Chapter 33: A Warrior’s Spirit

Lucy was the first to reach Eden.

She grabbed his arm and pulled him upright.

"Easy."

"I’m fine."

"You are absolutely not fine."

Eden tried to straighten himself.

The moment he did, blood dripped from his nose.

Lucy froze.

"Eden—"

He wiped it away with the back of his hand.

"It’s nothing."

"You’re bleeding."

"It’s just essence depletion."

Eden looked at her.

She was genuinely worried.

Her own breathing was ragged, her clothes were torn, and her right arm hung awkwardly at her side from the strain of repeatedly overcharging her skill.

Yet she was still looking at him.

Not herself.

’That girl should worry about her own state first.’

Lucy frowned.

"You can’t keep doing this."

Eden sighed.

"Did it look like I had a choice?"

"No, but—"

Eden looked toward the enormous mass of ice where the mercenary had disappeared.

"If I hadn’t exerted the way I did..."

He stopped.

There was no point explaining.

Lucy already knew.

She released a quiet breath.

"Just..."

Her voice softened.

"Don’t do that again."

Eden gave her a tired smile.

"I’ll try."

"You better."

Nearby, Kael was crouched beside Sonne.

"Hey."

Sonne slowly opened her eyes.

"You okay?"

"I’m alive."

"That’s not what I asked."

She tried to stand.

Her legs immediately shook.

Kael caught her.

"Whoa."

"I’m fine."

"You really need to come up with better lies."

Sonne gave him an exhausted look.

"Thanks, but you should worry about yourself first."

Kael glanced down at his arms.

Both were badly injured.

"..."

For a moment, everything was quiet.

The four of them stood—or tried to stand—among the remains of what had once been an enormous port.

The fight was over.

Or so they thought.

A crack appeared in the ice.

Eden’s head snapped toward it.

’...!’

"...No."

Another crack.

Then another.

The enormous frozen prison began shaking.

Lucy stared.

"You’re kidding."

Kael slowly helped Sonne back up into her feet.

A few fragments of ice appeared around her fingers before disappearing.

She looked down at her hands.

"I don’t have much left."

Lucy clenched her fist.

Her remaining Essence was barely enough to maintain the pink glow around her arm.

Kael stepped forward.

His reserves were better than the others’.

He summoned his twin Judgement Blades.

Golden light illuminated the ruined battlefield.

Eden tried to activate Phase Shift.

The skill flickered.

His body immediately protested.

He coughed.

Blood came with it.

Lucy looked horrified.

"Eden!"

"I’m fine."

"You just coughed blood!"

"I said I’m—"

He coughed again.

"...fine."

[Phase shift]

[Defensive form]

Lucy stared at him.

"You’re terrible at lying."

Eden didn’t answer.

He couldn’t.

His Essence reserves were almost completely empty.

He couldn’t even activate Heir’s Pride anymore.

The skill simply wouldn’t respond.

Boom!

The ice exploded.

Fragments of frozen Essence flew across the battlefield.

A massive silhouette emerged from the debris.

The mercenary.

Still alive.

He was covered in injuries.

Blood soaked his body.

One of his hands was gone.

His breathing was heavy.

His remaining hand hung at his side.

But he was standing.

The four stared.

The mercenary looked at them.

Then slowly raised his remaining arm.

"Let’s..."

His voice was rough.

"...finish this."

Kael stepped forward.

"Everyone behind me."

He rushed.

The mercenary roared.

He met Kael head-on.

Golden blades flashed.

The mercenary poured every remaining trace of Essence into his fist.

His muscles tightened.

His body surged forward.

Kael crossed both blades.

The fist hit.

The golden swords shattered.

Kael’s eyes widened.

"What—?"

The mercenary’s fist continued.

It struck both of Kael’s arms.

Both broke instantly.

Kael screamed.

The impact launched him backward.

He flew through the air for dozens of meters before crashing into the ground.

The earth exploded beneath him.

A massive crater formed.

Kael disappeared inside.

"Kael!"

Sonne barely had time to react.

The mercenary appeared in front of her.

His eyes were filled with rage.

"This is for freezing me alive you fucking whore."

Sonne raised her hands.

