The Invincible Full-Moon System

Chapter 1796: Brightest Moon

Just like the Shade Crawlers, Rex also assigns tasks for Amanir and Linthia.

Neither was as wounded as he, so he sent them out.

Amanir was sent on a retrieval mission. Should be easy for him, considering he could even sneak around in the royal bubble. And as expected, he came back barely a day later with a massive grin on his face—like he was taunting Rex for giving such an easy mission.

But Rex has no strength to kick him.

Other than that, his attention was seized by these two figures.

“Ethan…?” Rex looked at Ethan.

His body was wrapped in bandages, and his face was still pale from his critical wounds.

Rex promised inside that he’s going to let chance dictate what he would do.

If Ethan survived his condition, then he would turn him into a Silverstar. No doubt that he deserved to become a werewolf, considering he was the one who saved the current quest at the time from failing.

On top of that, he also reminded Rex of Edward.

Seeing how he sacrificed himself for others made him recall how Edward was willing to be the servant of the Executor to sabotage from within. Impulsive. Outright moronic. But there’s no doubt that he was fiercely loyal.

Being experimented on in the Noob Box binds them like brothers.

However, he wouldn’t lie to Ethan.

He told Amanir to tell the truth. That he would be going against the empire.

Ethan wanted to become a knight more than anything in his entire life, a knight of the empire, so Rex wasn’t expecting him. For him, this was a formality. So that he could be content—with the fact he had at least offered Ethan a chance to join his side.

But he was here now, standing awkwardly with his face turned away, unable to make eye contact.

“I was debating to come here,” He said, clenching his weak fists hard. “I don’t believe a single word he said,” he gestured at Amanir. There was anger in his voice. “I came because I want to hear it from you directly. No, I need to hear it from you directly.”

“Yes,” Rex tilted his head and answered without hesitation. “I’m going against the empire.”

Ethan’s heart skipped a beat.

It sounded surreal to hear Rex saying that when not too long ago—he was fiercely protecting the nobles with his life. But things changed. Circumstances changed. He had enough playing fair, as he is running out of time.

“Why…?” Ethan’s voice was light, and his face darkened.

“Empress Morgana trapped me—and then tried assassinating me when I survived,” He answered with a flat tone. The anger inside him already shimmered down, turning into ice. “And now the empire went against me. There’s no other choice.”

“Are you going to kill the innocents?” He asked again, voice trembling. “The people?”

“Depends,” Rex rasped.

He has no intention of killing the innocents.

But circumstances can change. He could go berserk and slaughter everyone without separating whether they are enemies or civilians. It’s unlikely, but the odds are there. That’s only one scenario out of many where he was forced to kill civilians.

So, that answer was the simple, harsh truth.

Ethan finally looked up at him.

His eyes were trembling, unable to believe what he was hearing.

Rex was level-headed despite extreme situations—and he’s also selfless. At least that’s how Ethan sees him after following him through that mission. This isn’t how Rex was supposed to be acting. He should be fighting to clear his name, not destroy the empire.

“Don’t hesitate,” He shook his head. “Just the fact that you came here should tell you your answer. Join me, and I’ll make you a knight. In case you haven’t caught up with the newest information, down in the Mortal Realm, I’m an emperor.

“And seeing how hard this is for you also assures me that you’re loyal. Join me, Ethan,” He continued.

“I…” Ethan stuttered, shoulders shaking. “I can’t.”

“I see,” Rex nodded. It’s such a shame. “In that case, I’ll have Amanir bring you back again.”

“No, I want you to do it. One… One last time, we walk as an ally. Before—”

His voice trailed.

Saying the next words was hard to do.

“Before we become enemies? Okay,” Rex’s lips curled a little. “I’ll tag along. One last time. Wait outside until I’m finished.”

The next time they meet, it will be as enemies. So, this walk is going to be their goodbye.

Ethan walked out, followed by Amanir.

And now, Rex was face-to-face with the last person.

Just seeing this woman made her heart ache, as the last time she was impaled through her chest.

“April…” He muttered the name. “You’re alive.”

“I’m alive.” She muttered the same.

Flashes of those years spent inside the Forsaken Tower appeared inside his mind like memories from a distant past, another life. Though most of the time was spent meditating and training, there were days and nights when they would share their stories.

Share their vulnerabilities.

Share something deeper than companionship in the lonely tower.

He almost lost her two times. Two times.

Rex came out stronger because of her, but he knew that it was unfair for her.

She was targeted simply because she was close to him.

And if she resented him now, he would accept it.

Rex stared at her beautiful, naturally half-lidded eyes behind strands of golden, that still spark the same boredom. But right now, tears made the surface glisten. A tear fell and wetted the thick cream-colored blanket that covered her frail body.

It seemed she was in bed when Amanir arrived.

Still recovering from the wound, no doubt.

The purplish glowing scar at the center of her chest was see-through from the blanket.

She wasn’t meant to look frail like this.

She should still view the world like she used to. Like, there’s nothing that can surprise her. Unafraid.

But there was no sign of her past self anymore.

Rex changed her, and for that, he regretted ever letting the wall to his heart crumble for her.

Looking at her now squeezed his heart.

Her lips trembled violently, unable to utter the words that she had in mind, and more tears dropped.

Unconsciously, Rex took a step forward.

He wanted to hold her. Tell her that he was sorry. That everything is going to be fine from now.

