I Became the Guild Leader in Exile

23 – The Lion King of the Valley (3)

The Lion King.

Surprisingly, it was initially a derogatory term. A nickname attached to him playing the role of a king in the desolate valley. However, he paid it no mind. On the contrary, he liked it.

After all, it meant acknowledging himself as a king. However, the mockery contained in the nickname had now turned into terror. At least for the soldiers of the Nemea Fortress. How did it come to this?

Even if he asked himself, the answer did not come. It felt like navigating an exitless maze. But even consulting did not yield an answer. There was only the repetition of a dreadful hell when he opened his eyes…

The Lion King looked at his own hands. Clearly, he must have cleaned them thoroughly. Yet, they still seemed stained with blood. It would have been better if he had a personality like a lion, enjoying blood like that.

But soon, the Lion King tightened his fist, regaining control over himself. His own suffering was nothing more than a luxury. Those who lost their lives to him couldn’t even do that.

“May you go to a better place.”

From the structure resembling a pillar made of wood, covered with the skin of beasts for walls and ceiling. He sat alone, quietly. Inside, there was only a bit of food and the scent of incense.

Unless it was time to attack the fortress alone. He always sat here alone, doing nothing. He even abandoned eating and drinking. It was natural for the chieftain to worry.

“Shouldn’t you have a meal?”

The woman, who had been watching the Lion King’s weakened back, cautiously spoke. The lion’s ears were above its head, and likewise, the tail fallen to the ground represented her mood.

“Is it time for prayers to end?”

“Yes, so please keep it brief.”

There was no strength in the Lion King’s voice. Jalin, who noticed it, felt like her insides were crumbling. Yet, she couldn’t show it in front of the chieftain. She forced a smile.

“A new hero has come to the Nemea Fortress.”

“Are they piling up sacrificial lambs again?”

“It seems so.”

“Enough, don’t bother.”

Countless heroes had come here so far. Most of them lost their lives to the Lion King. What was their purpose? For revenge? Or were they just blinded by gold?

“Prayer times will be longer.”

Guilt was evident in the Lion King’s voice. Jalin couldn’t bear to watch that sight to the end and quickly left. She, too, had no idea.

What wrong have we done to deserve this pain? O gods, please, if you exist, give us an answer. But cruelly, their gods did not respond.

It was just the wind blowing from afar. Jalin sighed. For the sake of the already struggling chieftain, she had to do her best, even if it was herself.

[“Lion King, come out now!!!”]

“?!”

It was a silence so oppressive it could cut through the valley’s wind. But today was different from yesterday. A voice resounded with a force that could fill the deepest parts of the valley, more akin to a roar.

“What was that sound just now?”

“I-I’m not sure.”

“Let’s head in the direction we heard it.”

“Yes! Understood!”

It held enough power to make even the Lion King, who was offering prayers in the tent, leap out. Instinctively sensing a threat, the Lion King appeared entirely different from moments ago.

That was his way. Always nonchalant to show strength to his kin, even when his insides were burning black. For a moment, his composure faltered.

He gritted his teeth and pressed on. Duty must be separated from personal turmoil. In any case, they had to address the source of the sound first. The Lion King and Jarin rushed out to check outside.

“Huh…?”

Standing on the barren ground filled only with dirt and sand was a man and a child. The man with silver hair stood confidently with his arms crossed, bellowing loudly in front of them.

“Lion King! I challenge you to a duel!”

“Is he insane?”

Jarin summed up the man’s first impression in a single sentence. Suddenly appearing alone at the border and challenging what? A duel? It would be far more rational to ask to be killed than to make such a scene.

“Chief, leave this to me and our warriors.”

“No, I will go myself.”

“Chief!”

“A warrior who has come this far alone after a long time.”

Technically, there was a child beside him, but he didn’t seem like a combatant. He could be considered alone. The Lion King inadvertently recalled the past, something he could never forget.

“A warrior. No, a man is calling.”

If that’s the case, as a man, he had no choice but to willingly respond.

—

“I never expected they’d come all the way here.”

Zeke looked at the border with a bewildered expression. When he heard about a direct challenge, he never imagined that just the two of them would come here to provoke.

