[This is true synergy!]
[That special brotherhood between guys—yep, exactly like this.]
[Mydei had 30 earlier, and he still has 30 now. Proof he only wanted to kill exactly 30.]
[So Phainon gets it too—he deliberately kept his count at 30, even with Caelus right beside him who could easily help him cheat the numbers.]
[Yeah, this kind of brotherhood is actually fun to watch.]
After exchanging knowing smiles, Phainon and Mydei continued forward with Caelus.
Not long after.
The three came upon a statue that strongly resembled the Veritas Lion's Mouth.
"This big guy… could it be the Veritas Lion's Mouth?" Phainon pointed at the statue.
"Show some respect. This is the Golden Lion Head. Don't compare it to those rumor-mongering, gossip-spouting things. The Golden Lion Head was Castrum Kremnos's foremost advisor. Its counsel won us countless battles and foiled innumerable schemes."
Speaking of the past, pride still lingered on Mydei's face, but the next moment his expression gradually turned desolate. "Unfortunately… it has lost its voice now. If only the Chrysos Heirs could borrow its wisdom…"
"Mydei…mos? Crown… Prince…"
Caelus dug at his ear. "It spoke! It actually spoke!"
"Lion Head?" Mydei's eyes filled with disbelief. "So many years have passed… you're still awake?"
The Lion Head continued, its voice like that of an old man flickering in the wind. "Mydei…mos… I will never… forget your voice. I have been waiting… for this moment."
"Speak, my teacher! I will listen to your counsel."
"Crown Prince… Castrum Kremnos has already lost everything. Its people… its traditions… and its most precious possession—glory."
Mydei was puzzled. "The people migrated for survival, traditions were worn away by time—but glory? Even shrouded in thick fog, even with walls crumbling, Castrum Kremnos has never forsaken a warrior's honor. Why say such words?"
"Our god… has completely lost its reason. It is no longer the war totem feared by ten thousand… It has fallen. It is now brewing schemes utterly devoid of honor…
I beseech you, Mydeimos… end its long suffering. Let it die as a warrior! It must… depart with glory…"
The final words trailed off unfinished. The Lion Head fell silent once more.
It seemed it should have died long ago in years past, yet it held on until this last moment, just to hear the Crown Prince's voice one more time!
But now its words were spent.
"My teacher? My teacher—answer me! In the name of the Crown Prince, I command you…" Mydei roared, voice nearly breaking with fury.
"Mydei." Phainon placed a hand on Mydei's shoulder. "Let it rest. It must be exhausted."
[Why is Mydei reacting so strongly?]
[Think about it—a city-state built entirely around combat, and then a highly respected teacher says its warriors have lost all glory. How could that not break him?]
[How to put it… it's like if Boothill, facing an enemy's taunt, didn't draw his gun but instead pulled out a copy of the Three-Character Classic and started lecturing about how humans are born good by nature. That kind of feeling.]
[Uh, yeah—that would be terrifying.]
— —
Under Phainon's calming words, Mydei's state of mind gradually steadied. "Perhaps it was just the delirious ramblings of an old lion on its deathbed. No need to take it to heart. Let's keep moving."
"Wait—this is the stone tablet we mentioned earlier. We couldn't read it ourselves." Phainon took out the slab they had picked up before. "Maybe it's related to what that old lion was talking about."
"Give it here!" Mydei snatched the tablet and began to read. The further he went, the worse his expression became.
At this point, the camera zoomed in for a close-up of the tablet's contents.
In summary: when Castrum Kremnos encountered the black tide, instead of thinking of ways to defeat it, they chose to exploit it—using filthy means to infiltrate Okhema from within, exhausting its people, and finally striking a decisive blow from both inside and out to seize Okhema in one fell swoop!
Mydei crushed the tablet in his grip. He simply could not believe that Nikador, whose faith was built on warrior honor, would resort to such methods!
"No… Nikador would never…"
Phainon rubbed his chin. "No wonder Okhema came under attack. I never expected a Titan fallen into madness could still scheme like this…"
"Are you blinded by ambition? I told you long ago—if you want victory, the only way is total mobilization."
Compared to Mydei's reaction, Phainon remained far calmer. "We're only one step away from the Strife Titan Nikador. Once we defeat the source of its malice, the schemes will dissolve on their own.
