Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 433 Choice
In that faraway place.

In that narrow, simple yet warm and bright bar cellar...

I probably can't escape, but they can survive...

A ragged boy, covered in wounds, clenched his fists tightly.

He looked up at the red-haired girl opposite him, who stood there with two swords embedded in her legs, looking both dashing and slightly surprised. He forced a brave smile.
I should get going.

Go to Hongfang Street.

That is……

He was thinking in a daze.

“Boom…Boom!”

Amidst the thunder, his thoughts cleared, and he then saw another scene.

It was a magnificent, semi-circular hall, filled with nobles and high-ranking officials dressed in fine clothes, with solemn expressions and composed demeanor...

Similarly, it was that boy, seemingly dressed in fine clothes and adorned with beautiful ornaments, but whose heart was still scarred, standing on the stone steps...

Yes, Duke Kevin Deer... I saved your life...

He stubbornly and arrogantly pouted, and said to another young, round-faced man with a shocked expression:
So, you owe me a thank you.

This is……

Thales' breathing quickened; a certain emotion seemed to be brewing within him.

He felt a tremor in his consciousness, and the illusions that had once confused him reappeared, that realm that he could touch with just a gentle reach.

Supreme.

universal.

perfect.

That alluring call.

But those temptations could no longer sway him from what he saw before him.

Thales' vision blurred for only a second before he firmly shook his head and shook it off.

【Wait a moment! 】

It was still that boy's voice.

This time, he was covered in dust and his hands were bound, yet he still forced a smile as he sat on a large black coffin, looking at a charming and alluring, yet incredibly dangerous woman.

I heard there's a mage here? The kind that can be released?

The boy kicked the coffin lid with an arrogant look on his face:

Do you want to see him?

The dangerous woman's smile froze, revealing her ferocious fangs.

is her.

Thales, who was tossed about in the storm, smiled.

it's me.

It is us.

The next moment, the roar of wind and thunder sounded again, but it was immediately replaced by another similar yet different sound.

It was the sound of shouts of killing.

The sounds of battle cries filled the sky, rising and falling amidst the bloodshed, death, and struggle, drowning out the heavens.

Sonia's choice, no matter what, is a dilemma...

Amidst the countless people risking their lives and fighting with blind rage, the boy stood surrounded by the crowd, panting heavily, his tension palpable.

Only we can make the choice for Lord Satherley.

[To dispel her hesitation and doubt.]

To the astonishment of those around him, the boy stared intently at the terrifying man before him, a man exuding an aura of steely killing intent and boundless power, breathing like a volcano.

He stared at the large, silver-black bow on the other man's back, pointing it towards the banners flying in the north, and gritted his teeth, saying:

[Prepare to break out.]

"Bang!"

Despite the excruciating physical pain and the torment of his overflowing thoughts, Thales gritted his teeth in the black storm, yet a smile appeared on his face.

original……

in this way.

【enough! 】

A decisive and resolute roar shattered the darkness and silence in my memory.

In the rugged hall where a roaring brazier burned, the boy's expression became much more composed. At this moment, he walked forward with firm steps, without stopping, past the pale man with an icy expression and a blade on his back, past the silent old man wearing a crown and exuding an awe-inspiring presence.

He walked over to the bespectacled girl kneeling on the ground, crying in anguish over the ring in her hand, her face filled with panic, and grabbed her arm without hesitation.

He pulled her behind him.

That's it... Tonight, she has to stay with me!

[A bunch of lunatics!]

Looking at these memories, Thales' smile grew wider and wider.

The flame in my heart burned ever brighter.

This sword is called the Blade of Purification...

Amidst the desolate ruins, the boy stood before the man wielding the black sword, gazing at the red dagger. He sighed softly, then looked up and smiled with a sense of relief.
Let's go see that lovely older sister.

[Try your luck.]

The screen flashed.

In the solemn and dignified temple, the boy looked at the girl before him with a bitter yet resolute expression.

