Natasha continued, "The Underworld will need your protection in the future, but for now, your task is to deliver crucial information to the Silvermane Guards—to the officers who gave you your orders."
The captain, though impulsive, wasn't a fool. He quickly grasped the meaning behind Natasha's words, but he was confused.
Natasha explained further, "The one who sent you here is Pei Guang. He and his companions wiped out all the Fragmentum creatures in just two days and gathered enough resources to sustain the Underworld for now. There's no immediate danger here. But they are in danger because the current Supreme Guardian is being controlled by the Fragmentum, or possibly, the Supreme Guardian herself has become a Fragmentum entity intent on destroying this world!"
"What?!"
The Silvermane Guards were visibly shocked. They instinctively didn't want to believe it. But when they thought about Cocolia's erratic behavior, realization dawned on them: the rumor was actually true!
Now it all made sense. The Supreme Guardian had completely isolated the Underworld from the Overworld—this was a death sentence! Letting the Underworld be destroyed meant the Overworld would eventually collapse without the resources it needed to survive. Even the strongest willpower among the Silvermane Guards couldn't hold out in the freezing cold forever.
Natasha quickly pressed them, "That's why your mission isn't to help us fight the Fragmentum, but to help Pei Guang and his companions uncover the truth. They are outsiders, and they might be the only ones who can stop the Fragmentum's spread—or even lead the people of Belobog to safety. Pass this message to your commanders. Whether you believe it or not is up to you."
This was a matter of great importance, and the captain hesitated. But Natasha's words confirmed one thing: the recent rumors in the Silvermane Guard restricted zone might not be baseless after all. Something had indeed changed in the Supreme Guardian.
Though the Supreme Guardian's past accomplishments weren't remarkable, she had always been able to command the people of Belobog effectively. But now…
Hearing Natasha, the captain of the Silvermane Guards was reminded of how she had once saved his life when he was younger. Compared to the mindless commands coming from the Supreme Guardian, he trusted Natasha more.
Reflecting on what Bronya had said before, his belief in Natasha's words only deepened.
"I understand! I'll take this information back to our commanding officer immediately. Our leader is someone absolutely trustworthy."
Natasha smiled. "I can see that. The moment you learned the truth, you defied the pressure from the Supreme Guardian and disobeyed orders to come and help us. That tells me your commanding officer is someone truly dependable."
"Natasha… sister, I'm heading back now. It's so good to see you alive."
Natasha jokingly scolded him, "Wish me better luck next time, okay? Once this is all over, come to my clinic, and we can catch up properly. Until then, protect Belobog the best you can!"
"Yes, ma'am!!!"
And so, the Silvermane Guards, who had rushed down to the Underworld with such urgency, hurried back to the surface. The same guard who had contacted Gepard earlier dialed him again.
After a few minutes, Gepard finally answered.
"What happened?"
The guard quickly relayed everything they had learned in the Underworld. On the other end of the line, there was silence.
As the guards shared the newly obtained information, Serval, standing in the workshop, listened to Bronya's account of everything that had transpired. Her mind was racing, and she massaged her temples.
Serval muttered, "Pela and I suspected something was wrong with Cocolia, but we didn't expect her to be controlled by the Stellaron. Oh, that makes sense now! No wonder… everything adds up!"
At that moment, a look of realization spread across Serval's face. For years, there had been things she couldn't figure out. She had thought Cocolia's behavior was just out of despair, but now that Bronya had brought such shocking news, and with the data from Svarog, she couldn't deny it anymore. However, she wasn't convinced Bronya had pieced this all together on her own.
Serval glanced over at Pei Guang, who had been silently observing the whole scene. "I'm guessing you guys were the ones who figured this out, right? Bronya and the Underworld crew wouldn't have been able to uncover this on their own."
Pei Guang responded nonchalantly, "Did this even need discovering? It's the same old story. Though this world offers more freedom than I expected, which has led to some surprises, but hey… it keeps things interesting. It's the unknown that makes life exciting, right?"
Serval sighed. "Honestly... We're the ones who live in Belobog, but somehow you all know more about it than we do. But… this theory—no, it's probably the truth."
Pei Guang cut in, "Stop being so cryptic. Tell Bronya everything you know."
Serval nodded. "Right. Since Bronya has decided to confront the Stellaron's consciousness, she must be informed. Bronya, do you know? After countless nights of research, I found out that the Stellaron is the source of the Fragmentum's corruption. I even applied to study it up close, and I was considering destroying it. But then…"
Bronya interjected, "Mother—no, the Stellaron's will must have driven you away. But because of your relationship with my mother and your standing in the city, it didn't dare act against you directly. Now, everything makes sense."
