Ben pursed his lips, his face turning whiter by the second. Despite his shaking and trembling body, he continued to kneel and grind the beans in his hand.

“...”

This was also one of the reasons why Farraden was extremely furious with Ben. It was because of the man that he served.

One day, he heard that Ghost Spear Ben had disappeared and had decided to serve the lord of a small territory. After that, he heard stories about how his lord became a king. Farraden even heard that he became the ‘Spear God’ just for that man’s sake. Why? Why would one of the Pinnacle Strong Men live for the sake of another like that? Shouldn’t he live like that for himself?

“Urk–!” Ben spat out another mouthful of blood, his breathing turning ragged. “Haa… Haa…”

Farraden watched Ben continue to grind the coffee beans and said, “I know that you’re crazy, but it seems like you have gone crazier in the time that we haven’t seen each other. You’ll still make a cup of coffee for that emperor even with your dying breath?”

Among the people Farraden met and known, Ben was the most self-respecting. He did not know how to bend to anyone’s will and did not know how to back down. But such a man was trying to make a cup of coffee that he would serve to the man he served even though he was on the brink of death.

Ben smiled faintly at the question. Then, he began to tell his tale and explain why he chose to serve that man and that man alone.

“I…”

***

When Minhyuk stepped out of the River of Growth and saw the six level-up notifications, a wide smile appeared on his face.

When Minhyuk opened his eyes, he had already reappeared on top of the walls, at the same place where he had held the bloody key tightly before. As he stood on the walls and looked at the familiar scenery, Minhyuk remembered someone.

On the day Ben left to harvest the coffee bean that bloomed among ten thousand flowers, Minhyuk stood in the same spot and looked where he had disappeared for a long time.

Minhyuk chuckled when he thought of Ben. He wanted to repay the old man, who suffered for two days, with a delicious meal and company. However, Minhyuk heard something that made him stop in his tracks.

“...What?” Minhyuk blurted. He could not help but be flustered by the notification.

Spear God Ben was a strong powerhouse that no one in Athenae could deal with recklessly. Even the Luvien Empire would need at least three Sword of the Gods’ First Order members to deal with him. However, by the off chance that the Swords of the Gods brought Ben to the brink of death, it did not mean that they would leave unscathed. They would sustain severe injuries.

Because of that, Minhyuk was flustered and unable to understand the notifications he had heard. But he quickly calmed himself down. He could not be left in such an embarrassing state. He had to go and check Ben’s status through Vassal’s Voice.

The door swung open at that moment, and Haze appeared with an unknown little girl in tow.

“Your Majesty! Grandpa Ben is in danger!”

Unlike Minhyuk, Haze did not have the Vassal’s Voice, which meant that she knew about this through someone. He realized that the unknown girl who appeared in front of him was someone sent by Ben. But the girl did not have the time to introduce herself.

“It- it was Farraden! There was this guy named Farraden and so many other people!”

“Farraden…?” It did not take too long for Minhyuk to learn who Farraden was. “The Pinnacle Strong Men’s Farraden?”

Minhyuk more or less knew about Ben’s past. He had once asked the old man about his story in the past. He could only hear his story because the two of them had reached a stage where they had opened their hearts to each other.

Back then, Ben had replied to him with a bitter smile.

–

Minhyuk did not delve deeper into his answer. He only believed in the Ben he had met and known all this time. He knew that something like that would not happen because the old man wanted it to happen.

Then, Haze said, “Your Majesty, the Pinnacle Strong Men of the past have been branded with the ‘Pinnacle’s Stigma’ on their bodies. The person who branded the stigma on their bodies was Farraden. Because he was the one with the special power that allowed him to do so. All of the Pinnacle Strong Men branded with the stigma that Farraden had created had to follow the rules he had set.”

Minhyuk listened silently and intently.

“First, do not betray the Pinnacle Strong Men. Second, they cannot belong to any kingdom or empire. I have gathered that the Pinnacle’s Stigma would be triggered if they appeared within fifty meters of Farraden. Once triggered, the Pinnacle’s Stigma would slowly lead them to death. It is estimated that they would die in around an hour or so.”

“Then, I have to go right away.”Minhyuk was in a hurry. Ben had only come out to fetch the coffee beans for him. But surprisingly enough, Haze stopped him.

“Your Majesty, you can see or hear what is happening to Grandpa with the Vassal’s Voice, right?”

This was a fact.

“Your Majesty, if you go there and threaten the Pinnacle Strong Men, or ‘Farraden’ to be exact, do you think they will willingly remove the stigma on Grandpa Ben?”

“...”

Minhyuk’s pounding heart slowly returned to calm when he heard Haze’s words. Although he did not know what exactly happened, he knew that Farraden had lost his ‘daughter’ because of Ben. Then, what would happen if Minhyuk threatened Farraden to remove the stigma from Ben? Well, the situation would probably take a turn for the worse.

So, Minhyuk decided to follow Haze’s words. He checked the situation through Vassal’s Voice. He was immediately met with it when he closed his eyes.

Minhyuk’s heart trembled and shook when he saw a pale Ben, who was covered with blood, pouring the ground coffee beans onto the filter. Then, he heard the man, most likely Farraden, say.

