Adopted Soldier

Kei who was reading a report started trembling uncontrollably. He couldn't believe his eyes as tears started to fall down his face. The person who gave the report understood what Kei must be feeling at this moment, since he was one of the people closest to the hero.

"It can't be... It's impossible... You're joking right?... This is another one of those tricks you guys like to pull... It's not funny! It's not funny! No way would he lose! There's just no way he would die like this! SHIT! SHIT! SHIT! SHIT! SHIT! SHIT! SHIT!"

Kei looked to be in pain as he crushed the letter in his hand. At this very moment he was on the brink of collapsing due to mental exhaustion. Aside from his friends in the Mercenary Club, Lyner was Kei's greatest source of confidence.

Kei truly believed that as long as Sir Lyner was there, nothing bad could ever happen. With that usual bored sleepy expression of his, he would protect them all. That was what he and most people believed. Yet what was this? His teacher actually died, and he did so with a smile on his face.

Kei couldn't believe the report he just read, so he checked into it and saw the whole video that the Berdonian soldiers recorded of the fight. He with his own two eyes, saw the end of his teacher. He died while protecting someone, and even in the end he won against the enemy as well. He stood there without falling down, he stood proud and tall even in death. He showed that he was never going to fall. When Kei saw this he couldn't help but clench his chest.

Kei then checked on what had happened to Lyner's enemy Rika Saunter. It was quite easy to find the information since one of the people Kei hired already has the information.

Rika Saunter SS rank merc of the Granado Empire was in a critical condition where she could've died. Yet Anita Resteti the wife of Lyner Resteti saved her, since that was the last request the fallen hero made. Kei with all the information he gathered as well as seeing the video quickly understood what had transpired.

With all these information at hand Kei had no choice but to believe that his lazy teacher, the adviser of the Mercenary Club has died.

'Sir Lyner... Fine then, I need to report this to the others, I'm sure most of them will be listening in on my radio show. Also I can use this to light a flame in the people of Berdonia. Even in the end you remained true to yourself didn't you... Sir Lyner...'

Kei smiled as tears kept on falling, while he kept on thinking of that confident yet lazy smile of his teacher.

...

"Everyone I have some sad news to report. Sir Lyner Resteti the strongest man of Berdonia, died yesterday. He died while protecting a little girl against the BRAINWASHED Rika Saunter the SS rank merc of the Granado Empire. When Sir Lyner fought Rika he knew that she didn't want to fight and was being controlled by one of the evil ten generals of the Empire. That's why Sir Lyner fought to save not only the little girl, but also Rika Saunter who was his enemy. Truly a true hero!"

Kei kept on going as he praised Lyner's actions, and pushed the idea that Rika was a good person and that she was simply a victim as well. Kei gave credible information and some data to back this claim, making Hilda of the ten Generals into the true bad guy.

'This is what you wanted... Right... Sir Lyner.' Kei smiled as he thought of this while continuing his radio show.

...

Niel who had finished a mission was listening to Kei's radio show and had his eyes wide open, while his body trembled. The people who were there in the same room as him, all looked at him shivering in fear. At this moment Niel was emitting a very strong killing intent. Most of the mercs who were also listening to radio show knew why Niel was reacting like this. For Niel was Lyner's one and only apprentice. Even they who never personally knew Lyner were shaken by the news how much more for someone so close to him.

"Sir Lyner... Master is dead?..." Niel mumbled this words and stormed out of the building. He immediately got on his car and started driving back to the capital were Lyner's funeral was going to take place.

While driving like a mad man Niel was crying. He knew what Kei was saying must be the truth, since even though he sounded normal during the radio show, Niel noticed that Kei's voice was a bit different like he just finished crying.

'Damn it! Damn it! Weren't you suppose to be the pinnacle of what it is to be a merc?! Didn't you teach me that only the strong survive?! Weren't you suppose to live through all of this? What about your kid Sir Lyner? Didn't you call me back then, telling me how excited you are about raising your kid... You can't... You just can't die like that!... I knew your wish was to have a glorious death... But, still how can any death be glorious?...'

Niel started complaining in his mind, but he knew no matter how much he complained Lyner wouldn't revive. Flashes of memories regarding his sleepy master started going through his mind. This only made Niel who was usually always smiling cry even more.

...

Emily who was also listening to Kei's radio show quickly hacked into the military servers. She then found the video of Lyner's final battle. When she saw the last part where Lyner sacrificed himself for the little girl, Emily gritted her teeth as she covered her eyes. Tears started flowing down her cheeks.

"Why? Didn't you once say that there was no use being a hero? The only thing that matters in the end is that you survive... Then why?... Damn it, I already know why... But still... Why?..."

Emily continued to cry silently. After a while she then started to download the video, and then she uploaded it on the internet, so that everyone could see how wonderful her teacher was.

...

