Chapter 86: Stellar Core? Who Doesn’t Have One?
“Are you going to make a move too?” Jing Yuan looked gravely at Kafka.
“Hmm, we need to wait a little longer.” Kafka checked the time.
“Waiting for what?”
“Waiting for the best outcome.” Kafka smiled brightly.
“For whom?”
“For you all, of course, and also for us.” Kafka said.
Jing Yuan looked toward the distant battlefield of the Silvermane Guards. In such an intense battle, the Silvermane Guards surprisingly had few casualties.
Observing more carefully, faint purple lights, extremely similar to Seele’s flashes, occasionally flickered by!
This… is Silver Wolf?
While trapping herself, she was also secretly helping the Silvermane Guards here!
No wonder she hadn’t urged him even after he had been controlling Jing Yuan for so long.
“I know why you’re blocking me, but helping the Silvermane Guards?” Jing Yuan asked puzzledly. Stellar Core Hunters weren’t Nameless and shouldn’t care about other people’s lives.
“The reason is simple: because we don’t want our A Xing to dislike us.” Kafka chuckled lightly.
If their obstruction led to heavy casualties, A Xing would definitely dislike them, but they had to obstruct, so they could only try their best to avoid casualties.
As long as there were no significant casualties, just blocking them a bit, A Xing’s personality wouldn’t mind too much. Worst case, they could give Flowing Ying to her as compensation. Kafka thought with narrowed eyes.
“Please clarify one thing first: A Xing is ours now.” Jing Yuan said proudly.
The calm and composed expression on Kafka’s face faltered slightly, and she felt a bit angry. What to do?
“Why can’t you just follow the script honestly? Why go against us? It wouldn’t take much extra time, and there wouldn’t be any losses.” Kafka asked, somewhat puzzled.
A Xing had spent too little time Underground and might not have grasped Belobog’s unyielding, struggling, persistent, protective spirit. Her bonds with the locals were also too few; she might not have the determination to protect and save them.
As Elio said, the current probability that A Xing could attract Preservation’s gaze was only forty percent. Well, better than zero probability before.
“Because we are Nameless. Nameless don’t like being bound. You want us to follow the script, so we deliberately try paths outside it.” Jing Yuan said matter-of-factly.
Kafka was stunned for a moment, then said thoughtfully: “Is this pioneering too?”
“I think so.” Jing Yuan said.
“I understand. I’ll suggest to Elio to make future script arrangements more subtle, so you won’t notice. This time was too rushed, so I have to act personally.” Kafka said.
“I think scripts are unnecessary now. If you keep arranging them, your house cat might lose all its fur.”
……
A Xing, March 7th, Bronya, and Seele walked onto the high platform.
Beneath the tall Binding Device, a figure stood quietly.
“Mother!” Bronya exclaimed.
The figure slowly turned around to face the four. It was Cocolia, who had traversed the Realm Splitting faster than the four and arrived here first.
“Nice, so you’re the old hag who ordered all Iron Guards to withdraw and cut off the passage between Upper City and Lower City. Eat my blade!” Seele’s fiery temper flared up. She instantly flashed behind Cocolia and slashed at her neck.
“Crack!”
A massive Ice Seal appeared beside Cocolia, blocking Seele’s strike. At the same time, an ice ring shot out from the Ice Seal.
Seele’s figure flashed again, returning to her original position and dodging the Ice Seal’s attack.
“Wait, Seele, don’t attack yet!” Bronya grabbed Seele’s hand.
“Tch.” Seele pursed her lips, shouldered her scythe, and stopped attacking.
“Mother, I thought if we resolved the Stellar Core first, we wouldn’t have to stand against each other. I didn’t expect you to appear here.” Bronya said somewhat sadly: “Turn back. Don’t be stubborn. Let’s seal the Stellar Core together and save this world. I… I can pretend nothing happened before.”
“What a joke? Lower City doesn’t recognize this old hag. We only trust you now.” Seele retorted.
“Bronya, my daughter. I know what you’re thinking. I once thought the same, with Preservation’s belief unwaveringly firm, hoping one day to dispel the Cold Wave and let this world be reborn. But cruel reality made me realize it’s impossible. We’re just barely surviving; the difference is only a few days more or less.” Cocolia said.
“So you gave up Preservation and sided with this scourge?” Bronya pointed at the Stellar Core.
“No, I haven’t given up Preservation. I just chose another path. The road ahead is a desperate situation. Why not try another path?” Cocolia counter-questioned.
“But Mother, look at the sky. With such power’s help, the road ahead is no longer desperate but visible hope. Why do you still choose to stand with the Stellar Core?” Bronya had Cocolia look up at the sky.
“Their power is indeed strong, but know this: even if the Stellar Core is sealed and the Cold Wave loses its source, it will take at least centuries to fully recede. Moreover, the Antimatter Legion sealed by the Cold Wave will slowly unseal. They can help us this time, but can they keep helping forever?”
“Bronya, do you know? Underground’s Earth Marrow resources are nearly exhausted. Even if the Stellar Core is sealed, we might not last long in the Cold Wave’s aftermath. What’s more, humanity is foolish and dark. Any wrong decision in the future could doom Belobog, which has stood for over seven hundred years, making our struggles meaningless.”
“Do you know what new world the Stellar Core promised me? A world without poverty, cold, or pain. A world where people no longer beg like prisoners for survival. A world we can protect forever.” Cocolia’s eyes showed expectation for a beautiful future.
Seeing the Outworlders’ strength, Cocolia still chose the Stellar Core side, clearly after deep consideration—well, deep consideration under Stellar Core’s brainwashing.
