Arknights, but the sickly pretty girl starts

"I guess you've forgotten... but I'll never forget your life-saving grace."

Alina recalled that night, the night when she was unexpectedly attacked by a group of refugees. Although she was a cadre of the Reunion Movement, she was not as strong as Tallulah. When facing the greedy eyes of the refugees, she was already prepared.

She handed over the food in her hand - but the people were not satisfied. They were consumed by hunger and madness.

Not everyone can maintain their self in adversity, and once a person loses their self, naturally only animal nature remains.

Death seemed imminent, and Alina knew that she had no ability to resist.

But at this moment, she saw a beam of light.

It was a knight in white clothes and armor who suddenly appeared in front of her, and she didn't even notice when he appeared.

She didn't tell Alina her name, but that day, in the camp, Alina saw the knight again. Although she was no longer wearing the knight's armor, Alina recognized her at a glance.

—Noah Kyrielet.

Chapter 25: Originium is your eternal home

Even Ursus probably didn't expect that within a radius of 100 miles, his hatred value would instantly turn purple.

At this time, the commander of the Ursus frontline army was still wondering why the Longmen Guards, which had been retreating step by step, suddenly became tough and even launched a counterattack during local battles. The Ursus army, which had been winning step by step, was inexplicably defeated. Sometimes, although they had superior numbers and firepower configurations than the opponent during reconnaissance, they could never win.

This is what it's like. The team configuration is top-notch, the BP is flawless, and the mid-term decision is very clear, but it's a strange situation where we just can't win.

He even suspected that there was a traitor in the team. There was no other possibility except that there was an actor, right?

No, the honor of Ursus cannot be lost in his hands. After taking a look at the strategic map, he decisively decided to start micro-manipulation. He was a top graduate of the Ursus Military Academy. He was full of tactical knowledge and had almost never lost in sand table simulations. The teacher of the military academy had evaluated him as follows: A young man came to the tactical academy. His tactics were sharp and his tactics were sophisticated. It seemed that it was only a matter of time before he became a legend in the war. All he needed was a war - an opportunity.

In the beginning, he grew up listening to the legend of Ursus's invincibility. Until the death of the previous emperor, Ursus stopped fighting. This war machine had not been activated for a long time. He was still young at that time. Seeing the teachers he regarded as gods burst into tears, he would never forget this scene. At that moment, he thought that if he could become a commander, he must win everything. Now the opportunity was before him, and he had to consider whether this would be his only chance in this life.

He believed that Ursus's former dominance was largely due to the contributions of those generals. Restoring Ursus's glory is our responsibility!

The so-called enlightenment is to be able to open up a path forward in the dark wilderness!

Now he has made up his mind.

"Everyone, open the channel. I will command all fronts, the Ursus Sixth Infantry Regiment. We will surely win. We must capture Longmen before the Yan Nation's army arrives! This will be a great victory for Ursus. To achieve this goal, I hope all soldiers will not be afraid of hardships. If we win this time, the credit will go to all the soldiers who bravely advanced! If we lose, all the blame will be mine!"

——Glory to Ursus!

But what even the commander probably didn't expect was that the main reason for their continuous defeat was that there were many variables on the battlefield.

Talulah, Kal'tsit, Noah, Chen Huijie, these people were not under unified command, but they all started to clear out the Ursus armed forces they could find, especially Patriot and Talulah, who split their forces into two groups. Although their goal was to fight guerrilla warfare, they obviously underestimated the terrifying power of heroic units on the battlefield. Talulah's flame was Draco's flame. The power of this flame far exceeded that of ordinary flames. Ordinary weapons were almost equivalent to waste in front of her. Before the crossbowmen could shoot their crossbows, their weapons were melted by the high temperature. Then the Integration Movement rushed forward. The unarmed soldiers were basically like beasts without claws, and were quickly defeated by the Integration Movement.

"It's much easier than I thought... It seems that Ursus doesn't take us too seriously, or even seem to be wary of us." Tallulah couldn't help but complain, "I didn't expect it to go so smoothly."

"Someone... is holding them back." Patriot's voice came over the radio. In his distinctive hoarse voice, he explained the main reason for Tallulah's success: someone on the front lines was holding back most of Ursus's forces, leaving the rear empty. "Very strong..."

"Who is this guy whom you even say is very strong?" Talulah couldn't imagine what kind of monster this person was who was recognized as very strong even by the Patriots. He could even force the entire Ursus Legion to deploy heavy troops.

The main reason why the Patriot could make such a judgment was that he intercepted a communication. This communication was not the frequency of an ordinary Ursus Legion, but the internal communication of a secret force, or the Ursus secret weapon - the Internal Guard.

