In the Iron Guard Restricted Zone, a collection of equipment lay before Adrian, gathered by Gepard. It included an assortment of weapons for close-combat guards, marksmen, and gunners.
Silver Wolf had gone off to clear out the remaining Rift Creatures. The Amber Hammer felt natural in her hands, smashing through one creature after another with a single swing.
"Pardon my bluntness, Mr. Adrian… the weapon Miss Silver Wolf is using…"
Gepard hadn't expected such a contrast. With such a cute face, she was wielding a hammer as her weapon of choice.
That wasn't the main point. The real focus was the weapon itself… Gepard could sense the energy it contained. Every time Silver Wolf eliminated a Rift Creature with it, he and the other soldiers felt an invisible force of [Preservation] surge within them.
Unfortunately, Silver Wolf gave them no chance to examine it closely. With just herself and the hammer, she obliterated the ferocious Rift Creatures and was now off clearing the stragglers.
If Gepard's guess was correct, that Amber Hammer was likely another gift from the Aeon of [Eternity] to Adrian.
By Qlipoth, these off-world visitors were absurdly powerful. With so many Aeon-blessed weapons, if Belobog had even one such weapon, it wouldn't be in such a dire state today.
The Rift's corrosion had already spread to the city districts. It wouldn't be long before it encroached further, forcing another mass evacuation of residents.
"It's just a few extra amber stones, no need to dwell on it. These portable hand cannons are decent… great for ranged attacks, with impressive single-shot power, but they're still a bit lacking against Rift Creatures," Adrian said, shifting the topic. "Officer Gepard, let's talk about your black [Fortress]. No offense from Master Adrian here… but it's not even as good as a lieutenant's greatshield."
"Uh…" Gepard was momentarily at a loss for words. Truthfully, he was quite fond of the weapon his sister Serval had modified from her guitar case. It felt very comfortable to use.
"Of course, I'm not saying your weapon is bad. Master Adrian is going to give it a proper upgrade now. Protecting Belobog is everyone's responsibility."
The Landau family's weapons were quite unique. Serval, the eldest, wielded an electric guitar, perfectly matching her rock-and-roll persona.
Gepard's [Fortress] was personally modified by Serval from her guitar case. Back when he was just an unremarkable private, he had sworn to become Belobog's sturdiest shield, standing side by side with his comrades in life and death.
Even after becoming an officer, that vow remained unchanged. It wasn't just idle talk around the Iron Guard campfire—Qlipoth THEMSELVES bore witness to that oath.
Such absolute faith in [Preservation] was one of the few pure forces left in Belobog today.
As for the youngest, Lynx, she used a climbing pick… also slightly modified by Serval.
No wonder Adrian felt a kinship with Serval. She was a rock band member and a repair genius. How could the Landau family produce such a versatile woman?
It made Adrian want to upgrade Serval's electric guitar. Just emitting electricity wasn't enough—it needed something more practical.
Unfortunately, even a genius like Serval couldn't fix everything, like her broken friendship with the Supreme Guardian.
The Cocolia that Serval knew would join her on rooftops, listening to her sing.
But… the Supreme Guardian would not.
Adrian made a show of pulling out a toolbox, though it wasn't strictly necessary—just part of the act.
A flurry of sparks and lightning later, a brand-new [Enhanced Fortress] was born!
Gepard seemed accustomed to this by now. Interstellar travelers having reality-defying abilities was perfectly reasonable, but this speed was unreal!
At a glance, the upgraded guitar case didn't seem much different from before.
To the untrained eye, Adrian's movements were hard to follow. In truth, he hadn't made major changes—just added an amber stone and a bit of his own "private stash."
The Landau family had served the Supreme Guardian for generations. To them, it was both an honor and a duty.
Only by becoming a shield the people could rely on could they accept the title of [City Builder] with peace of mind.
Thus, any upgrade to the shield had to revolve around [Preservation]. Luckily, Adrian had plenty of Aeon trinkets, with amber crystals being the most common.
When Qlipoth swung THEIR celestial hammer, the amber that fell from THEIR form… considered treasures by the Interastral Peace Corporation, Adrian had a whole pile of them.
Back in the day, when he and Akivili crashed into a crystal wall, the memory of taking a hammer strike from Qlipoth was still vivid. In the end, it was all Aha's fault.
The cunning Aeon of [Eternity] wasn't one to give up easily. THEY roped in the thrill-seeking [Elation] Aha, the adventure-loving [Trailblaze] Akivili…
And the innocent Astral Express, caught in the crossfire. To put it nicely, it was a test of the train's durability. To put it bluntly, they wanted to ram the Astral Express into Qlipoth.
The result was predictable: not only did they fail, but the train's front was severely damaged, leaving the Conductor with lasting trauma.
On the bright side, the Conductor started taking train safety seriously. The downside? They got a thorough scolding from the Conductor, had their meal budget confiscated, and nearly got sent to sleep with the train's engine.
In the end, each Aeon wrote an apology letter to earn the Conductor's forgiveness.
Time flew by. When Adrian boarded the Astral Express again, the train's front suffered another catastrophic collision. Twice it had faced an Aeon's body head-on, and not once had it succeeded. What a pity.
As for this amber stone, it was actually given to Adrian by Qlipoth. Maybe THEY were fed up, or perhaps THEY had a moment of guilt and came to apologize…
That didn't quite add up. Qlipoth hadn't done anything to wrong him. On the contrary, for millions of years, Adrian and his colleagues had been the ones pestering THEM.
Looking at it this way… the construction bro was truly great. For thousands of years, THEY never got annoyed with them. When they pushed too far, THEY just gave a single hammer swing.
THEY really… I could cry.
Adrian's nose tingled. No wonder he was the Aeon of [Preservation]! He was starting to understand the Interastral Peace Corporation.
Moved as he was, Adrian didn't forget the task at hand. He began explaining the upgraded Fortress to Gepard.
Unlike Dan Heng's Cloud-Piercer, which leaned toward offense, the guitar case Fortress was more… business-like, focused on defense.
With the aid of the amber crystal, the power of [Preservation] was further enhanced, better supporting the Iron Guards in their battles against Rift Creatures, shielding them from physical harm.
Considering Gepard sometimes swung the guitar case in combat, Adrian also improved its handling, incorporating a touch of his "private stash."
The power of [Preservation] tied to [Eternity]!
Click!
With a mechanical sound, the Fortress's front slowly extended a massive black barrel. From a distance, it was as intimidating as staring into an abyss.
Just swinging it around was boring. Why not catch enemies off guard? Times had changed! Ever heard of an American Iai?
Compared to up-close, fist-to-fist combat, Adrian preferred ranged attacks.
The guitar case was black, perfect for concealing the barrel, making it ideal for ambushes!
As an officer, one needed not only excellent close-combat skills but also proficiency in ranged warfare. A single howitzer shot could wipe out an enemy stronghold.
If all enemies were eliminated, comrades would be safe—a form of [Preservation] in its own right!