Chapter 1193: Happily Never After [Part 5] A loud boom reverberated through the forest as a radiant beam of light burst from the tip of Thirteen’s sword. The name of the sword was Excalibur. One of the Legendary Swords in existence, which had gained the power of faith. That single sword strike killed one more Champion and exterminated the entirety of the Mercenaries who had come to capture Kate under the Queen’s orders. After using his weapon, Excalibur once again turned into motes of light and entered the Vault of Heaven. Thirteen panted for breath as he reached out to take another Legendary Equipment from the Vault of Heaven. "Don’t let him take action!" one of the remaining Champions shouted. "Kill the girl first!" The Champions snapped out of their daze and charged madly at Kate, whose face was still a bit pale from morning sickness. As those who wished to harm his host approached, Thirteen grabbed a shield and stood next to Kate. "Stand firm and protect your wards!" Thirteen shouted. "Aegis!" A blue dome of light appeared around Thirteen and Kate, protecting them from the attacks of the remaining Champions, who were unleashing their killer blows in an attempt to break it. "Kate, hold this," Thirteen said as he handed her the shield. "No matter what happens, do not go out of the barrier. Do you understand?" "Yes." Kate nodded. She felt an ache in her chest after seeing Thirteen’s pale face, which seemed to have lost all of its color. Clearly, he was paying a price for using the weapons from the Vault of Heaven, which was still present on the battlefield. The young man knew he could only use one more Legendary Equipment before he collapsed, so he chose the most appropriate one to finish the fight. Instead of choosing a deadly weapon, the young man reached out for another shield. This shield was very notorious, and many didn’t want to face it on the battlefield due to the curse that it gave people. Thirteen raised the shield in his hand and chanted in a volume that only he could hear. "Gaze into terror..." Thirteen said softly. "Medusa Shield!" The symbol of Medusa’s head on the surface of the shield opened its eyes, glowing in a purple light. The two Champions closest to Thirteen suddenly found the lower part of their bodies turning to stone, slowly creeping upward like a curse that could never be undone. "W-What’s happening?!" "We’re being petrified! Help us!" The two Champions called out to their comrades, but instead of helping them, these Champions hastily backed away. Some of them looked warily in Thirteen’s direction, specifically at the shield on his hand. That was a mistake. "Ahhhhhhhhhhh!" Another Champion found himself in the same situation as the two warriors, whose entire bodies, with the exception of their heads, had turned into stone. They didn’t understand what was happening, but they understood that the young man was using some kind of cursed artifact against them. "It’s the shield!" one of the Champions shouted. "Don’t look at the shield in his hand!" Only four Champions remained, while the rest had now turned into stone statues. Knowing the danger they were facing, they hurriedly ran away to escape the fate that had befallen their comrades. Unfortunately, Thirteen was not that forgiving. "Chase them," Thirteen ordered the shield in his hand, which hummed in reply. It then flew away from Thirteen’s hand and pursued the fleeing Champions who planned to report the situation to their superior. A minute after the shield left his body, Thirteen coughed a mouthful of blood as he fell to one knee. As a System, he shouldn’t have summoned the Vault of Heaven, where the items on their System Shop were stored. The penalty he received was a decrease in his lifespan, a price he was willing to pay for Kate’s safety. Thirteen didn’t know how long he could live in the vessel that was given to him, but he planned to use his life in order to protect Kate and the fragile life of their baby inside her body. Horrified screams reached their ears, telling them that Medusa’s Shield was doing its job properly. But he understood that the moment he lost consciousness, the Shields in their possession would vanish, and the Vault of Heaven would disappear. This was why Thirteen was doing his best to stay awake, despite the pain that was wracking his entire body. Kate reached for Thirteen’s shoulder, steadying him as he swayed. "Thirteen!" Kate said with worry. "Are you alright?" "I’m fine," Thirteen replied hoarsely, but the blood dripping from his lips betrayed him. His hand clenched over his chest as if trying to force his failing vessel to keep working. "Just... don’t let go of that shield. As long as you hold it, nothing will reach you." The screams in the distance grew fewer. One by one, the fleeing Champions were silenced. Then, with a sinister hum, the Medusa Shield returned, floating back into Thirteen’s grasp before it lost its glow. The purple light in the Gorgon’s eyes faded, leaving only the dull, lifeless image of Medusa’s face etched into the bronze surface. A few seconds later, the Shield turned into particles of light, disappearing from the young man’s hand. Kate’s trembling hand brushed over his. "You’re dying because of me..." "No," Thirteen shook his head, forcing himself to look at her, even as his vision blurred. "I’m living... for you." The sincerity in his words made her chest ache, tears stinging the corners of her eyes. The petrified Champions stood frozen like grotesque statues across the forest. "You need to rest," Kate whispered, her hands tightening around him. Princess Xynalia looked at the pair anxiously, feeling frustrated that the only thing she could do was watch as the event unraveled before her very eyes. While the two ladies were worrying about Thirteen, the final Champion, who managed to escape, fled to escape the forest. Thirteen had reached his limit, so the shield was forced to return to his side, fading away as the Vault of Heaven finally disappeared from the mortal realm. ’Monsters!’ the Champion thought in horror. ’I must inform the Hero Party! Only they can defeat those monsters!’ With renewed determination, he sped up once more, darting across the forest floor like a deer running away from a predator, whom little did he know was left with no strength to threaten his life.