March paced back and forth, her pearly teeth lightly biting her lower lip, a hint of impatience creeping into her delicate brows.
The Echoing Corridor's qualification badge awarding ceremony was, according to Serval and Pela's strange insistence, to be held privately, something they claimed would be more solemn and memorable.
Daziel had also told her to wait patiently here for a moment.
But this "moment" had stretched far too long! The minute hand had quietly ticked past the half-hour mark. She listlessly kicked at a small stone at her feet, unable to shake off the vexation in her heart.
Just as March was about to lose her patience and charge in to see what was going on...
Movement finally stirred around the corner. Daziel's figure was the first to appear, followed closely by Serval and Pela.
The sight that greeted her instantly froze her in place, the questions she had been preparing catching in her throat.
Serval and Pela's steps were slightly unsteady, each movement careful and carrying an indescribable awkwardness.
What made March even more bewildered was that the black stockings that usually encased their slender, beautiful legs were now gone. Their smooth, delicate skin was exposed to the air, reflecting tiny specks of shimmering light.
And their cheeks were flushed with an alluring crimson, their gazes somewhat unfocused.
"You... you two, what were you doing?"
March couldn't help but ask, her curiosity piqued.
Upon hearing this, a fleeting unnatural expression crossed Daziel's face.
"Ahem... well, March,"
"Serval and Pela said their awarding ceremony was rather special, requiring some particular steps, so it took a little longer, and the process was a bit... um... complicated."
"Oh? Is that so?"
March looked suspiciously at Serval and Pela's bare legs, a nagging feeling that something was amiss.
Time shifted back a few minutes.
"Mr. Daziel, you're truly a good person, really. Pela and I only had to do something like this... it's just a little strange." Serval placed her foot, still slick with a translucent liquid, back into her boot, looking at Daziel with gratitude.
"It's best if it works. I didn't want to go that far unless absolutely necessary."
Daziel let out a long breath and pulled up his trousers...
"Thank you, Daziel! You've saved Belobog once again."
Tears welled up in Pela's eyes behind her glasses as she gratefully placed her own sticky, delicate foot back into her shoe.
Facts proved that Topaz's suggestion was correct.
The key was that it only needed to be done once, and the method itself had no restrictions.
The damned system had been hiding this from him!
Therefore, Daziel had chosen the safest option, ensuring both Pela and Serval were unharmed while successfully removing the bizarre Reverse: 1999 Memetic DLC from them. Just kidding, unleash the evil within, become a slave to desire, a pure villain?
That was absolutely not an option for him!
Another way, different paths leading to the same destination, the result was the same.
Deep down, Daziel held firm to his unwavering bottom line of justice.
Moreover, Serval and Pela hadn't felt anything was wrong; in fact, they had even shown gratitude towards him.
That was enough! What more could he ask for?
Daziel was certain that his heart remained as clear and pure as ever, untouched by any darkness!
Serval took out a chip-like object from her pocket and handed it to Daziel.
"Daziel, this is a small token of our gratitude, and also an extra reward for defeating the regional champion candidate. It's called the 'Aether Expansion Chip'. As long as the data within the chip is injected into an Aether Spirit's body, it will gain a unique special inherent ability."
Daziel took the chip, understanding dawning in his mind.
Sigh, wasn't this just like the Hidden Machines given after defeating a Gym Leader in the Pokémon world?
Except, this Hidden Machine was in the form of a chip.
How was he supposed to use this on Topaz?
Daziel stroked the chip in his hand, his gaze turning to Topaz beside him, lost in thought.
Topaz keenly sensed the unusual glint hidden in Daziel's eyes. Alarm bells rang in her mind, and an inexplicable sense of unease welled up within her—
Crap!
Why was this ominous premonition so strong?
"Hmph! Hmph!"
Topaz whined uneasily, as if sensing an approaching storm, making her final struggles and resistance.
Sure enough, a moment later, the Aether Expansion Chip in Daziel's hand suddenly changed.
A dazzling light flashed, and the original chip transformed into a...
Purple Mood!
Well, well, well, so that's how it is.
Daziel nodded thoughtfully, a subtle smile playing on his lips, revealing a meaningful expression.
They were all just plugins; their essence was no different! They were completely interchangeable!
"You pig, come over here, I'll give you a powerful buff!"
"!...§§!"
Topaz's small pig hooves began to twitch uncontrollably, her silver-white hooves digging nervously into the ground, creating a faint scraping sound.
Her round body trembled like a leaf in the wind, every bristle standing on end, as if sensing a fear from the depths of her soul.
