My Wife is a Dead Villainess, and I'm Her Living Weapon-Chapter 117: Brother

"IS THAT ALL YOU’VE GOT! COME ON!"

Ned roared. Not in fear—but fury. He kept swinging his mace despite not hitting Fluffy. His eyes seemed disoriented, but he still didn’t back down. Pieces of him were scattered on the floor. His flesh, bone fragments, and blood.

Fluffy stopped attacking him to let him rest. It was her kindness to the weaker species. But Ned seemed to take offense.

In the short time he faced Fluffy, he was maimed, stabbed, beaten, and trampled. Ned had long proved his perseverance and resilience. No one would fault him if he wanted to quit. Even powerhouses like Marcus and Tessa had faces warped in shock and disbelief.

His performance was already stellar by human standards. But that was why Elian sent Burny despite the pathetic state of his perhaps one and only friend.

I am sorry, Ned. If you want to join my faction. You must go further.

"The barrier is ready, Elian," Bianca declared in a soft tone.

"Thanks."

When Burny ignited his plumage and soared, the humans watched in terror.

While the onyx armor was impressive, Flame Swallows were a different class of Weapons altogether. They were mini nukes that blew everything apart.

Bastion, Silent, and Fluffy trained with the Flame Swallows many times before leaving their dungeon. Though Living Metal was resistant to mana, it transmitted heat, pressure, energy, and pain. So not even they could endure an all-out assault from the pyromaniacs.

"FOR THE FIRE!!!!"

Even from where Elian stood, he could see the crippling fear in his friend’s eyes. If Ned made any indication that he wanted to stop, he would act to save him. But that would be the end of it. It was harsh; it was cruel, but Elian intended to stand by his decision.

Don’t let me down, Ned.

Elian never explained anything. Not to his friend—no, to his brother.

But somehow, he knew. People like him and Ned. Those who were ignored, scorned, and ridiculed. They had a spark in them. Something borne from suffering. A desire so primal it was almost instinct. All they needed was a chance.

And his friend rose to the challenge. Ned tucked his head in and hid behind his shield. Not running from what came next. Burny slammed against the young teenager without an inch of mercy.

The world witnessed the birth of a small star.

Powerful shocks rocked the small courtyard. Bianca’s ice tried to weaken the blast and redirect the exhaust. It creaked and shook from the punishment.

Everyone watched as fires danced around Ned. Fire entered the gaps in his armor and burned him alive. Parts of his armor melted from the immense heat. Yet he never cried for help. His figure stood resolute against the powerful detonation and firestorm that followed.

Even the spectators couldn’t stay quiet.

Tessa, their former teacher, clutched her hands in worry. "Heavens! That child barely has any mana. How is he expected to protect himself from a Flame Swallow detonation!"

"If this is what he does to his friends, I shudder to think what this lunatic would do to his enemies. That flag thing might be mild compared to the lengths he would go," Marcus chided.

When the flames abated, a single black knight remained amidst the fire. He vomited blood and slowly got up. Everyone watched as his armor fell apart and exposed his severely burned skin. Yet the disfigured teenage Breaker awkwardly drew a potion and drank it.

He healed his injuries. But Elian held off reforming his armor. He wanted to know what Ned would do next.

Ned tried to adjust his already shattered glasses and bellowed at Elian.

"You crazy bastard! A Flame Swallow! Really? Sicking a gigantic metal wolf was not enough for you?"

Rather than despair, resignation, or pained whimpers, Ned shouted in disbelief.

Elian’s blood began to boil.

Among the memories he regained after hearing about the coin, many of them had Elian and Ned enduring beatings together. Due to his status as a Defect, Elian was often bullied. And in many of those times, Ned almost always got beaten up right beside him.

But Nedeshwar Patel never left his side.

Even when he told him to leave. He would laugh at Elian and help him up. Such was the friendship Elian shared with this human being. They had each other’s back.

Now that the Tyrant learned of his friend’s talent, he finally understood why.

No wonder. Devoted is a part of him as my talents are a part of me.

"Well? Oy Elian! That can’t be it, right? You deranged piece of leftover crap! My midget-sized one-legged dog hits harder! That all you got?" his friend continued to badger.

Elian burst out in belly-busting laughter. Bianca, who was beside him, placed her hand on his shoulder while asking, "Elian?"

"Sorry. I just remembered that this bastard has at least five degrees in trash talking." Wiping tears away, Elian talked between chuckles, "Even though he wears glasses, when he’s excited this guy acts like a drunken sailor. I got beaten more for his insults than for being a defect."