[Little rascal...]

If we just walk away like this, leaving everything behind, the burden will make me feel like I can't breathe...

We cannot leave, we cannot run away...

The ripples of memory resurfaced: in an incredibly difficult situation, on a simple, rough carriage, a boy swayed and smiled at a middle-aged man smoking a pipe.

Believe it or not, Putila...

I've figured it out. On that unique battlefield, only I can stand against him...

Send me to Valhalla, back to Rumba's hands.

"Boom!"

In the black storm, Thales, who was about to give up, took a deep breath.

He got it.

He understood.

Something that is not confused by others.

I see!
Is that enough?!

Amidst the clashing of weapons, shouts of killing, and shoving, it was still that damned hall. Before several pairs of richly dressed men, engrossed in their fight, a boy climbed onto the table, brandishing his small fists and roaring:

[You Northerners... listen up!]

I have an idea that's much better than a lose-lose situation!

As images flashed before his eyes, Thales's consciousness became clearer and his spirit more vigorous.

"Crackling... Boom!"

A deafening roar!

In that instant, Thales, silently enduring the inky storm and powerless to resist, gritted his teeth.

"call!"

A strong wind blew him up to some unknown height in the sky.

The storm still howled and roared, and the ink blade still caused excruciating pain.

But at that moment, Thales remained firmly still in the heart of the storm.

No longer drifting with the wind, suffering and sinking.

It was as if this terrible storm could no longer move him in the slightest.

But Thales slowly raised his gaze and chuckled lightly with a calm and relieved expression.

He lowered his gaze, looking at his empty shell, and reached out his left hand in his consciousness.

"Boom!" Black lightning appeared again.

It struck his side.

With this intense flash of lightning, the dark wind lines seemed to come alive and converged, surging to Thales' left side.

They break down into countless particles and then recombine.

The shape that makes up the arm.

The storm seemed to receive a command, roaring and howling, and whipping around even more violently!

Thales remained motionless, not even glancing at the newly appeared left arm.

"Boom!"

Another terrifying thunderclap shattered the eardrum!
The storm surged forth, and black winds enveloped Thales, swirling back and forth.

Thales' mind was clear and his consciousness was lucid.

He knows his anchor point now.

Something that is not confused by others.

Others!
"Bang!" The black storm roared, but Thales gently closed his eyes in the eye of the storm.

As an anchor, the name Thales is merely an acquired label, dependent on the context.

The surname Canxing and the status of a prince are but fleeting things, given and taken away by others, and cannot withstand the ravages of time.

The sins of the River of Hell, demonic power?
These seemingly unique and powerful forces are actually nothing but bullshit—according to Black Sword, their strength is not even determined, let alone these so-called powers that are blindly pursued by all living beings.
They are merely decorations that add luster to life; since they can be acquired and used, they can also be defeated and discarded at any time.

Not to mention external things—JC, the Blade of Purification, even the little rascal's glasses.

None of these belong to him.

And his thoughts? His knowledge? His wisdom?

Those things were not his either; they were things he had been taught later in life.

As for Wu Qiren, is he a time traveler? What were his thoughts, ideas, and gains in that other world? No, by the same token, even in that other world, it wasn't his.

These are not his anchor points.

Nothing points to his ego.

A faint voice reached Thales's ears.

One day, you will face another important choice.

It was still that ancient and solemn temple, and the veiled high priestess's voice was leisurely:

At that time, when you stand at an angle and height unimaginable by any other being, and think with a mindset beyond that of ordinary people...

You might recall what I said today.

Thales remembered her eyes.

The high priest of the Temple of the Moon, Jewel Holm.

An important choice.

Thinking of this, Thales laughed heartily, his eyes filled with unwavering determination.

Unwavering.

It turned out to be the case.

This is it.

Throughout his entire life, everything...

In the end, what truly belonged to Thales Shining Star himself...

Truly free from the confusion of others, able to serve as an anchor point, directly pointing to oneself...

