Chapter 75: Serval Deserves Half the Credit… Right?

Clang!

Stelle casually tossed the giant shield aside.

"Do you still want to fight?" she asked calmly, watching as Jepard struggled to stand up.

"Of course... I will never surrender..." Jepard panted, clenching his fists and once again taking a fighting stance.

"That's enough, Jepard!" Serval walked over. "Look around you, only you are still standing!"

Gu Tang and the others gradually gathered around.

Dan Heng put away his spear and spoke to Jepard, "We have no intention of subduing you with force. Such submission would be meaningless."

March 7th quickly nodded, "Yeah, our goal is the same as yours, Serval's, and Bronya's: to protect this world! There's no reason for us to be enemies!"

"Little brother... even if you don't trust these outsiders, you should trust me—uh, maybe I did squander your trust—but at the very least, trust Bronya," Serval said anxiously to Jepard.

Jepard was taken aback for a moment, then slowly loosened his clenched fists. "…Miss Bronya?"

The group quickly explained the situation to Jepard.

Stelle: "For the first time, I realize how troublesome it is to explain things. If only Jepard had the soul of rock 'n' roll."

March 7th: "We can't rely on the soul of rock 'n' roll every time..."

"What you're saying... is completely different from what the Supreme Guardian told me." Jepard still looked at them warily. "Why should I believe you?"

Serval quickly looked at Gu Tang, "Hey, didn't you spend a lot of time with Bronya recently? Show some evidence."

"Don't worry, have you forgotten? Bronya's mind is connected to mine." Gu Tang tapped his temple with his finger, "I'll have her share something that not even Serval knows, hmm..."

Gu Tang closed his eyes and was silent for a few seconds.

Then, he opened his eyes and spoke to Jepard, "On your desk, there's a broken Silvermane Guard medal, right?"

Serval: "A medal?"

Gu Tang nodded, "Yes, during a mission, you were almost ambushed by an interdimensional creature. A Silvermane Guard sacrificed himself to protect you with his body... You kept his relic on your desk to remind yourself never to let your guard down."

"I really didn't know that..." Serval looked at Jepard and muttered.

"...Miss Bronya even told you about that." Jepard sighed.

He finally let down his guard.

"We've said everything we needed to, little brother. The decision is yours," Serval said, looking at Jepard's wavering eyes.

Jepard stood in place, silent for a long time.

Then, he slowly said, "I am the Keeper of the Silvermane Guards, my duty requires me to follow the Supreme Guardian's orders."

This statement made March 7th and the others tense up again.

But Jepard continued, "However, Miss Bronya is the de facto commander of the front lines. According to regulations, when the orders from the frontline commander and the rear guardian conflict, we are to await further instructions on-site."

Phew...

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hey, you figured it out," Stelle said, chuckling at Jepard.

"Fighting against interdimensional creatures is for protection, but battling you... I don't understand its meaning anymore," Jepard said, looking at Gu Tang and his companions. "If you truly can stop the escalating disaster, then all of Belobog owes you a debt of gratitude."

"Don't worry, they aren't lying. I guarantee it," Seele stepped forward and said to Jepard.

Jepard looked at Seele. "You must be Seele? You're quite skilled, but your fighting style doesn't match the Silvermane Guard's."

But why carry a bag of trash with you? Jepard wondered.

"Though it hasn't been long, these people have indeed helped the Underworld a lot," Seele said, looking at Gu Tang. "It's the first time anyone has gained the recognition of the Wanderers, the Fire Hunter, and Svarog all at once... I and the people of the Underworld are willing to trust them."

"I understand." Jepard nodded slowly. "If you want to continue northward, you have to pass through an area fully infested with interdimensional creatures. My guards and I can buy you some time."

"We were waiting for you to say that." Gu Tang tossed out a green orb.

The orb floated in the air, casting a gentle glow.

Everyone felt their fatigue fading, and their wounds started healing.

The fallen Silvermane Guards began to stand up one by one.

"This is the technology from beyond the sky? Truly amazing..." Jepard watched the green orb in the air in astonishment.

Seele chuckled, "Hey, you haven't seen anything truly amazing yet."

Thanks to Gu Tang's device, Jepard quickly regrouped his troops.

The group finally arrived at the final gate.

A massive iron gate.

The gate was extremely heavy, covered in black bloodstains, with various rough repair marks on it, indicating the fierce battles this area had endured.

"Once the gate to the forbidden zone is opened, the creatures on the other side will swarm out. The Silvermane Guards can only hold them off for a while to buy you some time," Jepard said to the group.

"Thank you, Silvermane Guards," Gu Tang nodded.

"It's Silvermane, Silvermane," March 7th corrected him helplessly.

Dan Heng took out his spear, "Come on, open the gate. We've long been prepared."

Seele also drew her scythe, "Right, there's no room for hesitation now!"

"I understand... Silvermane Guards! Open the gate!" Jepard ordered.

Clang—crack—

Gears turned, machinery rumbled, and the ground trembled slightly as the heavy gate slowly opened.

The next moment—

"Roar—!"

With a roar, countless interdimensional creatures rushed in.

"Silvermane Guards, form ranks! Clear a path for them!" Jepard shouted, charging at the front.

"Hurry up," Dan Heng rushed out.

The Silvermane Guards led the way, and the group cut through the endless sea of monsters like a sharp blade.

As for the stragglers that broke through the guards' defense...

Bang!

Stelle swung her bat, sending a charging creature flying into the air.

"I'm not interested in small fry," she said coldly.

Swish!

Seele's sharp scythe decapitated a creature, and she asked Jepard, "Do you face such attacks every day?"

Bang—!

Jepard's giant shield smashed several creatures away, and he replied, "We're used to it."

Soon, with the help of the Silvermane Guards, the group broke through the creatures' encirclement.

"Go now! We'll hold them off here," Jepard shouted to Gu Tang and his companions.

He and his guards formed an unbreakable wall, resisting wave after wave of monster attacks.

Serval looked at Jepard's back, bit her lip, and said to Gu Tang, "You guys go ahead. I'll stay and help my little brother."

March 7th was stunned, "Huh? Serval, aren't you coming with us to find the Stellaron?"

Serval shook her head, "Jepard just expended the most energy, and hasn't fully recovered yet... Even though he's stubborn, inflexible, and doesn't know how to adapt... he's my little brother. I can't leave him behind."

Seele looked at Serval, nodded firmly, and said, "We won't let you down."

"Hey, you're a good girl. You've got the rock 'n' roll spirit too." Serval smiled at Seele and winked.

Then, Serval took out her electric guitar, "Alright, don't waste time. Go quickly."

Gu Tang handed her a bag of items, "Take this. You'll need it."

The group left, heading toward the northern snowfields.

Crackle—!

As Serval played her guitar, bolts of electricity struck the creatures, leaving them charred.

Jepard didn't ask why his sister stayed but directly questioned, "What did that outsider give you?"

Serval looked into the bag, then smiled, "A bag of mung bean cakes."

Jepard: "?"

Serval tossed the bag, and a bunch of phone-shaped mung bean cakes scattered on the battlefield.

The creatures, attracted by the smell, immediately started gobbling them up.

After eating the cakes, the monsters stood dumbfounded, drooling.

"Finish off all the creatures around you!" Serval shouted.

The creatures that ate the cakes started attacking their fellow monsters.

For a moment, the pressure on the Silvermane Guards was greatly reduced.

"Truly... amazing..." Jepard widened his eyes.

"Believe it or not, your sister at least deserves half the credit for this invention... maybe." Serval flicked her hair and said.