The Title Left and Came Back Again

"Hot! Hot! Hot!"

On the burnt-out earth, Kiana carried the doll Bella and walked with difficulty. Even though she had the power of the Herrscher of Void, which could teleport her to the finish line in an instant, she had to abide by the rules of the competition and move forward step by step.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, there's a special power here that has turned me into this frail and helpless state, and I can't even return to my original form. Please leave me behind, that would lighten your burden. Look, you're so tired you're crying, please leave me behind." The doll Bella stretched out her short little hands to wipe the sweat and tears from her face, her heart full of heartache.

Kiana ignored Bella's request and insisted on carrying her forward. "No, Bella, it's your horn that hurt me."

Bella: "..."

Why do I need horns when I already have ears?!

Mei walked beside her, also drenched in sweat. Kurikara was a creation spawned by her ultimate skill; she could summon another one once they left the volcano. (This is the setting of the World Bubble here.)

The worst off was Theresa. The petite, white-haired old woman—cough, white-haired—was carrying a huge cross on her back, panting heavily as she walked on the scorching ground. "Grandpa, didn't you say that flying vehicles weren't prohibited throughout the entire racing competition? Why are they being banned after only two tracks? Waaah, my Teriri energy is running low, I really want ice cream!"

Looking at Mei and Theresa, who were almost dehydrated, Kiana made a tough decision. "It seems it's time to use the secret weapon my dad gave me before we left. He said that as long as I use it, any problem can be solved instantly."

The two approached Kiana with hope, watching as she took out a carefully wrapped box. Kiana swallowed hard and opened the box with trembling hands. A dazzling red light shot into the sky, blinding the three people and the Armed Doll.

As the soaring red light dissipated, the group looked closely and saw a pair of exquisitely crafted pistols quietly placed in the box. Just by looking at them, they could feel the immense power they contained, as if the surrounding air had been baked by them—although they were already cooked.

"This is the Heavenly Fire Judgment? The weapon passed down through generations of the Kaslana Family patriarchs, Sigfried actually gave it to you..." Theresa's eyes widened in disbelief.

"But..." Mei.

Kiana paused for a second, then threw the box away in a fit of anger. "What's the use? You old bastard, don't you think your daughter hasn't suffered enough?"

What they need now is something to cool them down and quench their thirst. What good is the Heavenly Fire Judgment?

"Oh, if only there were an ice cream shop here," Kiana said with a long face as she picked up the Heavenly Fire Judgment.

"My dear niece, how could there possibly be an ice cream shop here? Nobody would open a shop here, would they?"

—The dividing line where it burns out—

"That was so sudden—" Judah suddenly lost his momentum, only to feel his feet slip and then fall.

The whistling hot wind rushed past her ears. As she watched the ground getting closer and closer, what she imagined was not the gruesome scene of being smashed into a meat patty, but rather the image of herself being fried into a deep-fried Hiyokomaru by the scalding ground.

Sizzle~

The intense heat at the ground distorted the air, and every now and then a jet of scalding lava would erupt, making it seem as if Xing could see himself being roasted alive.

Since that's the case, then I'm going to use my ultimate move!

Fortunately, he managed to stabilize himself in mid-air. His hands moved swiftly, forming multiple hand seals, purple lightning crackling between his fingers. "Ninja Art Secret Technique—"

Fortunately, he struck the void with his palm. "Spirit Summoning Technique!"

Roar!

Amidst a dazzling light, the gigantic fox Hiyokomaru, made a spectacular entrance, carrying Sachi on its back and landing steadily on the scorching ground.

"Ouch! It's so hot here, big brother! I want to go back to the Stigmata Space so big sister can fan me!" Hiyokomaru cried out in pain from the heat. The giant fox disappeared in a flash of red light, shrinking into a petite girl. The Hiyokomaru was afraid of the high temperature of the ground and clung tightly to Sachi like an octopus.

PS: For the usual size of Hiyokomaru, please refer to the artwork of the Stigmata Hiyokomaru, but it can also be made into a chibi size in the open world.

Sachi comforted the trembling Hiyokomaru, somewhat helplessly saying, "Alright, alright, if you're hot, I'll take you back. I won't force you to carry me across this volcano. By the way, aren't you a fire element fox? Why are you afraid of getting hot? Get down, it's hot for you to be clinging to me like this."

"Ah, oh, sorry, big brother." Hiyokomaru obediently let go of his hand, her small feet in wooden clogs stomping on the ground, still stomping her feet in response to the heat.

"It's so hot..." Hiyokomaru used her hand as a fan to cool herself down, sticking out her tongue from the heat.

