A War Hero With No Regrets – Chapter 31

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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Titans were fundamentally organic creatures.

Their fluid form was like viscous slime, and after three days of molting, they evolved into a form similar to a larva.

People called this a weakling.

From then on, Titans strengthened their genetic traits in various ways while consuming nearby metals to change their form.

In terms of size, they were classified as ultra-small, small, medium, medium-large, large, huge, and ultra-huge.

In terms of shape, they were divided into plant-type, insect-type, mollusk-type, reptilian-type, mammalian-type, and object-type.

Although it was never clearly revealed why Titans took the form of animals and plants, they possessed such biological characteristics.

However, what was in front of Luthers’ eyes was different from any Titan he had ever seen before.

No matter how you looked at it, it had a human form.

There seemed to be organs as well.

Terrible chunks of flesh that seemed to be modeled after a female form, or perhaps were actually a ‘body’, formed streamlined curves.

And the numerous mechanical devices and wires connected to those chunks of flesh.

It was too realistic to be an imitation, and too bizarre to accept as reality.

Above all, the fact that it had Lea’s appearance on the outside was the most horrifying.

Why?
Why was she in such a state?

What on earth had happened?

Luthers instinctively drew his gun at the sight that could only be thought of as a Titan.

Beep. Beep.

At the same time, the power of the biological signal jammer that had been operating was turned off.

The ‘thing’ that had been wandering the drill ground like a zombie turned its head sharply and looked at Luthers.

Its yellow eyes flashed. As its mouth opened, a crackling mechanical voice flowed out.

“Who’s there? Save… me.”

Luthers’ hand trembled violently.

The face he had been trying to deny appeared clearly in front of Luthers’ eyes.

“Lea.”

As if recognizing that name he had unknowingly called out, it—no, she began to approach Luthers.

“Lea!!”

Click, he loaded the handgun.

Luthers was engulfed in fear.

“Leaaaaa—!!!!!”

It wasn’t the Titan that he feared.

It was the fact that he had to accept that this monster was her, the fact that he had to shoot her with his own hands, the fact that he couldn’t even imagine what kind of things had been done to her while he was struggling through the labyrinth.

Luthers was so terrified that he couldn’t easily accept it.

The three pairs of sky-blue tentacles that had sprouted from Lea’s back swayed.

“What… are you… doing…?”

“Just… kill me… kill… me….”

“Lea… I’m sorry. Lea…!!”

Bang!!!!

Luthers closed his eyes tightly and pulled the trigger.

The bullet fired from the handgun pierced her forehead accurately.

“Kyaaaaa!!! Ahhhhh!!! It hurts!! What are you doing!!!!!!”

She screamed.

In response, Luthers let out an anguished roar.

“Fuck youuuuu!! You fucking bastards!!!!!”

Bang!! Bang!! Bang!!

Flames continuously spewed from the muzzle.

“It hurts, it hurts!! Luthers, Luthers… Where did you go… You said you would protect us… from these monsters…!! It hurtssss!!! Kyaaaaaa!!!”

Bang, bang! Bang!!! Bang!! Bang!!! Bang!!!

“Fuck, fuck!! Fuck youuuu!!! Fuck!!!”

Unspeakably miserable curses drowned out the gunshots.

When the gunshots finally ceased and Lea’s screams also stopped, Luthers’ vision had turned completely red.

It was because all the blood vessels in his right eye had burst.

“Fuck, you… Fuck… you bastards!!!”

Luthers threw away the handgun.

He tightly gripped the plasma knives strapped to his thighs in both hands.

Titans that had been slumbering, stirred by the gunshots that shook the ruined fortress, began to pour out.

They were all familiar faces.

Luthers tore his clothes and covered his eye with the burst blood vessels.

He couldn’t die until he gave them rest.

And he had to check Akasha and fully take in what had happened here with both eyes.

Because only then, only then could he move forward.

Only then could he move forward with everyone.

Only then would he not have to see this fucking sight.

“Co-mmander…!!”

“Grrraaaahhh—!!!”

Luthers charged into the horde of Titans.

Houston from the 1st Battalion, Porco from the Communications Unit, Lucy from the Supply Unit, Hellian from the Information Section, Vernot from the Operations Section, Yustia, Erewan, Hobbes, Jack, Marian.

He engraved everyone’s names and faces in his memory.

