Typemoon: Starting Out as the Lion King's Personal Knight

Time flew swiftly, and the sunset for the third time.

Alaric bid Lancelot farewell and set off toward the Sun King's domain.

...

A sandstorm raged, consuming both the sky and land. The green wyvern, unable to proceed further, had to halt.

"The ambient temperature is around fifty degrees…"

Alaric, fully adapted to the environment, had wrapped his head tightly to shield himself from the fierce winds, but he began to realize he might be lost. Unlike before, when Serenity had guided him to the temple, this time Alaric was venturing through the desert without a guide. With no clear landmarks to follow in the storm, he quickly lost his sense of direction in the vast, relentless sands.

He didn't know how much time had passed, but just as he was growing impatient, a shadow appeared from within the storm. It was a winged creature, a lion-bodied, human-faced monster that silently stared at Alaric.

A Sphinx!

Alaric, well-prepared, instantly recognized the creature from Egyptian mythology.

"I didn't mean to intrude on your territory. I can leave right away!" he shouted, seizing the chance to speak with a living creature after wandering alone for so long, attempting to communicate with the Sphinx.

But what greeted him wasn't a response—it was a powerful beam of magical energy!

The Sphinx opened its massive mouth, and the sandstorm stirred violently in response.

Boom!

A dazzling beam pierced through the storm, leaving a massive crater in the sand, with a layer of shimmering, crystalline material covering the surface and gleaming brilliantly. Alaric's figure appeared in the distance, having narrowly dodged the Sphinx's sudden attack.

Do I need to fight?

Alaric quickly weighed his options, debating whether killing the Sphinx would antagonize the Sun King's forces. After all, the Sphinx was a significant figure in Egyptian mythology, likely summoned by the Sun King and placed in the desert.

Fight or flee?

Clang!

After a brief internal struggle, Alaric crouched slowly, resting his hand on the hilt of his sword. As his magical energy surged, the magic around him crackled like arcs of electricity. His eyes transformed into vertical pupils.

Boom!

A crimson flash, like a dragon, tore through the storm with unstoppable force. The delayed roar of thunder followed, and the blood-soaked sand bore the massive form of the collapsed Sphinx, a gaping hole through its chest!

Dozens of meters away, Alaric shook off the inertia of his attack and glanced back. A charred groove, as if struck by lightning, stretched between him and the Sphinx. Without using his Mystic Eyes of Death Perception, he had killed the Sphinx in a single strike with only his strength.

"Still more to refine… I need more refinement," Alaric muttered, suppressing the smile tugging at his lips.

The three days of reflection had indeed brought something new to Alaric. Lancelot had taught him a specialized, lightning-fast strike that took advantage of his explosive power—a strike strong enough to break the sound barrier. However, Alaric still lacked control, and the preparation time for the strike was too long.

Just as he was savoring his newfound prowess, a shadow appeared, disrupting his mood. Alaric clicked his tongue. Just how many Sphinxes had the Sun King deployed in the desert?

A voice full of anger suddenly drowned out the howling of the storm. "Outsider, do you intend to be an enemy of the Sun King?"

Only then did Alaric notice someone standing atop the Sphinx's head. The figure wielded a staff of authority, wore regal white robes and gold chains over skin as black as night, and, despite having the appearance of a young girl, exuded an aura of nobility.

From the magical energy emanating from her, Alaric immediately discerned her true identity. She was none other than the Pharaoh of Egypt's Sixth Dynasty—Nitocris!

Seeing the lifeless Sphinx in the storm, Nitocris's anger flared.

"I am Pharaoh Nitocris! Answer me, do you challenge the glory of the Pharaoh?"

"It wasn't my intention! The Sphinx attacked me first!"

Alaric, not wanting to escalate the conflict with Nitocris, tried to explain.

"Such violence cannot be forgiven! If you wish to prove yourself, then use your strength to earn the forgiveness of the great Pharaoh Nitocris!"

"O Mirror of the Underworld, manifest!"

As Nitocris swung her staff, a dark, mirror-like portal opened before Alaric. From it rose six gleaming skeletons, each clad in armor and wielding strange weapons.

Undead?

The undead summoned by Nitocris differed from the specters Alaric had encountered in Azrael's temple. These skeletons wore ancient armor and wielded weapons, exuding the aura of battle-hardened warriors.

A summoning similar to heroic spirit summoning, but limited to Egyptian undead!

With little time to think, the six Egyptian undead charged towards Alaric with ferocious speed!

Clang!

