psychological comfort.
"But this ritual might hold other meanings, to make you completely abandon your humanity."
Ethan suspected that to forge the Spear of War, Kane might have to personally end the Warlord’s life, which would certainly bring him great psychological impact, causing him to sit on the Iron Throne in a stupor, stopping all thoughts.
This is normal for humans.
Some people who have suffered severe trauma might develop the thought of entrusting themselves to someone else, saying things like "Please let me forget everything."
"Then, do we still have a chance if we melt the Warlord here?"
A glimmer of light appeared in Kane’s eyes.
He did not seem sad at all, nor did he seem like he wanted to forget everything.
Clearly, Kaisaros had mistakenly estimated his human side. The person appearing here was not someone crushed by life and destiny, but rather a monster Hunter — Kane was already considering the materials to be gathered after cutting down the Warlord here.
He even seemed to be hinting at a joint hunt with Ethan and Lindong.
He’d probably choose the longsword.
Ethan unintentionally glanced at Lindong, whose waist-length hair drew his attention, sparking his curiosity about what weapon Lindong might choose according to her personality.
"I don’t recommend you do this."
Ethan shook his head, "The Warlord’s life is still a life."
And from a fundamental standpoint, the subhumans, humans, and other creatures in this world are all essentially the same thing, it’s just that Kaisaros forcibly twisted them into different forms.
"But if we don’t reforged the Spear of War, we cannot complete the courage trial and will be trapped here indefinitely."
"The focus isn’t on the materials, those are just rules set by Kaisaros in the game."
From the moment they arrived in this realm, another choice was presented to them.
Fundamentally speaking, Kane and Kaisaros are the same.
"Try to think from a ’divine’ perspective?"
It’s a kind of compromise, "Since it is a rule you write, you naturally have the authority to modify it."
"Modify the rules..."
Kane seemed enlightened, he looked down at the broken Spear of War, murmuring to himself.
A flash of inspiration passed by, when he attempted to grasp it, it disappeared without a trace, leaving him extremely frustrated.
"But how should I do it?"
He had no choice but to once again ask Ethan for help.
Lindong listened to their conversation, a strange color flickering in her eyes.
She felt as though at this moment, the relationship between Ethan and Kane has transformed, he had replaced the Warlord, becoming the "old steward" role.
On the other hand, Ethan’s knowledge regarding the Old Gods was even richer than Kane’s.
"The answer is to tell Him a good story."
This was mentioned by Kane as the way to crack the courage trial, and in truth, this was the underlying logic of the world’s existence. Even as Kaisaros has now lost the ability to act, these fundamental logics are still being perpetuated. Everything that happens here and every act that each candidate performs upon arrival here share the same purpose.
To satisfy Kaisaros, to compensate for His regrets.
Even if they are brief and illusory. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭•𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢•𝓷𝓮𝓽
"So, should we end this war and help the subhumans win the victory?"