Why does Jiekhrund, a foreigner, remain loyal to the Military State?
Is it because he likes this country? If someone said that, they'd either be a con artist or have Public Security watching them closely. Anyone who lived in a kingdom might make this place seem like a paradise by comparison, but this country has no charm, no mystery, and no entertainment.
Maybe it's because they gave him a lot of money? This crazy country operates with an extreme structure where even the most powerful, the Six-Star Generals, can't live in luxury. It’s a nation with a pyramid structure more like an obelisk, where the top 1% controls 1% of the wealth. Most of the funds are managed directly by the Military State, pouring money into making weapons but giving individuals only a tiny amount of wealth. Not that there's much to spend it on anyway.

The reason Jiekhrund remains loyal to such a miserable country is simple.
It’s because ‘she’ found him.

As for who 'she' is in his memory, I don’t know the details since I didn’t directly read them, but she was the one who uncovered Jiekhrund, who had hidden his identity.
After a long life on the run, losing himself and forgetting who he truly was, Jiekhrund used her as the anchor to rebuild his identity.

She is special. But she is not unique.
Because I, too, can see through him.

“Just now and earlier, you’ve had the same made-up face, haven’t you? And this time, it’s even worse. At least earlier, it looked like a human face, but now it looks like a statue you gave up halfway through sculpting. Are you really okay with using that face as your own?”
“…Okay? I am me. What do you know?”
“I don’t know, which is why I’m asking. What’s your real face… or rather, who are you, really?”

The word “real” caused Jiekhrund to show an inorganic expression. It wasn’t so much that he was deliberately trying to compose himself, but more like he was bracing for something before making a move.

“Does it matter who I really am? I am Jiekhrund, one of the Six-Star Generals, and transforming is my powerful skill. It’s who I am. I don’t need other defining characteristics.”
“What are you talking about? Everyone knows you’re you. I’m asking not about your characteristics, but about your qualifications.”

Driven by the fear of losing himself, Jiekhrund anchored his identity to the woman who recognized him and worked for her.
So, what needs to be done to shake him? Naturally, the anchor must be removed.

“I listen to people’s wishes and act on them. I’m not like a prophet. They change the future they’ve seen, but I make sure people get what they desire within the given circumstances.”
“I don’t see the difference. To me, it looks the same.”
“It’s different. Their desires are real. Their real lives. Their only birthright. The fierce desires of people who lived without time to question if it was real or fake. I simply fulfilled those desires.”

Real. Fake. Real. Jiekhrund, a natural-born actor, didn’t show it, but I, as a mind reader, could sense him flinch every time “real” and “fake” were mentioned.
This anchor is lighter than expected. It shifts every time I touch it. Will it stay fixed like this?

“And yet, you’re here, following the Military State’s orders with a made-up face and identity. Is this the real you?”
“You…”

With a smile, I seized the anchor in his mind and pulled it out.

“You’re just a tool, aren’t you? Do we use the word ‘life’ for tools these days too?”
“…Pathetic provocation. You must be desperate, running out of things to say.”

“It’s provocation, sure. You can’t get caught up in it here. Reading desires? That’s just another form of prophecy. Use Siahti and Historia’s hatred and suspicion to trap him.”

He fully believes in my abilities. He wouldn’t simply dismiss someone like me, who reached the deepest part of the Military State, as just a coincidence or good luck. He questions and scrutinizes everything, probably a habit developed from being chased for so long.
But his excessive suspicion made him trust my abilities completely.

“I told you earlier, didn’t I? I read desires.”
“…What?”
“You want to regain your lost self, don’t you? So why are you doing this?”

An anchor is not a harbor. He’s nothing more than a ship adrift in an endless sea.
That means even his identity as Jiekhrund is a fabrication.

“The more you play the role of Jiekhrund, the further you move from your real self. Fake mission. Fake life. Fake face. Even your goal as a Six-Star General is merely part of your role as Jiekhrund, not your real desire. So what… Ria! Protect me!”

No further words were necessary. In that moment, feeling his identity threatened, Jiekhrund lunged at me.
It wasn’t without reason. When someone tries to stab you with a sword, it’s only natural to resist. Jiekhrund sought to protect himself by repelling my attack on his identity.

However, Historia stood in front of me.

“You’re pushing it!”

Always on alert, Historia reacted just in time. Worried I might get caught up in the fight, she took two steps forward and threw a kick at Jiekhrund, as if snatching him mid-leap.

KABOOM.
The collision was like a disaster. An explosion echoed, and the shattered floor scattered in all directions. Historia’s technique, Explosive Void Fist, has a repulsive property.
It’s difficult to control, but easy to unleash. The clash between two powerful Six-Star Generals resembled two rubber balls bouncing off each other. Both slid apart, skidding across the ground.

“Huey! Be careful!”

Historia, having realized Jiekhrund’s target in a single clash, shouted.

“He’s aiming for you!”

Immediately after, Jiekhrund charged again, not toward Historia but directly at me.
Without any attempt to hide his intent, he rushed straight for me. Historia, who quickly intercepted, pulled back her arms.

Explosive Void Fist: Explosive Break.

