Chapter 365: I Dealt With All Three Of Them
Whatever the Emperor's Blades said, Steven didn't particularly care. His stance was simple: as long as they didn't hurt the people he cared about, he wasn't lifting a finger.
From his perspective, that was perfectly reasonable. From theirs? Infuriating.
If he really didn't care, why was he still standing squarely in front of Talulah, blocking their way? How were they supposed to act with him planted there like a wall?
Orders from above were clear: under no circumstances should Steve be provoked. Nobody knew what kind of trump cards a man held when he could walk away from an explosion that had leveled half the battlefield. Compared to that, a few Infected were ants. Expendable.
No, the real problem was those two missing Collapsals. If they'd slipped into the Infected ranks, who knew what horrors they could spawn? That was what tied the Emperor's Blades' hands.
"…Mr. Steve," the leader said at last, voice almost pleading, "please believe us. This is only to root out hidden threats. For the safety of the Infected behind you, and for the safety of Ursus itself, this inspection is critical."
They hesitated, frustrated. Without Steve here, they'd never have wasted their breath on persuasion. Their overwhelming numbers alone would have been enough to erase resistance, even if Patriot himself joined the fight. The Infected would have been reduced to ashes, their corpses silencing those who criticized Emperor's Blades' methods.
After all, in the eyes of Ursus' watchdogs, nobles and Infected alike were hardly different from each other—except you couldn't hang a noble's hide on the wall as a war trophy.
"Ohhh, you mean those things?" Steven finally chuckled. "No need to keep fussing over that. I already killed the last two. If you don't believe me, I can even show you the remains."
He had honestly assumed the Emperor's Blades had some bitter grudge against the guerrillas. If it was just about Collapsals? Then they were worrying themselves sick over nothing.
Three monsters total. Hardly enough for him to warm up, much less enjoy himself. One was already soaking nicely in a barrel for… personal projects. The other two? Good luck finding scraps left to "inspect."
Steven's smile was bright, guileless, as he beamed at the squad across from him.
And the truth was, he did feel a twinge of respect.
For all their brutality, the Emperor's Blades were men who had willingly taken in the Collapsal's pollution, twisting their own bodies and suffering constant torment—all to guard their nation's soil.
They weren't like those pitiful wretches forcibly remade into monsters. These people chose their agony, endured it, and turned that pain into the power to protect Ursus.
That, Steven thought, was worth at least a nod of respect.
From a certain perspective, these Emperor's Blades weren't so different from Patriot or Talulah. They were all people who clung to their convictions while shouldering the agony those choices demanded.
A bunch of real tough bastards, Steven thought.
But history has never been short on people like this. And no one, not even him, could play God and declare who was right and who was wrong. All he could do was avoid unnecessary clashes where possible.
After all, wasn't the ultimate goal of strategy always to resolve conflicts without bloodshed?
"This—"
The squad leader faltered. He hadn't expected Steve to casually drop such a bombshell. One Collapsal, sure, that was believable. But all of them?
But when he studied Steven's expression—smile lighthearted, eyes serious—he couldn't help but find the claim credible.
The numbers matched their own intelligence. And more importantly, he and his men felt nothing here but the unpleasant thrum of Originium from the Infected. That suffocating, fear-laden aura of the Collapsals was absent.
And if there had been a Collapsal lurking among them, then this boy—who radiated the stink of polluted blood as if he'd waded knee-deep in it—would never have let it slip by.
It was undeniable. Steve had stood against the Collapsals… and crushed them.
Which meant, technically, he had just prevented a northern incursion all by himself.
A service banner reading "Outstanding Citizen of Ursus" would hardly be inappropriate. Were it not for the secrecy surrounding Collapsal incursions, Steve might even have been hailed as a hero on par with Patriot himself.
One man, alone, halting an invasion from the far north—most operatives couldn't even dream of such a feat.
Now that he thought about it, wasn't the last Collapsal head they'd received also courtesy of this boy?
The more he tallied the evidence, the more terrifying the truth became. These achievements weren't something even the Emperor could ignore. At this point, recognition from the highest seat of power might be unavoidable.
"…If things are truly as you claim, then Ursus will gladly extend you our trust."
The leading Emperor's Blade exhaled through his mask, having made the only rational choice left.
Above all, their first priority now was clear: deliver the invitation to this young powerhouse.
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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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