Volume Two: Life and Death at the Northern Realm Rally

"Excuse me, is this the Ferruggio Silver Wolf Team?"

"... Huh?"

An unexpected question came from the other side of the door.

I made eye contact with Givinia, and she nodded at me.

I took a deep breath and opened the door--

The girl who appeared before me was slightly younger than me, and she blushed bright red as soon as she saw me.

"Hello, may I ask what brings you here?"

"Ah, um..."

The girl hesitated for a moment, then, as if making up her mind, mustered her courage and asked, "Are you still hiring?"

"... Huh?"

"So, I watched your finals and I was really... moved. I also have some basic skills as a technician, so... uh... I'd like to apply to join, is that okay?"

"..."

Faced with the sudden influx of applicants, both Givinia and I were somewhat at a loss.

"Hey! You in first place, are you done yet? There are still a lot of people behind you!" A voice shouted from behind the girl, and it sounded like there was more than one person.

"Ah, I... um, I'm done. I'm so sorry..."

The girl quickly stepped aside from the doorway, and only then could we see the scenery outside clearly.

People, people, people! The corridor in front of the door was packed!

They included both men and women, most of whom were young people around my age, and all of them had a burning admiration in their eyes.

"My God! It's Lord Ye himself!"

"Ah! She's looking at me! I'm so happy!"

"Givinia is here too! I really want her autograph!"

"Don't push! Let me see too!"

They stirred as soon as we appeared, their eyes lighting up.

"Everyone, please quiet down, please quiet down..."

With Givinia's reassurance, they quickly calmed down.

"First, let me confirm who you are—"

"My name is Krauser, and I'm here to apply to join! When will the assessment be held?"

"I'm Jiena... um... I really admire you all, so I wanted to try and see if I could..."

"I feel sorry about what happened to Ally and Miss Ailin. I was wondering if you were short-handed... If you can't become a full-fledged member, you can be a handyman."

"I have six years of navigator experience! Please approve my application!"

One after another, people began to introduce themselves—some shy, some assertive, some confident, some enthusiastic... but without exception, their feelings were all sincere.

"You..."

I suddenly felt a lump in my throat...

"Make way, everyone make way."

Suddenly, two men pushed through the crowd and stood before us. They were incredibly muscular, and their presence far surpassed that of the applicants from before.

"... Who are you?"

"Let me introduce myself first. I'm Berg Stein, and this is my brother Nagg," the man introduced himself, their expressions somewhat awkward for some reason.

"Huh? The Stein brothers... I remember they were famous fighters back when Ferruggio was still in operation," Givinia exclaimed in surprise.

I was stunned, as were everyone else.

"I didn't expect there would still be people who remember us... Indeed, we are the Stein brothers. Back when the team was going downhill, we... how should I put it, we joined another team, but recently we saw the eldest and second young ladies' race again, and we..."

Berg choked up as he spoke, and tears welled up in Nagg's eyes as well.

"My brother and I initially Ferruggio because of our passion for racing, but without realizing it... we started valuing money more than racing and friendship, which is why we chose to leave... Now, thinking back on them, we were really... awful."

"Don't get agitated. If we're talking about 'bad people,' then it should be me."

A voice interrupted them, and a young man walked over.

"You are... Jack?"

"I should be the one who feels most sorry for them... After all, I was the first to leave the team after the old captain passed away. I set a bad precedent, but--"

He paused,

"Their story really touched me, and I hope I can do something for them. If I can't directly compensate them... at least, I'll come back to this team I once fought alongside."

After speaking, the young man Jack lowered his head, seemingly awaiting sentencing, while the Stein brothers simply patted him on the shoulder and said nothing more.

"Well said, Jack."

A fourth person appeared.

This was a middle-aged man in his early forties. Judging from his impeccably tailored, wrinkle-free suit and the gold watch on his wrist, he was clearly a very successful person.

"Lawrence!?"

The three who arrived first were taken aback; this newcomer seemed to have completely surprised them.

"Big Figure has arrived..." Givinia whispered in my ear.

"Who is he?"

"Ferruggio's biggest sponsor and major shareholder back then, is said to be the last person to leave the team."

"Boss, you're here too?" Nagg asked in surprise.

"It's not just me. The group from back then— John, Duli, Lockephy, and a lot of other old guys—have all contacted me. They should be arriving soon."

"What a happy ending..."

Upon hearing this, the man Lawrence sighed slightly and said, "A happy ending? Those guys who lost faith in the team back then are only reunited after the current captain's death. Isn't that ironic?"

"..."

The atmosphere immediately became much more somber after those words were spoken.