What kind of pain they had suffered, once again in a cycle that would be forgotten, he willingly carried their suffering.

He cut off the sky-blue tentacles. Trampling on a beheaded corpse, he leaped and thrust a dagger into the crown of Hubert’s head from the 4th Battalion.

He sliced Aslan from the Artillery Battalion who rushed in from the side. Kicking the screaming one to the ground, he smashed the heart that had been replaced with a mechanical device.

Thousands of strikes. At the end of single-handedly dismantling hundreds of Titans, he reached the deepest part of the Graveyard.

His arms weren’t moving properly. The muscles seemed to be completely damaged.

His legs were the same, it was a wonder they were still moving.

But even there, there was no rest.

Because huge eggs filled the space around Akasha.

“Ha, haha….”

Luthers let out a dry laugh at the sight of his subordinates being horribly mutated inside the translucent eggs.

Of course, his lovers who would have defended the fortress until the end were also here.

“Arwen, Charlotte. You were here too….”

He staggered towards the giant eggs, caressing their surface, and spoke.

Bubbles rose from the mouths of the naked women.

Were they alive?

It was over now.

Such a terrible cycle must no longer exist.

“Akasha. The 34th cycle ends here.”

Then, a red light flowed out of Akasha, which had been silent as if broken.

It had shut down all systems on its own as soon as the fortress fell.

So that the Titans wouldn’t notice its existence.

[Voice identification in progress, confirming the subject is Fortress Commander Luthers Edan.]

[Cycle termination declaration confirmed. Initiating memory synchronization.]

Luthers plopped down in front of Akasha and rummaged through his pocket.

With trembling hands, he put a crumpled cigarette in his mouth and lit it.

[Memory synchronization complete. Graveyard self-destruct sequence activated.]

[10. 9. 8. 7….]

“This life was fucking miserable as always….”

Muttering his final words that had become a habit.

[You’ve worked hard in this life too.]

[Dedicate your life for the victory of humanity.]

A massive explosion blew away Luthers Edan’s consciousness.

***

When the playback of all those memories ended like that, Lea Gilliard was already running, having left the fortress.

She had to find him.

She had to find Luthers Edan and hug him tightly.

The one who had achieved victory with nothing but the determination not to burden them this time, overcoming all those terrible memories.

She had to hug her beloved lover tightly.

She had to heal his wounded heart.

She had to be his strength.

As much as she hadn’t been able to do until now, as much as the magnitude of the sins she had committed, she had to pour out love several times that amount.

Please, please give me one more chance.

“Kyaaa!!?”

Thud.

Lea tripped over a rock she hadn’t seen and lost her balance.

She rolled on the ground.

Her face was buried in mud, and her cheek was cut by a branch.

Nothing hurt.

No, rather, she wanted to feel pain.

Because her heart ached so much, it felt like it would tear apart, like she would really die if she went on like this.

“Ahhh, ah…, ahhhhh—!!!”

I miss you. I miss you like crazy. I want to call your name. I want to hear that sweet voice of you whispering my name.

I want to share jokes over dinner. Since the war is over, I want to go to a fancy restaurant with you and indulge in luxury to the fullest. I want to pay the bill. I want to secretly pay while you’re in the restroom and see your flustered expression.

I want to go to an amusement park too. I want to see you having fun and smiling brightly. I want to stroll through the city. I want to enjoy the leisure of a cup of coffee at a cafe with a nice atmosphere and people-watch on the street.

I want to go shopping too. I want to buy flirty clothes to show only to you and show them to you that night. I want to see your surprised expression and hug you.

I want to wake up in the morning and brush our teeth together while tidying our tousled hair. Then, if our eyes meet, I want to naturally share a kiss.

I want to see you off to work and prepare a delicious dinner for you when you come back. I want to share how your day was, that everyday life.

But.

“I, I….”

I can’t.

It’s a life that isn’t allowed for her.

It was just as he said.

Luthers Edan had regained the freedom he had longed for so much.

He would leave the military life that had been nothing but terrible and miserable, and live each day with a woman who suited him.

All the life Lea Gilliard had wanted was a dream that could never come true.

As soon as she realized that fact, tears began to flow from her eyes.

The sun had risen at some point, brightly illuminating the sky.

But Lea Gilliard was still left in the shadows.

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