Bianca couldn’t help but giggle seeing her lover so happy, "I can see why you treasure him. He seems just as insane as you are."

"He is," Elian said, radiating with pride.

"Elian! I like this human! He reminds me of you!" Fluffy cheered. She already torched Burny’s core back to full health.

In an extremely good mood, Elian pulled out several Flame Swallow cores from his magic bag. And set them all ablaze. There were about two dozen. Seeing the number, even Bianca gulped.

"No." She resisted, "I absolutely forbid it."

But Elian pleaded earnestly, "Please? Just this one time."

Bianca placed her hand on her temple as she exhaled, "Sigh. Men. Fine. I will figure it out somehow."

Elian quickly kissed his lover on the cheek, "You are the absolute best."

One of the new Swallows asked Elian in excitement. He and the other Swallows all were twitching in anticipation of their target. "Boss? Who are we burning?"

With a smile, the Tyrant pointed to his friend, "Him."

Twenty-four Flame Swallows shrieked as their bodies were suddenly engulfed in fire. Practically all of them were teetering on the edge.

"Target acquired!" "He looks like the wolves?" "Is he new?" "WHO CARES?" "MELT HIM TO PASTE!" "GO! GO! GO!" "FOR THE FIRE!"

In the same second, Elian lifted the restriction on Ned’s armor, allowing it to reform itself back into one piece. The shield and mace also reformed themselves.

He shouted to his friend, "Haha! Ned, my brother! You wanted it, right? Here! DIE!" He then turned to Fluffy and Burny and called to them, "Burny, join them."

"Yes! Sir Elian," he shouted as he soared.

Although the sun had already set, Crestfall City saw small suns rise in the darkness. Those who saw them from afar ran back toward the pleasure district. Those in the nearby buildings all tried to eavesdrop on the commotion using their phones or drones.

But Ned flicked his nose with his thumb and braced his core. In a display of aggression, he slammed his weapon against his shield and roared, "Go to hell, you pale-faced incel! I refuse to die! I finally have a woman waiting for me!"

"Get a life, loser! You haven’t even met her! All you saw was a picture, you creepy bastard!" Elian jeered.

"NO WAY! A WOMAN LIKE THAT DESERVES SOME LOVE!"

"WHY DO YOU EVEN LIKE HER, YOU DERANGED FREAK?"

"IT WAS LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT! YOU SHAMELESS, SELF-INDULGENT BITCH!"

Hearing Ned’s cringe-worthy confession, Elian couldn’t stop himself from laughing. Even as the Flame Swallows dove to attack the lone onyx knight, their verbal sparring continued.

"Oh yeah? Does she even know you exist? Didn’t you have like a harem of imaginary girlfriends? No one will want you, you delusional four-eyed virgin!"

"HER NAME IS CHARLOTTE! AND I AM GOING TO MAKE HER MINE! YOU CHARMLESS, TEMPERAMENTAL CRAP BAG!"

BOOM!

Louder than even a thousand blockbuster salvos, the skies quaked. Fire fell from the skies and torched the pitiful courtyard of Bianca’s boutique. In fact, even the buildings around them were already starting to melt from the heat.

The three metal wolves created heat shields to protect the surroundings, but even those couldn’t protect the area. However, despite the danger, the loud, hysterical shouting match of Elian and his friend resonated through the entire city.

When the last swallow finished detonating, everyone waited with bated breath for the aftermath.

Most only saw the last moments; the shop where Elian Reed resided started raining Flame Swallows. The people grew curious about who had the guts to challenge someone who made human flags.

Even Charlotte, who arrived at the scene, grew confused. Her face flushed and she was panting as if she had run in a hurry. Only to witness a land scorched so badly it looked like it was made of soot. And at the center of it all was a knight who staggered to get up.

Bianca appeared beside Elian and took his hand in hers. "I am glad it all worked out. I had hoped Ned would imprint on Charlotte. The Devoted only imprint once in their lifetimes."

"Imprint?"

"You can consider it as falling in love at first sight. Devoted is an extremely rare Talent that gives immense willpower in protecting the one imprinted." Bianca paused. "It’s also the number one Talent that most young girls yearn for in a lover."

"Including you?"

"No comment."

"Why is it ranked so low, then?" the Tyrant asked.

"That’s because they often die without being able to imprint. Charlotte is quite lucky; it seems Ned chose her. From now on, so long as he fights for her, he will be nearly unstoppable."

"I hope they find happiness," Elian murmured.

The two watched as Charlotte ran towards Ned. Neither of them knew that, on this day, one of Earth’s future heroes, the Shield of Valestra, was born.