Even that was because Zeke had to bring Isaac here reluctantly; otherwise, his master would have genuinely come here alone. It was truly dreadful.

Certainly, there was no doubt about his master’s strength. But that didn’t mean Zeke could remain unworried. Before he knew it, Isaac had become one of the most precious people to Zeke.

“Master, the promise earlier… You’ll really keep it, right?”

“Of course.”

“Really?”

“A man doesn’t go back on his word.”

Before coming here, Zeke barely managed to get one promise from Isaac: to talk directly with the opponent first and if that didn’t work, to retreat. Isaac readily agreed.

[I don’t know about anything else. The Lion King must have a story as well.]

[How can you be so sure of that?]

[The fortress didn’t crumble. With the strength of the Lion King, he could have conquered the fortress and still survived.]

[Then, we should try talking even more.]

[Yes. That’s why I’m going there myself.]

From the beginning, even the master had noticed that the Lion King’s actions were strange. Zeke had noticed it too. If the Lion King had set his mind to it, the fortress would likely have fallen long ago.

“He’s finally come out.”

Upon hearing the master’s words, Zeke turned his head. The tightly closed gate of the fortress opened, and what came out was not an army but a single man. However, his demeanor was as formidable as an army.

His bold red hair fluttered in the wind. His sturdy back, like steel, stood straight as he looked ahead. His two legs walked forward without hesitation.

Eventually, his steps came to a halt. Isaac raised his head. The Lion King was much larger in stature than Isaac. He seemed to easily surpass 2 meters. The man slowly opened his mouth.

“I am Lion King Urkan.”

“I…”

“There’s no need to say anything.”

Bang!

It happened in the blink of an eye. The Lion King, who hadn’t even assumed a stance, swung his fist. Even though it was just that, the sound echoed like a bomb exploding. Zeke immediately realized.

The insurmountable gap between that monster and himself. But what did it matter? To dare to ambush the master! However, the Lion King showed no interest in Zeke.

For ages, even formidable humans couldn’t withstand the Lion King’s single strike. Whether it was a sword, armor, or even a shield, he smashed through them like tissue paper. A momentary strike that took lives.

But.

He was unharmed.

He didn’t even defend himself. He just stood there with his fist clenched. The man, who slightly turned his head back to its original position, slowly raised his fist.

Bang!

Again, the thunderous sound echoed. The Lion King, at first, couldn’t understand what had happened to him. Only the desperate voices of his fellow beings calling out to him echoed in his ears.

“Well, I seem to have fallen behind.”

The Lion King, slowly raising his upper body, could finally grasp the situation. Somehow, he had been pushed back, and even the fortress had been pushed back. He was lying on the ground in a pitiful state.

It was an experience the Lion King had never had before. It might have felt bad to be pushed back by a mere human. However, the Lion King felt the opposite. He laughed heartily.

“Has it been 60 years? The first time I’ve been pushed back by sheer strength.”

From start to finish, as if he had pulled her out, the Lion King could sincerely laugh after a long time. He slowly stood up again. And once again, he stood in front of Isaac.

“Do you still have no intention of changing your mind?”

“Do not apologize; what is your name?”

“I am Isaac Silverter, the Master of the Iron Shield Guild.”

Isaac spoke thus, unfastening the sword strapped to his waist and handing it to Zeke. Zeke, bewildered by unexpectedly receiving a weapon, questioned Isaac with a puzzled look.

“Master! Why the weapon…?”

“In men’s fights, a weapon is a luxury.”

“No, Master! What about the promise?!”

“Are you a swordsman who doesn’t use a sword?”

Zeke and the Lion King simultaneously raised question marks. Zeke, naturally concerned about the Master. The Lion King also felt perplexed at the actions of a man who, being a swordsman, did not wield a sword.

However, the doubt did not last long.

The man shouted while clenching his fists, “Sometimes a man has to speak with his fists.”

“…!!”

Only then could the Lion King read the man’s gaze. Not a gaze of hatred or admiration, but a gaze focused on his own peculiarity. Finally, the man adjusted his posture and spoke.

“Come, Lion King. Listen to my story.”