HSR: Getting Chased! [19]

---

Smack!

With a swift swing of her bat, Stelle shattered the Rift creature trying to ambush her into pieces. She was starting to lose her patience.

These Rift creatures were playing a twisted game of hide-and-seek, always lurking in the shadows, ready to strike when least expected.

They had been wandering this area for quite some time, but the signs of Fragmentum corruption were still everywhere. This once-grand district of the wealthy had now become a playground for these creatures.

Zzzzz...

Cava electrocuted two more soldier-like Rift creatures that attempted an attack, but his expression showed growing concern.

Unlike in the game, Belobog in reality was at least ten times larger, making it impossible to cover as much ground in minutes like the game suggested.

Moreover, as they ventured deeper into the city, the number of humanoid Rift creatures increased. Worse yet, Cava noticed that the weapons they wielded still bore traces of dried blood, which made his heart sink.

Could it be that during the time they were delayed, Belobog’s Grand Overseer had already accelerated her plan?

Had she sent the Silvermane Guards into the Fragmentum under the guise of reclaiming lost territory, all to reduce their fighting force and fulfill her wish made to the Stellaron?

"That lunatic..." Cava muttered under his breath.

"Cava! Look over there!" March 7th called out.

Ahead, she spotted a group of Rift creatures moving in the same direction, seemingly drawn to something.

"Let’s go check it out," Cava suggested. Being the tankiest in the group, he took the lead. Dan Heng flanked the team, Stelle covered the rear, and March 7th provided mid-range support.

Boom!!!

As the group moved toward the gathering of Rift creatures, a series of loud explosions echoed from up ahead, followed by thick clouds of smoke rising into the sky.

"Is that... artillery fire?" Cava raised an eyebrow. It seemed that the ones stirring up the Rift creatures had finally revealed themselves.

"They're making quite the commotion. It’s likely the local military. Should we still head that way?" Dan Heng, ever the calm tactician, quickly deduced who might be fighting up ahead. He looked to Cava for the decision.

Though they hadn’t known each other long, Dan Heng had come to see Cava as a reliable partner. The qualities Cava had displayed so far convinced him that he was someone worth trusting.

"Hmm..." Cava stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"Sigh... It’s inevitable, isn’t it?" His gaze darkened for a moment, but soon, his eyes lit up with determination.

"Why not? Isn’t that the reason we came here in the first place? Sure, we’ve skipped the observation phase, but if we just stand by and do nothing, wouldn’t that go against the very essence of being Trailblazers?"

Cava flashed a confident smile. Since they couldn’t avoid it, they might as well do their best.

"Let’s go lend them a hand!"

"First squad, fall back! Second squad, take over the frontline! Don’t let the Rift creatures break through! Artillery, reload!"

On the outskirts of Belobog, a regiment of Silvermane Guards, armed with spears and axes, followed the orders of a silver-haired girl, their movements swift and organized.

The soldiers of the first squad, now depleted after a brutal fight, were carried away by medics. Once a full-strength unit, only a handful remained alive—but they had held out to the very end.

Boom! Boom!

Kaboom!

The soldiers in front of the silver-haired girl expertly loaded cannon shells into their artillery pieces. With each thunderous boom, shells flew toward the advancing Rift creatures.

To the side, red-and-green robots, resembling traffic lights, assisted by transporting ammunition and supplies to the front lines.

Despite the relentless bombardment, the number of Rift creatures didn’t seem to decrease.

The girl’s expression grew more and more tense.

"Bronya, second squad is in position. What are your orders?"

An officer of the Silvermane Guards hurried over to the girl, awaiting further instructions. He hesitated momentarily, but then his resolve hardened.

"Have the second squad hold the line. Do not let the Rift creatures breach our defenses!"

Bronya commanded decisively.

The officer’s eyes momentarily gleamed with admiration as he saluted.

"Yes, Commander Bronya!"

With a sharp Silvermane salute, the officer rushed back to the front lines.

Thank goodness. We won’t have to keep pushing forward and suffer meaningless casualties!

Watching the officer run off, Bronya’s expression became more complicated.

Is Mother really right? Are we truly reclaiming lost land?

She looked at the fallen survivors of the first squad and the doctor beside them, shaking his head helplessly.

She had once pleaded with her mother to reconsider, but her mother had insisted that these battles were for Belobog’s brighter future. Yet, all Bronya could see was soldiers dying in vain...

Is this really worth it?

On the front lines, the second squad clashed fiercely with the Rift creatures. For some reason, the creatures seemed more frenzied than usual, swarming the defenses like a tidal wave. Within minutes, casualties began to mount, and the number kept growing.

The Silvermane Guards’ artillery roared without pause, each shell taking out several Rift creatures. But it wasn’t enough. Even a single soldier’s death was a blow to Belobog, and over the past few days of constant fighting, the number of fallen Guards had become incalculable.

If the soldiers’ bodies weren’t dealt with properly and removed from the battlefield, they, too, would be consumed by the Fragmentum, turning from comrades to enemies.

"..."

Bronya’s frown deepened as her grip tightened on the spear in her hand.

A nearby lieutenant, noticing her mounting frustration, stepped forward quickly.

"Commander Bronya, please calm yourself. The Grand Overseer has given us explicit orders to prevent you from heading to the front lines. If anything were to happen to you..."

The lieutenant spoke with a bitter smile, his expression full of helplessness.

Forcing a commander like Bronya, who led by example and cared deeply for her troops, to stay far from the battlefield—watching as her soldiers died at the hands of these inhuman creatures...

Bronya’s situation was certainly not easy...