Chapter 73: Right Way To Protect
Martin’s eyes grew as wide as saucers as he watched Klaus change the shape of the solid hammer like it was clay.
He barely pressed it, and it reshaped itself into the shape of his fist while the extra metal was pushed at the top, making it look slightly comical.
Martin pointed a trembling finger at him and asked while stuttering, "H-How did you do that?"
Klaus smiled at him and showed him the hammer. "This is too easy... do you want me to try something harder?"
Martin’s disbelief increased even further.
’Easy? What the hell is he saying? That’s an iron hammer! How the fuck is he doing this?’
Unable to understand what was happening, Martin let out a baffled chuckle and mumbled, "That’s a fake, right? You must have replaced it when I wasn’t here. I am sure of it. Nice trick though, I nearly believed that you somehow obtained super strength."
Klaus stared at him in silence, a faint smile on his face.
"...Right?" Martin mumbled again; this time his voice was unsure.
A sweat drop rolled down his face as he shifted his gaze to the disfigured hammer and mumbled, "Give it to me."
"Alright." Klaus shrugged and handed the hammer to him.
Martin gripped the hammer.
It was heavy like a hammer was supposed to be. He placed his fingers into the grip made by Klaus’s fingers and squeezed it lightly.
The hammer was hard and slightly cold to touch, but the pressure from his hand did nothing to change its shape.
"Haha..." he chuckled awkwardly and squeezed it harder.
Sweat drops beaded on his forehead as he put more weight and pressure, but the result was still the same.
No matter what he did, the hammer stayed the same. Which meant it was a real hammer... but that begged the question, "How did you do that?"
Klaus shrugged and replied as though it was as normal as taking a shower for him, "I just squeezed it a little."
Martin gave him a deadpan stare and said, "You know that’s not what I am asking."
"Ask me what you want to know then," Klaus said. Though still smiling, his tone was sincere.
Martin stared at him in silence for a while, and then he asked, worry flickering in his eyes, "What happened to you?"
A melancholic look appeared on Klaus’s face for a brief moment.
He wanted to tell Martin about the impending doom, about the empire he was building and that he had already pulled him into his games, but at the same time he couldn’t say it.
Martin was happy with where he was, and Klaus didn’t want to steal that happiness from him.
It was hypocritical of him; after all, he had cursed at Victor for choosing the same, and maybe that flaw was what made him the person — the human he was.
Perhaps even the golden flames of ambition couldn’t make him control those whom he truly cared for from the depths of his heart.
"Kal?" Martin’s voice pulled him out of his reverie, and he said with a smile, "Nothing happened."
Martin frowned and held the hammer before Klaus’s face. "Does it look like that to you?"
Klaus chuckled and said, "Okay. Something did happen, but I don’t want to pull you into this crap."
Martin leaned forward and asked calmly, "Why did you do it then?"
He met Martin’s eyes and said while scratching the back of his neck, "I just wanted you to know that I am changing and I am doing things that can put me in trouble... that can put everyone around me in trouble."
"What are you trying to say?" Martin pressed, his eyes sharp and his voice firm.
Klaus looked away and said, "I am saying that I don’t want to drag you into this shitstorm more than I already have, so I will not make you a part of my plans."
Martin frowned deeply and leaned back in his chair.
He stared at Klaus with a tilted head as he couldn’t understand what he was saying.
Just a few minutes ago, he had displayed strength beyond human comprehension, and now he was saying that he wanted him out of whatever plans he had.
"What are you scared of?" Martin asked.
Surprisingly, Klaus didn’t deny being scared.
"I am not the only one like this."
Martin blinked, and gradually his expression darkened. "You are saying there are more people who can do something as absurd as that? Are you telling me superheroes actually exist?"
Hearing that, a thought came into Klaus’s mind, and he voiced it after a chuckle, "Those superheroes may actually be inspired by those people. Perhaps some are just them."
Martin rubbed his face and muttered, "I don’t understand anything you are saying, but if it’s something that scares you, then shouldn’t you keep me close instead of leaving me alone?"
Klaus blinked with a genuinely surprised expression.
Martin’s words made too much sense to him. Why was he trying to leave the people he cared for instead of keeping them close?
After all, nothing in this world could protect them better than him.
[Host must have come to that conclusion because if they stay too close to you, they would constantly stay in the parameters of danger, and because it is hard to track them, you would not need to worry about them being found out by your enemies.]
’Hard to track them?’ Klaus furrowed his brows.
[Did you forget that due to the earthquake during the first day of the apocalypse, the information network collapsed? Maybe worrying too much has started to affect your memories.]
Martin watched him in silence and asked after a frustrated sigh, "What are you thinking now?"
"I was thinking about what you just said..." Klaus mumbled while rubbing his chin with a thoughtful expression, and then he asked with narrowed eyes, "Why don’t you become my mysterious secretary?"
Martin tilted his head and muttered, "What?"