Crimson Hiyakura heard these words, her brow furrowed slightly, a hint of hesitation flashing in her eyes.
She bit her lower lip, her voice laced with uncertainty, "Will it really not harm anyone? I... I'm afraid I'll lose control again."
White-haired Hiyakura smiled gently and reached out to caress Crimson Hiyakura's cheek.
Her voice was like a spring breeze, soft and persuasive:
"Of course not, little fairy."
"Power itself is never the culprit of disaster. Just like fire, it can burn down forests or warm hearts. The key lies in how it is used."
"Even the power to destroy the world, if used rationally, can become the hope to save it."
Her words were like a ray of sunshine, dispelling the haze in Crimson Hiyakura's heart.
However, Crimson Hiyakura was still deeply conflicted.
She lowered her head and looked at her hands, as if they were stained with the blood of the innocent.
Memories of past loss of control were like nightmares, making her afraid to trust herself easily.
But the presence before her, who called herself "another her," gave her an inexplicable sense of closeness.
The familiar face that looked just like hers, the gentle tone, all made Crimson Hiyakura feel a sense of ease.
Moreover, there seemed to be no other choice now. Laurel was still in danger, and she couldn't just stand by.
After a moment of thought, Crimson Hiyakura looked up, her eyes shining with resolve.
"I... what should I do?"
White-haired Hiyakura's face bloomed with a relieved smile. She gently took Crimson Hiyakura's hand, her voice still soft:
"I can help you unleash the power of the 'Fairy Seed' within you. All you need to do is use your will to firmly control this power that already belongs to you. Believe in yourself, Hiyakura, you are much stronger than you think."
However, Crimson Hiyakura suddenly became alert.
She narrowed her eyes slightly, her tone carrying a hint of suspicion.
"Wait, what's the price? It can't be without a price, can it?"
She was no longer the Crimson Hiyakura who knew nothing about the world when she first woke up.
Now she understood that there was no such thing as a free lunch.
This kind of thing couldn't possibly come without a price.
It was like making a deal with a demon; you always had to pay something to get the power you desired.
Even if the other party wasn't a demon.
Hearing this question, White-haired Hiyakura's smile slightly receded.
She sighed softly, then spoke:
"The price? Little fairy is very smart, I guess I can't hide it from you…"
She paused for a moment and continued, "Actually, the price is very simple. You are the Crimson Flame Fairy, and your power originates from the Crimson Seed within your body."
"If you want to control this Hiyakura power, you naturally need crimson blood to nourish it."
"And the kinder, hotter, and more vibrant true blood, the more precious the nourishment. It will not only allow you to control this power but also enable the Crimson Seed within you to bloom into a sufficiently vibrant fairy flower."
White-haired Hiyakura's voice became softer, with a hint of seduction:
"At that time, you will truly become a fairy, a fairy who can control her own power and fight for the goodness of humanity! Do what you want to do."
After listening, Crimson Hiyakura thought for a moment and quickly understood.
She looked directly into White-haired Hiyakura's eyes, her voice trembling slightly:
"In other words, it's like a deal with a devil? I have to use my own blood to exchange for this power?"
Undoubtedly.
Crimson Hiyakura misunderstood.
But no one pointed it out at this time.
White-haired Hiyakura nodded slightly and replied softly, "You can think of it that way. But please remember, this is not a transaction, but an awakening. You already possess this power, and it only needs a price to awaken it."
Crimson Hiyakura took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and thought for a moment.
When she opened her eyes again, they were filled with determination.
She said firmly, "Okay, let's begin. At this point, there's no other way."
If that was truly her power, she could use it for better things.
If what the "other self" said was true, then she was willing to try!
For her companions, to prevent more disasters, she was willing to pay this price.
Seeing Crimson Hiyakura's determination, White-haired Hiyakura's lips curved into a slight smile.
She said to the system sprite Xiao Xiao in her heart, "Xiao Xiao, begin. Use my remaining popularity points to release that power and make her a fairy."
In fact, Tao Yao had other ways to stimulate the Fairy Seed within Crimson Hiyakura.
There was no need to use the system at this time.
But those methods were the ones that appeared in the original story, and they were too painful for Crimson Hiyakura.
Because of this.
She chose this gentler method.
Even if it meant exhausting all her popularity points, she was willing to do so.
[Understood, Master.]
Suddenly, Crimson Hiyakura felt an unusual heat in her chest.
That feeling was like a ball of fire burning within her, starting from her heart and gradually spreading throughout her body.
She cupped her hands to her chest.
A look of confusion appeared on her face.
Immediately after, the surrounding air began to become hot.
Crimson Hiyakura was surprised to find that the temperature inside the tent was rising rapidly.
Faint heat waves began to appear in the previously calm air, distorting her vision.
Gradually, a faint wisp of smoke began to rise from a corner of the tent.
The smoke was initially very subtle but quickly became dense.
Then, a small cluster of flames suddenly shot out, rapidly spreading across the tent fabric.
At the same time, the guards of Moon-Inviting City, who were on night patrol, noticed something unusual.
A young guard saw the light from inside the tent and said to his companion with some confusion, "Strange, haven't they slept yet at this hour?"
His companion observed carefully and suddenly realized that something was wrong.
"Wait, that's not ordinary light… it looks like… fire?"
The moment they realized, the tent in front of them was suddenly engulfed by fierce flames.
The flames, like greedy demons, instantly enveloped the entire tent.
"Not good! It's on fire!"
The guard exclaimed loudly and quickly blew his alarm.
The flames spread at an astonishing speed, quickly reaching the surrounding tents.
The previously quiet military camp was instantly thrown into chaos.
Soldiers were awakened from their sleep and rushed out of their tents.
"Quick! Go get water!"
"Firefighting! Everyone come and help put out the fire!"
"Be careful! Don't get burned!"
Shouts, footsteps, and the crackling of burning flames mingled together, creating a noisy clamor.
Soldiers formed human chains, passing buckets of water to the burning area.
However, the fire seemed to be out of control, burning more and more intensely.
Jasmine and Violet were also awakened by the sudden commotion.
They rushed out of the tent in a hurry and were immediately shocked by the sight before them.
"Oh my gosh! What's happening?" Jasmine exclaimed.
"Hiyakura! Where is Hiyakura?" Violet anxiously looked around, searching for their companion.
However, amidst the chaos, they suddenly saw a surprising sight.
In the raging inferno, a white-haired figure slowly emerged.
The figure looked exactly like Hiyakura, but her hair was pure white.
Jasmine and Violet's eyes widened, unable to believe what they were seeing.
The white-haired "Hiyakura" stood in the center of the flames, as if the flames could not harm her at all.
"Is that… Hiyakura?" Violet murmured to herself.
"No… it doesn't feel like Hiyakura…"
Jasmine shook her head, then said in a slightly hesitant tone, "She gives me the feeling of a legendary fairy…"