A bluish energy repelled everything. Historia, with her top-tier energy level as a Six-Star General, unleashed an explosion. Even Jiekhrund couldn’t withstand it head-on. Instead, he swayed his body.
The basic principle of martial arts is to redirect force. He didn’t resist the flow but exploited the gap. Like a ship undeterred by the wind, he steadily advanced, step by step.

‘He’s a master of combat too. I don’t know if I can win, but I can’t protect Huey.’

Realizing the disparity, Historia urgently called out to me.

“Run to a safe place!”
“Got it!”

I nodded and immediately stuck close behind Historia. She was startled by the sudden contact.

“What are you doing?!”
“The safest place right now is behind you. I’m counting on you.”
“It’s dangerous! Even the energy shockwaves are no joke!”
“Getting caught in the shockwaves is better than dying. Whoa! Ria, look out!”

A hand shot through the gap between Historia’s armpits, trying to grab the hem of my clothes. Historia, noticing it just in time, wrapped her right arm around Jiekhrund’s arm.
But at that moment, Jiekhrund slipped inside her guard. He drove his knee deep in and twisted her arm, instantly disrupting her balance.

‘Martial arts?! This is dangerous… he’s taken control of the lower ground!’

Among the weak, taking the high ground is considered advantageous. You can add more force to your strikes.
But for those who’ve mastered martial arts, it’s the opposite. Weight is of little use. Since the repulsive force of energy is stronger than the pulling force, if your feet leave the ground, it becomes a losing battle.

‘This is… dangerous…!’

Moreover, Historia’s energy is of the Explosive Void Fist type. It’s strong in repulsion but weak in adhesion. Unable to handle the force pressing from below, Historia’s body trembled.
Of course, controlling the lower ground doesn’t immediately decide the fight. But the problem was that Historia wasn’t alone right now.

‘Huey!’

Jiekhrund intended to push Historia aside and target me. Despite Historia’s desperate resistance, the limit came sooner than expected.

“Don’t…!”

With a whoosh, Historia’s body was flung into the air. With the obstacle cleared, Jiekhrund aimed a powerful strike at me. The sound of air being sliced filled the control room…
But his fist missed. Because I was still clinging to Historia’s back, flying through the air with her.

Phew. If I hadn’t held on tight, I’d be in big trouble. It was worth clinging on while we flew.
Still clinging to Historia’s back, I shouted in relief.

“Hahaha! You look pathetic! Struck a nerve, didn’t I? Of course, I did! Every one of your desires that I’ve read is fake!”
“Huey! You’d better stop provoking him…!”
“It’s too late! We’ve come this far, we’re seeing this through!”

Historia, having somehow balanced herself midair, hooked her foot onto the barbed wire-covered wall and stood upright, with me still clinging to her.
In this position, it felt almost comfortable, like I was lying down, while looking down at Jiekhrund below us.

“Sorry, but you don’t have the right to say anything to me! Even if I, as an observer, fulfill people’s desires, they’re real. The real me, living a real life, listened to the desires of those living fiercely. You’re different. You’ve discarded your face, name, and identity whenever necessary!”

Taste the mind reader’s provocation. I’ll strike where it hurts most.
Jiekhrund, infuriated by my words, leapt toward the wall where we were perched.
Historia, caught in the middle of the fight, found herself in a tight spot.

“Huey! You’re pushing it too far!”
“There’s no turning back now! It’s like riding a tiger!”
“I can’t guarantee a victory even in a one-on-one fight, and now I have to fight while carrying you on my back…! And without a weapon, no less…”
“Need a weapon?”

I had one on hand.
I pulled a diamond card from my sleeve, transmuted it via my biological terminal, and subtly placed it on Historia’s shoulder, out of Jiekhrund’s sight. Historia, without looking, immediately recognized the weighty feel.

“A gun?”
“It’s the alchemy weapon I used before. The bullets are loaded.”

Historia took the gun, and with a smooth motion, spun it around her finger before grasping the trigger. True to her name as a gunslinger, she quickly assessed the revolver’s structure and remaining bullets.
And then she scowled.

“Only three shots?!”
“I didn’t have time to load more.”
“How am I supposed to manage with just three bullets?! Of all things, it had to be three!”

‘Three bullets are barely enough for sighting in a gun. You need at least four to make it work!’

“Shh! Jiekhrund doesn’t know it’s only three bullets! Whether it’s six or three, he’ll still be wary of them as long as he doesn’t know the exact number!”
“Yeah, right…!”

But with no better option, Historia hid the gun under her sleeve. I never taught her such sleight of hand. Seems she remembered the tricks we used to pull back when we played card games.
Then, as if lost in thought, Historia ran her fingers over the revolver’s grip.

‘This gun… it’s the same type Huey gave me when he first suggested I try using firearms. I wonder if he even remembers that.’

“I’ll manage somehow. Just stay safe… No, hold on tight until we’re done!”

With that, Historia swiftly descended the barbed wire-covered wall as if it were a staircase. Just before hitting the ground, she slowed her descent slightly, giving me time to grab hold of the barbed wire before jumping down to the floor.
I’m used to rolling on the ground, but I’ll never get used to the soreness in my back muscles. As I awkwardly stood up, I saw Historia blocking Jiekhrund’s path once again.