Central Terminals porter and Level 1 citizen, Bren, had a secret he couldn't share with anyone.

His affiliation with the Resistance.

The Military State was brutal towards failures... or rather, it had no interest in them.

Once citizens were registered, they were left to spend their lives working until their eventual death.

Bren lacked the intelligence to attend secondary school, and had a future so predictable that even he could easily foresee it.

Ahead of him lay a life akin to a cog in a machine. As a cog, Bren never harbored doubts; he simply kept turning.

Yet, humans possess free will.

A potent freedom that allowed them to hold onto that concept, even if it was merely an illusion.

He repeated the same routine day after day.

This theory has been effectively proven by the course of Brens life thus far.

Yesterday wasnt fun, and there were no particularly happy events, so tomorrow would surely be the same.

Bren lived each day feeling more lethargy than despair.

But his life took a turn.

The catalyst arrived in the form of a visit from a stranger.

A young visitor arrived with a bottle of beer and shared various stories with him.

The youth was cheerful, and this gradually lifted Brens spirits. As the young man, now slightly tipsy, began to criticize the Military State, Bren just laughed and joined in.

From that day forth, Bren became a member of the Resistance.

The reason was retroactive.

After joining the Resistance, Bren's life became exciting.

He was thrilled at the mere thought of noble orders that might come his way and how deftly he could execute them.

This injected into Bren the tension his life sorely lacked. The possibility of public security catching him somehow filled Bren with a sense of fulfillment.

At least tomorrow wouldnt be like yesterday.

Joining the Resistance changed his life. Each day was fulfilling.

He wasnt particularly meticulous, but he had never been caught in the Military States surveillance net since ever since joining the Resistance.

The reason was simple: no orders had been issued yet.

In fact, he worked so hard to avoid suspicion that even his supervisor's evaluation of him improved... though nothing really changed because of that.

However, Bren firmly believed that when a pivotal moment arrived requiring a significant decision, he would side with the Resistance.

He lived for that day.

One day, while he was working energetically, a young laborer approached him, looking slightly solemn, and whispered.

Mr. Bren. There's an order.

The day had finally arrived.

Bren nodded heavily.

***

The briefing was short, concise, and hurried.

The mission was to attack Command. The operation would commence immediately upon arrival at Central Terminal.

The Regressor calmly addressed everyone.

There are checkpoints and stationed troops all along the route to Command. The inspections are thorough. Sneaking in from here is impossible.

A forceful breakthrough.

The Regressor's approach was indeed simple and direct.

Externally, it will appear as an attack by the Resistance. At Central Terminal, Ill subdue the superintendent and other high-ranking officials. The rest of you will head to the Command. Ill catch up quickly.

Central Terminal was the largest of the Meta Conveyor Belt terminals, and it directly connected to Command. It was the highest priority facility, guarded by a general officer, with elite corps dispatched from three nearby units during emergencies.

The Regressor's plan to take it over instantly seemed unrealistic.

But the Regressor's power was close to omnipotent.

Though not at the peak, her diverse methods and ability to wield them almost to their fullest extent were unmatched.

Can you do it?

Leave it to me.

The result of the Regressors determination was beyond imagination.

Emergency! Emergency! Its an enemy attack!

Everyone, run!

When they opened a container, white smoke erupted like an explosion.

It was a cloud created by the Regressor.

Wind, cloud, rain, and dew. Ice, snow, thunder, and lightning.

The essence of Chun-aeng lay in its ability to condense clouds and winds from the sky in a compressed space. The Regressor had emptied a container and spent hours accumulating power inside it.

Then, she unleashed it all at once.

A localized thundercloud loomed over Central Terminal. Unlike ordinary thunderclouds, this one towered like a pillar just above the ground.

In the fog where nothing was visible, only the Regressor, with her sharp eyes, walked confidently.

The chain of command was momentarily paralyzed.

Waaaa! Its the Resistance! The Resistance is attacking!

Run! Well all die!

Its dangerous! Theyll turn us into vampires!

Amidst the panicking laborers, the Resistance sowed further chaos. Mixed with soldiers and supervisors desperately trying to respond, it was utter pandemonium.

Even if they could hear well, this was a terminal. Large cranes and numerous laborers created various noises.

The sounds didnt travel more than ten steps before being swallowed by the clouds.

We need to get the Major General!

The most diligent and capable soldiers hurriedly sought higher authority to restore order.

The superintendent of Central Terminal held the rank of a general officer. They believed that only a general officer could restore order and lead everyone.

The prerequisite for recognition as a general officer in the Military State was endurance in combat.

A general officer who led others should not die easily. They had to survive until the end and lead the soldiers.

Thus, all general officers were required to at least be proficient in using Gam Qi Arts to enhance their entire body.

They maintained a perpetual state of readiness by keeping their minds focused.

They were akin to war machines.

The soldiers urgently ran to the superintendent, urging him to take command.

Superintendent! Please lead!

But when the duty-bound soldiers reached the office, the superintendent was already unconscious, sprawled at the Regressors feet.

The Regressor, catching her breath after a fierce battle, waved at the unfamiliar visitors.

Hello.

Who who are you! Ack!

Now!

Hiding behind the door, I swung a club at his head.

First Sergeant Keteren, the senior supply officer, collapsed without much resistance.

I gingerly set down the bloodied club, trembling.

Uwahh. Im a non-combatant, why am I even here...

For a non-combatant, you fight pretty well.

Well, I only targeted the weak ones and hit them from behind! Why did you even bring me? There are many more experienced fighters!

The Regressor responded as if it were obvious.

Its still daytime, so its best to conserve Tyrkanzyakas power. The King of Dogs and the King of Cats is capricious. So, youre the next best option, right?

Next best?! This is too risky for an ordinary petty criminal like me!

I dont know what youre still hiding, but sure. Ill pretend youre ordinary. Anything special to report?

Oh, right. I spotted a safe earlier. No time to loot it, right?

Lead the way. Ill stuff it into my pocket.

Even amidst the chaos, the Regressor meticulously completed her looting.

The safe, crafted from Level 5 alchemic steel, was swallowed whole into the Regressors spatial pocket.

That pocket thing is a real cheat item.

It might be more of a cheat than Chun-aeng or Jizan.

Skilled in combat. Though hes never shown particularly strong power, it feels strangely reassuring fighting alongside him. Hes unobtrusive and meticulous, adept at exploiting enemy weaknesses. Lets keep using him more often.

Dont use me! Spare me!

Treat me like a delicate glass that shatters at the slightest touch!

After tidying up, the Regressor and I stepped outside the terminals office.

The outside was still chaotic, but there was a semblance of organized movement.

The Resistance was attempting to escape by taking advantage of the confusion.

Among them was a notable young man.

Despite his appearance as a laborer, he carried himself with the poise of a military officer, calmly surveying his surroundings.

I recognized him.

Chento, who was adept at reading the wind.

A survivor of Hamelin.

One of the few who, among many children, had fought desperately to survive.

I wondered what he was doing here, and it turned out he was playing a pivotal role in finding collaborators for the Resistance.

He was tasked with infiltration, and put in charge of cultivating numerous direct and indirect internal collaborators.

Once aspiring to be a military officer, he now served as a missionary for the Resistance.

Should this be called a rise or a fall?

Leading the non-combatant Resistance members, he joined pre-identified allies at the terminal and boarded the Belt.

The North would soon be engulfed in the flames of war.

The Meta Conveyor Belt was the only quick escape for the Resistance, requiring them to evacuate their base.

Though they were escaping, the Military State lacked the means to pursue them.

They couldnt spare the resources.

Noticing another presence, the Regressor spoke.

Theyre coming. Units from nearby corps.

Good. Lets withdraw now! Moving south towards Command will draw their pursuit towards us!

Just retreat? That would be a waste.

The Regressor crossed Chun-aeng and Jizan.

Aligning the two blades, she drew the blunt edge of Chun-aeng over Jizans surface as if sharpening it.

This generated a unique friction between the two blades.

When metal blades rub against each other, they create sparks.

So what happens when the sword of the sky and the sword of the earth clash?

I dont know.

It was my first time seeing both of them being used together.

However, I do know what happens when the sky and earth collide.

The Roar of the Sky God.

Lightning.

Crackle.

A massive amount of lightning erupted from the tips of the twin treasure blades.

Even at a distance, I felt the electric tingle enveloping me.

Yellow fissures cracked the air, and lightning streamed out like a faucet turned wide.

The emerging bolts melded with the clouds saturating the area. The clouds summoned by the Regressor darkened ominously and rumbled.

Lightning could strike from a clear sky, but it needed the ground to complete its arc.

Holding writhing lightning in her hand, the Regressor muttered, intoxicated by a sense of omnipotence.

Aerith Blade Supreme. Thunderous Sweep.

Wow, look at you, announcing the finishing move yourself. Maybe you should also explain the attributes and the attack pattern so the enemy could dodge it.

Sh-Shut up! It lacks power as it's meant to be a wide-area attack, so it doesnt work well on strong opponents with good senses!

Aha. So its a technique thats strong against the weak and weak against the strong.

Its a wide-area technique!

Regardless of the style.

The Regressors swordsmanship was a magic sword technique that used her treasure swords as a medium for her magic.

With a forceful pull of Jizan, the Regressor unleashed dozens of lightning tendrils that clawed across the ground.

Gaaah!

Urgh.

The ground overturned, and soldiers in the area staggered and fell.

The Military State now had to deal with both attacking enemies and the injured.

The upheaved ground, lightning-flashing thunderclouds, and electrocuted people.

I took in the scene that depicted a catastrophe beyond human scale.

Is Mr. Shei amazing, or is the terminal security that inadequate? Its giving me cognitive dissonance. I hope Command is this easy.

Just watch out for the General Officer and the Six Star Generals. Many are currently outside, so it shouldnt be much different.

Well, Mr. Sheis doing the fighting. As long as you wield your strong-against-the-weak technique well, you can defeat anyone weaker than you! Good luck!

I said its a wide-area technique! Start taking this seriously! How long are you going to slack off?!

Im already doing my best. Learn to judge people better!

Scanning the surroundings, only soldiers or convulsing injured remained in the terminal.

Most laborers had fled, and the Resistance had boarded the Belt and left.

At that moment, a fully-equipped war corps appeared to reinforce the terminal.

Alright, now lets really retreat. It would be a disaster to get carried away and waste Qi here.

You did get too excited and waste Qi already. The fact that you knew that and still did it, IS already a disaster.

You talk too much! Grab my hand! If the Magic Corps intercepts, itll be troublesome, so lets fly away at full speed before that happens!

Wait. Why do I need to hold your hand to fly? Dont tell me No way? Do I have to hang on Mr. Sheis hand and flYYYYYY!

And with one hand!

I cant even hang on a bar with one hand!

Dangling from the Regressors hand, I swung back and forth, breaking my record for one-handed hanging.