Chapter 109 — Why Haven't They Attacked?
I continued watching the street through the narrow gap in the curtains.
Another patrol passed by.
Then another.
I kept my eyes on every soldier, studying their movements and trying to find even the smallest opening. A change in their pace. A gap between patrols. A street they weren't watching. Anything we could use.
But there was nothing.
The Empire had turned Helios Reach into a fortress overnight.
Yesterday, soldiers barely bothered to patrol the streets. Now they were everywhere, checking every alley and keeping watch over every entrance. Even the routes I had thought were safe were now covered.
I pulled the curtain closed and let out a quiet breath.
"This is getting worse…"
The Empire could strike at any moment. They could burst through the inn door, surround the room, and drag us away before we even had time to react.
But they hadn't.
And that was what bothered me most.
I didn't know why they were holding back, or what was stopping them from coming after us. Maybe they were waiting for orders. Maybe they were afraid of what Blaze might do. Or maybe they were preparing something worse.
I glanced over my shoulder at the others.
Volt was sitting near the table, working on his communications equipment. Every so often, he adjusted a wire or tapped the side of the device, trying to get it to respond.
SK sat on the floor, carefully organizing her gear. Her white armor was laid out beside her, each piece cleaned and checked before she put it back together. She looked calm, as if being surrounded by Imperial soldiers was just another ordinary day.
And then there was Blaze.
He was sitting on the bed, stretching one shoulder.
He was supposed to be resting.
After all, he had just fought an Administrator inside that Administrator's own domain.
I still couldn't wrap my head around it.
Fighting a raid boss was one thing. Those monsters were dangerous, sure, but at least they followed the rules of the game. They had attack patterns, weaknesses, and limits. If you studied them long enough, you could figure out how to survive.
But an Administrator?
That was a completely different story.
They were practically walking gods in their own worlds. They could bend the rules, control the environment, and use powers that ordinary players could barely imagine.
I had heard old stories about players who managed to defeat Administrators. Most of them sounded like exaggerated legends from the early days of the game.
But here in the New World?
Who would actually dare to face one?
Apparently, I knew someone who would.
And he was sitting right there, acting like yesterday had been nothing.
"Hey, Blaze."
He looked at me.
"You okay?"
Blaze rolled his shoulder once more, then gave me a relaxed smile.
"Hah. This is nothing."
He chuckled.
"I've fought worse."
"Worse?" I repeated.
He shrugged, as if that was a perfectly normal thing to say.
I stared at him for a moment.
Of course he'd say that.
Then his expression softened a little.
"And thanks for the support."
I blinked.
"Huh?"
"Yesterday. You helped me."
I quickly looked away.
"Oh, that was nothing."
I waved my hand, trying to dismiss it.
"I don't even think I did any damage. I just manage to distract Him."
Blaze chuckled.
"That distraction was enough."
I glanced at him again.
He didn't seem to be joking.
I wasn't sure what to say, so I turned back toward the window before he could notice how awkward I felt.
Then another voice spoke.
"Sir Blaze…"
SK had stopped organizing her gear. She looked up at him, her red eyes focused and serious.
"How were you able to damage an Administrator?"
Blaze tilted his head.
"Honestly?"
He gave a small laugh.
"I don't completely know either."
SK frowned slightly.
"You don't know?"
"Nope."
He leaned back against the wall.
"I just fought him."
"That's all?"
"Well, I suppose I had to avoid getting hit, too."
Blaze laughed again.
I stared at him.
Was he seriously treating that fight like some casual duel?
SK didn't look amused.
"Sir, that is not an ordinary answer."
"I know."
"An Administrator's Authority should have made it nearly impossible for a player to fight back."
"Yeah, it was pretty annoying."
"Annoying?"
Blaze shrugged.
"What else should I call it?"
I couldn't help staring at him.
He had fought Orion, an Administrator who controlled the domain around us, and somehow managed to damage him. Yet he was sitting here with no clear explanation of how he had done it.
The more I thought about it, the less sense it made.
Maybe Blaze really was as unusual as the rumors suggested.
Or maybe there was something about him that even he didn't understand.
Volt suddenly stopped working on his communications device.
"Actually…"
He looked toward us.
"Isn't it weird that the Imperial soldiers haven't stormed this place yet?"
I turned from the window.
"I was just thinking the same thing."
Volt set his device down.
"They know we're here, don't they?"
"Probably," I answered.
"Then why haven't they come in?"
I looked toward the door.
It was still closed.
No knocking. No shouting. No soldiers waiting outside that I could see.
Just the distant sound of boots passing through the street.
SK calmly placed one of her armor pieces beside her.
"The answer is simple."
We all looked at her.
"They are cautious of us."
I frowned.
"Cautious?"
SK nodded.
"Blaze has already defeated an Administrator. The Empire is aware of that, and they will not risk sending ordinary soldiers against someone who has proven capable of such a feat."
Blaze gave a faint smile.
"That's generous of them."
SK continued as if she hadn't heard him.
"They may be waiting for reinforcements. Or for someone strong enough to pose a threat even to Sir Blaze."
My stomach dropped.
"Wait."
I straightened up.
"So we should leave. Now."
I hurried back to the window and pulled the curtain aside again.
"If they're waiting for reinforcements, staying here is just going to doom us!"
"Calm down, Ryze."
SK's voice remained steady.
"Reinforcements will not arrive instantly. I hope.."
I turned toward her.
"You hope?"
SK paused.
I stared at her.
"What does that even mean?!"
She looked at me with the same composed expression starting to get annoyed.
"Even though I once served the Empire, I do not know every detail of how its forces operate."
She picked up another piece of her gear and checked its straps.
"Be grateful that I am on your side."
She paused briefly.
"Somehow."
I let out a long sigh and rubbed my forehead.
"That's not exactly reassuring…"
Volt gave a quiet laugh, but I wasn't in the mood to join him.
I returned to the window.
The patrols were still moving through the streets.
One group turned at the corner. Another appeared farther down the road. A soldier near the inn entrance stopped to speak with someone before continuing on.
There was no gap.
No opening.
And somewhere out there, the Empire might already be preparing to send someone after us.
I glanced back at Blaze.
He was still sitting on the bed, looking as relaxed as ever.
"Blaze," I said.
"Yeah?"
"If they send someone stronger…"
He looked at me.
I hesitated, then finished the question.
"Can you fight them again?"
For a moment, he didn't answer.
Then he smiled.
"Depends who they send."
That was not the answer I wanted.
I turned back toward the window and watched the soldiers below.
The city was quiet, but it didn't feel peaceful.
It felt like the moment before a storm.
And we were stuck right in the middle of it.