Chapter 169: The Eyes That See Death
The faint, joyful music from the Astral Express's parlor car faded as the door to Orion's new quarters hissed shut. The room was simple, yet comfortable, the hum of the star rail engine a steady, grounding presence beneath his feet.
It was officially his 18th birthday.
He stood in the darkness, the distant light of a nebula painting a soft glow across the room. The welcome party had been... unexpectedly warm. March 7th's relentless cheer, Himeko's terrifying coffee (which Stelle had heroically intercepted), and Welt's quiet, analytical gaze. They were a chaotic, strangely sincere group.
Orion walked to the window. Out here, the universe was a silent, endless river of light. He was finally off that frozen rock. He was finally on the path.
His thoughts drifted to the gray-haired girl who had downed Himeko's concoction for him. Stelle. A container for a Stellaron, and a surprisingly endearing variable. She, and the Express itself, were his ticket to everything. But this universe was vast and filled with dangers far exceeding a dormant Lord Ravager. The crew was strong, but he needed to be stronger. He needed power that didn't rely on others.
He sat on the edge of the bed, the echoes of "Happy Birthday" still faint in his ears. 18 years old. It was time.
"System," he projected into his mind, his voice calm and cold. "The conditions should be met."
A familiar, mechanical chime answered him, sharp and clear in the quiet of his mind.
[Host detected at 18 years of age, fulfilling the conditions to activate the fourth simulation.]
[Do you wish to activate the Villain Simulation?]
A faint, cruel smile touched Orion's lips. Finally.
"It's finally here… Activate the simulation!"
[The fourth simulation is about to begin…]
[Talent entries are being drawn…]
[Please select three initial talents for this simulation from the following five random entries.]
Five brand-new entries appeared before Orion's eyes, shimmering in his mental interface. He analyzed them with the cold precision of a general studying a battlefield.
[Abundance's Blessing (Purple): Your body possesses an extremely long lifespan and powerful self-healing abilities. Ordinary wounds will heal in a short time, and even severed limbs can slowly regenerate.]
"A powerful survivability talent," Orion mused. "Regeneration and longevity. It's a fantastic safety net, but it's passive. It's defense, not offense. A strong contender."
[Efficient Learning (Blue): Your comprehension speed for new knowledge and skills far surpasses that of ordinary people.]
"This... this is excellent." His interest quickened. A Blue-tier talent, but its utility was almost Gold-tier. It was a multiplier for any other skill he might acquire. If he got a complex new power, this would be the key to mastering it.
[Night Owl (Green): At night, your energy will be more abundant. But during the day, you will feel more tired.]
"Trash. My schedule is now dictated by the Express and its missions, not a day-night cycle. Useless."
[Foodie (Green): You possess a bottomless stomach and no matter how much you eat, you won't gain weight.]
Orion almost scoffed. "Absolutely worthless. Stelle would probably trade her Stellaron for this, but for me, it's a wasted slot."
He dismissed the two Green talents and focused on the last one. It glowed with an intense, bloody light that pulsed with significance.
[Mystic Eyes of Death Perception (Red): Your eyes have gained the ability to directly perceive 'Death' itself, allowing you to see the predetermined 'end' of all things. In your vision, the surface of all killable things (including life, matter, energy shields, concepts like curses, etc.) is covered with crisscrossing black lines. These are the visual projection of a thing's conceptual 'end'. Note: Forcibly understanding the concept of 'the End' is an unbearable burden on the brain. Prolonged use will have side effects.]
Orion's breath hitched. His carefully controlled composure shattered, replaced by a surge of pure, unadulterated ecstasy.
He... He actually drew THIS?!
He knew this concept. This wasn't just a talent; it was a fundamental law of the universe, a power that transcended physical limitations. To see 'death lines' meant he could kill anything. It didn't matter if it was a mortal, an Abomination of Abundance with insane regeneration, an Emanator, or even... an Aeon. If it had a beginning, it had an end. And he could see it.
[Inorin's Note: The Mystic Eyes of Death Perception is a conceptual ability, allowing the user to perceive and interact with the 'end' or 'death' of all things as tangible lines. Cutting these lines results in an irreversible 'death' of the object or concept, bypassing conventional durability or regeneration.]
"This is it," Orion's heart hammered against his ribs. "This is the ultimate weapon." The side effects were irrelevant. The note about 'unbearable burden on the brain' only made his other choices clearer.
"The selection is obvious. The Mystic Eyes are the absolute core."