Lawrence's sharp gaze was fixed on us.

"Are you the members that Ally temporarily found?"

"Ah... yes!"

"Tsk tsk, to have achieved so much, you guys must be quite something... It suddenly reminds me of when I first started my business..."

He squinted, lost in memories.

"Back then, I was an old friend of Elton, the father of Ariel and Elin. That kid was a racing fanatic since he was a child, and he always told me that he wanted to build the world's number one racing team someday. And I jokingly told him that if he could really do it, I would be his biggest sponsor... And what happened? Legends always start with jokes. The inexperienced Elton miraculously became the local champion, and my small business happened to earn its first pot of gold. That's how our cooperation began."

Then, he sighed deeply.

"But dreams can change. We entered this world with nothing but passion and enthusiasm, but as the team became more and more successful, everything started to turn sour... My best buddies, who used to talk about everything, started arguing over money. I did a lot of dishonorable things to maximize profits. In the end, Elton passed away unexpectedly, and what did I do? After careful analysis, I actually decided that the team had no value anymore, and just abandoned the team that I had pinned my dreams on!"

"But..." He opened his eyes and looked at us with extremely sincere eyes.

"I never imagined these two sisters could do this. Seeing them become champions reminded me of many things I shouldn't have forgotten. It's not too late to make amends! So—"

He took out a very neatly written document, and upon closer inspection, it seemed to be... a transfer statement?

"I am willing to transfer all my assets to the Ferruggio Silver Wolf Team to fulfill their last wishes and rebuild the team. And I will spend the rest of my life here."

"..."

I was speechless for a moment, a strange emotion filling my chest.

In the end, Ally's sacrifice was not in vain.

Tragedy changed her, but her fate was not entirely tragic.

Her actions ultimately changed everything.

Look, Ally.

Your wish has finally come true.

Newcomers flocked to join in droves.

The team's former members have returned.

In the freshly turned soil, the seeds of life have been sown.

Ferruggio Silver Wolf Team are reborn at this moment.

You, in another world, must feel comforted.

And Ailin, being with her beloved sister forever, will surely be happy.

Martyrs to dreams, martyrs to infatuation.

In the end, you sowed the seeds of hope with your lives.

"I am so sorry, Miss Ye, although we know this is not something that can be resolved with an apology!"

A group of men and women in formal attire bowed deeply to me, making me feel quite uncomfortable.

They were all elite employees of the Gray Starling Group, representing the planning department of the Northern Realm Rally, who apologized to me.

"Well, no need for an apology. After all, the outcome wasn't all despair."

"At least, please accept this!"

The leader handed me a check, and when I saw the amount on it, I almost jumped up.

"Hey, are you guys serious? You might as well just transfer this bonus directly to the team's account!"

The Sena Sisters are gone, and the team's veteran members have selflessly donated their belongings to the newly formed team. Under these circumstances, how could I possibly accept the prize money?

"Please don't misunderstand, this is not a prize money for the competition, but rather compensation for you personally. We hope you will accept it."

"Uh... well... I'll accept it."

I carefully put the checks away, treating them like precious treasures.

Everyone has a love of money.

"Thank you for your understanding. Is there anything else you require? We will try our best to accommodate you."

"Well..."

You know what, I actually do have something I'd like them to help me with.

"Oh, I'd like to pursue further studies at the Central United Academy, the one in the Central Sea Islands. Could you help me make arrangements?"

As soon as I said it, they looked at each other in surprise; my request was clearly unexpected.

"Ah... of course, no problem, it's a piece of cake for us."

"Ha... finally finished..."

Yu He left the non-existent floor after a long absence. The affairs of the Gray Starling Group had exhausted him considerably during this period. Although he had long since retired from the public eye, he still had to put in the effort to deal with the mess left by the Northern Realm Rally.

"--Yu He!!!"

In the deserted corridor, two people blocked his way.

"Oh dear, I thought it was someone else. Aren't these our losers? You all look quite pathetic."

It's Geronimo and Xiu Lin.

Having finally returned from the underground ruins, Geronimo's resentment had reached its peak.

Stop with the sarcastic remarks! Are you happy to see us fail?

"Calm down, young man. You're only participating in rally races to claim credit. If you accidentally crash and burn, that's your own problem. If you're looking to take it out on someone, I suggest you forget it."

"--You! You must have known all along that Senior Gustav would be coming! We haven't had much of a chance to shine from the beginning, have we? You were even cheering me on when I shared my idea with you!"

"How could I possibly discourage such a lovely junior who wants to strive for excellence? Besides, I'm one of the organization's veteran high-ranking members, so please show me some respect!"

