124. I'm Giving You a Bad Review / 125. Listen Up-This Is What Art Looks Like...

Robin looked at Caelus and said that her singing did not have the power to wake people up. If anything, because she sang too well, it might improve their sleep quality.

"Duty calls. Leave it to me."

Caelus had already made up his mind to stand against Uncle. Being able to help Robin made him happier than anything, so he naturally stepped forward and pressed close to her.

"It sounds like a very thorough plan, but it is still somewhat... romantic idealism."

Black Swan was responsible for pouring cold water on them. Even if countless Pathstriders came, they would only possibly shake Sunday's dream. She needed to point out the other side of the plan.

"That is indeed true, Miss Black Swan. The Choir of Harmony's power is no different from an Envoy's, so it will ultimately require an equal power to fight it. The final step in overturning this beautiful dream... will be completed by me."

Acheron looked at Black Swan as she spoke. After all the twists and turns, they still could not avoid the choice of breaking all laws with sheer force. Soldiers fought soldiers, generals fought generals. As long as Acheron subdued the Choir of Harmony, everything would be all right.

"Just hearing you say that is reassuring."

Black Swan's expression relaxed. She liked seeing Acheron look confident, and Caelus naturally liked it too. He had long since become the number one fan of the Acheron Club. This thigh he had clung to all the way had never disappointed him.

"Since the plan has been settled, let's each do our part."

Robin spoke as she prepared to return to the beautiful dream and face her brother. Before leaving, however, she gave Caelus a gentle look. Countless unspoken words were contained in that gaze. If they succeeded, Robin would certainly no longer avoid her feelings. Adversity revealed true feelings, and Caelus's unwavering devotion had already been imprinted in her heart.

"Acheron, what exactly are you planning to do?"

Caelus asked Acheron. Although they had made many plans before, the key still lay in the clash of Envoy-level power. Only she could accomplish it.

"To make the people in the dream wake up, external force alone will not be enough. More importantly, they must save themselves."

"You know, humanity's instinct is survival. Once their lives are threatened, no matter how beautiful the dream may be, they will instinctively awaken."

"So what I need to do is make everyone feel the threat of death. Like someone sinking into the deep sea, with both body and mind bearing immense pressure, they will naturally struggle upward without regard for anything else."

Acheron spoke calmly, seemingly unaware of just how dangerous her words were. And she actually possessed the power to split Penacony in half with a single slash. If Sunday found out, he would probably black out on the spot. After all, if everyone in the paradise was gone, he could not remain a commander without an army.

"As expected of you. That fits my stereotype of a Self-Annihilator perfectly."

Black Swan smiled. Just as she had expected, the key to breaking the deadlock was indeed Acheron. Everyone else was necessary as well, but without Acheron, it would still be difficult to achieve their goal.

"To put it simply, you're going to hold down the heads of all these sleepyheads and shove them into a pool of water. That's incredible, Acheron."

Caelus stroked his chin. Acheron's move of flipping the table and refusing to play anymore was truly impressive. Sunday had calculated so much, yet he had never expected Tirnan to appoint an Envoy of The Void as the executor of his will.

Caelus truly wanted to sing at that moment. This was the bond of Trailblaze. The Trailblazing predecessors of the past had blazed their path all the way to the end of their lives, yet they were still helping them now.

"Are you ready? If you are, I will send you back to the Great One's Dream."

Acheron spoke to Caelus. This was the space between dreams. Since they had already awakened from the Great One's Dream, getting back in would require some methods. Fortunately, she knew a few.

"Where's Firefly? Why haven't we seen her?"

Caelus asked in confusion. He felt that Firefly should have awakened already. Even if she could not wake up on her own, Black Swan's companions should have helped her. There was more than one Memokeeper here.

"That girl is still fighting Sunday right now. You need to hurry," Acheron said.

"Wait, she never entered the Great One's Dream?"

Caelus felt terrible all over. Acheron was only telling him something this important now. If he had known earlier, he would have gone to help Firefly immediately.

