Since the "Slayer of Light" Milgorgen didn't achieve his long life through extraordinary attributes, Caine can only consider external factors: "The effect of magical items? No, Milgorgen has no magical items himself, nor does the surrounding area—except for the Giant King's palace, which is the resting place of the 'Dark Angel' Sathelir, and the key is in my possession. Milgorgen would surely be unwilling and unable to enter there. Who took the key from Sathelir's palace after his slumber? Doesn't that seem rather unkind? Of course, without divine power, a palace might not be able to hold the King of Angels. Or perhaps the key had already drifted to the northern continent with the migration of the Giant tribes, and Sathelir chose that palace specifically to rest, knowing that only a few could open the doors, thus ensuring his undisturbed sleep? Could the key known as the 'Commander of the Ice Mountain' have been passed to him by the God of Knowledge and Wisdom, who perhaps wished to observe Sathelir's current condition?" "It can't be the effect of a magical artifact—what else could it be? The time granted by the Angel of the 'Theft' Path? Even if the ephemeral things stolen could be passed on to others, we first need an Angel of the 'Theft' Path or a '0'-level sealant—yet there's none nearby. Did the original grant Milgongen thousands of years at once? That... seems only possible with Amun. Clearly, He will not assist the 'Dark Angel,' Sathelir. Furthermore, the very essence of this 'Defiler' appears to drift through the 'Abandoned Lands.' If there were any Angels of the 'Theft' Path or '0'-level sealants present here, they would have already become its sustenance. Is it the cycle of fate? After Milgongen, the 'Slayer of Light,' passes away, does everything begin anew with him guarding Sathelir?" Well, that's quite possible. If Milgorgen is now entering a state of old age, it makes perfect sense that after such a long span of time has passed. Moreover, since this cyclical seal has lasted for several centuries, it's entirely normal that I haven't detected any signs yet—especially given that I only just now observed the gray mist and didn't notice anything. Thinking this through, Caine quickly scanned the surroundings, searching for traces left behind by Ulrolius, the Angel of Fate. Yet, no such residual power remained. Caine then turned his gaze back, focusing again on Milgorgen, who was currently engaged in fierce combat with the silver-armored spectral knight, Colin Iliath. "His spiritual thread is stable—so he's not likely to have become a mere memory figure. Under the 'True Vision,' his condition appears normal, indicating he's not a historical image summoned from the past." Could it be that the divine realm of 'The Court of the Giants' has somehow slowed the passage of time or the process of aging? The first possibility can be ruled out, as my spiritual strength is rapidly faltering under the demands of such observation—this aligns perfectly with the time the Silver City exploration team has spent accumulating in this region... The second is plausible, though life seems to be in twilight, yet somehow frozen within it. "The issue is that the ancient deity, the King of Giants, has already fallen. Bardhail, the deity who once governed dawn and dusk, has transported the divine realm to the stellar plane. It seems unlikely that such a powerful influence would still linger in this royal court..." Kline reviewed every conceivable means of sustaining life he could think of, yet none matched the condition of the leader of the "Hunters of the Royal Court." He was thus forced to consider an alternative: "Some profoundly flawed arcane art?" "This should depend on some force within the 'Kingdom of the Giants,' otherwise Milgorgen's range of activity would not be so limited, and he wouldn't have waited until the Silver City exploration party reached the Giants' royal residence to act. There is another clear life force within the 'Kingdom of the Giants'—the former 'God of Harvest,' now the 'Mother Earth,' the Giant Queen Omibela." In the span of a thought, Caine's mind sparked with insight, and his gaze shifted toward the colossal statues outside the Giant King's palace. They were much taller than the ones encountered by the Silver City exploration party along their journey, but otherwise quite similar. Yet, as Caine examined them more closely, a few anomalies became apparent—the statues exhibited a sense of life and certain spiritual qualities, yet behind their masks, the area remained pitch black, devoid of the deep crimson glow that should have been present. This... "Slayer of Light" Milgorgen had employed a secret rite within the domain of life, binding his spirit to an activated statue, thereby gaining a long life—but at the cost of being confined to this single region, unable to leave. This closely resembles the form of the evil spirits. Consequently, Milgorgen may not be able to fully manifest his mythical biological form. Kline materialized a coin and tossed it into the air as a confirmation. Upon seeing the response affirm "yes," he raised the "Sea God's Staff," preparing to summon the "Prayer Points" to awaken the small "Sun." At that very moment, the "Hunter of Monsters" Colin, who had just evaded Milgorgen's attack, suddenly executed a series of rolls, maneuvering past him and sprinting swiftly toward the Giant King's residence from the side. His gaze was fixed squarely on those massive statues. Though he had been consistently at