"Enough with the nonsense! With your cocky attitude, who knows how you got to such a high position! I'm here today to demand an explanation from you— Xiu Lin!"

Repulsive mold spread rapidly across the wall, and countless spores attacked Yu He like a sandstorm.

"... well,"

Yu He shook his head.

"Looks like I've really been too good-tempered; even a mere newbie dares to challenge me..."

The spores have no effect.

Yu He stood unharmed amidst countless mold spores.

"How could this be!?" Xiu Lin exclaimed in surprise.

"Nothing strange about that, is it? I just 'bought' your attack. In other words, I now own all of this mold, so of course it can't hurt me."

"Cut--"

Realizing he had underestimated his opponent, Geronimo immediately activated his Subconscious Severance —just a split second before that,

Thump.

Without warning, he fell heavily to the ground.

"... Geronimo?"

Xiu Lin immediately helped him up, but then discovered—

Geronimo's heart stopped beating.

There were no external injuries, no signs of illness; all his vital functions simply stopped suddenly.

What did you do!?

"Oh..."

Yu He remained calm and composed.

"Little sister Xiu Lin, let me ask you, how much do you think a human life is worth?"

"... Human life?"

"The answer is -- human life is priceless! Humans have infinite possibilities, and there are too many uncertainties. Even I cannot put a price on human life! However, there is only one exception --"

He revealed a shrewd businessman's smile.

"Once a person's potential is completely limited, the value of their life is also defined..."

With a wicked grin, he slowly walked towards the Xiu Lin.

"How much do you think your lives are worth, you losers who come to me after failing miserably?"

Sa----

Xiu Lin's expression froze in that instant.

Her frail little body collapsed to the ground, never to stand up again.

This is an extremely luxurious room.

The walls are covered with famous paintings, the floor is furnished with the most luxurious furniture, and priceless jewelry is everywhere.

A wealthy woman with an extravagant hairstyle stood by the window, gazing at the scenery outside and humming softly.

"Lady."

The humming was interrupted by the girl's voice.

"Oh, you're here. How's Yu He and his rally race going?"

"The cleanup work should have been completed."

"Really? I also received the news that Gustav has already presented the Crystal Realm Fruit to the Leader. It's so smooth it's disgusting."

"It wasn't smooth sailing; there were quite a few twists and turns along the way."

"Monitoring the competition should have been my job, but I, being perfect, don't want to be tarnished, so I'll have to trouble you~ But being able to see the perfect me up close is my reward to you."

"Thank you so much. I'll take my leave now."

"Okay~ I'm almost done on my end too."

The girl's figure swayed for a moment and then disappeared.

A refreshing sea breeze caressed my face, seagulls soared overhead, and I boarded a passenger ship again after a long absence.

Last time it was arrival, this time it's departure.

"Are you leaving, A Ye?"

"Ah... you found out, Givinia."

Her light brown hair, fluttering in the wind, was still as beautiful as ever. She had changed back into the outfit we first met: a beige dress, capri pants, and a parasol. This outfit definitely suited her better.

Don't you want to stay with the team?

"I have my own things to do, and anyway, there are already suitable people to rebuild the team."

"Really... I was planning to leave too."

She walked over to me and leaned against the railing, gazing at the sea.

"..." "..."

For a moment, we just stood there quietly watching the sea. No one spoke, only the Little Butterfly fluttering around me.

After a long silence, I finally spoke.

I said...

"Um?"

"Givinia, you are... a member of the organization, aren't you?"

"..."

She remained silent for a moment, then gave me a smile.

"Really, A Ye, you actually noticed it a long time ago, didn't you?"

"Ah, I had that feeling the moment I first met you, but I was never sure."

"Since that's the case—yes, I am indeed a member of the organization, and a subordinate of one of the higher-ups, 'Madam.' I'm here to help her monitor the competition. I've said all I can say. So, what do you intend to do?"

She looked at me with a grin, observing my reaction.

"What else could it be... If you had any other intentions, you would have killed me long ago, and I'd still be alive and well."

So--

"What is your real purpose?"

"Ha... that's a rather bland reaction, a bit boring."

Then, she walked straight toward me.

I instinctively assumed a fighting stance, but she simply walked right through me.

Projection?

Wait a minute, when she was standing next to me just now, I could clearly sense her Blood Energy, it was definitely her real body! And she didn't release any projections during that time!

How did she do that?

"This is a function I haven't shown yet; it's an advancement of my superpower—I can switch the positions of my main body and any projection at any time. And that's not all. The claim that 'the maximum projection distance is tens of kilometers' was also a lie. I can project as far as the West Saint Continent."

