Chapter 47: Seele's Experience

The sight of Theresa being lectured by Oleg as if she were a little girl sent the group into suppressed giggles. Sampo struggled to contain himself, his shoulders shaking uncontrollably. The Nameless and Bronya also fought back laughter, watching Theresa's face darken.

"I'm not a child! And I'm not telling you my age—a lady's age is a secret! The point is, I'm an adult!" Theresa protested indignantly, her childish voice only making Oleg more skeptical.

"Ahem, Boss Oleg, Theresa is indeed an adult. We can vouch for her," Dan Heng said, maintaining his composure, though the twitching corners of his mouth betrayed his struggle to suppress his amusement.

"Haha, that's right! Don't let her small stature fool you. She's actually... uh..."

"Never mind, I'm fine..." March 7th trailed off as Theresa suddenly turned and glared at her, sending a chill down her spine. She forced an awkward smile.

She knew better than to say what she was thinking. If she did, that massive Oath of Judah would surely come crashing down on her head, further addling her already muddled brain. March 7th had no desire to become a complete idiot!

"That's right, Boss Oleg, she really is an adult," Sampo said, barely suppressing a laugh before letting out a relieved sigh.

"Huh? This little shrimp is an adult?" Seele, stared in disbelief at the incredibly cute Theresa.

"Why would I lie to you? I have no desire to pretend to be young and cute—that's just disgusting!" Theresa retorted, glaring at Seele. How dare this mere Quantum Flying Head mock my height? I'll stir up trouble with Bronya later and make sure she teaches her a proper lesson!

Hmm, as long as Bronya doesn't give Seele any leeway, it shouldn't be Seele's turn all night, right? At least Bronya should take the initiative... right?

"Alright, alright, let's just assume you're an adult," Oleg conceded. "You all know why I asked Sampo to bring you here, right?" He gestured to the Wildfire members, who began to disperse. With serious business about to be discussed, only Seele and Sampo remained by Oleg's side as Wildfire initiated communication with Nameless and Bronya.

"I'll handle this," Dan Heng said quickly, stepping forward. He was genuinely worried that Theresa might suddenly start acting foolish during the conversation.

Theresa was delighted at the prospect of slacking off. With a mischievous grin, she approached Bronya and leaped into her lap. Bronya glanced down at the petite Theresa in her arms, chuckled, and settled back into her chair with her.

Seele couldn't shake the feeling that Bronya looked vaguely familiar. Could we have known each other when we were little? she wondered.

She glared jealously at Bronya and Theresa, struggling to articulate the bitter, prickly unease that churned within her. The sudden surge of discomfort made her grip the long handle of her scythe tighter.

Dan Heng sat down opposite Oleg, while Sampo, with a fawning smile, scurried around pouring water for everyone. Sensing Seele's foul mood, he feared she might brandish her scythe at him and frantically invented tasks to keep busy.

"Yes, we're at odds with Cocolia in the Overworld," Dan Heng explained. "She's issued a city-wide warrant for our arrest on fabricated charges of endangering Belobog. Forced into the Underworld, we dismantled the Fight Club that had been exploiting its inhabitants. Then Sampo extended us an invitation, leading to this meeting."

"We've come to propose a partnership with Wildfire to jointly resist the pressure from the Overworld," Dan Heng stated calmly and directly to Oleg. In truth, he didn't expect much assistance from Wildfire. His Trailblaze journey had exposed him to countless betrayals and schemes, and he viewed this meeting as little more than a mutual assessment of leverage.

Dan Heng's bluntness startled Oleg. He'd never seen a negotiation begin with such a bold move. However, observing Dan Heng's composed and unwavering expression, Oleg realized that Wildfire had no choice but to cooperate.

"Heh, a remarkably straightforward young man," Oleg chuckled. "I admire your directness."

"Ever since the Supreme Guardian abruptly ordered the Silvermane Guards to withdraw from the Underworld, its citizens refused to be led like lambs to the slaughter. We united and, after countless hardships, finally established Wildfire."

"Having served in the Silvermane Guards myself, I taught our members their training methods. This allowed them to rapidly develop the skills needed to confront those terrifying Fragmentum monsters."

"But victory isn't guaranteed just because we want it," Oleg said, his voice thick with emotion. "When I led those brave young men into battle, the Underworld's meager resources meant our equipment was no match for the Overworld's. Wildfire's first engagement ended in a catastrophic defeat, costing hundreds of good young lives."

"Only a little over a hundred battered survivors crawled back. You can imagine the devastating blow to morale after that first campaign!"

"Yet we had no choice. If we didn't strike against the Fragmentum monsters, they would eventually breach Boulder Town's defenses. After all, that's how Rivet Town fell. We're down to our last stronghold now; there's nowhere left to retreat."

"So I implore you, help the Underworld! Save these people!"

Tears streamed down Oleg's face as he pleaded with Dan Heng. Seele lowered her head, biting her lip. Her home, the orphanage in Rivet Town, had met the same fate. Half the evacuating children had been left behind for those detestable Fragmentum monsters.

Protected by Natasha and other adults, Seele had barely escaped during Wildfire's rescue operation. Wildfire members fell one after another, their screams drowned out by the monsters' deafening roars as they shielded the evacuees.

The spray of blood was etched into young Seele's memory, a constant reminder of her helplessness. She never wanted to feel so powerless again.

In the end, she, Natasha, and some other children were rescued by Wildfire and brought back to Boulder Town, where Oleg adopted them. After being saved, Seele began relentless daily training, driven by a burning desire for revenge—for everyone they had lost.

It was this very conviction that awakened her to The Hunt Path, transforming her into a Pathstrider.

Later, she acquired a weapon Sampo had procured—the remarkably light, swift, and razor-sharp scythe she now wielded. With this scythe in hand, Seele vowed to become the reaper of Fragmentum monsters, harvesting their lives as atonement for the dead.

To this end, she devoted herself to rigorous training. Under the guidance of Oleg, a retired Silvermane Guard, her physical abilities steadily improved.

Fueled by the power of The Hunt Path, her training didn't result in bulky muscles but instead preserved her slender, youthful figure.