This is the only one!

"Bang! Boom!"

The memories that were almost overflowing in Thales' mind suddenly trembled!
It scattered countless images.

In the vast desert, in the quiet night with only moonlight, a much more mature young man stood wearily at the door, looking at the bald man sleeping soundly on the bed, staring at the man's throat, and gritted his teeth as he raised the dagger in his hand.

A few seconds later, the struggling boy finally exhaled, relieved and decisive...

He put down the dagger.

In that instant, Thales, who was in a state of being out of control, suddenly opened his eyes!

Anchor point...

His face was taut, and he roared through the deafening storm, shouting out the answer that belonged only to him—

"choose--"

In that instant, it was as if all the violent sounds suddenly fell silent!
Only Thales' roar pierced the sky and resounded throughout this land!
"……choose!"

Almost simultaneously, an uncontrolled storm roared and howled, accompanied by several flashes of black light!
"Boom!"

As the black wind swept through the bones, a perfectly intact left hand emerged from Thales's newly revealed left arm, as if it were a solid object built up by the wind and sand.

Thales's roar gradually faded, and he raised his newly appeared left hand with a faint smile.

select.

That's right.

In the short but wonderful years after he came into this world...

What truly belongs to him...

It belongs exclusively to Thales Shining Star; it's something only he could make...

select.

For the past fourteen years, he has faced every situation, every fork in the road, and every predicament...

Without any interference or influence from others, acting independently, striving to the utmost, with a clear mind, and willing to fully bear the consequences...

Every choice!

"Boom!" Lightning flashed continuously.

Left hand, left shoulder, right hand, torso, left leg, right leg...

In the mysterious storm, Thales' body appeared methodically, as if it had just been assembled in the void.

Each time the black wind howled and the black light struck, it gave Thales a portion of his physical form.

It looked as if he had just surfaced.

I have just regained consciousness.

Thales stared calmly into the endless deep space before him, his heart indifferent.

Life before and after death are both illusions.

He lowered his head, silently looking at the familiar yet unfamiliar scratches on his left palm, and slowly clenched his fist.

All that we have gained and acquired belongs to others.

"Boom!"

Thales coldly watched the inky black storm around him, watching it pass through him again and again, gathering into a part of him.

His consciousness, however, was perfectly clear.

Without any ambiguity.

Only through choice can one attain freedom.

Unbound, fully free to be yourself!
This is what he possesses, from beginning to end, which points to himself and cannot be confused by others!
Thales' choice!

"Boom!"

With a final, deafening roar, as Thales's body finally appeared intact and steady in the eye of the storm... "Whoosh—"

The last gust of wind blew in, then faded into the distance and weakened.

It transforms into a pleasant and comfortable breeze.

The storm has subsided.

The thunder vanished without a trace.

All the noise and violence came to an abrupt halt at the same time.

In mid-air, Thales slowly raised his head, stretched out his hands, and felt the changes within himself.

and so……

Is this what "out of control" means?
The teenager laughed.

At this moment, he was perfectly clear-headed.

All I could see was a clear blue sky.

Bright, clean, and clear.

original.

The next instant, Thales gently closed his eyes.

in this way.

And when he opened his eyes again...

"Hold on!"

"Guard the hostages!"

In the dimly lit dungeon, Qianzi, in a fit of rage, pressed a dagger against Marina's throat, roaring ferociously and maniacally at the person before him:
"Step back, Executioner Knight!"

"The hostage is in my hands! Whatever tricks you and that vanished brat are planning to play..."

On the other side, the masked guards were still being controlled by the four shadowy assassins, while Quick Rope and Tampa were also threatened by the assassins and trembled with fear.

He got it.

Amidst the chaos, Sacelle, standing on the other side, raised his left-hand saber, unable to conceal his rage, and swept it across the assassins before him:

"The prince is no longer here, do you think I would care?"

