When she asked this question, her eyelashes trembled slightly. This issue that had troubled her for countless nights was finally voiced.
Gu La noticed that she used the term "rebirth" instead of "transformation."
Indeed, Na'er's situation was far more complex than an ordinary soul beast transformation—she was a secondary personality born from the Silver Dragon King under the influence of human emotions, like a reflection in a mirror or a forcibly separated half.
Most importantly, once Gu Yue became serious, she could forcefully devour and merge with her.
Na'er didn't want to die. She cherished everything beautiful about human society—the delicious food, her kind older brother, teachers, and mentors.
As for the fate of the soul beasts, Na'er felt distant from them. After all, even the Silver Dragon King herself was gravely wounded shortly after her birth—how much attachment could she have to the soul beasts?
From the moment of her birth, Na'er had lived in human society for five years. She didn't care whether the soul beasts who constantly sought to capture her were alive or dead.
After learning about Tang Wulin's identity, Na'er fell into despair for weeks but soon realized the sinister intentions of the primary personality. This time, she came to recruit Gu La to resist the evil primary personality and truly embrace freedom!
Na'er dreamed of a better future. She knew her chances were slim, but she couldn't help but struggle. This time, it wasn't for anyone else—it was for herself!
Standing here now, she was essentially seeking allies for the primary personality's scheme, yet she carried the unique desire for survival that belonged to the secondary personality.
In Gu La's eyes, he saw her burning desire for "life." Her intense gaze seemed to melt her amethyst-like eyes, revealing her determination.
Perhaps knowing that her life stemmed from someone's conspiracy, she resolved to confront the mastermind behind it all—to ask what they thought of her.
"The existence of soul rings has made humans and soul beasts mortal enemies." Gu La's voice was like quenched metal—cold and hard.
He gazed at the lake, where sunlight shattered into millions of golden flakes on the water's surface.
He couldn't help but think of himself—transported to this strange world, his situation was so similar to Na'er's. They were both alone, and no one would understand.
"But for you and me, there is no standard answer to this question."
Unconsciously, Na'er leaned forward, and the willow leaf on the bench was swept away by the wind.
"If Gu Yue asked me," Gu La turned his gaze back, his eyes sharp as torches, "I would say I identify more with being a 'beast.' But answering you—"
He paused for a moment, and Na'er heard her heartbeat pounding in her ears. "I would say I identify more with being a 'human.'"
The distant chirping of birds echoed. Na'er realized her palms were sweaty, and her white dress was crumpled with messy folds.
"We don't need to speak of it; even the gods themselves would see us as human." Gu La pointed to her heart. "Your final identity depends on your stance and choices."
Suddenly, the wind grew stronger. Na'er's silver hair danced in the breeze like a small flag.
She looked at Gu La, and for the first time, she saw understanding in the eyes of this always aloof and peculiar young man—an unspoken understanding between two "outsiders." Perhaps, on her lonely path of resistance, she had finally found a potential ally.
"But I can't resist Gu Yue. You… do you have any way to help me?"
Na'er's voice was as soft as a mosquito's hum, and her pale ear tips flushed with a noticeable redness.
She lowered her head, her long silver hair falling to cover half her face.
For five years, she had thought countless times about how to escape the control of her original body but found no possibility of "freedom." Now, she had to seek help from someone who was once her enemy—a sense of shame that almost suffocated her.
Gu La stared at this once proud girl, now standing before him like a helpless child. He shook his head. "How could I possibly have a solution…"
Halfway through his sentence, Gu La suddenly paused, as if remembering something important. His expression turned odd as he rummaged through his storage space, eventually pulling out a forgotten black-and-yellow high-level ball. The sphere was still as pristine as ever, showing no signs of damage despite being stored for so long.
"What is this?" Na'er raised her head, her silver eyes full of confusion. She stared at the strange spherical object, completely baffled as to how it could help.
Gu La gently stroked the smooth surface of the high-level ball, a flood of emotions washing over him. It was one of the ten high-level balls gifted in the beginner's package—he had spent nearly a decade and still hadn't used them all. He was probably the most failed "trainer" among travelers.
The ball warmed slightly in his palm, as if responding to his thoughts.
"Want to give it a try?"
Gu La held the high-level ball out to Na'er, his tone surprisingly calm. "This is a creation from my homeland. It might allow you to become an independent individual."
He mentally added: My clone's homeland is my homeland, so there's no problem saying that.
Na'er hesitantly took the high-level ball, her delicate fingers carefully touching the button in the center of the sphere.
"This… ball?"
Her voice was filled with doubt. "You're saying this thing can free me from Gu Yue's control?"
She examined it repeatedly but found nothing special.
"Press the button in the middle, and don't resist."
Gu La briefly explained its use, his eyes flashing with confident light.
He believed that anything produced by the system was top-notch. Just like his relationship with Groudon's avatar, the system judged them as two independent entities.
And if he couldn't convince Gu Yue to enter the ball, capturing Na'er would be a piece of cake.
Na'er bit her lower lip, leaving faint marks on her pink lips with her teeth. Though full of doubts, she thought that someone acknowledged by Gu Yue wouldn't deceive her, so she decided to give it a try.
The moment her finger pressed the button, a blinding red light erupted from the ball, enveloping Na'er entirely.
"Ah!" Na'er gasped, feeling her body suddenly grow weightless, pulled toward the ball by a strange force.
