132. The Girl's Heart
Kevin arrived at a location based on the coordinates provided by the World Serpent, where someone was already waiting.
That person was Raven.
"Please follow me." Raven bowed slightly to Kevin, her attitude extremely respectful.
After all, that face made it difficult for her not to be respectful.
"Then I'll trouble you." Kevin nodded slightly.
Raven straightened up, turned, and walked in one direction. Soon, they passed through countless buildings and arrived at an elevator. As Raven activated the switch, they slowly moved underground.
Raven silently led the way, her steps unwavering, each step seemingly calculated. Seemingly calm, but what was she really thinking about...?
"Should I say something? This pressure is too much!"
While Raven was inwardly groaning, Kevin was also filled with curiosity.
"I wonder who I'll meet. That guy Xiling actually sent me alone."
The thought of the companions he'd encounter later in the future made him inexplicably nervous. He wondered what kind of people they would be.
They might be easy to get along with, difficult to get along with, and perhaps even acquaintances.
Xiling had only given Kevin a general overview of what he would encounter, not a detailed explanation of everything. Therefore, all Kevin knew about the Elysian Realm was the title "Thirteen Heroes."
Walking along the dimly lit corridor, after what seemed like an eternity, a ray of light finally appeared ahead.
A massive facility stood before Kevin.
"Are you ready? Just walk up there, activate the device, and you can proceed to the Elysian Realm," said Raven while turning to Kevin.
Kevin took a deep breath, thinking to himself, "Let's go."
Kevin stepped onto the device Raven had indicated.
"Let's begin," Kevin said, looking at Raven.
Raven nodded, then manipulated some devices. Soon, a burst of white light engulfed Kevin's vision.
"Elysian Realm, I've come."
"Oh, Elysian Realm has a newcomer again," a pink-haired girl sensed that someone different from before had entered the entrance to Elysian Realm.
"I hope it's a cute and beautiful girl like Elysia."
Leaving these words, the girl leaped from the air to another building, clearly eager to see who this newcomer was.
However, when the girl arrived at her destination, those beautiful eyes reflected disbelief at the newcomer.
That bewildered face was strikingly similar to that of someone at a recruit dance, looking around, searching for a certain girl. He was so young, so full of energy, it was as if... time had turned back.
"What...what's going on?"
The incredulous girl met those eyes.
Kevin asked, somewhat puzzled, "Ely...sia?"
"...Kevin?"
—
Inside the house.
A man and a woman sat on the sofa, controlling a controller.
Kiana gritted her teeth, gripping the controller tightly. She had to win!
A few minutes later.
"Can't you let me win? I've lost over ten games already!" Kiana shoved Xiling's arm, her voice full of dissatisfaction.
"Sorry, as a hero, I can't fall here. Besides, in esports, being bad is the original sin." Xiling quickly patted Kiana's head.
Kiana let out a frustrated whimper, then dodged Xiling's hand, raised her feet, kicked Xiling's thighs, slid to the other end of the sofa, crossed her arms in dissatisfaction, and glared at Xiling.
Xiling didn't care, put down the controller, and turned to look at the chat panel.
Kyuushou and the others had already cleared—Jarilo-VI.
On the first day, when they arrived in Jarilo-VI, they encountered Sambo and Gepard. Under Kyuushou's guidance, they followed Gepard back to Belobog without resistance, explaining that they came from outer space. Afterwards, they went to meet Cocolia. Almost the moment Kyuushou saw Cocolia, the [Revelation] worked again.
Almost as if a voice was pressing down on Kyuushou's head, telling her that this person was their ultimate target.
The battle began immediately.
Or rather, the suppression began.
As Kyuushou and her group showed hostility, Cocolia immediately ordered Gepard to lead the Silvermane Guards to capture them.
However, Kyuushou intervened directly.
The terrifying gravity suppressed everyone except for a few steadfast Pathstriders.
She single-handedly nearly crushed the entire Belobog.
Then, under Luo Tianyi's kind persuasion [Voice of the Stars]? In front of countless witnesses, Cocolia confessed everything. People were stunned and couldn't believe it, but the cruel truth was before them: the Supreme Guardian they trusted was actually the biggest traitor.
The people of Belobog imprisoned Cocolia, but Kyuushou and her group showed no sign of stopping it. After learning the location of the Stellaron, they immediately set off for Everwinter Hill.
Upon arriving, they were not met by Cocolia from the original story, but by an Engine of Creation controlled by the Stellaron. Empowered by the Stellaron's power, the Engine of Creation possessed terrifying, destructive power, and its defenses were tough to breach.
Even so, defeating it was impossible for Kyuushou and the others, so it attacked Belobeg directly.
Fortunately, Elaina, having mastered the Second Magic, connected to the magic power of a parallel world, gaining an infinite magic boost. Even with limited output, she could still hinder the Engine of Creation.
