I Woke Up 120 Years After The Apocalypse-Chapter 34: Oathbearers (3)

Akram didn’t move. He remained frozen, just like everyone else present.

Rubayd slowly turned his gaze toward Aphroa’s lifeless body, blood steadily pooling beneath her.

Instinctively, he let out a scream and rushed toward the young woman.

"MISTRESS!!"

Zulfar snapped out of his shock, immediately taking a defensive stance.

"TRAITORS! TO ARMS, MY BROTHERS!"

Some of the Oathbearers rushed to Aphroa’s side, while the others regrouped behind Zulfar, ready to fight.

The Vulkans reacted just as instinctively. As confused as the Oathbearers were, they knew they had to protect their leader from any threat.

Zofyan called the guards to mobilize, drawing his weapon as well.

Akram remained stunned for a few seconds longer before quickly regaining his composure. If he didn’t act now, the Oathbearers and the Vulkans would slaughter each other.

"GUARDS! Locate and apprehend the sniper!"

The Vulkan guards, already prepared for combat, stopped immediately. Zofyan didn’t question the order and sent his men to search the surrounding area at once.

Zulfar hesitated for a moment but did not lower his guard. He roared:

"Why did you betray us?! Are you completely insane?!"

"It wasn’t us, Zulfar! This is an ambush! I never gave such an order!"

"Liar..."

Zulfar advanced toward Akram again, his broken spear still poised to strike.

Akram had no choice but to draw his blade as well, even though the expression on his face clearly showed deep regret.

Suddenly, just as the fight was about to begin, Yashyn stepped in between them.

His blade was pointed straight at the Oathbearer soldier’s face.

"What are you doing, you fool?! Do you really want to die that badly?!"

"Not only am I not going to die, but no one else will either."

Zulfar’s expression hardened, his rage nearly boiling over. Yashyn, true to himself, remained perfectly calm.

Rubayd, busy administering first aid to Aphroa, watched the scene from the corner of his eye. His attention lingered especially on Yashyn, who intrigued him more than anyone else.

Yashyn let out a long sigh before sheathing his blade.

"Do you know Ashura?"

Zulfar’s gaze darkened even further.

"The Invincible Warrior? Who do you think you are—"

"ENOUGH!"

Rubayd shouted in turn. He stood up and walked toward Yashyn and Akram.

"You know the Invincible?"

"Yeah... he’s kind of a friend of mine."

Rubayd examined the bounty hunter from head to toe, growling quietly for a few seconds.

"Sheathe your weapons, all of you. That’s an order."

"But—?!"

"That’s an order, Zulfar. Would you dare question my command?!"

Zulfar didn’t protest any further and fell back into formation, followed by the other Oathbearer soldiers.

Akram stepped toward the wounded Aphroa, but Rubayd stopped him cold, his dark stare making the young Vulkan shiver.

"Not another step, young warrior."

"But I can help you! If we do nothing, she will die, that’s certain!"

"That’s for us to handle. Take care of yourself."

Yashyn cleared his throat, taking control of the discussion once again.

"If I may, Rubayd, the person most capable of helping Mistress Aphroa is Akram the Cursed."

"Mhmm...?"

"You’re certainly aware that Akram is a Devil’s Dealer, aren’t you? He has two others under his command."

Yashyn used a tone he had never used with the Vulkans before—formal, respectful. He defended Akram like a lawyer defending his client in court.

Rubayd stared at the young leader for a long moment, his eyes narrowed.

"Help her. If she dies, we will destroy everything."

Those words weighed heavily on Akram, whose heart immediately began to race.

He turned toward the growing settlement and filled his lungs to their limit.

"LERIUS!"

The bot-shinobi appeared instantly at his master’s side, one knee on the ground.

Rubayd and his men watched without immediate reaction, though the shock on Zulfar’s face betrayed the general feeling.

The metallic voice of the robot cut through the air, making several Oathbearer soldiers pale.

"Y-Y-Y-Y-Yes, M-M-M-Master?"

"Take care of the woman on the ground. Do not let her die. Do everything you can."

The shinobi complied immediately, moving beside the Oathbearers who were already giving first aid to Aphroa and quickly taking over.

The Oathbearer pillar turned his attention back to Akram.

"What do you plan to do to save her?"

Akram swallowed hard. The beads of sweat forming on his face betrayed the stress coursing through him against his will. He knew he had no room for error—the survival of Vulkania depended on it.

"We’ll keep her in our infirmary. She can’t be moved until we know exactly what was hit..."

Rubayd clenched his fists, his anger nearly spilling over. Yashyn immediately stepped in, positioning himself between the pillar and Akram.

"You’re asking me to leave the young mistress here, in the hands of those who attacked her?!"

Yashyn slowly shook his head.

"She’ll be in Akram’s hands. No one else’s. He’s proven he’s worthy of your trust."

Rubayd turned back toward Aphroa and stepped closer, kneeling beside her. He addressed Lerius directly, his tone grave.

"Robot, if you fail to save her, I will kill your master."

"As long as I am here, she w-w-w-w-w-w-w-won’t die. And as long as I am here, you w-w-w-w-w-w-won’t be able to."

Rubayd raised an eyebrow, surprised by the robot’s arrogance. Still, that confidence was enough to convince him to accept Akram’s terms.

"I accept. She will stay here. But I, Zulfar, and two other men will stay as well."

"You will house us and care for my men the same way you care for your own."

Akram nodded silently. His throat was too tight for him to utter a single word.

Yashyn stepped aside, allowing Akram to approach Aphroa.

He rushed to her side, assisting his relic in the rescue effort. The sheer amount of blood she had lost made it immediately clear to Akram that this would be no easy task.

He was a doctor, yes—but not a physician. He had knowledge he had been forced to acquire in the past, but without access to the technology of his era, his limitations were now far too great to guarantee her survival.

Yashyn might have saved her life...

or he might only have delayed her death.

This time, Akram’s skills might not be enough.