Even if Historia was exhausted, she was a Star General. It was common knowledge that the stronger someone was, the harder it was to capture them alive. Moreover, seeing Historia tied up with mere iron chains, the Regressor couldn’t help but express doubt.

“By the way, are you sure you’re the one who captured her? You didn’t use some suspicious trick? There weren’t any dubious parts?”

“Did you not see? Me, wearing sturdy full-body armor, bravely making the opponent fall into a drop, before cornering Ria?”

｢I did see it, to be fair. I guess the last attack was quite smooth. It flowed like water, as if both of you had practiced in advance to match each other’s movements.｣

Ooooh, Regressor. You got the correct answer for the first time in a long~ time.

It was a move I had once prepared in advance to recover my dismal practical score. Originally, the script was for me to barely lose, but today Historia was the one to collapse on her own instead.

I had prepared a sort of excuse for this, so I spoke arrogantly.

“You might not know, but I was actually Ria’s classmate. We used to spar together. My Qi Arts might be much weaker, but I know all the weaknesses of her martial arts. Right, Ria?”

Historia, who should have chimed right at the opportune moment, was just lazily watching. I jingled the chain in my hand, urging her to respond. Historia, as if waking from sleep, opened her eyes and nodded.

“Ah, mm.”

“See? She’s saying it’s true as well.”

Kekek. Even the training instructor was fooled by this. How could you, who was glancing from a distance, possibly notice?

Then, Historia, who had been idly smoking a cigarette, spat out.

“Huey. Light.”

“Ah, here.”

I quickly lit a fire with Standard Magic. As something to alleviate her boredom appeared, Historia took a satisfying puff. While I was waving my finger with the lit flame to extinguish it, the Regressor's suspicion deepened.

“Doesn’t the Gunmaster seem oddly bold? It feels like she got caught on purpose.”

“What? One of the Six Star Generals getting caught on purpose? By me?”

“That’s right. The Gunmaster surrendered far too easily. There must be some catch. Or an ulterior motive.”

She was half correct. To be more precise, the ulterior motive was orchestrated by yours truly. Although it was a sharp observation, the Regressor suddenly acting so astute was kinda annoying.

So, I acted as if my pride was hurt and my conscience pricked.

“What did you say? So, me subduing Historia is a fake achievement where she just cooperated willingly? Is that what you’re trying to say?”

This was an approach the Regressor hadn't anticipated at all. In fact, it seemed so unexpected that the Regressor, who had been sending doubtful glances, was shocked.

｢What? That’s how he took it?｣

“What I’m trying to say isn’t that. It was a reasonable suspicion becau-”

“Reasonable suspicion? Aren’t you just suspecting however you please? What do you mean reasonable? Do you want to undermine me that badly?”

｢This guy totally took it the wrong way because he got his feelings hurt!｣

I didn’t really get my feelings hurt, though. But you know, since you suddenly became so sharp-witted, I acted in spite of myself. Maybe she’s a bit too shocked? Should I stop it up to this point…?

｢That was all there was to it? He got upset because of just that? Like some petty kid?｣

Cancel that thought. I’m gonna see it through to the end.

The flustered Regressor, trying to soothe me, lowered her voice and spoke.

“There’s a few suspicious points, you know?

“What’s so suspicious? Is it because I’m a loser and a criminal? Is that why you can’t believe in my achievement?”

“No, if she wanted to escape, she could have just jumped off the Meta Conveyor Belt, right? It’s strange that she let herself be caught….”

“Wait! What are you doing, telling that to her! Mr. Shei. Right now, you are giving a method of escape to a prisoner!”

“Eut!”

When I pointed that out, the Regressor hastily covered her mouth. She cautiously observed Historia's reaction, before lowering her voice and trailing off.

“Surely… The Military State wouldn’t have sent a Star General without a plan, right? I’m sure she knows at least that much.”

｢She should… right? I didn’t actually give away an escape method, did I?｣

Oh ho. Is that so? I should give Historia a hint... or not.

