Please support me on Patreon, where you can read a bunch of extra chapters, not just for this novel, but for all the novels I'm working on. I upload at least 2 times daily for each novel.
Patreon.com/ThatGreatStuff
******
What should he choose now? Looking at the reward for capturing Phantylia, Bochang fell into indecision.
Following the Stellaron Hunter's script would naturally be the safest option.
However...
Bochang's mind was consumed by the prospect of capturing Phantylia. Yet, other concerns lingered, preventing him from making a firm decision.
"If I choose to fake death, Stelle will undoubtedly be heartbroken, and she might not awaken her fate path."
After pondering for a long time, as the countdown for "Dating Options" began, Bochang ultimately chose the second option.
"I guess it's better to let Stelle endure some hardship."
"After all, the temptation of capturing Phantylia is simply too great."
Taking a deep breath, Bochang gazed at the meteor emitting golden light in the sky. With a distant look in his eyes, he murmured, "I remember that day, running under the setting sun—it symbolizes my lost youth."
He tilted his head slightly, activating the Feign Death skill.
Bochang's vital signs rapidly disappeared.
His heartbeat ceased, and his breathing stopped altogether.
The gray-haired girl and Phantylia both sensed it clearly.
"How could this be?"
"No... Don't... open your eyes yet... Bochang, don't fall asleep... don't die..."
Stelle's tears fell like scattered pearls, dripping onto the black-haired youth's body.
Bochang showed no response.
After checking multiple times, there was only one conclusion—Bochang had died.
Her tears gradually ceased.
Stelle's expression turned blank, frozen as if petrified. Phantylia remained motionless as well.
Neither of them anticipated that Bochang would simply perish like this, his sacrifice so understated, akin to a single leaf silently falling from a tree.
Leaving barely any impact on the world.
"A commendable opponent," thought Phantylia, with a hint of pity in her eyes.
Bochang indeed fought to the death, succumbing immediately after their battle concluded.
Phantylia had encountered such adversaries before, but...
Never had anyone, bound by mortal limitations, managed to inflict such damage upon Phantylia, a being of absolute destruction.
As a mere mortal, Bochang was the first to inflict such grievous wounds on Phantylia, a Lord Ravager.
Sensing the fading life force of his opponent, Phantylia couldn't help but feel a sense of melancholy.
Silver Wolf was equally stunned. She abruptly stood up from her ergonomic chair and exclaimed, "Huh? Dead? How is that possible?"
"Could this be one of Elio's traps..." A daring thought flashed through Silver Wolf's mind.
Using Phantylia to eliminate Bochang...
"No... I must confront Elio about this. How could he do such a thing!" Just as she was about to leave...
She glanced back at the screen, witnessing the distraught Stelle.
"I can't go yet. Phantylia is weakened now; if Stelle gathers herself and with just a bit of my assistance..." Resigned, Silver Wolf sat down again, muttering, "Besides... besides, why should Bochang's death affect me?"
"So frustrating..." The Silver Wolf's inner turmoil persisted.
Stelle clung tightly to Bochang, remaining silent for a long moment before finally letting go.
The gray-haired girl stood up, her voice stern as she declared, "Phantylia... I will kill you to avenge Bochang."
"Chuckle... With your limited skills, dear benefactor, I doubt you stand a chance against me... Why not obediently accept your fate? Let me send both of you on your way together, destined to be ill-fated lovers forevermore."
Phantylia completely disregarded Stelle's threat.
Had it not been for her severe injuries and the need to remain vigilant against hidden enemies, Phantylia would undoubtedly have taunted Stelle while attacking, pushing her to the brink of mental collapse.
This cruelty served to satisfy Phantylia's pursuit of destructive aesthetics.
"If my power were stronger, I could have protected Bochang. If only I were stronger, I could kill Phantylia and avenge her."
A fierce flame blazed within Stelle's heart.
Crying or lamenting over Bochang's death was not what Stelle should do; she knew exactly what action to take.
"Phantylia!"
With baseball bat in hand, Stelle charged forward fiercely.
As the gray-haired girl leaped towards her, Phantylia's lips curved slightly, saying, "Just another insignificant pest."
She gently waved the small palm-leaf fan in her hand.
A burst of azure hurricane swept across, sending Stelle flying dozens of meters before barely managing to halt.
"My dear benefactor, you don't even qualify to approach me," Phantylia cooed softly with amusement.
Stelle's body trembled slightly.
Phantylia continued, "Bochang's body isn't bad; it might make for an excellent Voidranger, or perhaps I'll use it myself... Who knows, I could infiltrate the Astral Express and surprise The Nameless."
"I won't let you succeed."
Summoning strength from her weary body, Stelle launched herself at Phantylia once more.
Phantylia repeatedly repelled her, while Stelle persistently charged back each time.
After repeating this several times...
Phantylia covered her cherry-red lips with a small palm-leaf fan, narrowing her bewitching eyes. She decided it was best not to continue playing along; swiftly ending the battle seemed preferable.
Besides, Phantylia had rested sufficiently by now.
It was crucial to conserve energy for confronting the mastermind behind the scenes.
"Then... time to die, benefactor."
Phantylia once again waved her palm-leaf fan.
Electric sparks flashed as a purple thunder dragon emerged from the fan, rapidly growing larger against the wind until it became a colossal creature over a hundred meters long within moments.
Stelle's golden eyes remained unflinching, devoid of any emotional disturbance.
"I'm...far too weak. Is this where I perish? Dying alongside Bochang might not be so bad..."
The thunder dragon descended.
Facing such an attack, Stelle had no hope of evading. With all her might, she swung the metal baseball bat.
Drawing upon the power of her fate path, she sought to create a miracle.
Unfortunately...
No miracle occurred.
Bathed in lightning, pain surged through Stelle's mind.
In that instant, her thoughts shifted.
Yet, Stelle's thoughts shifted.
"I refuse... I can't die like this. I haven't taken my revenge yet; I still need to protect Bochang's body and everyone else... I cannot die!"
"..."
Her eyes rolled back, and she lost consciousness.
Stelle's unwavering determination caught the attention of two Aeon gods.
A mysterious force began pulling her towards an unknown destination.
When Stelle opened her eyes again, she found herself standing on a swirling galaxy.
There was no one around.
Only a knight's lance, resembling a large sword, was embedded in the ground nearby.
"This isn't the weapon Cocolia used before..." Despite its different color, Stelle was certain it was the same armament the Great Guardian had employed to awaken the Creation Engine.
However...
The Creation Engine never got a chance to function as Bochang destroyed it with a single blast.
An impulse surged within Stelle:
Pick it up... Pull it out, pull it out...
She took several steps forward.
Grasping the lance, a burst of flames suddenly erupted.
Shaken, the gray-haired girl released her grip and stumbled back two steps.
Then, as if recalling something, Stelle took a deep breath, her gaze steadying. With both hands, she grasped the knight's spear, or rather, the flame spear.
Undeterred by the resurging flames, she exerted all her strength to pull out the flame spear.
"Umm... Ahh... Aaaaaah!"
The ground concealing the flame spear shattered like glass under Stelle's forceful tug.
With a roar, she wrenched it free.
In that instant...
Stelle glimpsed the two Aeons:
Preservation—Qlipoth.
The Hunt—Lan.
They stood on either side, silently observing her.
As her eyes opened again, the gray-haired girl found herself back in the dark distorted space, kneeling with the flame spear in hand.