I Woke Up 120 Years After The Apocalypse-Chapter 19: False hero’s return

Zarod stepped toward Akram, walking over the many corpses of his fallen subordinates.

His remaining chiefs followed closely behind him, in silence.

When he was only a few meters away, he stopped abruptly.

"How did you do it, Akram the Cursed?" he asked coldly.

"What? How did I make him my subordinate? I’m his true master, that’s all." Akram replied with an almost insulting nonchalance, clearly enjoying the situation.

Gasps spread through both the bandits and the Vulkans standing around them.

"Akram... Are you a Devil’s dealer?!" Elliot exclaimed in shock.

"Huh?" Akram replied, confused.

"Fuck, he stole the chief’s relic... Is that even possible?!" shouted one of the bandits in the crowd, just as stunned.

Akram didn’t really understand what was happening, or what a Devil’s dealer truly was, but he said nothing and simply went along with it.

"Yeah, Lerius right here is my relic!" he said in an even more provocative tone.

Zarod was no longer boasting. His provocations and casual attitude had been replaced by a heavy calm, mixed with restrained anger.

He took a deep breath before speaking again.

"Very well. He’s yours now, huh? I’ll come back to take him, but..."

He gestured for all his men to lower their weapons.

"Not by force."

Akram looked at him, puzzled.

"I’m making you an offer, Akram the Cursed." he said, regaining his confidence.

"Let’s call a truce, right here. Or at least, a non-aggression pact."

Once again, shocked exclamations echoed through the crowd.

Akram was surprised as well, but he kept his cool and replied sharply.

"I accept."

"GOOD! In that case, we have nothing more to do here. I hope we meet again under better circumstances, Akram." the Warlord concluded, turning on his heel and retreating without another second wasted.

His men stared at him in disbelief, unable to understand.

"But... Boss! Zarod! He’s right there! We can take him out and get your—" one of the bandits tried to say before being cut off instantly.

"Silence. We’re leaving."

"But—"

Zarod turned around instantly and threw a dagger straight into the bandit’s head.

His body collapsed heavily to the ground, lifeless.

The other bandits watched the scene, stunned, then began to follow their leader without a word.

Akram watched them slowly disappear, standing tall despite the pain.

Then his body gave out.

Worn down by his previous battles, he collapsed, but Lerius caught him before he hit the ground.

Baron and Elliot rushed to his side.

"Is it over..?"

"Not quite..." Akram replied, holding his side.

"Lerius... secure and treat Runa, execution."

The robot released his master and went to retrieve the unfortunate Runa, who was severely injured.

Akram remained kneeling as his men tried to help him as best they could.

"Since when are you a Devil’s dealer, Akram?"

"A Devil’s dealer?"

"Yeah, a Devil’s dealer !" Elliot exclaimed.

Elliot then explained what a Devil’s dealer was, and what defined them.

Devil’s dealers are extremely rare humans, barely present among the population.

They are known for all possessing, without exception, a relic of the past—whether it is a weapon, a robot, or a unique piece of technology.

Some live as hermits, others become cult leaders, and some belong to the upper class of the new world.

Their name comes from the belief that owning a relic is the same as making a deal with the devil, and accepting all the consequences that come with it.

Elliot and Baron helped Akram back to his feet. As he raised his head, he noticed something on the horizon... a dark silhouette.

A man was stepping over the bodies left behind by the sand bandits in an almost comical manner, walking toward the Vulkan base.

Akram narrowed his eyes and finally recognized the strange individual.

Repaired sandals, a stitched poncho, a kasa hat, and a gas mask.

It could only be Yashyn, the man who had saved his life in the cannibal camp.

When he reached the Vulkans, Elliot and Baron instinctively tensed up. Akram felt it.

"It’s fine, guys, he’s a friend."

"Wow, damn... you guys really made a mess here, lil’ buddies! Looks like a lot happened." Yashyn said cheerfully, as if nothing were wrong, despite the corpses all around.

"Yeah... you could say that." Akram replied with a tired smile.

Yashyn silently observed the young man.

Huh. The kid’s grown. He thought.

Akram invited him inside the HQ, where he sat with Baron, Leyla, and Elliot while Lerius treated their injuries.

Runa had been taken to the infirmary and was being cared for by Lerius.

Akram explained everything he had gone through since returning to Vulkania, the conflict with the bandits, and the fact that he was now a Devil’s dealer.

"He can really do a lot, Lerius!" Elliot said, amazed by the Shinobi’s medical skills.

"Yeah, but don’t get too attached." Akram replied, less optimistic.

"Why’s that? You’re his new master, right? Or did I miss something?" Yashyn asked, scratching his head.

"Yes, I’m his so-called new master. But that can change..." Akram replied in a darker tone.

"I reprogrammed him using security codes from my time... but he’s been through a lot. He’s been damaged multiple times, and his memory isn’t fully stable anymore."

"So what does that mean? He’s amnesiac?" Baron asked.

"Not exactly. He can lose his memory, then regain it differently. He could, for example, remember that his master was Zarod." Akram concluded.

Yashyn let out a long yawn, clearly uninterested in the discussion.

"Aaanywaaay, that’s not why I’m here, lil’ bud." he said to Akram.

"I know, I know... Varog." Akram understood.

Leyla lifted her head discreetly—so discreetly that no one noticed, except Yashyn, who watched her from the corner of his eye.

"So? What’s he like? What can he do? Where is he?" Yashyn asked, firing off questions.

"Easy, easy. First, you’re going to tell me why you’re looking for him, and who you really are." Akram said calmly.

"No."

The entire room turned toward the source of the voice.

Everyone froze, unable to speak for a few seconds.

Leyla had spoken. Her eyes, once empty of all life, were back—burning with rage.

"Where is he?!" she shouted, anger overpowering her despair.

"Leyla?! What are you—" Akram tried to say, before being cut off.

"Where is he?! Akram! He’s the one who killed Kra, isn’t he?! WHERE IS HE?!" she screamed, grabbing the Vulkan leader by the collar.