"Yes. I was not there at the time, but Firefly once said that she did not have the capacity to dream. To her, Penacony was merely a more convenient reality. The Great One's Dream might have affected her, but she probably woke up on the spot."

Acheron nodded. Firefly's will was not something ordinary people could compare to. She was a Glamoth veteran who had fought her way out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood. Dan Heng had previously wanted battle-hardened Xianzhou soldiers to break the deadlock, and Firefly was naturally that kind of person as well.

"As expected of Firefly. She's like a war god."

Caelus sighed as well. He had heard there was no true death in the dream, so for the moment, he could rest a little easier.

"Acheron, I'm ready. Let's act according to your plan."

Caelus spoke to Acheron. She nodded, and the surroundings were swiftly swallowed by black and white. Only the vivid red markings and flowers on Acheron's body became the sole colors in the world.

"During the long night ahead, you may suffer many setbacks and witness countless tragedies. But by your side, I will always accompany you."

Acheron drew the katana from its sheath. As she slashed out, a streak of light appeared in the black-and-white world.

On the other side of the light was the Great One's Dream maintained by Sunday. At that moment, all the black water Acheron had cut forth poured into the Great One's Dream. Those enjoying themselves in Penacony's beautiful dream watched in shock as a ridiculous crack opened in the sky and floodwaters poured in.

Caelus stared wide-eyed at the scene. He had thought Acheron's earlier talk of drowning in the deep sea was a joke, but she had truly summoned a flood to submerge Penacony's beautiful dream. This was the power of an Envoy of The Void—terrifying beyond belief.

"I'll wait for you to return to the waking world."

Acheron gave Caelus a faint smile and reached out to grasp his arm. Caelus grabbed her arm as well. The two exchanged a glance, and the reflection of a passage appeared in Caelus's pupils. When he came back to his senses, he was already standing on the stage of the grand theater, facing Sunday in the form of the Choir of Harmony.

March 7th, Himeko, Welt, and Dan Heng stood around Caelus. They had all awakened and were facing Sunday alongside him. Before anything else, however, Caelus rushed straight toward Sam.

Sam was kneeling on one knee, the flames burning over her body not yet extinguished. No one knew how long she had fought Sunday. Firefly was facing an Envoy, after all. Fortunately, there was no death in the Great One's Dream, allowing her to keep fighting. She had endured like this almost the entire time, waiting for everyone to arrive.

"Caelus, I knew you would definitely wake up on your own."

Firefly's voice came from within the armor. The reason she had held on until now was because she knew Caelus would come. He would never lose himself in Sunday's dream.

"Don't talk. Rest properly. Leave the rest to me."

Caelus immediately activated the Harmony power he had stored up for so long and poured all of it into Firefly's body. With Harmony's support, she instantly felt much better.

"So you have awakened from the dream of Order."

Sunday looked down at the Astral Express crew. Their awakening had not surprised him. Those with the will of Trailblaze were the hardest to defeat. Though he was confident in Order's power, they were likewise protected by an Aeon.

"The beautiful dream you wove isn't beautiful at all! I can only give it a one-star review!"

Caelus raised a hand and pointed at Sunday. When it came to getting under someone's skin, Caelus was the man for the job. He could have said anything at that moment, even cursed him a few times, but telling a dreamweaver that his craftsmanship was terrible and that he deserved a bad review truly enraged Sunday.

"What's so bad about the Great One's Dream?! Reality is too cruel. Sometimes it makes people unhappy, and sometimes it gives them no time to offer help, just like it did to me, just like all those times I failed to make it in time!"

Sunday's voice was deafening. Ever since his sister had grown up, nothing around him had gone right. He told her not to go to dangerous places, but she insisted. Sunday could not teleport, nor could he turn invisible and follow his sister everywhere. If Robin got into an accident, how could he possibly make it in time? Even when his sister had been shot through the neck, he only learned about it afterward. If something like that happened again one day, how could he ensure fate would give him another chance instead of simply taking Robin's life away?

