Chapter 160 ·The Weight of Regret

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍publicly known Jin Crow was, without question, a martial-type.

His ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Special Armament was a jet-black longsword, while his secondary weapons were a military greatsword and a revolver.

And ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍that was not all.

Although ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍every record of his service during the Third Galactic War had been sealed as classified, one only had to look at his combat records over the past year as an instructor at the Central Special-duty Officer Academy to make an educated guess.

No, ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍there isn't even any need to go that far.

Just ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍moments ago, what he had displayed in the Second Pure Land Tunnel had been the unmistakable fighting style of a typical martial-type.

That was why those who knew him could not help but doubt their own eyes.

No.

Even those who did not know him were no different.

The scene unfolding before them was...

“...Is that even possible?”

Yes.

It was something so bizarre it could only be described as an anomaly.

A martial-type displaying the abilities of an ability-type.

If one did not call something founded upon an impossible premise an aberration, then what else could it possibly be called?

Clanggggg!

Chains tore through space itself, carving cracks as they descended along Ean Jung's path.

Kwadududududeuk!

The chains ripped through asphalt as though it were paper before piercing straight through buildings.

Twisting his body, Ean Jung scattered black flashes as though vomiting them out.

However...

The firepower he had displayed before failed to manifest.

Damn it!

Ean Jung bit down on his lip.

The nozzle torn from his mask dangled at his waist, while he scratched frantically at the maddeningly itchy burn scars before leaping upward atop the collapsed remains of a building.

“Tch!”

He hooked his finger around the trigger of the inverted weapon.

The handgun shimmering in midair like a shadow instantly expanded, taking on the form of an enormous rifle.

Its muzzle aimed directly at Jin Crow's head.

After adjusting his aim using the glowing targeting reticle reflected in his pupils, he gritted his teeth and pulled the trigger.

Kwaaaaaaaaaang!

His body, pursued relentlessly by the chains, tumbled through the air from the recoil.

At the same instant, the black flash surged toward Jin Crow, who stood proudly atop the mountain of rubble as though intending to swallow him whole.

“I-Instructor!”

“Get out of the way!”

Whether they had seen Ean Jung's attack before or were witnessing it for the first time, everyone shouted desperately toward Jin Crow.

Naturally.

The oppressive force carried by that black flash was overwhelming enough that no one would have been surprised if it had instantly devoured and torn him apart.

“......”

Silently, Jin Crow stared at the black flash.

He casually removed his worn leather glove and tossed it aside.

Even as the black flash closed to within inches of his face...

He did not make the slightest movement.

“...Arrogance... No, confidence?”

Watching the scene with an unusually stiff expression, Baihong murmured absentmindedly.

Unlike everyone else, she instinctively knew.

That black flash simply did not possess enough destructive power to warrant caution from the man in the black military uniform who had suddenly entered the battlefield.

And her prediction...

“Pathetic, Ean Jung.”

...became reality through Jin Crow's indifferent voice, one filled with unmistakable disappointment.

Kwadududududeuk!

Black chains erupted beneath his feet, splitting the black flash apart before tearing it cleanly in half.

Kwaaaaaaaaaaaaaang!

The divided flash exploded as it grazed Jin Crow's cheek, sweeping violently across both sides of him.

Yet...

It failed to touch even a single strand of his hair.

Perhaps he realized it instinctively.

Ean Jung opened his mouth as though about to let out an enraged scream and hurl accusations at Jin Crow.

But the shadow falling over his head made him understand all too painfully just how meaningless those words would have been.

“Ah.”

“I regretted it every single day.”

Thud.

Jin Crow's calloused hand roughly covered Ean Jung's face.

And through the gaps between those fingers...

Countless emotions flickered across Jin Crow's darkened face.

“I wondered whether I should have killed every last one of you that day.”

Regret piled upon regret.

The weight he carried dragged Ean Jung's body toward the abyss through that single hand.

Then Jin Crow's voice, growing ever more distant, slowly yet unmistakably pierced Ean Jung's heart.

“Should we never have been born?”

Kwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaang!

“Kuhk!”

Ean Jung's spine slammed into exposed steel reinforcement and bent grotesquely as a massive crater formed where he crashed into the earth.

