The Calua Imperial Army was flustered. Unexpectedly, the war was turning in Arwen Empire’s favor.

The reinforcement troops from Lazent Empire were problematic, but the outstanding magical engineering weapons were playing a massive role.

Originally, using the mana stone control device—which had been used to eliminate Tanashia Brellof—should have rendered the magical engineering weapons useless. Yet now, they remained completely unaffected.

As the situation turned unfavorable, Helsion could no longer stay idle.

“Bill, do something! The mana stone control device isn’t working at all!”

Unlike the impatient Helsion, Bill remained calm. After all, the second-generation children were still available.

No matter how powerful the magical engineering weapons were, if directed by the second-generation children—raised as human weapons—they could not be stopped.

“Do not worry, Your Majesty. I will personally infiltrate the Arwen Imperial formation and render their magical engineering weapons unusable.”

“…You have a method?”

Bill nodded and walked toward the map laid out inside the tent. He pointed with his finger to a cave located near the Arwen Imperial formation.

“This is it. A place I discovered during previous reconnaissance—it’s a cave leading directly behind the Arwen Imperial formation.”

It was a cave he and Ascan had found long ago while preparing for war against the Arwen Empire.

Until now, since the war had been going favorably, there had been no need to use it—but that was no longer the case.

Bill quickly explained his planned operation.

“I will lead the second-generation children to infiltrate enemy lines and swiftly destroy their magical engineering weapons.”

Though the number of second-generation children wasn’t overwhelmingly large, their steel-hardened bodies made them immune to ordinary attacks, enabling them to fight as one against a hundred.

If Bill led them to dismantle Arwen’s magical engineering weapons and disrupt their formation, the tide of battle would turn back in Calua Empire’s favor.

Helsion’s face brightened considerably as he nodded firmly.

“Good idea. Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Not immediately. If anything becomes necessary, I will inform you. Time is short—I will depart at once with the second-generation children.”

“Very well. If you successfully resolve this matter, I shall grant you a truly great reward.”

At Helsion’s words, Bill inwardly sneered.

His goal in winning this war wasn’t for Helsion’s sake—it was for revenge against him.

Yet, despite these inner thoughts, Bill bowed respectfully to Helsion and exited the tent.

Bill immediately led the second-generation children toward the cave, unseen by anyone. Since they needed to infiltrate deep within the Arwen Imperial formation, utmost stealth was required.

Fortunately, the location was quite distant from the battlefield, so few people were around.

Bill and the second-generation children hurried into the cave. It was while they were walking through the dim, shadowy passage that—

“I knew you’d come here.”

A voice suddenly rang out.

Bill unconsciously halted his steps. The voice was far too familiar—he couldn’t help but recognize who it belonged to.

Whoosh!

Instantly, a single flame ignited within the dark cave. It was not conjured by any of the second-generation children.

Though many in the world possessed pyrokinetic abilities, only one person besides the second-generation children could summon an undying flame like this.

“Brother…”

Just as Bill anticipated, Ascan’s face emerged from the shadows, illuminated by the reddish glow.

Bill had believed him dead, yet here he stood perfectly unharmed—so surreal it felt like a dream or an illusion.

Ascan spoke with a composed expression.

“Have you been well?”

“How did you get here, Brother…?”

“Sorry to disappoint you, but I’m not dead yet.”

Seeing Ascan—whom he’d thought lost forever—Bill’s heart clenched with unexpected warmth. But he couldn’t afford to linger in sentimental thoughts.

War was raging right now. Ascan’s sudden appearance here was certainly not good news for Bill.

Bill spoke, his expression darkening.

“Don’t tell me… you’ve been waiting here for me?”

Previously, Ascan had clashed with the second-generation children within Calua Empire. He clearly knew how powerful they were—yet strangely, he appeared completely relaxed.

“That’s right. I came to stop you.”

At Ascan’s reply, Bill unconsciously furrowed his brow.

Even now, just as before, he wished to avoid fighting him if possible.

Ascan was merely an obstacle he’d been forced to eliminate—not someone he truly wished dead.

“Brother, you still don’t understand. You cannot stop me or these children. So leave now, while you still can.”

It was the utmost consideration Bill could offer.

Initially, he couldn’t tolerate the thought that Ascan’s thirst for revenge had faded—but now, he’d accepted it. If Ascan wouldn’t interfere with Bill’s revenge, Bill wanted to let him go.

Somehow, it felt more comforting to know Ascan was alive somewhere else than to kill him himself.

Unaware of Bill’s inner turmoil, Ascan chuckled softly.

