Aher, the veteran and blood demon, lost his life in vain. However, Cluna was not in her right mind. She merely held the severed neck of her daughter, staring blankly.
…
Like a mother bird brooding over her eggs. Knowing full well it wouldn’t bring her back to life. Hans silently watched the scene. In this moment of crisis, he relied on others, not himself.
…
That alone was already a misstep. If he had used the power of the Dragon Heart instead… Perhaps he could have saved her. While he was deep in thought, a voice echoed again.
“The Guardian of the Forest has lost another family member.”
…
“……”
“If left as is, wouldn’t she break?”
…
“What do you want?”
…
He didn’t want to hear Time’s voice. The time that intervened and stopped time at that critical moment was hateful. And he truly loathed his own weakness that made him depend on that power.
Hans swallowed his anger and humiliation, forcing himself to speak. As a Commander, personal feelings didn’t help. Because something crucial was important right now. Especially if it was the life of a comrade…
“How was the power I lent you earlier?”
…
“……”
“It was the highest, wasn’t it? Yes, that power transcends even time.”
…
It was frustrating, but Hans couldn’t refute Time’s words. The power he had used before was extraordinary enough to surprise even himself. And it was a power that could deny even death.
“Tell me the cost.”
…
“You have two choices. One is to give up the Dragon Heart. If so, Kim Seong-hyeon will likely be safe.”
…
“……”
“But can you really survive the upcoming battles without the Dragon Heart? I don’t think so.”
…
Hans couldn’t deny that statement. No matter how absolute the power of time was, there were limits if basic skills didn’t support it. Hans knew this all too well.
“It’s time to decide for sure. Is it Hans? Or is it Kim Seong-hyeon?”
…
The heart. It’s not just an organ. Just as we express the chest as the heart. Just like he once told the fallen Guardian. The heart is a person’s soul, pride, and life itself.
…
In other words, Time was forcing him to choose. Will he live as Hans? Or will he return as Kim Seong-hyeon? Who would have thought he would have to ponder such a thing? Hans smirked.
At first, he just wanted to return to his original world. He didn’t want to live in a hellish world like this. Yet, he made it this far, experiencing various things with those guys.
“It’s already decided.”
…
“Really? Then…”
…
“But, before that.”
…
With determination, Hans’s rough hand gripped Time’s neck. The force in his hand choked Time. Experience pain for the first time twisted Time’s face.
…
‘I thought something became clear, but was it really that?’
Initially, Time was an untouchable being. If one were to be technical, it resembled a god. Yes, it was such a transcendent being. But not anymore. Of course, it still wasn’t an ordinary life form.
…
Yet the overwhelming sense of transcendence he felt before had vanished. It seemed like Time was gradually coming down from being a god, accepting his body. Then, who am I right now?
…
But Hans brushed aside such thoughts. What mattered was not that. He had to pay the cost for the deal made just moments ago. Staring daggers at Time, Hans spoke.
“A deal requires trust. Why should I trust you, who stopped time arbitrarily earlier?”
…
“Guh, right. Sorry about that.”
…
“No, I need a proper apology.”
…
“Cough, cough… Of course, that’s only right.”
…
Having escaped Hans’s grip, Time realized what she must do. She calmly knelt, touching her forehead to the ground. Watching that, Hans was lost in thought.
…
This was not a good situation. Ideally, one should smile on the outside while sharpening knives on the inside. However, who can make rational judgments every day?
…
Especially at this moment when a comrade had died. So, for now, he decided to abandon reason. Hans lifted his foot and stomped on Time’s head. In truth, he wanted to kill her right then.
…
“It’s not this superficial apology that matters.”
…
“I’ll make sure this doesn’t happen again.”
…
“On what basis should I trust you to make that happen?”
…
“I told you, didn’t I? You’re already a being beyond time.”
…
“……”
…
“That is a power that even I can’t surpass. I was just temporarily holding onto it.”
…
As a river flows and reaches the sea, it ultimately becomes the ocean. It was impossible to intervene with a more powerful force. Having heard Time’s words, Hans slowly lifted his foot from her head.
…
The killing intent he wanted to unleash was held back by what little sanity remained. If he killed Time here, he didn’t know what consequences would follow. Losing his abilities was the least of his worries.
