Third Arc (Fallen Heart) - 181. The King's Game of Chess IV

Rose's eyes widened as she noticed a steady stream of blood dripping from Angel's left hand. She uttered a soft gasp of fear as she quickly removed his glove, exposing the wound to her scrutinizing gaze. Her heart filled with concern as she carefully examined the injury, assessing its severity.

‘Luckily it isn’t too deep,’ she thought.

But as she examined the wound, something strange began to happen. To her utter shock, she watched as the wound on Angel's hand began to close, the flesh knitting together before her very eyes. She blinked, trying to make sense of what she was seeing, and her eyes widened as she recognized the scars that crisscrossed the palm of his hand. That meant - Angel had the ability to regenerate his wounds, to heal himself with incredible speed.

Rose's mind was whirling with confusion and disbelief as she gazed upon the healed wound on Angel's hand. But that wasn't all that was causing her shock and awe. As she reached out to touch the scars that crisscrossed the palm of his hand, her thoughts turned to another man - Rai. She had seen the same scars on his hand, and the realization hit her like a freight train. How could these two men have the exact same scars? The answer immediately sprang to mind.

Angel pulled his hand back from Rose's grasp, his eyes flickering around as he watched the ongoing battle around them. The sound of clashing swords and the cries of the wounded filled the air, but he appeared unfazed by the chaos. He knew the battle would end very soon. "Don't worry," he said, his voice calm and collected. "The dark crystal helps me to regenerate."

Rose's suspicious gaze lingered on him for a moment longer, as if she were trying to decipher his words.

"Angel," Rose called out, her voice filled with a sense of urgency.

Angel turned to look at her, his eyes meeting hers. "Yes?" he responded, his tone of voice indicating that he was fully focused on her.

"Rai... He is you, right?" Rose asked, her eyes searching for confirmation. Her mind was filled with thoughts, as she remembered the similarities between Angel and Rai. Despite the fact that Rai had always worn a mask to conceal his face, she could see many similarities between the two, and her suspicions were growing stronger by the second.

Rose's words had a profound impact on Angel, causing him to turn towards her with a look of realization. As he gazed down at his hand, he realized that the scars on his palm were the proof that she was seeking. The deep and distinct marks on his skin were a silent testament to the truth that he was trying to hide from her.

"If I said yes, would you be mad at me?" Angel asked, his eyes focused on Rose's expression.

Rose shook her head slowly, her eyes never leaving his. "No, I'm not mad. I'm just... confused. How can you be in two places at once? And why did you keep this from me?" she asked, her voice filled with a mixture of confusion and curiosity.

Angel sighed, his eyes still focused on the ongoing battle. "I'll tell you later, Rose. But right now, we need to focus on our battle," he said, his gaze fixed on his soldiers as they emerged victorious from the battle.

Despite her desire to know more, Rose knew that now was not the time for questions.

"You should tell me later," she spoke, her voice carrying a hint of steel as she cast a sideways glance at the man standing beside her. "After all this is over," she added.

He looked at her. "I will," he replied, his voice firm and resolute.

As the final moments of the battle played out, the sound of clashing swords and the cries of fallen rebels grew louder and more intense, and the air filled with the deafening roar of war. And in the end, it was the Euphorion soldiers who emerged victorious, their tireless efforts and unrelenting spirit finally paying off as the rebels lay defeated and broken at their feet.