That was what I was about to do, but I stopped. After all, Historia still had a languid face, but there was a hint of mischief in her eyes that I hadn't seen in a long time.

Historia mumbled as if talking to herself while still smoking the cigarette.

“Ah, so there was such a method. Thanks for telling me, Cutie. When surveillance is lax, I’ll make sure to use that escape method, just the way you told me.”

“Eeeek?!”

You see this? This is what true support fire looks like.As Historia naturally fell into a rhythm with me, I went one step further.

“Wow! Now, to undermine my battle merits, you’re even leaking secrets to the enemy? You’re a spy, right? You must be! I can’t let this slide. I must report this to public security immediately!”

“No! I’m not a sp… Wait! What does a spy or public authority have anything to do with me when I’m already being chased by the Military State?!”

The Regressor, having shouted loudly, then looked towards Historia. Historia still stood there with a shameless expression on her face.

｢Tch, Is she pretending not to know just to make fun of me? Or is she just making fun of me…?! One thing’s for sure! Both the Gunmaster and that punk is similarly infuriating! As expected of classmates!｣

If you’re at a point where you’re being teased by Historia of all people, maybe it’s a you problem. Ever thought of that? You did say you were only good at defense, I guess. But it seems like even when it comes to conversations, you've developed more towards deflecting than attacking.

Anyway, Historia appeared so relaxed and calm that it was hard to think of her as a prisoner. And now, she even knew a way to escape.

After agonizing over it, the Regressor opened a space pocket and rummaged through it.

“Anyway! You’re a prisoner. I don’t know what you’re planning, but if you’re a Star General, I’m sure you can somehow break free from mere iron chains. So, I’ll tie you up again with this.”

The item the Regressor pulled out of her Pocket while browbeating was a thin, long skein painted alternately in green and gold. Since I recognized the identity of the thread that shimmered faintly, I asked.

“Is that Sky Silk?”

“That’s right. Not only is it tough and firm, but it can also absorb Qi, so no matter how much Qi is put in, it only gets tougher and won’t break. To tie up the Gunmaster, this much is needed.”

Wow, you had that precious thing? I’m pretty sure even in Seamless Cloths, they couldn't get much of it, so Sephi complained a lot when I asked to make a pouch out of Sky Silk.

The Regressor unraveled a spool of Sky Silk and gripped it in both hands. The pulled Sky Silk made a threatening sound as it whipped through the air.

“This will be better for you as well, Gunmaster. Though Sky Silk is tough, it is not hard like iron chains, so it’ll hurt less… That is, if you have no plans to escape.”

“Hmm. Since I’m a prisoner, do as you please.”

“Alright. Hughes, untie the chains.”

“There’s no need to do that.”

With the cigarette clenched tightly in her mouth, Historia exerted some force and snapped the iron chains. After chilling sounds resounded, the broken and snapped chains fell behind Historia.

Despite using purely her arm strength to break the chains, only slight red marks appeared on Historia's arms.

“Phew. That hurts.”

Even though she wasn’t hurt at all, Historia feigned pain, as if throwing a tantrum.

Humans couldn't escape iron chains because the chains were tougher than their bodies. After all, no matter how strong the force, if the flesh was weaker than the chains, the flesh and blood would be crushed first.

The same applied to Qi Practitioners who had achieved Geon and Gon. Pouring Qi into themselves didn’t make their bodies harder. Even if their strength increased, that power also harmed their own bodies, so they couldn’t escape chains with mere half-hearted resolve. That was why the Military State's straitjacket was created.

However, the calculus changed for humans who had grasped Gam (坎). If they could wrap Qi inside their bodies to strengthen themselves, then conventional wisdom no longer applied.

They could fall from high places unharmed, tear apart straitjackets, or smash iron chains with just a slight press on their skin. They reached a superhuman state, transcending the essence of what humans were meant to be.

And beyond that, if they reached the Axiom... From that point onwards, they surpassed even superhumans.

The Regressor clicked her tongue shortly.