Serval, her expression serious, continued, "Yes, it all makes sense. At first, when Pela speculated that Cocolia wanted to destroy the city, I was skeptical. Cocolia wasn't someone who would fall into despair so easily. When she was younger, she was just like you, Bronya—full of hope and passion."
With some difficulty, Serval went on, "Even if she was tired, or even wanted to die, her younger self would never have dragged everyone down with her. But now it's clear. Cocolia… is already dead. What's left is just a body controlled by the Stellaron, a mere puppet. Damn it! Cocolia, I will do everything in my power to avenge you."
At that moment, Serval's anger flared up: she was determined to destroy the Stellaron, to dedicate her entire life to its destruction. Pei Guang and his team's goal was to find the Stellaron, and perhaps even seal or destroy it. No matter the cost, Serval was resolved to enlist their help in completely eradicating the Stellaron.
After hearing all this, Oleg's expression turned grim. "So, it's true… The Supreme Guardian wasn't just acting foolishly. I never thought… that all of this would be real. What should we do next?"
As Oleg posed his question, Bronya looked toward Pei Guang. But Pei Guang shot her a sharp glare. "Don't look at me! I'm only good at fighting, not thinking."
Seele, standing nearby, chuckled. "You, not good at thinking? You're probably the sharpest one here. This is a task, a mission entrusted to you by the people of Belobog."
March 7th whispered to Stelle, "Oh no, Seele's got Pei Guang wrapped around her finger."
Stelle blinked in confusion. "Huh? A mission? Who's the target? Let me smash something."
March 7th: "…"
March 7th had wanted to make a small joke, but Stelle's excitement at the mention of a mission took her by surprise.
Pei Guang began to ponder, "Now that we've gathered all the clues, the evidence, and assembled most of the people capable of fighting, now is the best time to confront Cocolia—or rather, the Stellaron's will. However, I think we should avoid fighting her within the city."
Dan Heng agreed. "Yes, the Stellaron's destructive power is immense. If we battle it inside the city, even if we win, the damage could result in countless civilian casualties."
Pei Guang continued, "Bronya, you had planned to face the Stellaron alone before, right? I think your idea is still viable: your mother's will likely influenced the Stellaron before her death, and given your position as the next Guardian, it won't seek to kill you immediately. It'll try to assimilate you because you're the next successor. Only when you become part of it will it feel secure enough to completely destroy the city."
Pei Guang paused to take a breath, then added, "At that point, you agree to meet with its true form, and you have to play along to some extent."
"When that happens, we'll follow close behind. Once we reach the Stellaron's core, we can initiate the final boss battle and take it down. But I think our fight won't just be a simple boss fight—we might also have to defend Belobog in the process."
March 7th asked anxiously, "The defense of Belobog? With the Stellaron out of the city, does it still need defending?"
Pei Guang analyzed seriously, "Our presence has made the Stellaron feel threatened, and it wants to destroy the city even faster. Think about it: with both the Supreme Guardian and her heir absent, and the Stellaron unaware of our location, wouldn't that be the perfect moment for it to invade?"
Seele agreed, "Yeah, even I can figure that out. Strike hard while the enemy is exposed. If Bronya issues a few wrong orders in that moment, the Silvermane Guards would follow them because of her authority. We'd all be finished."
Pei Guang looked at Bronya, "You're the one in the most danger in this mission. From my years of experience, when meeting a villainous boss in person, there's a high chance you'll be controlled by the boss—or worse, even if we defeat it, you might not recover. Even so, are you still going?"
Bronya let out a sigh and nodded with a determined expression, "This is my mission. According to the records, Belobog has been trying to destroy the Stellaron for seven hundred years. As the heir to the Supreme Guardian, seeing this opportunity, I have to take it, even if it costs my life. Pei Guang… no, Ah Guang, before I act, could I ask you for a favor?"
Pei Guang raised an eyebrow, "A favor? What is it?"
Bronya continued, "If I die... please help me... help Belobog choose a suitable new Supreme Guardian to continue protecting the city."
Pei Guang remained silent.
Dan Heng also stayed quiet.
March 7th whispered, "Ah Guang! Accept it! Think of the rewards for this quest!"
Pei Guang placed a hand on Bronya's shoulder, "In a game, I can't refuse a main quest that goes against my conscience, but in this free world, I can reject this kind of task."
Meanwhile, Cocolia was still unaware that she had already become a puppet of the Stellaron.