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Respect, Regret, and Conflict
On the light curtain, the image of Harald kneeling in a pool of blood, raising his broken horns in the most tragic manner to plead for peace, was seared into the eyes of every viewer.
Outside the light curtain, after a brief deathly silence came a surging tidal wave of emotions.
Countless gazes from God Valley turned toward the real Harald with unprecedentedly complex feelings.
The giant king's massive body stood there, silent as a mountain.
At this moment, no one saw him merely as a "ferocious demon" of a giant anymore.
The pain of his broken horns, the earnestness and sacrifice in his eyes, revealed a king's heart beneath his rugged exterior—one that longed for peace more deeply than many others and was willing to bear suffering for his race's future.
Rocks put away all his joking. He walked to Harald's side and looked up at his old friend.
He opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to say some words of comfort or dissuasion, but in the end it turned into a heavy sigh. He forcefully patted Harald's thick calf (he couldn't reach any higher).
He could understand Harald's choice—and precisely because he understood, it felt all the more bitter.
As a friend, he ached for the pain his friend had endured, but he also knew that a king bearing the fate of his entire race sometimes had to make agonizing decisions that transcended personal honor or dignity.
From the moment Harald became king of Elbaf, Elbaf would forever be his top priority—above friendship, even above his own wholeness and dignity.
One of the Five Elders, Saint Shepherd Ju Peter, had an exceptionally ugly expression.
He looked at Harald's tragic and resolute figure on the light curtain, then at the silent giant king in reality. A powerful surge of regret and miscalculation welled up in his heart.
Such immense combat power, such firm willingness to "cooperate"—if only they hadn't attacked him out of arrogance and suspicion back then, if only they had chosen acceptance or even recruitment…
What a terrifying asset the World Government would have gained! Especially right after a threat like Rocks had just "disappeared," when the seas needed new forces of deterrence!
"Stupid… we were truly too stupid back then!"
Saint Shepherd Ju Peter cursed inwardly, regretting it to the point his guts felt green.
But now, it was all too late.
The light curtain had revealed a possible "future," exposed the enormous price Harald paid for peace, and—most critically—shown that Lord Imu already harbored cold plans to "exploit" the giants.
The current Harald was likely already heartbroken. That heart which once yearned to join and be accepted—no longer fully opposed, perhaps, but certainly no longer aligned with them.
What was lost wasn't just military strength, but a potential ally and buffer zone.
Ordinary people's reactions were far more direct and emotional.
"I never imagined… the Giant King could go this far…"
An old man removed his glasses and wiped the corners of his eyes: "What kind of determination and courage does that take!"
"It seems he really… genuinely wants to coexist peacefully with us."
A merchant-like man murmured: "Should we… maybe try letting go of those scary old stories and give them a chance?"
"Daddy, that giant uncle's head is bleeding… it must hurt so much, right?"
A little girl tugged her father's hand, asking timidly. Her eyes had turned red from seeing Harald's wounds.
The pain of broken horns was something even a child could viscerally feel as horrific.
Adults understood even more clearly that this wasn't just physical agony—it was a symbolic self-"castration."
Voluntarily stripping away the symbols of race and power in exchange for trust.
This resolve and sacrifice earned countless people's respect and sympathy.
However, just as there are shadows wherever there is sunlight, some voices dissented.
"Hmph, easy to say! Who knows if it's just a ploy to gain sympathy?"
A sour voice rang out: "The giants are so strong and have such explosive tempers—what if they lose control one day? Who could stop them?
I don't want a bunch of 'monsters' that could go berserk at any moment living next to my home!"
"Exactly! They're not our kind—their hearts must be different! They look so frightening, their way of life is completely alien to ours—forcing acceptance will only bring trouble!"
"Peace? Have we forgotten how they used to raid human villages? Breaking off a horn wipes it all clean?"
Fear and prejudice were deeply rooted; they could not be erased overnight.
Harald's sacrifice shocked many, but it also stirred deeper unease and rejection in some.
Whether to accept the giants, whether they could be trusted—these became heated topics of debate in streets and alleys.
Supporters were moved by Harald's sincerity, seeing it as a chance to bridge the divide.
Opponents clung stubbornly to their fear of the "other" and historical scars, refusing to take the risk.
Amid this noisy clamor of debate, the light curtain changed once more.
The scene shifted; narration or subtitles indicated the timeline had jumped to "five years after the God Valley Incident."
Rocks' legend had completely ended. The remnants of his crew either vanished, changed identities, or joined newly rising forces.
With the old era's overlord gone, the "monsters" of the new era sprouted like bamboo after rain. The seas stirred again, full of chaos and opportunity.
The scene cut to the World Economic Journal president, Big News Morgans, wearing his top hat. He had just finished interviewing a self-proclaimed eyewitness passerby.
"Big news! This is absolute big news! 'The Phantom Giant in the Mist'! How's that for a headline?"
"Quick! Send our best reporters to follow this lead! We have to get the first-hand scoop!"
The scene then switched to the dock of a town that had just been attacked.
A still-shaken eyewitness was speaking into an interview microphone, gesticulating wildly, incoherent, fear still lingering in his eyes: "It's real! I saw it with my own eyes! In that stretch of sea…
Suddenly… from the thick fog emerged an… an unbelievably huge black shadow! Taller than a pirate ship—like a mountain moving!"
"It… it just walked out of the fog. Couldn't see the details clearly, but the outline was definitely humanoid!"
"Giant… humanoid! It just waved its hand—no, maybe swung something—and that pirate ship… 'boom'! It shattered into splinters!
Then… then the black shadow retreated back into the thick fog and vanished! Like it had never been there!"
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