Chapter 787: The Statue underneath Tristan Castle "Being a king really suits you," Nox said suddenly, smiling faintly. He wasn’t trying to gain favor. He meant it. Luthair’s current appearance, broad shoulders, stern gaze, and commanding presence, was fitting for a ruler. He looked like someone who led with authority, even if Tristan had always been labeled as weak. Though he gave off the vibe of a tyrannical ruler, with how free everyone appeared to be, Nox really doubted that was the case. "Hmpf, Darius looked better here." Luthair scoffed at the remark as he rose from his throne. "How have you been, kid?" He flashed a warm smile that completely contradicted his fierce, hardened appearance. "I have been well," Nox replied, smiling as he shook the king’s hand. "I knew you were cunning since the day I met you, but to think you’d take advantage of the war and carve out the west from Fri–Vermilion Kingdom is something I didn’t expect." "I had some disagreements with the previous king... it was bound to happen. Besides, I wasn’t the only one, lots of people assisted, including King Adrian." Nox tried to downplay it, but Luthair could see through him. When he had heard of the creation of the Cromwell Kingdom, the first person who came to mind had been the young Beast Tamer who played a major role in the portal break in the Mother Region. After all, he shared the same name as the newly created kingdom... even if it wasn’t directly founded by Nox, he certainly had ties to it. "Well, congratulations on your new kingdom... though I still feel you could’ve been a valuable asset to Tristan." His tone carried regret. "Well, an alliance between both kingdoms wouldn’t be bad," Nox proposed. Tristan was already an ally of the Vermilion Kingdom; it would be extremely beneficial if the three nations formed a united front. Thinking about alliances, Nox couldn’t help recalling the various unions from the world he came from. There were the United Nations... NATO, the European Union, and so on. All the member countries in these organizations supported one another during times of war and crisis. Forming a similar alliance in this world, especially with the addition of Aquaria—wouldn’t that make them a powerhouse in Eos? It was a promising thought, and even Luthair’s eyes glinted with interest. "We’ll consider that later... for now, may I know the reason for your visit?" he asked. "Is it related to your class?" "News really spreads fast." Nox muttered. "All the kingdoms know about it now. The only people still oblivious are the elves, giants, the Valkyries—those in the non Human continents." That was another of Nox’s long-term targets, but for now, his main focus was the human domain. Later, he would expand outward. "Since the cat is out of the bag, I should make my intentions known." With a serious expression, he spoke. "I want to introduce the Beast Taming class to Tristan Kingdom... I believe it’s the future." There was a moment of silence, then a slow smile formed on Luthair’s face. Jack, who had been silent beside Nox the entire time, felt slightly left out since the king was more focused on Nox, but he didn’t mind. "This is what King Darius would have wanted," Luthair said, a hint of excitement noticeable. "In fact, before his death, he already proposed this clearly." Nox smiled. "Well, lucky for you... one of the statues is right here in this castle." "Huh?" Luthair froze. "What do you mean? The Beast Taming God’s statue is inside this castle?" Jack’s jaw dropped. He knew they were tracking something sacred... but to think it was right under Tristan’s royal hall? "How did it even get here...?" Jack whispered. "Are you certain?" Luthair pressed, almost desperate. "Something like this can’t exist in the castle without me knowing. I grew up here. Darius grew up here. If such a thing existed, we should’ve known." Nox retrieved the map from his inventory and stepped forward. "Follow me." The moment he said that, the atmosphere changed. Luthair and Jack exchanged a glance before following him. The king didn’t question further—his instincts told him Nox wouldn’t speak so boldly without absolute certainty. They moved past the throne room and approached a narrow corridor. It looked normal at first, but when Nox touched a section of the wall, the stone tiles vibrated softly. Click. A thin line of light formed, tracing a perfect rectangle before the stone slid inward, revealing a steep flight of steps. Luthair frowned, utterly shocked. "Impossible. I’ve lived here for decades. I’ve studied every layout, every blueprint. Darius and I explored this castle as kids. How did we never find this?" Nox didn’t answer. He simply descended. The air grew colder the deeper they went. "What exactly happened during the battlefront?" Nox asked suddenly. His tone was calm, but his eyes remained sharp. Luthair released a long breath. "You probably heard rumors... but the truth is simple. We were outnumbered. The demons pushed harder than expected. If the Vermilion reinforcements arrived a minute later, Tristan would have fallen." Jack’s steps faltered for a moment. Luthair continued. "Darius forced the enemies into the valley, used himself as bait... and detonated one of the ancient runic arrays. It wiped out thousands. But the recoil—" His voice cracked briefly before he recovered. "He died standing." Silence followed. Even Jack didn’t speak. "So that’s what happened..." Nox murmured. His tone wasn’t pity—it was respect. "A king’s death." "Indeed," Luthair exhaled. "And now I must carry his burden." Nox didn’t reply. Instead, he slowed as they reached another wall where the map indicated a bend. He pressed a stone panel. GRRRRRK! The floor shuddered as a hidden passage slid open. Jack blinked rapidly and blurted out the question he had been holding. "Okay... seriously... who built all this?" "Not the Tristan ancestors," Nox replied calmly. "This place existed even before Tristan was founded." Luthair frowned deeply but didn’t comment. "You’ll see." They stepped into a long tunnel. Runes shimmered faintly along the ceiling. The air carried a strange pressure, almost like an ancient beast had once breathed there. Jack felt a shiver crawl down his spine. "Nox... this isn’t normal. Even my shadow senses are reacting." Luthair clenched his fists. "If something is sealed beneath Tristan, I should have known. Why was this hidden from every ruler?" "Because it wasn’t meant for kings," Nox answered casually. "It was meant for Beast Tamers." The king stiffened. Eventually, the passage ended at a wide stone door—towering, heavy, and imposing. Strange carvings spiraled across its surface: dragons, wolves, birds, and beasts Nox couldn’t even identify. Behind this door was the statue.