Ding!
The phone chimed with a message.
[Seele: Stelle, heard you're back in Belobog?]
[Seele: Reply if you've got time—urgent.]
[Stelle: [Pom-Pom Peeking.jpg]]
"Huh? It's Seele! Her messaging us now—what's going on?" March 7th leaned in.
Before Stelle could ask, Seele fired off a barrage—clearly in a real panic.
[Seele: Buncha weirdos just showed up in the Lower District, took over the Big Mine. Asked Bronya, she said hold off clashing with 'em.]
[Seele: But... Can't let 'em bully the miners, so [Wildfire] and the Iron Cavalry are already scrapping with them.]
[Seele: Their weapons are too advanced—flashy crap, hits like a truck. Can't block 'em at all. Only the upgraded-armed Guards up front...]
[Seele: I'm at my wit's end—that's why I'm hitting you up for backup.]
[Stelle: Hold tight—we're coming.]
"...What? The Corporation's already stirring trouble in the Lower District?"
March 7th's lips twitched. Knew it—couldn't trust a word from Corporation reps: "Damn, just yapping about [considering Belobog's people's welfare]... Not a single syllable from these capitalist suits is worth believing!"
"Let's bail 'em out." Stelle drew her bat in mimicry form. First scrap with Corporation goons—kinda exciting.
"Sigh~ No more jinxing... I'm in zero mood for heroics right now!"
"Whatever—griping won't help. Duty calls... Onward—to back up Seele and the rest."
"Whoa whoa whoa! For the rebellion—sing it high!!!"
...
Cut to the Lower District, Boulder Town
Revisiting old haunts, Adrian couldn't help a touch of nostalgia. But seeing Freesna cradling Numby, trying to feed it milk tea...
Wait—could dimensional piggy banks even sip milk tea?
"Wanna swing by the Big Mine?"
With Blake and Freesna on Jarilo-VI for once, skipping a proper tour felt criminal.
The two were eyeing Jarilo-VI as the Church's second growth spot. Mm... Given HIS status, was this like top brass collectively inspecting ops?
As for the Corporation grunts posted at the mine... Honestly, eyesore.
Adrian was mulling [Veil of Eternal Night]'s stealth when Freesna scooped Numby and strolled right up.
"Wait—"
The two Corporation employees clocked Numby in her arms, exchanged glances—buddy-buddy with Director Topaz's pet? Way above their paygrade.
"Ah..."
Watching Freesna's receding back, Adrian pondered. HE hadn't even boarded yet!
Whatever—let Freesna do her thing.
Better hit the [Fight Club] for some boxing...
Adrian had just turned when he locked eyes with the stunned stares of March 7th and Stelle.
"Teacher Adrian?! What're you doing here!"
Before HE could explain, Stelle and March 7th jumped to conclusions.
"Wah wah wah~ Knew Teacher Adrian couldn't let us go alone—teary-eyed."
"My bad for doubting you." Stelle patted HIS shoulder.
Adrian: ...
What the hell was this guilt trip?!
"Almost forgot... Teacher Adrian—Belobog's in deep trouble!"
Over the next few minutes, March 7th and Stelle tag-teamed recounting recent events for Adrian.
"Jarilo-VI's on the brink—what now..."
"Handle the mine first." Adrian reminded. "The Corporation envoy? Leave to the Church."
"No worries—if the Interastral Peace Corporation picks a fight over this, only they'll bleed."
Predator dynamics as ever. Corporation mighty as it was, couldn't haul in [Preservation]'s Qlipoth. Versus the Church, their edge was sheer numbers and economy—bottom line, loyal lapdogs to the wall-building bro.
Hand Blake Qlipoth's hammer, let HIM yeet it at the Corporation—watch the brass flip out.
Afterward, Stelle and March 7th sought out Seele nearby.
"Seele!"
Worth noting: March 7th had swapped outfits by now.
Gown for this? Suicide—clash with Corporation goons and it'd get trashed.
"Any casualties?" Stelle checked on the wounded first.
"No heavies—just some [Wildfire] bros with scrapes. They didn't go lethal... Lucky break."
Seele grumbled, a tad unsatisfied: "Those goons' weapons, and the mechs they pilot—power gap's insane!"
"See those two black-suits? Guarding the mine entrance since forever—no in, no out. Gearheads acting all high and mighty, picking on folks—what gives?!"
The two posted Corporation employees stayed mum, utterly ignoring Seele.
"Won't even talk? Damn—infuriating!"
"What's the sitch inside the mine? Anyone know?"
Stelle morphed her bat into a telescope, peering in.
"Few miners bolted out in a frenzy earlier... Said the whole Big Mine's under black-suit control."
"Those jerks mouth off about [asset assessment]... But they're straight-up harassing Lower District life!" Seele planted hands on hips, fuming at the Corporation's MO.
"So... You three wanna thrash 'em, or dive into a thrilling mine infiltration adventure?"
Adrian offered options. Mine insides... Freesna'd probably bolted to the Mechanical Clan already—time to tag in.
"Normally, I'd vote stealth. But these Corporation clowns squatting the Lower District? Too brazen! Gotta punish hard!"
As March 7th spoke, straight-shooter Seele was already at the employees' faces.
"Hey, you two! Deaf or tongueless? Clear out if you know what's good for ya!"
...
Meanwhile, Mechanical Clan
"Yo! Mr. Svarog, right? And that cute lil' girl beside ya... Gotta be Clara sis!"
Topaz greeted them warmly.
"S-Sis... Hello. May I ask who..."
"You good? Name's Topaz! Here to chat business with Mr. Svarog..."
"Clara—back to the residence." Svarog shielded her.
The move baffled Clara. "Eh? But Mr. Svarog... I just left the residence not long ago. If there's a guest..."
"She's no [guest]. Nor [friend]."
"Return and wait, Clara. It'll be fine—trust me."
Once Clara left, Topaz huffed lightly:
"Mm~ Looks like my intel's spot-on: Iron giant and little girl forged an unbreakable bond... Heartwarming tale!"
Svarog zeroed in on Topaz's chest emblem: "That's the [Interastral Peace Corporation] mark. Why are you here?"
With that, Topaz's eyes gleamed with delight.
"See? We can skip the formalities chatting with you—perfect."
"Jarilo-VI... Ah, you know the term? Anyway, this planet under our feet... It's about to become a [Corporation] asset."
"No one can reverse it—not you, not those [Nameless], no force in the galaxy..."
Topaz was mid-sentence when a voice drifted from behind.
"Mm? Last I checked, Jarilo-VI belongs to the [Eternity Church]?"
"Looks like I've got one memory more than this lady..."