As Nero's declaration that he absolutely would not be caught rang out, a battle between the Express crew and the Silvermane Guard became unavoidable.
Fortunately, both sides were already prepared, so they didn't panic when the fight suddenly broke out.
Stelle had long since started swinging the bat in her hands, the power of the Stellaron surging nonstop…
Her hands itching, the little gray-haired girl who was dying for a fight was the first to charge out.
Facing the Silvermane Guards rushing toward her, Stelle neither dodged nor avoided them. The look in her golden eyes was incredibly resolute… She swung the bat in her hands, waves of force filled with destructive aura following one after another, like endless crashing waves, instantly knocking the Silvermane Guards to the ground so they couldn't get back up.
All one could see was Stelle plunging into the enemy ranks, her weapon swinging left and right, power surging, like the Great Sage wreaking havoc in Heaven… Silvermane Guards were continuously sent flying.
The Silvermane shooters once again failed to play a supporting role in this battle.
Before these shooters could even attack, March's six-phased ice-forged arrows had already pierced through the weapons in their hands, instantly freezing those strong troops in place.
After dealing with the Silvermane shooters, March would also provide support to the others.
Single shots, rapid fire, charged volleys… Once the arrows were released, they were swift as the wind. The Silvermane Guards couldn't dodge in time, anyone hit was frozen to the ground, unable to move, completely losing the ability to resist.
Dan Heng, meanwhile, wielded the Cloud-Piercer in his hands with fierce momentum. With the long spear in hand, lifting, thrusting, stabbing, sweeping, chopping… Dan Heng's martial skill was extraordinary, techniques flowing endlessly, every move striking true.
Each of Dan Heng's attacks hit at least one Silvermane Guard and rendered them unable to fight. His spearwork was skilled, and his control over strength was excellent. Even when striking with the butt of the spear, even when surrounded by Silvermane Guards, he still appeared completely at ease.
Charging straight ahead, arcing left and right, Dan Heng with the Cloud-Piercer in hand was like a dark green phantom, plunging into the Silvermane Guard ranks as if no one were there at all. His figure shifted and moved like a swimming dragon.
Nero naturally joined the battle as well. It was just that his methods were, compared to the other members of the Trailblaze squad, rather brutal.
At least visually, that was how it looked.
As everyone knew, Nero liked to start with a leaping cleave, and this time was no exception.
The Silvermane Guard at the very front only felt a breeze brush past his face. In the next moment, his entire body was flying through the air.
The scene in his vision changed rapidly, first the buildings of the Edge Passage, then the sky, and then back to the Edge Passage again.
The next instant, intense pain surged through him. He crashed into many hard objects, which pressed into various parts of his body.
Even wearing solid armor, even with a sturdy helmet on, he still felt like his head was about to explode, like his body was about to be torn apart.
He had been grabbed by Nero and used as a weapon, picked up and slammed down in a leaping cleave.
A large number of Silvermane Guards lost their combat capability under this single leaping strike. The boy from the Xianzhou, charging into battle, was like a massive boulder crashing into water, instantly shattering the entire formation and sending huge numbers of Silvermane Guards flying.
After just a few leaping cleaves, there were barely any Silvermane Guards still standing in front of him, some had been knocked unconscious, and others ran the moment they saw him.
The Silvermane Guards weren't idiots. Even thinking with their toes, they knew who would be easier to fight.
This white-haired kid was clearly not someone they could deal with. Better leave him to the stronger Commander Bronya.
This leaping cleave, whoever wants it can have it.
Just looking at the scene in front of Nero was enough to make one's eyelids twitch.
"Complete chaos" and "heavy casualties" were two phrases that fit the Silvermane Guards' condition perfectly.
Fortunately, Nero remembered to hold back and restrain his strength. Otherwise, these Silvermane Guards' heads would probably have really exploded like watermelons, and even those whose heads didn't explode would've been shredded into mush by wind blades.
The veteran Antimatter Legion and the Doomsday Beast could testify to that.
As for now, they'd probably just end up with temporary mild concussions.
Seeing the Silvermane Guards fall into a disadvantage, Bronya personally entered the battlefield.
For a time, the fighting became even more intense. Even if it wasn't exactly earth-shaking, it was still wails and chaos everywhere.
Unfortunately, even Bronya joining the fight couldn't turn the tide for the Silvermane Guards. In the end, they were beaten until they were sprawled all over the ground.
