Chapter 1209

Chapter 1209

“Excuse me...”

“Don’t talk to me.”

“I’m your father’s...”

“Do you want me to skewer you?”

“You really look like your father...”

“That’s right. I’ve been bald since I was nineteen. Will you stop now?”

At this moment, Minhyuk realized that Benz was truly and utterly upset. It was a mess. He wondered why Ben and Benz were so similar despite having extremely different looks and ended up saying it out loud.

‘Come to think of it, Grandpa Ben has been bald since he was eighteen.’

Now, the old man was thriving with a head filled with long, flowing black hair.

The imperial army had retreated, and the remaining knights and soldiers who wanted to rescue the prisoners taken from the Venjas Kingdom continued to penetrate enemy territory. Minhyuk naturally went with Benz. He stuck to Benz and kept on trying to talk about his father.

Minhyuk began, “No. Your father...”

“Shut up!” came Benz’s reply.

“Just listen to me. Grandpa Ben...”

“I don’t have a father like that!”

“Even now, he still...”

“Do you want to breathe your last breath?!”

No matter how hard he tried, Benz’s ears were closed. Minhyuk had no choice but to close his mouth and stop talking. On the other hand, he also could not understand what they were doing.

“Why do you keep on charging forward? Didn’t you already know this is a fight you can’t win?”

Minhyuk was the emperor of a newly emerging powerful empire. In the eyes of an emperor, the situation of the Venjas Kingdom was dire. He could tell that there was no way that they would be able to get to the place where the prisoners were being held captive.

Hundreds of strong young men remained who decided to risk everything to save the captives, but most of the kingdom's troops had already retreated. Their numbers were not enough. Of course, standing at the heart of it all was Benz.

‘Benz truly resembles his father.’

Benz’s understanding of the spear was beyond anyone’s imagination. Although he was still a low-ranking soldier, his skills were comparable to a knight's. From what Minhyuk had gathered, this was only Benz’s second battle. Perhaps he would have been promoted to a knight if he had not overdone it in the second battle and come back.

“You... you’re going to die like this.”

Minhyuk could tell by the intuition that he had honed as the emperor that Benz would be killed in this battle.

Of course, Minhyuk was just seeing the past in a dream. Although the past might change, that did not mean the future would be affected. After all, it was still a dream.

In the end, Benz would still die. However, Minhyuk did not want to witness the death of Ben’s son.

“Isn’t it only natural for the soldiers to save the prisoners and gain fame and honor?” Benz said.

It was the truth. Whether soldiers or knights, they all wanted to contribute considerably in battles and be hailed as heroes. Once recorded as heroes, they would enjoy a rich and exalted life in the Venjas Kingdom.

Minhyuk had never heard anything like that happening from Ben.

–

That brat is not even interested in wealth or anything like that, you know? Hoho. He loved playing in the corner of the room by himself.

–I still don’t know why that brat even went and fought on the battlefield.

So why did Benz join the battlefield?

“Is it because you want to kill your father?” Minhyuk probed.

“...” Benz looked at Minhyuk in contempt and disgust.

“Did you want to become more famous and stronger than your father? Is that why you want to make a huge contribution?”

Perhaps that was Benz’s dream. After all, what Ben did to him when he was a child could already be considered to be a form of abandonment. The thought left Minhyuk’s chest feeling heavy.

Benz did not reply to him and just kept on running forward. Benz and the hundreds of young men fought fiercely against the retreating imperial army troops. Benz was the only one whose strength stood out, and it far surpassed a knight's level.

‘He’s a bit weaker than Grandpa Ben when I first met him.’

That was Benz’s level, which meant he was an extraordinary genius. But Minhyuk found it surprising that Benz and his comrades, who had launched a surprise and covert attack during the night, succeeded in rescuing the prisoners held captive by the enemy empire.

Minhyuk, who watched everything from a distance, trembled.

‘So cool!’

He was pretty dumbstruck as he watched Benz and the hundreds of young men accompanying him fleeing along with the hundreds of prisoners that they had saved. Alas, Benz’s excellent performance did not last long.

Fwiiiiiish–!

Bang–!

A bombardment of hundreds of magical attacks began to fall from the sky. Minhyuk looked at the huge fireball that was coming straight toward Benz. He tried to stop it.

[You cannot do anything that will interfere and alter the flow of the story.]

Minhyuk could not move. In the end, Benz was hit by the magical attack and was sent rolling on the ground. At this moment, Minhyuk saw how both the prisoners and the soldiers were dragged into the depths of despair.

Minhyuk felt a great sense of urgency. Fortunately, the imperial army was not yet coming after them. He immediately approached Benz and checked his condition. The young man’s left leg was already missing.

***

Benz felt a burning sensation in the area where his left leg was supposed to be. He shook his head like crazy as he struggled to keep his consciousness afloat. In his blurred and hazy vision, he recalled a memory that he did not want to see.

‘Is that child the one named Benz?’

‘The child of the Ghost Spear?’

