Leaving the room, I felt the eyes of the previous individuals on me. Some of them were clearly surprised by the blood, and one in particular showed shock, concern, and surprise… but it wasn't concern for me. It seemed like there was something else behind it… as if he had just realized something. So it really is him, I thought. Meanwhile, Tiago sighed in relief.
I gave a quick sideways glance.
Just then, I heard the communicator in my hand come to life again.
"Are you still there?""Did something happen??"
A few others looked worried, but I remained calm and slightly opened my mouth.
"Everything's fine. It was just an enemy—but it's been handled."My voice perfectly mimicked the one from earlier, leaving everyone except Tiago stunned. He already knew I was capable of this—I'd used similar tricks back when we were in school, skipping classes by faking voices. A life between assassin and spy had its perks.
"Alright then. Don't contact us unless something urgent happens. The situation here is tense. We'll probably need to retreat soon. Just secure the data and get out. This mission is important."His voice held tension, but also urgency and fatigue.
"Understood," I replied and clipped the communicator to my belt.
"Now… for the enemies still alive."I spoke softly but audibly enough for everyone to hear. I raised both hands, and golden energy vibrated outward from my body. Three golden chains, radiating sacred and powerful energy, formed instantly.
They shot forward, binding the two defeated—but not yet dead—enemies.
And surprisingly, a third chain veered off course and struck one of the engineers, wrapping him tightly.
The man, a weaker sub-Orc, was shocked. I even noticed a twitch in his eyes—but he seemed to recover and screamed:
"Why are you arresting me?! Let me go!!"
The other four engineers looked confused, but the chief seemed to understand something. He stayed quiet. Tiago, who trusted me completely, also remained silent.
"What, you don't know?"I asked with a subtle, knowing smile.
"Of course not, I—"But he stopped mid-sentence the moment our eyes met. I had activated Odin's Eyes for just a few seconds.
The runes and chill in my gaze seemed to pierce through his soul, making him visibly afraid.
"I... I... I..."
One of the other Orcs quickly spoke up:"I don't understand either, Mr. Alex."
The remaining two sub-Orcs stayed silent. They looked like they wanted to trust me but occasionally glanced at the teacher and the Orc. When the chief made no move, they seemed to waver, perhaps reconsidering the situation, as military reality began sinking in… though they still seemed a bit skeptical.
The sub-Orc who had been bound seemed to cling to hope and shouted again, as if it were his last resort:
"You can't arrest me! This is absurd!! You're not even military! And I'm innocent!"
I looked at him with cold indifference.
"That's true… but honestly, I doubt the general will punish me for this. Especially after he investigates... don't you think?"
"Investigate? There's nothing to investigate!"He answered quickly but his voice slowed, unsure.
"Shhh… just sleep."
I was already in front of him before he could react. I could feel him trying to use his power to escape—but in his current state, he couldn't. I infused more energy into the chains, tightening their grip. Unless he could unleash massive strength or powerful energy, he wasn't breaking out.
I knew how to buy time.
I pulled a small bottle of bluish liquid from my spatial storage. With two fingers, I forced his mouth open and poured the contents down his throat before he could even catch a breath.
"Cough… cough… what the he—"
He tried to speak, but the potion hit him fast. His consciousness faded, and he slumped—shocked.
One of the Orcs ran up to me, clearly alarmed and irritated.
"What did you do?! What did you give him?! You—"
"Still."
I activated my mental power—Dragon Fear.
A massive wave of mental pressure and aura crashed down on him. It overwhelmed his senses and completely paralyzed him. He couldn't speak or move.
I should've used it earlier in battle… though there were reasons I didn't.
Regardless, I calmly stepped to the side, still emanating that overwhelming mental pressure.
"It was just a sleeping agent. Relax. If I did something wrong, the general will reprimand me. But for now, it's better to take precautions."
I released the mental pressure and Dragon Fear, then sat cross-legged in a lotus position and closed my eyes.
Still, I spoke:
"Chief Canel, and the other engineers—you must have some knowledge of system programming or hacking. Why not access the main computer, lock the room, and try to restore communication with the central control? I'm sure you've already tried. If you need help, just say the word—I'm good with systems."
Chief Canel was the first to respond.
"Understood. I'll coordinate with the others. You rest—and thank you for protecting us."
Hearing his voice, I smiled faintly, saying nothing in return.
Another Orc went to check on the unconscious one, who was still under the lingering effects of the Dragon Fear. His blank expression hadn't faded yet.
"A..."I heard his voice, low and embarrassed as he moved to help his friend.
I remained silent, even as I heard familiar footsteps approach.
"Brother, are you okay?"
I opened my eyes to see Tiago looking at me with a faint smile. I reached out with my right hand and ruffled his hair.
"I'm fine."
After that, I said nothing more and returned to meditating, letting the energy of nature and life circulate through my body. It eased my fatigue and slowly began to recover my other powers.
Every supernatural ability drains physical and mental stamina—and of course, its own internal energy source. But the power of life—especially my version—had a unique trait: its low mental strain and near-limitless endurance. In that state, I could almost be a walking corpse… a regenerating zombie with reflexes and awareness.
With an SSS+ level mental power, combined with my natural and life energy—my strongest domain—I had a vast reservoir of strength and energy to draw from.
As I sat there, the rotating energy gave off a soothing, floral aura of life. It wasn't overpowering, but those who glanced in my direction could feel it. To some, it might've looked like a fairy or deity sat among them… though certainly not immaculate, given the bloodstains still clinging to my clothes from earlier.