With the sudden change, the atmosphere at the scene instantly turned quiet. Even the Silvermane Guards soldiers—who had still been holding their weapons—were momentarily stunned in place. In the air, only Ezekiel's miserable howls continued to echo.
"Merino, you bastard, what are you standing there for? Hurry up and heal me!" Seeing all the executives frozen in place with no one stepping forward to help, Ezekiel cursed furiously and shouted at Merino.
"Bad! Stay away from that girl!"
Hearing Ezekiel's roar, Merino finally reacted. He instinctively took two steps back, looking at Sparkle with full vigilance. As one of the only two Pathstriders in the group, he hadn't even clearly seen the girl's movements.
Ezekiel had only just reached out to grab the girl, and in the next moment, his arm had directly turned into blood mist and dispersed—as if the time in between had been cut away.
Seeing Ezekiel injured and Merino fully on guard, the other company executives—who were merely ordinary people—panicked and tried to flee from Sparkle's side, raising their hands in surrender while running toward the Silvermane Guards.
However, just as they took their first steps, an invisible force surged, suddenly freezing them in place.
Frozen along with them were the one-armed Ezekiel and Mr. Merino, who walked the Path of Abundance.
Having done all this, Sparkle brushed aside the strands of hair by her ear, revealing a gentle smile on her face. Then, the girl took small steps toward the Silvermane Guards.
Tap, tap, tap…
Sparkle's steps were light and graceful. Her cute black leather shoes rubbed against the ground, producing crisp yet slightly muffled sounds.
"Aiya~ What a letdown. I had already figured out a way to hang them at the Interastral Peace Corporation embassy gates tomorrow, but it looks like that's not happening anymore~"
Sparkle spread her hands somewhat helplessly. When she had walked to just a few meters from the Silvermane Guards, the girl finally stopped. Unhurriedly, she removed the black-framed glasses from her face. Her gem-like cherry-pink eyes were filled with playful mockery.
"Sparkle, Belobog 'S-Rank' wanted criminal—the chief culprit who manipulated the Stellaron to bring disaster upon Jarilo-VI!"
Gepard drew his shield from behind his back and faced the wanted criminal before him in full readiness.
He had personally experienced just how dangerous Sparkle was. On that day in the battle on the snow plains, although she and his sister Serval hadn't been able to help much, they had still been witnesses.
Back then, Sparkle—wielding the power of the Stellaron—had worn light gauze and neon robes, looking like a celestial maiden who had descended from the heavens to the mortal world. With a flip of her hand, she could make the heavens and earth lose color.
"Hee hee, looks like you still remember me, little blondie~"
Seeing Gepard's reaction, Sparkle giggled. Then, from who knows where, the girl pulled out a fox mask. After smiling at the group of Silvermane Guards, she gently placed the mask over her face.
As the mask fused with the girl's stunning features, a burst of pink flames shot into the sky, enveloping Sparkle within them. When the flames dissipated, Sparkle had already returned to her original red-orange neon outfit, while the mask from earlier now hung above her right forehead.
"Hmm~ This outfit suits me best after all." Having restored her true form, Sparkle stretched lazily, loosening up her muscles a bit before turning her gaze toward Luka, who currently wore an expression of utter disbelief.
"Hello hello~ Thanks for earlier, big bro~ Even though you ruined my plan, at least your original intention was to save me. Thank you, big bro~"
Sparkle greeted Luka as if no one else were present. Gepard's expression darkened slightly as he lowered his voice and questioned her.
"Masked Fool, what is your goal?!"
"My goal, huh…" Hearing Gepard's words, Sparkle slightly raised her head, lightly tapping her vermilion lips with her index finger as if pondering how to explain it.
Seeing this, Gepard did not press her but continued to watch Sparkle vigilantly, leaving her no chance whatsoever to escape his line of sight.
After quite some time had passed, our Miss Sparkle seemed to have finally organized her thoughts. She tilted her little head and spoke word by word.
"You~ guess~!"
Gepard: '...…'
The group of Silvermane Guards soldiers: '...…'
"Hahahaha, your expression right now is so funny, little blondie~"
Taking in everyone's reactions, Sparkle covered her small mouth with one hand and snickered. Teasing someone like Gepard—with his serious personality and meticulous way of doing things—was the most fun.
"Huff—!"
Hearing Sparkle's laughter, Gepard let out a long breath. He felt immense anger in his heart at being toyed with by the little girl before him, but out of caution toward Sparkle's strength, he still forcefully suppressed his rage.
"Tch~ Boring."
Seeing Gepard enduring his anger with a look of fury he dared not express, Sparkle pouted in boredom.
"No way, little blondie—as a guy, you can actually hold it in? Aren't boys supposed to be full of hot-blooded vigor? Could it be that in your last life, you were a turtle?"
Seeing that Gepard wasn't responding, Sparkle—the master of mockery—continued her relentless taunting in an attempt to provoke him!
"Well, whatever. If you don't want to fight, then I'll just be on my way~"
With that, Sparkle waved her hand as if bidding farewell to friends. Then, the girl turned around and took small steps to leave. But after only a few steps, Sparkle turned her head back and spoke in a seductive tone.
"I'm really leaving now~"
Gepard and the Silvermane Guards: Fists clenched! Fists clenched!
"Hmph! Boring. Then Sparkle-sama will give you all a parting gift."
Saying so, Sparkle gave the group of guards a meaningful glance before lightly snapping her fingers.
Snap—!
The crisp snap resounded in Gepard's heart like thunder. As a Silvermane Guard, years of honed battle instincts instantly set off alarm bells in his mind.
Without hesitation, he stepped forward. The power of the Preservation Path within him surged forth as if it cost nothing.
"In the name of Landau, through ice and snow I forge this will—eternal and unending!"
Ultimate Skill—Everlasting Wall!