"You are a very naive king. That is why your reign ends here," Godar declared with a cold, calculating smile.
Without warning, he launched an arrow soaked in corrosive liquid toward the king's face. The golden mask began to melt instantly, forcing him to tear it off urgently. As he did so, his face was revealed to everyone.
"You?" Godar gasped, visibly surprised but clearly pleased.
"So… the king really did die back then? Thanks to Aresus." Godar let out a derisive laugh as he pointed at the figure before him. "You, a woman… the king's daughter, trying to command his army. Ha, ha! Don't make me laugh, my lady Ariafilis."
All the soldiers were stunned to discover they had been following Princess Ariafilis, not King Leit as they had believed. Silence gripped the place for a few moments before murmurs began to rise.
"A princess?" Ludra whispered, incredulous.
"Well, technically that would make her a queen," 'X' added thoughtfully.
"It doesn't matter," Blaget interrupted impatiently. "It's time to put an end to this. Kill them all!" he ordered the soldiers of the Black Shadows, who quickly descended from the upper levels of the cave toward Ariafilis's army.
"Damn traitor, I knew it. You're scum, Godar," Jock growled, unsheathing his sword. "Soldiers, to arms! Defensive positions!"
But the soldiers were frozen, caught in collective shock. For generations, they had followed only kings; serving a woman as their leader went against their archaic, patriarchal customs. Whispers filled the air.
"How could she lie to us?"
"Follow a woman as our leader? No, that's impossible."
"This can't be true…"
"What fools! None of that matters," Ron exclaimed, breaking through the murmurs with determination. "Come on, Alita, get ready to fight."
"Yes," Alita replied, prepared for action.
Ariafilis watched as everything she had built crumbled before her eyes. The soldiers wouldn't follow her because of their absurd laws. She looked around and saw the fear etched on their faces, along with the enemy already closing in. With a mix of frustration and resolve, she touched her face and murmured to herself: "It doesn't matter. I'll still fight for this realm. If I must fall, then so be it."
"Miss Ariafilis, are you all right?" Jock asked, concerned by her state.
"It doesn't matter, Jock. I will defend my people and my kingdom," Ariafilis affirmed firmly. Drawing her sword, she advanced toward the enemy soldiers descending upon them.
Rodelos, seeing how Blaget's army advanced relentlessly and how Ariafilis fought with unwavering bravery, decided to intervene. He turned toward the soldiers and let out a powerful shout that echoed throughout the cave.
"And what if it's a woman or a man leading you? What matters isn't gender—it's courage! She has faced adversity without taking a single step back! Despite the doubts of many, despite some refusing to follow her, she never hesitated to stand at the front, to risk her life for you, for her people. That, my friends, is true love for one's people. That is leadership. And if someone is willing to give everything for their kingdom, then they deserve not only your loyalty but also your respect! So move your feet and take up arms! Fight for your lives, fight for your future, and fight for the honor of these people you claim to love!"
Rodelos's words reverberated through the air, igniting a spark in the minds of the soldiers. Slowly, they began to reflect.
"He's right… Thanks to the Lord of the Golden Mask—no, thanks to Miss Ariafilis—we've won several battles," one of the soldiers murmured. "And that's what matters now. What are we waiting for? Let's support her!" Dall exclaimed with renewed determination.
One by one, the soldiers set aside their absurd traditions and ran toward Ariafilis, who was already engaged in combat with enemy soldiers who had descended. Seeing them arrive, she smiled with gratitude as she continued to fight.
"We're sorry, my lady, for not supporting you at first," the soldiers said as they joined the battle. "But we'll die helping you."
"Friends…" Ariafilis said warmly, nodding in gratitude. With her army's renewed strength, they managed to repel Blaget's soldiers, forcing them to retreat.
"Well! Is that all you've got, you filthy squirrel?" 'X' shouted at Blaget as he took down several enemies with precise movements, accompanied by Ludra, who fought with equal ferocity.
"Ha, ha! This is just the warm-up, masked boy," Blaget sneered. He snapped his fingers, and immediately more soldiers emerged, surrounding Reedalia's dwindling army. But the worst was yet to come: two mechanical bulls appeared on the scene, launching powerful bursts of purple fire that illuminated the cave with ominous flashes.