And under the Express crew's deliberate restraint, only Bronya and a small number of Silvermane Guards were still standing, able to confront the Express crew.
March was breathing heavily, looking exhausted from excessive stamina consumption. The other three beside her, however, were all unharmed, their breathing quite steady.
"This kid… is a bit too strong." March looked at Bronya in front of her and said, "Hey, Dan Heng, hurry up and use your hidden power already!"
Dan Heng slightly closed his eyes. "…You go first."
"Tch, boring." March spread her hands with an annoyed expression.
Stelle looked left and right. March and Dan Heng's interaction made the Stellaron baby's eyes show confusion and bewilderment.
Bronya's breathing was also somewhat unsteady, but she still said with a stern expression, "Surrender now, intruders! I will ensure you receive a fair trial!"
Stelle, however, expressed doubt at Bronya's words. "You say it'll be fair, but can you control everyone on the tribunal?"
Even a Stellaron baby who had only been born not long ago understood how treacherous human hearts could be after hearing so many stories.
Nero took out his phone and glanced at it, then looked around before stepping forward a few paces.
"Since neither Teacher Dan Heng nor March is willing to bring out their hidden power, then I'll do it!"
After that, the boy lightly raised his right hand, holding a colorful poker joker card between his index and middle fingers.
A gust of wind surged up from beneath Nero's feet, circling his body as if protecting him.
Dan Heng narrowed his eyes as he looked at Nero.
After spending time together, he already understood that this kid wasn't stupid, just occasionally a bit naive…
At this moment, it was hard for him to tell whether Nero's words truly had some deeper meaning, or if he was simply going along with what March and Dan Heng had said.
However, if his own identity really had already been seen through by this kid… judging from his current reaction, it didn't seem like he wanted anything from him.
That was good. Much better than a certain viewer-sharing freak.
"Wait, Nero, do you really have some hidden power?" March looked delighted.
Stelle also stared at Nero with shining eyes, anticipation rising in her heart.
Across from them, Bronya raised her gun, her expression growing serious.
From the current situation, the other side's hidden power seemed to require some preparation time. If that was the case…
Bronya's thoughts moved quickly. Just as she was about to aim and shoot to interrupt Nero, unexpectedly, the boy on the opposite side didn't play by the rules at all.
Before she could even start aiming, he seemed to have already finished preparing and casually tossed out the poker card in his hand.
Then Nero shouted loudly, "Summon! The Belobog Savage!"
At that moment, Bronya's expression froze, her eyes filled with confusion.
'What was a Belobog Savage? Was that legendary creature rumored among explorers actually real?!'
March, Stelle, and Dan Heng were also completely baffled by this sudden development.
'The Belobog Savage?'
'Wasn't that damn Sampo?'
Hadn't Sampo been personally sent inside by them yesterday?
And just as everyone's attention was focused on the Belobog Savage and that big joker card, three homemade smoke bombs, with lit fuses and gray-white hearts painted on them, rolled in from the side.
The next instant, the smoke bombs exploded, instantly blocking everyone's vision.
Everyone in the Trailblaze squad except Nero quickly covered their mouths and noses, becoming alert due to the sudden change.
Bronya was also coughing in the smoke. "What… person…"
March waved her hand back and forth in front of her. "…Cough… it's choking…"
A tall, slender, blurry figure slowly walked out from within the smoke.
Then, Sampo's voice rang out. "Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt this tense atmosphere."
As Sampo's voice drifted slowly through the smoke, his figure gradually became clearer.
The smoke seemed to have some kind of hypnotic effect. At this moment, Bronya, Dan Heng, March, and Stelle were all being assailed by drowsiness, barely able to stay conscious or remain standing.
"I just want to say, Sampo never lets friends and partners who've helped us suffer losses. Hehe… see? I, Sampo, keep my word."
Everyone's memories stopped right there. That was the last thing they heard Sampo say before losing consciousness.
In the end, in the entire Edge Passage, only Nero and Sampo were still conscious, standing there.
A violent gust of wind suddenly swept through, instantly blowing away all the smoke.
Sampo bent down and picked up the joker card from the ground. Looking at Nero, he rubbed his hands together and showed a flattering smile. "Hehe… bro, how about letting me be the summoner next time?"
"If there's a chance, sure~"
Nero agreed without hesitation.