‘He’s the child of a killer.’

‘We have to kick him out of our village.’

The villagers pointed their fingers at him as they welcomed him. But that was not the end. A more horrifying illusion appeared in front of him.

‘This father of yours will definitely be the first Pinnacle Strong Man, Benz.’

Benz looked at his father as he left him with those words. He waited on the same spot for his father, who had disappeared over the horizon as the sun set, for a very long time. He was left alone for a very,

very

long time.

However, every time his father killed someone or won against a monster, his story would be spread. Each story that came to his ears made Benz feel more and more alone. Of course, the more stories spread, the more people criticized him.

Because of that, there was something that Benz wanted to do.

Fwoosh–

Benz grabbed the final strings of his consciousness. He struggled to stand up amidst the hell on earth that unfolded around him. At that moment, someone held out his hand toward him.

“Benz, get yourself together. We have to retreat now.”

“I am... not going to retreat... the prisoners... my comrades... they have to live.” Benz, who had lost his strength, grabbed Minhyuk’s hands tightly. “Spear... spear... please give me... a spear...”

Minhyuk held out a spear to Benz, who stroked it. Surprisingly, the spear was engraved with the word “Benz.” It was a gift from his father, Ben. Minhyuk looked confused when he saw it.

‘Why do you want to kill him if...’

Benz asked, “In... a world... without me... how did my father live?”

“...?”

“I know that you’re from the future. And based on your expression, I’m definitely going to die here.”

Minhyuk’s breath hitched.

“How did my father live when he lost me?”

Minhyuk said, “He was desperate. Perhaps the imperial army had dumped your body in the Dragon King’s Sea after they killed you and your father...”

Minhyuk told Benz all of the stories he had heard about and from Ben. He told him about encountering the old man in the Dragon King’s Sea. He told him about how he accepted him as a vassal. He even told him about how he had died and what happened after.

“Urk... It seems like my father has become strong.”

Minhyuk even told him how Ben became the Spear God and recalled Ben calling him his son. Benz nodded along as he listened to the whole thing.

“Ah, so he even called you

son

.”

Then, Minhyuk said, “He had grown coffee beans for me, but he had also grown coffee beans for you, Benz. It’s called Benz Beans.”

“...”

“The coffee produced by the Benz Beans that Grandpa Ben grew tasted soft yet bitter,” Minhyuk said to Benz, who gave a bitter smile. “He said that it was his wish. Although it cannot be achieved, he said that his last wish was for you to be able to drink the coffee made from the coffee beans that he grew.”

“Is that so?”

Of course, there were Benz Beans in Minhyuk’s inventory.

“I want to drink it.”

Despite the hell on earth that had unfolded on the battlefield, Mihyuk sat down and began to extract coffee. This was the first dish Minhyuk would make in this dream.

Minhyuk could hear the sound ringing all over the place. He knew he could not make this coffee hot, so he put ice in the extracted coffee and made an iced Americano.

Benz held the iced Americano with both hands and began to cry. “If you’re going to regret it, then why...! Why...!”

The sobbing Benz gulped the drink down. After drinking everything, a satisfied smile hung on his face.

“Will you please tell my father?” Benz said as he stood up.

“Awoooooooo!”

“Awoooooo!”

“Awoo, awooo!”

The cry of wolves rang from afar.

It seemed like the enemy empire did not even bother to deal with just a few prisoners and a few hundred young men. So, they just released hundreds of werewolves.

And amidst the loud howls and cries of the werewolves, Benz’s words rang. When Minhyuk saw the expression on Benz’s face and heard his words, he realized why this young man decided to participate and fight on the battlefield.

Then, Minhyuk silently recited,

‘Like the Wind.’

Although it was a dream, he could still use his skills. Minhyuk jumped up. He watched the departing Benz as he limped forward with only one leg and his spear as his crutch. Then, he soon saw what Benz intended to do.

“You said that you don’t look like him... but you are exactly like Grandpa Ben...”

***

Benz, who had lost one leg, used his spear as a crutch and continued to move forward. He immediately barked his orders, “Retreat! Retreat at full speed! Take the wounded and the prisoners and run as fast as you can. Don’t look back!”

Then, some people immediately began to stop him from doing what he intended to do.

“Benz!”

“No, Benz!”

“BENZ!”

“I’m telling you to go!”

One of the werewolves running at the front of the pack leaped toward Benz. Despite only having one leg left, Benz swung his spear and pierced through the charging werewolf.

He looked at the people who hesitated and shouted, “I am the son of Ghost Spear Ben!”

“...”

“...”

Everyone could not understand. They all had the same thought that Minhyuk had before.

“Because I am the son of Ghost Spear Ben, I want you to stop cursing my father! After all, I am the man who saved you and the prisoners from this hell!”

Benz wanted to be a hero.

“Because I am a hero, you can no longer curse my father!”

Everyone finally realized that Benz wanted to be a hero because he wanted the people to stop cursing his father. He wanted to become a hero to protect his father and stop them from despising him because he had an ugly side.