Just like that terrifying strike—you and I are arrows already loosed from the bow. Nikador's Strife Titan can bring apocalyptic disaster to Okhema; conversely, so can we.
And… I trust Aglaea and Teacher Tribbie. With two demigods guarding Okhema, plus our companions, they can protect the holy city."
Caelus chimed in. "And my companion—Dan Heng—is there too. You can believe in them."
"…" Mydei let out a heavy breath. "Fine. I'll trust your judgment this once. I only hope we won't be pushed into an abyss of regret. Nikador… has your divine body truly been hollowed out by madness? Have you completely abandoned a warrior's dignity…?"
[Why not just call?]
[They said earlier—phones only work in Okhema. Nowhere else.]
[Why?]
[Because Okhema has Aglaea. The other city-states don't.]
As the group pressed deeper, the air grew increasingly scorching, proof that Nikador was drawing nearer.
Mydei looked at the Lance of Fury followers and suggested questioning them about the truth behind the invasion of Okhema.
They asked several soldiers in succession, but received no useful answers.
The soldiers all seemed to be mechanically repeating the same lines.
Until they encountered a supervisor in the carving district, who spoke cryptic words.
"Heroic spirits, offer your battle souls to the Lance of Fury…
Become the blade in Nikador's hand… pierce the enemy's heart and core…
Become kindling to feed the Coreflame… reduce this rotten world to ashes…"
[Uh… these lines…]
[Is it just me, or does this feel unusually… NPC-like for Star Rail?]
[They are NPCs, aren't they?]
[This isn't a game—it's a web series. Characters are supposed to feel more alive. They're way too mechanical. NPCs always repeat the same lines—it really feels like they turned it into a game.]
— —
"'Reduce to ashes'? Through schemes and trickery?" Phainon pondered for a moment, then fixed his gaze on Mydei.
"They're the same as Castrum Kremnos—twisted by that madness. They still remember how to kill, but they've forgotten the meaning behind the killing."
"But I've always felt that killing with a blade isn't inherently nobler than killing with schemes. Aside from mission and survival, no other motive can justify violence."
"That's where you and I differ. To my people, glory and conquest are also legitimate reasons."
Phainon raised an eyebrow, as though he had seen through Mydei's attitude. "But deep down, you don't truly believe that, do you?"
Mydei gave no reply—whether he agreed with Phainon's view was unclear.
Suddenly, the Lance of Fury soldiers—who had seemed relatively normal until now—launched a frenzied attack.
They charged at the three with reckless abandon.
In an instant, Mydei stepped in front of Phainon and Caelus, shielding them with his own body and taking every blow.
Golden blood flowed from his wounds.
"Mydei!" Caelus froze for a moment—another sacrifice scene seemed to be playing out once again.
Phainon, however, remained remarkably calm.
"I never mentioned it, did I? Every Chrysos Heir possesses a unique gift. And rumor has it that Castrum Kremnos's invincible Crown Prince, Mydei—his divine blessing is 'Refusal of Death.'"
Mydei's eyes snapped open. He swung a fist that sent the soldier in front of him crashing to the ground.
Then, as though nothing had happened, he pulled the weapons out of his chest.
Caelus blinked, then gave Mydei a thumbs-up.
Mydei said nothing. He walked straight to the final gate.
In the camera shot, an invisible wave of pressure rippled around the gate, signaling that a mighty Titan awaited the three inside.
All along the way, Phainon had found it hard to believe. "We're this close to the fall of a Titan… It feels unreal."
Mydei: "Stop treating it as a god. You, me, it—we're just warriors locked in mortal combat. Nothing more."
"That oppressive feeling… it's back. Do you feel it too, partner? But the aura is no longer pure. It reeks of blood and the wails of the dead… The fate I've been waiting for… lies just beyond this gate."
"Don't forget—we're standing here because of your persistence. So show that damn resolve."
"How am I supposed to pretend this is just another ordinary fight? My mission, my meaning… everything is staked on this. Have you forgotten? The suffering of our people… the desecrated homeland…"
"Of course I haven't forgotten. But I've mastered a certain skill you might not understand. All the regret, all the rage—at moments like this, I've learned to control them, to temper them into a blade sharper than anything else, and wield it as my own… It has a simple name: killing intent."
