Ch.23Ep.23: Living Flame

“Where is the commander’s location?”

“It hasn’t been precisely determined yet. The otherworlders say they’re completely in the dark as well.”

Tiaran frowned.

She had moved with certainty, not based on rumors.

Only Radios alone would leave a message saying the Guardian Spirits had returned.

Could the otherworlders have fabricated it?

Nonsense.

Rather than attempting such a deception, they would have combed through Kadinant to exterminate the Guardian Spirits.

And on top of that, they destroyed the Tulcha Order just to gather the remnants of the Guardian Spirits in one place?

That would be an incredibly self-defeating move.

The Tulcha Order was the largest order governing Nosret.

Would they so easily abandon Nosret, a strategic stronghold?

That’s impossible.

“Have you… checked near the Demonic Prison?”

“You know as well as I do, Commander. How insane those demons are behaving.”

Tiaran shook her head at the response from Jirk Acer, the one-eyed man who served as Deputy Commander of the 3rd Division.

Demons.

She hadn’t directly encountered them since joining the Guardian Spirits.

But according to that traitorous bitch Serena, the former 1st Division Commander…

She once said she’d rather disembowel herself than fight demons.

If they were to disturb the demons running rampant in Kadinant?

The Guardian Spirits would be completely destroyed.

“Still, we’re gradually expanding our search area from the Demonic Prison’s territory. If all else fails… we’ll have to enter the Demonic Prison.”

“I see.”

Her worries were immense.

It had been three months since they arrived in Nosret, trusting only in Radios.

If Radios didn’t appear, the worst situation could unfold—

Just as she was thinking this.

Jirk, who had activated his tracking skill, saw Arsia in the distance and shouted.

Beside her was a man wearing a hood and a pretty young girl.

“Commander!! The Chief is coming!”

“Is that true?! The Chief is coming?”

“Yes! Arsia says she’s coming with the Chief and some child!”

Tiaran smiled naturally at Jirk’s excited words.

Finally, she could meet him.

After enduring three years of humiliation, she would finally meet him.

But before being Radios’s friend…

Tiaran was his subordinate and the 3rd Division Commander of the Guardian Spirits.

“Everyone prepare to welcome the Chief!! Form ranks!”

***

“I was right, wasn’t I?”

“Yes… there is indeed a traitor.”

Looking at the Guardian Spirit comrades in the distance, including Tiaran, who had come to greet them.

Radios could tell there was a traitor among them.

How did he know? Let’s find out about that later.

“Did you give Tiaran a heads-up?”

“Yes. I told her not to reveal that Brina is a demon.”

If news spread that a demon was traveling with the Guardian Spirits, especially with their leader Radios…

It could trigger a truly irreversible situation.

The relationship between the Guardian Spirits and demons was still speculative.

Giving the Outer Gods’ order certainty would be a disaster beyond measure.

It would be more beneficial to keep the deal with the demons hidden.

For now, Arsia had used polymorph magic to slightly alter Brina’s appearance.

Tiaran would have informed everyone, but just in case.

As they finished their plotting and were about to enter the 3rd Division headquarters…

“Division, attention!”

Clack-clack-clack-clack.

The Guardian Spirit soldiers assumed attention position with precision at Tiaran’s signal.

“Everyone, to our eternal Chief! Loyalty to Radios Magnum!”

“Loy!! Alty!!”

Clack!

Without a single straggler, they saluted Radios.

Arsia also stepped forward with a slight smile, turned around, and saluted Radios.

Radios thanked them for their support and removed his hood.

His face was different from the Chief they knew.

But the Guardian Spirit soldiers didn’t question it.

Even if his face was different, even if his voice had changed, the man before them…

Was undoubtedly the same Radios Magnum who had led them on hopeless frontlines.

After three years, they had finally reunited.

“Thank you for returning, it’s an honor that you’ve returned like this, Chief!”

“Eternal glory to the Guardian Spirits! Eternal loyalty to the Chief!”

“Everyone… at ease.”

Radios suppressed the emotions welling up to his chin and spoke.

What should he say first?

Sorry? Thank you? Good to see you again?

He couldn’t think of any words.

Although modest compared to the Guardian Spirits of the past.

These were all people who remembered Radios and had endured until now.

What words should he offer them?

Squeeze.

“…Arsia.”

At that moment, Arsia took his hand to help him relax.

Feeling the familiar woman’s warmth, he was able to compose himself.

Like in the days when he proudly gave speeches before the Guardian Spirit soldiers.

Filling his throat with magical power, he shouted like through a megaphone.

[Everyone, thank you so much for enduring until now.]

First, he bowed 90 degrees to express his gratitude to them.

They wanted to tell him that wasn’t necessary, but they held back.

How could they inject personal feelings into the Chief’s speech?

[It must have been a difficult time. Probably even harder than I imagine.]

