Berserk: The Prophet

"Now that things have come to this, we urge Grand Master Trunks of the Holy Dragon Knights to make a decision as soon as possible." Pegelarared, the eldest and most authoritative dean among the Azure Disciples, handed Trunks a saw heated by charcoal, the meaning in his eyes self-evident.

However, everyone was already immersed in a heavy atmosphere, so who had the mind to observe an elderly man?

Only Green looked at Peggy Layde and frowned. Why did that old man... seem to have a cruel yet triumphant emotion flickering in his eyes?

Perhaps I misread it, or maybe I just wanted Trunks to make a choice as soon as possible.

Trunks: "..."

Seranti: "..."

Wilder: "..."

Everyone in the room fell silent, the atmosphere heavy with sorrow. Even Green felt a pang of heartache. If his left hand were cut off, how could Trunks ever wield his halberd again?

Aleris: "..."

Aleris lowered his head in shame, but the sobs he tried to suppress still escaped his lips, and tears had already dripped onto the cold floor.

"I'm sorry...it's all my fault...otherwise Trunks wouldn't have..."

Even though Aleris bit her lower lip and tilted her head back to stop the tears from falling, she couldn't help but feel a surge of self-reproach from her chest.

...He failed to persuade his father, and Trunks, who came to help, lost his left arm while saving his own life. The young man carried a burden he could not bear.

"...This is not your fault, Aleris." Seeing the boy's suppressed self-blame, Trunks looked at Aleris calmly. If he had saved Barkley's future backbone, then his left arm would not have been sacrificed in vain.

"...Get me a towel to chew on, Alessis." Trunks composed himself, forcing a smile that could be described as comforting, despite the pain in his left arm.

“...Yes.” Aleris hurriedly went to the bathroom to get a towel, composed himself, and the atmosphere in the room returned to calm.

Seranty: "...You're always like this, Trunks."

Serant will always remember the time they spent adventuring together. No matter how badly Trunks was injured, he never forgot to comfort his comrade. Even their meeting was... The Masked Ranger was the greatest comfort Trunks could give him.

Why do you always ask for nothing in return, Trunks... you're always too kind...

...He sacrificed himself to save others.

...He could never become like him.

Trunks: "..."

Trunks fell silent. Perhaps only in this moment did he realize he wasn't as strong as he thought. The pain of losing an arm is unbearable for any able-bodied person, let alone someone like him, a warrior who had dominated the battlefield...

However, since it has already happened, he doesn't want to dwell on it anymore; he just needs time to heal the "severed arm" in his heart.

“I just did what I thought was right, just like you and I did back then.” Trunks looked at the candlelight on the stone table and his soon-to-be-severed left arm and forced a smile. He knew Thranduil meant no blame.

Aleris returned with a towel and silently handed it to Trunks. Thranduil looked at Trunks and sighed involuntarily. Gazing at the small, dark wooden saw, he felt a pang of reluctance to look at it.

When Peggy Laed heated the saw until it was red-hot, preparing to saw off Trunks's severed arm, Trunks couldn't help but curse inwardly. This thing looked like torture. Rather than grinding away the bone bit by bit, he'd rather have a quick death. He wasn't a prisoner.

"...Wait, bring me my sword, no, bring me a sharp cleaver, I'll do it myself."

"Oh, and bring me another bottle of strong liquor."

Everyone was stunned for a moment, but out of respect, someone still went to retrieve it. Wilder sent a Holy Dragon Knight to get it.

"...Lord Trunks, it would be best if you didn't drink alcohol," a scholar from the Azure Disciple tried to dissuade Trunks.

"Wild, please get these Azure Disciple scholars out of here." Trunks had lost his patience; if he didn't act quickly, he would only lose more limbs.

Soon, the Holy Dragon Knights "invited" the scholars of the Azure Disciples out, including Dean Pegelararide. After Pegelararide's noisy but ineffective protests, the room did feel much more spacious.

A sharp broadsword and strong liquor were placed on the stone table where Trunks was. Trunks immediately took a big gulp, as if that was enough to give him all his courage.

Looking at the somber faces of everyone in the room, Trunks suddenly smiled with relief and ease.

"What are you all doing here? Don't post-war cities need to repair shelters?"

“But, Captain…” Wilder wanted to say something more, but Trunks interrupted him by raising his hand.

"I only lost an arm, I'm not dead. You all go about your own business, do you want to see how I amputate?"

Wilder and his personal guard knights lowered their heads and remained silent upon hearing this.

"Thranty can stay. You all can leave. Children shouldn't see such cruel scenes. Just consider it as giving me some dignity, okay?" Trunks looked at everyone calmly, as if he were talking about something ordinary.

Although everyone was a little uneasy upon hearing this, they gradually left the room. Green and Wilder left together, and Aleris also came out, leaving only Seranty and Trunks inside.

"Call us if you need anything, we're always here." Wilder closed the door and stood guard outside.

They have indeed not yet captured those skilled assassins, and judging from the arrows used in this attack, they were indeed unique to the Horned Viper Vanguard of the Serpent Worship Cult.

Witnesses said the Horned Viper Vanguard had already fled to the dense forest outside the city, and Trunks did not order them to pursue in order to avoid unnecessary losses.

Now, even when Trunks tells them to leave the house, they don't go very far.

Aleris was surrounded by guards from Radiant Sunport, as he might also be one of the targets of the Serpent Cult's assassination attempt.

Aleris ordered his guards to increase patrols and vigilance around the fortress, while he stayed behind to take care of Trunks. The maids had already prepared some nourishing soup for his injuries, as he had requested.

Green sat silently on the windowsill, waiting, worried about Trunks, as the moonlight bathed the castle of Sunburst Harbor.