On the way to the mining area entrance.
Stelle, satisfied, swallowed a bite of delicious bread, not forgetting to tease March 7th.
"Gotta hand it to our Leon for being reliable, unlike a certain smug little pink-hair."
She couldn't help but imagine—if Himeko hadn't let her pick an extra person for this Trailblazing mission,
running a duo with little March would've been a riot of chaos.
"Keep talking, and I'll flatten you."
March 7th's face couldn't take it, raising a fist.
"All you do is threaten me with violence. Fine, I'm the bigger person—guess I'll just spoil you."
Stelle patted March 7th's head, her tone dripping with indulgence.
Damn it, treated like a kid!
March 7th's brows shot up, hands reaching for Stelle's waist.
"Waaah, I'll strangle you!"
Behind them, Bronya slowly chewed her food.
Seeing the two playfully tussling, a trace of envy crept onto her face.
Raised under Cocolia's strict discipline, her days were meticulously scheduled.
Socializing was always shallow—she didn't even have a friend for heartfelt talks.
Watching them run ahead, Bronya looked at the man strolling calmly beside her.
"Thank you for the food, Mr. Leon."
It was a taste she'd never had in Belobog, proof they were from beyond the stars.
"Since we brought you down here, I've got to look after you. But just this once."
"Of course, I'm not the type to take without—"
"You misunderstood. Let me finish."
"Hm?"
Bronya paused.
"Since waking up, have you looked into the lower district's way of life, including food?"
"That… no."
"After meeting Wildfire, it'll be late. You'll soon see why I said just this once."
Leon's tone was light, giving an air of detachment.
"The people here live far harder lives than you can imagine—like those up ahead."
Bronya looked forward, seeing Stelle and March 7th blocked by a crowd.
"Those people are…"
"Refugees—or, in local terms, homeless vagrants."
Bronya's heart tightened, her lips trembling, unsure how to respond.
As if expecting her silence, Leon continued speaking.
"Miss Seele wasn't exaggerating. Her resentment toward the surface isn't baseless.
Sure, the surface has homeless people too, but at least they don't yet worry about survival.
The underground's different. Plenty of people are desperate, turning out like them."
Leon turned to meet Bronya's profile, his lips curling.
"As the Silvermane Guard Commander, can you perfectly resolve this mess?"
Staring at Stelle, bat in hand, shielding March 7th while facing the crowd,
Bronya gripped the rifle in her left hand.
If she hadn't trimmed her nails, her right palm would've been pierced by now.
Desperate people will do anything to survive.
But if Belobog's leaders hadn't failed, how could so many be driven to desperation?
In that moment, Bronya deeply felt Wildfire's struggle.
She understood Seele's resentment toward the surface, her anger…
The underground's chaos stemmed from that one decree.
Without Wildfire's voluntary efforts, who knows how much worse it'd be?
Worrying about survival daily, facing hordes of desperate extremists—
over time, anyone's heart would harbor seeds of rage.
Stelle's voice rang out.
"Think you can boost your confidence off me? You'll regret it. Move."
Bronya quickened her pace, rushing to stand in front of Stelle.
But before she could speak, a massive scythe crashed down from above, landing between the two sides.
"Trouble! It's Wildfire's Seele—run!"
Recognizing the familiar scythe, the vagrants blocking the path panicked, scattering like frightened animals.
In mere seconds, only their retreating backs remained visible.
Their speed suggested they'd fled like this plenty of times.
"Well, surface missy, got any comments on the underground's state?"
Seele stepped out from the side, yanking her scythe from the ground and slinging it over her shoulder.
Her glance at Bronya carried both challenge and mockery.
Bronya could only stay silent, unsure what to say.
In the underground, the Silvermane Guards had long lost their prestige.
They were a joke here, far less intimidating than Wildfire members.
If Seele hadn't shown up, Bronya solving this would likely have required more than words.
No matter what, it'd come down to the most primal method—
raising a gun against Belobog's people.
Seeing Bronya stay silent, a stark contrast to her earlier attitude, playing the punching bag, Seele found it boring.
But her gaze softened slightly, less aggressive than before.
Not entirely hopeless—she knows to stand and take it.
Maybe she's just someone clueless about the underground, kept in the dark.
Seele thought as much.
"You just let them run? Those guys tried to rob us—way too lawless!"
March 7th's expression wasn't thrilled.
"What else? Arrest them and feed them? We barely have enough for our own—who's got time for that trash?"
Seele's mocking words carried a hint of helplessness.
Bronya felt uneasy.
Leon's words had barely sunk in before she experienced one side of it.
Survival wasn't guaranteed.
Seele's words revealed another side.
Basic needs—food, clothing, shelter—were a struggle.
If sealing the lower district was the right call, why were people here living so miserably?
As the Silvermane Guard Commander, Bronya was raised on people-first principles.
Sworn to be Belobog's unbreakable defense, upholding Qlipoth's will, protecting every citizen.
But what she saw now was a reality she'd never imagined.
"Missy, it's too early for that expression." Seele stared straight at Bronya.
"What?"
"I mentioned before, right? Wildfire's got some trouble. Guess what it is?"
Bronya's thoughts churned, her expression wavering.
"The vagrants… are targeting the mining workers?"
"Not bad, you've got some brains. Come on, let's show you how chaotic the underground's become."
Seele turned and strode toward the mining area.
…
On the player's side.
Old Bear hit the level cap too.
Unlike Jiang Wuxian, he didn't rush to grind side quests.
Instead, chasing big chaotic fun, he wandered the map.
He interacted with every shiny spot, hunting for treasure chests.
Gradually, Old Bear found a corner guarded by a chainsaw robot with a big chest.
Automaton Grizzly.
Not strong, but for players at this stage, it was a boss tougher than the Doomsday Beast.
[Here it comes! Old Bear's characters are barely leveled—guess how long till a wipe?]
[Three minutes, tops. That thing's damage is insane—one chainsaw takes half your health.]
[Three minutes? He won't last one. His team's got no sustain!]
Main story monsters don't hit hard.
Old Bear, aiming for quick clears, had ditched the sustain slot.
But he didn't know how much stronger treasure-guarding enemies were at this stage.
When he saw his level-10 Asta get crit to red health and drop instantly to a bleed tick, he was stunned.
"Holy—! Leon, save my dog life!"