BIOLOGICAL SUPERCOMPUTER SYSTEM

"Are you ok?"

Mira gave Erik a worried look. Erik was currently lying on a bed. He wasn’t there because he was injured, but because his mind was so full of thoughts and anxiety that he needed to sleep just to reset the worry and ease his brain a little.

Mira was standing next to the bed, and she arrived as soon as she saw Erik heading for the bedroom.

"Yeah… I’m just tired. You know… After yesterday’s events, I have a lot to think about and not much time to rest." Your next chapter awaits on NovelBin.Côm

Only one day passed since the invasion and conquest of the Law Gate, and the interrogation lasted for a bit, and that resulted in Erik having little time to sleep. The Chimaeric Demons could take care of things alone, but there were things that needed his say and some others that needed his help.

"What you’ve been through hasn’t been easy, Erik. First, you had to sneak into the most fortified base in the world. Then you had to fight a two-front battle—facing multiple Vindicators and a division commander while protecting a plane from destruction."

Mira sighed.

"After that, you were forced to fight a monster capable of destroying the entire Law Gate with a single flap of its wings—and heaven knows why it didn’t. Then you joined the Chimaeric Demons in purging the blackguards and led the interrogations. I’d say you have plenty of reasons to be tired and even more reasons to want to stay in bed."

This was not, by far, Erik’s simplest Friday, and he had a lot of complicated ones in his life.

Mira gently patted his head and then started caressing it. "You should get some proper rest today; you have done enough already. Leave the rest to all of us." @@novelbin@@

Erik nodded, but that wasn’t enough to ease Erik’s worries, and Mira still saw it in his eyes. Mira knew Erik was feeling burdened. Today many of the Chimaeric Demons died, and while Erik didn’t show mercy to the blackguards, it was also true he led many people to their death that day. Coupled with those he killed on Maynard Island, the kill count was starting to weigh on his conscience, even if the blackguards deserved it.

"Are you still worried?" She asked, despite knowing the answer already. "Yeah… Saying to leave the rest to you guys is enough to ease my worries. But I appreciate you saying it."

Mira chuckled. "Fair, but I was honest. You should trust us a little more and leave some of the worries for us, too."

For a moment, Erik didn’t know either what to do or what to say, nor if to say it. Erik was afraid that if he did it, Mira and the others might decide to leave him.

Erik developed an irrational fear of the Mur continent. Yet logically, if the blackguards had survived there without the boost from their second brain crystal power, Erik and the Chimaeric Demons should have even welled chances of survival. They were overall stronger than the blackguards now, so they should manage.

Yet the blackguards went on Mur in millions and started to really settle there now that they got a hold on their research.

Erik didn’t want the three girls to come with him on Mur, but after all that happened, his fear of the place was so high that he needed some sort of emotional support.

Yet, deep down, he knew that would be for the best—at least he wouldn’t have to worry constantly about her dying there. Maybe they were even the source of his fear. Maybe he wasn’t scared about him dying, but about Mira, Emily, and Amber.

He didn’t know his own feelings anymore, as his mind was overwhelmed with competing worries.

His worries piled up like heavy stones—the safety of the clones, the unknown threats of Mur, and the risk to his partners. These thoughts weighed on him, clouding his judgment and making him unable to say what was really the worst of the problems.

Mira was the one who understood Erik better than the others, so she knew what was going on in his mind.

Maybe it was her experience, maybe it was because of the harsh life she lived, maybe it was because of how her parents raised her, but she always knew what to say.

She sat on the edge of the bed and took Erik’s hand in hers, giving it a gentle squeeze. Her touch was warm and reassuring. The familiar comfort of her presence helped ease some of the tension in Erik’s chest. It was enough to make him want to share what was really troubling him.

In the end, he couldn’t stop himself.

"I’m worried about the plane," he finally said. "This is what is keeping me sleepless, at least." He paused. "Without it, reaching Mur will be... complicated. The Chimaeric Demons would have to sacrifice their lives just to get us there. I feel bad about asking them that… I don’t know if I should…"

He paused, his voice growing heavier. "They’re not just soldiers to me, Mira. They’re family. And the thought of sending them to certain death just so I can get my revenge... it’s tearing me apart. Maybe I should just forget about everything and go live in the woods."

Erik shut his eyes, feeling exhausted from the responsibility of leadership. "And the worst part is, I know they would do it without hesitation if I asked. Their loyalty... it makes this decision even harder."

While many concerns weighed on Erik’s mind, the plane situation was the most urgent issue weighing on his mind.

Mira didn’t know how deep the connection between him and the Chimaeric Demons was. Yet she might be able to at least glimpse partially at it. After all, the clones were still part of him.

The woman understood what Erik was going through because they were important to him as much as they were for her and everyone else who loved Erik.

After all, they were his clones, and watching them die meant watching Erik die. Speaking with them was like talking to Erik, though each had developed their own unique quirks.

That meant thinking about them dying was like thinking about her lover dying. This was not a straightforward decision, and if Erik decided to go through with it, it meant knowing he led to their deaths.

She understood his dread, and while she had grown somewhat used to seeing the clones dying, the deep bond between Erik and his creations made it impossible for him to do the same.

"Erik, I’ve been by your side since before you started this journey of revenge against the blackguards. I’ve seen everything you’ve sacrificed to get here, all the effort you’ve put in, how hard you’ve worked for this."

"So many people have died fighting these monsters—and not just clones. If we stop now, we’d be dishonoring the memory of everyone who gave their lives to end the blackguards’ control over the world."

"We can’t give up, not when we’re this close to our goal."

Mira’s eyes softened. "You know what amazes me about the Chimaeric Demons? They are your clones, but each of them has grown into their own person, with their own dreams and hopes. They’re fighting for those dreams now, not just following orders."

"When I first met them, I thought they were just copies of you. But slowly, I found out they are so much more. They’ve built lives, formed relationships."

She paused.

"The Chimaeric Demons aren’t just following your orders. They want to defeat the blackguards just as much as you do. When your father died, you saw him as only your father, but he was their father, too. When the blackguards hunted you, when they forced the Crystal Cross Gang to pursue you—even though the clones weren’t physically present, they experienced all of it through you. Don’t underestimate their determination to see this through to the end."

She paused, her expression becoming more determined. "Besides, we’ve faced worse odds before."

"I’m not so sure about that, Mira." Erik thought back at the Leviathan Serpent, he thought back at the Cerulean Bird, at the black wyvern it killed, or the one Monica brought back to life.

"Everything is telling me survival on Mur will be impossible. Maybe it is just me fearing meeting those monsters again, but we don’t have time, and I can’t prepare accordingly for the journey. We will also have to cross the sea, instead of flying to Mur." He sighed.

"Even if we make it to Mur safely, I’m not sure the Chimaeric Demons will be strong enough to help us there. As I said, we don’t have the luxury of time—I can’t spend months creating new batches, either here or there. If we want to stop the blackguards’ plans, we need to move within the week."

Mira then stopped. Erik was too fixated on the lack of time. She could understand why, but he was bringing it to another level. It was a little too much.

"What do you think the blackguards are doing on Mur?"