Dust and gunpowder filled the air.


    This was a city in ruins, where the Druids had set up campfires, dancing and singing around them.


    Totems surrounded them, symbols of their ancient and profound heritage, yet they still indulged in primitive rituals.


    They were celebrating their return to thends of the Emerald Empire, praising the tribes on the outskirts that had breached the borders of the Emerald Empire''s counties.


    Suddenly, the Druids fell silent.


    Today, a human boldly entered their midst—


    Nichs!


    He squinted his eyes as he entered the stone cave where the high priest, Luke, resided.


    Luke, with a mocking smile, still managed to appear courteous. "Ah, Nichs, the new head of the ckwood family. I saw you at the full moon feast. Perhaps my visit to ckwood was a mistake."


    Nichs took a deep breath.


    He bowed respectfully to Luke. "Honored High Priest, may I inquire if the coboration you wished to discuss with my family still holds any value?"


    "Oh?"


    Luke sat on the ground, fiddling with a turtle shell, not even ncing at Nichs. "Do you know what this is? We Druids use it to divine the right time and ce for action. Do you know why I visited ckwood? The answer lies on this shell; we could be the best of allies."


    "Unfortunately, a wise man knows his own timing, and your family''s Nathan is no wise man."


    In the past, Nichs might have fought anyone who dared to insult his elder. Now, he clenched his fists inside his sleeves but remained still, his voice tense. "I''m asking if it''s still effective."


    Luke scoffed. "With the Druid army pressing in, and our forces multiplied within Cloudview County, why should I give you a second chance? Convince me."


    Nichs took another deep breath.


    "The current situation requires us as allies. All the border counties are under attack, but that doesn''t mean humans will sit idly by. You need someone to help negotiate and persuade on your behalf."


    "You can''t be everywhere at once; your tribalnds might also be attacked by other Druids, so you need us to manage the territories for you."


    "Other Druids will contest with you for power, and we at ckwood can eliminate those troubles for you in the shadows."


    Hearing this, Luke finally looked directly at Nichs, a smile creeping across his face. "Interesting. But Nathan told me that day that there are no cowards in ckwood. I want to see if his words hold true."


    Momentster.


    Documents bearing the ckwood family seal, offering terms of surrender, scattered throughout the rk territories.


    Nichs stood on a giant eagle, lifeless as he followed Luke to ckwood.


    All of ckwood''s people stood on the city walls, their brows furrowed, their faces filled with anger, yet they remained silent.


    Until Nichs, looking lost and defeated, flew towards the ckwood city walls from the sky.


    Luke, standing on the giant eagle,ughed loudly. "Congrattions, ckwood. From today onwards, no matter how the war progresses, danger will not touch ckwood''snd, unless we Druids are defeated. We have finally be the most loyal allies!"


    As if dering victory, Luke circled around the ckwood stronghold and headed back towards rk.


    The air at the ckwood stronghold seemed to freeze.


    Nathan had just approached Nichs when Nichs knelt on the ground, his hands supporting him on the earth, wet with his tears.


    "Did you kneel before Luke like this?"


    "Yes."


    "Do you realize you''re pping me in the face?"


    "I do."


    "Sigh—"


    Nathan shook his head, raised his hand, but the p never came. In the end, he said nothing, only letting out a long sigh as he led the family away.


    Nichs remained kneeling, from day to night, and through to dawn, with only Helen by his side.


    Finally.


    His choked voice broke the silence, "Sister Helen, the sacred tree was right, I am a coward."


    "No, Nichs, you are not a coward. You''re not."


    Helen held her husband tightly, tears streaming down her face.


    She knew when Nichs had gone to meet with the Druids, yet she hadn''t stopped him.


    She had watched her little man grow up, just as she had taken on the responsibility of managing the Cloudrise Oceanview Pavilion when Dennis had left.


    She had watched Nichs gradually take on the responsibilities of their family.


    Life offers many choices, and people can take risks they shouldn''t, and they can start over when they make mistakes.


    But as a leader of amunity, a n, a household, they don''t have the luxury of taking risks. They can only choose the broadest, safest path. It doesn''t matter if it''s humiliating, if people mock them, or if they are misunderstood.


    From dawn until the moon hung high, Nichs finally stood up from Helen''s embrace. He stood atop the high wall, looking over his family as if nothing had happened. He suddenly smiled at Helen, pointing out various ces around their home.


    "Helen, over there, that''s where I used to y as a child, where you and Grandpa Dennis kept mepany. When I returned from the Thunderfire Demon Cave, it was just as it always was, the swing I yed on as a child was still there."


    "And there, after the battle outside our town, the old vige chief made me promise to cultivate more medicinal fields in Gratitude Vige. He wanted the children of Gratitude Vige to grow strong and protect thisnd. I''ve done it, and now all the children can benefit from the ''Bone Strengthening Pills'' produced by our alchemy hall."


    "I also want to expand the Silver Iron Forest for miles and miles. I want our town to produce more powerful Psychics. I want our family''s allies to settle in Gratitude Vige. I want my family to endure through the ages."


    Nichs opened his arms wide, as if erasing the events of yesterday, sharing his grandest visions until a long silence fell. He seemed to be painting the most beautiful blueprint in his mind.


    Then he reached out to Helen, his face tear-stained but with a slight apologetic smile.


    "Helen, will you walk with me, even though I''m a coward?"


    That night, Nichs stood before the bright moon, as if shielding it from the darkness behind him, his smile radiant.


    Helen rushed into Nichs''s arms, her voice firm, "I will. I will walk with you, face everything."


    She remembered.


    When her husband was a child, he had listened to stories of his elders, saying they were doing great things, greater than the sandcastles he built, and that he wanted to be a hero like them when he grew up.


    Her husband had said he was not a coward, so he would follow his brother out of ckwood. He had fallen andined in the Thunderfire Demon Cave, but he always got back up.


    He had told her of his adventures outside, his Great River Dragon Map, his talismans, how he had in the prodigies praised by the world.


    Her husband refused to be a coward!


    "Thank you."


    Nichs''s gentle voice filled her ears, and Helen softly responded, "Mhm."


    She knew her husband had once been a hero.


    He had grown up, his strength had increased, and he could have been as carefree and vengeful as his elders, following his desires. But what he carried on his back was not the sword of his dreams, but...


    The entire ckwood.