Ice erupted.

The mercenary punched through it.

The defense shattered.

His fist slammed into her stomach.

Boom!

Sonne’s body folded around the impact.

She coughed blood.

Several ribs cracked.

The force launched her across the battlefield.

She crashed into the remains of a concrete structure, destroying what little remained of it.

The mercenary turned.

Lucy was already there.

Her fist was charged with pink Essence.

"Leave them alone!"

She punched.

The mercenary caught her fist.

Lucy’s eyes widened.

He twisted.

Crack!

Her entire arm bent unnaturally.

Lucy screamed.

The mercenary grabbed her broken arm and swung her around.

He slammed her into the ground.

Another crater appeared.

Lucy bounced once before going still.

Eden’s eyes widened.

"Lucy!"

He charged.

The mercenary turned.

Eden swung his sword.

The man backhanded the blade away.

It flew from Eden’s hand.

The mercenary’s fist slammed into his back before Eden could even react.

Eden’s body was launched forward.

He crashed into the destroyed ground.

The impact drove him several meters through the earth.

His Phase Shift broke.

Eden rolled onto his hands and knees.

His lungs burned.

He coughed.

Blood splattered onto the ground.

’No.’

He tried to stand.

His arms shook.

He couldn’t.

The mercenary walked toward him.

Eden pushed himself upward.

His arm gave out.

He fell again.

The mercenary placed one foot on his back.

Eden’s body was forced against the ground.

"Stay."

Eden gritted his teeth.

The mercenary looked down at him.

"Look at you."

He laughed bitterly.

"You were so confident earlier."

His foot pressed harder.

"You thought you could actually beat me?"

Eden’s fingers dug into the dirt.

The mercenary looked toward Kael’s crater.

"One broken."

Then Sonne.

"Another."

Lucy.

"Another."

He looked back at Eden.

"And now you."

Eden couldn’t move.

The mercenary crouched slightly.

"You know what’s funny?"

His voice became almost cheerful again.

"I was going to kill you quickly."

Eden said nothing.

"But now?"

The mercenary smiled.

"I think I’ll have some fun."

His eyes moved toward the others.

"Maybe I’ll start with the swordsman."

Eden’s breathing stopped.

"Or the ice girl."

The mercenary chuckled.

"Maybe I’ll even make the pink-haired one until watch it all."

His foot pressed down.

"Oh and you’ll get to watch too."

"You’ll have a front row seat to little pinkies death."

Eden’s mind went blank.

’No!’

He couldn’t move.

Couldn’t fight.

Couldn’t even activate his skills.

His sword was several meters away.

His Essence was almost gone.

His allies were broken.

’This can’t be it.’

His eyes stared at the ruined ground.

’This can’t be how I die.’

He had come back.

He had been given another chance.

He had spent every waking moment becoming stronger.

He had fought monsters.

Awakeneds.

Assassins.

He had survived things that should have killed him.

’I’m still powerless.’

His hand trembled.

’Again.’

’This feeling...’

’The same helplessness.’

’The same disgusting feeling of being unable to do anything while someone else decided whether I live or die.’

’Nothing has changed.’

’I’m still the same, weak bastard I was before.’

’I can’t—’

The mercenary suddenly lifted his foot.

Eden froze.

’...?’

The man took a step backward.

Eden slowly looked up.

Something was wrong.

The mercenary’s face had gone pale.

His expression wasn’t angry anymore.

It wasn’t even amused.

It was fear.

The expression of a man who looked at death itself.

His entire body was shaking.

Eden stared at him.

’What’s going on?’

Then he heard a voice.

"Wow."

A relaxed voice.

Almost cheerful.

"Looks like you guys really went all out."

Eden’s blood ran cold.

He slowly turned his head.

Someone was standing behind him.

Loose Hawaiian shirt.

Hands in his pockets.

A lollipop hanging from his mouth.

Long blonde hair tied into a loose bun.

Relaxed posture.

Green eyes.

The man looked around the battlefield with genuine curiosity.

He whistled.

"Wow."

He smiled.

"Seriously."

"You guys make climate change look like a joke."

Eden’s eyes widened.

He knew him.

There was no mistaking that face.

