Ch.132Chapter 132

While Vice Commander Marenne and the Outer God were facing off with their attention on each other, I checked on the Commander’s condition.

Even in this situation, the Commander kept her head bowed.

But only after getting closer could I see that her expression was somehow different from the terrified look she had earlier.

Yes, if I had to describe it, she looked like she was contemplating something while in pain.

“Commander?”

When I carefully called out to her, she slightly turned her eyes to look at me.

For a moment, I almost gasped.

The look in the Commander’s eyes as she gazed at me was unusually calm, unlike her normal self.

Come to think of it, she had been trembling continuously until she got slapped by the Outer God, but it seemed like that trembling had subsided from the moment the Outer God grabbed her face and forced her to make eye contact.

Bang!

By that time, the Vice Commander’s greatsword and the Outer God’s double-headed axe were already clashing.

The impact made the furnace shake violently as if it might collapse.

As debris started falling from above, I covered the Commander with my body to protect her since she had no protective gear.

The Vice Commander and the Outer God were staring at each other fiercely, having closed the distance between them.

Despite this, the Outer God still gazed at the Vice Commander with a vile smile, as if believing the advantage was still his.

I wasn’t completely ignorant of what that look meant.

In the end, losing the War God would be our loss.

He probably thought he could manipulate us since he held control over the War God.

“Huaaah!”

Perhaps because the Vice Commander’s strength was greater than the War God’s physical power?

With an explosion of force, the Vice Commander pushed the Outer God all the way outside the furnace while maintaining their locked position.

He must have judged that fighting inside might cause the furnace to collapse.

I felt reluctant to leave the Commander behind, but since the Vice Commander was in immediate danger, I had no choice but to head outside the furnace.

“Commander, I’ll follow the Vice Commander.”

After saying that, I immediately went outside the furnace.

But was it just my imagination?

That brief, sad, hollow laugh I thought I heard.

#

The duel between the Vice Commander and the Outer God intensified as soon as we got outside the furnace.

The Vice Commander’s sword seemed to resonate with his Meditation, vibrating so strongly that it left afterimages.

It transformed into something like an electric sword, creating ear-piercing sounds whenever it collided with the Outer God’s double-headed axe.

The Outer God fighting against such a sword was no pushover either.

Or more precisely, it was the War God’s body.

One wrong move and he might lose grip of his axe due to the vibrations, but he somehow endured, grimacing, and even nearly managed to strike the Vice Commander’s neck.

“Vice Commander!”

It didn’t seem wise to leave things as they were.

According to the Commander’s previous explanation, the Vice Commander and the War God were equals.

Now the War God, empowered by the Outer God, would have a slight advantage.

I rushed toward the War God and swung my sword, but even in that chaotic moment, he spared one axe to block me.

The Vice Commander seized that opening to attack with his sword, but the Outer God blocked it with his other axe.

However, handling two opponents was clearly difficult, as the Outer God’s body trembled and his posture gradually crumbled.

Had he finally reached his limit?

“Kraaak!”

With a loud roar, he suddenly spread his body wide, the force sending me flying backward.

The force wasn’t that strong, so I quickly regained my balance and stood in place, but this had created an opening for the Outer God.

He quickly regrouped and wore a relaxed expression.

“How long do you intend to be so arrogant as to think you can capture this body alive? Haven’t you realized yet that even if you fight with the intent to kill, your chances are questionable!”

No longer trying to hide that he wasn’t the War God, he spoke with a cringeworthy manner, causing the Vice Commander to grit his teeth.

Since his identity was already exposed, was he trying to take us down with him?

He was truly a vicious Outer God.

But what made it more painful for the Vice Commander and me was that the Outer God’s words were realistic in our current situation.

The War God’s body was too strong to capture alive.

Even if we somehow managed to restrain him, he would find a way to escape and try to kill us.

And the biggest problem was how to extract the Outer God from that body.

“Vice Commander.”

