But Raven barely registered the giant's words, too focused on Astasia's body language. Due to her armor, he could not see how her face looked except for those yellow eyes, nor her reaction except for her finger movements—enough to tell him that woman was wearing armor just to hide her body language from him.
'I was a damn dense motherfucker—!?' And he instantly realized how he just had gold in front of him and he always ignored it.
Though not that he could have done anything especially given without system even having her would have liked her being his sugar mommy.
"Tch." Even though that click of her tongue, which usually he interpreted as her frustration, today due to his ability he could see how her body language screamed internal conflict—hands folding across her chest, gaze averted, a clicking of her tongue that he now recognized as frustration rather than pure disgust.
"Do whatever you want," Raven shrugged. Given he needed to at least do his part of the work so that these idiots, at least Astasia, who was going to be alone given her strength, come together.
He couldn't even save his own life that was on the mercy of the Demon King, let alone help her. So the most he could do was try to act like a caring husband for a second and be with her in their last moments—even if he had to run alone the moment comes to save his ass.
"Either way, you idiots are going to die." He blurted out.
The blunt statement made Astasia flinch visibly. She clearly jumped off the horse, coming down, her armor clinking, walking with that sway.
She was with that armor completely being a rude bastard to not let her curves be visible before arriving and looking into his eyes.
"Do you think this plan was stupid?" she asked, and for the first time since he'd known her, there was genuine uncertainty in her voice rather than commanding authority.
Normally, she had told other heroes to follow through the plan of Raven, but they naturally, as always, did not heed her. Ignored it clearly, while she followed through and given Gareth also added in her team, only two of the heroes decided to follow through Raven's plan.
Raven turned to meet her gaze directly, his new Automatic Angel Visions ability already analyzing her micro-expressions, body language, and the way her favorability meter pulsed brighter whenever he looked at her.
"Of course it was," he said firmly. "Do you think we're strong enough to separate and barge into an unknown castle just because we got blueprints of it?"
The words hit their mark.
Despite her overwhelming power, despite being one of the Empire's greatest weapons, Astasia was still capable of listening to reason—something that set her apart from the other muscle-brained heroes who let their bloodline abilities go to their heads.
As he watched her process his words, Raven couldn't help but think how different things might have been if his system had awakened earlier.
If he'd known about her true feelings, if he'd had these abilities from the start where he could have farmed from all those pussies he gotten in his way...
"Haah, it doesn't matter," Astasia said clearly, turning around with her head tilting to look towards him through her visor, as if telling him yet appearing to tell everyone else. "If we are going to die either way then it's better for us to be together."
'Together...' The word hit differently now that he understood her true feelings.
She was just saying for him to die like two lovers, which also clarified why she had opted and arrived in his barracks with her battalion and naturally that bootlicking simp Gareth followed behind her.
It felt strange, a woman whom he never knew had a single bit of favorability towards him. Someone whom he thought was just other arrogant woman with strong bloodline was far better than any of the women he had gotten in his life till now.
Technically, if he had to describe himself and his present life in this world, he was kind of a prostitute.
A man who does not have a woman to whom he can say was his lover or wife or something. Just random hookups.
Of course, there were some of them, but just like Nyra, they were far away or either dead.
Though still as if wanting to be confirmed about who was going to die first among them. Even knowing it would be him, he still asked.
'System, display current stats for Astasia and Gareth.'
[Scanning Target Stats...]
Astasia Vainglory - Holy Archangel Bloodline (98% Purity)
[ Level: 197 ]
Gareth Ironhold - Titan Bloodline (93% Purity)
[ Level: 190 ]
The numbers were staggering.
Even Astasia's lowest stat dwarfed his previous maximum.
But now, with his perfect intelligence domain, he could see weaknesses in their overwhelming power.
However, the saying where brain is stronger than the physical power was not applicable in this world. When that guy can easily split a mountain, Astasia with her strength alone could tear through the boulders.
Though their stat difference was a clear evidence of how the purity of bloodline even faded, the archetype, given endurance and agility of Astasia was off the charts.
She was not strength oriented but more agility yet due to bloodline purity she was on par with someone with an archetype based on strength with that body type.
'Intelligence 7 and 6 respectively... they're powerful but predictable,' he just thought not that he could do a shit else than that. 'Gareth especially - all that power with the strategic thinking of a brick wall.'
As the army began forming up for the march toward the demon capital, Raven felt something he hadn't experienced since arriving in this world—genuine confidence.
Genuine confidence that they are going to get screwed up in this battle.
Indeed, he have Astasia and Gareth both in his team.
But issue was Astasia was fourth strongest in the hero party and the second strongest has already been killed by one of the demon generals few days ago as per information he had gotten.
Of course, none of them know this yet, as the senile bastards sitting in the capital city was hiding this information to not lower the morale of the meat shields who were going to be butchered here.
"Here, sir." Came a soldier as it brought a horse, completely armored for Raven to climb on it, given Astasia already did on hers.
Looking at the horse, Raven could just drop his head giving a deep exhale.
'At least give me a woman to ride,' Raven could only try to motivate himself by throwing a joke while unaware of the mess. Gareth raised his sword and bellowed to the troops.
"MARCH AHEAD! WE WILL GET THE HEAD OF THE DEMON KING!"
Thousands of soldiers roared in response, their unified shout filling the battlefield as they began their advance toward what would surely be the final battle of the war.
"WOOOOOOOOO—WE WILL GET THE HEAD—"
SWOOOSH
BOOOOOMMM
And it was a small moment, the gap, that told him how light is faster than the sound, as he saw a light, a bright light that was brighter than his future and the sun.
No, technically it was sun which had fell from the sky. Clouds scattered around and directly within a second the whole battleground was filled with ashes, burning flesh and the site where what was left just remaining hundred of soldiers with burned bodies.
And a sound of woman tearing through the hearts that had already stopped beating seeing the brutal sight of what a moment ago was the site of courage and bravery of men pride.
"For a weak human... you are far too capable, Raven Lustre."