“You’ve grown up. Talking to me like that.”

“Brother, this is your last chance. You came back from death—you should know better. Don’t involve yourself in dangerous matters. Slip away quietly. I’ll pretend I never saw you.”

Pop! Pop! Pop!

Ascan answered not with words, but by summoning his undying flames.

Previously, Ascan could summon a maximum of seven flames—but now, astonishingly, that number had increased to nine.

Bill’s pupils trembled slightly as he registered the difference.

Ascan spoke quietly.

“You know what this means… but I can’t let you do it. I told you before—I will never abandon you or the lab children, no matter what happens.”

“Brother, you’re really going to…!”

Bill’s expression twisted in frustration. If Ascan insisted on blocking his path, fighting was the only option left.

Every moment counted now. Calua Empire couldn’t afford to waste time dawdling here if they hoped to win the war.

Reluctantly, Bill gestured to the second-generation children to attack Ascan. His voice lowered, heavy with resignation.

“Don’t blame me. This is the path you chose.”

The hypnotized second-generation children instantly charged toward Ascan like madmen upon receiving Bill’s command.

Thud-thud-thud-thud!

Ascan stood motionless as they rushed him—but his stance radiated no vulnerability whatsoever.

He opened his mouth.

“Let me be clear—I’ve never once regretted my choices. Whatever they may be.”

As he spoke, Ascan’s undying flames moved.

Bill naturally assumed Ascan would attack the second-generation children—but unexpectedly, the flames headed toward a completely unrelated direction.

Instinctively, Bill followed the trajectory of the flames with his gaze.

He hadn’t noticed in the dim cave, but countless incense candles surrounded the spot where he stood—as if Ascan had prepared them in advance.

‘What is this?’

Bill couldn’t comprehend why Ascan had placed incense candles here.

If Ascan had predicted Bill’s movements, planting explosives wouldn’t have been surprising—but incense candles? That made no sense.

The problem was, Bill knew better than anyone that Ascan never did pointless things.

While Bill hesitated, Ascan’s undying flames passed over the incense candles. Instantly, wicks ignited, and the cave filled with a sweet, cloying fragrance.

Bill stared, utterly bewildered.

“What… are you trying to do?”

“Still don’t get it? You used the Manoko Clan’s hypnosis technique on the second-generation children, yet failed to predict this?”

Hypnosis?

At that moment, a memory flashed through Bill’s mind.

Right after Helsion allied with the Manoko Clan, the first thing he obtained was an unidentified incense burner.

Bill and Ascan had suspected it was an incense designed to resist hypnosis.

Indeed, the Manoko Clan always used a special fragrance before casting hypnosis.

Bill’s face turned deathly pale—he finally understood what Ascan’s incense candles were for.

“No!”

Contrary to Bill’s desperate cry, the second-generation children charging madly toward Ascan suddenly froze—as if under a spell.

They groaned, clutching their heads as though splitting open, and collapsed onto the ground.

“Ugh… my head hurts so much.”

“Where… am I?”

Since human weapons required no sense of self, Bill had controlled them using hypnosis.

But clearly, Ascan had created an incense capable of breaking that hypnosis.

“Stop it right now, Brother!”

Bill pleaded desperately, but Ascan didn’t flinch.

Long ago, for Tanashia Brellof’s sake, Ascan had created and gifted a perfume that granted immunity to hypnosis.

This time, having studied the perfume stolen from Luphilmo, he developed an incense specifically designed to break hypnosis.

He knew that if the second-generation children awakened from hypnosis, they’d lose their former potency.

This cave was the perfect place to stop Bill.

Enclosed on all sides, the fragrance couldn’t escape outside—and the darkness ensured the candles would go unnoticed.

“Brother, please…”

Bill sank to his knees, defeated.

Though his skills were exceptional, the physical toll had long prevented him from summoning undying flames.

Without the second-generation children, he stood no chance against Ascan.

Thud… thud…

Ascan stepped past the collapsed children and approached Bill.

Bill squeezed his eyes shut. Death by Ascan’s hand was now inevitable.

But…

Wham!

Ascan struck Bill’s face with his fist. Instantly, Bill was knocked sideways onto the ground.

Bill clutched his burning cheek and stared up at Ascan, unable to comprehend the situation.

Slowly, Ascan extended his hand toward the fallen Bill and spoke.

“This is punishment for targeting my life in Calua Empire. Later, when you meet Tanashia, formally apologize to her.”

“…What?”

Bill couldn’t believe it. According to those words, the price for attempting to kill Ascan was merely a single punch?

