Patriot's halberd struck the ground with a violent explosion. As the dust settled, the Emperor's Blade was nowhere to be seen; only a deathly silence remained.
Suddenly, Jeanne sensed something rushing toward her side. A tattered figure lunged at her, seemingly intent on capturing her even at the cost of being purified by the Holy Water. Jeanne rose and sent him flying with a swift kick, then immediately charged with her flagpole. Seeing him fight so vigorously against Patriot earlier had made her hands itch for action; now that he had walked right into her path, she wasn't about to let him go.
The Emperor's Blade had the same idea: I might not be able to defeat Patriot, but surely I can handle a child? Moreover, she was clearly the key to this mission; there was no way he would let her escape.
Jeanne dove headfirst into his "Dominion," which made the agent think his chance had finally come. He planned to capture her once she was incapacitated and take her back to St. Petersburg. With the army's assistance, even if she could fly, she wouldn't escape.
However, he soon discovered that wherever Jeanne walked, the black mist of the Dominion vanished as if erased by a blackboard eraser. Worse, the Dominion could not reform on the path she had already trodden.
The agent realized he was in deep trouble. This girl was his natural enemy! Nothing he did had any effect on her, and now Patriot was closing in from the other side with his halberd.
"I should have brought those other two along. At least they could have been of some use..."
He secretly regretted his decision. While the other two also possessed the power of the Demon, they at least still inhabited human bodies; no matter how much they were countered, they could have traded blows with this girl.
"Seventeen! Forty-one! What is your status? I need your assistance here!"
"We can't get away for now, Seven. From the looks of it, don't count on us! And don't disturb us! If we lose focus for even a second, we'll be 'giving our lives' for Ursus right here!"
It seemed the situation on the other end wasn't much better. Since Patriot wasn't accompanied by his Shieldguards, the agents were likely being bogged down by them instead. Combined with that special liquid, they were probably fighting a very passive battle.
Suddenly, a powerful force swept across his right arm, sending him flying. His arm melted the instant it touched the strike. If he hadn't used the momentum to push himself away, it wouldn't have been just his arm; his entire body might have been sliced in two.
The Emperor's Blade panted heavily. His regeneration was noticeably slower than before. He had consumed too much energy; even his demonic body was reaching its limit. But the biggest threat remained the young girl. As long as she was an enemy, it wouldn't matter how many Emperor's Blades Ursus sent! In her presence, the gap between an agent and an elite soldier was practically zero.
"We can talk. There is no unforgivable hatred between us. Both sides are working for the future of Ursus, for its tomorrow. Why can't we join forces? I believe that with your appearance, the Emperor could successfully pass the legislation regarding the Infected!"
In a rare move, the agent yielded to a child. If the souls of those who had died by his hands could see this, they would laugh at him for a lifetime.
"Sorry, but I have no intention of pledging loyalty to any nation. I am free."
As they spoke, Jeanne and Patriot practically pinned the agent to the ground and pummeled him. For the first time in his life, the Emperor's Blade felt like his fists were hitting mere cotton.
"What about you, Patriot? Do you not wish to return to the fold of Ursus? Even if you are Infected, it doesn't matter; we can make an exception! After all, you are a living legend."
Seeing Jeanne unmoved, the agent turned to recruit Patriot. Surely, he must still harbor some sentiment for the country he once served.
"The Emperor I served is dead. I have other objects of loyalty now. If you think words alone can move me, you are truly naive!"
Damn it! These two were like stones, completely intent on taking his life regardless of what he said.
"Seven, [Cryptic message], [Cryptic message]..."
Hearing the voice over the radio, Number Seven showed a look of disbelief, as if he had heard something impossible.
"Wait! Wait! Stop for a moment! Someone wants to talk to you!"
The two scoffed at his words. What kind of joke is this? They couldn't imagine who would call at a time like this; for all they knew, it was a fabrication.
"Truly! Miss Jeanne, Duke Kashchey is looking for you!"
The agent tossed the communicator toward them. Jeanne caught it with suspicion, while Patriot remained on guard with his weapon raised. If the agent pulled any tricks or if something happened to Jeanne, he would tear him to shreds instantly.
"Young lady, please remain calm. I have just met with the leader of the Emperor's Blades. Please give me some time, and please do not kill the agent."
Jeanne heard the voice on the other end. Although there were slight differences, the tone and speech habits were definitely Kashchey's. It seemed he really was honestly contacting the Emperor.
"How is Talulah doing?"
"They are fighting. It was a bit difficult at first, but later, because of Alina, those two agents were countered so hard they're barely better than super-soldiers. They've been suppressed by the Shieldguards and are currently being beaten on the ground."
"Fine. Tell him to surrender! If he tries anything and gets killed in retaliation, don't blame me."
Hearing that Talulah was safe, Jeanne let go of her worries. However, she wasn't known for her good temper; if this guy kept acting up, she wouldn't hesitate to strike hard.
"Of course. You can bring him back to the village. Give me some time; I will find an opportunity for you to talk with Ursus."
Kashchey sighed with relief upon hearing the agent was still alive. If an Emperor's Blade actually died, the situation would escalate beyond control. In Ursus history, the death of every agent is investigated; if one died at the hands of the Reunion Movement, the Emperor wouldn't be able to agree to talk, even if he wanted to, for the sake of national pride.
"Alright, follow us back! But let me warn you: if you try any small tricks on the way, don't blame me if I pour a bottle of Holy Water over your head and exorcise you on the spot!"
Jeanne tossed the communicator back and warned him. After hearing a specific "cryptic message," Number Seven followed Patriot obediently, not daring to step within a single pace of Jeanne.
Meanwhile, after seeing the agent hang up, Kashchey looked at the heavily wrapped figure before him with a wide smile.
"Now then, former Number Twenty-nine—now the Leader of the Emperor's Blades—it's time we discuss the matters we spoke of before."