Saddam felt the icy edge of the runic steel Eisbrecher pressing against his neck. Fresh blood trickled in a thin line, feeling hot against the freezing sensation of her blade. Saddam's heart raced wildly. He wasn't just afraid of being decapitated; he was also trying to process the rows of blue holographic text floating before his eyes.[System: Synchronization 0.1 percent successful. Beginning processing of target's emotional data.][Passive Skill Unlocked: Tactical Empathy (Level 1). You can read the target's heartbeat and stress levels.]Saddam stared into the woman's blue eyes. They were beautiful, sharp as crystal, yet filled with pure hatred. Saddam could hear the thumping of her heart through his mind. The rhythm was steady, but there were flickers of irregular beats indicating she was deeply psychologically disturbed."I... I just wanted to survive, Captain," Saddam answered hoarsely. He tried to keep his voice calm even though his body was shaking violently. "That monster...

The cold stone walls of Nymphenburg Palace felt like they were piercing Saddam's back as he was shoved into the interrogation room. The scent of iron and old dust stung his nose. His hands were handcuffed with black metal that emitted pulses of static energy. Every time Saddam tried to focus his mind to summon the System, the cuffs released a small electric shock that made his arm muscles spasm.General Hanz Kepler stepped inside, the sound of his boots echoing loudly on the marble floor. Behind him, Felisa followed with silent steps, her gaze fixed straight ahead, seemingly ignoring the presence of the courier who now looked quite pathetic. Hanz sat in a sturdy oak chair, slamming a thick report document onto the table right in front of Saddam's face."Saddam, a low-level package courier from the Altstadt District," Hanz began the conversation with a heavy, oppressive voice. "According to our data, you should have died in the first five minutes when that micro-Rift opened. However, F

Thick dust still hung heavy in the air, blurring Felisa's vision. Her heart pounded wildly, a sensation she had never felt before. She ignored the three stone gargoyles beginning to surround her, her eyes fixed solely on the mound of ruins where Saddam had just been standing."Saddam?" Felisa whispered, her voice choking up.Behind the clouds of dust, a faint blue light suddenly flickered. It was the glow from the system screen, triggering Saddam's emergency ability. The ear-piercing sound of massive stones shifting rang out. Saddam emerged from behind the rubble with his clothes torn at the shoulder, his breath coming in gasps and cold sweat soaking his grime-streaked face."I'm not ready to die today, Captain!" Saddam shouted between coughs.Felisa reflexively took a breath of relief, but she immediately hid her emotions back behind an icy mask. "You absolute fool! How dare you worry me like that!"Without waiting for Saddam's reply, Felisa lunged forward. With one elegant movement,

Felisa’s scream echoed as if shattering the fragile crystal of reality. A blinding white light exploded from her body, striking the black blade that had nearly pierced Saddam’s chest. The sword disintegrated into dust, swept away by a violent wind. Zara, standing nearby, shrieked in pain as the holy light scorched her skin. The demon recoiled, her face distorted by rage, before finally being swallowed by the darkness of the collapsing dimension.Saddam was thrown backward, gasping for air. He watched as Felisa fell to her knees, her body trembling violently. The black armor that had once enveloped her slowly faded, shifting back into a majestic silver that now appeared dull and cracked. Saddam crawled toward her, ignoring the sharp pain radiating through his joints."Felisa! Are you back?" Saddam shouted, his voice hoarse.She looked up. Her eyes, which had been glowing red, slowly returned to a clear sapphire blue, though they looked incredibly weary and hollow. She stared at the han

The thunderous roar slowly faded. Saddam felt a dull ache spreading across his back. His body felt like it had just been flattened by a heavy material transport truck. Yet, the lingering warmth on his lips made the pain feel much more bearable. He held Felisa tightly, ensuring she hadn't been separated from him in the thick darkness surrounding them."Felisa," Saddam whispered softly. He reached out, his hand brushing against the Captain’s face in the pitch-black room.There was no reply. Only the sound of steady, rhythmic breathing. Saddam immediately summoned his system interface. A faint blue screen flickered to life, illuminating Felisa’s face as she slept soundly in his arms. Her eyes were tightly shut, and her skin no longer felt ice-cold. The warmth Saddam had transferred through their kiss seemed to have locked her body temperature at a stable level.[Warning: System mana energy is at a critical level. User is experiencing extreme fatigue.]Saddam ignored the warning. He exhal