However, Daziel didn't give Topaz any chance to resist. Without a word, he grabbed her, a knowing smile on his lips, a light flickering in his eyes that was both righteous and slightly mischievous—a complex expression.
He gently patted Topaz's plump pig bottom twice, then unceremoniously inserted the Aether Expansion Chip directly into her. The chip's cold metallic texture instantly penetrated Topaz's soft skin, transmitting to her sensitive nerve endings, causing her to shudder violently.
"Hmph! Hmph!"
Serval and Pela watched the trembling Topaz on the ground with flushed faces and complex expressions. Their eyes met, each carrying a hint of embarrassment, curiosity, and an unspoken sympathy.
This was the first time they had seen an Aether Spirit display such resistance when an Aether Expansion Chip was installed.
But considering the unspeakable reason behind it...
Perhaps, it wasn't entirely incomprehensible.
It was just that Topaz, who had been a force to be reckoned with in Belobog not long ago, almost influencing the planet's future survival, had now become a pig for Daziel to slaughter, which was somewhat too comical.
"Alright, that's the end of that. Let's go out, we shouldn't keep March waiting too long."
Serval and Pela exchanged a look, their eyes filled with complex emotions.
They nodded slowly, seemingly still savoring what had just happened.
"^,..."
Pela hesitated slightly, cleared her throat, and then mustered the courage to speak, her voice carrying a hint of uncertainty.
"Don't you need to take us both as... Aether Spirits?"
Her cheeks flushed slightly, her eyes filled with a hint of anticipation mixed with nervousness.
Serval nodded in agreement, a serious light shining in her deep blue eyes.
"Pela and I also want to contribute to the purification of Belobog," she added, her tone sincere and firm.
"I understand your intentions."
Daziel's gaze swept over their delicate faces, his tone steady. "But we still need you two as champion candidates here. As for combat power... Topaz is enough for now."
Just kidding, Topaz's strength, among these Aether Spirit data, was as powerful as a god of war, okay?
Ash Ketchum had Pikachu, and he had Topaz!
"Then... Daziel, if you need any help, you must tell us."
Pela's voice was clear and strong, filled with the unique vitality of a young woman.
"This isn't just your own business; it concerns the life and death of our Belobog!"
Serval also stepped forward, gently tucking a strand of golden hair behind her ear, standing beside Pela, shoulder to shoulder with her.
"I will."
Daziel nodded.
At this moment, March's gaze, like the red light in the eyes of a Gold Watcher, scanned Pela and Serval up and down, finally settling on their bare legs.
"So... where did your stockings go?"
March was still a bit confused, tapping her chin with a finger, a hint of bewilderment in her voice.
Hearing this, Daziel scratched the back of his head, trying to cover it up with the most natural tone possible: "Ahaha... well, March, you see, just now, Miss Pela and Miss Serval were accidentally splashed by Topaz's saliva during the battle. That saliva, for some reason, was a bit corrosive and directly... melted their stockings."
"What?!"
He paused, his eyes darting around, continuing to weave his lie, trying to make his explanation sound more believable.
"To avoid affecting the subsequent actions, they had no choice but to take them off first, yes, that's it!"
After saying that, Daziel even nodded with an air of seriousness.
Hearing Daziel's full-of-holes explanation, the corner of Pela's mouth couldn't help but twitch, but she immediately understood Daziel's intention and quickly cooperated with his lie.
"Yes... that's right, Mr. Daziel is correct."
Pela awkwardly scraped the ground with her toes, her small toes curling up nervously as if trying to dig a hole in the ground to hide her inner turmoil.
But the more she scraped, the more obvious the sticky texture on the soles of her feet became...
"No, even though I'm a bit slow, I'm not this stupid, am I?"
March put her hands on her hips and rolled her eyes at them. "Forget it, if you don't want to talk about it, then don't. It's not like it's the first time Daziel has kept something from me anyway."
"If you say so, then that's for the best..."
Hearing this, Daziel patted his chest and let out a sigh of relief.
March didn't continue to press the issue. Had he managed to get away with it?
Looking at Daziel's appearance, March winked playfully, gave a meaningful smile, and immediately changed the subject, grabbing Daziel's arm.
"Daziel, you've already gotten your first qualification badge! You're amazing! But I still don't quite understand how this Aether Duel works! Hurry up and teach me!"
March shook the coin in her hand, looking eager to try.
Daziel gently touched March's pink hair, a doting smile on his face. "Alright, let's go to the wilderness area of the Echoing Corridor, level you up a bit, and catch some wild Aether Spirits."
