Standing from the audience's perspective. They really had no way to blame Krateros.
Because what makes Amphoreus good is precisely its delicacy. And what makes it painful is also that same delicacy.
Over the span of two episodes, it was already enough to lay out the world and its plotline in full.
A world at the end of days, relying on the Chrysos Heirs and Coreflames.
And in such a world, the story of Amphoreus doesn't simply focus on heroes. It also spends a great deal of effort portraying the people surrounding the Chrysos Heir.
The Kremnoans relations with Okhema. Okhema in relation to Aglaea.
The scenes centered on these ordinary people, in turn, deepen the characterization of the corresponding Chrysos Heir figures. The two complement each other.
So the audience's sense of immersion is very strong.
The Chrysos Heir standing at the top, the people living below them, their perspectives unfold in parallel.
Therefore, the audience's feelings are extremely nuanced. Toward Mydei, the audience doesn't feel simple frustration.
Following his perspective along the way, everyone has already seen his resistance to the identity of "king," as well as his disgust toward that fate.
And in the opening segment, the struggles related to Mydei and the story of his parents, the audience empathize deeply.
They understand that Mydei is struggling too, and that this struggle is not cowardice. His "avoidance," his unwillingness to become the Strife Titan or the new king of Castrum Kremnos, is also a kind of resistance against fate.
Put themselves in his shoes, the audience understood.
After such a bloody childhood, who would still want to become the king of Castrum Kremnos?
Would you want their future children to walk the same path?
The root of Mydei's problem lies in that almost unbearable childhood, which left him filled with resentment and pain toward the Castrum Kremnos and everything about it.
But Mydei's greatness lies here as well. Although he endured a past beyond what ordinary people could imagine, he still holds responsibility and commitment toward the people of Castrum Kremnos.
He could have hidden his name, disappeared, and escaped more completely.
But he didn't. Instead, he raised the banner and led the people of Castrum Kremnos, who were also suffering, to find a new path to survival.
He could have followed his mothers words and refused to be the crown prince.
Yet Mydei still took on that responsibility. So when seeing Krateros show such bitter disappointment toward Mydei, the audience instead feels more regret, understanding, and even a trace of heartache for Mydei.
Mydei is not simply someone who failed in his duty; he is also a person tormented and struggling against fate.
[The struggle and helplessness of a hero before fate.]
This has been a topic of discussion ever since Amphoreus began airing. And now, at this moment, it finally reveals its full weight.
What about Krateros?
Likewise. The audience has no way to harshly blame this old man either.
Their sympathy for this old man may even run deeper.
Because he is not using Trinnon for his own selfish desires. He carries the hopes of all the surviving people of Castrum Kremnos.
Okhema accepts them but does not truly embrace them; the Kremnoans live under others' roofs, and the shadow of hatred always hangs over the survivors.
The future is bleak and uncertain. Everyone's final, most stubborn hope rests on that small remaining Coreflame.
And that hope began to shatter the moment the Chrysos Heir, who were not of Castrum Kremnos, reached for the flame.
Mydei can still run and hide. But Krateros can no longer escape.
And this extremely complex emotion, for audiences, needs little explanation.
So the audience cannot blame Krateros either.
…
: I really don't know what to feel.
: So that story was waiting for me there…
: Are they starting to stab our hearts now?
: If I were Mydei, I'd feel like the sky was collapsing.
: When Krateros called Mydei cowardly, I felt a bit sad…
: Yeah… Mydei isn't that kind of person, but we can't fully explain it either.
: Sigh…
: This feeling of powerlessness…
: This isn't just a simple human nature issue, it's a truly complex, realistic gray problem… neither side is really right or wrong.
: That's brutal.
: We really can't judge them now; we can only struggle alongside Mydei.
: Even though it's bittersweet, I have to say, the story of Amphoreus just keeps getting better.
: It's no longer black and white; everyone has their own helpless reasons.
: Yeah, that's exactly it.
: It's just a difference in positions.
: Aglaea maintaining a fragile order, Krateros risking everything for his people, Mydei resisting the prophecy that destroyed everything for him, it's all tragedy… everyone is struggling…
…
In the comments, the audience has completely immersed themselves in this conflict.
They cannot easily take sides; they can only understand, and the more they understand, the deeper their empathy grows.
The sense of realism in Amphoreus becomes even stronger in their hearts because of these stories.
On screen.
Krateros is walking step by step toward the Vortex of Genesis.
But at that moment, a portal opens once more.
Aglaea steps out from within.
Though unwilling to believe it, when she sees Krateros standing before the Vortex of Genesis, Aglaea's gaze grows even colder.
"Chrysos Heir…" Krateros's expression changed.
He had used all the wisdom and courage of his life. His plan was to exploit a time gap, to act before this woman could react.
But he never expected Aglaea to arrive so quickly. Instinctively, he reaches for the blade at his waist.
Not to attack her. But to secure a dignified end if necessary.
Facing Aglaea directly, Krateros does not believe he has any chance left.
"...." Aglaea stares coldly at him. Threads of golden light appear out of thin air, surrounding Krateros from all directions.
His left hand, gripping the blade, is tightly bound and twisted by the golden threads until he can no longer hold the weapon.
"Aglaea…"
"Krateros… he didn't mean any harm…"
Feeling the pressure emanating from Aya, Trinnon is a little frightened, but kind as she is, she still speaks up to persuade her.