"How's that for you, eh, boy?" Blaget taunted, looking at 'X' with a triumphant smile.
"You had to provoke him, sir," Ludra muttered to 'X', concern evident in her voice.
"There are so many of them," the Reedalian soldiers commented, feeling the tension rise.
"No problem," Rodelos replied confidently. Without hesitation, he launched himself toward one of the mechanical bulls. With avocado-like strength, he rammed into it as if a truck had collided with a wall, completely obliterating it with a single tackle.
"But who is that golden man?" Blaget exclaimed, incredulous at the sight.
"Oh no! That's the foolish ex-king of Avocadolia, Rodelos. But what is that damned troglodyte doing here?" Godar muttered, visibly shaken.
"You didn't tell me someone this strong would be here!" Blaget shouted furiously, glaring at Godar with burning eyes.
"I didn't know!" Godar tried to apologize, but his nervousness was palpable. In his mind, alarms blared uncontrollably. "If that guy's here, my entire plan will go up in smoke," he thought anxiously, watching his ambitions crumble in an instant.
"This is bad. With that guy on their side, Reedalia's reduced army will wipe us out quickly, even though we're in a confined space," Blaget murmured as he watched Rodelos demolish the second mechanical bull and take down a handful of soldiers in the process.
"No, no, no… This is all your fault, Godar. You should have found out who was with the enemy. If I'd brought the Vichus, at least they would've held them off while my army finished them," Blaget lamented, clenching his fists in frustration.
"I can't retreat. Never. I, the great General Blaget, have never lost a battle, let alone against avocados. They call me the Exterminator. I can't accept defeat, not when I'm so close. My boss, Blajon, will be furious and punish me," Blaget thought desperately. "What do I do? What do I do?"
Blaget then remembered something Blajon had told him before departing: "If everything goes wrong, activate the ring you'll give to that filthy vermin Godar."
Blajon smiled coldly and added, "Well, Godar. You'd better go yourself. After all, you were the mastermind behind this trap."
Godar put on a poker face, trying to mask his bewilderment at Blaget's words. However, he had no time to respond. Blaget quickly grabbed his hand and touched the ring Godar was wearing. Instantly, the object began to glow, clinging tightly to his finger as a wave of unbearable pain coursed through his body.
"Good, now go to the battlefield," Blajon ordered, shoving him toward the arena without a second thought.
"¡But what is this?!" Godar screamed as he collapsed onto the battlefield floor. His body writhed violently, gripped by a brutal pain that seemed to consume him from within. He clutched at the arm where the ring was embedded, his fingers desperately clawing at the skin around the cursed artifact. Memories assaulted his mind like daggers: all the sacrifices, the selfish decisions, the betrayal of his own people… He had allowed the dark armies to invade his kingdom, all for ambition and empty promises. And now, facing his inevitable end, every betrayal and every ruined life seemed to weigh upon him like an unbearable burden.
"This will be my end!" he choked out, his eyes wide with panic as he frantically tried to tear the ring off. But it was useless. The malevolent jewel was fused to his flesh, and from it began to sprout dark roots—thin but relentless—that snaked across his skin as if they had a life of their own. Every fiber of his being burned under their icy touch, as if a thousand poisoned needles were piercing his body. The roots grew rapidly, enveloping him, absorbing him, transforming him into something no longer human.
Rodelos, seeing the man writhing on the ground, cautiously approached to investigate. When he turned him over, he recognized him immediately.
"Hey, I know you… Weren't you…?" But before he could finish, he recoiled sharply, sensing a malignant presence emanating from Godar. The dark energy was palpable, like an invisible weight pressing down on the air.
"Everyone, fall back!" Rodelos shouted, pulling Ariafilis and Jock to safety as the ground trembled beneath their feet. A powerful force began radiating from Godar's body, creating a network of black roots that completely shrouded him, forming a dark cocoon. It grew uncontrollably, expanding until it finally exploded, revealing a monstrous creature emerging from the shadows.
It was a colossal beast, grotesque in form, with an aura of evil that froze the blood. Its eyes glowed an intense red, and its roars echoed like thunder through the cavern.
"What are we going to do now?" the Reedalian soldiers murmured, paralyzed with terror as they stared at the creature before them.