The Internal Guards are gathering, which is almost impossible in a normal war, because the Internal Guards are a type of military force that can be used one less at a time. The loss of any one of the Internal Guards is enough to get the commander of the war to go to the military court for a day. The existence of the Internal Guards is almost the mainstay of the entire Ursus. The fact that multiple Internal Guards can be mobilized is already an extreme situation among extremes, which means that the opponent that the Internal Guards have to face... may be much stronger than anyone imagined.

Even the Patriots would find it difficult to deal with more than three interior guards, but the number of people gathered now... has exceeded five and is even increasing.

What kind of opponent was it that forced the war commander to mobilize the internal guards who were supposed to be stationed in the rear?

-

Seven inner guards.

This is the maximum number the commander can mobilize...

The combined strength of the seven Inner Guards could even destroy some small countries, yet they gathered in a place like Longmen. This puzzled the Inner Guards, who were used to fighting alone. What kind of opponent could be enough to attract the seven of them?

Originally, the internal guards here were only there to prevent the Yan army from arriving early, a kind of insurance mechanism, but the commander urgently mobilized them to go to the front line. Had the Yan army arrived? Impossible. If the Yan army arrived, the commander should have announced a retreat immediately.

"Target...a black-haired Kurta." The internal security quickly received the target they needed to deal with. It turned out to be a Kurta. Judging from the information and photos sent, the Kurta even looked very young.

"I thought we were going to attack Wei Yanwu—" one of the inner guards said, "but it turned out to be the black-haired Kuranta."

"Who is she? Is she worthy of the joint attack of seven inner guards?"

"..."

The commander's message was brief, a complete information vacuum, as even this photo was only transmitted by the lost unit before the loss of communication. The black-haired Kuranta seemed to be clearing out the troops on the battlefield with extreme efficiency, and most of the troops fell into complete silence without even sending a distress signal. This was unimaginable, almost indicating that the entire well-trained Ursus squad had been instantly killed.

In fact, no matter how powerful the opponent is, the commander will not find any difficulty. No matter how powerful a person is, he cannot resist a legion. But what really scares the commander is the unknown.

Aside from this blurry photo, the commander knew nothing about her. Forget her identity; he couldn't even tell where she came from, how she fought, or whether she was even human. She was like the Grim Reaper on the battlefield, harvesting lives at an impossible rate.

In this situation, he could only deal with it by putting his most valuable chips on the line.

With the inner guards assembled, he believed that even ghosts would surrender before them.

He placed the Internal Guards' assembly point at the enemy's estimated path. Using the last known location of the out-of-contact legion, the commander mapped the enemy's trajectory on a map. The seven Internal Guards were instructed to maintain constant communication, aiming to eliminate the enemy in one fell swoop. Although the Internal Guards didn't believe the enemy was worth their own efforts, they nonetheless followed military orders and hid.

Not long after the inner guards finished hiding, they lost contact with the last troop on the path, which meant that the ghostly existence was not far from here.

The inner guards eliminated all their breath and stared closely in that direction. After they restrained their breath, the entire ruins seemed to fall into a strange silence. Under the commander's order, all the troops put away their artillery to avoid affecting the hunt as much as possible. The entire Ursus Legion fell silent for one person, which was already the highest treatment for the other party.

Silence—continuous silence.

Even the drop of a needle would be a surprise. Through their protective masks, the internal guards stared intently at the direction where the troops last lost contact, their perception maximized. They were confident that no one could hide from them. They were the pride of Ursus, the ultimate weapon of Ursus. Their very existence was proof of Ursus's strength. Beneath their feet was Ursus's land!

No one can escape unscathed from the seven interior guards! Not even that patriot!

The inner guards didn't have to wait long, and soon, the black-haired Kuranta appeared in the sight of all the inner guards. She walked in the ruins as if she was taking an afternoon stroll, with light steps, and she didn't feel like she was carrying any large equipment. There was no extra team, only her, and she didn't have any aura of a strong person at all. She looked like an ordinary person, but the inner guards did not relax their vigilance because this [ordinary person] had already caused Ursus to lose a lot of combat power... There was definitely something hidden under her harmless appearance.

She seemed to be completely unaware of the ambush by the inner guards and continued to move forward. The inner guards were also patient and kept waiting for the opportunity, but soon someone noticed something was wrong.

Although the advancing figure seemed to be strolling normally in the ruins from any angle, her gaze casually swept across the area where the inner guards and others were hiding. She did not stop until she reached the ambush site originally planned by the inner guards.

Logically speaking, the inner guards should have been able to be dispatched by now. Even if they were discovered, they were confident that they could kill anyone instantly.

But at this moment, the inner guard was horrified to find that he could not move.

Before they knew it, they had been [controlled].

They lowered their heads and found that a dagger was suddenly nailed to their shadows.