“What’s with that look, Tanthyn? Don’t tell me you’re suggesting we give up on the War God? We almost succeeded just now! If we can bind that body and extract only the Outer God…”

“How do you plan to extract the Outer God?”

The Vice Commander gritted his teeth at my question.

“That’s…”

“It’s truly the worst thought, but… if that body is already just a shell, and it’s been taken over…”

“Enough!”

The Vice Commander shouted, cutting off my words.

When was the last time the Vice Commander, who had always lived suppressing his emotions, showed such feelings?

But it couldn’t be helped.

At this point, there seemed to be no way to stop the Outer God.

I understood the pain of losing a comrade before one’s eyes, especially having to kill them with one’s own hands…

But to protect Rondan, to prevent losing something even greater.

This might be the only way.

“I express my regrets, Vice Commander. But inevitably…”

“No, there’s no need for that.”

As I was speaking, empathizing with the Vice Commander’s sorrow, an unfamiliar voice came from behind.

No, the voice itself was very familiar.

However, the power contained in that voice made it feel strange.

The Vice Commander, upon hearing that voice, suddenly widened his eyes and slowly turned his head to confirm the owner of the voice with his own eyes.

In the direction from which the voice came.

“I’ll handle this from now on, Vice Commander.”

The Commander.

She was walking toward us with a demeanor quite different from the ditzy appearance I had known.

“You’ve gone through a lot because of me.”

After giving such a wistful smile, the Commander soon frowned and glared at the Outer God.

The Outer God, upon seeing this, suddenly began to contort his face.

An indescribable rage emanated from him.

“Y-you damned woman! Are you pretending to be fine now? Because of you, countless comrades have suffered…!”

But the Outer God couldn’t continue his words.

The Commander had instantly approached him and grabbed his mouth.

For some reason, the Outer God looked down at the Commander with a pale expression he had never shown before.

The Commander gently embraced him.

“Being that has suffered terribly because of me. Now return to where you belong.”

With those words, both the Outer God’s body and the Commander’s body began to glow.

Looking at the navy light they emitted made me feel momentarily dazed.

Was this the final declaration for the Outer God?

As soon as he saw the light, the Outer God began to violently shake his body.

“Let, let go! Let go of this! How dare you, thinking you can end this like this? I cannot forgive!”

But unable to escape from the Commander’s power, the Outer God could only struggle in her embrace without actually escaping.

“No, no! T-to end, like, this…”

Finally, the Outer God couldn’t continue speaking and gradually went limp.

After holding the War God like that for a while, the Commander finally withdrew the light and laid the War God on the ground.

The War God’s complexion was so pale with his eyes closed that at first glance, it seemed he had met an unfortunate end.

The Vice Commander’s expression was extremely complex.

Questions about the Commander’s state, the fallen War God.

These two emotions seemed to clash, consuming his reason.

Perhaps to reassure the Vice Commander?

“The War God is alive. He’ll wake up perfectly fine after sleeping for about a week.”

At the Commander’s words, the Vice Commander finally exhaled deeply, seemingly escaping from his emotional conflict.

But soon, he couldn’t help but hold his breath again due to what suddenly happened next.

Grab.

Time seemed to stop, becoming silent.

No one could speak.

To some, this might look like a ridiculous romantic comedy, to others, a serious romance.

But looking at this scene, I could say:

What was unfolding before my eyes was definitely a touching story that made my heart ache.

“Vice Commander.”

“Com-mander.”

The Commander, who had broken the Vice Commander’s posture and embraced his head, was smiling with her eyes closed.

Despite her seemingly joyful appearance, tears were slowly flowing from her eyes.

“I’m glad I could keep my promise.”

The Commander spoke with a clear voice despite the choked emotions.

“I’ve returned to your side, Vice Commander.”

The Vice Commander didn’t make a sound.

He just remained still, embraced by the Commander.

But I could tell.

From the moisture gradually seeping into the Commander’s clothes, I could understand how the Vice Commander felt right now.

“I’m sorry for making you wait.”

Without saying a word, I watched the War God whose complexion was gradually returning, quietly allowing them to savor their reunion.