---o---
Standing atop the wall, Caelus repeatedly grabbed cobblestone blocks and hurled them at the flying Fragmentum creatures in the sky. He was like a catapult, launching one projectile after another without a hint of fatigue.
The surrounding Silvermane Guards had long since lowered their rifles. It wasn't that they didn't want to help Caelus and share the burden, but every time he threw a stone, it produced a massive shockwave and a deafening boom. Just protecting their ears and maintaining their balance took all their effort. Among those present, only Gepard, March 7th, and Dan Heng could occasionally find an opening to shoot a few stray creatures with their guns or bows.
After several volleys of thrown stones, the Fragmentum creatures that had once blotted out the entire sky had been decimated, with only a few stragglers flying in from a distance.
Just as Caelus pulled out a new cobblestone block, intending to continue sniping the remaining few, March 7th rushed forward, grabbed his arm, and shook her head desperately.
"Caelus, stop throwing them! Our eardrums are gonna explode! Why don't you take a break? We can handle the rest!"
Caelus turned to look at the others. He saw the Silvermane Guards shakily getting up from the ground, each one looking dazed. He had no choice but to stop.
"Alright then. Too bad, I was just starting to have fun."
"We'll have fun next time!!"
March 7th didn't know whether to laugh or cry. This was clearly a very serious situation, so how did it end up sounding so twisted coming from Caelus?
Since his help was no longer needed against the enemies in the sky, he walked to the edge of the wall and peered down. Below, a large number of Fragmentum creatures were still swarming, trying to squeeze through the gate. Without a second thought, he pulled out a cobblestone block. This time, however, he didn't choose to throw it forcefully. Instead, he simply opened his hand and let the block fall freely.
---o---
The moment it left Caelus's palm, the block, which had been smaller than his hand, instantly reverted to its original size. However, it didn't defy physics and hover in mid-air as it would in Minecraft. Instead, it plummeted straight down, just like a gravity-affected block in the game.
The cobblestone block landed on the head of a Fragmentum creature, and with a wet splat, several of them were crushed into a paste.
Seeing this, Caelus's eyebrows shot up. It seemed he had discovered a new trait.
He casually took out two more cobblestone blocks. The first, he threw with a bit of force toward some distant creatures. Just like before, the block acted like a real-world object affected by gravity. But upon contact with the ground, it automatically reverted to its MC state, embedding itself firmly in the earth.
For the second cobblestone block, Caelus tried a different method. He simply let it go, mentally "discarding" it as he did. This time, after leaving his hand, the block didn't transform back into its full size from its dropped-item form. Even after landing on the ground, it remained a tiny, palm-sized object.
In that instant, Caelus understood. Because he was in the real world, he could use the action of throwing to place blocks remotely after they made contact with another surface. At the same time, he could control at will whether an item left his hand as a dropped object or a placed block.
This discovery sent a jolt of ecstasy through him. This was incredibly convenient!
In Minecraft, placing a block required you to be within reach distance; Steve couldn't place blocks too far away without accessories that increased his reach. But now, he didn't need any of that. He just had to throw the block!
It seemed that "Steve's Blessing" in his status bar still held many undiscovered traits that he would have to study in the future.
---o---
While Caelus was busy researching his own abilities, the Silvermane Guards had regrouped under Gepard's command and were working together to wipe out the remaining Fragmentum creatures.
Gepard walked down from the wall. Standing at the gate, he ordered his men to raise the portcullis. He then cautiously stepped outside to inspect the area, and only after confirming there were no living creatures left did he declare the state of alert lifted.
However, the first time Gepard had announced the all-clear, the Silvermane Guards had remained on high alert. It wasn't until he raised his voice and shouted it a second time that they finally relaxed.
It couldn't be helped. Their eardrums had been thoroughly tormented by Caelus, and their hearing was somewhat impaired.
Gepard found the trio and led them into a command room he had set up nearby. He had them take a seat, and someone soon brought them four cups of hot water.
Gepard spoke to the three with a hint of apology. "My apologies, the conditions here are rather basic. There isn't much to offer you."
The three of them were not picky. They smiled and shook their heads, indicating that hot water was perfectly fine, and promptly drained their cups.
Seeing that they didn't mind, Gepard breathed a sigh of relief. He then gave them a formal half-bow.
"Thank you all for your help in this defense. However, I must still carry out my duties as a Captain of the Guard. I must ask for your cooperation with my investigation. First of all, what is this 'Astral Express' you mentioned?"
When Gepard asked, Dan Heng and Caelus immediately turned their heads to look at March 7th. Understanding her cue, she unclipped the camera from her waist, flipped through a few photos she had taken of Jarilo-VI from the Express, and handed it over.
After looking at the photos, Gepard understood their meaning. He looked up at the three of them, a hint of surprise in his eyes.
"You mean to say, you are from beyond the sky?"
"That's right," they replied in unison.
This answer didn't surprise Gepard. In fact, he found it to be a very logical explanation.
After all, in all his years, he had never seen a monster like Caelus before. Blocks that could shrink and expand at will, wooden boats that could travel at high speeds on frozen earth—all of it was technology he couldn't comprehend. And that was before even mentioning Caelus's monstrous strength and his bizarre ability to kill a creature by simply tapping its claw.
"I see. Forgive my rudeness, but could you please state the purpose of your visit?"
Upon confirming that the trio was from off-world, Gepard's tone became more polite and cautious.
Now that he knew they were from beyond the sky, he had to be careful. A misstep could turn this into a diplomatic incident.
"We are here to find something called a Stellaron," Dan Heng said without any intention of hiding it. Only by being truthful could they gain Gepard's trust and help.
With a local's assistance, finding the Stellaron would be much easier.
"A Stellaron?" Gepard frowned. This was the first time he had ever heard the term.
Just as Dan Heng was about to explain further, Caelus smoothly took over the conversation.
"Yes. We were originally just passing through on the Astral Express, but the Stellaron affected our navigation. If we wish to continue our journey, we must resolve the Stellaron's influence on the surrounding area. At the same time, we discovered that the Eternal Freeze on your planet, Jarilo-VI, is also caused by this Stellaron."
Dan Heng shot Caelus a slightly surprised look. His explanation was a subtle departure from their actual objective. Caelus hadn't directly said they were here to help Jarilo-VI, but Dan Heng quickly caught on.
If three strangers from the heavens appeared and immediately claimed, "We're here to help you," it would be incredibly difficult not to arouse suspicion. But if their actions were framed as being motivated by self-interest, it would dispel much of that unwarranted doubt.
He's sharp.
---