While the people in the theme park retreated in an orderly fashion, Aventurine stood inside, looking at the Aventurine stone Pei Guang had returned to him, falling into complete silence.
Once the Aventurine stone was in his hands, Aventurine could feel its disdain for him. At the same time, he discovered something else: the Aventurine stone had become even sturdier.
He tried to smash the Aventurine stone, but this time, it was as if it had been fiercely tempered by the Amber Lord's hammer: it was completely indestructible.
The attempt to strike it resulted in even more disdain from the Aventurine stone.
It was amazing; even though it couldn't speak, had no self-awareness, and couldn't even be considered a living thing, Aventurine actually sensed disdain from the Cornerstone.
"I never expected that one day, even my Cornerstone would despise me. But so what if you despise me? I will use your power to bring chaos to Penacony, and I will hand you over to the IPC."
After getting it back, Aventurine tested it. Through his attempts, he confirmed that the Aventurine stone in the dream could be brought back to reality.
It was just a pity that he had a good show to put on next, so he couldn't hand over the Aventurine stone for the time being.
However, it didn't matter. He was confident that activating the Aventurine stone would attract an attack from Acheron.
"If my guess is correct..."
In Aventurine's eyes, Acheron was the best existence to send him to his death.
Something Unto Death wouldn't cooperate with his performance, but Acheron was different. Relying on Acheron's title of Galaxy Ranger, he believed she would act.
At the same time, the unique nature of the Dreamscape gave him the confidence to complete the mission with the intact Aventurine stone. This process was a gamble, a grand gamble.
If he won, he would return to reality with the Aventurine stone and complete two missions simultaneously.
If he lost, he would die, the Aventurine stone would shatter, and neither of the IPC's missions would be completed.
But it didn't matter. If he really died, what did anything that happened afterward have to do with him?
Looking at the Aventurine stone in front of him, considering the worst, average, and best possible outcomes, Aventurine couldn't help but speak.
"Old friend, this is a grand gamble. I know you are dissatisfied with me, but this time, I need your power. I will use my life as a chip to dedicate everything to the Amber Lord. Damn it, why am I telling you this?"
However, something Aventurine didn't expect happened. When he finished saying this, the Aventurine stone emitted a dazzling light.
In this dazzling light, Aventurine saw... the past.
He saw his experiences as a child, saw his experiences as a youth.
He seemed to hear his mother's whispers, and heard his sister's final cry.
In just a short instant, the Aventurine stone took him through his entire life. It was clearly a tragic life, yet it led Aventurine toward Preservation.
The Aventurine stone could feel what Aventurine was preserving.
He was preserving his race's bloodline, preserving the oath to his family. He had nothing to begin with, so no matter what he did, he would win.
Aventurine could feel that the Aventurine stone was willing to cooperate with him. It was amazing: clearly it was just a stone, yet he could feel so much.
Could this be the so-called "artifact spirit" from legends? Then, was the artifact spirit in the Aventurine stone considered a part of the Amber Lord, or a part of Pei Guang?
Thinking of this, Aventurine smiled, but then he stopped smiling.
Although he had commissioned Pei Guang to be a witness for the upcoming battle, he could sense that Pei Guang was the biggest variable.
But as for Pei Guang the person... he actually quite liked him.
Compared to ordinary people, although Pei Guang also disliked his frivolous appearance, he only disliked his frivolous appearance.
He disliked his identity as part of the IPC, but he only disliked the identity of the IPC.
When interacting with him, as long as they weren't enemies, he was willing to believe his words.
Even though the so-called mission reward he gave this time would be viewed with skepticism by ordinary people, the feedback Pei Guang gave him was that he truly believed him.
Although Pei Guang helped him with a purpose and for profit, he also felt the sincerity from him.
He couldn't forget the cup of coffee Pei Guang gave him when he was in the most pain. That cup of coffee brought him the most comfortable sleep he had had in years, and even allowed him to rediscover the feeling of being trusted by Diamond back then...
Pei Guang did indeed say that helping him was for the reward, and he even took the most precious Aventurine stone from him, but back then, he was the one who said to pick anything.
It was Pei Guang's ability to pick the most useful thing.
At that time, even if he had just given Pei Guang a random gem or some Credits, he wouldn't have complained and would probably still have been very happy.
Especially after seeing his actions, he felt even more that the reward Pei Guang wanted wasn't a reward, but... a closure of karma.
"I helped you and took your benefits, so you don't owe me anything."
That kind of feeling.
In this process, receiving some useful things from the other party just made him happier, that's all.
Aventurine could feel that Pei Guang was someone suitable to be his friend, regardless of identity, background, or faction: he simply wanted to interact with him and be friends.
"But that is a matter for later. Now... the show begins. Player Pei Guang, what will you do in this play? How will you change Penacony, change Acheron, change this world, and... change my fate? If we can meet again in the future, I really want to get along well with you."
Aventurine gripped the Aventurine stone.
While Aventurine had this thought and prepared to act, far away on the Astral Express, Dan Heng, who was organizing the Data Bank, suddenly had a bad feeling.
"This feeling is..."
Dan Heng closed his eyes. He vaguely felt a crisis looming over Penacony.
He didn't know what this crisis was, but since he sensed a crisis, he decided to act.
"It seems everyone has encountered difficulties..."
Dan Heng, who originally wanted to continue staying on the Express, took out his spear.
Looking at the cute rabbit head of that pink cute rabbit in the mirror, he made a resolution.
Get off the train!
But not right now. Before getting off, he had to make some preparations, because an uninvited guest seemed to have arrived on the Express.
While Dan Heng was preparing to act, at the entrance of Clock Studios Theme Park, March 7th and Firefly felt a strong sensation at this moment.
March: "This feeling is so weird! Could it be that Ah Guang charmed a whole bunch of people again?"
Stelle heard March's complaint and retorted: "Isn't this a daily occurrence? Ah Guang's fan club could span two worlds by now."
March: "But it just feels strange somewhere~"
Stelle: "Nothing strange about it. It's probably just someone else Ah Guang helped developing feelings for him. Not a big problem, we won't lose."
March: "Righ—wait, why do I feel like your words are weird?!"
Just as March was preparing to ponder it carefully, Aventurine's voice suddenly came from the Dreamscape.
"Ladies and gentlemen.
The most amazing, most grand performance in the history of Penacony is about to begin. The Interastral Peace Corporation cordially invites everyone to the scene: Clock Studios Theme Park!"