They reached the place where the King was. They saw him stabbed, and the commander of the East Kingdom was about to behead him. But before he could cut his head, Jugram blitzed forward and slashed across his chest. The commander of the East Kingdom staggered back, thinking, We need to retreat. This man Jugram is no joke. The commander of the West had already withdrawn with his army, so he also called for retreat.
Jugram rushed to the King and saw an arrow lodged in his back, along with stab wounds from a sword. He put Light down and then two soldiers came running, one carrying Hikari. Jugram turned to them, his voice urgent.
"Quickly! Bring a Draekor here so we can heal the King's wounds!"
The soldier lowered his head. "I'm sorry, but we can't. All of the Draekors have been killed, Your Majesty. They even attacked your royal house… they killed your family. Only Hikari is left."
Hikari looked at her father, dropped to her knees, and clutched his hand, crying. "Dad! What's happening? They killed everyone. What happened to you? You'll be okay, right?"
Jugram faced the soldiers again. "If there are no Draekors left, then bring a doctor! Hurry, we don't have time. The King's condition is bad!"
The King shook his head weakly. "It's too late… Jugram, I won't survive this."
Jugram's voice shook. "Can't you use your Draekor healing technique on yourself?"
The King coughed, his voice faint. "No… I used all my Voltra. It's gone."
Jugram turned to Hikari. "You're a Draekor too—use your healing technique! Heal your father!"
Light said, " dad She's only five years old! She doesn't even know how to use Voltra!"
The King tried to smile through the pain. "It was a sneak attack. While fighting the commanders, I was almost winning, but suddenly an arrow struck me from behind… and I lost. It seems our time is over. We Draekors ruled the world for a thousand years. We committed sins, and now we face the punishment."
His eyes softened as he looked at Hikari. "Hikari, my daughter… forgive me. You are my illegitimate child. That's why your stepmother, your brothers, and sisters all hated you. And I… I just stood by and watched. I'm sorry."
Hikari shook her head, tears running down her cheeks. "Don't apologize, Dad. I don't care how they treated me. I just don't want to lose you. Please… don't leave me. What will I do without you?"
The King's breathing grew weaker. He looked at Jugram. "Now that all the Draekors are gone, only you remain—the one I can trust. I want you to become the next King of the Central Kingdom. But I have one last wish… or you can call it my final command."
Jugram bowed his head. "Say it, Your Majesty."
The King looked at Hikari, then at Light. "Your son and my daughter… when they grow up, I want you to marry them. When your son becomes King, my daughter will be his Queen. That is how the Draekor line will live on. I leave my legacy to you, Hikari…"
And with those words, the King took his final breath.
Hikari sobbed beside the king as Darius arrived and saw Jugram wearing the king's robe. He froze for a moment, then stepped forward, eyes wide.
"Brother—what are you doing?" Darius demanded. "The council decides the next ruler, right?"
Jugram's voice was quiet but certain. "No. His Majesty made me king. That was his last wish. From this day forward, I am the ruler of the Central Kingdom."
The soldiers around them dropped to their knees and called out, "Your Majesty—what are your orders?"
Jugram looked toward the battlefield, where the enemy forces were pulling back. "Don't let them go," he ordered. "Call the soldiers at the borders. Surround them and finish every one of them."
Darius stepped forward, jaw clenched. "Wait—what are you doing? If the enemy is retreating, let them run. That could be better for us. We've already taken heavy losses. If we chase them, more soldiers will die. We're not like dreakors, Jugram. This war has already cost us so much—let it end."
Jugram hesitated, the weight of command pressing on him. He looked at the wounded, at Hikari beside the fallen king, and then nodded slowly.
"You're right," he said at last. He turned to the nearest officer. "Let them retreat. Focus on treating the wounded. Save as many people as you can."
Back to the present.
Light took a deep breath.
"And that's where the reign of the cruel Draekors finally ended. Normally when a king dies, people mourn… but when the Draekors were gone, the people celebrated. After my father became king, the kingdom changed. Laws were rewritten, peace returned. Voltra beings could no longer oppress ordinary humans—because now it was a crime. Humans were finally free."
He glanced at the sword resting by his side.
"And that's how the Darkshield Sword came to me. My father never cared for it, even after he became king."
Karem, who had been listening in silence, lowered his gaze. "That's… quite a sad story. I never knew you went through all this. Now I understand why you're so serious about becoming king."
Light nodded, his voice firm. "Yes. It's not just my dream—it's also my grandfather's, and my mother's. They wanted me to be king and make the world a better place for humans. The Draekors are gone, and humans are free… but not completely. Even now, some Voltra beings still oppress them, looking down on humans as if they're inferior to them. That's what I want to change."