In the chaotic situation, the assassin's breathing, the hostage's cries, the struggle of chains, the friction of weapons in hand, and the arguments between the two sides were all mixed together!
Chisel gritted his teeth and roared:

"Then let's give it a try—"

But at that very moment, the chisel suddenly stopped speaking.

Not just him.

Everyone was stunned.

"Tap, tap, tap..." The sound of light footsteps came.

All eyes were focused on one spot.

All of this was projected onto the boy who suddenly appeared.

The dungeon fell silent for a moment, but then the silence was broken again.

"You...Prince...how did you...you just disappeared...you are now..."

Chisel stared at Thales in shock, stammering and unable to finish his sentence.

His gaze kept shifting between Thales and the silver-bladed sword stuck in the ground.

His expression was as if Thales had just crawled out of the ground.

and so……

"Did I just disappear?" the prince wondered calmly.

Did they get really scared?
"How did you do that, kid?" Sacel, standing behind him, was equally incredulous and dumbfounded.

Is it... the magic of the Alchemy Tower?
In the distance, Marina was still struggling, while Quick Rope blinked curiously, seemingly oblivious to the listless Tampa.

The tightly bound Yordles remained motionless, revealing not a trace of his emotions behind the mask.

Thales nodded slightly to him and smiled.

He suddenly remembered a conversation the two of them had once had.

【No. 】

You will be better than him.

I know you possess something he lacks.

Thales sighed and stretched out his right hand, pulling the longsword he had taken from Ricky from the ground and twirling it with a flourish.

The silver blade gleamed, its edge menacing.

But the prince's gaze was no longer on the sword.

He found it amazing.

He feels a lot now.

The dungeon was filled with dust, dirt, scrap wood, and passageways...

The positions, breathing, and secrets of both sides...

But at this moment, Thales was completely different from when he fought against Giza in Dragon City; he was so tired, so bewildered, and so unsettled.

Rather, it is absolute indifference and calmness.

It's as if all impulsiveness and recklessness have been shed.

Only rationality remains.

not only that.

Thales glanced gently at each person in front of him.

He's different now.

He felt it.

What he can do now.

There are many.

But the most important thing is...

He is very lucid now.

"Let them go, chisel."

"Are you there?" Amidst the shocked gazes of the crowd, Thales stared indifferently at the chisel holding the dagger.
"I'm only going to say it once."

Chisel took a dazed breath before blankly accepting the fact that the prince had reappeared.

not now.

Now, he must resolve the current situation.

He still has the upper hand, doesn't he? With this indecisive prince around, everything will only go more smoothly...

Thinking of this, Qianzi sneered.

“Watch closely, Your Highness,” the dagger was pressed against Marina’s throat again, his eyes filled with threat:
"I'll only do it once..."

Thales chuckled softly, sensing his unusual state.

"Then let's continue."

Chisel frowned.

what happened?

This kid...

No.

He needs to realize the situation...

“You’ve become more confident, Your Highness,”

Looking at Thales' smile, Chisel gritted his teeth and pushed with his hand: "But sometimes this isn't good..."

The next second, the chisel, which was about to strike, suddenly froze!
what?
He realized something was wrong.

The leader of the Shadow Assassins suddenly lowered his head.

The moment he saw clearly what was in front of him, his pupils dilated instantly!

"Are you looking for this?"

Thales smiled calmly, and gently raised a familiar-looking dagger with his left hand:

"Looks like you slipped, chisel."

Bang!

Thales released his grip, letting the dagger on the chisel fall to the ground, and revealed a warm smile.

He really likes this state of mind.

This feeling of being in control of everything.

In that instant, Sacel frowned, while the chisel froze in expression.

The assassin leader stared blankly at his empty hands, then looked at the dagger at Thales' feet.

That is……

That dagger...

how--

He instinctively took a step back!
As the firelight flickered, several gasps filled the air. The assassins of the Shadow Shield looked at the dagger on the ground with a hint of doubt.

Even Sakel frowned.