His mind raced, assembling the perfect build. "The [Mystic Eyes] are a Red-tier offensive power. The main side effect is a 'burden on the brain' and likely a strain on the body. Therefore, [Abundance's Blessing] is the perfect companion. Its powerful self-healing and regeneration can counteract the physical backlash. One is the perfect spear, the other is the perfect shield."
"And [Efficient Learning]... it's the manual. It will allow me to comprehend and master the 'concept of the End' faster, minimizing the mental strain and maximizing my control over the Mystic Eyes."
This was a perfect, god-tier starting loadout.
"System, I choose Mystic Eyes of Death Perception, Abundance's Blessing, and Efficient Learning!"
[Talent entries selected.]
[Your goal is to achieve the highest possible Villain Value.]
[Loading simulation world…]
The familiar, disorienting sensation of being torn from reality washed over him. His new room on the Express dissolved into a vortex of light and color. His consciousness felt stretched thin, pulled across an impossible distance, before being violently compressed into something new.
Darkness. Then, a sudden, blinding light. He was no longer a man, but an infant. He was weak, his limbs tiny and uncoordinated, his senses overwhelmed.
[Age 1, you were born a Foxian on a merchant star-skiff of the Xianzhou 'Fanghu'. Accompanying you was your twin sister, Jiang Li.]
[Inorin's Note: The Xianzhou 'Fanghu' is one of the six flagships of the Xianzhou Alliance, famed for its skilled physicians and focus on medicine and Abundance.]
Xianzhou Fanghu... one of the lost flagships. And a Foxian... Orion processed the information, his adult mind trapped in the frustrating confines of a baby's body. He felt a swaddling cloth, smelled the faint, metallic tang of recycled air and old wood. This was not a place of luxury.
[You rarely cried. When your sister, also with pure white fox ears and a tail, cried from hunger, your first reaction was to try hard to reach out your tiny hand and grasp hers. You found that when your hands were clasped, she always calmed down faster.]
He felt the cold. The cloth was thin. Beside him, a small bundle of life began to squirm and let out a thin, reedy wail. His sister, Jiang Li. The sound was grating, but it also triggered a strange, protective urge deep within his new brain.
He wiggled, a monumental effort that exhausted him, until his tiny fingers brushed against her hand. He grasped it. A faint, warm 'spark' seemed to pass between them, a connection that went beyond simple touch. Her crying softened, hitching into small whimpers before fading into quiet breathing.
[Mother often said that you two truly had a telepathic connection. Sometimes when Jiang Li couldn't sleep, you would instinctively drape your soft fox tail over her, and she would subconsciously hug it, then continue to sleep peacefully. Protecting her seemed to become your instinct.]
A woman's face loomed over the crib. Her features were tired, her Foxian ears drooping slightly. She saw their clasped hands and the single, small, snow-white fox tail draped over both of them. A soft, weary smile touched her lips.
"My two little ones... a true telepathic bond," she murmured, her voice thick with fatigue, before moving away.
Orion felt his sister snuggle closer, her tiny fingers clutching the tuft of his tail. This fragile, warm life next to him... a strange feeling settled in his chest. Instinct. Protection. This simulation had already given him a clear emotional anchor.
[Age 2, you displayed intelligence far beyond your peers, but you preferred to observe quietly. You were like a tireless sponge, silently absorbing all information. Your pure white fox ears could always catch the dangers of interstellar navigation that adults discussed in a hushed voice—the Abominations of Abundance, the destructive Antimatter Legion, and… those jackal-like Borisin who plundered the star seas, the sworn enemies of the Foxian race.]
The Efficient Learning talent was already at work. While Jiang Li was learning to babble and stack blocks, Orion sat in the corner of their small cabin, listening.
His Foxian hearing, amplified by the talent, picked up the low, anxious conversation of his "parents" from the next room.
"...the patrol routes are changing. The Borisin are getting bolder. We strayed too far from the main fleet when we jumped." That was his father's voice, laced with fear.
"We're low on fuel... We can't afford another encounter. Not with the Abominations sighted near this sector..." his mother's terrified whisper.
Orion processed the fragments. This 'Fanghu' skiff was not a grand warship, but a merchant vessel. It was lost, low on resources, and hunted. This was not a safe harbor. It was a tinderbox, floating in an ocean of enemies.
He looked at his twin sister, who was happily chewing on her own tail, oblivious to the danger.
Yes, he thought, his infant eyes cold and calculating. Protecting her... will be the first priority.
[Inorin Note:
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