A War Hero With No Regrets – Chapter 2

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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“How much more… How much more do we have to do!! How much more!!!”

The anguished cry echoed through the cavity.

The thirty-ninth regression.

When they finally reached the place where the ‘Colony Consciousness’ had nested, they believed they could break free from this terrible curse.

The end of a journey that began by overcoming countless deaths repeated in the cycles.

The loss of allies was also minor compared to any other cycle so far.

This was the first time they had reached the heart of the Titan colony with so little damage.

Until then, Luthers thought it was the right choice to lead the forces of the Graveyard.

Surrounding the front line and launching annihilation from all directions.

Forming and deploying small strike teams.

Advancing technology and dropping bombs powerful enough to sweep the entire colony.

Unlike the previous cycles that had all failed, Luthers could finally pay homage to a shining hope.

“Commander, sir! Just trust us!”

“It’s too bad, Commander? We can’t let you take all the credit for being the savior of humanity!”

“Don’t worry. We won’t die. No matter what happens.”

Morale was high and supplies were perfect.

Countless grand strategies established after several failures.

Even the ‘exclusive weapons’ customized for each member’s characteristics.

They couldn’t have been more prepared than this.

They had even received the position of ‘General – Supreme Commander’ that they had never received in the previous cycle, and had virtually poured in all of humanity’s military capabilities.

Why, again like this…?

Luthers turned his head with a hollow look in his eyes.

His subordinates were impaled on the spikes protruding from the wall.

The reconnaissance captain who never lost his sense of humor.
The assault captain with whom he enjoyed exercising after work.

They showed no movement at all.

They had promised not to die.
They said it was okay.

Luthers’ head turned once more. The bodies of those near the entrance were not even left intact.

The light of annihilation.

Subordinates hit directly by the laser-like beam were turned to ashes without even a chance to scream.

It happened again.

Once again, they had lost.

It was a misstep.

What they thought was the right answer was actually a trap.

The creatures waited until sufficient troops had entered, then used all their power to literally devour the intruders who had boldly set foot in their nest.

Another comrade who rushed in to save an injured comrade was killed along with them.

They were killed while wrapping their entire body around the commander to block an attack aimed at him.

Thump thump thump thump thump-

Hearing the footsteps of the Titans not far away, a faint voice reached Luthers’ ears as he lay there dumbfounded.

“Comm…ander…”

The silver-haired woman moved her lips.

Major General Arwen Orka.

A comrade who had always been by Luthers’ side from the first regression to the thirty-ninth, and a lover who had gone through every regression together.

Luthers hurriedly approached her and grasped her hand.

“Arwen…!”

Her body was trembling and cold enough to make one shiver.

When he turned his head, he saw a gaping hole in her side.

Luthers hastily took out a healing agent from the bag he was carrying.

It was a magical healing agent that immediately regenerated biological tissue in localized areas.

This was also a healing agent that Luthers had obtained after going through several regressions.

As always, he believed he could save her this time as well.

No.
He had to save her.

He couldn’t lose her here again.

How could he have pushed her away, how could he have saved her, only to let her die like this again.

“No, no… get a grip. You know? The words you always said out of habit, that nothing is impossible with mental strength…!!”

Luthers sprinkled the healing agent on the wound.

The white powder that coagulated blood and helped regenerate the skin soaked into the wound, but for some reason, the bleeding did not stop.

Instead, it only spewed out thick blood, heaving.

“…Poisoned, it’s poisoned… There’s no… hope.”

“Don’t talk nonsense!! If it’s poison, here, the antidote…!!”

Arwen stopped the hand that was rummaging through the bag, shedding tears.

Her trembling fingers tightly grasped Luthers’ palm, wriggling.

“Lea… What about Lea…?”

Luthers could not answer.

Supply Captain Lea Gilliard.

She, too, had been caught in the light of annihilation, leaving not even a corpse to be found.

“She went first…? Haha, with this… we definitely won… She said rank is meaningless if you die before her….”

“Please, don’t say it.”

“What about… the other kids…?”

He couldn’t answer that either.

Because it was clear to anyone that Arwen was the last survivor of this operation.

“We failed…? I thought we would succeed this time for sure….”

A lament uttered while trying hard to endure the pain.

That sight, which was utterly miserable and wretched, was enough to break Luthers’ last will.

“It’s okay… We have next time, don’t we…?”

“…”

“As always, let’s meet through Akasha… Okay? Once again… Just like this time… We’ll challenge it again, right?”

“Arwen, I… I can’t anymore….”

Luthers couldn’t finish his sentence.

Arwen’s arm, which had been holding his hand, fell limp.

Thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump!!

The footsteps of the Titans were getting closer and closer.

At least 200, no, maybe even more.

Luthers silently looked at Arwen, then picked up a pistol that was rolling on the floor.

No more tears came out.

He realized it.

The fact that he, Luthers Edan, was the one who had to bear all this mission on his back.

The fact that he should not presumptuously desire someone’s companionship.

Didn’t that stubborn belief that they could all do it together lead to this utterly miserable ending?

“I’m sorry, Arwen. And everyone.”

Luthers opened his mouth and inserted the muzzle into it. The angle that would pierce the brain precisely.

Thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump!!

‘There will be no more memory recovery through Akasha.’

Perhaps this could be seen as an epiphany.

‘To catch a monster, I too must become a monster. A monster that allows no one to be by my side and thoroughly views people as objects.’

The ultimate essence for victory realized at the end of the thirty-ninth regression.

It was too cruel a burden for the human Luthers Edan.

But as the commander of the Graveyard, the watchman of the empire, the lion of defense.

And as the fiancé of the women he loved, it was a burden he had to bear.

Luthers pulled the trigger without hesitation.

Bang.
With the last gunshot heard, his consciousness flew far, far away.

Luthers met his thirty-ninth death.

Along with the human heart he had never been able to let go of until the very end.

===

Luthers opened his eyes naturally.

Waking up without the loud alarm was still hard to get used to.

It was as foreign as the quiet dawn without the sound of artillery, gunfire, and air raid sirens.

He got up from the bed and stood straight in front of the mirror.

“…I look like a mess. It’s about time to clean up.”

He looked like a homeless person to anyone who didn’t know him.

With his black beard sticking out in a dirty, disheveled manner and his hair all matted.

However, if one included his muscular body that looked solid at a glance and the scars left here and there, the image was closer to that of a PMC mercenary or a combat soldier rather than a homeless person.

But he was neither a combat soldier nor a mercenary.

He was an imperial officer, one of the elite few who could enjoy that glory, and a high-ranking commander who held full authority over the frontline defense fortress.

Major General Luthers Edan.

The commander of the “Graveyard” fortress, the frontline and strategic stronghold that borders the territory of the Titans.

The top contributor and war hero who led the war for the survival of humanity to the path of victory.

However, Luthers Edan had never been happy to accept that title.

It was a natural thing to do.

Something that had to be done.

Receiving decorations for something that anyone, not just himself, could have done if they had this cursed ability of his was rather embarrassing, wasn’t it?

During the forty deaths he experienced, countless people sacrificed themselves before his eyes.

Luthers would shudder at the vivid memories that came to mind whenever he closed his eyes.

That was why he always had to take strong sleeping pills even during his vacations.

Perhaps if someone else had received this ability instead of him, they could have saved humanity much faster.

For example, the Supreme Commander, “Arthur Philias”.

‘….’

Luthers let out a deep sigh.

There was no point in thinking about such things now anyway.

Looking at the results, humanity had finally won, not a single one of the Graveyard’s subordinates had died, and they had not gotten involved with him.

The ultra-high-density quantum computer ‘Akasha’.

Until now, Luthers had used Akasha to show the Graveyard’s subordinates the memories from before the regression.

He thought that it could lead to victory until the last cycle, but in fact, the right answer was not to use Akasha to revive memories.

Now they too would be freed from him and be able to live their own lives.

It was a good thing.

Getting involved with him only led to death, didn’t it?

They deserved to be happy.

“I decided not to regret it.”

Luthers muttered to himself as he hurriedly put on the uniform that had been thrown into the corner.

Of course, even that was arbitrary.

He had long forgotten the tie, his pants were baggy, and he didn’t even wear the blazer that was supposed to go over the shirt.

Anyway, these were people he wouldn’t be able to see after today.

He was planning to leave this place as soon as he issued the order to disband.

Honestly, he was sick of it.

The hexagonal buildings made of multi-layered gray concrete and the surrounding fortress facilities.

It was no wonder it was called a cemetery, the Graveyard.

They should be satisfied with not being called derogatory names like the underworld or a coffin, even though the architecture blatantly looked like a graveyard.

…He vaguely remembered being called by such derogatory names at one point.

But now it really didn’t matter.

Truly.

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