Chisel's breathing quickened, and his left hand trembled almost imperceptibly.

The assassin leader suddenly looked up, gritting his teeth as he spoke:
"What is that? What kind of trick? Superpower, magic?"

He stared intently at the prince.

In the dimly lit dungeon, the firelight illuminated the prince's face, highlighting his serene expression.

“I did,” Thales blinked, shook his head, and said sincerely:
"Your hand slipped."

The man with the chisel suddenly turned around and decisively gave an order to another subordinate:
"Do it! Kill that guy named Wyman..."

Bang!

The words from the chisel were frozen in mid-air once again.

He stared blankly at Thales.

The prince smiled as before and easily released his left hand.

Bang!

At least three daggers slipped from his hands and landed with a thud.

Behind the rope, the assassin stared in disbelief at his hands, which had somehow become unarmed.

“I think they all slipped.” Thales smiled and raised his left hand, dropping the last dagger to the ground.

Chisel's eyes widened.

No.

Do not……

This is impossible……

At that moment, whether it was Quick Rope, the hostage-taker behind Tampa, or the assassins around them, they suddenly became unarmed!
The feeling of losing your weapon is never pleasant.

In that brief second, amidst confusion and panic, the assassins were in an uproar and instinctively tried to retreat!
Observing the situation, Sacelle raised an eyebrow in surprise, instinctively drawing his saber against the weaker enemy: "What is this...?"

"Hold on!"

In the face of the suddenly out-of-control situation, Chisel gritted his teeth and roared, shoving Marina backward!
The assassin leader decisively raised the alchemical orb in his left hand, attempting to deter the aggressive Executioner Knight: "Damn it, if you dare take another step forward, I'll—"

But the next moment, Thales' laughter drowned out his.

"You mean this little gadget?"

The noisy noise stopped abruptly!

One second, two seconds.

A collective gasp filled the air.

In the absolute silence, the prince, sword in hand, strode forward with ease.

Under everyone's gaze, he calmly raised his left hand.

No.

Chisel stared blankly at the prince's left hand, then mechanically withdrew his arm.

No.

really.

In his own palm...

Nothing.

"I don't like it. Some shrew once used it to kidnap me..."

Thales pursed his lips, carefully examining the sphere in his hand. Looking at the strange inscriptions engraved on its metal shell, he suddenly felt a sense of familiarity.

The chisel stared blankly at what was in front of it.

Looking at the prince holding the alchemical orb.

Looking at the Executioner Knight, who squinted and raised his sword.

Looking at the daggers lying quietly on the ground.

No.

He suddenly felt his arms begin to tremble.

"But, well, the feeling of holding it in my own hand..."

Prince Star raised his head and grinned.

He looked at the ashen-faced assassins and, for the first time in a long time, flashed a toothy smile:
"It's pretty good?"

No.

At that moment, looking at Thales' smile, Chip was in a daze.

I felt ice cold all over my body.

----

In a strange, unknown space, a person shrouded in thick fog, with an indistinct face, stirred slightly.

He looked elsewhere.

"That kid... he actually did it using that method?"

he said to himself.

Hmm, it seems...

Anchor point.

This dangerous method exists only in theory, and no one has ever successfully implemented it before...

There's still a tiny bit...

It's feasible.

He smiled with satisfaction, shook his head, then turned around and disappeared into the blurry world.

Only two wary and sharp eyes remained, scanning from afar.

It swept through the space in vain.

Choice is a crucial proposition in existentialist philosophy, and it's also what Sartre considered the moment when a person is at their freest. Everything about you is observed, limited, controlled, and influenced by others, except for your choices, and the consequences of those choices. These choices belong solely to you, are independent and free, and are never confused with your own.

Happy Children's Day!

Two updates are presented as a gift!
Well, it's already reached 12,000 words...

What about tips? What about monthly passes?
Where are the book reviews that are crying and shouting for Wujian to give birth to monkeys?
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(End of this chapter)