“As you say, the future is full of uncertainty, but it’s forged by our own hands. Whether you can truly create a new world is equally variable, and that variable is fully in this scourge’s control!” Bronya retorted.
“Seven hundred years ago, it saved us once. I believe it will save us a second time.” Cocolia was convinced.
“She’s completely brainwashed by the Stellar Core. We shouldn’t waste words on her.” March 7th said speechlessly.
“I’m a Stellar Core too, an even more advanced Stellar Core Spirit. Since you trust Stellar Cores so much, once we seal it, you can trust me instead. I can promise you a new world too, right?” A Xing said to Cocolia.
Cocolia glanced indifferently at A Xing, then ignored her, making A Xing’s liver ache. Everyone’s a Stellar Core—why does she get no respect?
“Sorry, Mother. I’ll knock you out and take you back. This scourge must be sealed. Humanity’s future must be in humanity’s hands!” Bronya closed her eyes, then opened them with unwavering determination.
“Such a narrow view. Choosing them is just drinking poison to quench thirst. Belobog’s fate is already sealed…” Cocolia summoned a Flame Spear wrapped in ice. The ground began to shake.
The two in the sky were indeed powerful—possibly even stronger than the omnipotent Stellar Core—but they were hostile to each other. Facing just these young people, Cocolia trusted the Stellar Core’s power.
Beings stronger than the Stellar Core must be rare in the universe. There were already two; there couldn’t be more stronger than the Stellar Core.
The Stellar Core hadn’t told Cocolia the truth; it feared losing its only ally.
Fortunately, Cocolia was inexperienced, dim-witted, and easy to fool.
“So much talk. Try this—Peaceful Home Run!”
Amid the ground’s shaking, A Xing moved steadily, sweeping her baseball bat toward Cocolia.
The Ice Seal pillar shattered instantly. Cocolia blocked the baseball bat with her Flame Spear.
“Bang!”
Under Cocolia’s incredulous gaze, immense force transmitted from the Flame Spear. Cocolia couldn’t hold it; the Flame Spear flew out spinning dozens of meters, embedding in the snow.
“How… so strong?” Blood flowed from Cocolia’s palm, quickly freezing into blood-red Ice Crystals.
After the Flame Spear was knocked away, the ground’s shaking stopped.
“Now, pass out!”
Remembering Bronya’s words, A Xing swung her bat at Cocolia’s head.
“Stellar Core! Lend me your… urgh.”
Before Cocolia finished speaking, her eyes rolled back as she was knocked out. A clear red bat mark appeared on her forehead, soon swelling into a large bump.
On the cliff, Kafka said in surprise: “A Xing’s strength has improved so quickly.”
“That’s why I said we won’t need your script guidance in the future.” Jing Yuan said again.
“I don’t count; Elio has to say it.” Kafka said indifferently. As long as the future was good, script or no script didn’t matter.
Below, Bronya somewhat heartbrokenly helped the unconscious Cocolia aside. A Xing pointed her bat at the Stellar Core.
“Next, it’s your turn.” A Xing said triumphantly.
“What a waste! Think knocking her out is enough? She’s long been eroded by my power!” The Stellar Core’s voice rang out.
Bronya concernedly looked down at the unconscious Cocolia.
Signs of Realm Splitting erosion appeared on Cocolia. Ice Crystals spread over her body, rapidly transforming her into a Realm Splitting Creature!
“Mother!” Bronya was extremely anxious but helpless, unsure how to halt Cocolia’s changes.
“Bronya, let her go. Leave her to me.” March 7th said to Bronya. Six Phases Ice appeared in her hand.
Bronya stepped back helplessly, looking hopefully at March 7th.
“Absolute Zero!”
Six Phases Ice completely froze Cocolia, nearly halting atomic movement inside.
“Her state is frozen by me; it won’t change further. Once the Stellar Core is sealed, she should return to normal.” March 7th said.
“Thank you.” Bronya said gratefully.
“Still daring to play tricks? Eat my Stellar Ace Strike!”
A Xing activated her Heart of Destruction. Golden destruction lightning enveloped her. Amid her heart’s intense pounding, her baseball bat shattered the Binding Device. The Stellar Core flew out like a baseball.
Seele flashed to the direction the Stellar Core was struck, gathering Hunt power on her scythe and slashing fiercely at it.
As expected of the so-called cancer of all realms, the Stellar Core emerged unscathed from A Xing and Seele’s attacks, merely with slightly weakened emitted energy.
“Damn it!”
The Stellar Core flew up from underground. With the Binding Device shattered, it could move freely.
Seven hundred years of accumulated Cold Wave energy let the Stellar Core dodge A Xing and Seele’s attacks nimbly. Its small size gave it unparalleled agility.
Bronya channeled Power of Harmony over everyone, enhancing their power.
March 7th watched the Stellar Core’s speed, inwardly relieved she’d practiced Grand Magus spells. Otherwise, hitting such a small, agile Stellar Core with bow and arrow would be impossibly hard!
“Ice Seal Prison.”
Countless ice pillars formed a cage, closing in from all sides around the Stellar Core, then suddenly contracting to trap it at the center.
The Stellar Core erupted massive energy to break the ice prison, while taking a baseball bat from A Xing and a scythe from Seele.
“Damn.” The Stellar Core grumbled. Cocolia was hopeless now, and scattered Realm Splitting Creatures were all cleared. Without a host, despite vast energy, it lacked attack methods.
On the cliff, Kafka stretched lazily: “Alright, time’s up. I should make my move.”
If they didn’t act soon, the Stellar Core would be drained of energy and captured without resistance.