Thick dust clogged his breathing.

Blood surged into his throat.

For the first time in a very long while...

The terror of death violently pierced his mind.

The dense dust swirled.

Ean Jung slowly watched Jin Crow's shadow approaching him.

Blurred vision.

A splitting headache.

Trembling fingertips.

Yet what tormented him was not the pain of his broken body.

It was a single sentence Jin Crow had spoken.

—Should we never have been born?

Step.

Step.

The approaching footsteps gradually grew distant.

Then...

The back of the man from that day overlapped with the figure before his eyes.

“So...”

Resentment lingered upon his cracked lips.

Blood flowed down his chin like tears.

Looking up at Jin Crow's indifferent face standing over him, Ean Jung's lips trembled.

“So... did you abandon us?”

He raised his broken arm.

“No.”

Grabbing the hem of Jin Crow's trousers, he forced the words out.

“From the very beginning... besides Argoetia... was there ever anyone who truly mattered to you?”

At that moment...

Ean Jung saw it.

Those eyes that had remained so utterly indifferent...

Trembled.

Kwaaaaaaaaaaaaaang!

Had he possessed even a little composure, it would not have been difficult to realize what had happened.

The Hound members whose Collapse had progressed had rampaged throughout the aging warship.

How much damage had accumulated because of that?

“Ugh...”

But the situation had been unfavorable in every possible way.

Ean Jung's vision had narrowed from rage.

Furthermore, he had already grown exhausted after cutting down dozens of his brothers.

His emotions were unstable.

His body was exhausted.

No matter that he was considered a Quad Gear by National Army standards, there was no way he could emerge unscathed after being caught defenseless in such an explosion.

“Cough! Kuhk!”

Ean Jung staggered to his feet.

Beep, beep-beep-beep-beep—

The sporadic warning alarms only made his already pounding head ache even more.

Meanwhile, the ship's air circulation system, now engulfed in flames, only intensified the blaze.

Ordinarily, if a fire broke out aboard a ship, the emergency suppression system should have activated automatically.

Yet whether it had malfunctioned or not, there was no sign of anything except the blaring alarms.

Logically, he should have evacuated that section and forcibly sealed off the airflow.

Failing that, he should have escaped altogether.

But without the slightest hesitation...

Ean Jung threw himself back toward the corridor he had come through.

It was closer to instinct than reason.

“Jin...!”

The flames scorched the back of his neck.

His skin burned, regenerated, then burned again.

Still, he continued running through the corridor.

The explosion had occurred in the lobby where they had been standing moments earlier.

If that was the case...

Then Jin Crow could not have escaped unharmed either.

I have to get him out.

He himself could be replaced.

But Jin Crow could not.

Unlike officers and noncommissioned officers whose Collapse could progress at any time, however slowly, Jin Crow, as the battalion commander, was nearly a completed product, even if he still fell short of her.

Even if only for revenge.

The Hounds needed the man who stood at their center.

Especially today...

When so many of his brothers had shed their blood.

Perhaps because of that...

He did not even realize that the Psionic energy protecting his body had nearly run dry as he crawled over debris searching for Jin Crow.

The flesh of his palms burned away.

His fingernails tore off.

His dried eyes repeatedly blurred before clearing again.

How much time had passed in that living hell?

At last, as he reached the lobby where he had parted ways with Jin Crow, he spotted a familiar back standing in the distance where the flames had subsided.

He opened his mouth to call out—

“...Huh?”

At that moment...

He realized.

Standing beside Jin Crow beyond the smoke were unfamiliar soldiers dressed in black military uniforms.

There were no insignias identifying their unit.

The only distinguishing feature was a single golden button shaped like a rose.

Rosen?

Yet that alone was enough for Ean Jung to recognize where they belonged.

He had encountered them several times before.

Instinctively hiding among the rubble, he gathered every last trace of his remaining Psionic energy and listened.

“It's unfortunate things turned out this way, Captain.”

“...You can take responsibility for those words?”

“Yes.”

Then...

A name he could never forget reached his ears.

“If you come with us now, you'll be able to meet Argoetia.”

Argoetia.

The instant he heard that name...

Jin Crow followed them without hesitation.

As though he were willing to bet everything on that faint possibility...

