Stelle and Firefly

Stelle and Firefly

The system paused for a moment before answering:

Trait growth potential was not universal.

Lord of Ruin (purple) could be upgraded further.

Upgrade to gold quality: 20,000 Villain Points required.

Upgrade to red quality: 40,000 Villain Points required.

Note: upgrading quality usually required more Villain Points than directly exchanging for a trait of the same quality.

Just as I thought!

Jiang Mo's heartbeat quickened slightly.

The upgrade description attached to the foresight trait had already given him this suspicion.

Now that the system had confirmed it personally, the Lord of Ruin trait really could be upgraded!

Twenty thousand to go from purple to gold, forty thousand from gold to red... The price was practically robbery—outrageously expensive.

But that also proved from another angle that this trait's potential was far from simple.

Even without an upgrade, its "specific effects unknown" surely concealed something extraordinary.

He even thought of a possibility.

After obtaining Lord of Ruin, perhaps he would not need Villain Points to exchange for the gold trait Stellar Nucleus Essence... Perhaps he could obtain it himself?

After all, wasn't there still a Stellaron in Belobog?

Mm, good idea, but...

That would have to wait until after the Astral Express Crew arrived... to make sure they would come.

At that thought, Jiang Mo's lips curled upward uncontrollably.

Just as he was about to make an exchange, a question suddenly occurred to him.

"System, if I choose this trait and enter the Path of Destruction, will it affect my ability to obtain traits from other Paths later, or enter other Paths?"

It will not. It is precisely because the host possesses a special constitution that countless Paths can be simulated. The host may enter Paths freely and switch between them at will, the system immediately answered.

Not bad. So I had the same constitution as Stelle?

Fine, then let's gamble!

"Exchange for Lord of Ruin!"

Confirmed exchange for the purple trait Lord of Ruin. 6,000 Villain Points consumed.

Lord of Ruin (purple) has been permanently loaded into the host template.

An indescribably subtle sensation seeped into the depths of Jiang Mo's consciousness.

It was as though an invisible brand had been carved onto his soul.

He suddenly felt that he seemed to have established a faint connection with some distant and terrifying will.

Jiang Mo continued, "Exchange for Concealment!"

Confirmed exchange for the blue trait Concealment. 2,000 Villain Points consumed.

Concealment (blue) has been permanently loaded into the host template.

Excellent. Lord of Ruin paired with Concealment was simply a match made in heaven.

Even if that identity could bring certain changes, he could at least hide it completely and avoid attracting unnecessary trouble by being too conspicuous.

Host Attribute Panel:

Name: Jiang Mo

Constitution: 10

Strength: 12+50 (Lord of Ruin trait effect; strength increases with age)

Agility: 12

Charm: 16

Permanently loaded traits: Trait Devour (gold), Golden Threads of Fate (gold), Lord of Ruin (purple), Concealment (blue), Silver Tongue (blue), Berserk (blue)

Remaining Villain Points: 460

Jiang Mo's gaze swept over the attribute panel, and when he saw the "Strength" field, his pupils suddenly contracted.

He froze.

Strength: 12+50?

So this was not an empty-shell identity?

That trait actually provided such an enormous boost to strength?!

And it would increase as he grew older?

That meant that as long as he lived long enough, this power would continue accumulating. In the end, he might truly reach the terrifying level from the simulation, where stars could be destroyed with a flick of his fingers!

This was true power!

Jiang Mo eagerly clenched his fist.

He could feel power surging through his body.

He looked at the wooden plank of the crude bed beside him. It was thick and sturdy.

Taking a deep breath, he did not exert any force and merely threw a casual punch.

By all rights, his hand should have hurt...

But it didn't hurt?!

"Bang!"

That thick wooden plank exploded beneath his seemingly effortless punch, instantly turning into splinters that scattered in every direction!

Jiang Mo's hand hung in midair as he stared at his fist, then at the plank reduced to fragments.

So this was the power of Destruction... Even the most basic enhancement was terrifying!

He had won big on this gamble!

And the rewards from this simulation had far exceeded his expectations.

Those Golden Threads of Fate could sense every little movement within their range, weaving an invisible intelligence network...

Whether in the Underworld or out in the universe someday, this ability would be his greatest support.

The only blemish was the pitiful amount of Villain Points he had left.

He was back to square one again.

Jiang Mo looked once more at the red-violet Reality-Slicing Slash and Swarm Nest. He still could not afford them.

But he was not discouraged.

You had to eat one bite at a time and walk one step at a time.

His next simulation would be at fifteen.

The one after that would be when he came of age at eighteen.

Judging by when the Astral Express first arrived at Jarilo-VI, there was a high chance that eighteen-year-old him would encounter those Trailblazers.

By then, whether he found a way to board the train or used them as a stepping stone to leave this frozen planet, it would be easy.

His future did not belong in Belobog's Underworld, but among the stars and the sea!

Meanwhile, beyond Jarilo-VI, at the far end of the universe.

In a dining room.

A gray-haired, golden-eyed girl sat at the table eating.

The girl picked up a piece of meat, preparing to put it into her mouth.

Then, suddenly, the scene before her eyes wavered.

A black-haired boy she had never seen before appeared across from her.

The boy had neat, short black hair, deep and tranquil black eyes, and an extraordinarily handsome face.

The spoon in the girl's hand froze in midair.

Her gaze locked firmly onto the boy, unable to move away.

An inexplicable sense of familiarity surged into her heart, so intense that it left her dazed.

Blurred fragments flashed through her mind: warm scenes, cruel scenes, and feelings she could not understand.

"A'Mo...?"

This unfamiliar form of address slipped uncontrollably from her lips, carrying a heartrending sense of familiarity.

Even the girl herself was stunned.

A'Mo?

Who was that name referring to?

Did I know him?

She was still lost in confusion.

The "boy" across from her moved.

"Stelle, what's wrong?"

A familiar voice rang out.

A hand waved before Stelle's eyes.

Stelle suddenly snapped back to her senses, her pupils shrinking sharply.

There was no black-haired boy before her.

It was clearly the silver-haired girl she knew so well.

The adorable girl was looking at her with concern.

Stelle instantly realized how badly she had lost her composure.

"N-Nothing," she said perfunctorily.

She stuffed the meat in her hand into her mouth, forcing herself to calm down.

"I've just been a little tired lately," she made up an excuse. "Let's keep eating, Firefly."

Firefly's brows remained furrowed.

"Are you really okay?"

"Your eyes went completely blank just now. You scared me."

"If you're feeling unwell, I'll talk to Kafka about the next mission and have you sit it out," she said seriously.

Warmth rose in Stelle's heart, but her mind was still filled with that unfamiliar boy.

She shook her head. "I'm fine!"

"That'll be my first mission. How could I not go?"

"Hurry up and eat. The food will get cold."

She lowered her head and began shoveling down her food.

Stelle said nothing more. Unlike her usual carefree and absentminded self, she now carried a hint of melancholy.

She did not know what had just happened.