"This is called Shadow Whistle. It's the ability of a friend of mine. She died in the Battle of Kazdel. She wasn't a Sarkaz, but she sharpened her horns to resemble a Sarkaz—isn't that strange?"

At this time, a voice came.

"She can travel through shadows and even restrict others' movements by pinning them to her shadow. This ability could have helped her survive in almost any situation..."

Noah continued, saying that she had certainly noticed the presence of the inner guards early on, but after noticing them, she also realized how dangerous they were. The things hidden within them were even more dangerous than they themselves. They were like dirty bombs. When a guard died, the contents within them would explode, indiscriminately contaminating everything around them.

As expected of Ursus, it always comes up with something that makes people's eyes go blank.

Moreover...in the war that destroyed Kazdel, Ursus was also a member of the coalition forces.

Noah had already known the intelligence of the inner guards through the sharing of the soul in his body.

During the Kazdel War of Extermination, nearly all of the Sarkaz were annihilated, save for a few who had completely renounced the name of the Sarkaz. One of these was the Patriot, who had completely renounced the name of the Sarkaz. He was also the last pure-blooded Wendigo, and thus escaped the reckoning. The news of the Sarkaz's extinction had spread throughout Terra, but as far as Noya knew, some branches of the Sarkaz still existed.

For example, the Wendigo and the Lich - they all hid themselves and struggled to survive in this land where the Sarkaz were not allowed to survive.

Coincidentally...

When Noah last saw Inès, she had already suffered from severe mineral sickness due to the Originium dirty bomb. Before her death, she entrusted her soul to Noah, so Noah was able to possess this power.

Before she died, she also told Noah who attacked them and killed Hedley.

Ursus's inner guard...

"Should I say it's fate... or something else?" Noah could feel that the soul belonging to Inès was trembling in her body. It was not fear, but hatred, deep hatred. There were many souls belonging to the Sarkaz in her body. They all had deep hatred for the Terra countries that participated in the war to destroy Kazdel. If Noah had not suppressed them, they would have been tortured crazy by the fire of their own hatred.

After seeing the inner guards, the Sarkaz's hatred could no longer be controlled.

A big reason why Kazdel was defeated was because the Inner Guards launched the Kingdom in Kazdel City. It can be said that if the number of Sarkaz killed is counted, the Inner Guards can even be called MVP. The outbreak of the Kingdom directly and indirectly killed too many Sarkaz. The anger of these souls is justified. This is a deep hatred. Noah can feel their anger, sorrow, and... murderous intent.

But she couldn't do anything here...or at least she couldn't dirty Longmen's land.

"I don't know what Ursus was thinking when he created you, but I really can't kill you now." Noah sighed, "Each of you is a walking disaster. To be honest, even if we catch you like this... many people won't be able to deal with you."

"..." The inner guards did not speak. This was the fact. There were fragments of evil spirits placed in their bodies. The pollution that erupted after their death was their most terrifying killing move, which could be said to be as long-lived as heaven and earth.

"But..." Noah smiled bitterly, "Who made you meet me?"

A pure Originium crystal formed in Noya's palm. Under the horrified gaze of the inner guards, he pressed it against the body of one of them. In a mere moment, the wildly growing Originium crystal cluster enveloped him. He was like an insect encased in amber, completely frozen in this moment.

country?

That will only happen after the death of the inner guard.

But after being completely wrapped by the Originium, they are still alive.

In a sense, they even gained eternal life.

"Okay, one at a time."

Facing the inner guard, Noah smiled.

"I'm sorry, but I have to ask you to get some sleep before I can safely deal with the things in your bodies."

Chapter 26: Saturation Bombardment

This was the first time Noah used this trick on a human being. To be honest, she felt a little disgusted.

While the Inner Guards... certainly weren't monsters, they were still far removed from humans. Under these circumstances, Noah swallowed his nausea and carried out the deed. Blame them for being so difficult to deal with. Normally, Noah's principle was to kill quickly, not torture. But in this case, special measures were necessary. After sealing all seven Inner Guards within the Originium, the signal connecting them to the Inner Guards' communication lines was naturally severed.

The commander watched helplessly as the signals of the seven internal guards were wiped off the map... and they didn't even make a cry for help before they were destroyed.

This was beyond his worldview's ability to accept. She couldn't help but start to wonder what exactly appeared there... Could such a thing really exist on Terra that could kill seven inner guards silently?

No... maybe there really is...

The commander suddenly recalled a legend. It wasn't so much a legend as it was a rumor circulating among the military. It was the origin of the Inner Guards... Legend had it that each Inner Guard's terrifying power came from the body of a monster with a hundred eyes and a hundred heads. If there truly was a being in this world capable of silently and undetectably wiping out the Inner Guards, that legendary giant with a hundred eyes and a hundred hands would undoubtedly be one of them...