｢At that age, she has achieved Geon and Gon, grasped Gam, and even reached Li1. Though she only slightly touched upon it…. Tch, what is God doing? If you’re going to give me Regression, you might as well also give me that talent….｣

The Regressor muttered after finishing her brief reflection.

“...Hmph. As expected. You could have broken it at any time.”

“Don’t worry. I definitely was drained of all my strength earlier.”

While rubbing her wrists, Historia glanced at the Regressor through the smoke drifting from her cigarette. Though the smoke surged to the sky, contrastingly, Historia's gaze only deepened.

｢Huey is one thing, but what exactly is the identity of him? According to reports, he entered Tantalus on his own. But he’s neither a secret weapon of the Military State nor something Huey created. The power of his treasures is astonishing, but the Qi Arts are even more so. Especially when he suddenly became stronger at the end….｣

Historia thought about the time she fought against the Regressor. Specifically, that final moment.

Historia had never been defeated by anyone since Hamelin. She was a genius among geniuses, difficult to find a rival in not only her age group, but also within the entire Military State. In fact, it was to the extent that the Sunderspear himself had to step forward directly, so she could be trained properly. She was the pride of the Military State, having even reached the edge of the Axiom at a young age.

Yet, she was defeated by the Regressor, who appeared much younger. Moreover, it was hard to attribute the defeat at the final moment to just the power of a treasure.

Since I knew the inside story, I could just nod, thinking, 'Ah, well, since she’s a Regressor, I guess it makes sense’. However, both the Military State and Historia must have been shocked as if struck by lightning.

｢Especially at that last moment. Though brief, it seemed like his hair grew longer and his body grew in size. What was that? A seal? Or did he reach the Axiom at that age?｣

“What are you doing? Give me your arms.”

The Regressor's snapping of the Sky Silk ended the subtle probing. Historia slowly extended her arm towards the Regressor.

“Here, tie it.”

“Put your arms behind your back and turn around.”

Historia obediently followed the Regressor's command. And so, the Regressor, without letting down her guard, tied Historia up with the Sky Silk.

The precious Sky Silk encircled every part of Historia's body. Even as her body was being constricted, Historia managed to murmur with a cigarette in her mouth,

“...Eut. Cutie. How rough of you. Your hands are a bit… wild, compared to how you look.”

“Can you stop calling me cutie and such? We’re not even that far apart in age.”

The Regressor replied thoughtlessly while just focusing on tying the knots. Half as a way to probe at her identity and half as an expression of discomfort, Historia struck up a conversation.

“You look like you’re about the age to just enter secondary school. That’s like the difference between heaven and earth.”

“Difference between heaven and earth, my foot! I’m nineteen!”

“Nineteen? Really? Aha. I see. So you were just born underdeveloped. Stunted growth?”

“Underdeveloped? Stunted growth! It’s just that you’re a beanpole!”

｢Actually, I was a bit underdeveloped, so my growth was stunted. But…! Now, I’ve grown after getting proper nutrition. I’m not that short anymore! I shouldn’t be treated like some kid!｣

She wasn’t wrong. Historia was only slightly shorter than me, so she could be considered fairly tall.

Yeah, c’mon. Our dear Regressor may be short of words, thus coming off rude, and her education may be short,but her height can’t be considered short, okay? It’s not like she’s on the tall side either, though. But still!

“You should learn to speak more respectfully, Cutie. When you’re addressing someone taller, you should say Noona, not Beanpole, okay?”

“Noona? Have you lost your mind? What kind of nonsense is that?”

｢Ah. Right. I still have Agartha's Mask on, so I must appear as a man to her. Is that also why she called me a little kid?｣

Why did she disguise herself as a man if she was going to be like this? That was still an unresolved question. What in the world was going through the Regressor's mind before falling into Tantalus?

Uh, wait. Come to think of it, the way she’s being tied up right now... How it looks is a bit… Also, Historia seems uncomfortable...

I allusively pointed it out.

“Mr. Shei, the way you’re tying her up is revealing some impure intentions.”