"King?"
Furina gently tugged King's sleeve, lowering her voice, a hint of worry mixed with curiosity:
"Who is that person outside? Why did he call you 'King'? And... what meeting?"
She clearly noticed the urgency in the tone of the person outside the door, as well as the very official-sounding "S-Class Heroes Meeting."
"...King is the 'Hero Name' I use here."
King forced himself to explain.
Although his heart was racing like ten thousand horses, his voice still sounded steady and dependable:
"The person outside is an Executive of the Hero Association. There is an emergency meeting I need to attend."
"Hero Name? Wow! That's so cool!"
Paimon's attention was immediately captured. She stopped studying the Snacks, flew over, and circled King, her large eyes filled with admiration:
"King! Emperor! What a majestic name! It suits your demeanor perfectly, King!"
Furina was stunned for a moment, then her Heterochromatic Eyes lit up, as if adorned with stars.
She cupped her hands over her chest, a brilliant and proud smile blossoming on her face:
"I knew it!"
"No matter which world you are in, you are a companion of justice!"
"A hero who guards justice!"
"My judgment was right after all!!"
Furina puffed out her small chest, acting as if King's glory was her own.
Lumine: "..."
She silently sheathed the dull blade that she had half-drawn.
Her other hand, which had begun gathering a faint Anemo Element, also quietly relaxed.
A faint, almost imperceptible blush flashed across Lumine's face. She awkwardly rubbed her nose and mumbled:
"So they're one of us."
"They knocked so aggressively, I thought some trouble had come knocking..."
The moment she heard the pounding, she instinctively hid behind King.
Thinking back now, it seemed like an overreaction.
She quietly moved her feet, subtly taking two steps forward, returning to her spot beside King.
Trying to make her previous cowardly posture seem less embarrassing.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
The pounding became more urgent, and Sitch's voice was already laced with a sob:
"Mr. King! I beg you!"
"The meeting truly cannot be delayed any longer! The other S-Class Heroes have already set off! We are only waiting for you!"
"You are our last Trump Card!"
"If you don't show up, this Operational Meeting targeting the 'Great Threat foretold to descend' cannot proceed at all!!"
Sitch's words clearly penetrated the door.
Furina's face instantly turned pale, and her body swayed slightly.
Prophecy... is there a Prophecy here too... The Prophecy that haunted Fontaine for five hundred years like a nightmare uncontrollably surfaced in her mind—
All of Fontaine will eventually be submerged by Seawater, and everyone will dissolve back into the Primordial Sea, leaving only the Hydro Archon weeping alone on her Divine Throne.
The Prophecy she had played the role of a God for five hundred years trying to fight, yet which followed her like a shadow... Could similar, world-encompassing disasters exist in other worlds too?
Could it be that... misfortune and destruction are the inescapable Fate of every world?
An indescribable Sense of Suffocation gripped Furina's throat.
Her small hand quietly clenched King's sleeve.
She wanted to draw some strength from it to counteract this sudden, cross-world Resonating Fear.
King noticed Furina's abnormality.
He looked down at her. Those Heterochromatic Eyes, usually sparkling with joy, were now filled with fear that was almost overflowing.
"..."
King's heart sank.
He knew what Furina was afraid of.
King frowned deeply, his heart churning with raging anger—
Directed both at Sitch's ill-timed Prophecy outside the door, and at the System's Infuriating Arrangement, and especially at the pain caused by Furina's suddenly pale face.
Outside the door, Sitch's near-sobbing pleas continued:
"Mr. King! This Intelligence is highly critical!"
"The Prophecy indicates a 'God-Level Threat' from the Universe is about to descend!"
"It could endanger the entire Earth!"
"The Association requires your strength! It requires your judgment!"
"Please! Even if you just show your face!"
So noisy.
The door pounding and crying from Sitch, like a Death Warrant, made King's temples throb.
He took a deep breath, suppressing the curses that were about to spill out.
The expression on his face, due to this suppressed anger and irritation, appeared increasingly fierce and cold.
He spun around abruptly, strode to the door in a few steps, and reached out to grasp the Doorknob—
"Click."
The door opened.
Outside the door, Sitch, who was preparing to pound again, froze with his hand mid-air.
Behind him were over a dozen Staff Members wearing Hero Association Uniforms, all looking equally anxious.
Everyone's movements froze the moment they saw the man inside the door.
King stood in the doorway, silhouetted against the light shining from inside the room.
His figure was tall and straight, draped in the Blue Trench Coat that inherently carried a mysterious majesty.
His face was expressionless, but his eyes were deep as an abyss. Just a calm glance was enough to send a shiver down the souls of Sitch and the others!
It was not intentionally released Killing Intent or Pressure.
But a more fundamental, indifferent gaze—like an Apex Predator at the top of the food chain looking down at the insects beneath its feet.
Sitch's throat bobbed. All the prepared speeches, pleas, and even anxiety vanished under that single glance.
He felt his legs turn weak, and his back was instantly drenched in Cold Sweat.
This is... the strongest man on earth!
King!
Even just being looked at so calmly by him made them feel an unparalleled Oppressive Force!
Sitch, who had just been wailing and crying, was now as docile as a Quail whose neck had been squeezed, not daring to even take a deep breath.
The Staff Members behind him lowered their heads, fixing their eyes on their noses, wishing they could shrink their heads into their crotches.
"Shut. Up."
King spoke. His voice was not loud, even somewhat flat.
But to Sitch's ears, it exploded like thunder, carrying the Majesty of an Emperor.
"Wait. Pa-tient-ly."
Every word, distinctly, entered everyone's ears.
"Y-Yes! Mr. King!"
Sitch stood at attention reflexively, his voice sounding slightly comical due to nervousness:
"W-We are terribly sorry for disturbing you! We will wait outside!"
"Please take your time to prepare!"
"No rush! Not at all!"
After speaking, he shot a glance behind him.
The group immediately took a few steps back in unison, lining up against the Corridor wall.
Hands pressed tightly against their pant seams, standing ramrod straight.
Like New Recruits awaiting inspection, they minimized their breathing to the extreme.
King gave them a cold side-glance.
He said nothing more, just slammed the door shut with a "bang."
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