Jarilo-VI, Old Weapons Testing Ground
"The next match will feature the Trailblazer versus—Giovanni Giorgio of Epsilon!"
Stelle stepped to the center of the arena, eyeing the elegant Giovanni, who was casually sipping a drink.
"We meet again, miss! Your performance is truly impressive!"
"I knew it was you!"
After getting the hang of [Aether Frontline], Stelle started with just herself and Numby. Relying on her solid skills and talent, she bulldozed straight to the finals.
She'd even uncovered Giovanni's true identity—no wonder he was a hidden Mask of Fools!
"I knew it was you!"
"Hahaha~ If not fate guiding us here together, then there's only one answer." Giovanni's hearty laughter echoed through the arena.
"But... Let's set aside those lofty, drawn-out discussions for now! Our priority should be to fully savor this celebration."
"Friends, dance with me! Together, let's lead this perfect festival to its grandest climax!"
Giovanni flipped a coin, summoning his Aether spirit... only to watch Stelle pull out a hourglass-shaped necklace without a word and flip the switch.
Seconds later, staring at his vanished Aether spirit—not even a scrap left—Giovanni was dumbfounded.
Stelle flashed a wicked grin. After diving into [Aether Frontline], she'd found the game increasingly addictive, and it had unlocked a hidden mechanic for her!
That's right—the [Eternity] necklace in her hand! This thing could absorb even Stellan Core—cricket Aether spirits were a piece of cake?
Best of all... the necklace could absorb others' Aether spirits too. [Eternity] never lied!
"My turn—attack!"
No sooner had she spoken than countless Aether spirits swarmed forward, burying Giovanni in an instant.
"Stop... Stop! Stop!"
Giovanni promptly threw in the towel. It was his first time seeing someone play [Aether Frontline] like this—treating it like raising an Antimatter Legion?!
And just like that, Stelle claimed victory in the match.
"The winner of this bout is... the rising star charging ahead—the Trailblazer from the Astral Express!"
"Brilliant, brilliant! Your [strength] and [resolve] are truly moving!"
Stelle's tone carried a hint of regret: "And that's it?"
"Over? No, no, no—you must be misunderstanding something. The celebration's highlight is just getting started!"
"Next, you'll face the ultimate champion of the previous festival, the arrogant entity that leaves millions of players in the dust—the former [Champion Lead], Miss Topaz!"
"Only by defeating her will you earn the right to vie for the crown."
"Eh... But I don't see Topaz anywhere? Not another holographic projection, is it?"
...
Blasting through rounds with the cheers and anticipation of the beautiful girl March 7th at her side, the Galactic Baseballer finally reached the final hurdle of the [Inter-Astral Tournament Festival]!
"Eh? Teacher Adrian?"
The moment they saw their opponent was Adrian, Stelle and March 7th were stunned. [Aether Frontline] sure had a lot of familiar faces—plus some stranger from the Luofu (Guinaifen).
They never imagined Adrian was a hidden [Aether Frontline] pro right under their noses!
"Hmph~ She can't win."
Silver Wolf lounged in the venue's prime viewing box, taking in the full panorama, arms crossed as she declared Stelle's defeat.
"Teacher Adrian's strong and all, but we should trust our friends a bit more!" March 7th suddenly got fired up, then realized something off. "Wait—Miss Silver Wolf?!"
"Your reaction time's a tad slow. As you see, due to certain objective reasons, I can't appear in person right now... So I'm competing via holographic projection."
"Though our stances differ... At a universe-scale event like this, let's set aside those biases and just enjoy the game together... Right?"
As a veteran, Silver Wolf offered some advice: "In the face of a game, race, bloodline, faction, Path, worldview... None of it matters—this is counsel from an old player. Remember it well."
"Back to the topic—see Adrian there? Truth be told, in the gaming world, almost no one but him has ever pushed me this far... Adrian's too strong to beat..."
Silver Wolf shook her head. That was the [despair] [Eternity] brought.
"No way we can win—I don't get it! I believe Stelle can pull it off!"
At the match site, the venue broadcast chimed in on cue:
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the grand final of this [Inter-Astral Tournament Festival]! Striding toward us is this tournament's super popular dark horse, the rising star of [Aether Frontline], the one dubbed the Galactic Baseballer—the Trailblazer!"
"Her opponent is—a milk tea shop owner just passing through! The mysterious black-clad man who stormed the Interastral Peace Corporation HQ, injured the Market Development Director, and escaped unscathed!"
"Mm! Just like that Punklorde [Net Flâneur], this milk tea gentleman refuses to reveal his name! Though we all know that [Net Flâneur]'s real identity... But that's not the point!"
"Playing favorites? Tch..." Silver Wolf clicked her tongue, staring at the milk tea taking up half the virtual screen, at a loss for words.
Adrian had already turned into the shape of a milk tea...
The view shifted to the arena's center. Pretending not to be nervous would be a lie. Recalling Himeko's words:
"While I always approach Company products with caution, being in such a joyful atmosphere has my nerves buzzing too... This experience is unforgettable."
"Opportunities like this are rare—savor them. After all, [Trailblaze] isn't just endless toil; finding joy in the journey is crucial too."
That's right—games were meant to be played with a smile! That way, you harvest true [joy]!
Hands on hips, she flashed a confident, healthy grin—like she had the win in the bag.
"Come on, Teacher Adrian! Let me repay your teachings with this move!"
Adrian: ?
"Or put another way—let me redeem myself with [Aether Frontline]!"
So far, whether pillow fights or games, Stelle had never beaten Adrian. This was her one shot!
"Young one, confidence is good. But... Are you truly prepared to stand against me?"
"If that makes me back down, then I'm not me!"
In the next instant, enough Aether spirits to fill half the venue poured out—an army of elites, impossible for any average player to overcome.
"What a spectacle... Not bad, Stelle. You dare use the tech I invented against me?"
"Stay out of a beautiful girl's business—are you ready for the Galactic Baseballer's wrath?!"
Basic game rules still applied: After deploying her Aether spirits, it was Adrian's turn.
Faced with the horde, Adrian didn't hesitate, tossing out the lowest-level Extraplanar Flame.
"Ha? Am I seeing this right? Teacher Adrian's using a single Extraplanar Flame against Stelle's [Aether spirit army]?"
March 7th couldn't fathom Adrian's play—no Expansion Crystal loaded, even? Overconfidence much!
"I thought the same at first. Just watch."
Stelle snorted. "Teacher Adrian, your Aether spirit's stats are way too low—attack at just 8? Even a Pufferhead's higher."
Mid-taunt, a red blur flashed before Stelle's eyes—so fast she couldn't react.
By the time she snapped back, her Aether spirit army had halved.
"Eh?" She blinked.
Only then did Stelle spot the system panel for Adrian's Aether spirit...
[Extraplanar Flame]
[Level: 1/6]
[HP: ∞]
[ATK: ∞]
[SPD: ∞]
[System Note: Offensive Overlord Aether spirit with powerful AoE attack skills.]
Stelle: ...
Oh no—the opponent's cheat level was above hers!