Bronya Rand, standing at the forefront, raised her gun and issued a warning to the fugitive who was supposed to be locked up in Belobog's prison.
Though it was unclear what methods this guy had used to escape, he had the audacity not only to break out but also to openly commit kidnapping in broad daylight in Belobog's main city district—utterly lawless!
"Oh my, isn't this Lady Bronya? Uh, how about we talk this out? No need to point that gun at ol' Sampo here, it's downright terrifying…"
Sampo scratched his head, putting on a frightened act as he spoke to Bronya in an ingratiating tone. However, at an angle unseen by Bronya and the Silvermane Guards, his hand was stealthily reaching for the bomb strapped to his waist.
All he needed was the right moment, and he could take down everyone in front of him. Then, he could take Topaz back and complete his mission.
"Hands up! Don't try anything funny!" Sampo's fawning words did nothing to ease Bronya's vigilance. On the contrary, the Silvermane Guard captain's wariness had already spiked to a critical point.
If Sampo made even one more move, she wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger.
Seeing this, Sampo sighed and, as if resigned to his fate, obediently raised his hands high.
"I surrender. Arrest me."
"Mm." Bronya nodded to the guard officer beside her, who promptly took out a pair of handcuffs from his uniform and strode toward Sampo.
"Whew…" Seeing Sampo comply without resistance, the tense Bronya finally relaxed slightly, lowering her gun before jogging over to the unconscious Topaz.
But just then—
"Perfect opportunity!" A glint flashed in Sampo's eyes as he was being restrained by the Silvermane Guards. A series of dull thuds followed, and the two officers escorting him were thrown to the ground.
"Stop!" Bronya reacted instantly, reaching for her weapon again, but it was already too late.
"Cough, cough…!" As smoke from the bomb filled the air, the Silvermane Guards collapsed one after another. Even Bronya, protected by Path energy, couldn't hold out for long.
In the moment before she lost consciousness, she saw Sampo casually unlocking the handcuffs on his wrists and walking toward her with an elegant stride. "Lady Bronya, this round goes to ol' Sampo."
Then, darkness swallowed her.
"Huh? This little warp trotter doesn't look that big, but it's surprisingly heavy?" Sampo grabbed Numby by the tail, lifting the unconscious creature. Feeling its weight, he couldn't help but frown.
"Whatever. Time to head back and report." Holding Topaz and Numby, Sampo glanced around. The vast Belobog Plaza was now nearly empty. Presumably, the citizens had all fled.
The collision of those two overwhelming Destruction Path energies and the apparition of an Aeon—he had sensed it too.
He didn't know who wielded those Destruction energies, but that Aeon had to be his employer for this mission—Mr. Yun Fan.
The ability to reverse time and restore things to their original state… surely only the universally versatile authority of Causality could achieve such a feat?
"Tch, makes me wanna switch bosses." Sampo sighed. Honestly, he was tempted—and the temptation was strong.
As he prepared to take Topaz out of the upper city, his peripheral vision caught sight of the unconscious silver-haired noblewoman. A thought crossed his mind.
"Mr. Yun Fan told me to kidnap this girl, Topaz, and he already has two stunning women by his side. Could it be…?" His eyes gradually lit up.
"Heh, might as well put in some overtime and take this Silvermane Guard girl back too!"
———————————
"That power just now… was that an Aeon?"
Elsewhere, in the wild mountains of Jarilo-VI, Dan Heng and Blade, who had been locked in a standoff, both lowered their weapons due to the sudden appearance of the Aeon's phantom in the sky.
Truth be told, they had no choice. The Aeon's phantom had merely glanced at them, yet an overwhelming sense of suffocation crashed over them. Even Blade, who sought death, hesitated at that moment.
It wasn't that he feared death—it was his soul. Yes, Blade's soul trembled uncontrollably. That pressure came from a higher plane of existence, from a being of a superior dimension.
"An Aeon… An Aeon! Hahaha…!" Blade laughed wildly, raising his sword with a trembling hand. "Dan Feng, let's continue our—"
Just as Blade lifted his sword, several purple threads suddenly shot through the air, binding his body tightly in an instant.
"These threads… Kafka, are you here to stop me?" Blade's frenzied expression eased slightly as he observed the silk-like purple threads coiled around his arms. But his tone remained as cold as ever, devoid of any emotion.
Tap, tap, tap… The sound of high heels clicking against the ground reached the two men. Following the noise, they saw a purple-haired woman dressed in a form-fitting outfit walking gracefully toward them. With just one glance, Dan Heng could tell she was no ordinary person.
They were in a frozen wasteland, stepping on soft snow—yet her footsteps were crisp and clear…
No. I've already fallen into her trap?
Dan Heng frowned. Logically, in this environment, he shouldn't have been able to hear anything. The fact that he could meant the sound was likely resonating in his mind. To ensnare him so effortlessly—this purple-haired woman was undoubtedly a highly dangerous individual.
"Hmm? Noticed it, did you?" Kafka's smile didn't falter as she observed the shift in Dan Heng's expression. Unhurried, she walked up to Blade.
"Blade, listen to me. You're feeling very—"
"Shut up, old hag!"
Dan Heng: "…"
Kafka: "…"