Chapter 45
The Thunder Base, struck by lightning and filled with bolts of electricity, was a place my frail body couldn’t withstand.
Of course, the Fire Base could also become dangerous in certain situations.
But being there with Lyria made it much easier to look after myself.
“And I happen to have learned a fire attribute skill recently. You know, right? My skill that allows me to copy abilities when I’m hit.”
In fact, when I was recruiting people to join the base earlier, there was one person who had thrown fireballs at me back in the Forest of Evil Spirits.
I asked them to hit me with a fireball again to fill up my skill gauge.
And for some reason, that person seemed very afraid of me.
[Skill, Fireball (C), acquired.]
Anyway!
It’s not an overwhelmingly powerful skill, but having a fire attribute skill increases my affinity with that element.
‘It’ll be quite helpful for operating within the Fire Base.’
“So, when the Thunder Base is being conquered, don’t go causing trouble without me, alright?”
I said with a playful smile, but Xenon’s eyebrow twitched as he looked at me.
“I disagree.”
Wait, what’s up with him now?
I couldn’t figure out the reason behind Xenon’s suddenly sulky expression.
“Why?”
Let’s hear it. I pouted my lips as I spoke.
Xenon answered immediately.
“Most of the strong ones are part of the team attacking the Thunder Base.”
He continued, reviewing the members of the team targeting the Thunder Base one by one.
“In the Fire Base, you mostly have a bunch of nobodies with fire abilities. Even your little sister is there.”
In other words, he didn’t find our weaker team reassuring.
“But that’s all because—”
“I haven’t finished speaking.”
I decided to hold back my retort and listen to Xenon’s reasoning, wondering what had gotten him this worked up.
Seeing me remain quiet, he continued.
“What will you do if something unexpected happens? And if Yeriel joins the Fire Base too, there won’t even be a healer. Will you all just hold hands and die together?”
Well, I mean, he’s skirting around it, but could he really be…?
‘Is he worried about me right now?’
“You are the commander of our faction. You’re the one we must prioritize protecting.”
“…”
“And, even if that weren’t the case.”
He paused for a moment before continuing, seemingly hesitating.
“I simply don’t want to see anyone get hurt unnecessarily.”
His voice was stern, but the sincerity in his blue eyes made my heart flutter.
“That’s why I’ll go with you.”
Today of all days, Xenon was making a declaration that didn’t quite match his usual demeanor.
“Or you could take Yeriel along.”
It was surprising to see this normally stoic guy showing such concern for his team members’ safety.
‘Xenon’s really grown up!’
But I had my own plan, after all.
“Idiot, do you think I didn’t consider all that?”
I looked Xenon straight in the eye and gave him a warm smile.
I appreciate the concern, I really do.
But I’ve already thought this through.
“I know how important it is to protect the commander.”
In the Black-White War, protecting the commander was a critical task.
If the commander was captured or killed, the entire faction would fall.
“But if we focus too much on protecting the commander, it could delay our conquest of the bases, and then we’d never be able to win.”
Protecting the commander is the basic strategy for avoiding defeat.
Conquering bases is the key to achieving victory.
“So, if you leave the offensive powerhouses like yourself out of the attack, it’ll make things harder. Same goes for Yeriel.”
He fell silent, unable to argue with my reasoning.
Before he could say anything more, I quickly continued.
“I know you’re saying this out of concern for the team. But I’m making the best moves I can to win this war.”
Xenon bit his lip, then let out a sigh before speaking again.
“Then promise me.”
“What?”
“Promise me you won’t push yourself too hard.”
His intense and stubborn gaze made it clear he wouldn’t back down without a promise.
I hesitated for a moment under that unwavering look.
“Okay, I promise.”
I realized there was no point in trying to argue with Xenon’s stubbornness, so I agreed willingly.
After all, I wasn’t planning on pushing myself recklessly in the first place.
That’s why I’m heading to the Fire Base.
I smiled brightly and replied lightly.
“Don’t worry, I know my place.”
“Keep that promise.”
“Got it. Besides, with Lyria around, what could possibly go wrong?”
As I shrugged and turned away, I felt a hand on my shoulder.
“This.”
Xenon reached into his coat and pulled out a small object, handing it to me.
“What’s this?”
“…A bracelet.”
“A bracelet?”
I took the item from him with a puzzled expression.
It was clumsily woven together with flower stems, looking too rough and crude to be called a proper bracelet.
The flowers appeared to be common roadside wildflowers, and the craftsmanship was unmistakably…
“Ah, I get it! Lyria made it, didn’t she?”
“…”
But for some reason, Xenon remained silent with a stiff expression, which made me pat his back playfully.
“Why aren’t you saying anything? Don’t tell me you made it—”
“Yes.”
“So, you’re saying you—… Huh?”
“I made it.”
His words left me frozen, unsure of how to respond.
‘…What? He really made it?’
Xenon stepped closer to me, took my hand, and carefully slipped the bracelet onto my wrist.
“You’ve given me a lot, so I wanted to give you something too.”
“…”
“Your sister told me that no woman would dislike jewelry. So, I made this.”
‘It’s a bit lacking, though.’
He awkwardly scratched his head, looking away in embarrassment.
Did he ask my sister what gift to give me when they went out for training together that day?