“...”

Minhyuk felt his heart constrict as a lump formed in his throat, and tears threatened his eyes. Yes. Ben was dying. But even though he was dying, he was still trying his hardest to make a cup of coffee using the beans he obtained for him.

At that moment, Ben looked up at Farraden bitterly before opening his mouth.

Minhyuk’s heart throbbed.

Ben poured the ground beans into the filter and gently lowered it to the coffee cup. Then, he slowly poured hot water on it.

The man named Farraden frowned. Then, Ben chuckled lightly.

He stared blankly in front of him for quite a while before speaking again.

“...”

Minhyuk could see the faint happiness in Grandpa Ben’s eyes.

Ben smiled at the memory.

A smile graced Ben’s lips as he recalled that moment.

Then, Farraden shouted with his veins popping on the side of his neck.

Warm coffee slowly started trickling down the filter Ben had poured hot water on. This coffee was the most precious in the world.

The trickling coffee slowly turned into drops that fell one after the other. A bright and happy smile flashed on Ben’s face when the final drop fell.

“...”

Tears started to drip down Minhyuk’s cheeks. He had never seen the relationship between him and Ben as the relationship between an emperor and his vassal. He had always treated Ben like his grandfather, while Ben treated him like his son. The two had always been there for each other because they treated each other like family. The thought of bringing harm to the other did not even cross their minds at all. The two acted as if this was only natural. And because of that, they always wanted to do something for the other. They always wanted to be by their side and protect each other.

“I have to go.”

“Did you find a way?”

However, Minhyuk did not answer Haze’s question. He wanted to tell her that he was going to try the only thing he could, but he swallowed those words back into his stomach.

Minhyuk’s eyes grew wide. Then, he was immediately teleported to where Ben was.

***

“Sir Farraden, why are we not killing that old man right away?” Rhoa asked. Rhoa was the second in the rankings of the Pinnacle Strong Men.

And just like Rhoa, all the other Pinnacle Strong Men present were in a hurry. They had to kill Spear God Ben and head to the Luvien Empire right away so they and their disciples could survive and live. So, why was Farraden waiting for him to die this slow death? And why was he looking at the old man with such a when this very old man was the man who killed his daughter?

But unlike the other Pinnacle Strong Men, Farraden knew Ben. He was the one who knew him best. And he had already realized that Amoure orchestrated everything. But there was one thing that Farraden could not understand. Why was Ben so dedicated and loyal to his emperor?

From what he could tell, Ben, who had lived in guilt after he lost his son, had only stayed by the man’s side because he wanted someone to rely on. Truth was, Farraden wished to return to how they were in the past. After all, he already knew the truth. But Ben only spoke and thought of his emperor now.

“Sir Farraden, if you’re not going to do it, I will. We’re still in danger. Don’t you know that the Beyond the Heavens’ emperor can appear any moment?” Rhoa said as he pulled his sharp dagger out. Slowly, he walked toward Ben, who was pouring the coffee he had made inside a vacuum-insulated bottle.

Farraden turned away. He did not want to see it happen.

“...”

Rhoa was forced to take a step back.

“The Beyond the Heavens’ emperor?”

Farraden turned his head back when he heard his disciples’ murmur. That was when he saw the emperor of Beyond the Heavens standing in front of Ben.

“Your Majesty…” Ben called out, his voice hoarse as he slowly neared his death.

Minhyuk looked back at Ben with a very sad look on his face. Then, Farraden said coldly, “You’re too late. Even if you kill me here, the stigma on his body will not disappear.”

The only one who could remove the stigma was Farraden, who believed that Minhyuk would only act this way.

He was sure the man would overpower them until he released the stigma. But even if he killed Farraden here, he would never remove the stigma on Ben’s body.

At that moment, the emperor, whom Ben cherished and loved so much, bowed his head without hesitation. “I’m begging you. Spare Grandpa Ben. The price of his crimes? Let me take it in his stead.”

“...!”

“...!”

“...!”

A buzz rose among the Pinnacle Strong Men.

The emperor represented the empire and was often proud and arrogant. It was only natural. After all, they ruled over millions of people and even commanded and led millions of troops. For someone to become an emperor, they had to gather several kingdoms and create an empire.

Even if they could not kill Ben, the Luvien Empire would spare them if they could kill the Beyond the Heavens’ emperor.Rhoa said, “Then, go die in his stead.”

It was both a mockery and a reproach for the pretentious emperor before him. They knew that people like him would often want their subordinates to do anything and everything for them but would never want to lose anything for their subordinates. Besides, the Beyond the Heavens’ emperor was a foreigner. Even if he died here, he would still revive and survive.

But if he died at their hands, it would be recognized as a death caused by the Luvien Empire, and it would spell the fall of their emerging empire. Perhaps it was because he knew this fact that the Beyond the Heavens emperor remained standing there with his head bowed down.

Farraden thought. He thought Ben’s life was miserable and tragic because he served such a man.

That was when the Beyond the Heaven’s emperor raised his head and stared straight at Farraden. Then, he said, “Even if I die a hundred or a thousand times. I will do it for his sake.”