Thus, with the others restraining it and Elaina's attacks, the Engine of Creation, despite its massive size enhanced by the Stellaron, sustained multiple damages. This battle was fought under the watchful eyes of countless Belobeg inhabitants.
As if achieving some expectation, the Architects, just as in the original story, acknowledged Stella and regained control of the Engine of Creation.
But Cocolia actually escaped, embraced the Stellaron again, and engaged in battle with the group. However, she wasn't as resilient as the Engine of Creation. Kyuushou's gravity magic and Luo Tianyi's Voice of the Stars controlled her, while Elaina's Infinite Cannon, as the main damage dealer, quickly defeated and destroyed her. The Stellaron was also sealed by Welt, and Jarilo-VI's mission was complete.
But that snow-covered planet would need at least 1000 years to recover to its former state. But... Luo Tianyi's existence could shrink that 1000 years to an unimaginable number.
Perhaps only a few months, or even less, would suffice. Therefore, the kind-hearted Luo Tianyi naturally chose to help the people of Belobeg.
Xiling smiled as he watched a certain savior girl call out to him in the chat group.
"I won the bet. When you return, you must fulfill one of my requests."
Xiling agreed; after all, the savior had played a significant role this time.
Just as Xiling was smiling and staring at the chat panel, something gently kicked his thigh. Xiling glanced over and saw Kiana's socked foot.
"Hey, what are you looking at? You're laughing so weirdly." Kiana buried herself in a giant cushion, only her confused eyes showing.
The other person had been laughing at thin air, as if watching something amusing.
"Watching something amusing." Xiling closed the chat panel, picked up the controller, and waved it at her.
"Want to play again?"
"No!" Kiana's voice came muffled through the cushion, a hint of resentment in her muttered voice.
"I can't beat you anyway, it's just asking for trouble."
"You're so bad, so practice more."
The response was a disgruntled kick from behind the cushion.
"By the way, what do you want to eat?"
Xiling picked up his phone and gestured to Kiana.
Today, it was just the two of them at home. With no one to cook, Lemuan went to Anti-Entropy to seek help from the two genius doctors about how to further enhance the Athena mecha. It was, after all, a technology-related subject, so naturally, it needed someone knowledgeable to examine it. The two doctors were naturally very willing.
As for the Tarnished, he was studying Divine Sound, also known as the Taixu Sword Qi. Fu Hua's remaining consciousness in Fenghuang Down had been stabilized by Xiling. Although she still didn't have a physical body, she could do much more than before.
The Tarnished asked to learn the Taixu Sword Qi, and the other readily agreed, even asking Xiling or Kiana if they wanted to learn it too.
Xiling said no, while Miss Kiana said she would start learning in a few days, explaining that she hadn't been feeling well lately.
So, it was just the two of them at home.
Kiana, as if summoned by food, shifted her body and unexpectedly snuggled up next to Xiling. The sofa dipped, and the distance between them shortened to almost a hug. Xiling could clearly smell the unique scent emanating from her, a mixture of the sweetness of shampoo and the warmth of sunshine.
Kiana seemed completely unconcerned about the close proximity, even casually extending her slender fingers to tap and click on the screen of his phone, scrolling through the images.
"Hmm…not this…this won't do either…" she muttered softly, her fingertips tracing the food pictures on the screen, her expression focused.
Xiling watched as her fluffy head almost touched his chin, then decisively shoved the phone into her hand.
"Take your time choosing."
"Okay~" Kiana replied triumphantly, her voice light and cheerful. She immediately turned around, adjusted her posture, and leaned against Xiling's side. She curled up slightly, as if searching for the most comfortable cushion, and then began engrossed in her phone.
Feeling the weight and warmth from her side, Xiling thought to himself, "This girl…has she been acting a little too familiar lately?"
"All in all, it's a good thing. At least it proves our efforts weren't in vain. This girl has finally moved on."
Xiling reached out and smoothed some of Kiana's hair.
Unaware that the girl, with her back to him, had an unnatural blush on her face, the girl shifted to make herself more comfortable. Hearing the slight complaint behind her, the corners of the girl's mouth curled up slightly.
She didn't know when it started, but the girl seemed to have become somewhat dependent on someone. In the months they'd spent together, compared to Sister Lemuen's gentleness, Kevin's support, and the food from the Tarnisheds, it was this guy who often laughed at her, played games with her, and teased her, yet showed a certain favoritism and cared for her feelings. She'd unknowingly grown attached to his care.
The thought that perhaps these past few days would be just the two of them in the house made the girl even happier.
She seemed… to have really become a little greedy.
She wanted more favoritism, more attention, more gaze, more… contact.
But… it didn't seem so easy.