After Betrayal, I Awoke as the Game's Final Boss

While Lloyd was deep within the [Reflection World], Balberius remained alone, waiting for him, unsure if he would even return. The latter had vanished suddenly, without any warning, leaving behind a heavy silence.

But that silence didn't last long.

He would have preferred to escape this cursed forest immediately—if it could still be called a forest. The destructive attacks launched by that white-haired humanoid would have attracted the attention of the two warring kingdoms some time ago.

This meant that this burnt area would be surrounded in less than thirty minutes, calculating the speed of the two Level 60-ish kings.

"Damn it all!"

Due to his curiosity and his well-honed instincts from over two decades, he couldn't bring himself to disobey that human's command. A part of him told him he would regret it deeply if he fled now, so he decided to stay a little longer.

"Heh! I've finally gone mad…"

Suddenly, the ground shook violently beneath his feet!

Balberius felt strong vibrations pass through his body. He looked up to see the trees trembling and the ground cracking under the weight of mysterious forces.

"What in the hell is going on?!"

He had barely spoken the words when the horizon split before him, as if the world itself had been torn in two! From each side, massive armies advanced with thunderous steps, banners fluttering in the air, announcing the arrival of an inescapable disaster.

The immense destruction that had struck the forest had drawn attention, especially since it was close to the territory of the Blackbird Kingdom, a power that had not previously hesitated to launch a fierce attack on the Silver Sun Kingdom.

It was no surprise that their forces moved quickly, thinking an unknown enemy was threatening their borders.

At the same time, the king of the Silver Sun Kingdom, Albero Cronsef, was boiling with rage. The massacre in the Northern Duchy was not something that could be overlooked.

To him, there was no doubt that the Blackbird Kingdom was behind it, hiding behind the name of that so-called Lloyd Amora. Thus, he didn't wait long before declaring war once again.

On the other side, when the king of the Blackbird Kingdom saw the mysterious destruction that had befallen the forest, he thought only one thing: the knights of the Silver Sun Kingdom had launched their counter-attack first! And it was not in his nature to back down!

And so, in a matter of moments, the atmosphere turned into a raging battlefield between the northern and southern kingdoms.

Amidst this overwhelming chaos, Balberius found himself surrounded by the knightly forces of both kingdoms.

Despite his immense strength, the numbers were crushing, and retreat was not an option. Especially when both kings were personally leading the charge.

But his problem wasn't just being surrounded. He himself was no ordinary man who found himself in the wrong place. His name was known throughout the continent.

His reputation as a bloodthirsty berserker preceded him to every corner, so much so that his mere presence anywhere was enough to stir up trouble.

How, then, did he meet Lloyd, and how did they become allies?

King Albero looked up at the sky, which flashed with the gleam of swords, and muttered sarcastically.

"It seems lunatics are drawn to each other..."

*****

In a large tent, amidst an atmosphere thick with the smell of blood and sweat, Balberius was bound in heavy chains, being tortured by a man in his fifties.

His long white hair and thick mustache gave him a majestic appearance, and despite his lean build, his presence alone was enough to instill terror in the hearts of men.

This was none other than the king of the Silver Sun Kingdom, Albero Cronsef.

In a voice as cold as a blade's edge, he said, "Tell me what happened in the forest. Did you have a hand in it? And were there others with you?"

His words were saturated with killing intent, as if their mere utterance was enough to plant fear in the hearts of men.

But Balberius?

"Hahahahahahaha!"

He burst out laughing maniacally, as if the pain he was enduring was nothing but a pathetic joke.

"You son of a whore, you've really done it this time!"

He looked at the king with a wicked smile, his eyes glowing with defiance, before continuing in a tone dripping with confidence, "The boss himself is in the forest right now; he has some business there. I don't know the details, but one thing is certain… anyone who stands in his way will die! I pity you fools; you don't even realize you're on the losing side!"

The king's anger intensified at these words, his eyes gleaming with a dark glow. He grabbed a glowing iron rod and pressed it forcefully against Balberius's body.

Balberius?

He did nothing but laugh even louder, as if the torment meant nothing to him.

The king's rage boiled over. He asked again, his voice filled with threat, "I'll ask you one more time, you imbecile… What happened there?!"

Balberius lifted his head, looked at him with disdain, and then smiled slyly. "You want to know the truth? Fine… I'll enlighten you with some knowledge, you ignorant fool!"

The king took another step forward, a murderous aura surrounding him, as he fixed him with a deadly gaze. "Speak!"

Balberius laughed again, but this time his voice was quiet, like a whisper carrying the weight of mountains, "Those damned beasts stood in his way, so… he wiped them all out, including the Forest King himself! Not a single living creature escaped… Do you understand now?!"