No mistaking that presence.

No mistaking the man standing there as casually as if he’d wandered into a park.

No way.

The Association’s Sword.

Leader of the Silver Wing strike force.

The man who would eventually become one of the world’s strongest Awakeneds.

Neville.

Current S-Rank.

Future SS-Rank.

And, in Eden’s first life—

a monster who could crush opponents far above his own rank.

Neville took another step.

He looked at the destroyed port.

"I know this place is sort of old and abandoned but..."

"Did you really have to blow it to smithereens?"

Nobody answered.

Neville’s eyes sparkled.

"It’s actually kind of impressive, though..."

The mercenary stumbled backward.

"No..."

Neville looked at him.

The mercenary’s face twisted in terror.

"You..."

Neville sucked on his lollipop.

"Me?"

A sudden pressure arrived.

There was no visible attack.

No flash.

No explosion.

Nothing.

Yet the mercenary suddenly collapsed.

His knees slammed into the ground.

His remaining hand dug into the earth.

His entire body shook violently.

Blood began leaking from his eyes.

Then his nose.

His mouth.

His ears.

He screamed.

"AAAGH!"

Eden’s eyes widened.

’What is this pressure?’

It wasn’t Essence he could see.

It wasn’t anything like Sonne’s Ice Lord’s Soul.

It was simply overwhelming.

The mercenary’s body was being crushed by something invisible.

Neville frowned.

"Stop being such a crybaby."

He tilted his head.

"You’re hurting my ears."

The mercenary’s scream became strangled.

Kael weakly crawled from his crater.

His arms hung uselessly.

He looked up.

And smiled.

"You came."

Neville glanced toward him.

"Of course."

"My junior asked for my help, after all."

Kael laughed weakly.

"I knew you would come."

Neville’s expression softened for a moment.

Then he looked at Eden.

"So you’re the wonderboy."

Eden blinked.

"Huh...?"

"The wonderboy Assistant Manager Choi keeps talking about."

Neville pulled the lollipop from his mouth.

"You’re Eden, right?"

Eden nodded.

"Neville."

He already knew.

Neville smiled.

"Nice to meet you."

Eden looked at the battlefield.

"How did you..."

He stopped.

There were too many questions.

Neville seemed to understand.

"You don’t need to worry."

He pointed casually toward Eden.

"Your sister’s safe."

Eden froze.

"What?"

"The Association strike team rescued her."

His voice was almost ridiculously casual.

"She’s at a nearby hospital. They’re checking her over now."

Eden stared at him.

"She’s..."

"Alive. Unhurt."

Neville smiled.

"They’re checking whether she was poisoned or drugged, but physically? She’s fine."

Eden’s shoulders dropped.

A breath escaped him.

He hadn’t realized he’d been holding it.

His entire body suddenly felt lighter.

"Mihui..."

He closed his eyes.

"Thank God."

For the first time since arriving at the warehouse, Eden felt the knot in his chest loosen.

Then Kael spoke.

"Wait."

Eden looked at him.

Kael’s expression had become serious.

"If the strike team rescued Mihui..."

He looked at Neville.

"...who’s dealing with the person responsible?"

Neville blinked.

"Hm?"

Kael’s expression hardened.

"Aprodius."

Neville’s smile returned.

"Ah, you mean that old hag?"

Kael waited.

Neville lazily answered.

"Levi."

Kael stared.

"...Levi?"

"Yep."

Kael’s face became increasingly concerned.

"You’re serious?"

"Do I look like I’m not?"

’...No comment.’

"Are you sure that’s the right call?"

Neville shrugged.

"Why wouldn’t it be?"

"Because Aprodius has been an S-Rank for years."

Kael gestured toward the destroyed battlefield.

"And Levi only became an S-Rank a few months ago!"

Neville laughed.

"You’re underestimating Levi."

"I’m not!"

"You are."

Neville put his lollipop back into his mouth.

"He’s strong."

Kael frowned.

Neville looked toward the city.

"Besides..."

He smiled.

"He should already be finished by now."

Kael stared at him.

"You mean..."

Neville nodded.

"Yeah."

He glanced back toward the ruined battlefield.

"Levi’s probably already done with his side, too."