Realm of Kings

Coronation

Jax and his squad of soldiers rode for about an hour before reaching his Town.

The areas surrounding his town were mostly filled with forest and remained unused.

Adjusting himself on top of the horse, Jax couldn't help but feel his numb butt after the long ride.

Despite his newfound powers as a Tier 1 warrior, he still struggled with the unfamiliar sensations of horseback riding.

As they approached, Jax noticed the Tier 2 Orcs being tied and dragged by some of the Barbarian soldiers, who laughed at the sight of the Orcs beards flaring.

The outline of his town came into view, and his initial feeling of contentment started to morph into worry.

He pondered on how he would explain to his wife that he had been out fighting against Orcs instead of the demonic beasts he claimed to be battling.

Upon spotting their arrival, the archers in the tower blew their trumpets and ordered the soldiers to open the gates for the returning king.

The citizens near the town gates quickly began celebrating their King's swift return.

However, their joy turned to surprise and curiosity as they noticed the presence of the three Orcs brought back by their king.

They couldn't help but point and gossip about them.

"How the f**k did you end up with Orcs instead of demonic beasts?" Alicia who was rushing towards them exclaimed, pointing at the Orc King and his two Generals.

In response, the Orc King spat at her, narrowly missing as she skillfully dodged aside.

He cursed in his native Orc language, at his failed attempt.

Bam!

The closest Barbarian soldier swiftly landed two slaps on the Orc King's face, causing him to stagger.

The other Orcs' eyes turned red at the mistreatment of their king, but before they could retaliate,

they were struck by the hilts of the barbarian soldiers' swords directly in their guts.

Gasping for breath, they looked at the demonic-looking barbarians in shock.

Actually, they had long given up any hope of escaping once they clashed with this extraordinary army.

It was unheard of for any Tier 1 King to possess an entire squad of Tier 2 warriors, and be unknown but still yet here was Jax, ambushing them with a force of nearly 400 warriors, all with Tier 2 strength.

The realization of these little details was driving the Orcs insane.

If they ever caught the Orc who had provided them with the false information that the king of this kingdom was a weakling on the verge of death, they would beat him senseless.

Calling the king a weakling was a complete misjudgment.

The king didn't even need to personally engage in the battle. In fact, those who appeared to be the king's generals were the ones giving orders, while the king's foot soldiers successfully defeated them and their mighty thousand-strong Orc army.

The Orc king was not only in physical pain but also in emotional agony.

His pride was shattered, as if all his years of cultivation had been in vain.

He wasn't even engaged in a proper warrior's battle; he wasn't even confronted by the King's General, which would have at least shown some respect.

Instead, he had been defeated by mere foot soldiers.

If this news were to reach the Orc empire, he would lose all face and prestige,

unable to show his face in public as his pride would be utterly shattered.

"Errm, look, I can really explain everything that happened..." Jax began,

but he was abruptly cut off before he could finish his sentence.

"Well, that doesn't really matter right now, as you have more important matters at hand," Alicia interjected.

"Oh, and what would that be?" Jax questioned, noticing Alicia's anxious demeanor.

He knew she was someone who never wavered, so her persistence could only mean one thing.

And that was that he had an important guest.

"You have a guest," Alicia confirmed with almost instant response.

Jax pondered for a moment, trying to think of who would visit him.

When he saw the smile on Alicia's face, he was taken aback, unable to comprehend what could possibly make her happy about this development.

He knew it couldn't be her father, as he was far away and had abandoned his daughter to repay his debts.

"Just tell me, my queen. I'm not good at this guessing game," Jax pleaded.

"You are about to be coronated as a real king this time, under the Guide of your father who is a king of a Tier 4 kingdom in the Waste land," Alicia revealed.

"Well, who came?, Was it my dad?" Jax asked, hoping to see the man who was rumored to be his father and who was supposed to perform the coronation ceremony for all his children.

But when he asked that question, he noticed Alicia's mood drastically change.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but he never showed up. He only sent a couple of low-ranking officials from his ruling power to coronate you,"

Alicia snorted in annoyance, clearly displeased with how Jax's father was treating him.

Jax nodded silently, leading the way as they walked into his palace (Town Hall).

After concealing his emotions, he was finally ready to face the envoys his father had sent.

Initially, he had been disappointed when he heard that his father wouldn't be coming.

But now, as he thought about it more, he realized that even the old Jax had never truly seen the man he called his father many times.

No matter how indifferent Jax tried to act, he couldn't deny the deep hurt he felt in his heart.

"What the f**k is happening? Why am I feeling this way? This pain... what is it?"

Jax questioned, trying to push away all the negative emotions he was experiencing, as he prepared himself to face the officials who would soon be coronating him.