Gacha System: Reborn In The Hardest World
Chapter 74: The Captain

Chapter 74: The Captain

Lucius held his soft smile, looking up at the Outlander with his lavender irises. "Oh, I had the utmost confidence you’d stand victorious. It’s the Great Rowan we’re talking about, after all."

Each word that parted from the princely knight’s lips sounded laced in sarcasm. Rowan debated on tossing his fist right at that pristine face, further enticed by the booze in his system—

"Sir Rowan!"

"What is it—?!" He turned around, responding sharply before correcting himself with a cough.

A soldier ran through the camp, stopping as he caught his breath, "It’s the Heavenly Kings, two more have arrived, sir—! Jae-Seong and Esmeralda—!"

By the desperation from the breathless soldier, it wasn’t news without a negative aspect. Immediately, Rowan pushed past the soldiers, hurrying towards the gathering in the camp as Astrid came along.

"Move!" Rowan shouted, pushing aside those in his way before reaching the sight.

On the bloodied grass, the solemn sight of the Korean Outlander was found; Jae-Seong was knelt, drenched in water and blood.

"Jae-Seong?! Are you alright?!" Rowan knelt down, grabbing the man’s shoulders.

There was no response from the usually confident boxer, who was still catching his breath.

Astrid stood over them with a concerned look, speaking softly, "What happened, Jae-Seong?"

The soaked man finally lifted his head, pointing towards the tent to the right, "Esmeralda—she almost died. It’s my fault. I messed up."

"Esmeralda—?" Astrid said with drawn breath before hurrying off to the tent.

Rowan stayed in front of Jae-Seong, looking at the state of the man’s body, riddled with lacerations. It was hard to tell which was his blood and not, though it wasn’t a stretch to say Jae-Seong was severely hurt.

"It’s my fault," Jae-Seong lamented.

"Forget that," Rowan said, keeping his hands on the man’s shoulders. "You’re hurt, too. You need to see a medic."

"I’m fine," Jae-Seong assured with a distressed exhale, picking himself up from the grass.

To dissuade any concern, the soaked Outlander lifted his forearm as misty light closed his wounds. The anxiety didn’t dwindle from those gathered at the camp.

Rowan brought forth the question on all their minds, "There’s not many that can do that to you. Let alone with Esmeralda there, too. Jae-Seong, what did you encounter?"

"—You’re soaked. Did you enter Atlantis?" A voice loathsome to Rowan came forth.

Much to the dismay of Rowan, the princely knight stepped through the crowding soldiers.

Lucius reiterated, "Did you enter Atlantis?"

"No...Didn’t get that far," Jae-Seong recalled, running his fingers through his hair, slicking his drenched tufts back.

"It’s said that leviathans guard the path to Atlantis. Judging by your wounds, however, that doesn’t seem to be what stopped you," Lucius observed, pulling back a piece of the Outlander’s torn uniform to expose the cut on his chest.

Rowan grabbed the knight’s wrist, pulling him away. "Hey, give him some space."

For a moment, the lavender, flower-like eyes of the renowned knight stared at Rowan before he tugged his hand away, "Apologies. I mean only to assess the situation."

"It was one of the Venator," Jae-Seong admitted. "They’re already in Atlantis."

"The Venator?" Lucius said, putting his hand to his chin in thought.

Guilt was written on Jae-Seong’s face as he recalled the encounter, nodding his head. "He’s a deadly one. The two of us would’ve been fish feed if he actually intended to kill us."

Rowan had trouble digesting it, trying to pat the water from his friend’s clothes, though to little avail, "Sit down. Get some rest. Eat some food. Just take a breather, alright?"

"If you have more information on the enemy, we need to know." Lucius persisted.

"Lay off," Rowan turned to face the knight, looming over. "As far as I’m concerned, the Heavenly Kings will work indepently from the Ironclad."

Lucius stood his ground, not shying away from the muscle-bound Outlander, "You’re aware that the Monarch assigned myself and Silvanas to this mission for a reason, aren’t you?"

"And what’s that?" Rowan asked, looking for a reason to throw down.

The gathered soldiers watched the face off, some even making bets amongst one another.

"I won’t deny the Heavenly Kings possess tremendous strength, but your methods...leave a lot to be desired," Lucius claimed with a soft tone that veiled his stinging tongue.

A breeze passed through, pulling at the straight, silver hair of the princely knight. In the tranquil plains north of the shore, the winds stirred at the rising tension.

Amongst those of Galios, conflicting thoughts often resulted in duels—

"Enough."

—Before the knight or Outlander could issue their challenge to one another, a feminine, commanding voice shouted.

The crowd of soldiers parted for the arrival of a figure in scarlet armor. That blood-red armor, with four blades, two at her hips and another pair on her back, was unmistakable.

