Sampo: Five People, Three Scripts

Jizo Mitama slid one foot from its sheath, electricity coiling around the blade before flashing away.

"—All vegetation turns to nothing."

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P.S.: Everyone, I'm collecting edgy skill names here (?o?o)??

Sampo: Five People, Three Scripts

Automatons were reliable combat companions derived from the degraded and modified technology of the old civilization seven hundred years ago.

The so-called old civilization referred to the extraterrestrial technology Jarilo-VI had acquired through interstellar trade when it was still a famous tourist planet. More precisely, it came from the Interstellar Peace Corporation, which had arrived for the energy mineral known as geomarrow and regarded it as a type of Preservation construction material.

Back then, the City Builders had imitated Qlipoth's might and forged machines capable of reshaping planets. Hundreds of Creation Engines had once tirelessly transformed this world, turning ravines and hills into plains and forests, while raising countless cities along its shores.

They had even transformed the planet's original identity as a mining world into that of a tourist destination. Bays, palm trees, lively music—everything suited weary travelers seeking a place to belong.

This was history Bronya Rand, as the acting Great Guardian, had the right to access. She knew just how beautiful her homeland had once been.

And now...

Among so many terrible circumstances, yet another terrible thing had happened.

A rebellion!

Shameless criminals had lured the Silvermane Guards into a trap, ambushed and captured the Garrison Officer—the iron wall of Belobog. After learning what had happened from the Silvermane Guards who had escaped to call for reinforcements, Bronya had acted immediately, mobilizing every nearby force without underestimating those villains.

But—

Thunder roared, lightning flashed, and it was over in an instant.

"Why? Why can't I... move?"

"I can't command the automatons!"

"This is bad, I can't move..."

Bronya immediately noticed the Silvermane Guards' cries. The villains seemed to have hacked into the Guards' control systems for the automatons and had even infiltrated their powered armor. How was that possible?

Yet that was the reality. Whether they were the massive 'Grizzly' Series, resembling Titans from next door and capable of hunting Emperor-class Honkai Beasts, the 'Fangwolf' Series better suited for charging alongside troops, or even the self-destructing 'Spider' Series, all of them had crashed. They stood motionless while the Silvermane Guards desperately tried to troubleshoot them...

The villains took advantage of this to wreck them without restraint, charging straight into the Silvermane Guards' line and throwing it into chaos.

The Silvermane Guards were certainly not weaklings who could not fight without automatons. For Belobog, everyone was prepared to sacrifice themselves, and the weapons in their hands were no decorations... but firearms equipped with intelligent assistance modules had become exactly that: decorations.

Even worse, the powered armor that allowed the Silvermane Guards to move and fight in temperatures dozens of degrees below zero had truly become steel cans, leaving the Guards unable to move at all...

Bronya felt pressure like never before. What exactly were these people...? They were no ordinary villains.

She would not give up so easily. Even decorations had their uses. Strip off the armor and fix bayonets!

"For protection and defense!"

Bronya charged first. Command no longer mattered at this point; the intelligence had already been reported to the Great Guardian. No matter what stood before her, she would stay with the Silvermane Guards and keep fighting.

And so they were thrown into utter disarray.

The Stellaron Spirit charged ahead as though she had been the first to scale the walls. Wherever the little raccoon's bat went, nothing could withstand it!

"Who's next?"

"Your turn."

"Try this!"

Like a demon-slaying god descending from the heavens.

She even had cover behind her. With the cold-hearted resolve to shoot her companions in the butt without discrimination, March 7th froze the Silvermane Guards along the way and loudly taunted them:

"Sometimes you have to get serious—stand still and let me give you a blessing~"

With just two people, they had...

Bronya still did not know that this was a team with lofty ideals, one that often worked hard, sometimes gave it their all, always acted collectively, and loved to smile!

Bronya, too, fell on the path of her charge. The Stellaron Spirit did not truly strike without restraint; if someone wore a helmet, she would yank their headgear right off.

But Bronya was not wearing a helmet. The Stellaron Spirit circled behind her and, just as Dan Heng had recently used Cloud-Piercing Thrust to jab Sampo in the butt, and just as Fang Jie had kicked a fallen Silvermane Guard, she planted her thick-soled, heeled shoe squarely into Bronya's backside.

Children loved learning, and she had put it to use here.

In the freezing snow, Bronya struggled to her feet. Fight. The fight was not yet...

"You can still stand?"

The Stellaron Spirit kicked her again, looking ninety percent excited.

Unable to bear the sight, Fang Jie looked away. He still held Jizo Mitama tightly in one hand without drawing it.

He glanced at Rin. Fortunately, she had not acted after he did.

Dan Heng had not acted either. He was staring at... well, them.

I've become a suspicious person. Welt, save me.

Fang Jie made his stance clear. "Not bullying the weak and not slaughtering innocents are principles I happen to like."

"That's very good." Dan Heng nodded in approval.

Then he continued staring.

"..."

By then, every hostile Silvermane Guard had fallen. The charging automatons had all crashed, and even Bronya—she was not as tough as Gepard—had become a defeated knight.

"Click—"

Everyone behind her was staring at her as if to say, "What is wrong with you, Little March?" March 7th gave an awkward laugh and took another picture with a click.

Dan Heng looked helpless. "March."

"Um, um, it's just a keepsake. We were really amazing."

She was not ashamed in the slightest. She was proud.