Since he could not make it in time, then he simply would not go. Let Robin remain forever immersed in the dream and do her good deeds there. That would be perfect.

"Why do I feel like I'm going to turn into a Hollow if I keep listening?"

March 7th had originally glared at Sunday furiously, but after hearing his emotional words, she could not help scratching her pink hair. Her expression was conflicted.

"Looks like nothing we say will get through to you. Then let me tell you this: the only reason I can wake up is that my wives are waiting for me at home. I absolutely can't let them sleep alone and sigh at my picture."

Caelus tried to compete with Sunday in volume, but failed. The little Choir of Harmony sprites around Sunday were incredibly annoying, amplifying his voice.

"You bastard! You have wives and still dare lay a hand on my sister?!"

Sunday's emotions clearly became even more furious. Caelus realized he had let something slip, so he could only offer Uncle a polite smile.

"Why does he feel even more intimidating now? Caelus, stop giving the enemy rage points."

March 7th desperately tried to make snarky remarks from the side. A perfectly good second-phase boss had been twisted beyond recognition by Caelus again. Even the atmosphere of the final battle had been ruined.

"Wo~ oh~"

Just as Sunday was preparing to kill Caelus in revenge for his sister, singing suddenly rang out beside them. The song settled over the Astral Express crew, and Harmony power directly increased their combat strength by nearly half. Moreover, because Caelus also possessed the Harmony attribute, his Harmony resonated with Robin's, triggering even greater power.

"Robin's singing... So she has awakened from the dream too."

Sunday would never forget his sister's voice. He knew that she had now become his enemy, and he could not help sighing inwardly.

"Brother, give up. This is too cruel for you and for everyone."

Robin's voice descended from the sky. She was using her singing to awaken everyone. Those who had nearly been swept away by the flood all looked toward the angel singing above them. Two pure white wings appeared behind Robin, and she pushed Harmony's power to its limit, allowing everyone to see the light of hope.

"This is our final negotiation. If your paradise can save more people, then personally cut off my path forward."

Sunday remained as stubborn as ever. As he spoke, he began transforming from the form of a giant. He turned around and presented his back to the crowd. Caelus discovered that another enormous face grew from Sunday's back. The pale face had its eyes shut tight, as though waiting for something.

"Caelus, come here."

Robin's voice came from above. A brilliant staircase formed by Harmony power descended from the sky, extending all the way to Caelus's feet.

Caelus immediately stepped onto the staircase. It automatically retracted, carrying him to Robin's side. Only then did he see clearly that Robin had constructed a stage in the sky. She stood on one platform, and she had prepared another identical stage beneath Caelus's feet.

"My singing still isn't enough to awaken everyone, but I think we're close. Now all we lack is your will of Trailblaze."

Robin spoke to Caelus. All the conditions were now in place. They only needed this final push to make everyone desperately want to wake from the dream.

"You say that, but how am I supposed to get my will across?"

"Why not try singing? I'll accompany you."

Robin did not know exactly what to do either, but with both their Harmony powers present, they should be capable of many things. Caelus was a man watched over by Xipe, after all. His power was far from ordinary.

"Okay."

Caelus lowered his head in thought. He could sing, but the question was, what song should he sing? This was not some interstellar singing competition, so there was no need to sing something pleasant. He needed a song that would make people want to wake up the moment they heard it. Caelus quickly got an idea. It was an old song that his aunt had saved in her favorites.

"Baby, your brother keeps saying I'm old-fashioned! So I went to Master Wang at the village entrance to get my hair permed, and then he won't break us up anymore, my lady!"

Caelus immediately belted out with his broken-gong voice, nearly shouting his song across all of Penacony.

"My god, how can there be a song this terrible in the world?"

March 7th's bow trembled in her hand, and she nearly shot an arrow into Dan Heng's hair. Covering both ears, she stared at the sky with a shocked expression. Not only was the song awful, but the lyrics were so tacky that her fur nearly stood on end.