"Silvanas," Lucius turned around, kneeling as he lowered his head.

The reverence given to the knight in red was shared amongst the soldiers of Galios.

Rowan nor Jae-Seong knelt, though they felt the presence of the revered knight nonetheless.

["The Captain of the Ironclad—"Silvanas, the Blade of The Blood Moon"; she’s considered one of the three greatest sword masters in the world. A natural born monster who from the age of five was able to cut down full-fledged knights.

And...notably, the only person to have beaten Rowan in an arm wrestling contest."]

"Yo, Silvanas," Rowan greeted hesitantly.

The scarlet-armored knight of many blades approached, stopping mere inches in front of the Outlander. As she removed her rigid, lioness helmet, her bright-orange ponytail dropped out.

"Well met, Rowan. Forgive my subordinate here for his ill manners," Silvanas returned the greeting.

Though she failed to stand any higher than Rowan’s abdomen, she seemed to win in terms of the stare down. It was of no help that her irises resembled that of a blazing phoenix spreading its wings.

Lucius stood back to his feet, not entirely pleased with his superior’s remark by his sour expression, "I was only discussing strategy with Rowan—"

"That’s enough, Lucius. Assist Jae-Seong to the healer’s tent," Silvanas commanded without room to argue.

There was no opportunity for Lucius to decline as he bowed his head, "As you command, Captain."

Though neither Jae-Seong or the knight seemed excited to go together, they headed towards the tent. Rowan moved to follow them, though found himself stopped in his tracks.

He glanced back, finding his coat held in the grip of the scarlet-armored knight, "Ah—?"

"As for us, why don’t we catch up?" Silvanas suggested with a mischievous smile.

"Catch up? We’ve got important matters to attend to, right—? Like, Atlantis, stopping Mastorn from getting a super weapon—" Rowan tried to excuse himself, though couldn’t budge from the woman’s grip.

As small as she was, the captain of the Ironclad had a grip like steel, feeling as though his coat was tucked beneath a mountain.

Silvanas smiled, wearing the scars on her youthful face like decorations, "We’ll discuss strategy with a few mugs, obviously!"

There was no room for Rowan to decline as he found himself back at a table, sitting across from Silvanas.

Before he even lifted his mug, the small, but feisty woman already gulped one down, slamming the cup.

"So...What did you want to talk about?" Rowan asked, nervously taking a sip.

In the presence of the Ironclad Captain, the once boisterous man reserved himself. It was always like this, he felt, and he knew what always came from drinking with her.

Silvanas wiped her mouth, "You defeated a Celestial, huh? Must be feeling pretty strong right now, aren’t you?"

"Reasonably strong, I’d say," Rowan tried to brush off the topic, already knowing fully well where such a conversation would lead.

As if the table had insulted her knighthood, Silvanas slammed her elbow down, holding her hand up, "Well, let’s see if you’ve gotten any stronger!"

"Not this again...I knew it," Rowan furrowed his eyebrows with a worried sigh.

Of course, the challenge was met with excitement from the onlooking soldiers. Even in times of imminent battle, the warriors of Galios found perhaps too much joy in such things.

"C’mon! We’re still tied thirty-to-thirty in our bouts—you don’t wanna settle the tie?" Silvanas persisted, keeping her hand up and open.

It wasn’t the fact that she was a woman half his size that Rowan was hesitant to accept. In fact, his worries were the opposite—

’It’s way too damn embarrassing struggling against a chick her size,’ he thought.

There wasn’t much of a way out of it but to accept, setting his elbow down as he clasped her hand.

"Attaboy!" The scarred, youthful woman said as her irises lit with fiery passion.

No chance came for the spectating soldiers to observe any closer as the clash of strength brought the wind to howl. Any not strong enough to hold their ground was knocked back as the knight and Outlander pushed against one another.

"Nrrrrgh!" Rowan struggled.

Silvanas practically growled, holding a vicious smile, "Ghhh! You’ve definitely gotten stronger!"

"So...have you—!" Rowan responded, straining to get the words out as he felt his arm being contested.

For a moment, he found the Captain’s grip faltering, budging just a fraction of an inch. He caught on to that like blood in the water, immediately pressing the advantage as he pushed with all of his strength—

"Wha—?!"

Somehow, all he saw was the smirk of the competitive knight before his strength was completely overwhelmed. There was no chance to resist before finding his hand driven through the table, smashing it into nothing more than wood chips.

Silence befell the onlooking crowd at the absurd display of strength. That is, none of the soldiers dared speak up, not to share in the Outlander’s fate.

Silvanas smirked, standing up from the seat as the wind passed through her fiery-orange hair, "Looks like I’m in the lead again."