Even if it is not as good as the legendary giant, it is probably not much different.

"Damn it... We're actually facing a monster at Longmen that could change the balance of war..." The commander's soul was trembling. After realizing the enemy's terrifying power, his cold sweat kept pouring out, even forming a small pool at his feet. If it weren't for the pride he had at the Officers' Academy, he would have probably already given up.

The terrifying existence that killed seven inner guards in an instant... is still his enemy?

He tightly grasped the map on the table, frantically calculating his remaining combat power in his mind. After repeated calculations, he had to come to a desperate conclusion... Even if they won, the price they would have to pay was absolutely unacceptable to them.

No matter what the outcome, he would either be court-martialed or killed by the other side...there was almost no chance of survival.

"Damn it! Damn it!"

The deep despair made him vent his violence on the tables and chairs. After smashing everything he could reach, he sat dejectedly between the pair of broken boards, pulled open his collar, took out his dog tags, stared at them blankly for a long time, and finally let out a desperate wail. Then he grabbed the dagger he took away from school when he graduated, raised his hand and slashed his neck directly with the knife.

In an instant, blood rushed out of his veins, staining the ground red and wetting his originally straight military uniform.

In despair, he left a final order in the channel, ordering the entire army to retreat. He was unwilling to tarnish his honor and pride, so he chose to commit suicide. He didn't even leave many words, but he believed he had made the best decision.

When Noah arrived, there was only a cold corpse left. The retreating Ursus soldiers, perhaps too clever, or perhaps their commander had specifically instructed them to retreat, hadn't disturbed his quiet. The last person to reach his body was Noah Kyrielight, whom he had regarded as a demon. Noah reached out and helped the nameless enemy close his eyes.

She didn't touch anything left on the body, just turned around and left the tent.

The entire camp was empty. The soldiers carried out the commander's final order. Noah also breathed a sigh of relief. If possible, she didn't want to kill more people.

The loss of seven internal guards was a huge loss for Ursus. Even if the commander had returned, he would likely have been court-martialed, so Noya could understand his suicide. However, Ursus was a war machine. Once it was set in motion, it would not stop. The loss of a commander would not make them give up. Noya had gained a certain understanding of Ursus during her years of travel on Terra. Or perhaps it was better to say...she was aware of Ursus's current situation.

War is just a means, a means to divert internal conflicts. Ursus is now a seriously ill patient holding a terrifying weapon. He stares at everyone's flesh and blood with bloodshot eyes, trying to tear off a piece to prolong his life.

War is the means of survival for Ursus, and this country has gradually become a part of the war.

In this situation, no one could stop Ursus's madness. That was the final madness of the Doomed Empire, and it wouldn't be surprising if it fell apart after the war...

"Noah?" Noah was still sighing when a familiar voice came from behind her. The person who came was naturally Kal'tsit. However, looking at the empty camp and Noah standing in the center of the camp, Kal'tsit didn't even know what happened for a moment, until she saw the commander who had committed suicide in the tent behind Noah - after all, she had been in Ursus, and she could tell the other party's military rank just from his attire, then she seemed to understand something.

“…They retreated?”

"It's only temporary." Noah replied, "I took care of the inner guards."

"The Emperor's Blade, you actually managed to escape unscathed after encountering something like that?" Kal'tsit knew the capabilities of the Inner Guards, so she was naturally surprised by Noya's nonchalance. "How did you handle the Kingdom? It was the thing that erupted after the Inner Guards died."

"They didn't die in the true sense, so naturally there was no outbreak." Noya explained, "I sealed them with Originium."

"Wait...what did you say?" Kel'tsit's eyes widened. "What did you use?"

"Originium," Noya answered honestly, but she also noticed that Kal'tsit's attitude suddenly changed, becoming hostile. "Kal'tsit, this is the only way I know to safely deal with the kingdom."

"No, what I want to know is..." Kel'tsit's eyes turned cold. Then, the next second, Mon3tr appeared in front of Noya like a ghost, its sharp claws already on her neck, as if it would pierce her skin at any moment. Noya reacted quickly, grabbing the claws that were stabbing her neck with one hand. Kel'tsit didn't kill her directly, but the meaning was already clear. "Why can you use Originium?"

"Did I do something wrong?" Noah blinked and asked in confusion, "Kal'tsit?"

"No, you did well. Indeed, your method prevented the outbreak." Kal'tsit admitted that there was nothing wrong with Noah's approach, but she acted this way because Noah had demonstrated the ability to utilize Originium, which, you know, should have been a method used by previous civilizations. The unique nature of Originium forced Kal'tsit to be cautious, and she even began to wonder if Noah was a cover for Precious. "But where exactly does your ability come from? You must explain it to me."