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One Piece Breaking the Gene Lock
Genshin Impact: I am King Arthur
Naruto: Reviving the Fourth Hokage from the Start
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"Yes, my king!"
Kaeya and Eula dropped to one knee, right hands to hearts, speaking with unfeigned conviction.
Rowan Galehart had truly won them over.
So he hadn't been all talk—he really dared to kill.
At first, they'd taken his words for bluster.
They'd assumed he wouldn't actually dare kill a Fatui envoy. That was why they'd ringed the Goth Grand Hotel at dawn—ready to go through the motions.
If the Fatui got mouthy and refused, surely Rowan would back down.
But the moment that leader opened his mouth to posture, Rowan spurred his horse and caved his chest in—dead on the spot.
So direct, so decisive—their doubts vanished. If he declared war on Snezhnaya, he meant it.
For soldiers like them, talk meant nothing. Actions did.
Rowan's deed spoke his resolve.
All around them, Knights of Favonius sank to one knee beside Kaeya and Eula and shouted as one:
"Yes, my king!"
In that instant, Rowan won the Knights' hearts.
And the Mondstadters looking on raised their hands and cheered.
Those Fatui had never done a single good deed in Mondstadt.
They bullied the people, ate without paying, preyed on men and women—hadn't they done enough?
If not for Jean's last sliver of resolve—refusing to hand Mondstadt's defenses to the Fatui—
the city would already be theirs.
When Jean heard Rowan had killed a Fatui, she rode hard to the scene—only to see the Fatui slinking from the hotel like whipped dogs.
She dismounted and hurried to Rowan's side, anxious.
"My king—was this wise?"
"Even at war, must we go this far?"
"This will make our relations with Snezhnaya irreparable!"
The moment she learned a Fatui had been slain, Jean raced over,
hoping she'd caught things in time—hoping diplomacy could still end it peacefully.
But it was already too late.
The hatred in those Fatui eyes told the story—they'd go home and embellish every detail.
By then, all would be set.
So Jean stopped caring about appearances and voiced her protest openly.
At this point, she had little hope.
Under a Fatui offensive, Mondstadt might well become their vassal.
A dark future indeed.
Rowan chuckled and gestured for Jean to turn—to really look at the cheering crowd.
"Miss Jean Gunnhildr, look closely at those smiling Mondstadters."
"Do you see the joy on their faces?"
"Do you feel no shame?"
"Yes, as Acting Grand Master you must think for all of Mondstadt. Faced with Fatui pressure, you retreated step by step."
"Tell me—what did you gain?"
"Not peace. Only the Fatui's advance, only their bullying."
"How long has it been since you saw the people of Mondstadt smile like this?"
"As Acting Grand Master, do you feel no shame?"
Jean fell silent.
Especially seeing the people throw stones and vegetable leaves at the Fatui—she had no words.
Suddenly, she realized she might have been wrong.
In foreign dealings, you cannot retreat forever. You need hard measures.
But she could not take them—she simply wasn't suited to that role.
The people's reaction made it plain: endless softness only invites abuse.
And it leaves Mondstadters to be bullied at will—
with the Knights powerless to truly stop it.
"This isn't all on you. Weak nations have no diplomacy."
"Only when our nation is strong can we stand straight."
"From today, the cringing Mondstadt is gone."
"From now on, no one will raise their voice to Mondstadt."
"All right—calm the people."
"I have one more thing to do."
Having said his piece, Rowan's gaze tracked the withdrawing Fatui.
Not because he'd changed his mind about letting them leave.
Because he meant to follow them—to Snezhnaya.
If he wanted to ensure Snezhnaya didn't launch a full war, he had to show them true power.
Watching Rowan ride out after the Fatui, a bad premonition clenched in Jean's chest.
Your Majesty isn't going to—
No. She had to stop him.
Once the crowd was soothed, Jean mustered every Knight and galloped out of Mondstadt.
To intercept Rowan.
Days later.
The Snezhnayan frontier.
Rowan swung down from his warhorse, Dun Stallion.
He stared at the far-off blaze of Snezhnaya's lights, frost hard in his eyes.
Fatui—this king has come to collect interest.
Let's see if you can take the blow.
From within Invisible Air (Barrier of the Wind King), the splendid Excalibur (Sword of Promised Victory) revealed itself.
Rowan raised the blade over his head.
Just as he was about to unfetter its glory, hoofbeats thundered from afar.
Rumble—
Rumble—
A host of Knights of Favonius spilled in behind him: Jean, Eula, Kaeya, and more.
Rowan had expected as much and gave them no heed.
Before they could speak, he began to chant.
"Gather—breath of the stars above…"
Excalibur began to shine, and motes of light flickered to life all around.
They drove back the night; even the Knights behind him gasped.
In the shadows, Venti's pupils shrank.
So this was the blade's hidden power?
No wonder it felt so lethal. So it held such terrible might as well?
"…radiant surge of living light!"
"Take this!"
"EX—Calibur!"
A colossal beam lanced into the sky as the star-forged holy sword finally blazed in Teyvat.
Rowan gripped the blade in both hands and slashed downward.
A titanic light-cannon erupted from Excalibur, roaring toward distant Snezhnaya.
Rumble—
Rumble-rumble—
(End of Chapter)
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