Hundreds of werewolves appeared in the distance and began to run toward Benz.

“Don’t look back!”

Minhyuk silently watched Benz’s ramrod back.

Benz hated Ben even until his death. He wanted to know why he decided to live like that and if he would regret the consequences of his actions so much. Why did he miss his father even now? What was that Benz Beans? Why couldn’t he be by his side now? Benz started to cry.

The hundreds of werewolves charged toward the now one-legged Benz while the prisoners and the hundreds of young men retreated from the scene.

Those who had run away would definitely hail him as a hero. The prisoners would say that he sacrificed his life for them. With this, Benz’s father would be called the father of the hero. This thought fueled Benz to stand still and never back down. He stood firm in front of hundreds of werewolves charging him even if he was afraid.

Thud–!

Minhyuk saw Benz slam the spear carrying the name Benz, stabbing it into the ground.

“I...”

Benz, who discarded his fear and chose to face the hundreds of werewolves, looked very much like Ben.

“...have never learned how to back down.”

BANG–!

The hundreds of werewolves finally clashed with Benz. Benz swung his spear and pierced through the bodies of the werewolves that tried to run past him and chase after the prisoners and the soldiers.

The spear in his hands pointed to the sky as the crazy sound of biting and ripping apart echoed on the battlefield.

Minhyuk trembled when he saw the spear named Benz pointing to the sky. At this moment, he recalled the words that Ben once told him.

–

Your Majesty, this servant of yours’ true wish is for Benz to taste my coffee. Though, there’s something else.

–What is it, Grandpa Ben?

–I have heard from his comrades that he died the most beautiful yet lonely death on the battlefield. This servant of yours just doesn't want that child to die a lonely death on that battlefield.

Minhyuk knew what Grandpa Ben meant. However, they could not turn back time. There was nothing they could change. If he could, he would want to stand by his son's side and accompany him on that lonely road.

Rip, rip, rip–!

Minhyuk heard the sound of flesh being torn apart. Then, he recalled the words that Benz told him to deliver to his father.

–

Will you please tell my father that I will die as his son? And I will die the most breathtaking death. Also, please tell him I am sad that I can’t see his face even at the last moment.

Benz was a kind son while Ben was a bad father.

Minhyuk smiled bitterly. He knew that nothing would change here. Benz would still die, and Ben would still miss him and yearn for him.

‘Don’t make me pass those words to him.’

“Summon, Spear God Ben.”

***

Benz’s entire body had already been ripped and torn apart. He finally lost his strength and began to fall. As he fell, he used the last of his strength to look back. His comrades and the prisoners were able to escape safely. With this, Ben had become the father of the hero.

Benz smiled softly. Relieved that he could accomplish what he intended to do, the fear he had been holding back finally erupted. It devoured him and left him crying. He was afraid to face his death alone. He did not want to slip into his eternal rest with no one by his side.

Benz was only 23 years old, but he wanted to live longer. So, he struggled and crawled out of the swamp created by the fear of eternal rest dragging him down. Unfortunately, no matter how hard he tried, his consciousness could not break free. He stretched his hand out in his struggle to climb out of despair.

He wept and screamed for another shot at life.

Flash–

A bright light flashed on the battlefield. Benz had never seen such a blinding light before. The stunning light fell upon him and embraced him tightly.

When the light faded, Benz saw an old man with wrinkles on his face and rough hands. From what Benz remembered, the old man looked a few decades older. Benz remembered this old man as a strong man who had never cried. This very old man hugged Benz, who was being devoured by his fear of death, tightly.

Benz opened his mouth and asked, “Why...?”

He could not understand.

“A...ren’t... you the... Spear... God...?”

So, why wasn’t he killing the werewolves? Perhaps he could kill all of the werewolves with just a single wave of his finger. Yet the old man just hugged him. He hugged him tightly even if the werewolves tore his flesh apart and bit his neck and his back. He just hugged Benz even if the werewolves kicked him strongly.

“Hoho. It’s because having one more second of having you in my embrace is much more important than wasting time to kill them.”

After all, the old man had never had this chance before. After all, Benz’s body was torn and ripped apart like this. And above all, it was because he wanted to know how much pain Benz had been through even though he knew that he could not share his pain.

The old man, once blinded by power and strength, felt immense sorrow and grief.

“...I’m no longer afraid.”

The dying son finally felt relieved. The fear that was devouring him was slowly receding. Even at this point, the dying son still loved the ugly and bad old man dearly.

“Please don’t worry anymore.”

[You have succeeded in feeding the other party the first meal.]

The notification rang.

Minhyuk recalled the notifications that he had heard the moment he summoned Ben.

[You can summon Ben. However, he will only be summoned in a dream.]

[Once Ben wakes up, he will realize that he has been summoned in a dream.]

In a place far from Minhyuk, Grandpa Ben was asleep in his home in the Beyond the Heavens Empire. And there was a slight smile on his sleeping face.