Chapter 858

"There were... circumstances. I did get hurt, but it's not that serious. Please, attend to the Commander first..."

"Not that serious? Who said that?"

Finally, Enon reacted to Yuder's words and retorted.

"..."

"Huh? Who said it's not serious? Are you a pharmacist? A doctor? Or even a priest?"

Eventually, Enon didn't just grab Yuder's arm but his collar as well.

"Do you really want me to show you what 'serious' looks like? Huh?! With you looking like this, you should be lying down pretending to be dead, not standing up and responding so clearly. Are you crazy enough to want to die?!"

His last shout was almost loud enough to shatter hailstones. Even Yuder Aile, the fearless recognized by Kishiar La Orr, knew that in this situation, it was best not to say more. This was beyond mere courage.

As Yuder was shaken by the collar in Enon's grip, chaos erupted around them.

"Sir Enon! Sir Yuder is seriously injured! Calm down and prepare for his treatment immediately!"

"Yes, pharmacist! Please calm down! Yuder might die at this rate! He already looks half-dead! Seriously, he might die!"

"Damn it! Everyone, back off! I can't let go because you're crowding and pressing on us!"

To the others, Enon's grip might have seemed rough, but in reality, it wasn't painful. He was actually creating space, preventing others from carelessly bumping into Yuder. His rough exterior belied a familiarity with saving and protecting lives.

After the commotion, Enon finally released Yuder's collar and exploded with frustration.

"You, no better than a spat-out tomato peel. If you don't want to collapse and die, don't move a step until I'm back and ready. Got it or not?"

"..."

"Look at you. Not answering, huh?!"

"It's not me, but the Commander. He's in worse condition. Please see to him first."

"You still don't get it, do you?!"

Yuder murmured so softly that only Enon could hear, moving just his lips. Enon's hand went to his forehead, shaking. His fierce yellow eyes darted towards Kishiar, then he exhaled a breath filled with rage.

"Both of you...! If need be, I'll handle it myself, so stop yapping and just lie down! What? You don't want to? Really now! Then at least sit down! And don't move from there!"

Enon's urgency signified that any more activity might lead to a grave outcome. Though Yuder had felt suffocating pain until the power of the Red Stone broke through some barrier, making it easier to walk and talk, Enon's reaction suggested otherwise.

But still, being likened to a spat-out tomato peel... Yuder couldn't recall hearing a more belittling description of himself. It was even worse than the earlier 'burst tomato' comment.

'No... they're both tomatoes. Maybe there's no difference after all.'

Amidst the severity of the situation, Yuder felt an inexplicable urge to smile, prompting Enon to contort his face like a demon.

"Finding this funny? While everyone else manages to keep themselves safe, why must you always sacrifice yourself like this?!"

Yuder felt compelled to object to that.

"That's not true."

"What?"

"I've never sacrificed myself. If I had been alone... it wouldn't have ended like this."

Enon seemed momentarily speechless, his eyebrows twitching. After a pause, he pressed his forehead and let out a deep sigh.

"Just be quiet for now. Stay put as if you're dead until I return. Understood?"

Once Enon had ensured Yuder was seated, he left, still seething with anger, taking a few members of the Cavalry to assist him with Lusan. Only then did Kanna approach cautiously, accompanied by the weary Ever and Eldore siblings and other familiar comrades. Among them were Sunz and Emon, who had followed General Gino, all of them too shocked to even speak.

'...This shouldn't have been such a big deal. The crack is about to open. Even though it has reduced to just one, the situation is still...'

"Yuder, I know what you're thinking. You're worried about that crack that hasn't disappeared yet, right?"

Kanna, kneeling close by, asked with a stern face.

"..."

In truth, Yuder had many other questions: whether the sage's side had been properly dealt with, if they were prepared for the monsters that seemed likely to emerge, whether anyone else had been injured in the meantime, how Gakane and Kurga, who had been carried away, were doing... But seeing Kanna's expression, he felt it might not be appropriate to ask.

"You'd say you haven't done enough yet, right? That's why you're pushing yourself beyond your limits. Because you don't think we're reliable enough."

"…That's not..."

Yuder shook his head, meaning to disagree, but Kanna's expression remained unchanged.

"No. You still don't trust us enough. That's the truth, and I won't deny it. If it weren't for you and the Commander, we wouldn't have been able to stay intact like this."

Kanna continued as if everyone there knew this already.

"The pharmacist is right. It's embarrassing and frustrating that among all of us here, only two are seriously injured, and those two are you and the Commander. I'm so angry I can't stand it. Everyone here feels the same. You know?"

Yuder was struck by Kanna's words, feeling a ripple of unfamiliar emotion.

"I won't ask you to trust us as much as the Commander right away. That would be like weak children begging for reliance. So, if you want to trust us, our job now is to rise and finish what you couldn't."

"..."

"Do we all agree?"

As Kanna slowly stood up, a ragged group of people, wet and wounded, unanimously responded with a mix of cold and fiery gazes.

"No need to ask that."

"It was obviously something we should have done."

"Let's go, hurry!"

"Yuder. See you later. After everything is over, I'll definitely tell you at the branch that there's nothing to worry about."

Ever spoke softly, patting Yuder's shoulder gently before withdrawing.

The companions turned and walked away. Yuder watched them leave for a long time before turning his head. Nathan Zuckerman and General Gino had disappeared at some point, and Kishiar stood alone, watching him.

"…Haven't you left yet?"

"I can't leave you behind."

His voice and demeanor seemed somewhat improved from earlier, but Yuder noticed something unfamiliar in Kishiar's hand. Upon closer inspection, it was a purification stone.

‘Nathan Zuckerman... was he the one who gave this?’

The ability to wield divine power would be greatly enhanced with a purification stone. The presence of a capable adjutant indeed made a world of difference, bringing much-needed relief.

‘But... what does it mean that he didn't go because of me?’ A little later, as he frowned slightly, blinking blankly, a realization dawned belatedly. 

Kishiar chuckled softly, "Truth be told, I'm all too familiar with situations where I wish to go out but can't. Nathan was nurtured for such occasions, like the Cavalry isn't he?"

Silence followed.

"Sometimes, when I cannot take direct action, I must learn to trust others. Right now, what's most crucial isn't to persist forcibly but to step back and prepare for the next move."

Slowly approaching, Kishiar sat down beside Yuder, undisturbed by the filthy, muddy ground.

"My beloved still doesn't quite understand what that is. So... I chose to stay here."

Beside someone who needs me the most, and whom I need the most.

Kishiar murmured, extending his hand to gently wrap around Yuder's shoulder without causing pain.

Their wounded bodies leaned against each other for support, shoulder to shoulder. Although Yuder couldn't fully grasp the meaning of Kishiar's words in his heart, he strangely felt his mind growing increasingly dull.

His body, once frozen stiff, began to relax. The blood, which had stopped flowing, seemed to start coursing through his veins once again, reawakening the pain he thought had subsided.

"Ah..."

So, it wasn't that he had gotten better; in reality, he had merely blocked out the sensation forcibly.

The numbness to pain in his body was rarely overwhelmed by such agony. Yet, this pain felt somewhat different from the torture he had experienced in the illusion.

Perhaps it was due to the warmth of the only person who chose to sit by his side even in this state.

The rage that had been boiling inside him finally extinguished completely. The gaping holes within him, too, slowly closed their mouths, quieting down.

Yuder, blinking sleepily, alternated between closing and opening his eyes. Finally, he stopped resisting the onslaught of sensations and surrendered his body entirely.