…
The world might contort greatly. That would be troublesome, so despite his rage, Hans stepped back. He let out a sigh. After all, a deal is a deal; there was no choice.
“Take Kim Seong-hyeon’s heart.”
…
“Excellent choice.”
…
“Shut up.”
…
He knew that this ambiguous stance wouldn’t work anymore. But even his already low trust had completely vanished. One day, when all this was over…
…
Hans shook his head. Focus on now. He turned and walked towards Cluna. Cluna sat staring blankly at the sky.
…
It seemed she had completely lost her mind. Well, that was understandable. Her last remaining blood kin had died. However, even in such a situation, Cluna reacted to Hans’s returning figure.
…
“Commander…?”
…
“Later.”
…
Even in an extreme situation like this, she recognized him. Hans felt a crushing weight in his chest. This was responsibility. They believed in him and were risking their lives.
…
But he hadn’t done so.
…
This was probably the price of his complacency.
…
So,
…
Now it was time to face it head-on.
…
Hans’s hand touched Clara’s head, which had turned cold from losing all its blood. As if petting a child. At the same time, the sound of clockwork turning echoed.
…
Time reversal.
…
*
He wanted to be recognized by his mother.
…
That desire, in some ways, is a very simple story. He wanted his mother to look at him. To talk to him, and allow him to do what he wanted. He wished his mother would do that.
…
He knew. The situation was like that now, but even if it was the whining of a foolish child. He also wanted to help his mother. His mother was strict, but she was kind in her own way.
…
When she trained him strictly in front, at night, after training, she would apply ointment to his calloused hands, adding various words. Such clumsy kindness, he really liked that.
…
There was love in his mother’s gaze when she looked at him. But at some point, that gentleness disappeared. Only fear remained. The fear of losing the only child left. That must be it.
…
At some point, it seemed they began to go off track. That was obvious. They didn’t understand each other and just repeated what they wanted to say. How could they not drift apart?
…
He only thought of himself.
…
If he could be recognized by his mother…
…
Perhaps then she would look at him.
…
He seems to have had such thoughts. But do you know? The first person to look at him after that was the Commander. You, who always evaluated him coldly yet faced each other.
…
He respected his will while never crossing a line. Perhaps he was swept away by that forest-like, vast, and rich heart. Looking back, he realized he had been relying on the Commander.
…
That shouldn’t have been the case. Of course, the Commander is incredibly strong. The first person to be acknowledged by his mother? But still, the Commander was also human. Someone who could get hurt and die at any moment.
…
The moment he heard that the Commander had died, ironically. He reflected on everything he had done so far. His complacency, hiding under the Commander’s shade, made the Commander die.
…
He couldn’t endure it.
…
For three years, it felt like he had been unable to die, living on. While believing the Commander wasn’t dead, a part of him constantly worried about what if he really was. After all, they were blood demons, right?
…
Thinking he might have truly died, unbearable rage surged within him. So he thought, at least he’d kill all the blood demons. Then he’d die alongside them. He thought the same that day, I’m sure.
…
Although he knew it was a trap, he didn’t care. He was even pleased with the thought of being able to exterminate them all at once. However, while fighting hard, he heard familiar footsteps from behind. The ones he had always heard.
…
The footsteps he could never forget. Naturally, he had no choice but to turn his head. It felt like his mind was going blank. The Commander, whom he had half-given up on, appeared before him.
…
If I meet the Commander again, what would I want to say?
…
Ah, right. It was that.
…
“Thank you for being alive.”
…
Surely he would be unable to speak it out loud. Yet the voice echoed from his vocal cords came out. How? He had a dumbfounded expression. The faces of two people looking down at him came into view.
…
“Clara!”
…
“Are you okay?”
…
Well, what should he say? Compared to his mother’s worried face shouting full of concern, seeing the Commander casually asking if he’s alright almost made him think it was fake. So, he checked.
…
His lips, which had risen like a trap, overlapped with the Commander’s. Only after feeling that warm warmth directly, could he finally reassure himself. Their Commander had finally returned.
…
Only then,
…
Clara was able to smile.
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