"I know, Trinnon. Leave this to me."
Aglaea looked at Trinnon, her tone softening slightly, but she did not release Krateros. She simply said calmly, "Tribbie has already told Mydei about the situation. They will be here soon."
"…"
Hearing Mydei's name, Krateros lowered his head silently. "This was my plan alone. It has nothing to do with the other Kremnoans."
"…" Aglaea took a deep breath, feeling as if the humanity that had been fading within her was being stirred back by the old man in front of her.
Your plan alone? And what about everything else? Did he really think that saying a single sentence would make the Senate believe him?
If everything in this world could be solved with just one sentence, she would probably still be working as a tailor right now.
He had the courage to shoulder the responsibility of the fate of their people alone… Yet he had not considered the consequences, or perhaps he simply refused to.
For a moment, Aglaea did not even know what words to use to evaluate Krateros.
Of course, these were only her thoughts.
Aglaea fell silent. Krateros also remained silent. No one spoke.
Inside the Genesis Vortex, an eerie stillness quickly settled.
But not long after… Another portal opened.
Mydei, looking anxious, and Phainon stepped out of the portal.
The moment he entered, Mydei saw Krateros bound in place, looking utterly dejected and unable to move. Instantly, it felt like a thunderbolt struck him, like the sky was about to collapse.
"...Krateros! What's going on?"
"Aglaea! I demand an explanation."
When Tribbie came to get him, he had only been told that Trinnon had been kidnapped before the portal was opened.
At this moment, he did not yet know that it was Krateros who had abducted Trinnon.
So his first reaction was to question Aglaea.
"This man abducted Trinnon by force and forced her to bring him to the Vortex of Genesis." Aglaea said calmly, enunciating each word.
"?!" Mydei's eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at Krateros, his voice trembling. "Is she telling the truth? Why did you do that?"
"Because I don't want to wait anymore. Your hesitation made me desperate."
Krateros raised his head, staring straight into Mydei's eyes as he roared, "If you want to run away from your destiny to become king, then keep running. Someone will eventually stand up and fill in the gap left by Strife... Then they will lead our people home."
Mydei's mind buzzed.
His blood pressure felt like it shot through the roof. Hadn't he been avoiding the prophecy and fleeing from fate precisely because he feared repeating his parents' path?
He feared that Castrum Kremnos would once again be thrown into turmoil by this damned prophecy, leaving the people restless and displaced.
"Age has blinded you, teacher!"
"Can't you see that I'm hesitating because of this very recklessness seared into your blood?"
Mydei was furious beyond restraint, scolding his mentor in anger for the first time.
He had not even become the Demigod yet. And Krateros already dared to kidnap Trinnon and attempt such a reckless act.
If he truly became the Strife Demigod, Mydei did not dare imagine what his teacher might do.
What then?! Would they raise arms again?
Make Castrum Kremnos great again?
What nonsense about returning home. Even if they succeeded… What then? Wouldn't they just fall back into the same dead cycle?
Continue the bloody succession and mindless warmongering that defined Castrum Kremnos?
It was precisely because Mydei understood the nature of the Kremnoans that he hesitated again and again.
Because Castrum Kremnos's glory, its culture, and its past were the very ropes strangling its people!
Now that rope had finally snapped. Was he supposed to become that rope again with his own hands?
"Mydei!" Krateros was naturally unwilling to accept this. He could not tolerate being scolded from above like this.
However, just as he spoke, Mydei interrupted him again.
"Impulsive… reckless!"
Mydei's chest heaved violently, his voice twisting with pain. "You only see me running away, Krateros! But have you ever thought about what I am running from?!"
His gaze swept toward the glowing Coreflame of Strife not far away.
"I am running from Castrum Kremnos' damned bloody cycle!"
"From you, from all of you, from the pathological faith in strife embedded in our bones!"
Each word seemed squeezed out from between Mydei's teeth, releasing decades of suppressed emotion.
"My parents, their love became sacrifices beneath the banner of strife!"
"And I, because of strife, was cast into the cold winds of Thanatos as an infant."
"The throne of Castrum Kremnos, every inch of it is stained with blood in the name of so-called glory."
"All of us, from the moment we are born, are taught how to grip weapons and how to please strife."
"You want the Coreflame? You want strife to lead us again? Lead us to what? Back to that 'glorious' era?!"
"My strife is for survival, not for killing and empty glory!"
"I led you out of Castrum Kremnos not so you could continue killing, but so we could live!"
Mydei's voice rose higher and higher. It echoed through the empty cavern, deafening.
Just as he said, if he merged with Coreflame and became a demigod… then what?
Would he be the guiding light leading his people to survival? Or would he bring strife back upon them?
Yet he did not notice, Krateros was staring at him in a daze at that instant.
Those cloudy eyes carried an indescribable emotion. Watching Mydei's unrestrained fury was like watching an enraged lion.
As if… he were seeing the former king, Eurypon.
Back then, Eurypon had spoken to him in almost the same way, describing his resistance and anger toward the prophecy.
Exactly like this moment. When, through Krateros' perspective, the figure of the former king gradually overlapped with Mydei…
Goosebumps erupted across the audience.
They did not even know why. Was it Mydei's posture at this moment? Or the uncanny sense that fate was repeating itself?
The prophecy's revelation, after circling back and forth, seemed to have returned to Mydei once more.
As if telling everyone, in Amphoreus, fate… is an established fact.