Chapter 859

Kishiar finally lowered his head and gazed down at Yuder, who lay with his eyes closed in utter defeat. It was a ghastly sight. In the moment of Hosanna's explosion, Yuder was covered in blood, his hair and body stained entirely red, his limbs twisted and torn beyond recognition.

But the most horrifying aspect was the new dark veins starkly visible against his blood-soaked skin. Darker than deep red, almost black, they spread like creeping vines across his face, body, even his tongue and eyes, leaving no part untouched. One could only guess the extent of their spread by removing his clothes, but the visible parts alone were enough to suggest a profound disturbance.

No one dared to respond to the pharmacist's comparison of him to a burst tomato. Just looking at Yuder's state, it was undeniable that he had pushed himself to breaking until he nearly shattered.

Kishiar noticed Yuder's arms, limp and exposed from his sleeves, as he fainted. Swollen unnaturally, the sight stirred a fresh wave of shock in Kishiar's heart, already beyond surprise.

Who among those who had seen Yuder wield his sword earlier could believe that his arms were in such a condition? Even Kishiar himself hadn't realized the extent of the damage at first.

Yuder's unbelievable appearance, seemingly unscathed and upright till the last, his voice steady and his head held high despite being utterly crushed, was something to behold.

Kishiar closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He couldn't tell if he was smiling or what expression he bore. He had long surpassed the physical limits of endurance.

Receiving the purification stone from Nathan, used only in the direst moments, allowed him to absorb some divine power and keep his eyes open, but that was all. One eye, clogged with blood, was completely unable to see, and the other was immensely blurred. His overstrained spirit, entangled energies, screamed in agony, causing his vision to flicker into darkness repeatedly before returning.

Yet, until Yuder could accept his condition, Kishiar knew he must not fall apart in front of him. Despite his slow thoughts and foggy mind, he was there beside him. His vessel, for now, remained intact.

‘...It's been a long time since I've felt this,’ Kishiar mused.

Had he ever taken such a forefront role before?

‘No.’

He had never exerted himself to this extent.

‘Not at all.’

Kishiar La Orr was more familiar with the world beyond the board, overseeing all strategies at a glance. He was accustomed to sitting in the corners of the imperial palace, inside the walls of Peletta Castle, within the Cavalry, observing and maneuvering the game.

Yet he always wished that someday he would descend onto the board and move freely. When he recently had the chance to exert his strength as he desired, he experienced a longed-for sense of liberation and thrill.

But what about now?

"..."

Kishiar was confronted for the first time with the gap between what he had only theorized in his mind and the reality of facing these things firsthand. The difference between anticipating the harm in attacks among others and witnessing a loved one bear the brunt of an attack he had launched was immeasurable by any prediction or number.

However, in stark contrast to Kishiar, Yuder moved with a calm familiarity as the situation grew more dire. He stood like a lone flag planted firmly amidst a battlefield riddled with failures and flaws.

His demeanor exceeded everything Kishiar thought he knew. Yuder's face, too familiar with despair, anger, the smell of blood and metal. Swallowing the emptiness faster than anyone, his black eyes, cold and emotionless, made him seem more like the battlefield itself.

It was a sight both awe-inspiring and painful.

Focused solely on his goal, excluding everything else.

This must have been Yuder in the 'previous game'.

Back then, Yuder appeared almost deaf to the world around him, engulfed in the compulsion to resolve the remaining cracks, barely acknowledging even Kishiar's words. Even the familiar Cavalry members were genuinely frightened by this state.

The arrival of Yuder's especially cherished and loved comrades was timely. Kishiar tactfully stepped back, allowing them to talk to Yuder without minding him. He wanted to encase and protect the wounded Yuder in his own voice and touch, but he knew sometimes more effective methods lay outside his own.

The pharmacist, who cherished Yuder like a chick he had personally raised, Kanna, who could read the unspoken with ease, and the members who never retreated regardless of Yuder's state, helped Yuder slowly return to his normal self.

Observing from a distance, Kishiar also found a moment to assume a semblance of normalcy, issuing orders to Nathan Zuckerman and Gino, and receiving the purification stone.

Nathan Zuckerman, while handing over the purification stone, struggled to understand Kishiar's intentions.

"...How can you endure any longer here? Please reconsider. Your Highness needs immediate treatment."

Kishiar shook his head.

"Why..."

"What I need now is not healing, Nathan. You might not believe it, but I don't think I'll die today. There's something more important than that here. So for now... I need to be here."

Yuder was still standing, not yet completely reassured. Thus, Kishiar too had to remain.

Even if they no longer had the strength to protect each other, they knew through an innate understanding that this was a moment they both needed.

And as a result, Yuder was finally in his arms, his eyes fully closed, no longer able to worry about what followed.

"..."

Kishiar hugged Yuder a bit tighter, a bit deeper, breathing out. The heat radiating from Yuder in his embrace was intense, almost melting the hail that fell around them. Kishiar gently wiped the droplets rolling down Yuder's cheek, softly pressing his forehead to Yuder's.

This was all he could do now.

‘And one more thing...’

Watching over the brilliant light that Yuder and he had prepared, overcoming the darkness.

High above in the distant sky, monsters began to emerge through the crack that had started to open. Unlike the giant one that had appeared over the southern branch before, these creatures were small and clustered together, black as night, resembling swarms of insects or clumps of dust.

"---!"

Flames burst towards the sky, piercing through the darkness and the weather. The people's cries echoed through the tumult.

And amidst this chaos, Kishiar faintly smiled as he spotted Enon and Lusan rushing towards the scene, undeterred by the commotion.

"All of them are the fruits of your efforts. Even I am a part of it..."

It was strange. Despite the perilous, unpredictable situation, there was an unshakable feeling that they wouldn't lose.

What would Yuder say if Kishiar shared this thought with him? Kishiar pondered this unanswerable question for a moment before dismissing it.

"Emon! Three behind you!"

"Got it!"

Sunz and Emon faced each other, fighting deftly with their powers. Unlike before, they didn't seem terribly frightened by the monsters. It wasn't that they were completely fearless, but rather it felt as if fear itself had been lost, leaving them devoid of any sensation of it.

And it made sense...

"Kill them! Just kill them all!"

"If you can't handle even that, get out of the Cavalry! Hand in your badges, you cowards!"

How could they be afraid when members of the Cavalry were rampaging around them, more ferociously than any monster, as if driven mad?

The Cavalry fought with a ferocity as if they were immune to pain. When monsters attacked, they didn't flinch or protect themselves; instead, some would willingly offer an arm, luring the creatures in for the kill.

In this almost demonic fervor, Sunz recalled the unbelievable sight of Yuder Aile he had witnessed earlier, as if a phantom from a distant memory. The ferocity and resolve in Yuder's eyes, the unwavering spirit amidst chaos and destruction, echoed in the actions of the Cavalry members. Their relentless assault, devoid of fear, mirrored that of Yuder's indomitable presence on the battlefield.

The sight was as inspiring as it was terrifying. The Cavalry members, once mere soldiers, now fought with a grim determination that transcended ordinary human limits. Each one seemed to embody the same relentless spirit that Yuder Aile had shown, a testament to the influence of his unyielding will and the legacy he had created within the ranks.

In this maelstrom of violence and valor, Kishiar, Sunz, Emon, and the rest of the Cavalry members stood as the last line of defense against the monstrous onslaught, their courage a beacon of hope amidst the encroaching darkness.