Chapter 37: The anesthetic bullet must not have worked on you, huh? Yūjirō?
「 "What happened? Why did that Great Guardian suddenly send people to arrest us?"
March 7th grew angrier the more she thought about it, her cheeks puffed out with indignation: "Attacking someone when they're sound asleep, that's too despicable!"
"There's an unsettling aura about that woman... My intuition really doesn't lie." Dan Heng quickly surveyed the surroundings, finally finding a more secluded path. "There are Silvermane Guards nearby, don't engage them."
The alleyways were filled with Fragmentum monsters, but thankfully, the few of them were nimble enough. Stelle, in particular, took down one with each swing of her bat, hitting them without bothering to bury them.
The mechanisms for opening doors in several alleyways were also easily deciphered by Stelle. As the large doors slowly opened, the next Fragmentum passage appeared not far away.
Just as the three of them were sprinting with full force, Dan Heng's gaze suddenly sharpened. He extended a hand to stop March 7th behind him: "Be careful!"
Along with the sound of three bullets piercing the air, wisps of smoke rose from the bricks beneath Dan Heng's feet. Fortunately, he noticed in time, preventing anyone from getting injured.
March 7th raised her eyes. Both sides of the alleyway were lined with Iron Guards who had been ambushed beforehand, their dark muzzles already aimed at them.
"Heh... We were underestimated." Bronya slowly walked out from behind, letting out a cold snort: "Even if it's been eroded by the Fragmentum, this is still a part of Belobog, our former home. The Iron Guards know this place like the back of their hand."
March 7th threw her hands up in helplessness: "You're really persistent... I don't understand what crime we've committed that makes you chase us all the way here without giving up!"
Dan Heng calmly tried to reason with her: "You saw us yesterday, remember? At that time, we were treated as honored guests by Ms. Cocolia. Such a drastic change overnight is also difficult for us to accept."
"...The Guardian has investigated your background." Bronya put a hand on her hip. "She summoned me last night and said you deceived her, that your identities and purposes are all fabricated, intended to undermine the Architects' control over Belobog."
"Ah?! How can this old witch be one way in front of people and another behind their backs?!" March 7th blurted out subconsciously.
Bronya's previously relatively gentle expression instantly turned serious. She gritted her teeth and spoke almost word by word: "Publicly insulting the Great Guardian will only add to your crimes. Put down your weapons and surrender!" 」
「 .....」
~Genshin Impact World~
"Insulting someone's mother right to their face, this Miss March 7th... Pfft."
Furina almost choked on her tea. She wanted to laugh, but looking at Lyney and Lynette in front of her, she forced herself to hold it in, trying to maintain an elegant demeanor:
"If I could, I'd really like to teach March 7th some lady-like etiquette."
"Heh, it is a bit improper, but... ignorance is bliss, isn't it?"
Lyney smiled slightly, his finger tracing the smooth, flat surface of the table as he pushed a ticket for tonight's opera house magic show towards the young lady in front of him.
"I wonder if Lady Furina would grace us with her presence tonight?"
"I can, but don't be nervous because of my arrival,"
Furina smiled charmingly.
"You jest... But speaking of which, Lady Furina has performed on stage at the Opera Epiclese so many times over the centuries. Have you ever been nervous?"
Lyney suddenly felt curious.
"Of course not, but if I had to say—"
Furina pondered for a moment,
"Not long ago, when I was performing at the opera house, one of the Fatui Harbingers, [The Knave], did come to see my performance once. That performance... uh..."
Mentioning the codename "Father," Lyney wondered if it was his imagination, but Lady Furina's body seemed to tremble slightly.
As if she had found a rare confidante, Lady Furina immediately began to talk incessantly.
"I really don't know why someone would come to a performance with such a stiff face. She was sitting in the first row at the time, and I was probably only two or three meters away from her..."
"Just so you know... I wasn't scared! But the way she looked at me... I felt like I owed her a lot of Mora. And the Fontainian matter has subsided, even if she's a Snezhnayan diplomat, she shouldn't look at me with such terrifying eyes!"
