Volume 1, Chapter 139: Despair

Unbeknownst to Geli, it had reached an altitude of ten thousand meters. Above lay the sea of stars it had yearned for since it was young. A glimmer of hope ignited in Geli’s beastly eyes, and it beat its wings with renewed vigor.

It did not notice, however, a beam of red light seemingly originating from the deep cosmos instantly locking onto its head.

"No!" Vogt, who had been in pursuit, turned deathly pale at the sight of the red beam. She reached out, as if trying to snatch Geli from the air. But before her cry could fade, a deeper, dark-red beam overwhelmed the first, piercing Geli’s skull in an instant and unleashing a spray of blood.

Geli’s wings stopped mid-flap. Like a giant eagle struck by an arrow, it hung suspended for a fleeting moment before plummeting headfirst toward the ground.

"No!" Vogt screamed again, tears streaming down her face.

Just then, another red beam appeared, targeting the center of her forehead. A wave of intense peril washed over her. Forcing down the agony in her heart, she erected an energy barrier before her.

*Boom—*

The dark-red beam struck like a blood-stained arrow through the night, slamming into the barrier with a deafening roar. The barrier did not shatter, but where the beam impacted, brilliant sparks showered outward. The sheer force of the impact drove Vogt toward the ground at a speed even faster than Geli’s descent.

*Crash—*

The moment Vogt hit the ground, a massive crater formed instantly. Debris and sand were blasted into the air, and a thick cloud of dust billowed out.

"Are you alright?" Bareru’s voice echoed from a distance.

"I’m fine..." Vogt’s voice came weakly as she emerged, swaying, from the dust.

Hearing her voice, Bareru let out a slight sigh of relief. But when he saw her current state, his eyes widened in shock. Her upper body armor was completely shattered, and her exposed skin was drenched in blood. With every step she took, cracked plates of armor fell from her legs. Once she cleared the swirling dust, her strength finally failed her, and she collapsed flat onto the ground.

"Vogt!" It was the first time Bareru had called her by her name.

Vogt opened her eyes and struggled to roll over. Her unfocused gaze drifted toward the distant, dark starry sky, and a bitter smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she murmured, "It seems... we’ve really been discovered this time... In the end... I still..."

Through Vogt’s blurring vision, three black silhouettes appeared rapidly. Bareru seemed to sense something, too, and snapped his gaze upward. In his suddenly contracting pupils, three robots composed of various metallic blocks descended from the sky. The monsters previously locked in their cages began to roar in fury.

"Intelligent lifeforms detected. Terminate."

The cold, ruthless voice rang out. The three robots turned in unison, locking their sights on the caged monsters and Bareru.

"Damn it!" Bareru’s expression darkened. Channeling the last of his planetary-level energy, he shattered the iron cage with a single palm strike and charged at the three machines.

"Don't!" Noticing Bareru’s move, Vogt summoned strength from nowhere, scrambling up and lunging at him to block his path. Before Bareru could speak, she urged anxiously, "Run! Don’t worry about me—you are no match for them!"

"At a time like this, you’re still saying such things!" Bareru pushed her aside and charged once more at the Dark Star machines. He reached one of the robots, clenched his fist, and slammed it against the machine's chest.

*Bang—*

A thunderous sound rang out, but the robot didn't budge.

"What!" Bareru’s face drained of color. Before he could react, the robot suddenly reached out, clamping a hand over his head. No matter how he struggled, he could not break free.

At that moment, the other two robots moved. They tilted slightly, lifting their arms as red light surged in their palms. Four beams fired simultaneously.

*Squelch—*

Bareru’s body was pierced through. His struggles ceased instantly; his limbs went limp, and the robot holding his head tossed him aside like refuse.

"Bareru!" With a heart-wrenching scream, Vogt rushed over to catch him. But she was already at the end of her rope and had no strength left. As she caught him, the weight of his body knocked her over. They tumbled together on the ground, rolling several times before coming to a stop.

Bareru struggled to open his eyes. He looked at Vogt, who was draped over him with tears and blood streaking her face, and smiled bitterly. "It seems... we are going to die together."

"You idiot!" Vogt sobbed, pressing her hands firmly against the hole in Bareru’s chest, trying in vain to stop the bleeding. But the gory wound was too vast, covering nearly his entire torso. "No... no... you can't die!" Vogt’s vision was completely blurred by tears, her voice choked with sobs, weeping violently like a little girl who had lost her dearest kin.

Behind her, the three robots approached, step by step.

"It’s no use." Despite the gaping hole in his chest, Bareru’s expression was serene, a trace of relief lingering in his eyes. He lifted his hand, gently pried Vogt’s hand away from his chest, and looked into her tear-filled eyes, asking with a faint smile, "Are you afraid of death?"

"What do you think, you big idiot?" Vogt choked out. "You knew such powerful people—you could have asked for their help! Why go and throw your life away?" Even now, she believed the people in Bareru’s memories could have saved this universe.

"Didn't I tell you? They are my enemies..." Bareru’s voice grew faint. Sensing his life force fading rapidly, he gave a wretched smile and slowly raised his other arm toward the sky. "Master... it seems we shall meet again."

His arm fell, marking the passing of a cosmic-level powerhouse.

"Ba... Bareru..." Vogt froze, the dried tracks of tears on her face being washed over by new ones. She closed her eyes, gently pulled her hand away from him, and revealed a desolate smile, ready to face her end.

Behind her, the three robots raised their hands, the dark-red light of annihilation igniting within them.

"Of course I’m afraid of death... but once I’m gone... I suppose there won't be any more pain..."