766 A Broken Hero

Amidst the cheers in the crowds, Skyla walked home clutching her stomach.

The medical bots of the district helped her out and after a few minutes under the advanced procedures, she gave birth to a boy.

Her husband couldn't arrive home as he was assigned to look after one of the districts.

Skyla sighed in her heart as she sat on the bed and cradled her baby.

'Father, you promised you'll be there to see my child.'

Biting her lip, Skyla looked at the message she received a few minutes ago from 'Dreamer'.

[Mam, your father has given his life for the people.

He didn't retreat when it was perfectly justifiable to do so. Instead, he  barged in front of the enemy and desperately fought them to buy everyone on Mars time.]

Skyla's eyes blurred as she felt her heartache. She wished desperately that he didn't do that. That he returned to her.

[Burning his life, he brought us two minutes of time.

I thought he was wrong. Two minutes wasn't worth much. He wasted his life.]

Skyla clenched her fists. Even though she didn't want her father to sacrifice himself, she didn't like someone making light of his sacrifice even more.

[But I was wrong. Due to the damage my ship received, we had to recuperate for five minutes in the middle and stop our journey.

Now, it might not sound like much, but if your father didn't do what he did, Mirage Queen would've been two minutes early to Mars.

…And in those two minutes, she would've destroyed Mars. At that time, it would've been too late for me to stop her.]

A few files popped up and showed her the original plan of the Mirage Queen. Blasting the power grid and killing everyone on Mars.

Thankfully, Varian appeared and saved the d—

[It's not me. It's your father. Those two minutes that I needed, he brought it with his life. He is a hero.

His last words were 'Did I do my best?'

And I'll say with 150% certainty, that he went above and beyond.

He thought he was only saving the three billion people.

But he didn't know.

He was also saving his own grandson.]

Skyla covered her mouth as she sobbed. She didn't know why the tears were falling, but they fell like rain.

"Uwaa!" The baby cried as it felt water over its cheeks.

Skyla wiped away the tear on her baby's cheeks and then wiped off her own tears.

With a smile mixed with joy and grief, Skyla pressed her own forehead against her baby's as she whispered. "Skad. Your name will be Skad."

— — —

"Thank you for trusting me," Varian said in a heavy tone.

"Even though what happened was…regrettable, you didn't intend for it. I hope you are more careful next time." Irene Nial sighed. "But, I do trust you."

"If Kreo really did what he did to you, then I don't find fault in you trying to get revenge." Kevin, Leader of Adventure Guild and Sovereign of Saturn, said.

Irene and Micheal Caron looked at him in surprise.

"Him dying was unexpected. And the consequences are very bitter." A wry smile formed on the Guild Master's face before it was replaced by a bright smile. "But if your plan is successful, we can at least save Mars. So, give your best."

Varian nodded and finally turned to Sovereign Micheal Caron. The man looked at him with a scrutinizing gaze before opening his mouth.

"If you fail, then we can kiss Mars goodbye. You understand that, right?"

"Yes."

"But unlike now, we will have enough time to evacuate the citizens. And we won't throw away our soldiers' lives. So, the losses will be minimal."

"Hm."

"Unlike Kevin, I don't see much hope."

Varian clenched his fists. He needed all the help he could get. If Micheal withdrew, the help would go down by one-third.

"In fact, I think there's a good chance they'll all die." Micheal narrowed his eyes.

Varian wanted to say it wouldn't happen. But he didn't. After what happened with Kreo, Varian was constantly second-guessing himself.

"I…I'll try my best." Varian sighed.

"If everyone else dies…even if that happens, I want you to survive."

"Huh?"

Varian raised his head at Micheal's unexpected words.

"You said you reached level 8, right? You're a monster, but a monster on our side. So, survive, grow up, and end the Abyssals."

"Thank you?"

"Don't." The Caron family's head looked at him with an annoyed expression. "Unlike Kevin and Irene, I hate you, kid. You went running for revenge at the first chance you got. It's terribly irresponsible."

"…I understand," Varian said.

"No, you don't. You loved a girl. Kreo put both of you in terrible situations. I get it. I totally do.

But to get revenge for a single human, you destroyed millions of lives. Do you get it? Do you fucking get it?

Millions of lives! Go talk to the orphans you created! The widows that are still crying! The old parents! The human race lost millions of brave soldiers thanks to you!"

Varian felt suffocated.

"Wasn't your father a soldier too? If your father died due to an idiot avenging his lover, would you be okay with it?"

"Never."

"Then why did you do it? You fucking idiot!"

Varian flinched at the words but didn't tear his gaze from Micheal.

"If you wanna act your age as an impulsive teenager, go play in an academy. If you want to use your powers and play hero, then act  responsibly."

"Micheal, stop it! Don't talk you never made a mistake and caused casualties?" Irene chided.

"I did. I caused way more deaths than him. Tens of millions." Micheal admitted before glaring at Varian.

"But it's to achieve a military goal. Not for personal reasons. I'll be upfront. I killed less than four hundred people due to personal grudges. I have a lot of dirt on my hands, but I'd never risk an entire planet for the girl I love, whether it's my wife or my daughter!"

