Chapter 22: The Power of a Deity and the Path

The defensive line under Guard Captain Gepard was located at the rear leisure plaza. This unfinished leisure facility was meant to become one of the key landmarks of daily life in Belobog.

However, the emergence of a new rift forced construction to halt, and the situation further threatened the safety of the inner city.

Thus, this area was handed over to Guard Captain Gepard, who excelled in defensive operations.

Meanwhile, Bronya’s frontline was stationed at the Waiting Plaza, one of Belobog’s crucial transportation hubs. From here, people could reach any corner of the city.

In other words, monsters could also use this place to quickly spread to any part of the city, which was highly disadvantageous for the Silvermane Guards. As such, Bronya’s elite squad was deployed here to hold the line until dawn.

Earlier, Officer Dunn had suggested retreating with Bronya to regroup because Guard Captain Gepard was positioned directly behind them. If they could launch a pincer attack, they could likely complete the extermination operation before dawn and return to retake the area.

However, it was unclear how many monsters would escape during this process, but it was the only feasible option at the time.

Fortunately, with the help of Venti, who called himself Belobog’s greatest bard, they not only avoided a chaotic retreat but also achieved their objectives ahead of schedule.

Now, all that remained was cleaning up the battlefield and waiting for the delayed reinforcements from the rear.

While Venti and Bronya were conversing, the Silvermane Guards who had finished clearing the battlefield had regrouped.

The scattered remnants of rift monsters that hadn’t been dealt with were also being systematically eliminated.

This was once again thanks to the bard’s assistance. Using the ever-present wind, he accurately pinpointed the monsters hiding in hard-to-reach corners, further reducing the guards’ casualty rate.

It could be said that these Silvermane Guards, who had grown accustomed to high casualties in exchange for pyrrhic victories since the current Supreme Guardian took office, had never imagined that the most tedious and troublesome part of battle—clearing the battlefield—could be so effortless.

All they had to do was follow the wind’s guidance, locate the monsters, shoot, confirm the kill, and repeat.

Even if they were momentarily caught off guard by a counterattack, the wind surrounding them would form a shield, blocking the monsters’ desperate charges.

This mastery of power left even Officer Dunn in awe.

“I never imagined power could manifest in such a versatile form within a single individual. Is this what it means to be as free as the wind?”

Of course, this was just an offhand remark. Officer Dunn didn’t believe such a feat was easy. Altering the fundamental nature of power was an incredibly difficult task.

Even he could only extend the power of Preservation to cover himself. Someone as talented as Guard Captain Gepard could manifest and extend it further.

But the idea of manipulating power as effortlessly as Venti, seamlessly shifting its form, was something he wouldn’t dare dream of.

Even now, he still didn’t know what Path Venti followed. However, this was a matter of personal privacy, and since Venti was a friend of Lady Bronya, he had no reason to pry.

After finishing his conversation with Bronya, Venti stayed in the rear, doing what he could to help.

Only after assisting Bronya with her duties did she turn to him again, her eyes now filled with curiosity and trust.

She, too, was curious about Venti’s power, but out of respect for her friend and a sense of propriety, she didn’t ask directly. Instead, she decided to wait until Venti felt comfortable sharing it with her.

At the same time, she formally apologized to him again.

“I’m sorry for making you wait, but the frontline needed someone to take charge. If I had abandoned my post, I would have failed both my comrades and the people of Belobog.”

“No worries, no worries. For me, this was a rare and fresh experience.”

Watching the Silvermane Guards in action was indeed a first for him. As for why he hadn’t done so earlier, there were some reasons.

Initially, Venti’s power wasn’t as abundant as it was now. It only gradually emerged as he clarified his goals and began acting on them.

It wasn’t until recently that he fully mastered the divine power of Venti, along with some other elusive yet tangible forces.

If we only consider the former, this power wasn’t as overwhelming as during the era of the Seven Archons, when it could easily reshape the land and alter the skies.

But those were only a few recorded instances of its full potential, not the limits of a deity’s power.

Otherwise, Barbatos would have been nothing more than a wisp of wind among thousands—how could he have guided the young hero to victory?

For the Seven Archons, their true power didn’t solely come from their Gnoses. Victory in the Archon War came first, followed by the Gnoses. This was the proper order of things.

Just like the old man next door in Mondstadt or the warrior who guarded eternity, for them, the Gnosis was more of a symbolic “proof” of their identity rather than the ultimate manifestation of their power.

Although Barbatos’ power wasn’t as overwhelming as those two, and his position as an Archon was granted by others, the unique nature of his power still made him a force to be reckoned with.

Perhaps on a cosmic scale, this wasn’t much, but for a planet trapped in an ice age for centuries, he might just be the strongest being around.

If we add the enigmatic “Pathstrider” power he couldn’t quite grasp, then there was no doubt about it.

His earlier idea of obtaining a Stellaron as a “Gnosis” was also aimed at seeking greater “freedom.”

After all, if he planned to travel the stars, he’d need some means of self-defense, right?

Otherwise, if he ever got scammed, had his kidneys harvested, and was sold off to work in a wind power plant, Venti wouldn’t know where to cry.

Similarly, avoiding brute force to subdue everyone was also about witnessing more of what he wanted to see during his journey.

Only then could he put his ideals into practice through these precious experiences and grow further.

To put it simply, it was like the relaxed attitude some players have toward games?

Because they know they can handle anything with ease, they remain calm and composed.

As Venti pondered this, Bronya, noticing his deep thought, tactfully refrained from disturbing him.

She simply stayed by his side until the dawn light spilled over the city walls, awakening the slumbering gray gears of Belobog.

Whether it was Guard Captain Gepard arriving with reinforcements or the delayed supply convoy, the familiar sights reinvigorated Bronya.

The exhaustion of enduring the long night was somewhat alleviated by this spiritual comfort.

After formally handing over command to Guard Captain Gepard, Bronya left with the belongings of her fallen comrades, under the respectful gazes of the crowd. Naturally, Venti, as the most noticeable figure in the group, was also seen by many.

However, no one raised any objections.

They weren’t fools. While the soldiers here might not have the highest education, when it came to social savvy, the military was a melting pot of experience.

It easily erased past naivety and left them with the keen discernment unique to soldiers. At the very least, they didn’t see any disrespect toward the bard from Bronya’s personal guard.

On the contrary, they subtly surrounded Bronya and the bard, with even Officer Dunn doing the same.

This indicated that their comrades had already accepted him, and no one would question it.

Of course, the more important point was—

Gepard turned his head, looking at the frontline battlefield that looked as if it had been ravaged by a tornado. The aftermath of the wind’s fury and the faint elemental traces, unlike anything seen in the depths of the rift, clearly had little to do with Lady Bronya.

That bard… it seems he’s not just a formidable rival for my sister. I’ll need to keep a close eye on him.

He made a silent resolution in his heart.