He had simply closed his eyes and been reborn.

But for them, it must have been a truly desperate and arduous time.

[You’ve fought admirably until now. From now on… the time for counterattack will come! I, Radios Magnum, declare in this place!]

Boom.

As he stomped his foot, magical power flowed through the ground, making the earth vibrate.

[To the enemy forces of the Outer Gods’ order!! A declaration of war!]

“Wooooaaahhh!!”

[They have destroyed our homeland! What must we do?!]

“We must drive them out!”

[We are the Guardian Spirits, gathered to protect Kadinant!]

“Radios! Radios! Radios!”

A cauldron of excitement swept through the Guardian Spirits.

Though weaker than their past might.

Some were still imprisoned in jails managed by the Outer Gods’ order.

Some had lost their lives in past battles.

And there were also traitors.

But what did that matter?

Their leader had returned.

The legend of Kadinant, Radios Magnum, had returned.

Things would be different from the past.

The difference would grow between those who rush in to take without looking back.

And those who have much more to protect.

[In this place, I proclaim the resurrection of the Guardian Spirits!!]

“Wooooaaahhh!!!”

Along with Radios’s declaration, thunderous cheers enveloped Nosret.

Even the members of the Extreme Power Sovereign, Ahpoom Ja’s order, who were still vacating their rooms in Nosret, heard this sound.

One man asked the apostle:

“Apostle… is this really the right path?”

“Damn it! This is what Lady Ihyun ordered! We need to focus on leaving Nosret as quickly as possible! Who knows when that madman will set it off!”

Ahpoom Ja’s apostle, Nguyen Tichang, couldn’t help but be irritated.

What? Summon Cthuga to Nosret to eliminate the Guardian Spirits?

“Damn it! Do you know how much effort Petrik and I put into taking control of Nosret!”

Nosret was basically home to magical beasts that had grown resistant to the bitter cold.

Dealing with them was no easy task.

After making Nosret livable, now what?

Summon Cthuga and tell them to leave if they don’t want to die?

Truly, if it hadn’t been Namgung Ihyun who said it, he would have protested multiple times.

But Nguyen and the other otherworlders knew.

Why she was called Namgung Ihyun of the Thousand Killing Stars.

And that they didn’t even want to face her outside of battle.

The Archbishop Mir by her side was abnormal.

No one wanted to challenge Namgung Ihyun’s terrible personality.

Moreover, which deity did she serve?

The Boundary Dweller, Yog-Sothoth.

The one who exists only once in the past, present, and future.

Serving someone with such an insane title, who held the position of leader among the Outer Gods.

Even the apostles of the other three major orders had to yield before her.

For Nguyen, who was struggling in the lower ranks, there was no choice but to follow orders.

“Just you wait, you damn woman…”

As Nguyen Tichang nursed his grudge against Namgung Ihyun.

The scene shifts back to where Radios was.

“W-what?! Who’s the traitor?”

“You’d think it’s impossible, right?”

“Of course! How… how could…”

Tiaran had a private meeting with Radios.

She was able to hear how he had lived until now.

Especially when he brought up the story of the gods, she too was furious.

When he mentioned making deals with demons, she wore a dumbfounded expression.

And the next topic was about the traitor.

The method of identification was none other than Brina’s horns.

People who could see her horns were good people.

Those who couldn’t were bad people.

At first, he acted nonchalantly to protect her innocence.

Surprisingly, Brina’s horns could distinguish between good and bad people.

That is…

“They can distinguish between those who support Kadinant and those who support the otherworlders. That was my conclusion.”

“That’s impossible! No matter what!!”

“Tiaran. Don’t think with your emotions. I too… was betrayed by Serena, with a knife stabbed into my heart.”

“..!”

When Radios brought up the story about Serena.

Tiaran gritted her teeth but remained seated.

Right.

Honestly, the person who would feel the greatest sense of betrayal would be none other than Radios.

During his time with the Guardian Spirits, he focused solely on them.

And yet.

His heart was split by the sword of the 1st Division Commander, the person he trusted most.

The sense of betrayal Tiaran felt…

Would be less than the emptiness he must have felt.

“So… what are you planning to do? Based on the circumstances…”

“He’ll trigger it soon. I think the incantation is finished and it won’t be long before he infuses magical power.”

Summoning means death.

Even knowing this, he would have no choice.

Because the otherworlders were holding his family hostage.

Of course, Radios and Tiaran didn’t know this fact.

“Call him now.”

“…Understood.”

At Radios’s command, Tiaran squeezed her eyes shut.

Then, putting on a poker face, she brought in a man.

“I heard you called for me, Chief?”

“Come here and sit down, Jirk.”

Yes. He was none other than…

The Deputy Commander of the 3rd Division and the one who had worked alongside Tiaran Darkmoon for a long time.

Jirk Acer.