CHAPTER 104: CH 104: THE CLASH- PART 2

"I’m ready for any kind of challenge. Name it, and I shall crush it.""

King Gorgon declared, slamming the base of his spear into the cracked earth with thunderous force.

His pride burned in his eyes, and his voice echoed across the ruined plaza.

Fenrir tilted his head thoughtfully.

"Then I challenge you to a one-on-one game of fate."

He said slowly.

Gorgon blinked.

"Game of fate?"

"The rules are simple. We each accept a match chosen by a neutral party. The loser grants the winner one wish—no matter what it is."

Fenrir said.

Gasps erupted from the surrounding soldiers, their expressions a mix of shock and fear.

Gorgon didn’t hesitate.

"Agreed."

Then he turned to one of his nearest soldiers.

"Prepare the circle. And tell the Lady that I have chosen her to be the one who decides the match."

He ordered.

The guard flinched.

"Your Majesty, are you sure? The Lady may not—"

But before the guard could finish, Fenrir stepped in, voice sharp with mockery.

"What kind of king listens to his soldiers over his own word? You’re not really a king if your underlings make your decisions for you."

He asked with a sly grin.

The soldiers bristled, but Fenrir didn’t stop.

"What’s next? Going to ask for permission to breathe?"

Gorgon’s expression tightened. His grip on his spear flexed.

"Are you so weak that your men’s opinions matter more than your own authority? Or are you just pretending to be a king?"

Fenrir added, eyes gleaming.

The words were like poison, and Gorgon drank deeply.

"Enough. I don’t want to hear another word from any of you. This is my decision. And I have spoken."

He snapped, glaring at his guards.

"But Your Majesty—"

"I said silence! Prepare everything. He and I will stay here until the Lady decides our test."

Gorgon bellowed. The soldiers fell into a tense silence, bowing before quickly scattering to fulfill their king’s orders. Gorgon didn’t even glance at them. He kept his attention on Fenrir.

"You’re surprisingly confident. No resistance. No hesitation.’

He muttered.

Fenrir shrugged.

"Why not?"

"You don’t even know what kind of challenge the Lady will choose. For all you know, it could be a death match. Or something worse."

Gorgon pointed out.

"That’s fine with me. I already said I trust you, didn’t I?"

Fenrir said without missing a beat.

Gorgon frowned.

"Trust me?"

Fenrir nodded once.

"You’re the type who values honor more than strategy. If you say you’ll follow the rules, then I know you’ll follow them. That’s the kind of person you are."

The king looked taken aback.

"You... trust your enemy?"

"Not trust. But I believe you’ll keep your word."

Fenrir said.

Gorgon stared at him in silence for a moment, then let out a quiet, huffing laugh.

"You’re insane."

"Maybe. But it’s worked so far."

Fenrir replied.

They stood across from each other in the ruined plaza, surrounded by broken stone, unconscious guards, and the fading heat of battle.

Neither moved to fight. Neither tried to strike again. Their next confrontation would be governed by the game of fate—and whatever it was that the mysterious ’Lady’ decided.

Until then, it was simply a matter of waiting.

And Fenrir? He looked completely at ease.

______

The soldier raced through the city’s corridors, his armor clanking with every frantic step. He didn’t stop until he reached the tall marble doors of the inner sanctum.

Two silent guards stepped aside the moment they saw his panicked face.

He dropped to one knee as soon as he entered.

"My lady! I bring urgent news!"

The woman seated on the velvet throne glanced up slowly. Her beauty was ethereal—sharp, cold, commanding. Her narrowed eyes locked on the trembling soldier.

"Well?"

She said.

The soldier took a deep breath.

"King Gorgon has agreed to a... a test of fate. With the intruder."

The lady’s expression shattered from composed calm into sudden fury.

"He did what?"

The air around her shimmered slightly from the mana surge as she stood. Her heels clicked on the polished floor as she approached the guard.

"He said that the winner would get a wish from the loser."

The soldier continued, his voice faltering.

Her hands clenched.

"That idiot..."

"But... isn’t this a good thing? The deal heavily favors our side. The king is powerful, and he... he adores you, my lady. He’d find the item you hid for him easily if he wins. It might even make everything easier."

The soldier asked hesitantly.

The lady’s gaze turned cold.

"Don’t speak again. I might go mad if I hear any more of your foolish optimism."

She snapped.

The soldier bowed quickly and scurried away, not daring to say another word.

Left alone in the silence of her chamber, the lady paced. Her fingers twitched in irritation. She muttered under her breath.

’A test of fate?’

No one should have been allowed to utter those words. The rules of fate were old, binding, and dangerous if twisted.

She didn’t trust this intruder—whoever he was. He was too calm, too calculating.

She sat back down on her throne, glaring at the wall.

Fine.

If the buffoon wanted to play this game, so be it. She would cheat if she had to. No matter the cost, Gorgon could not lose. Not now.

But despite her logic, a faint uneasiness itched at the back of her mind. Something was wrong. Something didn’t add up.

Back in the plaza, Fenrir and King Gorgon remained where they were, surrounded by fallen debris and the unconscious or injured guards who hadn’t been able to retreat

A strange peace had settled over the space.

The two of them sat opposite each other, neither speaking for a while.

Eventually, Gorgon broke the silence.

"You know, you’re strong enough to settle this with a real fight."

Fenrir didn’t answer immediately.

The strain from earlier still lingered in his bones. His muscles burned under his calm expression, and his mana reserves were dangerously low.

But he kept his breathing even, his posture straight.

"Maybe. But if we keep fighting, the city will be destroyed."

He said finally.

King Gorgon raised an eyebrow.

"You care about the city?"

Fenrir didn’t flinch.

"Doesn’t matter whether I care or not. It’s just easier this way."

Gorgon studied him for a long moment, then laughed—short, sharp, and surprisingly genuine.

"You lie like she does. Always with some noble-sounding reason to cover up what you’re really thinking."

He said with a chuckle.

Fenrir’s mouth twitched.

"And yet you believe me."

"I didn’t say that. But I don’t dislike you. You fight with honor, and you speak with just enough sarcasm to make me curious."

Gorgon replied.

Fenrir raised an eyebrow.

"That’s a strange way to compliment someone."

"I’m a strange king. Besides, this test of fate... it’s not something I’ve ever done before. It might be fun."

Gorgon said simply, leaning back and folding his arms behind his head.

Fenrir leaned against a broken pillar and watched the king.

He wasn’t sure what kind of ruler King Gorgon really was—but he was starting to understand that the man was dangerous in his own way.

Strong, proud, a little too trusting, and far too easy to provoke. But still dangerous.

’Well, not that it matters. No matter how much I call it a test of fate, it will not change the fact that I am cheating.’