Chapitre 15: Chapter 15: Belobog
After entering Rivet Town, Orion immediately felt the energy of a lively human settlement.
Miners chatted in groups, children played, and merchants shouted their wares.
The pedestrians greeted Natasha with smiles, but when they saw Peter being carried by Orion, they showed either surprise or disapproval.
A few familiar faces approached Natasha with questions, but she quickly said she needed to tend to Peter and left.
They climbed a spiral staircase to a flat platform.
"This is an orphanage?" Orion was surprised by the warm scene. The area featured two metal slides, a round platform with some rough sketches, and childlike graffiti aimed at creating a cozy environment.
"Sister Natasha is back! Sister Natasha is back!"
As they reached the platform, little heads popped out of the windows. Seeing Natasha, several bold children rushed out, but when they saw Peter's injuries, they covered their mouths or screamed in fright.
"Don't be afraid," Natasha said soothingly, patting the children's heads. After comforting them, she gave Orion a nod to follow her.
They walked through the group of children into the orphanage, which had a warm interior with lecture halls, small tables, and bowls on the dining table, indicating many children lived there.
Orion noticed two children who seemed familiar but didn't dwell on it. He followed Natasha into a treatment room.
As Natasha worked on Peter's injuries, Orion had a chance to talk to her. They exchanged names and information, and Orion learned about Belobog, the last refuge for humanity on this planet.
Belobog is divided into the upper and lower districts. The upper district has the best technology and armed forces, while the lower district provides resources to the upper district. Orion was looking for the Astral Express crew, which was likely in the upper district.
Natasha speculated that Orion might be from the upper district, given his powerful presence.
With the rift expanding, the situation in the lower district was worsening, and fewer Silvermane Guards were coming to help. Natasha, being a doctor and educator, wasn't clear on the upper district's policies.
"Rivet Town..." Natasha worried about the weakening defense and the group of children. If the rift expanded further, she needed to plan ahead.
"Boulder Town might be a good option," Natasha said, wiping her sweat. Peter's condition was stable, but she knew not to search for supplies in the Fragmentum Zone again. The number of monsters had greatly increased.
While Natasha was busy, Orion opened the door.
Seeing him, the children hesitated and showed their fear of strangers. Orion crouched to their level.
"Which of you wants some chocolate?" Orion offered a piece of high-calorie, high-sweetness chocolate from the Interstellar Peace Company.
The children's eyes lit up. In this orphanage, only the best-performing kids received such a treat from Natasha on their birthdays. Orion must be a good person to give it out!
After distributing the chocolate, Orion patted the children's heads. Most were only seven or eight years old. Natasha, just seventeen or eighteen, managed to care for nearly ten children.
Two children stood out: one with short purple hair and a bow, boldly munching on the chocolate, and another with gray hair and a smart appearance, reflecting deep thought.
Orion grew more familiar with the two children and was surprised to see them together.
"Aren't these Seele and Bronya?" Orion wondered, feeling confused.
"Did I end up in the wrong place? Or…"
Upper area, suburban snowfield.
After the initial confusion, Stelle and the others needed to move on. They were in a snowy field with endless white and strong winds. Despite their resistance to the cold, they couldn't stay here forever.
A strange ice sculpture shaped like an animal was roaring with claws outstretched. It looked more like it was trying to escape than hunt.
As they continued, a roof caught March 7th's attention.
"It's snowing so hard that only the roof is visible. How long will this snow continue?"
Moth-like boundary-splitting monsters scurried around. After dealing with them, they found a conspicuous snowdrift.
"Woo woo woo."
March 7th said with a sigh, "Hey, hey, hey, you can't hide forever. We can hear you!"
Dan Heng's eyes flashed. "The best way to handle this."
Stelle put his hands on his hips in agreement.
"Ouch!"
A purple figure jumped out of the snowdrift. The man, with blue hair and snow on his head, stood up. He had cunning green eyes and seemed suspicious.
"Hey, buddy, you don't need to use your weapons. It's just snow!" The man said, spreading his hands in a bit of frustration.
(Dan Heng's stern look warning)
"But I can't blame you heroes! Haha." The man quickly smiled, "I showed up too unexpectedly. It's worth the poke! How else could I meet all of you? Haha…"
"Is Chief Geppard here? I know him quite well."
When the man saw that he was almost caught, he called for reinforcements.
"Geppard?"
Stelle repeated the name, puzzled.
After a moment of hesitation, the man's attitude turned cold.
"Oh, you're not from the Silvermane Guard? You should have told me sooner. No need for family to fight family!"
It was clear that this Sampo had a strong connection with the Silvermane Guard, and his previous flattery was due to their intimidating power.
"Nice to meet you. My name is Sampo Koski."
After some conversation, Sampo was disappointed that the train crew didn't know the area well.
"Hey, you're really newbies. I can't stand seeing you struggle," he said, treating Stelle and the others like his peers.
"Well, I'm like a senior here, so I can give you some free guidance."
"There are many rules in this business."
March 7th couldn't stand his chatter, "Just tell us how to get into the city!"
"Going into the city? It's closed today. But leading the way is a small thing."
(Dan Heng's second stern look warning)
"But I, Sampo, am always ready to help." With the train crew's charm, Sampo agreed to lead them.
Though casual, he quickly learned about the train crew's identity, purpose, and destination.
On the way, Sampo shared his "experience."
"Let me tell you, the seventh rule is: don't leave any footprints. I have a unique skill to leave no trace in the snow. It's perfect for evading pursuers."
As Murphy's Law would have it, a group of soldiers in blue uniforms with axes and halberds approached.
The tall man immediately ran behind the train crew, saying, "If you don't run now, you'll regret it! I leave it to you, friends!"
The soldiers, thinking the train crew was Sampo's accomplices, attacked.
"Ahhh!" March 7th was furious. "This guy runs so fast!!"
The soldiers were well-trained, but the train crew was also well-connected, holding their own. March 7th gathered her ice power to immobilize the Silvermane Guards with a powerful shot.
"Clang!"
The arrows stopped before a hand extended from behind the Silvermane Guards, blocking them with invisible energy.
In dazzling white armor with blond hair, Geppard Landau stood like a wall. His huge weapon blocked March 7th's attacks.
His ice-blue eyes judged, "I, Geppard Landau, Silvermane Guard garrison officer, order you to stop resisting!"
March 7th backed off, realizing that Dan Heng should handle this tough opponent.
Dan Heng, seeing Geppard's battle experience, knew to be cautious.
Stelle rushed forward, swinging his bat, causing a shockwave.
"Collapse!"
The bat clashed with Geppard's giant shield, and Stelle almost lost grip of the bat. Despite the challenge, Geppard's defense was slightly pushed back.
Dan Heng struck Geppard's legs, trying to unsteady him.
Geppard's quick reflexes and the heavy object he wielded made Dan Heng uncomfortable.
"His defense counters with a powerful shock force if his weapon hits. Don't fight him head-on!"
Dan Heng looked at Stelle, signaling a combined attack.
Together, they launched a flurry of attacks, overwhelming Geppard. Though he was used to handling large monsters, the quick and persistent strikes from Stelle and Dan Heng were challenging.
Meanwhile, the pink-haired archer ensured that Geppard's allies were kept in check, making the battle even tougher for him.
Seeing they were not accomplices, Geppard eventually believed the group and allowed them to enter the city.
A massive city emerged, surrounded by ice and gears. The first impression was like a steampunk city of ice and snow.
"The last bastion of mankind against the Eternal Freeze—Belobog."
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone