First, in order for a peaceful negotiation to commence, I made Historia understand our respective situations.

“I understand you want to drag me to the Public Security Agency to interrogate me and uncover the truth. Mhm, having a favorable position is indeed necessary to enforce something.”

Just like me right now. See? Now that I have the upper hand, I can even speak right to your face.

“But the tables have turned, haven’t they? Honestly, it wasn’t because of my own power, but because my colleagues are too strong. That’s why we’ve started to overwhelm you. Now, I’m the one in a favorable position, right?”

“...Just get to the point.”

“How impatient. Anyway, what I want to say is this. Since the situation has now reversed, how about we also reverse your plan to capture me?”

｢...What is he saying? Could it be…｣

As expected of her. Was it because we were once colleagues? Historia quickly understood what I was implying. The delay in her reaction was because it was difficult to accept.

“It seems you have a rough idea about what I’m saying. That’s right. Is capturing me the only way? Isn’t that perhaps just your fixed notion? Given the changed circumstances, shouldn’t you act a bit more flexibly?”

There's no need for me to be captured to uncover the truth, you know?

Think outside the box! Turn the situation around!

Instead of me getting captured by you, how about you get captured by me and become my prisoner!

｢...Me? Get captured? By him?｣

“Exactly! It’s not a bad deal, you know? And having a hostage means we can feel at ease. The Military State wouldn’t want to suffer more losses, so they’ll stop their meaningless pursuit. Plus, with the chase shaken off, I’ll be more at ease and likely spill all sorts of stories! How about it?”

Breaking free from fixed ideas meant a shift in perspective. By accepting this, safety was ensured, and at the same time, we could shake off the Military State's pursuit. It was also beneficial for the Military State since they wouldn’t wish to waste their strength.

I'm so proud of myself for coming up with such a contrarian idea. It sounds easy in theory. Perhaps, anyone would think they could do it. But when it’s actually put into practice, even I can’t help but admire myself. Wow!

Yet, Historia showed chronic levels of skepticism.

“...Even if I become a prisoner, there is no guarantee you will tell the truth.”

“Ah, is that the problem you have?”

She’s making such a big deal out of a trivial issue. I lightly laughed off Historia's doubts.

“Hahaha. Ria, you seem to be having a huge misunderstanding. Do you really think if I were to be taken to the Public Security Agency and underwent something akin to torture, I would tell the truth?”

“...You…”

“No. I wouldn’t. Even if I did tell the truth among so many interested parties… Would you be able to believe it?”

｢...Honestly, I can’t trust him. After all, this guy can deceive people even with a gag in his mouth.｣

I didn’t know whether I should be happy that my plan was working as intended or sad because my credibility was so low.

Is the most trustworthy thing about me seriously the fact that I'm untrustworthy?

“Still, I’ll promise you. My colleagues are also quite curious about the incident at that time anyway. If you get captured by us, you might be able to overhear what I tell them. Do you really think I’d lie to my new comrades who saved my life?”

｢Yep.｣

Historia firmly believed in her heart but didn't rashly express it.

｢But… If I don’t believe a single thing he says… I wouldn’t even be able to hear about that day. In the end, I have to compromise to some extent….｣

It seems she's made up her mind. Good, that's fortunate. I'm glad Historia is as rational as the Military State.

I felt Historia's resolve soften and slowly approached her.

“Okay. Now, let’s match our acts. Remember what we practiced during our spars? Let’s go with Movement Number 3.”

Historia didn't respond. Instead, she just raised her arms.

The second reason for wearing armor; it made one look stronger. Even if my movements were sluggish and slow, from a distance, they wouldn't notice.

Now then, let the curtains rise. Let the orchestra play. Let the deception begin.

***

Commander Arm. Triplespear. A weapon made for the Peerless Arts of Patraxion, with spear blades attached to both ends of a three-section staff.

When Qi was infused, it possessed a unique characteristic; depending on how it was used, the seams interlocked, allowing it to become a long spear, a flail, or remain as a three-section staff.

While fully armed, Patraxion stood against the Progenitor Tyrkanzyaka.

“Heup!”

The curved spear shaft struck Tyr's head hard. Thwack.The flail-like Triplespear broke through Tyr's defense and hit her temple. Tyr's head jerked.

A strike like that would have been fatal even to a bear. But for the Progenitor, even a ‘mere’ bear was trivial.

After all, not even a single drop of blood trickled out of her slightly torn temple.

“...Quite impressive. There have been few knights even in history who can compare to you.”

The wound that took so much effort to deal healed and her turned head returned to its original position. The situation was no different than before the attack. Faced with such an irrational exchange, Patraxion couldn’t help but laugh hollowly, feeling as if it was futile.

“Ha, not to brag, but I’m also someone featured in historical records… So, I’m somewhat famous, you could say.”

Stopping mid-sentence, Patraxion dashed forward. He slid on the ground with the momentum of the charge and unleashed his Peerless Arts. The firmly held spear shaft drew numerous curves, combining them into a clean trajectory.

Peerless Arts, Sunderspear.

A curve, so precise and fast that it was practically straight, pierced through the space.

The spear that had penetrated the Kingdom, an ultimate technique that had defined an entire era, unfolded from the fingertips of Patraxion.

That very attack tore through Tyr's blood, bones, muscles, and flesh, shattering the collarbone and bursting out the back. Certainly, had she been a human, it would have dealt devastating, irreparable damage.