And all those times he disappeared into the forest—was it to gather materials for this bracelet?
All this time, I was grumbling about him vanishing, and I never had a clue.
“And what if I lose it because it’s so loose?”
I blurted out grumpily, turning my back on him. If I didn’t, I thought I might cry right then and there.
“It’s okay. I have another one.”
Maybe he thought I was angry because of the poor quality of the bracelet. He hurriedly showed me another one.
It was larger and even clumsier than the one he gave me.
“This one was the original, but I made it too big because I didn’t know the size of a woman’s wrist.”
He explained that he ended up wearing it himself, and I felt my ears heat up.
Wait a minute, so this means… we’re wearing matching bracelets?
He didn’t seem aware of the implication, but still.
“If you don’t like it, I’ll make you another one. So, don’t be—”
“I’m not mad. It’s not like that.”
I pushed gently on his back, smiling as he stood there, still looking bewildered.
“Thanks. I’ll wear it well.”
He stared at me blankly for a moment as I smiled brightly, then finally joined the team attacking the Thunder Base when Yeriel called out to him.
Watching his retreating back, I turned back to the gathered people.
“Alright, everyone understands how the teams are divided, right?”
Despite the unexpected commotion, the team assignments were finally completed.
“Then let’s make sure everyone gets through this without anyone getting hurt.”
These people who joined the Black Faction, trusting me—
They were all lives that I had to protect.
“You’ve all familiarized yourselves with the locations and characteristics of the bases you’ll be attacking, right?”
Back in the Forest of Evil Spirits, we managed to get through without any casualties.
Maybe we were just lucky.
But there won’t be any relying on luck in this next trial.
[The time for choosing factions has ended.]
With a chime, the massive barrier surrounding the battlefield began to recede.
[The Black-White War begins.]
A vast battlefield spread out before my eyes.
It was time to muster all my strength and continue our story.
I fiddled with the bracelet dangling from my wrist, a contented smile on my lips.
“Be careful.”
Xenon left me with those parting words—part warning, part concern—as he headed to the Thunder Base.
‘What a strange guy.’
If he’s going to worry, he should just do it properly.
Watching him disappear, I let out a low sigh and turned back to the group.
“Okay, shall we head out too?”
The team heading to the Fire Base, including me, consisted of fewer than thirty people.
Since the Fire Base wasn’t a place that required brute force, we didn’t need a large team.
So, we split into groups: Yeriel, Xenon, and the A team were tasked with conquering the Thunder Base.
Nia led the B team to patrol and disrupt other bases.
Carl’s C team managed food and supplies at the main base.
Thankfully, our D team was stationed in the southern region of the battlefield.
‘Timing was on our side.’
Or rather, it wasn’t so much timing as it was that I had positioned us in the south after checking the sun’s direction.
While I squinted up at the blazing sun, I perked up my ears at the conversations of the team members behind me.
“It’s like a giant maze.”
“Seriously, we might get lost before we even find the base.”
“How scary will the Fire Base be, I wonder?”
“Ugh, I bet there’ll be lava everywhere.”
Though they tried to stay upbeat, they were still anxious.
After all, they were just ordinary people who lived peacefully until recently—no one could expect them to be comfortable with battles.
“Don’t worry too much, everyone. The Fire Base sounds intimidating, but it’ll be alright.”
Indeed.
It did seem like a daunting place, judging by its name.
But most of the team members here had fire-related constellations or skills.
So for those attuned to fire, it wouldn’t be much of a threat.
And we had Eden and Sylvester with us here too.
‘Sylvester has the skill to communicate with other teams if needed…’
If things went south, we could always reach out to the Thunder Base.
And above all—
“Sister, are you sure I’m up to this?”
We had the illustrious Saintess of Flames, Lyria, with us.
Though right now, she looked as if she was carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders.
I squeezed Lyria’s hand, which seemed unusually lacking in confidence today.
“Maybe I should’ve bring Yeriel back after all…”
“Lyria.”
“Yes?”
“Don’t worry. This place will be the perfect stage for you.”
Lyria tilted her head, puzzled by my words.
She wouldn’t understand what I meant.
A perfect stage, for her.
She’d probably just think it was another one of her sister’s over-the-top encouragements.
I lifted her drooping lips into a smile.
“And!”
“Mm—”
“If you keep frowning like that, you’ll end up looking as gloomy as Eden over there.”
“I’m not ugly…!”
Eden, walking beside us, stopped for a moment, looking a bit hurt.
“…Thanks, sister.”
Fortunately, Lyria seemed to regain some of her spirit after my words, her expression brightening.
As we made our way further through the winding path—
“It looks like this is the Fire Base.”
A crimson altar came into view.
There was no mistaking it—this had to be the Fire Base.
A massive rock, shaped like a flame, bore the character “리” (Ri – Fire) carved boldly into its surface.
“Alright, let’s go, everyone.”
Turning back to the group, I confidently stepped onto the altar.
“Everyone, follow me. Be careful as you climb up; it’s steep, so don’t fall!”
One by one, the team members followed me onto the altar.
By the time the last of the team joined us—
Flash—
A mysterious red light spread out in all directions.
And with a sudden shift, as if the entire world had turned upside down—
[You have entered the Fire Base, the Garden of Flames.]
Boom!
The scenery changed in an instant.
—
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