Ascan kept his hand extended and spoke again.

“What are you waiting for? Get up.”

Bill couldn’t bring himself to grasp Ascan’s hand. Still bewildered, he asked,

“What exactly are you trying to do?”

“I already told you—I won’t abandon you or the lab children.”

“What do you…!”

Suddenly, Bill recalled words Ascan had spoken long ago.

─I meant every word. I will never abandon you or the lab children. Since I was stepping down as captain of the royal guard anyway to monitor other empires, I’ll rescue Tanashia and start gathering intelligence on Arwen Empire.

Bill had naturally assumed it was a lie.

He’d believed it was just a fabrication to deceive him.

─Trust me and wait. I’ll save Tanashia and ensure our revenge succeeds.

Bill had abandoned Ascan before being abandoned himself. But seeing the current situation, he realized something must have been wrong.

‘Was I… mistaken?’

He’d thought Ascan had grown soft, distracted from revenge by his attachment to Tanashia. But was that not the case?

Bill felt confused. Yet one thing was certain—he needed to clarify this.

“Whatever you say, Brother, I will never give up my revenge—even if it kills me.”

“Who said anything about giving up? I’m merely suggesting we adjust our plan. I have no intention of abandoning revenge either.”

“I refuse to settle this peacefully! That would leave us at a terrible disadvantage!”

“Fine. Let’s discuss together how to proceed. But no matter what, we cannot create more victims like us. You know that as well as I do.”

For a moment, Bill had no reply.

Suddenly, his gaze fell upon the second-generation children lying on the ground. Though he’d used hypnosis, he’d never once regarded their lives as expendable.

He’d restarted the human weapon experiments only because he felt cornered after Ascan’s departure—and he’d always intended to restore them once his revenge against Helsion was complete.

Bill frowned. The current situation displeased him. It felt as though he’d chosen the wrong path.

“I… didn’t do anything wrong. I made the best choice I could.”

“I know. Let’s find common ground between us. We’re the only two people in the world who can talk about our childhood in that lab—even closer than blood brothers.”

At those words, Bill stared at Ascan with a deeply conflicted expression. Finally, he grasped the hand Ascan offered.

Previously, blinded by vengeance, he hadn’t realized it. But thinking Ascan was dead made his absence feel overwhelmingly vast.

As Ascan said, only two people in the world could speak of their time in the human weapon laboratory. Their bond ran deeper than siblings.

“Brother… you really are impossible to defeat.”

Thus, Bill took Ascan’s hand and rose to his feet. Strangely, the satisfaction he felt outweighed the pain from the punch moments before.

He couldn’t forget the revenge etched into his bones—but the dead lab children wouldn’t return. Yet Ascan was here beside him.

Knowing there was someone else in the world who shared his pain was an immense comfort.

Ascan spoke.

“Let’s go. End this war.”

“Given the circumstances, you obviously intend to conclude it with Arwen Empire’s victory, right?”

“Correct. From now on, I won’t look far ahead—I’ll eliminate whoever I want to kill whenever the opportunity arises.”

Bill realized Ascan’s target was Helsion.

Just imagining his elimination made laughter bubble up uncontrollably.

“…Ha… hahaha.”

All this time, pretending loyalty while inwardly craving Helsion’s death—now, thinking he could kill him immediately, not in some distant future, brought an indescribable sense of liberation.

“Somehow, Brother, your personality seems even more straightforward than before.”

“Thanks to Tanashia. Living beside her, I’ve grown to resemble her.”

Ascan smiled fondly, clearly thinking of Tanashia. Previously, seeing that smile had filled Bill with betrayal—but now, he felt only envy.

Would he ever be able to smile like that someday?

With that thought, Bill walked alongside Ascan toward the collapsed second-generation children.

It was then—

Thud… thud… thud…

The unmistakable sound of a massive number of approaching people.

Though Ascan—with his superior hearing—noticed first, the echoing cave allowed Bill to realize it almost immediately.

Ascan and Bill simultaneously turned toward the source of the footsteps. There, standing where they least expected to see him, was—

Helsion.

“Well, well. I came to offer support since you claimed you’d infiltrate the Arwen Imperial formation—but instead, I find you conspiring with a traitor?”

Betrayal darkened Helsion’s face.

Seeing Ascan—whom he’d believed dead—standing amiably with Bill, alongside the second-generation children freed from hypnosis, he couldn’t help but grasp the situation.

At Helsion’s gesture, countless soldiers instantly surrounded Ascan and Bill.

He continued with a wicked smile.

“You surely don’t think you’ll escape this cave alive, do you?”