"Yay!"
Afterward, Daziel spent a good amount of time playing with March, patiently explaining the basic rules and techniques of Aether Duels, from how to match Aether Spirit skills to how to achieve victory in battle. He explained everything in detail, striving to ensure March could get the hang of it as quickly as possible.
Although he was also a newbie to the Aetherium Wars, he had already gone through the entire process in his previous life and had played several generations of Pokémon, so getting the hang of this kind of game was a piece of cake for him.
Daziel also caught a few local Belobog-specific Aether Spirits for March, such as Automaton Beetles and Silvermane Guards, making the little girl have a great time and be very happy.
Seeing March so adorable, a sense of satisfaction rose in Daziel's heart.
Only when experiencing these relaxed and pleasant daily moments with March would Daziel temporarily forget the existence of the Reverse: 1999 system, feeling as if he were truly experiencing a proper 12+ Honkai: Star Rail game, rather than being a villain doing those bizarre missions to save the world.
This feeling was something he cherished deeply.
Just as Daziel continued to level up with March, their phones suddenly chimed with a message notification.
He opened his phone and saw that he and March had been added to a group chat called "Aetherium Wars Champion Candidate Group"—
[Giovanni: @Daziel, @March, I heard you two successfully defeated the champion candidate, so you are now also champion candidates. That's why I added you both.]
[Daziel: No, it's fine that you added me, but why did you add March too?]
[Daziel: @March, what champion are you?]
Seeing the message Daziel sent, March, who was beside him, became instantly annoyed. Her cute little face puffed up in anger, and she gave him a light punch, then immediately added in the group chat—
[March: A champion's family is also a champion! Angry!]
[Giovanni: Hahaha, you two are joking. Since Mr. Daziel possesses the qualification badge, he can also challenge the "Overlord Aether Spirit" of the Echoing Corridor.]
[March: Overlord Aether Spirit? Sounds very powerful.]
[Giovanni: Yes, they are more powerful Aether Spirits than ordinary wandering data, and the way to obtain them is also different.]
[Daziel: Do we have to pay for your pass, or do we have to spend money to draw cards and hit the pity system to get this Overlord Aether Spirit?]
Although he knew the real situation wasn't like that, Daziel still played to his usual Honkai: Star Rail script-like Make complaints nature.
In a way, teasing March and playing with internet slang were both expressions of Daziel enjoying the 12+ Honkai: Star Rail worldview.
This was the Honkai: Star Rail journey he sought, not some song of killing and doing whatever he wanted to female characters like Homelander.
Knowing that there were no limits to how to score, the current Aetherium Wars could be said to be Daziel's favorite activity. No one would get hurt because of it, and he didn't even need to deliberately farm for corruption...
[Giovanni: What Mr. Daziel said is indeed a way to increase "retention rate," but the Aetherium Wars doesn't have such a mechanism.]
[Giovanni: After all, my investment in this game isn't aimed at making money.]
[Wilder: "'Company game, create happiness with heart!' is our slogan, Mr. Daziel."]
Daziel couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth when he saw this slogan.
How could this slogan be exactly the same as a certain Penguin company's game from his previous life...?
Indeed, they were all capitalists. It was normal for them to come up with the same slogan when making games.
[Giovanni: Let me continue to explain the Overlord Aether Spirits. There are special blocked areas in each Victory Zone, and only players with the corresponding qualification badge can enter.]
[Giovanni: The wandering data of the Overlord Aether Spirits is hidden in those places. You only need to defeat them once to obtain all their data, but they are very rare and generally impossible to encounter.]
[Giovanni: If you want to become a champion, you can't do without an Overlord-level Aether Spirit.]
[March: I understand, thank you, Mr. Giovanni. I'll go with Daziel to look for the Overlord-level Aether Spirits you mentioned.]
[Giovanni: Good luck to you both.]
Daziel silently put his phone back in his pocket, a wry smile on his lips.
March keenly caught the subtle change in Daziel's expression.
She tilted her head slightly, leaned closer, and asked softly with a hint of concern, "Daziel, what's wrong? Why did you suddenly make that face? Isn't being able to catch Overlord Aether Spirits something to be happy about?"
Daziel sighed helplessly, raising his hand to gently rub his temples as he explained,
"March, haven't you forgotten something? I'm different from you guys. I have no way to capture Aether Spirits like a normal person. These Overlord-level Aether Spirits, aren't they just something I can see but can't touch?"
