Jarilo-VI, Everwinter Ridge.
"Throwing in [Eternity] at a time like this? As expected of Priestess Sister."
"My heart and actions are as clear as a mirror, all in service of [Eternity]!"
With the powers of [Eternity] and [Trailblaze], the group trekked through the snowy path under a sky of falling flakes, feeling no chill—almost warm, even.
"Look at that! What is that thing… Ew, it's creepy!" March 7th yelped, startled by the crystalline structure before them.
"Like insects trapped in amber." After centuries, it was unclear if the frozen Void Soldiers retained any consciousness or life.
"When the Antimatter Legion invaded this world, they probably never imagined they'd be swallowed by the Eternal Freeze."
"But… are these things in the ice still alive?" March 7th hesitated, tempted to touch one, feeling an inexplicable connection to the frozen entities.
"Why not thaw it out and see?" Stelle pulled out her baseball bat, ready to smash the encased Void Soldier.
"Better not." March 7th stopped her just in time, looking up at the path littered with frozen Void Soldier remains. Even the ferocious Antimatter Legion couldn't withstand the Eternal Freeze's might.
The bodies were so well-preserved that Dan Heng began to wonder… Maybe March 7th's suspicions had some merit. These Void Soldiers might actually be alive.
"Whatever happens, we absolutely can't thaw these things…"
Boom!
An energy beam pierced straight through the frozen Void Soldier.
"Disgusting maggots." Freesna turned her staff, aiming at the remaining Void Soldier husks.
Dan Heng paused, reflecting. Both he and March 7th… maybe they'd been overthinking it.
Whoosh… Whoosh!
Several more energy blasts fired out, Freesna deliberately compressing their intensity to avoid causing too much havoc.
"Huh… Does everyone in the Church love playing first-person shooter games?"
First, Head Blake battled Voidranger constructs with soap; now Freesna was blasting Legion remains with energy cannons.
"Hobbies are their own business. Let's keep moving."
Dan Heng wasn't wrong. He'd never seen someone use Sampo as a weapon before—everyone had their quirks.
After clearing all nearby Void Soldier remains, Freesna returned to Adrian's side.
"Well done." Adrian nodded, handing her a milk tea.
"Wow… Even at a time like this, you don't forget the milk tea. I'm done commenting." March 7th was too exhausted to snark.
Stelle, most sensitive to the term [Milk Tea Aeon], spread her hands. Time would prove Adrian's identity as the Milk Tea Aeon was undeniable.
"For some reason, I've got a bad feeling… Like, what if Cocolia uses Bronya to threaten us?"
Himeko jumped in. As the next Great Guardian, Bronya was vital not just to her but to the entire planet. "We have to save her. The lower district… this whole world depends on her."
With heavy hearts, everyone except Adrian and Freesna reached the place where the Stellaron Core was sealed.
At the same time, Bronya was fiercely resisting the Stellaron Core's beguiling voice.
"Never… Never…" She struggled to banish the voices in her mind, unable to imagine how past Guardians endured it.
"Don't resist, Bronya… Embrace the collective will!"
"This… isn't what I want…"
Cocolia's face was devoid of emotion, showing no mercy:
"Look at the future they promise, Bronya! A world without poverty, cold, or pain; a world where people no longer beg for survival like prisoners…"
"A world… we can protect for eternity."
Clang!
Adrian and Freesna caught the keyword.
"For seven hundred years, we've tried and fought, thinking humanity's light would lead us to revival. And what? We've failed miserably!"
"I don't understand. Why, when faced with an undeniable force, is our first instinct always to resist, to cover our ears, instead of listening to its demands?"
If you can't beat it, join it. Cocolia had seen the truth.
"That's the indelible folly and cowardice rooted deep in humanity. Cast them aside, break the shackles binding you! The Stellaron Core will lead humanity to evolution, it will—"
Whoosh!
A black baseball bat grazed past Cocolia, striking the Stellaron Core precisely. The haze clouding Bronya's mind vanished, leaving her refreshed.
"An unfamiliar power…" Cocolia frowned. Ordinary attacks couldn't so easily disrupt the Stellaron Core's whispers.
"Enough with the brainwashing, witch!"
Hearing Himeko's voice, Bronya felt a wave of relief.
"Ah, my bat…"
Stelle hurriedly picked up her bat, lovingly wiping the dirty snow off it.
[THEY are here… here…]
Perhaps due to her proximity to the Stellaron Core, Stelle resonated with it again.
But with a Stellaron Core in her own body, she was unaffected. Staring at the gleaming Stellaron Core, she even considered smashing it with her bat.
"Sorry, my scythe's too big… Throwing it might hurt Bronya." Himeko shielded Bronya behind her.
"Actually… my milk tea could work too." Adrian said the most absurd thing in the calmest tone.
"No one uses milk tea as a weapon!"
"Himeko, and everyone…?" Bronya came to her senses.
"Bronya! I don't know what happened between you two. Even if you explained it now, I probably wouldn't get all the mystical stuff. But two things are crystal clear."
"First, these guys went through hell to get here, all to seal that thing called the [Stellaron Core]."
"Second, remember what I said? If anything happened to you, I'd come save you."
"So… got it? Even if that woman brainwashed you and you forgot our promise completely, I'd knock you out and drag you back!"
Cocolia fell silent, sizing up the group. "Enough? I've given you plenty of time… to say your goodbyes."
"So it's come to this. I thought the blizzard would bury you…"
When Cocolia's gaze landed on Freesna, she hesitated, and the Stellaron Core nearby flared with intense energy.
[Elf… Everwinter Ridge… Stop her!]
Without hesitation, Cocolia summoned an ice spear and lunged at Freesna.
Boom!
The moment she touched Freesna, a black shield enveloped her, and Cocolia, caught off guard, was sent flying by the immense force.
"Ugh~ Why resort to violence? If we fight… it'll be a bloodbath. No one's happy then…" Adrian stood behind Freesna, sighing helplessly.
"…Just kidding." His lips curved into a smile, his hidden [Elation] trait activated.
"Everyone saw—she struck first. Too bad there's no arbiter of [Equilibrium] here."
"But we of [Eternity] are always just, never favoring anyone, so…"
He patted Freesna's shoulder. "Go, take them down."