Rachel who was near the border of the Granado Empire and Berdonia, was also listening to Kei's radio show. It took her a few minutes to comprehend what was just said, as her mind blanked out for a minute. Once the information she just heard finally sunk in, Rachel couldn't help but cry.

She then started to remember the first time she met her teacher and then how he became their adviser. Most of her memories of him were about him sleeping. So when she learned of his secret that he was the strongest merc of Berdonia she was truly shocked. Still that shock only lasted a short while, since even after revealing that information Lyner remained the same.

Rachel was sure, she was so sure that no matter how bad the war got, he would remain the same. He would still be there being lazy and at the same time being the greatest source of confidence for them. Rachel was so sure, that no matter what, he would be there to back them up when things go astray.

"Weren't you suppose to be a lazy teacher? Why did you go out there and work? Look at what happened when you did something you weren't used to... You died, just like that... Sir Lyner..." Rachel slowly walked toward the main road, she needed to return to the Capital. She needed to see her teacher for one last time.

...

Oliver and Specter were listening to Kei's radio show as well. Oliver didn't cry nor did he show any emotion. Yet deep inside he was screaming in pain, he was crying on the inside.

"I know you like sleeping Sir Lyner... Going for the eternal rest, how lazy can you get." Oliver started talking to himself. Specter who was watching in the sidelines patted Oliver's shoulders.

"Do you want to go back, and see him?" Oliver shook his head.

"No... It's alright... I can't go back just yet. I will visit him once this is all done."

...

Sayaka who also received the news of Lyner's death as she and her cousin the current Shadow were about to leave the border heading towards the Granado Empire. She was stunned by the news.

"I know how you must feel right now Sayaka... But, the mission must go on. Can you still do it, or do you wish to return and see your teacher?"

Sayaka who was silently processing the news she heard, looked at her cousin and smiled. The smile she showed was one of great sadness, it even affected the current Shadow.

"No, I will continue this mission until the end. If I go back now, Sir Lyner will only laugh at me. He would tell me that I should have done what was best for me... Also I can't face Sir Lyner like this, I need to face him as the Sayaka he knows."

When she got to the last word Sayaka couldn't help it and started to cry. Her tears wouldn't stop flowing, no matter how hard she tried, they just wouldn't stop.

...

Evangeline didn't say much when she heard the news. She simply sat on her chair not talking to any of her subordinates. She didn't eat or drink for the whole day. On the following day, she stood up from her chair and got into her car.

"Go to the Capital... I need to say my thanks to my teacher." She directly ordered her driver, who looked back and saw her eyes were extremely red.

...

Alex who was in a room sitting on a chair while bound by chains was looking at a monitor. His crazy grandfather was sitting right beside him.

"Today won't be a test. We will be watching a good show, I saw recently." Alex was confused what kind of show would this crazy mother f*cking grandfather would find good.

The monitor then started to show Lyner's battle against Rika Saunter. At first Alex was impressed on how easily Lyner got used to that overwhelming power gap, and used techniques to lessen that power gap. He was extremely surprised when he saw Lyner use RELEASE, but then Alex smiled and thought 'as expected of Sir Lyner.'

Then nearing the end he was shocked to his very core. His teacher, the strongest person he knew DIED...

"You see that Alex, that's what you get if you have compassion. Even someone as strong as Lyner is weakened because of that emotion. He had victory in his grasp, but he let it all go because of one little girl. He even died because of that weakness. I thought he would've been a fine candidate to become an honorary Greyhound, but in the end he was nothing more than a fool."

"WHAT THE F*CK DO YOU KNOW YOU OLD PIECE OF SH*T! HOW DARE YOU CALL MY TEACHER A FOOL! YOU BELIEVE YOU ARE STRONG, YOU BELIEVE YOURSELF TO BE MATCHLESS! BUT YOU AREN'T EVEN ABLE TO MATCH A SINGLE FINGER OF MY TEACHER! HE WAS THE STRONGEST! HE WAS THE GREATEST MERC I KNEW! WHO THE F*CK ARE YOU TO SAY MY TEACHER WAS A FOOL! I WILL-"

Before Alex could say anything more, he saw Richter was already wearing a gas mask, and the room was already filled with sleeping gas.

...

Once Alex was asleep Richter removed his gas mask and sighed. "It seems that I need to be stricter in my education. If you didn't see how foolish Lyner was in that video, then you need to be taught how to think more logically. If Lyner didn't save that girl and killed Rika Saunter, then Berdonia would have all but won the war. Without their ace no one else would be able to match Lyner. So while Lyner is attacking from the front, I would be attacking in the shadows, with that the Granado Empire would've been doomed. Yet he sacrificed himself, and even left his enemy alive. If that's not foolishness then what is?"

Richter shook his head.

"No matter, even without Lyner, Berdonia and the Southern Union still have Arthur Glory. As long as they play their cards right, and I attack in the perfect time the Granado Empire will still fall."

Once he was done explaining that to his now unconscious grandson, Richter picked him up and left the room.