But he retracted his foot backward to stand straight again.

Rex didn’t know what April was feeling towards him right now. There’s a chance that she didn’t want him close. Afraid. Not to mention, she might come to dissuade him from doing what he was going to do, which would mean they were now standing on opposite sides.

Enemies.

A certain woman flashed inside Rex’s mind. Someone he regretted ever dragging to his dark world.

Rosie.

Just thinking about the name that stung his heart.

He has a feeling that if April gets closer than this, she would end up like Rosie.

He can’t let that happen.

Rex parted his lips slightly, “You should leave.”

The words came out lighter than intended.

April doesn’t seem to hear what he said, so he sucked in a deep breath and repeated.

“You should leave,” His voice is louder and clearer now.

“What…?” April’s face twisted. There was pain behind it now. “Leave?”

“I changed my mind. Go back to your family,” Rex added, staring at her in the eyes now. “I’ll give you something to help you transform your Spiritual Veins back to normal. I will also give you something to increase your Soul Artifact grade. That way, Great Elder Rosa might view you as a Heiress. And don’t worry, your family will be safe. I prom—”

Pah—!

A crisp slap landed across Rex’s face.

His face didn’t turn; the slap was too weak because of her condition, or maybe because he had already become too strong. But his eyes widened in surprise, staring at April’s eyes, searching for an answer in them.

“Wha—?”

“You changed your mind?”

April held the blanket with one hand and shoved him hard with the other.

It didn’t push Rex even a step. Instead, she was the one who got pushed back.

Tears now fell freely, but her face hardened compared to earlier.

“You called me here, asking me to join you, and I came. And now you changed your mind?!” She shoved him again, glaring at him like a feral cat. “After everything we’ve been through. After everything I’ve done for you. You changed your mind?!”

Again and again, she shoved.

She didn’t even care when the blanket slipped from her shoulders, revealing her naked body underneath.

“What changed, Rex? What changed?!” She screamed, trying to meet Rex’s eyes, who were trying hard not to meet hers. “Is it guilt? Now that you looked at me. Look at how broken I am. You decided to discard me? Why?! Does it hurt you to see me? To see what you did to me? Is that it?!

“I did everything for you! I even altered my Spiritual Veins for you!”

Crack!

April shoved again, harder. But this time, her shoulder made a bony sound like a tree branch breaking.

She bent down and groaned, cursing loudly as she clutched her shoulder.

But the pain didn’t subside the fire burning in her.

Rex tried to check on her, to see what she broke, but her hand swatted his away.

For a few breaths, silence enveloped the cave as April adjusted to the pain.

“And now what?” She raised her gaze, her voice far lighter than earlier. “Now I’m supposed to go back? Return to normal and forget about you? How can I do that? I even chased after you…” She bit her lower lip, hating the need to even say it. “God, I’m so pathetic.”

“You’re not pathetic, but it’s still best this way,” Rex finally answered. “Staying with me will only get you hurt. Two times already, April. Two times. You almost died because of me two times. I’ll be damned if I let you get hurt again for the third time.

“You should’ve resented me for it, I know I would if I were in your position.”

It was painful to say those words.

She would hate him now.

Just the thought of April hating him was akin to a knife stabbing into his heart.

But if that’s what she needed to get through this, then so be it.

“You still have your family. You’re still incredibly young for a Spirit,” Rex threw his face away and hung his head low. He exhaled hard through his mouth, allowing his body to let out the strain building up in his throat. “Cling to your family, and forget about me. It’s a lot better this way.” My world is too dark for your light.

April should’ve understood.

She saw how every step he took was riddled with madness, blood, and gore.

It was simply the path that he chose to take from the moment the System saved him from death.

This life is a second chance for him. And he dedicated this second chance to being strong enough to do what he couldn’t do before. To be able to protect those—around him. But he could fail.

Just recently, he almost failed to save Nivellen.

April is still outside his life. She could still walk away. And she should.

The blood in his hands couldn’t be easily washed away.

Every time he killed others and devoured them one way or another, it felt like the blood was seeping into his body and drowning him from the inside. It already reached his neck now, and soon, his mind would be drowned too.

And at that time, the blood would spread to others near him.

April would be drowned too, and Rex doesn’t want to see how she became then.

In his eyes, she is the brightest moon he has ever seen.

Back in the Forsaken Tower, trapped for years upon years doing nothing but training, there were times when he could not take it anymore. He didn’t cry. He didn’t complain. He didn’t even show it. But for some reason, April always knew and comforted him.

Perhaps the solitude made the mess in his mind worse, or maybe it was because he was far away from his pack, and this is the effect. Regardless, she was always there. Even forsaking her own training to comfort him.

Her light was there to keep him from going insane.

She was the moon, and he was the darkness.

All she needed was the companionship of twinkling stars, not the darkness that would swallow her.

“Rex… I don’t resent you for what happened,” She whispered, head hung low. Her voice was breaking, but she tried her best to keep it level. She held his hand and looked up into his eyes. “But take responsibility. Ask me to stay.”

Rex wanted to say yes.

Adding one more doesn’t mean anything. He’s still more than capable of doing that.

But for a flash, her face was exchanged for Rosie’s bloodied face.

And it wiped all the warmth from his heart.

“You have your own place in this realm,” Rex said, his voice growing cold. “And I have mine.”

He walked past her, exiting the cave.