Phainon paused for a few seconds, then gave a knowing smile. "You really are a beast. But right now, maybe we should both surrender to the beast inside."
…
The camera cut away.
The Strife Titan Nikador radiated overwhelming pressure from its entire body.
"Decadent god! Face me and meet your end! I am a son of Castrum, a Chrysos Heir of the oracle. I bring you the fairest price—my one thousand scars and one hundred lives, in exchange for your glorious death in epic!"
Mydei's eyes held no fear. He clenched both fists and slowly advanced.
"Mydei, I can't do it the way you do…" As he spoke, Phainon summoned his greatsword. "But I will fight in my own way—hunting gods!"
With that, the three immediately charged toward Nikador.
In an instant, blades flashed and swords clashed. Even the Strife Titan, facing the trio's coordinated assault, was stretched thin.
And there was Caelus—now swinging a bat, now pulling out a flaming great lance, now wearing a hat and shouting lines full of infectious energy.
Soon.
The battle reached its climax.
Nikador gripped its long spear with both hands, barely holding itself upright.
Just when everyone thought the fight was over, Nikador's back began to bulge continuously.
The next moment, a golden form burst out from its back—its shape carrying an indescribable eeriness.
[It's cool as hell, but also kinda gross.]
[Yeah, that thing growing out of Nikador's back really feels like some kind of parasitic creature.]
"Finally willing to show your true form, Titan?" Mydei roared. "Fallen god—taste human fury!"
Though Nikador had entered its second phase, it was still no match for the three.
Soon it could no longer hold on and collapsed.
Yet the fallen Nikador rose once more…
Mydei snorted coldly. "Undying bastard… interesting."
The camera suddenly cut to the Lance of Fury. Nikador was manipulating the Edge of Fury, its blade pointed straight at Okhema.
Phainon's pupils shrank sharply. "Battle souls are gathering above Castrum Kremnos… flowing toward the Edge of Fury!"
"No honor left in its heart… my people's god, you really fell this far?" Mydei's first reaction wasn't rage, but an indescribable sorrow. "Deliverer—here's your chance to play the hero."
Hearing this, Phainon immediately straightened up, awaiting Mydei's command.
"Leave this battlefield to me. I'll hold this shell in place so it can't swing the Edge of Fury. Take the news back… inform those two demigods."
"Are you insane? Fighting a Titan alone? Then I'm staying too." Phainon looked at Caelus beside him. "Partner, please…"
"Get lost! Do I have to say it outright? I have to stay—not for Okhema's safety, but to settle things with my own god once and for all. Even if immortality is a curse, it shouldn't be used in such a despicable way."
Seeing Phainon still hesitate, Mydei spoke again, his tone much gentler. "Go. Your battlefield lies elsewhere, 'Deliverer.'"
Phainon nodded. "Hold on. Don't die too many times."
Caelus and Phainon departed. Only Mydei and Nikador remained.
"Finally, a little quiet. You and I—two warriors rejected by death. Is there any arena in this world more fair than this?
Come! King who failed to become king, god who lost its divinity! How perfectly matched we are—right here—"
Mydei's lips curved upward.
"Let's slaughter until nothing remains!!!"
[Holy crap, that line hits so hard.]
[The sheer intensity comes through even through the screen!]
[That smile—he's completely unhinged!!]
— —
The scene shifted.
They had already returned from Castrum Kremnos to Okhema.
Trianne clutched her head. "Ugh… Trianne feels so tired. Everything's spinning… Will Little Enemy be okay?"
"It's fine…" Phainon forced a smile. "Mydeimos is the toughest warrior I've ever seen."
Tribbie nodded, though she still looked extremely fatigued. "Okay… got it. Snowy, Little Gray… you two take care too."
With that, she fluttered the small wings on her back and left the two of them.
Next, Phainon and Caelus immediately sought out Aglaea.
But what puzzled Phainon was that, with the crisis right at their doorstep, Aglaea had taken no measures to evacuate or warn anyone.
He forced himself to calm down and analyzed the pros and cons of the battle.
Aglaea smiled with gratification. "You're forcing yourself to stay calm—that's growth, Phainon. But Castrum Kremnos has been shrouded in mist for so long; we have no way of knowing the secret behind Nikador's undying divine body… Only one Titan can help us uncover the truth."