Asha

"What a funny guy. What do you think you can do all by yourself?"

The assailants moved with precision.

They each spoke a single line to obscure who the leader was, and their movements were equally menacing.

Asha was terrified.

Though fallen now, the Rita Family had once been among the top Swordsmanship Noble Families.

Because of that, she could see it.

The dark red energy emanating from them.

The ominous aura they carried was far from ordinary mana or aura.

However, there was nothing she could do.

"Be careful…!"

All she could do was quietly warn the man who seemed to have come to save her.

"Don't worry."

Yuri nodded.

He had grown sick of sensing demonic energy.

Vomited bile.

Rotting flesh.

Decayed food.

Even the weakest level of demonic energy evoked feelings akin to encountering such horrors.

That's why he was certain.

They were Demon God's Cultists.

If not, then they were highly likely to be connected to the Demon God's Cult.

"What are you waiting for?"

"Shut your mouth. You stink."

"…You bastard."

One of the assailants approached, swinging a mace. If the one he had thrown earlier was made of fat, this one was pure muscle.

"I'll let you live for now. I'll just break your spine and throw you into a Goblin breeding ground."

"Do as you please."

Yuri assumed his stance.

In his previous life, he would have charged in without a second thought, but now he couldn't.

'It might be a bit dangerous to take them all on at once.'

Protecting Asha was the priority.

To do that, he had to subdue all four assailants almost simultaneously.

For that, he needed to divert their attention, even for a brief moment.

'It's about time.'

Of course, he had already prepared. The assailant he had thrown into the air earlier was part of that preparation.

Bang!

Crack!

The massive body plummeted to the ground, shattering with an unpleasant sound.

"What the hell—!?"

One assailant screamed, and the other three turned their attention.

Now was the perfect moment.

Crunch.

Yuri's foot pressed into the ground.

He wrapped a thin layer of aura around his sole to absorb the impact, then locked onto his target.

Boom!

With a small explosive sound, Yuri's figure vanished.

"He disappeared?!"

The assailant closest to Asha looked around awkwardly.

"No."

He was behind him.

Before the assailant could react, in that fleeting moment, Yuri's hand moved.

Swish.

Like a shadow following the light, he instantly closed in on the assailant's neck.

"I'll ask you just once."

"Guh!"

"Who's the leader?"

His chilling voice brushed against the assailant's ear. Instinctively, the man glanced over.

"It's him, isn't it?"

"Urgh, let go, you bastard—!"

Snap.

Yuri twisted the neck he was gripping in an instant.

"Thanks for the information."

"Hngh…!"

Beyond the unnaturally twisted neck, his eyes met the leader's.

Yuri's eyes curved into a crescent shape.

"Don't worry. I won't kill you. Someone has to answer my questions, after all."

The leader felt as if he were dreaming.

Even though he was staring directly at him, Yuri kept vanishing from his sight.

Crack, snap!

The sound of breaking bones followed his movements, always a beat behind.

"P-please spare me…."

The moment the leader of the assailants lost his will to fight and collapsed to the ground.

Thud!

A small hand struck his thick neck from behind with brutal force.

"Guh…!"

"Yeah, just go to sleep for a bit."

Crunch.

The leader's airway was crushed.

"Ack! P-please, spare me…!"

The struggling body went limp. It had all happened in mere seconds.

Tap, tap.

Yuri brushed the dust off his body and adjusted his expression beneath the mask.

Click.

When he removed the crude mask, he smiled brightly for the first time since his regression.

Yuri extended his hand to Asha.

"I missed you, Asha."

Without realizing it, he had spoken his true feelings. Naturally, Asha was wary of him.

"Why…?"

She hid her face behind her silver hair, her blue eyes peeking out slightly.

"Why did you save me…?"

"That is…."

He trailed off.

Asha Rita.

In his previous life, she had been the Vice Captain of the secret squad Moonlight that Yuri had founded.

She was undoubtedly someone who would provide great help in this life as well.

Of course, that wasn't the only reason.

Yuri recalled the final moment he had shared with her in his previous life.

It had been the twenty-fifth day since the Demon God's descent. Five demonic armies were advancing toward the Final Defense Line at Salvatore's territory.

-Bring me the Corps Commander's head.

-Yes, Captain.

It was a brutal battle.

Neither the commanders of the five demonic armies nor the members of Moonlight retreated as they aimed for each other's lives.

The result was mutual annihilation.

Only Asha barely survived. She waited for Yuri to come to her.

-Success… *cough*!

-Asha!

She had endured just to deliver her report. After catching her breath, she reported to Yuri.

-Everyone succeeded.

Asha handed over the magic stone that recorded the final moments of the members.

-This is the proof.

-…You've done well.

After barely finishing her report, she reached out with trembling hands and caressed Yuri's cheek.

-Captain…

-Speak! I'm listening to everything!!

-Heh…

Asha smiled.

-Are you really not going to marry me?

*Grip.*

Yuri grasped Asha's hand.

-Please, don't die.

Bowing his head to hide his flowing tears, he pleaded with Asha.

-I'll do anything—even marry you. Just please, don't die, Asha…

-…Damn it.

The hand he was holding trembled.

-…Then I might actually want to live.

Asha's blue eyes began to dim.

She barely held onto consciousness and stepped onto the blood-soaked ground to stand.

-Go, Captain.

-…What?

-You have to go, don't you?

She was right.

Thanks to the members' sacrifices, they had taken down the Corps Commanders, but the battle was still raging.

-…What about you?

It was a foolish question.

Even so, Asha smiled as she always did.

-You said you'd marry me if I lived.

-Asha…

-I've finally gotten your promise. I'll do whatever it takes to survive.

Yuri pressed his lips together.

Occasionally, he checked the battlefield, and at the end of his gaze stood Frey.

-Don't worry and just go. As soon as you leave, I'll get treated right away.

Both Asha and Yuri knew.

That there was no way to treat the fist-sized hole in Asha's abdomen here.

-Oh, right, Captain.

Asha gently released the hem of Yuri's sleeve, which she had been holding onto until the end.

-It's not your fault, Captain.

-…

-Not me, not the members, not anything else.

-…Asha.

Yuri reached out to Asha. For the first time, Asha avoided his touch.

-I love you. So very much.

And with that, Asha disappeared.

He met her again on the twenty-seventh day after the Demon God's descent. At the moment he found her corpse, he recalled something Asha had once said.

-I won't die near you, Captain.

-What?

-Because you're softer-hearted than you think.

-What nonsense are you talking about?

Asha had kept her word.

She was found in the rubble of the city wall, a thirty-minute walk away.

There, she had passed away clutching the mask and sword Yuri had given her.

-…Ah.

The tears he had held back since his regression burst forth uncontrollably.

-It's okay… It's okay, Yuri.

Even that sharp-tongued young lady tried to console Yuri, who looked utterly devastated.

A proper funeral was a luxury they couldn't afford.

Even so, Yuri dug the ground alone and clumsily buried the members.

-If I fail again in this life… and if I get one more chance…

Yuri vowed through his tears.

-No matter what, I'll protect you.

The first time Moonlight was formed was in his previous life; this was the second.

He knew all their stories and the misfortunes that awaited them.

Now, he could prevent them.