If she was merely a human, that is.

Patraxion murmured.

“Motherfucker, I shouldn’t have used it.”

Tyr struck away the Triplespear that had pierced her body with the palms of her hands.

One shouldn't be able to break a spear lodged in their body like that. The spear shaft would tear through the insides and it was demeaning to the spear that had achieved the feat of piercing through one’s body.

But what use was there in complaining? The opponent was the Progenitor of Vampires.

No matter how solid, the seam inevitably concentrated strength. Thus, it couldn’t help but lead to its breakage. As the seam broke, the last segment of the Triplespear fell off.

Holding the now Doublespear, Patraxion cursed someone who was currently absent from this place.

“Warforger that dumbass…. I kept telling him over and over again. That a weapon just needs to be sturdy. That’s all it takes to make it the best.”

“He would feel wronged if he heard that. I am fairly certain it is not the weapon’s fault it broke.”

Tyr removed a segment of the spear shaft lodged in her body. Despite just being removed, not a single drop of blood was on it.

Instead, Tyr scratched her arm with the edge of the spear blade, then let a drop of blood hang on it before swinging it wide.

Her blood did not seek to leave her body, but she could control it momentarily before it reabsorbed into her wounds.

She shook off the blood on the spear, sending out a radial burst of a red flash.

Patraxion, sensing the threat instinctively, gripped the spear shaft tightly and observed the exploding blood.

｢It is formidable. I need to dodge or block it!｣

The decision was made in an instant.

After jumping back, he shook it off with Qi Deflection, swung the long spear to kill the momentum, and relied on the armor to block. The Sunderspear remained unharmed even as he received the cascade of Blood Qi.

｢The movements are large and the momentum is fierce! So, it’s easy to read! However…!｣

Could he truly say he emerged unscathed? Even though he had spent quite a bit of energy and was forced to retreat outside the range of attack?

While feeling a numb pain in his chest, Patraxion chuckled bitterly.

“Haha. How absurd. Are you kidding me? It feels like I’m fighting against an entire nation.”

“You speak as if you have done it before.”

“About that… Ah damn it. Bah, there’s no point boasting in front of you. I’d rather teach a fish how to swim.”

Patraxion glanced behind discreetly.

Patraxion and the general officers were like migratory birds slicing through the wind. As Patraxion confronted the Progenitor, pushing the front line forward, the general officers behind aimed to break through the sea crafted from darkness.

However, with this one strike, not only was Patraxion pushed back, but also the general officers, thus nullifying any progress made.

“...Hoo. I can feel the difference in experience here. You don’t die when stabbed, you don’t flinch when hit. Isn’t that practically cheating?”

“I have lived for over a thousand years. If I were to die from just a single stab by you, what could possibly be more vain?”

“KEUHAHAHAHAHA!”

Patraxion, laughing heartily, bent over while holding his stomach. The laughter echoing from within the armor gradually ceased.

Were the intermittent tremors due to laughter or fear?

“Keuk. That’s true, I guess. How fun… How so very fun…. It feels like my blood is boiling.”

Regardless of which it was, Patraxion's fighting spirit burned even fiercer. His body surged with energy once again.

Having once dueled with the Kingdom, he did not back down even against the Progenitor, who was a nation in herself. Instead, he scraped the Doublespear against a container nearby.

Screech. Sparks flew from the spear blade. The energy gathered on it used the sparks as a flint, igniting fiercely.

Patraxion, setting his own energy aflame, swung the spear violently. The flame-engulfed weapon blade drew letters in the air.

“A hundred times? A thousand? I just need to dodge and hit. That’s all there is to it. You alone are a nation? Ha, I’ve already done it once before. A duel with a country, that is.”

The Sunderspear took a deep breath and extended the tip of the spear towards Tyr.

“It is a duel, Progenitor Tyrkanzyaka. I challenge you. Only the victor will be the justi… Nevermind, that isn’t needed. Fight me! Let us compete!”

“If judged based solely on your spirit, you look as if you can take on the entire world. However, your asseveration is far too excessive.”

In response, Tyr clenched her fist tightly. The blood flowing into her palm from her fingernails dyed it bright red.

“Human, your blood does not, will not boil. Your blood may only boil when I, the Master of Blood, permit it.”

After regaining her heart, the Blood Qi continually tried to retreat into her body, causing her a headache. However, Tyr was a professional who had 1200 years of experience when it came to all matters involving blood, unmatched by anyone. As such, she quickly regained her knack in these repeated battles.

Inside the fingernails, close yet outside the body, was the only place that could sufficiently hold Blood Qi.

Realizing this, Tyr fed her fingernails plenty of blood and extended them. The Blood Qi that glowed crimson looked just like flames.

Just as the Sunderspear and Tyr were about to resume their battle…

“Hahaha! Is that all you’ve got!”

I, adorned in armor, pressed Historia flamboyantly, binding her arms with chains to subdue her. I placed my foot on Historia's back as she lay fallen on the ground and pulled out a card from inside my mask.

4 of Clubs, Waves and Vibrations, Frequency Wave.

5 of Clubs, A Great Amount of Air, Hecto Pascal.

Both were only partially activated. What they produced was sound. Basically, they created wind that amplified my voice.

With the two cards rolled up and placed to my mouth, I shouted as if to tell off the entire Meta Conveyor Belt.

“I have captured the Daughter of the Military State alive! Ayo, Military State! Hand over your daughter to me!”