Before Bronn could react, a boomingugh echoed across thendscape, shaking the trees and scattering birds.
The Barbarian King pounded his chest, his massive form radiating strength. "You''ve brought great honor to our tribe, my son! The blood of kings runs strong in your veins!"
Bronn, wide-eyed, quickly broke into a broad grin.
"Father!" he roared, his voice just as deep and powerful as his father''s, though tinged with awe.
He leaped forward, closing the distance instantly, and embraced the giant man.
The ground trembled as the two collided, theirughter filling the air.
Watching the scene, Amelia could only blink in surprise, her eyes wide.
Spark, noticing her expression, shook his head, his tone dry. "See? Like father, like son. Subtlety doesn''t run in their family."
Bronn stepped back, still grinning. "I didn''t expect you to be here, Father! What brings you?"
The Barbarian King''s expression shifted, pride giving way to a more serious tone. "I wanted to see my son''s victory with my own eyes."
His boomingughter filled the air again as he ced arge hand on Bronn''s shoulder.
Bronn, still glowing with his father''s praise,ughed alongside him. But as theughter faded, the barbarian King''s gaze settled on Spark.
He blinked twice, squinting as if to confirm what he was seeing.
"Wait a minute…" his voice trailed off before his eyes widened in recognition. "It''s really you! Golden boy!"
Spark''s calm, indifferent expression didn''t change, though there was a small twitch at the corner of his mouth, a sign he wasn''t thrilled by the attention.
The Barbarian King grinned broadly, shaking his head.
"I thought those fools back there were just mistaking you for someone else!" he boomed as several barbarians descended from the sky behind him, Bronn''s followers, finally catching up.
Spark didn''t react, his demeanor as aloof as ever, as if he hadn''t even heard the Barbarian King.
Undeterred, the barbarian King stepped closer, pointing to himself dramatically. "You don''t remember your uncle? It''s me,d!"
Spark blinked, his voice t. "I don''t have an uncle like you."
The Barbarian King chuckled, waving a hand dismissively.
"Ah, I knew you''d be like this! But we''ve met before! It was with your old man, back when you were just a youngd." He pointed to his half-torn ear, the scar a permanent mark from his past incident. "Do you remember this?"
Spark nced briefly at the ear, his face expressionless. "No."
"You don''t remember tearing it off?!" The Barbarian King leaned in, eyes wide with amusement. "You were this small."
"No," Spark replied,pletely straight-faced. "I don''t recall anything like that."
Bronn, who had been listening with wide eyes, blinked in confusion. "Wait, Boss, did that really happen?"
"No," Spark answered without a second of hesitation.
The Barbarian King roared withughter, shaking his head. "You''ve grown, but you''re still the same! You practically ate my ear off,d! I thought you were gonna chew me alive back then!"
"That never happened," Spark denied tly.
Wiping a tear ofughter from his eye, the Barbarian King waved his hand dismissively.
"Ah, whatever you say,d! But you can''t erase memories with just a few words." He grinned, proudly showing his half-torn ear again as proof.
Bronn, intrigued, asked, "Did something like that really happen, Father?"
The Barbarian King pped his knee, bursting intoughter once more. "Ah, that day still haunts me! Let me tell you how it happened."
Bronn looked fascinated, Amelia smiled, and Spark... maintained his usual indifferent expression, clearly waiting for the story to end.
"It was back when I visited his old man, the Sword King, my rival, in the Human Empire," the Barbarian King began. He waved a hand as if brushing off the importance of countless battles. "Anyway, I was there, paying him a visit, when I met his son, the little golden boy, you see standing before you now."
Spark''s eyes narrowed slightly, a subtle sign of his growing irritation, but he didn''t interrupt.
"He was only six at the time," the Barbarian King continued, ignoring Spark''sck of interest. "A quiet little thing. Not the kind of kid you''d expect to go biting people."
"We were in the Sword King''s garden, and this kid here," he pointed dramatically at Spark, "walked up to me while I was sitting and said, ''I want to taste barbarian flesh.''"
Bronn raised an eyebrow, his amusement growing. "And father just… let him?"
"Of course I did!" the Barbarian Kingughed. "He was just a kid! I thought, ''What harm could a six-year-old do to me?'' So I said, ''Go ahead,d. Have a go at it!'' Figured it''d be a goodugh. Thought he''d tug a bit, maybe even scratch me, but nothing serious."
Bronn leaned in, eyes wide with curiosity. "So... what happened next?"
The Barbarian King''s grin stretched wider, and he pointed to his half-torn ear. "To my surprise, thed chomped down with the strength of a beast! My ear was halfway off before I even knew what hit me!
He bit down like he was trying to chew through iron!
Next thing I know, blood''s pouring down my neck, and I''m yelling while this little brat''s chewing on my ear like it''s dinner!"
Bronn exploded withughter, pping his thigh. "No way! Boss really did that?"
"No," Spark replied, straight-faced.
The Barbarian King raised an eyebrow, amused by Spark''s denial. "Ah, you''ve always been a stubborn one, just like your old man."
Bronn scratched his head, clearly confused. "So, wait… you two did know each other from back then?"
"No."
"But-"
"No," Spark cut in, not even blinking as he shut down the question again.
The Barbarian King''sughter slowly faded when his gaze shifted, locking onto Amelia.
For a moment, his boisterous demeanor vanished, reced by a solemn expression that didn''t fit his carefree attitude.
"Father, this is--" Bronn began, ready to introduce Amelia, but the Barbarian King raised a hand, silencing him.
"I know her," he said, His eyes stayed on Amelia, filled with recognition. "She''s someone from the Mountains."