She instinctively struggled, and the surface of the high-level ball immediately flashed with dangerous red light. Tiny cracks spread across the sphere like a spiderweb.
"Don't resist!" Gu La shouted urgently. "This is your only chance!"
Na'er closed her eyes, her silver lashes trembling slightly. She forced herself to relax and gave up all resistance.
Her five-year-long yearning for freedom ultimately overcame her fear. Three seconds later, the high-level ball stopped shaking and lay quietly in Gu La's palm.
"I've captured Na'er!"
Gu La waved his arm excitedly, a long-forgotten sense of accomplishment surging in his heart. At this moment, the long-absent system notification sounded in his mind:
[Congratulations, Trainer, for overcoming countless difficulties and capturing the Legendary ???]
[Reward: Random Plate x1. Detected unknown Legendary; reward upgraded to Selectable Plate x1, Random Divine Item x1.]
Gu La's eyes widened, his joy overflowing.
A random plate was already an extremely precious reward, representing one-eighteenth of the power of creation. Now, not only had it been upgraded to a selectable plate, but he also received an additional divine item! He couldn't wait to check these rewards.
But the system rewards weren't over yet. Gu La remembered he had the ability of the Eye of Appraisal. Concentrating, he focused his gaze on the high-level ball in his hand, and Na'er's data immediately appeared before his eyes in a translucent display:
[Unknown Legendary: Please name it as the discoverer]
[Attributes: Dragon, Steel]
[Rank: Tier-1 God]
[Individual Value: 186] (31 x 6)
[Nature: Jolly]
[Evaluation: A mysterious unknown Legendary that often maintains a human form. Likes to battle using a divine weapon crafted from the ribs of a Legendary, suppressing all non-Legendary dragon-type Pokémon. Currently in its juvenile stage. Lucky trainer!]
[Reward: Selectable Divine Skill x1]
Gu La sucked in a breath. Na'er's rank far exceeded his expectations. But it wasn't surprising—she was the embodiment of one-third of the Silver Dragon King's power. A Tier-1 God evaluation meant immense potential, and her 186 Individual Value was par for the course. In this world, a unique Legendary deserved such stats.
What surprised him most was the system's reward of a selectable divine skill—a complete bonus.
"Come out, Na'er." Gu La pressed the release button on the high-level ball, and a flash of red light later, the silver-haired girl reappeared before him. But unlike before, Na'er's expression was now filled with shock and disbelief.
"I… I can't feel Gu Yue's presence anymore!"
Na'er touched her chest, tears welling up in her eyes. "That constant connection… it's gone!"
She looked up at Gu La, her eyes filled with genuine gratitude for the first time.
Gu La smiled and nodded. "Congratulations. You are now a fully independent individual."
He shook the high-level ball in his hand. "This will always protect your independence. Don't worry about being controlled by Gu Yue again. Keep it safe."
Na'er suddenly rushed forward and hugged Gu La tightly, then quickly stepped back, her cheeks flushing red.
"Thank you… Although we had some misunderstandings before, I'll always remember this kindness."
Gu La opened his arms, unsure what to do. What was supposed to be a straightforward capture operation had somehow turned into a pink-hued romantic atmosphere!?
He was supposed to be as resolute a trainer as Ash Ketchum!!!
Before Gu La could say anything, he suddenly remembered something. His expression changed. "Oh no, Gu Yue might have noticed your disappearance! You need to quickly return to Sea God Island. Only under Yun Ming's watchful eye will you be safe."
Tears still clung to the corners of Na'er's eyes, but her smile had already blossomed brightly. Her smile was like sunlight after a storm—fragile yet brimming with the joy of rebirth.
The teardrops slid down her porcelain-white cheeks, refracting seven colors in the sunlight before splashing onto the smooth surface of the high-level ball, creating tiny ripples.
She suddenly laughed aloud, her laughter crisp and melodious, like the purest mountain stream colliding with pebbles. Her silver-white hair swayed gently as she tilted her head back, glowing softly in the sunlight.
"Don't worry," she gently wiped away the tears from her eyes, her fingertips trembling slightly. "I can feel…"
She paused suddenly, a flicker of surprise flashing in her silver-purple eyes, quickly replaced by joy. "I can actively control my connection with Gu Yue now!"
She cradled the high-level ball against her chest as if holding a precious treasure. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting a golden glow around her.
At this moment, Na'er seemed to radiate light, her newfound freedom and joy making her already stunning beauty even more vibrant.
"And…" her voice suddenly grew lighter, tinged with playfulness as her toes unconsciously tapped the ground, "There's no longer any subordinate relationship between us!"
Finishing this statement, she felt as if a thousand-pound weight had been lifted. She was so light, as if she might float away.
"This feeling…" she whispered softly, her voice filled with disbelief, "is like finally finding my true self."
With that, she suddenly turned to Gu La, her eyes shining with sincere gratitude. "Thank you, Gu La. I'll cherish this freedom deeply."
A gentle breeze brushed past, lifting her silver-white hair. At this moment, Na'er was like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon, finally able to freely spread her wings.
Gu La let out a bitter laugh. Na'er was happy now.
But he could foresee that in the near future, his ally Gu Yue would come to interrogate him about why he undermined her.
"But I really didn't mean to!"
Gu La lamented his innocence, claiming he was passive.
Yet, looking at the system's rewards, he couldn't help but mutter: So worth it!
(T/N: And the system finally makes an appearance again lol)
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