Leon flipped a middle finger at the closing spatial rift.
Only when it fully vanished did he clutch his chest, calming his internal injuries.
[Father, 0.3% strength was still a bit strained.]
[If Ervitos hadn't been unsure of your trump card, they might not have left.]
[Good thing they did, or a few more minutes, and you'd have been exhausted.]
"All within expectations."
Leon knew what he was doing and what effect he wanted.
This state was perfect.
Not that he was acting—restoring 0.3% strength required more faith value than expected.
Leon was unfazed.
Take it one bite at a time.
Stelle was just starting out, and so was he.
Based on past lives, collecting enough faith value for 0.1% strength was already fast.
"Close call, Brother~ I was so nervous, sweating bullets, scared you'd face a life-or-death crisis."
"Not bad. You didn't mess around today. Next time, I'll find you some fun as a reward."
"Really, giegie? Yay! Aha wants to see Joy cricket fights. Go mess with Sampo a few more times…"
"Sampo again? Be human. The tavern trickster's fair game, but at least pick a new target, yeah?"
Looking back, Sampo hadn't really done much.
He'd been pranked and schemed against multiple times.
Knowing Sampo didn't want this world to perish, Leon had no strong feelings about him.
No reason to keep messing with him without cause.
"Oh, right, Aha's not human, so no need to switch targets."
Leon chuckled.
Fair enough.
Why'd he expect anything from Aha?
Sampo, brother, are you sweating buckets?
Rough, so rough.
Aha's gonna pluck your feathers.
"Alright, alright, Aha suddenly feels we should be considerate to outstanding employees~~"
"Keep that promised reward in mind. Next time we meet another Masked Fool, have a blast toying with them, hehehe~"
Leon was used to Aha's dramatic face-swaps, staying silent as he pinpointed coordinates.
Ervitos had dragged him to a place over a dozen star systems from Jarilo-VI.
Without a ship capable of spatial jumps, it'd take weeks to return.
With that thought, Leon transformed, radiating a Joy Emanator's aura.
Using an Aeon Emanator's means to traverse the galaxy.
Aha went wild with glee.
"Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! Big Brother's finally using my power! Aha's thrilled, thrilled, thrilled! Let's speed you up—"
…
Meanwhile.
Belobog, Everwinter Ridge.
Four figures left the Echo Corridor, climbing upward to the snowfield of the ancient battlefield from seven hundred years ago.
Under the Stellaron's influence, this snowfield had merged with the Fragmentum.
In the biting cold wind, endless cries of despair lingered.
The despair and collapse of past warriors, amplified by the Fragmentum.
"It's… too cold. With just a bit of Trailblaze power, I can't handle this chill…"
March 7th huddled, arms crossed over her shoulders.
"What about the local coat Leon gave you?" Stelle asked, puzzled.
"…Left it in the restricted zone. We left in a rush, and I just…"
March 7th's face flushed with embarrassment.
Stelle sighed.
Her understanding of this carefree, clumsy girl deepened.
Without a word, she handed over the coat Leon had given her.
"Thanks." March 7th draped it on.
Dan Heng looked toward the horizon's peak.
"The cold means we're closer to the Stellaron—the Eternal Freeze's source is up there."
Stelle: "It's waiting for us."
"Who?" March 7th didn't catch on.
"The Stellaron, or rather, Cocolia."
Stelle stepped forward calmly, climbing through the snow.
The three behind her followed in unison.
The snow grew deeper, past half their calves, the cold piercing.
On both sides of the path, frozen Voidranger remnants began to appear.
These were Antimatter Legion minions.
March 7th: "Eek! What are these, Antimatter Legion specimens?"
Stelle: "Guess so. Frozen into ice sculptures by the Eternal Freeze seven hundred years ago, still menacing even now."
March 7th: "So creepy."
Dan Heng studied them closely, checking for threats.
"Like insects trapped in amber."
"When the Legion's minions invaded this world, they never imagined they'd be swallowed by the Eternal Freeze, did they?"
His thoughts drifted to before he left the Express.
An Emanator's Imaginary fluctuation…
Did a Destruction Emanator target this world seven hundred years ago?
But why, after seven hundred years, was destruction only now looming?
It couldn't just be some unknown Emanator's twisted hobby.
The risk of a hidden Emanator watching made Dan Heng hyper-alert.
If an Emanator was truly observing, everyone was in danger.
If it came to that, he might have to use that power within him…
March 7th: "Think the guys in the ice are still alive?"
Stelle: "Probably. You're a living example, aren't you? Wanna name it July 3rd?"
"You're joking at a time like this…?" March 7th rolled her eyes.
"Look up there!" Seele pointed upward. "What's that, an Architect relic?"
Dan Heng: "Completely different from Belobog's architectural style."
March 7th squinted. "Looks like… a giant mechanical hand?"
Stelle's voice rose sharply.
"My senses are clearer than ever… the Stellaron's up there! Cocolia and Bronya are too!"
Everyone's expressions tightened, their steps quickening.
"If Cocolia uses Bronya to threaten us…"
Recalling Cocolia's earlier interception, March 7th spoke instinctively.
Seele's voice grew heavy. "No matter what, we'll save her!"
…
Creation Platform.
Cocolia and Bronya stood under a structure.
Beside them was something like a streetlamp, its top glowing.
In truth, it was the Stellaron itself.
Bronya's face grew paler, countless murmurs echoing in her mind.
"Accept it."
Cocolia's voice was cold as iron.
"The Stellaron will lead us to create a world without suffering."
"No… that's not right…"
Bronya clutched her forehead, stepping back.
"That's not the world I want!"
"Why not? Look, how beautiful that world is. People won't need to beg for survival like prisoners. We can protect that world forever."
Cocolia gazed at the Stellaron, murmuring history.
"For seven hundred years, we've tried endlessly, fought endlessly, believing humanity's light would guide us to revival."
"And the result? Humanity failed miserably!"
"Stop resisting, Bronya. Abandon human folly and cowardice. Break the chains binding you!"
"Come, join me in welcoming the new world. The Stellaron will lead humanity to evolution—"