This world wasn't like the game setting, restricting a person to carrying only one Overlord-level Aether Spirit.
If he could really capture them normally, Daziel would have loved to transform into a legendary beast collector, grabbing every rare one, especially the The Ascended with the long white legs and jade feet—
He knew that these Aether Spirits could be actually touched, and he could really do some special things with them...
Afterward, he could also experience the joy of beating up bug catchers. Just thinking about it made him feel good.
Aether Spirit.
But now...
He could only helplessly glance at Topaz, who was lazily lying beside him.
Sigh!
If it really didn't work, he could only treat Topaz as his own Pikachu to train.
A pig clearing the Aetherium Wars league championship alone didn't sound entirely impossible, did it?
Topaz wouldn't dare to pull a Pikachu and deliberately screw him over at a crucial moment, would she?
After all, Topaz was his Star Fury. If she dared to act, he would just spank her butt hard!
"Hmph! Hmph!"
As if sensing the sudden hint of ill intent in Daziel's eyes, Topaz, who had been lying lazily, suddenly twitched her body uneasily.
She let out a few soft, dissatisfied from her nostrils, as if protesting and acting spoiled at the same time.
Just as Daziel and March were still discussing whether or not to look for the Overlord-level Aether Spirits, a burst of hurried footsteps suddenly came from not far away.
Pela and Serval, their legs bare, clutching their respective phones tightly in their hands, jogged over breathlessly towards Daziel and March.
"What's wrong? Do you two have any other urgent matters?"
March looked at the suddenly appearing Pela and Serval with a hint of vigilance, her clear voice carrying a trace of imperceptible doubt and defensiveness.
While speaking, she subconsciously tightened her grip on Daziel's arm, as if using this way to declare her sovereignty.
March wasn't that stupid. She had long sensed that something unspeakable might have just happened, but she chose not to pursue it.
After all, Himeko had once told her that Daziel was the crucial savior in the "Finality" prophecy, and his abilities seemed to be related to...
Related to that kind of unspeakable thing.
She wasn't some willful and headstrong little girl; she understood the importance of things and the need to consider the bigger picture.
However, understanding was one thing; it didn't mean that a hint of sour jealousy wouldn't well up in the depths of her heart.
In her opinion, a necessary battle to solidify her "main wife" status was still very important—
At least in her own heart, she firmly believed that she was irreplaceable in Daziel's heart! The number one heroine!
Pela was perceptive and naturally caught the fleeting hint of hostility in March's words, but her mind was completely focused elsewhere at the moment.
She quickly walked up to Daziel, slightly out of breath, and said urgently,
"Daziel, Serval and I just saw the messages in the group chat, so we rushed over immediately. We both know that your current situation is rather special, and you can't normally obtain Aether Spirits."
"Although your pig Topaz is indeed very powerful, in terms of attributes, there's still a certain gap between her and the Overlord-level Aether Spirits."
"In the subsequent more difficult challenges, without the help of Overlord-level Aether Spirits, it's likely to be very disadvantageous!"
"Hmph!"
Topaz let out another dissatisfied protest!
As the previous Aetherium Wars champion and one of the esteemed Ten Stonehearts, how could she be compared to a mere Overlord-level Aether Spirit?
What a joke?!
This was simply a huge insult to her pig dignity!
Daziel spread his hands helplessly, a touch of resignation in his tone. "I know that too, but what can I do? You want me to catch Overlord-level Aether Spirits, but I can't catch them at all."
Serval stepped forward, moved a little closer, lowered her voice, and said meaningfully, "Daziel, you indeed can't catch ordinary Overlord-level Aether Spirits, based on what you told us, but deep within this Echoing Corridor, there exists a very special Overlord-level Aether Spirit. I suspect... perhaps... you can catch it..."
Daziel's somewhat dimmed eyes were instantly lit up by Serval's words. His desire to collect rare creatures surged.
He suddenly raised his head, his gaze burning as he looked at Serval, and asked urgently, "Oh? A special Overlord-level Aether Spirit? What is it? Tell me quickly! Don't keep me in suspense!"
_____
THE >>>DIRECTOR<<<< IS GOING CRAZYYYY! 🤪
CRAZY DEAL ALERT! 🚨 This week only: For every 5! >FIVE!< new reviews... ONE EXTRA CHAPTER will be released! Yes! EXTRAAA! 🎉
(See? I'm honestly such a great director, aren't I? 😉)
Don't miss out! Don't miss out!
💖✨ patreon.com/Walnutchan ✨💖 <- 40 advanced chapters!