"If she looks at me like that again, I... I'll wish she gets more wrinkles on her face...!"
Furina slowly lowered her head as if feeling guilty, muttering softly.
"Uh, Lady Furina..."
Lyney awkwardly rubbed his face, forcing a smile.
"I heard everything."
"...Brother."
A rare, faint smile appeared on Lynette's sculpted face.
"Ignorance is bliss~"
—
「 Dan Heng's expression remained as steady as ever. He cast a look at March 7th beside him: "Further words are useless, March. At least one thing is clear: we absolutely cannot be apprehended now."
March 7th confidently put her hands on her hips: "Since there's no escape, let them see the power of the Express Crew!"
The battle erupted instantly. Even though these Iron Guards were well-prepared beforehand, under the protection of March 7th's shield, Stelle and Dan Heng were practically unstoppable. With a single shot and a single strike, they effortlessly took down groups of soldiers.
Bronya, who had just held the advantage in numbers, found that in the blink of an eye, only one Iron Guard under her command was still standing.
"You stand down," Bronya motioned for the Iron Guard beside her to stand behind her. "I will deal with these... heretics and villains!" 」
「 .....」
~Baki World~
"One person against the Astral Express crew?"
Miyamoto Musashi stared blankly at the long spear in the girl's hand.
"This toy might be fine for dealing with ordinary people, but it's probably not enough to deal with Stelle and Dan Heng."
Stelle could dent the head of a Doomsday Beast with a single swing, and the power was clearly not something a young girl like Bronya could withstand.
But the battle that unfolded on the screen greatly exceeded Musashi's expectations.
—
「 Bronya was not only well-trained but also quite agile. The long spear in her hand could be used for both close combat and ranged attacks. After thirty exchanges with the three members of the Astral Express crew, she was not at all at a disadvantage.
"This kid... is a bit too strong. Hey, Dan Heng, hurry up and use your hidden power!" March 7th said anxiously.
Bronya made her final declaration: "Surrender, invaders! I will ensure you receive a fair trial."
But at this moment, a familiar voice suddenly came from above the four of them.
"Uh, I didn't mean to ruin the tense atmosphere, okay?"
Everyone looked up following the sound, but they completely failed to notice the several smoke bombs rolling at their feet. With a "bang," dust and smoke billowed up, immediately making it impossible to see the scene.
"...Who is it?" Bronya covered her mouth, coughing violently.
Only a rebellious figure slowly walked out of the dust. He leisurely passed through the smoke and came to the side of the trio. His signature blue hair had already confirmed his identity.
"I just want to say, Sampo never lets his friends who have helped him suffer a loss."
A heavy sense of fatigue surged like a tide, quickly overwhelming Stelle's body. She only felt her eyelids getting heavier and heavier, as if submerged in water.
In the last second before her consciousness disappeared, the man's flamboyant voice echoed in her ears.
"See, I, Sampo, keep my word~" 」
「 .....」
~Baki World~
"Can a tranquilizer affect someone with a Stellaron?"
Miyamoto Musashi stroked the beard on his chin, lost in thought. He had just been resurrected by Tokugawa and knew very little about modern technology. In the past few days of fighting, he had only experienced the power of firearms and stun batons.
Glancing at Yujiro Hanma beside him, Musashi showed a curious smile:
"Yujiro, have you experienced the power of a tranquilizer ?"
He had long since heard from Tokugawa about this strongest creature on earth. He could not only withstand a billion-volt lightning strike with his face but also cause a small earthquake with a single punch, impossibly strong.
"No,"
Yujiro's answer was unexpectedly brief.
Tokugawa, sitting behind them, curiously poked his head out. He didn't understand why Yujiro was lying:
"Did you forget? Yujiro, before in the underground arena, that Nobi guy used a tranquilizer gun..."
"Shut up! Old man!"
In an instant, Yujiro's expression was like a terrifying demon descending. The hair on top of his head stood on end, floating in the air, and the explosive aura even distorted the nearby air.
"If you say one more word, I'll kill you!!"
—