---o---
Gepard led the group swiftly back inside the city walls. Once everyone was through, he immediately waved an arm at the soldiers stationed above the gate. With the clanking of chains and gears, the grated iron portcullis slammed down, crashing into a pre-carved groove in the ground and kicking up a spray of ice shards.
This was Belobog's first line of defense against the Fragmentum creatures. The grated design of the gate could halt their advance while still allowing the Silvermane Guards to use long-reaching weapons like spears to counter-attack from a safe distance.
Gepard didn't stop there. He turned and ran up the stairs to the top of the wall, barking orders at his adjutant as he went. The adjutant immediately grabbed a rifle and led his men to spread out along the firing positions on the battlements.
Dan Heng stood back, watching as Gepard went from closing the gate to setting up the defenses in under thirty seconds. The entire process was seamless, with not a single wasted motion. He couldn't help but nod in admiration.
"This guy looks like a real veteran. He's clearly used to fighting these Fragmentum creatures, not just for show."
March 7th stood beside him, one hand on her hip, smiling as she scanned the archers who were already in position on the wall.
"Definitely. Looks like we won't have to lift a finger this time. We can just stand back and watch, right Caelus?"
However, no reply came from beside her.
"Caelus?"
March 7th called out again. Turning her head, she found the spot beside her empty. Caelus, who was supposed to be standing there, was nowhere to be seen.
"Dan Heng, where's Caelus?"
---o---
Dan Heng raised a hand and pointed toward the city gate.
March 7th followed his finger, and the smile on her face froze.
Caelus was already standing at the city gate, even a half-step ahead of the Silvermane Guards. One of the guards had both hands on his arms, trying to pull him back, his heels digging two white lines into the ground, but Caelus remained completely motionless.
"Sir, it's dangerous here! Please get back!"
Caelus shook his head, not budging an inch.
So many mobs, and the Silvermane Guards have even set up the perfect grinding environment for me. This iron gate is a natural funnel, forcing the monsters to line up and stick their claws in. This is practically free experience and proficiency being served on a platter. I'd have to be a fool to pass this up. I'd regret it for the rest of my life.
Seeing that he couldn't move Caelus, the Silvermane Guard had no choice but to let go and run to find Gepard.
By the time Gepard hurried back, Caelus had already pulled his baseball bat from his inventory and was standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the spear-wielding guards behind the gate.
"Sir, this area is dangerous. Please retreat to a safe location immediately. We have enough people here."
Gepard's words were curt, his brow furrowed.
Even if the identities of these three were unknown, and they might even be suspects for violating Belobog's edicts by posing as outsiders, as a Captain, he still had a duty to protect everyone.
Caelus slung the baseball bat over his shoulder and turned to face Gepard.
"The Nameless do not stand by and watch while others are in danger. I'll help you out. This way, you can conserve some energy for the next wave of Fragmentum creatures, right?"
---o---
From a distance, Dan Heng heard this. The hand holding his Cloud-Piercer tightened slightly as a smile touched his lips.
Caelus had only joined the Astral Express a day ago, yet he already understood the responsibilities that came with being one of the Nameless.
"As expected, he is well-suited to be one of the Nameless."
With that, he gripped his spear and strode toward the city gate.
March 7th, however, was still standing in the same spot, scratching her head and muttering to herself.
"Really? Why do I get the feeling he just wants to fight the Fragmentum creatures?"
Recalling the sheer excitement Caelus had shown while fighting the Doomsday Beast, it was hard for her not to be suspicious.
Still, grumbling was one thing. She still hefted her bow and followed.
At the city gate, Gepard was still trying to persuade him. Dan Heng had already arrived at Caelus's side, the tip of his spear pointed downward.
"Caelus is right," Dan Heng said, turning to Gepard. "You have your duty, and we Nameless have our creed. Let us help."
Gepard's gaze swept over the long spear in Dan Heng's hand, then glanced at Caelus and March 7th. He recalled the scene of these three racing across the frozen earth on two wooden boats at vehicular speeds. After two seconds of hesitation, he nodded.
"Thank you. Be careful."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than the Fragmentum creatures from the snowfield swarmed the gate.
The first wave hit like a man-made push from behind. Dozens of Fragmentum creatures slammed into the iron gate at once, causing the entire structure to shudder violently and dust to rain down from the hinges.
The gunshots from the wall were the first to ring out. A dense shower of bullets rained down on the creatures outside the gate, with shell casings clattering against the merlons before bouncing into the drainage gutters.
Behind the gate, dozens of long spears shot out in unison, stabbing through the gaps in the grate and into the front rank of creatures before being withdrawn to strike again.
Caelus immediately swung his baseball bat into action.
The bat didn't follow the path of a thrust. He aimed for every single claw that poked through the grate, one swing per claw, his rhythm so fast it was like a game of Whac-A-Mole.
---o---
However, as the Silvermane Guards kept stabbing, they started to feel that something was off.
In past encounters with beast tides of this scale, they would have had to give their all just to hold the line. But today, they were so relaxed they actually had time to glance over and chat with their comrades.
"Does it feel a little too easy today?"
"Easy my ass. See that brother for yourself."
A guard in the front rank stepped aside and pointed a thumb in Caelus's direction.
Every guard's gaze immediately snapped over.
Caelus gripped his baseball bat and tapped it against each claw that reached through the grate. His strikes weren't heavy, and his movements weren't fancy. It was as casual as cracking walnuts by the roadside.
And then, the Fragmentum creature would let out a yelp, its entire body would fall backward, and it would die. Just like that. A very anticlimactic death.
The next claw came through, and Caelus swung again.
Yelp! Dead.
Another swing.
Yelp! Dead again.
The guards fell silent for two full seconds.
They couldn't understand it. These creatures were normally bloodthirsty and aggressive, not even flinching when a spear pierced their forearms. How could they die from a simple tap on the hand with a baseball bat?
All he did was hit your hand!
Even a human, who was far more fragile than a Fragmentum creature, wouldn't just die on the spot from a shattered hand. At worst, they'd scream a couple of times before passing out from blood loss. Instant death was just ridiculous.
Could it be that this batch of Fragmentum creatures had been frozen for too long, causing their physical conditions to severely deteriorate?
One of the guards immediately raised a hand to stop Caelus, who was still swinging his bat.
"Brother, stop for a second. Let us try."
If the Fragmentum creatures were really that weak, then they didn't need any outside help. They could handle this themselves with a bit of casual stabbing.
Although Caelus didn't quite understand why the guard wanted to interrupt his grinding rhythm, he still retracted his bat, stepped aside, and made a welcoming gesture.
The guard stepped forward and aimed at a Fragmentum creature's claw that was reaching through the grate. He thrust his spear forward with vicious force, the tip piercing straight through its forearm. But the creature didn't die.
It didn't even retreat. Instead, it became even more frenzied, shoving half its body through the grate and snapping its jaws at the guard's face. The guard hastily withdrew his spear and took two steps back.
A hush fell over the area.
All the Silvermane Guards turned to look at Caelus at the same time.
It seemed it wasn't that the Fragmentum creatures were too weak, but that this big brother was too damn strong!