BTE (68) — Die For Me (Patreon)

A/N: Finished this in a rush, so forgive me if there are any confusing parts. I'll revise it more thoroughly tomorrow.

Giselle felt no pain, only heat and an overbearing, all-consuming pressure, the world seeming to explode into a kaleidoscopic vision of fire and silver. A hand pierced through lunar conflagration, grabbing her by the muzzle. 

Darkness crept up her vision. 

Leandro watched the reptilian body fall to the ground with a soft thud. "I wonder what you thought as you died. Was there still hope?" Leandro whispered to himself. He looked down at Giselle's mangled, bloody corpse. Her head was in his hand—he turned it over, drinking in her disfigured expression. "Your eyes tell me nothing." He tossed it aside. It rolled for a short distance and came to a stop, right in front of the stunned soldiers, who stared in complete silence.

They backed up, trembling with a mix of fear and hatred, looking at him as if he were the harbinger of the apocalypse itself.

“God, he’s so hot. His strength alone is enough to make my panties wet. And his body—ohh, his body.” Yuhee salivated. Nari frowned. 

Bada sneakily elbowed her ribs, which caused the older woman to huff and glare at her friend. “Don’t thirst~” She said, innocently. ‘Not without me.’ And then she amended, in her mind, obviously. 

Meanwhile, on the other side, the Galvathian soldiers were faring a bit worse. A bucket of cold water might as well have fallen over their heads. 

Some were in utter shock. And the most capable of the bunch had their minds filled with horror. Not at what Leandro just did to their leader, but what they knew would inevitably happen next. 

Leandro turned to face Giselle's soldiers. His glowing eyes flashed with an oppressive aura, making the Galvathians tremble before they even realized what they were feeling. For a race that got high at the thought of war, fear was almost an unfamiliar emotion. 

They all took a step back as a wall of pressure slammed into them with enough force to shatter a boulder. Leandro briefly eyed Giselle’s corpse. 

"Giselle's gone. What about all of you? I suppose you can avenge her death, and make this battle end faster. I've got a date with your boss, you know? I'd love to keep him company, but if I have to kill all of you, then that would only drag this on further, and that's the last thing I want to happen right now." He tilted his head, waiting, tapping the flat of his blade against his shoulder. “What's with that reaction? It's just one guy. Aren't you proud to die in the service of your Empire?"

Leandro pointed his sword at them. A pillar of Aura rose from his feet, surging all around him like a beacon. The Galvathians, sensing the growing threat, growled in panic and began to run off. Leandro was inwardly glad for that—he didn’t want to waste too much of his Aura by picking them off when a more sensible threat hung around in the sky. 

Besides, the military didn’t stay idle. 

From above, there were sounds of missiles flying, tanks, jeeps, and a bunch of military trucks. All of them had set off in pursuit of the stragglers. It wouldn’t be long before they all found and wiped the rest of the Galvathians.

And so, the battlefield was once again enveloped in a terrible silence, interrupted only by the faint sounds of screams and explosions in the distance, as well as the gentle murmuring and whispers of civilians and soldiers alike.

They looked at him in various states of shock, fear, and awe. This wasn't a movie with some poor CGI and green-screen. This wasn't some cheesy Hollywood-made fantasy movie where a chosen hero defeats the main villain through some clichéd trope or two, or because they happened to stumble upon some miracle plot-device at the right place, and the right time.

His power was real. The light that burst out of him, the humming energy that sliced and cracked solid concrete. All of that was real.

Leandro ignored them as he casually sheathed his sword and turned towards the large vortex hanging in the sky. He had half a mind to pour all of his Aura into a sword form and split the sky open, bringing down whatever was hiding behind it, but he didn’t have enough power for that yet. 

The moment he turned around, he was nearly knocked down by the stretched hands and arms that slithered around him. At the forefront was Yuhee, who was momentarily displaced by a racing Nari. She took possession of his left arm. Yuhee’s surprise cost her Leandro’s right arm as well, which was seized by Hari. 

Bada skipped past Yuhee, sticking her tongue out as she walked by. 

“Hey! What the hell!”

“......”

The trio clung to his arms. Hari stuck close to him like a pufferfish, rubbing her cheek against his upper arm. Nari was also not giving up his arm anytime soon. Meanwhile, Bada quietly joined Nari's side.

