Chapter 55: Sampo: "Brother Gepard, please stop! Brother Gepard~"

At that moment, March 7th, Dan Heng, Seele, and Bronya witnessed a shocking scene. They saw the Underworld entrance completely occupied by a large contingent of Silvermane Guards. Underworld residents and Wildfire members stood armed, their faces tense with wariness and anger as they glared at the Silvermane Guards.

Sampo was pinned to the ground by Gepard, who had his knee pressed against Sampo's back and his hands yanking Sampo's arms backward.

"Ah? Weren't you being quite cocky earlier? Stripping me naked? Did Wildfire give you the guts for that?" Gepard sneered.

"I heard you even sold my armor for a thousand Shields! That was custom-made for me by the Supreme Guardian himself! How dare you!"

Gepard roared in fury, wrestling Sampo into submission. The Silvermane Guards surrounding them cheered and jeered, while the Wildfire members hesitated. Should they help Sampo? After all, the man would betray his own allies. But watching this was too hilarious, scratch that, too pitiful.

"Brother Gepard, I'm sorry! Let me go! You're dislocating my arms! Brother Gepard, please stop pulling!"

"I'll never do it again, Brother Gepard!" Sampo wailed, his face contorted in misery.

Gepard released him with a cold snort. After all, he hadn't come here to wrestle Sampo.

"Captain Oleg is here. I need to speak with him urgently. Bringing the Silvermane Guards was a last resort," Gepard said politely, meeting the Wildfire members' angry and wary gazes.

"Just tell me! I have some influence in Wildfire! It's better than talking to that spineless con man groveling on the ground," Seele sneered, glaring disdainfully at the prostrate Sampo.

"Greetings. I am Gepard Landau, Garrison Officer of the Overworld's Silvermane Guards. Bringing the Silvermane Guards here was a last resort. We seek to discuss a critical matter with Wildfire. As far as I know, Captain Oleg of the Vanguard is currently the leader of Wildfire."

Gepard first introduced himself to Seele, who was carrying a scythe, before explaining his purpose, dispelling Wildfire's suspicion that he had brought the Silvermane Guards to start a fight in the Underworld.

"Seele. I'm an officer of Wildfire. I've already gathered the basic information about you, but I need to consider your request carefully. Boss Oleg is extremely busy; he doesn't meet with just anyone."

"Oh, right! Captain Gepard of the Garrison, do you remember her?"

Seele gently pulled Bronya's slightly stiff hand forward and wrapped her arms around her slender waist, laughing. Gepard and the Silvermane Guards gasped as they gazed at the breathtakingly beautiful young girl, whose figure was now even more voluptuous. Where she should be full, she was full; where she should be slender, she was slender. Even Gepard, a quintessential "steel-straight man" and utter blockhead, was left speechless by Bronya's now perfectly accentuated physique.

"You're Commander Bronya?" Gepard exclaimed, his voice filled with awe and shock as he stared at the girl, who was now flushed and visibly uncomfortable.

"Mhm~"

"It's me, Captain Gepard. Theresa and the others changed my uniform and squeezed me into this tight, uncomfortable dress."

As Bronya felt the Silvermane Guards and the Underworld residents' awestruck gazes scanning her like a radar, she shyly shrank closer to Seele, murmuring, "They're staring at me like I'm some kind of exhibit..."

"Ah, I'm dying! Commander Bronya is so cute!"

"Hiss! I never expected Commander Bronya to be so... hidden. Who knew she was so stacked!"

Some of the Silvermane Guards gazed at Bronya with awe, excitedly whispering about her. After all, these were rough-and-tumble men who had rarely seen such an elegant and beautiful young girl, having just been transferred from the Silvermane Guard Restricted Zone.

"Wow, it's really you, Captain Gepard!"

March 7th's delighted voice rang out, her lively and endearing tone prompting the guards to instinctively part and let her pass. But their exclamations were also directed at the other beautiful girls following March 7th.

There was the ever-cheerful Higokumaru, the stoic Dan Heng, and the world's cutest Flame Rondo Theresa. Higokumaru's four fox tails and Theresa's pink fox ears and tail drew astonished stares.

"Uh, Theresa, how did you change species? And who's this girl with four fox tails?" Gepard asked, his expression a mix of shock and confusion as he stared at Higokumaru and the radically transformed Theresa, Sakuno Rondo.

"Hello there! I'm Higokumaru, Theresa's older sister!" Higokumaru introduced herself cheerfully.

"Nonsense! You're the one who's my little sister! You should be calling me Big Sister! You silly Higokumaru!"

"Captain Gepard, due to... certain circumstances, I've ended up like this. By the way, what brings you to the Underworld? Aren't you afraid of being ambushed?"

Theresa's words brought a bitter smile to Gepard's face.

"Don't even mention it. I received orders from the Supreme Guardian to fight Wildfire to the death and bring Commander Bronya back under his command."

"But now I've changed my mind. I've decided to cooperate with Wildfire because the Supreme Guardian is acting very strangely—or rather, he's become a completely different person!" Gepard declared vehemently, his eyes burning with resentment, as the Silvermane Guards murmured in agreement, confirming that the Supreme Guardian had indeed become disturbingly unfamiliar.

"So you want to cooperate with Wildfire, huh? This is the first time the Silvermane Guards have ever collaborated with them. As a show of good faith, Captain Gepard, you must meet Boss Oleg alone. If you're uneasy, you can bring one of them—Theresa or the others—with you."

Seele, her scythe resting on her shoulder, addressed the silent Gepard. Seeing his hesitation, Bronya, realizing the immense psychological pressure he was under, took a deep breath and stepped forward.

"Then allow me, Bronya Rand, heir to the Supreme Guardian and Captain Gepard of the Silvermane Guards, to meet Boss Oleg!"

Bronya stepped beside Gepard and gave Seele a serious look, volunteering herself.

"Alright, Bronya, since you're considered a superior officer in the Silvermane Guards, we'll do as you say. Sampo, stop playing dead! You'll escort Gepard and Bronya to meet Boss Oleg. If you keep faking it, I'll stab you in the butt with my scythe and open another hole!"

Seele glared at the feigning-death Sampo, shouting her threat. Hearing this, Sampo scrambled to his feet, flashing a fawning smile.

"Aw, shucks, Seele, you're just teasing! I, Sampo, would never play dead. I'm just a humble merchant with no strength to bind even a chicken!"

"Let's go then, Captain Gepard and Miss Bronya. Follow me, Sampo, to meet the old man Oleg."

With that, Sampo led Gepard and Bronya to meet Oleg, while Seele instructed Wildfire members to disperse the gawking Underworld residents. The Silvermane Guards watched the wary Wildfire members with uneasy expressions.

"Miss Seele, why don't you take us somewhere to settle in? It's not like we can just stand here twiddling our thumbs, right?"

Stelle shared her opinion, and Seele nodded in agreement, leading the group to the Goethe Hotel where Theresa and the others were staying.