A tiny golden fish slipped in from one side—
then darted out from the other.
At the same moment, a cherry-blossom-shaped red button appeared in every corner of Belobog.
No exceptions.
Even the Silvermane Guards stationed near the Fragmentum zones found one in their hands.
Gepard included.
Frozen winds continued to scour the planet.
Across the icy plains, countless monsters of the Antimatter Legion lay entombed in frost.
These harbingers of Destruction were the true reason
this planet—Jarilo-VI—had been pushed to the brink of despair.
"They're here."
As several soldiers grumbled at the passage connecting the Upper and Lower districts,
Gepard's gaze suddenly sharpened.
Two figures emerged from the corridor.
Seele.
And Evan.
"So this is the Upper City…"
If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes,
Seele would never have realized just how harsh life in the Underworld truly was.
The Upper City was far larger than it appeared in the game.
Not just a small settlement—but a vast city standing tall beneath endless snow.
A city like this, surviving under such conditions…
Only the power of Preservation could have made it possible.
Without it, Belobog would have long since vanished into the blizzard.
"Yes. This is the Upper City," Evan replied calmly.
"But… why are there so many Silvermane Guards here?"
After exiting the passage behind Svarog, the two entered an underground zone.
Before the lockdown, this area had been part of the transit system—
subways that connected the Upper and Lower districts.
But once the lockdown was enforced, all transport was halted.
These tunnels had since become restricted zones.
As Evan and Seele approached the exit,
several Silvermane Guards immediately stepped forward.
"Halt!"
"Underworld traitors! You are under arrest!"
"…What?"
Seele didn't even wait for Evan to speak.
With a sharp motion, she drew her scythe.
Enough is enough.
They sealed off the Underworld.
Now they were calling everyone below traitors?
Did these so-called nobles ever stop pushing their luck?
Of course, these soldiers were no match for either of them.
Evan's eyes shifted to the distance—
to a blond man in heavy Silvermane armor,
a massive case strapped to his back like a shield.
With a faint smile, Evan called out:
"Captain Gepard—
is this how the Upper City welcomes its guests?"
"Or is it that the Supreme Guardian
has no interest in us at all?"
He gestured casually toward the detonator buttons clutched in the guards' hands.
Seele, though visibly tense, said nothing.
She followed Evan's lead without question.
For her, words were optional.
If it came to it—she could always fight.
Gepard, too, held an identical button in his hand.
He had already had it inspected—personally.
This was no bluff.
It was very likely a real detonator.
After a brief pause, Gepard nodded and walked forward.
His gaze passed over Seele, then settled on Evan.
Slowly, he spoke.
"You're strong."
"I am not your opponent."
"But I am a Silvermane Guard captain—including the duty to protect the people."
"However… the Supreme Guardian wishes to see you."
That was why Gepard was here.
The Supreme Guardian herself had ordered him
to intercept the two so-called Underworld traitors.
How she knew they would come—
Gepard didn't know.
Perhaps there were informants in the Underworld.
Or perhaps the Supreme Guardian truly was as all-seeing as the rumors claimed.
As a Guard captain, Gepard could clearly sense it:
Both of them were Pathstriders.
Especially the man.
The Path energy radiating from Evan
was no weaker than his own.
Yet its nature felt… different.
Somewhat similar to Pela's.
A Path of Erudition, perhaps?
Belobog, frozen for seven hundred years,
knew little of the Erudition Path.
"Good," Evan replied lightly.
"I was planning to meet her anyway."
"Lead the way."
He tugged gently on Seele's sleeve, signaling her to stand down.
With a quiet snort, Seele dismissed her scythe
and fell into step behind him.
[SYSTEM NOTICE]
[Upper City region map unlocked]
[Detected treasure chest locations have been marked]
[Please proceed to claim them]
Evan ignored the system prompt,
his eyes calmly sweeping across the city.
As expected—
In a world corrupted by a Stellaron,
unless that thing revealed itself willingly…
Even with his abilities,
he wouldn't be able to locate it directly.
To read advanced Chapters, head over to p@treon:
patreon.com/nani_kaito