Yuhee, after much indignation, sauntered over with a smug smile and glued herself to Hari's back. “Don’t hog him all for yourself~”

Yuna heaved a deep sigh as she walked out, shaking some dust off of her. “Look at them. No self-control.” Her hair was a mess, no matter how many times she tried to smooth out her curls.

“Well... it isn't the right situation for that, but..." Myeong didn't care one bit about her frazzled look or the sweat trails on her neck. Yuna envied this aspect of her friend. "They've just gone through a traumatic situation. I guess it's fine..." She didn't sound too sure either.

There were corpses all around. Blood and brain matter. Explosions still rang out, yet they were in their own little world. A world that Leandro created with his Aura alone. 

Yuna didn't know what to make of Myeong's statement. Her friend was kind-hearted in all sorts of ways, but sometimes, the things she said made Yuna question her own sanity and Myeong's morality.

Leandro found his vision being dominated by four beautiful girls, one older woman and another one looking at him with sparkling eyes. A weight hung on either his left or right arm, as the others snuggled to him like there was no tomorrow. He awkwardly patted them on their heads. 

A disrupting cough brought their attention to Jinwoo, who stood there with an uncomfortable expression on his face. “I’m sorry to disturb you, but… would you mind following me for a moment? Our commander would like to have a word with you.”

He didn’t make eye-contact. His tone was lower, not exactly more submissive, but decisively more respectful. His gaze, as it darted from one side to another, held less of a smidgeon of arrogance as he realized, for the first time perhaps, that he was in front of someone that was a more dangerous threat than the Galvathians.

Leandro nodded. "Sure. Take the lead."

For the rest of the night, Leandro was quite popular with the military.

He was invited into a tent that was reserved only for commanders and vice-commanders. It was more spacious and well-furnished with the essentials. The interior was a stark contrast to the battlefield outside, with a large table at its center, maps and documents strewn across it.

“I kind of feel important, you know?” Bada commented with a slight chuckle. Nari rolled her eyes.

Yuhee scoffed. "That tent's not the only important thing in here~" She made a point of admiring Leandro, a suggestive smirk on her lips as she stared at his sculpted arms. Bada blinked, redirecting her sparkling eyes to the only man in their group.

Yuna rolled her eyes too, while Hari felt a growing sense of crisis. She exchanged a look with Nari, who had a frown on her face. 

Leandro opted to ignore the whispering behind him. 

The entrance to the tent was pulled open. The sound of boots echoed off the ground as a group of armed soldiers entered. The soldiers surrounding them were all armed, with their rifles at ready. They wore tense expressions, but their guns remained lowered.

One of them walked forward, stepping towards the center of the tent where Leandro and his companions stood. It was the man Jinwoo referred to as Commander. Jinwoo was slightly behind the man, and next to the Commander, on the other side, was someone Leandro vaguely remembered.

Leandro walked forward, unconsciously ushering the girls behind him. 

"You must be Leandro, right? I'm Commander Kim Joon-seok, and I'm in charge of this outpost. This is Officer Commander Lee Minho, from the NPA. You've met Private Park before." The commander gestured to the soldiers beside him, his voice stern and firm. "You look even more impressive in real life, I must admit." His rough visage softened into a chuckle.

Leandro tilted his head, curious. "You know me, sir?"

"I've spectacted some of your swordsmanship matches. I always harbored the bigoted thought that a sword is nothing but a flashy chunk of steel. It doesn't matter how good you are with it, a gun knocks faster and harder. But you changed my perspective. Oh yes, you did."

Jinwoo and Minhoo tensed up. It wasn’t only the both of them, the rest of the soldiers behind were staring at Leandro in cautiousness—Joon-seok had urged them earlier not to do anything potentially threatening. 

Leandro smiled, smoothly deflecting the compliment. "Oh, I still have a lot to learn. You know what they say, once you stop learning, you start dying."

The commander laughed heartily. "Spoken like a true swordsman!" He sighed, his tone taking on a more serious and respectful edge. He had been present when Leandro went on a rampage against the Galvathians. It was way beyond what humans could possibly achieve without extremely advanced technology. To do it with a simple sword meant only one thing. “You are a Challenger.” Joon-seok concluded, staring at him with a keen eye. “You must be one hell of a Challenger as well, from what I can sense.” It was as if some tangible pressure was being constantly released from Leandro. 

It was as if Joon-seok was in front of someone more than a simple human. It was an inexplicable emotion, something hard to wrap his head around, and harder to explain. 