Even if it were a trap.

Perhaps because he watched Jin Crow's back disappear farther and farther away...

Only then did Ean Jung open his mouth.

He called after Jin Crow.

No...

He tried to.

But at that moment...

He finally understood.

“...Ah.”

From the very beginning...

To Jin Crow...

The Hounds had never been anything more than a substitute for her.

Nothing more.

Nothing less.

Perhaps because of that...

Even as the flames grew ever more violent...

Even as the tears dried upon his face...

Looking at the countless Hound corpses lying at his feet...

Ean Jung laughed blankly.

“Ha... Haha...”

In the end...

He had made his choice.

It no longer mattered what became of the remaining Hound members, half-destroyed and left without direction.

All that mattered...

Was finding her.

Kwaaaang!

At that moment, members of Delta Platoon burst through the wreckage and shouted to him.

“Staff Sergeant!”

“Pull yourself together! We have to leave right now! Cough!”

Ean Jung did not refuse the hands of the Delta Platoon soldiers desperately pulling him through the flames.

“What about the transport ship?!”

“It was forcibly ejected by the impact just now!”

“Damn it... Then are the escape pods all that's left?”

“I know the way! Follow me!”

No...

It would be more accurate to say he was thinking about nothing at all.

Even so...

They refused to give up.

They brought Ean Jung to the escape pods.

And in the end...

They launched him to safety.

“...Ah.”

Then, immediately afterward—

Kwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaang!

Wolfsschanze exploded in a blinding flash.

And the final thing Ean Jung saw through the tiny window of the escape pod was—

“H-Haha... Hahahahaha!”

The goggles of a Delta Platoon soldier drifting through space.

And beyond them...

A transport ship escaping the explosion through a Hyperspace Jump.

“Ugh... Hah... Hahahahahahahaha!”

As though trying desperately to forget that ironic, miserable reality...

Ean Jung laughed for a very long time.

The Psionic energy that had barely regenerated only his vital organs was completely exhausted.

Scratching at the burned flesh covering his hands, neck, and jaw...

He twisted helplessly inside the cramped escape pod as he continued laughing.

“Hahahahahaha! Kahahaha! Ugh...!”

He dulled the agony of his burns with the liquor rolling around inside the escape pod, whose distress beacon had even failed.

He smoked cigarettes.

He stayed awake night after night with awakening drugs.

He dreamed countless dreams.

Dreams where the departing transport ship returned to rescue him.

Dreams where everything had been nothing more than a nightmare.

“......”

Yet among all those dreams...

The one that tormented him the most while bringing him the greatest happiness...

Was the memory of the very first Hound Platoon.

The days when he had followed Jin Crow as a Staff Sergeant.

〔Life Support Protocol operation restricted.〕

〔5 hours, 12 minutes, and 32 seconds remaining.〕

〔Strongly recommending an immediate rescue signal and power-saving mode for all nonessential facilities except mandatory life-support equipment.〕

One week passed.

He realized he was going to die.

Naturally.

The region where Wolfsschanze had remained was a desolate stretch of space where not even merchant vessels passed.

The escape pod's life-support duration was only one week.

And now...

Only five hours remained.

Perhaps because of that...

Twisting lips that could no longer even form a smile, he thought,

Rather than becoming lost forever in space...

Superhumans did not die immediately, even in outer space.

The Psionic energy remaining within their bodies prolonged their lives until the very end.

Which meant...

He would simply die more slowly than ordinary people while enduring unimaginable agony.

Blankly staring into space...

He placed his last remaining cigarette between his lips and lit it.

Sss...

Hoo—

Thick cigarette smoke spread throughout the cramped escape pod.

Slowly...

He drew his pistol.

And aimed it at his temple.

But at that very moment...

A rough voice echoed through the silence inside the escape pod.

〔This is Brigadier General Kim Cheol of the Red Hand. Is there anyone alive?〕

“......”

Ean Jung's finger froze on the trigger.

“...Ean Jung.”

Slowly lowering the pistol...

He gripped the communicator.

After a long silence...

He finally spoke.

“Staff Sergeant.”

It was nothing more than a futile obsession.

A desperate longing for something that had already been lost and torn away.

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