Kevin sighed. "Even though Julius has a lot of shady things, why do you think no one really tried to do something? Acting against a Sovereign can put an entire planet in danger. We understand that very well."

Micheal nodded as if it was obvious.

"But you are too one-sided against Varian." Kevin glared at his neighbor Sovereign. "That boy went ahead and risked his life to save the world in Valos. Why didn't I see you praising him then?

He cleared up Enigma's name and stopped a hostility that could've been fatal. And just a few minutes ago, he saved Mars from destruction, risking his life!

If you want to judge him based on his actions, then don't just look at a single mistake he had done, there are a lot of things he had done. Things that saved billions of lives."

Micheal snorted and turned his head to the side. "I don't know. He could've at least called me and asked about it. If he wants to run amok in Abyss impersonating some prince, sure. If he wants to kill Xander princes, I don't like it, but I can't stop it.

But acting against Kreo, even if I had to leave my planet, I would've stopped him at any cost."

"That…" Irene looked at Varian and rubbed her forehead. "When you are going to do something like that, how about you give me a call?"

"I trust you to make most of your decisions by yourself, but if you feel a dilemma, hit me up. Even if I'm busy, I'll lift your call in fear you're about to kill another Sovereign." Kevin laughed.

"In fact, these two are too two optimistic. If you want a real opinion, you should speak to me." Micheal snorted.

Varian stiffly nodded.

He had always acted alone. But knowing that someone could help him out and advise him took an invisible weight off his shoulders.

Besides, Micheal's words did hit him pretty hard.

Even though Varian knew he wasn't a saint to forgive Kreo, he realized that he could've chosen a better and safer way to get revenge.

That way, he could've avoided this tragedy.

Strangely, instead of crushing him, this hard conversation made him feel better.

For, unlike the Sovereigns who were uncertain about futures, Varian believed in a future where humanity won.

Despite being much younger than them, he was looking at a much larger picture.

Humanity's calamities wouldn't end with Abyssals. The next challenges would only be bigger and more dangerous.

For his own sanity and conscience, Varian treated this as a learning experience.

And even if it's a bit dirty, he decided to use this incident for something.

"Sovereign Irene."

"Yes?"

"Tell Julius that it is I who killed Kreo. And tell him that I wouldn't mind killing him if he dares to touch my people."

Xanders, according to Boo, was searching for Sarah, Kyle, and Maya. They never stopped. Varian decided to use this situation to scare away the Xanders.

'If I can kill Kreo, I can also harm your family's Sovereign.' That's his message.

Of course, Xanders might not take him seriously. But the wise ones in their command would rather not risk it at all.

What's more, the Shadow Order would certainly sell the news of his level 8 strength in the black market.  Witnessing his insane growth, even the Xanders would tread carefully.

"…Are you even listening to what I just said?" Micheal Caron slammed the desk and glared at him.

Varian nodded lightly.

"Then what the heck? How are you still able to say you'll endanger so many lives again for your personal reasons?"

"Because I can bear the guilt of causing a million deaths and talk to you calmly. But if I see my people dying, I won't be standing here. I'll be on the Xanders' island carrying out a genocide." Varian said with conviction.

The three rulers realized he was being honest. And it scared them. But more than fear, they felt something else.

"…You're broken, son." Kevin sighed.

"Maybe. I don't want to lose anymore. If they died fighting Abyssals, I can stomach it. But to my own race? Heck no! What I'm asking for is simple. You won't harm my people and I'll not cross the lines." Varian gave a sincere smile.

But the Sovereigns weren't able to return that smile.

"I know you both have grudges. But I'll convince Julius." Kevin sighed. "In return, I just ask you, don't touch him and his family for now."

Irene also looked at him with pleading eyes.

If anyone witnessed this scene, they'd be laughing out at Irene and Kevin. How could the Sovereigns ask a mere level 8 to spare Julius, the strongest Sovereign?

But for Irene and Kreo, Varian wasn't someone to be measured by common sense.

In addition to his powers that grew at a ridiculous pace, Varian was a plotter and dare they say, absolutely ruthless.

He might really find a way. So, they'd rather not risk it.

"Don't worry. I'm already feeling terrible for the deaths I've caused. I won't risk more lives for my personal reasons." Varian lowered his head as he recalled the fifty brave warriors who sacrificed themselves.

If he didn't start this, then they wouldn't have died.

And the deaths of millions of people...his hands were stained with innocent lives. While Varian appeared normal, the weight remained.

That's why, even though his heart still burned with rage whenever he recalled the torture Sia endured, he decided to call off his Xander hunt.

Even though Julius sacrificed his own son, Varian didn't want to kill a Xander member who's important to Julius, and cause him to accidentally kill himself.

It's almost impossible. But who could guarantee it'd not happen?

Since he decided not to endanger lives, Varian decided to play it safe, even if his revenge would be pushed to a later date.

"Whatever personal grudges I have, I'll solve them after I become a Sovereign."