"Urgh... Ah!"

Sunday stretched out his long arm and covered his ears as well. It even affected the boss this badly, let alone ordinary people.

"Killermatte, killermatte, wash-cut-blow, wash-cut-blow-blow-blow! Killermatte, killermatte, wash-cut-blow, wash-cut-blow-blow-blow!"

Caelus continued singing with total abandon, determined to send his voice to everyone. Robin stared at him in utter disbelief. If Xipe heard this voice, would the Aeon slap Their past self and ask why They had looked at random things?

"Baby~ your brother keeps saying I'm useless, so I went to learn wash-cut-blow from Master Wang~ Then he won't break us up anymore~ my baby!"

As Caelus sang the emotional part, he reached his right hand toward Robin. Robin naturally knew that the baby he was singing about was her. Her face was filled with helplessness, yet he still made her laugh. She extended her left hand and let their index fingers touch, making the song spread even more fiercely as "killermatte" and "wash-cut-blow" looped without end.

The listeners wished they could throw their Synesthesia Beacons into the toilet and flush them away. The maddening song echoed through their minds nonstop. Even if they wanted to puncture their eardrums, they could not. Who could possibly stay in the mood to dream? They only wanted to escape this terrifying dream as quickly as possible.

"The dream of Order is shattering because of all beings' desperate desire to awaken..."

Sunday's voice sounded as though he had swallowed a fly. He could accept his defeat, but he could not accept that he had lost because of a song so horrible that it seemed to assault the ears. It made him feel like a complete joke. Why? Why had he lost to someone so absurd?

"Caelus, stop singing. They've all awakened."

Robin called a halt to Caelus's heartfelt performance. Caelus still felt somewhat unsatisfied. They had woken up just like that? He had not sung enough yet.

As countless souls awakened, the night over Penacony began to show the colors of dawn. The beautiful dream that had been called eternally nightless finally welcomed daylight.

The people had awakened, but Sunday had not fallen yet. What came next was simple: defeat Sunday and restore the dream world to how it had originally been.

Caelus nodded at Robin, then leaped down from the stage in the sky and returned before Sunday.

Sunday had now staked everything on one final gamble. He would not simply admit defeat. He used the Choir of Harmony's final trump card. As long as he defeated the Astral Express crew, he would still have the strength to maintain the Great One's Dream.

"On the first day, grant reality."

"On the second day, grant a calendar."

"On the third day, grant language."

"On the fourth day, grant value."

"On the fifth day, grant rules."

"On the sixth day, grant meaning."

"On the seventh day, grant dignity."

"Bear witness: the Beginning was made manifest!"

Sunday began his chant. Once he had recited all seven days, golden tears flowed from the shut eyes of the giant he had become, and his slender arms rose into the air.

"O Great One! Return at the summons!"

As Sunday called out the name of the Aeon of Order, a crack opened in the sky and a massive white hand stretched out. That hand belonged to the Great One, but its thumb was purple, representing Xipe of Harmony. This also proved that Order truly contained Harmony's power now.

When the two enormous hands touched, the Beginning was successfully activated. Everyone saw what seemed to be four golden eyes appear before them, and waves of golden shockwaves rushed their way. If they were struck by an Envoy's attack, they would naturally face annihilation.

At that moment, a strangely colored green shield enveloped everyone. March 7th's shields were blue, so this had not been her doing. That color reminded Caelus of a flamboyantly dressed man. His signature color was Aventurine green, close to Jade's own color.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Seven shockwaves struck the green shield in succession. When the final shockwave vanished, the shield shattered in response. Only an Envoy's defense could block an Envoy's attack. In Penacony before this, there had happened to be someone who had received a temporary Envoy of Preservation experience card. He had shattered and used his cornerstone, and the remaining fragments had now been put to good use.

Sunday fell silent. He had not expected to be facing not one Envoy this time, but two. One of them was even just a temporary experience card, yet he could still interfere with Sunday's final attack. Fate truly loved to toy with people.