Chapter 125: Who’s afraid of whom?

Astin would never confess to a single soul that when Bunny stormed into his dreamscape—beating down every inner demon to scoop him up and drag him out—his heart had never pounded so violently in his entire life.

It felt as though he were enveloped and shielded by a presence as comforting as a mother’s embrace.

Warm, safe, and deeply reassuring.

Astin genuinely detested and feared others discovering his secrets, for that inner vault was packed with shame, humiliation, and agonizing scars.

Yet, much like Tyr, those who had been broken would shut away their hearts out of fear of being hurt again—while simultaneously harboring a desperate longing for a hand to reach in and haul them out of the mire.

Just as an awkward, tsundere lover inherently needed a straightforward, unapologetic partner.

He didn’t want to break the bond.

The air fell into a dead silence once more. Amidst the heavy gloom of the night, a low, raspy chuckle escaped Kai’s lips.

"Astin... that Sentinel is you, isn’t it?"

Kai knew Astin all too well. This man—habitually sharp-tongued and abrasive, acting as tough and stubborn as a rock in a ditch—merely used his hostility as armor to protect himself.

A crocodile relied entirely on its tough hide.

Astin’s face flustered instantly. "It is not!"

Yet two seconds later, as if surrendering to fate, he dropped his head, his tone deflating completely:

"Just... don’t you dare tell the others."

If Bunny genuinely discarded him, he would become the laughingstock of every Sentinel in the unit—and he’d rather die than let that happen!

Kai stared quietly at Astin for a long moment. Was he jealous? Of course he was.

Liam was one thing, but now his own squad brother had managed to leap miles ahead, operating as a secret lover behind closed doors.

Yet beyond the sting of jealousy, Kai recognized the profound anxiety suffocating Astin. That black tactical suit wrapped him up tight from head to toe, trapping him like a fish unable to draw breath.

"Astin, what on earth are you so insecure about?"

A shift in the moonlight cast soft rays across their hair. Astin raised his eyes in confusion.

"Where do you fall short compared to Liam?"

Had it not been for the toxic degradation compromising his system, Astin’s rank would be right up there alongside Xander’s. Possessing such looks and raw strength, what cause did he have for self-doubt?

"While everyone else gathers around her and pulls her close, what are you doing?"

"You hide in the shadows, lurking and coveting from afar like a rat in the gutter."

Kai’s words were razor-sharp; he felt genuinely incensed by his brother’s self-pitying, passive posture.

A dragon was a dominant creature—when it wanted something, it seized it.

"Astin, you lost your mother when you were a child." Kai paused, letting the weight of his next words sink in. "Are you going to stand by and lose your Guide, too?"

Astin’s heart was pierced in an instant, as if a sharp blade had carved open his chest, spilling every hidden emotion out with his blood.

Nearby, the small dragon attempted to sneak a sip of liquor, only to receive a swift swat from Kai.

Standing up, Kai let his single thin braid flutter in the night breeze.

"Astin, if you don’t fight for her... there are plenty of us who will."

Long after Kai departed, Astin remained seated alone on the high tower, letting the sharp night wind blow over him.

He knew his brother was giving him a wake-up call—and throwing down a direct challenge.

Heh...

Astin crushed the aluminum bottle in his hand with brute force, then slowly let his fingers loosen.

If it’s a fight you want, then a fight you’ll get.

Who’s afraid of whom?

***

Bunny’s grueling ordeal finally drew to a close late into the night.

Liam had gone completely feral, possessing zero concept of self-restraint.

Coaxing her through one round, two rounds... endless rounds... Growing progressively more electrified with every passing moment.

Before slipping into total exhaustion, Bunny felt as though her waist were about to snap in two.

Having tasted the sweetness of physical love for the first time, a young, energetic bull like him carried a wild streak that knew no limits.

She slept straight through until the sun beat high in the sky. By the time she woke, Liam was already out of bed, leaving her dressed in a fresh, clean set of pajamas he had changed her into after her bath.

Fearing he might disturb her sleep, he had thoughtfully tucked a soft plush doll into her arms before slipping out.

He had picked up on her subconscious sleeping habit: Bunny loved cuddling close to someone, needing something anchored in her grasp to drift off peacefully.

Bunny gave a long stretch and attempted to roll over, only for an excruciating, dull ache to flare up across her lower abdomen.

The stinging pain made her wince and grit her teeth. Although Liam had tried his utmost to be gentle and cautious, the sheer physical incompatibility still put her body through absolute torture.

After catching her breath for a long while, she dragged herself up, only to find Rin resting beside the edge of the bed.

"Rin?"

She had searched everywhere for him last night with no luck, intending to ask where he had disappeared to.

"Good morning, Bunny."

It was a standard, programmed greeting that Bunny took in stride, yet she couldn’t help feeling that Rin seemed unusually downcast today.

"Where were you last night?"

Rin didn’t answer. In truth, he was fully aware that her heat cycle had arrived, yet being a mere virtual entity, he was utterly powerless.

He could neither soothe her excruciating distress nor stomach the thought of watching her share intimacy with other men.

By all logical rules, Bunny was his primary user; whatever she chose to do carried zero bearing on his functions.

Jealousy was an emotion a virtual AI should never possess.

"Bunny... during the week you were away, I missed you terribly."

Rin harbored a strong dislike for chatting with Sunny, finding the little robot far too noisy and chatterbox-like. During Bunny’s absence on her mission, his daily routine consisted solely of recharging and staring blankly into space—counting down the stars and moons as he waited for her return.

Humans created virtual entities to fill the void of loneliness they feared so deeply.

Yet when a virtual construct itself developed a sense of isolation, who was there to fill its void?

Clutching her plush doll, Bunny launched into a vivid account of how she had held off the Aberration swarm, engaged in high-octane gunfights with the Scavenger gang, and braved the radiation zone to pull off Kai’s heroic rescue.

Exaggerated tall tales were mixed in liberally, of course.