Chapter 343: Another One Slipped In
The Emperor's Blade Royal Guards knew this boy, just as he knew them.
Steven's clothes weren't particularly distinctive, but that wasn't the problem. The problem was that this very same boy had casually cut down a stray Collapsal right in front of their eyes. That sort of impression doesn't fade easily.
The suffocating pressure he carried, the sense of threat that came with his mere presence—those were things no disguise could fake. And coupled with his easygoing, almost careless tone, the two Royal Guards were left with no doubt that this was that elusive powerhouse they'd crossed paths with before.
After that brief encounter, they had tried to dig up information on him. The result? Nothing. Not even a single scrap of record existed in Ursus' vast archives about a black-haired, blue-eyed youth like him. No background, no history, no clue as to his abilities. It was as if he had simply stepped into existence out of thin air—mysterious, inexplicable.
The only consolation was that he didn't seem hostile toward Ursus or its Royal Guards. On the contrary, he had even lent a hand by cleaning up that troublesome stray Collapsal. Naturally, that earned him a degree of goodwill.
But now… things seemed to be shifting.
From the way the boy had stepped in to rescue the Yeti Squadron's members, it was clear he had some sort of connection with the infected guerrilla fighters. And that, unfortunately, put him in direct conflict with the mission the Royal Guards were carrying out.
If anything, his behavior looked like he was deliberately prodding them to make their move. But that only made the Royal Guards more wary.
Don't joke with them. You don't just swoop in, save people right under their noses, and then claim to be a "passerby." That was insulting.
"Are you… affiliated with the infected guerrillas?" one of them asked.
If it were just FrostNova they had to deal with, then with the Yeti Squadron already taken care of, the two of them should have been enough. But with this boy thrown into the mix, things weren't so simple. He was an unpredictable factor, and that made them hesitate.
After all, their mission didn't directly involve Yelena. There was no need to provoke this boy needlessly.
As Royal Guards, they carried absolute awareness of their role—the Emperor's blades. They were not allowed to die meaninglessly. Their lives didn't even belong to themselves anymore, but to the Emperor alone. Sacrifice was not permitted.
And with a youth whose strength defied comprehension standing before them, one whom even an entire squad had failed to subdue, the two knew better than to press the issue. Far safer to talk, at least for now.
He still didn't look like he bore them any ill will, after all.
"Is that really so important?" Steven replied with a friendly smile. "Just focus on your own business. Besides, it's not like we know each other that well. I don't see why I should feel obliged to answer that question."
The smile was soft, but behind it Steven was honestly hoping they'd just ignore him and get on with their mission. If they kept being this cautious, there'd be no way for him to test himself against them.
And truthfully, these Royal Guards—so feared even by Talulah—were exactly the kind of opponents he wanted to measure himself against.
"..."
The two Royal Guards exchanged a glance. Without hesitation, they slid their blades back into their sheaths and began to retreat.
"We did not come here for you," one of them said firmly. "Even this guerrilla fighter before us is not our target. If our actions disturbed you, then we apologize. And… we hope you won't hold any grudge against Ursus."
They actually explained themselves while retreating, their words almost cautious, as though afraid the boy might misunderstand. That alone made Steven wonder if he'd suddenly become some big-shot without realizing it.
'Seriously? These guys looked so damn imposing a moment ago, and now they're acting so meek it's pitiful. If they're being this polite, how am I supposed to find an excuse to fight them?'
With a helpless look, Steven turned his gaze to Yelena, who had remained silent this whole time, letting him take the lead.
Now it seemed her decision would dictate what happened next.
After all, it's hard to raise a hand against someone who's smiling politely at you—especially when they've already taken the initiative to back down.
Fortunately, Yelena's attention had long shifted to the battered Yeti Squadron members Steven had pulled out earlier.
She clearly had no intention of continuing the fight. With a small nod toward Steven, she lowered her frost-forged blade and sheathed it as well.
"By the way," Steven suddenly spoke up just as the two Royal Guards were about to breathe a sigh of relief, "mind if I ask why you're here? Don't tell me… there's another one of those things around?"
The abrupt question froze their retreat. The tension flared again, but it quickly faded when they realized he wasn't picking a fight—just asking out of curiosity.
"Of course, if it's classified, you don't need to say a thing," Steven added lightly. "I'm just curious, that's all. But if there really is another one of those creatures… I wouldn't mind helping you out. I do find them rather interesting."