Forced into action, Alaric readied himself for battle. Unlike the temple of Azrael, he now knew how to handle multiple foes. With an explosive burst of speed, he closed the distance between himself and the six undead in an instant.

Even Nitocris hadn't anticipated such speed, let alone the six undead!

Bang!

With a punch carrying immense power, Alaric shattered one of the undead completely! The force of the blow even forced the surrounding sandstorm to recede!

Five left!

Alaric's sharpened gaze locked onto the nearest undead. With crimson lightning streaking across the battlefield, he cut through the lines of death with unmatched precision!

"You've got some skill, but it's not enough!"

Nitocris, now fully aware of Alaric's abilities, swung her staff once more, sending golden beams of light shooting toward him!

Seeing Nitocris attack again, Alaric immediately abandoned the remaining three undead and retreated. But the golden beams abruptly changed direction, cutting sharp angles through the sandstorm and homing in on Alaric once more!

He realized the true form of the golden beams—large, metallic eyeballs.

But whatever they were made of, they were no match for him! With a few swift strikes, he cut down every golden beam!

Before Nitocris could launch another attack, Alaric decisively dealt with the remaining undead in a powerful display of strength.

"I must admit, you're indeed a brave and skilled warrior. I have no choice but to acknowledge your abilities!"

Nitocris's voice, still laced with anger, reached him, giving him a moment of relief.

But then her tone shifted.

"However, the trial is not over! Since you've slain the Sphinx, you must now face the wrath of the Sphinx! Prove your strength by surviving the Sphinx bestowed upon me by the Pharaoh himself, and perhaps you can atone for your crime!"

As soon as her words fell, Nitocris vanished, leaving Alaric to face an even larger Sphinx alone.

This one's strong—

Alaric silently lowered his stance, focusing on the most prominent line of death on the Sphinx's body.

"Wait! I've changed my mind! I'll forgive you!"

From out of nowhere, Nitocris reappeared, stopping Alaric from making his move.

Seeing that she no longer intended to fight, he backed down.

"So, I've finally earned your forgiveness, Miss Nitocris?"

"Indeed! The great Pharaoh Nitocris has decided to forgive you! Be grateful!"

"So, great Pharaoh Nitocris, may I leave now?"

"Tell me, are you heading to the Holy City to pledge allegiance to the Sun King?"

Realizing Alaric's cooperative nature, she decided to question him further.

"That's right. I've come all this way to seek an audience with the great Sun King."

Alaric went along with her words.

"Great Pharaoh Nitocris, could you guide me to the next step of my journey?"

...

Alaric wasn't sure how much time had passed, but he sensed the sandstorm weakening until the sky suddenly cleared. The fresh, clean air did not distract him. His attention was drawn to a distant structure—the grand temple he had seen just a few days before.

Even someone like Alaric, who knew little about architecture, could appreciate the beauty of the vast complex before him.

Should I go?

At the outskirts of the architectural marvel, Alaric paused, his gaze fixed on the central pyramid.

After some deliberation, Alaric decided he had come this far, and leaving now wouldn't make sense.

As he stepped onto the temple grounds, he immediately sensed an overwhelming presence, akin to the blazing sun. Throughout the city, he saw signs of life everywhere and realized that the Sun King hadn't just summoned the land—he had brought the people with him.

Continuing his observations, Alaric made his way toward the central temple. The stone pillars along the path were engraved with countless myths, drawing him into their stories until he reached the long staircase and snapped back to reality.

Ascending the stairs, he was greeted by two solemn statues—eagle-headed figures with human bodies.

Taking a deep breath, he slowly stepped into the temple. The luxurious temple was lined with jade columns, and sacred murals indicated the identity of the temple's master.

Nitocris, whom he had met before, stood quietly to one side, while the black-haired king atop the towering jade throne glanced up slightly.

"!"

Alaric instinctively held his breath.

"Hmm?"

The black-haired king straightened before bursting into laughter.

"Hahaha! Isn't this one of the Lion King's knights? What, did the Lion King send you to spy on me?"

The black-haired king on the golden throne couldn't stop laughing.

Almost immediately, Pharaoh Ozymandias recognized Alaric as the knight who had once stood beside the Lion King. This recognition seemed to amuse him greatly.

Unlike the Lion King's divinity, Alaric could sense that the figure before him was a true king in every sense—both in power and stature. He embodied the essence of a king entirely. Not only was he the son of the Sun God Ra, but he was also his incarnation. Thus, he declared himself the sole ruler of the earth, as birds soar through the sky, fish swim through the sea, and flowers bloom in the fields—he was destined to be a god-king.