━━━━━━ POV ━━━━━━━
It had been a few hours since Jack had left the Centaur realm, the sound of a mighty spear relentlessly swinging echoing.
The youngster was still training, trying his new godly weapon out as he glanced at the nearby portal from time to time. The more he swung and the more he was filled with disbelief.
Jack had given something that strong just like that?! This one item was tripling his attack power at the very least! Who gave something like that away?! Even gods weren't as generous!
As he kept training, the earth began terrifyingly trembling.
— Clip! Clop! Clip! Clop! —
Countless Centaurs were heading over, raising dust in their wake.
Their gallop was as mighty as angry, their faces twisted by rage. They weren't here for a pleasant stroll. That much was obvious!
"You, youngster! Did you see the human?! Where did he go?!"
"He's gone already. Why?" The foolish Centaur inquired.
"REVENGE!" The Chief bellowed.
The Centaur was already ready to lead his brethren into the portal. They'd invade the human realm if they had to, following that traitorous human to the end of the earth!
But there came an unexpected obstacle.
"I won't let you." The calm declaration came akin to a bombshell in the heated atmosphere, the youngster already adopting a fighting posture.
"Move aside, kid–, or we'll trample you." The Chief threatened. He didn't have time for any silly games. But, he had obviously underestimated the kid's resolve: he wasn't budging one bit!
Ridiculous fight incoming?!
One Youngster VS. Hundreds of Veterans
Dead Centaur Galloping VS. Angry Equine Avengers
The outcome was obvious, one doomed to be battered badly or perhaps killed. But even then, he didn't falter as he slowly enunciated. "None shall pass."
He had already adopted a battle stance, ready to make his new weapon taste blood for the first time. A shame that it would be a brethren's blood, but friendship was sacred.
Derisive snorts, chuckles of ridicule, and angry growls were aplenty, but none affected his resolve. He was simply that foolish!
The Chief raised his hand and…froze in place?! For some reason, he wasn't ordering the assault, only staring at the man's bright red spear, all eyes turning toward it.
"Wow! What a spear!"
"It's making me shiver just looking at it!"
"Tch— So what?! He's still alone and weak. He's doomed!"
They all agreed that the weapon was remarkable, but it wouldn't affect them that much. Well, there was one that was now shaking more than a leaf in the wind…the usually valiant Chief?!
"Y-you! That spear! How?!" He cried out.
The youngster was taken aback. Why was he shaking so much? There was something about the way he was acting, the anger gone.
"What about it?" He coldly asked, swinging it powerfully.
"You can wield it?!!!" The man cried out once again.
Why was the Chief getting so worked up?! He seemed to be thinking so fast that his brain was about to overheat. But after a while of processing, he finally reached a decision.
Under the shellshocked gaze of everyone, the Chief suddenly…knelt?!! What the heck?! He even had an exalted look of happiness plastered on his face.
"This lowly Chief salutes his king!"
Many Centaurs felt like their ears were defective. King?! Since when did Centaurs have a king?! This was a prank, right?! It had to be!
But then the older members in the tribes all jumped in shock as they similarly copied his movements, kneeling while excitingly mumbling. "The king's spear!" "It's real!!!"
There was a legend in the Centaur tribe, an old one that barely anyone but the older generation remembered. It spoke of a Centaur with a red spear and the courage of 10 000.
10 000? Yep, it did check out! He was facing them all alone, after all! The myth said this man's arrival announced an era of prosperity for their entire race.
He was also said to be the one that would seek the other Centaur tribes scattered around the world and reunite them all.
"Hahaha, this is a glorious day! Glorious!!!" The Chief was already grinning from ear to ear. "King, what are your instructions?"
The foolish Centaur only had one thought. WTF! The Chief had probably misunderstood, right?! But either way, he'd be damned if he let this chance go!
"Give up ridiculous thoughts of invading the human realm. We need to focus on rebuilding first!" He waved his hand in what he believed a regal fashion.
"YES!!" Many were still confused, but they replied as one either way.
The older generation was already babbling away, explaining the whole thing. The whole reason Tribe-Gather was so important was to reunite the Centaur race…but the king was even better!
Revenge? Who cared! They had found a king!
They readily agreed with his plan to return home, Jack nothing but an afterthought at this point. As for how their god would react? Well…it was coy at the moment for some reason.
The youngster had no clue how he'd handle such an ordeal, feeling that the whole king thing was probably BS, but he'd fake it for his friend's sake!
On the way back, the Chief inched closer., dying to know one thing:
"King, where did you find the spear?"
All Centaurs perked their ears up…
"It was a gift…."
"A gift….?!"
O_O
Only a god would be able to give something like that, right?! What kind of miracle had the youngster accomplished to directly deserve such a reward?!
All misunderstood, not knowing it had in fact come from a mortal. The youngster couldn't stop thinking about it. Had Jack known about it all? He had to, right?! As expected of him!
The f̶o̶o̶l̶i̶s̶h̶ kingly Centaur couldn't help but wonder what the human was up on the other side. In any case, he prayed for his wellbeing.
As far as he was concerned… Jack > Eternal Galloping Father. Perhaps he'd erect a temple in his honor? No, just one wouldn't do…
.
.
.
Jack couldn't help but chuckle.
[A Foolish Centaur is Eternally Grateful!]
"Pfft— How many times will you show me that message? Isn't he a little too thankful for a single spear? Disable Centaur-related notifications."Jack casually ordered.
But his laugher suddenly stopped, for it seemed like there was a welcoming party ready for them….the deadly kind!