"Huh? Weren't you clamoring to go back?" Xing was a little puzzled. He grabbed one of Hiyokomaru's tails. "This track is very unfriendly to furry creatures like us. Let's hurry back to the Stigmata Space."

Hiyokomaru wiped the sweat from her brow and smiled cheerfully at Yuki: "No, no need. It's a rare opportunity to travel with my older brother, so I want to get out more. I'm usually cooped up in the Stigmata Space, only able to get some fresh air in my older brother's dorm or in secluded spots at the St. Freya Academy. It's just this temperature, but I'm..." Hiyokomaru paused, the gaps and discontinuities in her memory seemingly opening up for a moment, and a profound sorrow washed over her.

"What's wrong? Are you alright?" Sachi noticed Hiyokomaru's unusual behavior and asked worriedly.

"No, it's nothing. Um, big brother, I won't hold you back, will I? If so, I'll go back right away!" Hiyokomaru remembered that Sachi was still in the competition and wanted to go back dejectedly, his two fox ears drooping down.

"No, how could my adorable Hiyokomaru hold me back?" Sachi smiled and patted her little head, then turned around and squatted down. "Come on, get on my back. It'll be a little hot from here, just bear with it. I'll get out of here as quickly as possible."

"Yay!" Hiyokomaru jumped up happily, just like she used to do with...

?

For some reason, Hiyokomaru felt a strong sense of déjà vu, but she didn't know where it came from.

"Clock up!" Sachi held the rabbit bottle and the ninja bottle in his hands, slapped the purple magatama on his left hand, and a jolt of electricity flashed in his eyes.

With a sudden burst of power from his feet, his enhanced jumping ability propelled him far into the air. He maintained this momentum, transforming into a streak of purple light as he sped across the burnt-out earth.

Inside the Stigmata Space, Yae Sakura looked at the pink-clad girl clinging to Sachi's back, her smile innocent and carefree, and sighed helplessly, "Never mind..."

—The dividing line where it burns out—

Kiana and the other two looked up and silently gazed at the ice cream shop standing in the volcanic region. "Wow, people actually open ice cream shops in places like this!"

Theresa and Kiana looked at the sign with the cat paw pattern with excitement in their eyes. Great! They were almost dying of dehydration. This was like a godsend, a lifesaver!

A cat-eared girl dressed in revealing clothing pushed open the glass shop door, and a refreshing breeze rushed towards the three women's faces. They closed their eyes contentedly, feeling so comfortable.

For Pardo, a scorching heatwave hit her face, which was unbearable for someone who was naturally afraid of heat, but she could endure this hardship for the sake of business.

"Welcome, welcome, three guests. Your clothes are all soaked with sweat. Would you like to come in and enjoy the air conditioning while you're at it, and maybe buy some cold drinks?" Pardo put on the typical merchant's smile, rubbing her hands together mischievously as she pulled them inside.

The three, who had endured the extreme heat of the volcanic region for so long, had no doubts. Even if the shop was a rip-off, they would still go in because it had air conditioning.

There's a saying that goes, "I'm not afraid of eternal darkness, but I'm afraid of a ray of dawn within the darkness."

And so, Kiana and her group found themselves sitting at the service table of Pardo's ice cream shop, where Pardo diligently brought them a price list. Meanwhile, the Canned Food, acting as a lucky cat, lazily lay on the counter taking a nap.

"What would you like to eat, gentlemen?"

"Hehe, of course bring out whatever's good to eat, and four of your most expensive ice creams!" Kiana, who was going crazy from the heat, didn't even glance at the menu and just waved her hand to place her order.

"Hehe, okay~" Pardo laughed happily and ran off to the kitchen to get busy.

Mei a little uneasy. "Is this okay, Kiana? Shops in places like this usually have much higher prices than usual."

"Oh, Mei, we're young ladies, do you really care about this little bit of money?" Kiana didn't care at all. Both of them came from prestigious families, so what was money?

"That's right, at worst I'll ask Grandpa to reimburse me." This came from the short, white-haired man who was never short of money.

"Haha, the ice cream is here~" The incredibly efficient Pardo quickly brought out four plates, piled high with lovely white cream and studded with various delicious fruits, looking absolutely appetizing. The thoughtful Pardo also brought out four extra glasses of refreshing juice and other desserts.

"I'm starting! ×4" The four of them devoured all the food on the table in no time, like a whirlwind.

"Wow, you have a good appetite, would you like another serving?" Pardo asked with a beaming smile.

"Okay, cough, never mind, we still have to go to the race. Boss, check please!" The gluttonous Kiana wanted to order another dish, but remembering that she was still in the racing competition, she suppressed her craving.