a disadvantage during the intense combat, he had not ceased observing his surroundings nor abandoning his thoughts. He was equally puzzled about how the leader of the "Hunters of the Royal Court" could live for several thousand years. Once he realized that the animated giant statues stood only outside the palace, uninvolved in the battle, he had already formed a clear judgment. He wasn't entirely certain about the specifics—what the exact mechanism was, what principle governed it, or which domain it originated from—but his extensive exploration experience and his intuitive sense as a "Mage Hunter" led him to believe these statues were key to the mystery. Colin, the Hunter of Monsters, leapt suddenly, following through with a roll. Along his original path of motion, streaks of silver materialized and burst forth, coalescing into a long, serpentine wave that completely upheaved the solid, sturdy ground of the royal hall, tearing deep fissures into it. With a sharp thud, Mirgonen, the Slayer of Light, advanced one step. His towering form, five meters high, bent at the knees, and he drove his broad, silvery sword heavily into the ground. Clang! The area trembled violently—stone columns and balustrades snapped and plunged into the unseen, deep orange mist, while the ground between the two buildings cracked in layers, showering the area with countless fragments of stone. Meanwhile, Colin had already risen into the air, his two swords crossed, forming an invisible shield that deflected the stones hurtling toward him like arrows. At that moment, Mirgonen, bending at the waist, snapped his knees and launched himself forward like a meteor, closing the distance between himself and Colin in an instant. During this process, the silver-white broadsword clenched tightly in his hands swept upward in a swift arc. As "The Hunter of Monsters" Colin appeared to have no further escape, a sudden, clear beam of light shot forth and struck precisely upon Milgongen's broadsword. With the sound of impact, Colin Iliad landed and rolled smoothly, seamlessly closing the distance to the several giant statues. At the same time, in his peripheral vision, he saw the silver-armored knight's phantom figure before Elder Loviya had already drawn his greatsword, channeling the dawn light into a large bow, and firing a continuous stream of luminous arrows. Milgongen's single eye, hidden beneath his helm, had now taken on a shade of deep red, and he paid no attention to the cascading beams of light, allowing them to strike his body with a rhythmic clinking sound. He kept advancing, charging forward with his broadsword, sending out bursts of silver light from various points in the void, relentlessly pursuing the giant-ified "Hunter of Monsters" Colin, preventing him from gaining any opportunity to strike the massive statues. Suddenly, a shaft of bright, shimmering light surged past Milgorgen, silently piercing the gap in the mask of one of the statues. This spirit, which had been driven by the shepherd Lovie, had come to strike. "The Hunter" Colin was merely the bait—this one was the true assailant. Whizzing through the air, one after another, the light arrows were halted by Milgorgen. Yet by this time, "The Hunter" had settled into position, drawing two broad, dawn-dappled swords and launching them directly at the remaining giant statues. Radiant light burst forth, and the storm swept over the area. With a continuous series of cracking sounds, the statues shattered and collapsed, crashing to the ground, while the aura of "The Light-Slayer" Milgorgen rapidly weakened. Immediately, the leader of "The Court Pursuers" roared: "Die together!" The silver-white broadsword in his hands exploded, fracturing into countless fragments of light that swirled into a terrifying storm, sweeping everything around it. The silver-armored spirit and the "Hunter of Monsters" Colin simultaneously drove their swords into the ground, creating an invisible barrier. A brilliant white light surged between the two buildings, shattering the gray-blue gate and individual stone pillars behind Deryck and his companions, yet when it struck the Giant King's residence, it made no impact at all. Unknown to how long, just as Deryck thought the invisible barrier was about to be torn apart by the "Storm of Light," the morning light gradually faded. Within the ruined expanse, the silver armor on the "Light-Slayer" Milgongen slowly faded and dissolved, revealing his gray-blue, linen-clad form. At a distance not far from him, the "Hunter of Monsters" Colin, covered in blood, was transitioning from giant form back to his normal state, though his breath remained steady—only slightly more frail than before. With a sharp clatter, Milgongen knelt on one knee, his flesh rapidly aging and decaying, as if evaporating. In the tangerine glow, he seemed to see once again the vibrant royal court, where in the stillness of dusk, giants came and went—plucking seven-stringed lyres, blowing bone flutes, engaging in gladiatorial contests, savoring food that was always at hand. Their lives unfolded slowly, and their king sat upon a lofty throne, solemnly observing all. This scene no longer existed after that moment, so he chose to follow the "Dark Angel" Salsir. Milgongen smiled, opened his mouth, and softly called out: "King..." The "Hunters of the Royal Court" bowed his head, and his flesh and blood seemed to evaporate, leaving behind only a massive white skeleton, dotted with scattered, re-coalescing streaks of silvery light.