And he wasn't lying. To him, those Collapsals were perfect punching bags—durable enough to withstand a beating, easy to crush when he wanted, and on top of that, they came with rewards. Why wouldn't he hunt them?
Judging by how much trouble they seemed to give the Emperor's Blade, lending a hand would probably make him popular with them too.
And sure enough, he was right. The two Royal Guards shared another look before giving him a respectful nod.
"Forgive us. We cannot disclose our mission," one of them replied, voice muffled beneath the respirator mask. "But we will report your resolve against the Collapsals to our superiors. Perhaps, in the future… we may cooperate."
Though the voice was hoarse, Steven could hear the relief—and even gratitude—hidden within.
Without further delay, the two Royal Guards ended the conversation and vanished into the snow, leaving behind only a patch of land tainted and scarred by the black pollution, the sole evidence that they had ever been there.
Steven stared in the direction they had gone, a strong premonition taking root in his chest.
One day, he and those Emperor's Blade would clash for real.
After all, Talulah's actions would never be tolerated by the Ursus Emperor.
When she finally crossed the line, the Emperor's Blade would inevitably come knocking.
But that was a matter for the future. For now, there was no rush. They had shown him nothing but courtesy, after all.
At the end of the day, they were soldiers following orders—not villains running rampant. If the system itself judged them as "gray neutral," then he saw no reason to pick a fight just to satisfy his itch for battle.
Only when the two figures fully vanished into the snow did Yelena finally exhale, the tension draining from her shoulders.
Exhausted, she staggered over to Steven's side and leaned against him, as though she could no longer hold herself upright.
Because she had used her special Originium Arts, Yelena's body was radiating a chilling frost, like a block of solid ice. When Steven supported her, the bitter cold even made him shiver before warmth gradually returned to his body.
Only then did he notice the sinister black miasma coiling around her, its aura deeply unsettling.
Frowning, he promptly pulled a small candy-like object from his pack and slipped it into her mouth.
"…What is this?"
A creamy sweetness spread across her tongue. As the flavor melted away, the black mist clinging to her was slowly purged, her body noticeably lighter.
"Milk candy. Won't hurt you," Steven answered casually, scratching the back of his head.
Last time, a whole bucket of milk had completely cleansed Talulah's debuffs, which had left him thinking.
After much tinkering, he'd finally come up with these tiny thumb-sized milk candies, made of condensed milk and sugar.
They retained a portion of the milk's restorative effect, while being much easier to carry and control in dosage. And most importantly—far less ridiculous than lugging around and chugging down a literal bucket of milk.
If he ever had to explain, he could pass them off as "special medicine." It certainly sounded more convincing than "drink this barrel of milk."
"You even know those Emperor's Blade?"
Leaning lazily against him now that her squadmates were safe, Yelena seemed like a completely different person—soft, pliant, almost like a small rabbit nestled in his arms. The steely resolve she had shown when facing down the Royal Guards was nowhere to be seen.
"We've crossed paths before, I guess," Steven said vaguely. "But what about you? How did you end up clashing with them? And your father—where's Patriot? Why isn't he here with his Shieldguards?"
He wasn't about to explain his own strange connection with the Emperor's Blade. Truthfully, he didn't know why they treated him with such caution and courtesy. If anything, he wished they were more arrogant—that way he'd have a better excuse to fight them.
But he was genuinely curious. How had Yelena's group come to blows with the Royal Guards? And as for her father—knowing the man's character, there was no way he'd leave his beloved daughter in such danger.
Yet Yelena shook her head and revealed something Steven hadn't expected.
"We never fought the Emperor's Blade. The one responsible for what happened to the Yeti Squadron… wasn't them. It was a bizarre creature—something I can't even describe."
"Father led the Shieldguards to hunt it down. The two Emperor's Blade only arrived afterward. But you know how it is—our guerrilla fighters' identity alone makes us suspect in Ursus' eyes…"
She trailed off with a bitter shake of her head, summarizing the events briefly.
"A bizarre creature…" Steven's gaze flicked to the strange traces of black pollution staining the ground. In his heart, he'd already formed a good idea of what it was.
'Don't tell me… another Collapsal slipped through?'
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Note: Character Illustration is in this Google Drive:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iuyfwNVFHzIi9H4rWNT_lAm7jTSiah_M
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