The Stellaron Spirit shared in the glory, standing beside her with her hands firmly on her hips.

"Exactly, exactly."

Fang Jie, who had been keeping Rin "behind him," agreed wholeheartedly. He quietly blended into the group and gave a thumbs-up.

"That's right, that's right. We were great."

"Hey, you literally didn't do anything. You just stood there without moving..." March 7th calculated the KPI and discovered someone had been slacking off.

Fang Jie could not accept such slander. "What are you talking about? I was the first to clear away the clouds over you. Otherwise, a sky-filling barrage would have come down on us first."

"Really?" March 7th did not believe him and looked at Dan Heng, who had not done much either.

Dan Heng nodded. "It was a very sophisticated electronic intrusion method. All of those machines were hacked, so those people could only choose close combat."

Then they had been smashed apart beneath the Stellaron Spirit's bat and March 7th's cold arrows.

What a ruthless combination.

"You... Whatever evil plans you have, I will not yield!"

The captive had something to say. Bronya kept a straight face, her eyes resolute. She had already prepared herself for the worst.

"Don't think you can use us as hostages. The Great Guardian will not compromise!"

"Uh..."

March 7th instinctively wanted to take a picture, but then realized that would be terribly inappropriate.

"Um, is there any chance that we didn't mean to do this?"

Bad news came one after another. They had only just arrived in Belobog when their good buddy Sampo had led them into the village—no, into Belobog.

Then, the moment they encountered the Silvermane Guards, he had decisively abandoned them and left them to fight the Guards. Along the way, someone claiming to be a "Nameless" had joined them, and then everyone had taken down... this was already their third fight with the Silvermane Guards.

March 7th sorted through her thoughts as she looked at Bronya's expression, which clearly said, "Keep making things up." Behind Bronya stood one imposing soldier after another, all frozen in place or lying on the ground.

"Clang, clang, clang..."

And there were the automatons still being battered by the Stellaron Spirit. She seemed unable to get enough of the feeling, smashing them for fun until parts littered the ground.

"Stop smashing them already! Waaah, Dan Heng, what do we do? Are we... going to be wanted again?"

Was it possible that they had already completed the first step of "conquest," successfully defeating Belobog's defensive forces and opening the route for an advance on Belobog?

Fang Jie had an "epiphany," his face full of realization that these were the kind of Trailblazers they were. He was about to criticize them for being insufficiently Nameless-like... Compared to being suspected by Dan Heng, suspecting them was clearly easier to work with.

With a serious expression, he said, "So this is how the Nameless of the Astral Express blaze trails. I always thought you were the kind of warmhearted good people who would help others..."

"This was just an accident."

Dan Heng found it hard to keep a straight face. Who did you think caused it?

"Please wait!"

Finally, Gepard, who understood the situation better than Bronya, adapted flexibly for once. "There has been a misunderstanding here!"

Under Bronya's gaze that seemed to ask, "Have you betrayed the Landau Family's honor?!" he stood up, raised an arm, and quickly and efficiently explained the situation:

"They are not the criminals we have been pursuing. They are visitors from beyond our world."

"The despicable criminal used them to create a conflict between us. This is a misunderstanding."

"There is no need for us to fight..."

Gepard called for peace. This was all Sampo's fault!

Bronya was a little dazed, but she quickly understood the sequence of events... Everything seemed to fit together so perfectly.

Damn Sampo!!

"That's right, it's all that guy's fault!" March 7th shouted loudly. She had to clear her name and salvage her image as a dependable senior in the newcomer's heart. "We should catch that guy and give him a good—"

"Kick in the butt."

The Stellaron Spirit could do more than repeat things. She could answer first, too.

"That's right, kick him in the butt... Wait, why are we kicking butts? Of all things, why did you have to learn that?!" March 7th glared at Fang Jie. "It's all your fault!"

Was it possible that Dan Heng had done it too?

"Ah, blame me?" Fang Jie argued. "Isn't it because she's just a little too eager to learn? Honestly, that's a virtue."

"A virtue!" Stelle gave him a thumbs-up and an approving look.

Do not worry about the details. What mattered was that he had been praised.

March 7th wanted to cover her face. Dan Heng had long since gotten used to it. Before the Stellaron Spirit arrived, how do you think he had looked after March 7th?

What had happened before was bound to happen again.

Gepard had not interrupted again. He waited for Bronya to calm down, and for this group of formidable people to calm down as well. He seemed rigid and concerned only with guarding, but he was actually quite flexible.

Belobog as it was now truly... having variables was a good thing.

"Everyone, although a misunderstanding occurred, I still sincerely hope to invite you to Belobog to meet the Great Guardian. In the name of Landau, I promise this invitation bears no ill intent. Your arrival is of great significance, and I believe the Great Guardian will welcome you... After all, no outsiders have visited in hundreds of years."

His tone was solemn, and his expression sincere.

He was not planning to ambush them with hidden blades.

Bronya watched everything unfold. "I am also willing to guarantee this."

The cunning villain Sampo had used visitors from beyond their world against Belobog. They could not let him succeed—the Great Guardian would surely make a rational judgment as well!

There had already been too many, far too many meaningless sacrifices.

"I have no objections." Dan Heng nodded.

"I... Waaaah..."

Before the Stellaron Spirit could speak, March 7th silenced her. "We agree as well!"

The Silvermane Guards scattered across the ground had no objections. March 7th had already awkwardly unfrozen them. As for the damaged automatons...