Leandro arched one eyebrow. “Are there more of them here?” As far as he remembered, he didn’t meet any Koreans on his way up, but maybe they had simply missed each other. Or maybe it was some foreigner Challenger vacationing that happened to be around. 

“Oh, no.” Joon-seok waved his hand. “Not here in Seoul anyway. You’d be our only outsourced unit available at the moment. Of course,There isn’t any law compelling you to assist us.” He replied, shaking his head slightly. "But the truth is, our forces are stretched thin, and beyond you and your group, we have no one else who can help us through these dire times. Under normal circumstances, we would never seek assistance from someone without official authority in these matters, but we are not in normal times. The city is under siege, and our resources are dwindling fast. So, I'm putting aside protocol and pride to ask you and your companions for help."

Leandro said nothing as Commander Kim looked up. "Of course, we do not lack money. We can compensate for your help. Name a price. Anything, if it means keeping this city safe, I shall make it a priority that you are well-rewarded. While I don't have the means to do so now, I will see to it personally that your services are duly acknowledged."

Leandro remained silent for a moment, thinking to himself, while Commander Joon-seok stared intently. Money wasn't exactly an attractive offer, or a valuable one to him.

Bada looked back and forth. She exchanged looks with Yuna and Myeong, her lips trembling anxiously. "Leandro... are we going to refuse?"

Hari, who heard Bada, suddenly tugged at Leandro's sleeve with a soft whisper, a hopeful light glistened in her eyes.

Leandro stared at each one of the girls. Bada, Nari, and Hari seemed eager to help. Myeong as well. Yuna had a more complicated expression, and Leandro was nowhere patient enough to decipher what the older woman might have been feeling. As for Yuhee. Her purple eyes had a peculiar glint. Not a suggestive one, but one that suggested, alluded, at something there.

Yeah. Leandro met Joon-seok's expectant gaze. Money might be useless to him, but having someone like the commander's favor could be worth more than gold. Besides, it was not as if Leandro was really about to watch the city burn down. 

"You don't have to worry, Commander-nim." Leandro said, respectfully. "My sword will be at this city’s services. Take care of me.” 

Commander Joon-seok rubbed at the corner of his eyes. Relief was visible on the hardened visage of the older man, the sharp crease of his furrowed brows becoming significantly less pronounced as his body fell into a relaxed state.

He extended a hand. “No, we will be in your care, Leandro.”

Leandro shook it. “I’ll coordinate with you as much as possible, though I do hope you won’t mind me moving independently if I see it fit.” 

"Of course, of course. We appreciate any assistance you can render.” Joon-seok’s face was one of elation. It was as if a huge burden had been taken off his shoulders. “Our firepower has been very limited, and anything heavier has to go through a long supply line. There just aren’t enough soldiers around for defensive missions. Your contribution would mean the world to us at this moment. Make no mistake, Leandro. Your actions today have changed the course of history for the city of Seoul and even South Korea as a whole."

“Hmph.” Yuhee snorted quietly. “Only South Korea?”

Bada elbowed her again, causing the older woman to bristle in silence. 

“Now!” The commander said, jovially. “Allow me to see you to your tents. I’m sure you’re all tired. We don’t boast the finer amenities you might be used to, but please understand that most of our funds have been allocated elsewhere. For emergencies, that is. I promise, everything will improve as soon as the military presence is solidified around Seoul. For the time being, food will be provided, at least twice a day. We have beds set aside as well. Nothing fancy, but it beats the hard ground outdoors, right?"

…

In the sky of Seoul, Gusilho, who had just watched Giselle being easily overpowered, sported an uncharacteristic and fearful frown on his reptilian visage. His crimson, slitted eyes narrowed. This Earthling could actually pose a threat. 

The power that human demonstrated was actually ridiculous. He might have been an outlier among his species, but still...

His claw clenched into a fist. 

Giselle was not among the top strongest in their empire, but she was no slouch either. 

She was an advanced unit that could be considered the core of any squad. “The fact that there’s someone in this lowly speck of dust strong enough to even make me wary is humiliating.” Gusilho hissed as he turned up to stare at the vortex. “But it doesn’t change anything. I’ll make that Earthling pay for making me feel this way.”

His tongue flicked out.

“Come on, it’s time for you to stretch your limbs a bit.”

Gusilho’s laughter overlapped with the cracking thunder.