"Alright, guests, please see the bill!" Pardo's eyes instantly transformed into dollar signs. She tapped a few times on her tablet, displaying the bill. The three people plus the Armed Doll stared intently—

"This is way too expensive! ×4"

Kiana slammed her hand on the table angrily and shouted, "Hey, the prices at this store are way too high! Why don't you just rob us?"

Pardo wore a sly smile. "Because I'm weak, that's why I'm doing business here. Friendly reminder, we have surveillance cameras here. If you dare to renege on your debts or beat me up, the police will immediately record your crimes."

"Fine, let's see if they arrest me first for defaulting on my debts or arrest you first, you heartless merchant!" Kiana sneered.

"Pfft~ Canned Food, bring that over here." Pardo couldn't help but laugh. She called to her pet, and the chubby Canned Food picked up a certificate from the counter and handed it to Pardo. The cat-eared girl showed it to Kiana and the others. "Here, it's officially certified. I'm protected by legal procedures. So, if you suspect that this is a forgery, you can call to verify it."

"How, how is this possible? Why would such a shady shop get..." Theresa was very surprised.

"Oh dear, there's nothing in this world that money can't buy. If there is, it just means you haven't offered enough," Pardo winked and said playfully. "Besides, this price isn't because we're trying to rip you off. Think about the transportation costs of the raw materials, the maintenance and operating costs of this shop in such harsh conditions, and the cost of laying the cables here. This price is practically charity, okay?"

"That makes a lot of sense." Kiana and the others were speechless.

"Fine, I'll just consider it payment for shipping." A frustrated Kiana reached for her wallet to pay, but then thought, "Wait, where's my wallet?"

"Your Majesty, you did not take your wallet with you when you went out."

Why didn't you tell me about something so important sooner?

"Didn't you say that you don't need a wallet for racing, which is why you didn't bring one?"

"Huh? Mei, Auntie, did you bring it?" Kiana cast hopeful glances at the other two, but their embarrassed expressions clearly showed that they were in the same situation as her.

"Oh? You dare to come here to spend money without bringing any cash? But it's okay, did you bring your phone? Our store accepts BengBengBao and BengXin payments~" Pardo took out two QR codes.

"I didn't bring any..." Kiana stammered.

Pardo's heterochromatic eyes narrowed, her smile still on her face, yet sending a chill down one's spine. "Is that so? How about I contact my family and have them transfer the money to me?"

"No way! The racing competition clearly stipulates that contestants are prohibited from communicating with anyone outside the race during the competition. If this is discovered, the competition will be immediately canceled!" Kiana resolutely refused.

"So you're a racer from the racing world. I was wondering why anyone would come to this godforsaken place." Pardo's smile became even more terrifying. "But we only care about money. If you can't pay the bill, we'll make sure your family members pay it, no matter what."

"What should we do, Kiana?" Mei looked anxiously at her friend.

"This is troublesome, niece, it's all your fault! If you hadn't been nagging for ice cream, we wouldn't be here!" Theresa began to scold Kiana.

"Auntie, it was you who insisted on eating, okay? And you were the first one to go in!" Kiana grabbed her hair in frustration.

"If all else fails, we can make an exception for you," Pardo said slowly, looking at the three troubled people and the Armed Doll.

"Really? ×4"

Pardo's gaze fell on the doll Bella. "This little thing looks quite unique. You can leave it here as collateral and come back to redeem it when you have the money. How about that?"

Kiana's answer was decisive, "No, Bella is my most important friend, I won't hand her over to you! Wait, can I pawn something valuable?"

P. S.: Mei isn't a friend, she's a ** (interrupted by the shy Ki and Mei).

"That's right, is there anything else?"

"Let's talk in private!" Kiana pulled Pardo aside to a corner to discuss something. After a while, the two reached an agreement.

Pardo stood in front of the glass door, tears welling in her eyes, bidding them farewell with deep reluctance.

"Kiana, what did you say to her? How could that greedy little cat just let us go like that?" Mei curiously.

"Hehe, it's a secret!" Kiana smiled without saying a word.

Nonsense, if you said that out loud, Theresa would probably break her legs.

—The dividing line where it burns out—

Overjoyed with her new treasure Pardo sat happily on the counter counting the gems when suddenly someone pushed open the shop door. Hearing the noise, she quickly got up to greet the customer.

"Hey hey hey, hello miss, one order please..."

Before she could finish speaking, a hand swiftly covered her eyes. "The Herrscher of Consciousness has altered your consciousness. Now you feel like you have to listen to her in everything."

"Hmph, you're dead!"