The projected distance is extremely long, and it also has the advanced ability to swap the positions of the main body and the projection.

"That means you can teleport to places tens of thousands of miles away at will... The Crystal Island that we went through so much trouble to reach, you can arrive at in an instant. It's a top-notch combination for movement, reconnaissance, and assassination."

"Smart, you even have this?"

Her second superpower is Air Bomb.

"Air Bomb is created by compressing a large mass of air, but its value extends far beyond the instant of explosion..."

Givinia stretched out her hand, and instantly a large amount of air gathered in her palm. In that instant, the ship creaked and groaned, and I felt a sense of suffocation.

"I see... compressing a large amount of air into a single point in an instant, causing all the air to converge, means creating a brief, localized vacuum..."

In a vacuum environment, ultra-low pressure can cause a person's bodily fluids to boil instantly, and the person will die completely from lack of oxygen after 14 seconds.

"Plus this explosion—you can imagine the destructive power it will generate without me demonstrating it."

"... Ah, indeed."

Givinia Sorel.

If she had the will, killing me wouldn't have been difficult for her—I now fully understand that fact.

Possessing exceptional mobility, reconnaissance abilities, and destructive power, he truly deserves to be a member of the organization.

"But I don't sense any hostility from you."

"Of course, let him explain the specifics..."

Givinia took a few steps back, and a familiar figure emerged from the shadows—

Little Butterfly immediately hid inside my clothes.

"Long time no see, Liu Ye, you haven't disappointed me."

"It really was you."

With flowing white hair, a cold and stern face, unsettling eyes, and a hoarse, grating voice, he had a commanding presence.

One of the organization's eight remaining high-ranking members, a treacherous traitor with ulterior motives— Huang Huo.

"As you can see, this Miss Givinia is also one of our comrades. Although she is nominally Madam's subordinate, we have had a cooperative relationship for a long time."

"Really, Givinia?"

Don't you think it's a bit silly to ask this now?

"Tch... can you explain your motives for betraying the organization?"

"Revenge."

Two simple and concise words are enough to explain everything.

Realizing that she wouldn't reveal any more information if I asked further, I stopped there.

"Let's get down to business. I risked being discovered to come here personally to give you the next steps."

... Here comes the important part.

"Our next target is the Divine Artifact hidden within the Central United Academy you're about to reach— the Boundary Breaking Armor! I don't know exactly where it's hidden; that'll require you and Givinia to find it. Oh, by the way, having devoured that Lycoris radiata, you should realize how efficient this method of increasing strength is, right? As far as I know, there are some good things hidden within the Central United Academy as well. Take a look; it'll benefit you..."

After explaining everything, Huang Huo gave me a new contract and then disappeared.

After saying "Until we meet again," Givinia left.

Once again, I was alone on the ship.

"Call..."

A profound sense of exhaustion enveloped my entire body.

I closed my eyes, recalling the events that had occurred on the North Realm Continent.

"The Ferruggio Silver Wolf Team is still short of combatants and navigators! Are you interested in joining?"

"Name? Ah! Sorry, I forgot to tell you—my name is Ally Sena, I'm the captain, pilot, treasurer, and HR director of the Ferruggio Silver Wolf Team, and..."

"Ah, ah! Um, um, I'm Ailin Sena, the team's mechanic. Um, I didn't notice anyone else was there. I shouted too loudly, my apologies, oh dear..."

"First: Ferruggio has not disbanded! It has never disbanded! Second, I have two purposes for participating: one is to revive the team's former glory, and the other is to use my best results to get revenge on that bastard!"

"Hold on tight! We're about to land!"

"Ladies and gentlemen, the winner of the second stage has finally been decided! It is none other than the Ferruggio Silver Wolf Team, who overwhelmingly outmaneuvered all the other teams!!!!!!!!!!"

"I have a feeling—it's Emilia! She's in danger!"

"Now, there's only one thing we, the Ferruggio Silver Wolf Team, need to do—win!"

"Tell them...we...won..."

"Tell them... the Ferruggio Silver Wolf Team ... have risen to power..."

"Tell the world... I am Ally Cena, daughter of Elton Cena."

... He was the ultimate champion of the Northern Realm Rally!!!

"Well..."

It was a very, very long journey.

I met many people, experienced many things, and when I left, everything returned to square one.

So--

"Let's go to the Central United Academy."

Life is always full of surprises and unexpected events.

Just when I thought the matter at the Northern Border was over--

"Phew, finally I can get some rest... The journey was absolutely agonizing..."

"Yes, Mother, you should get some more sleep."

"Thank you... um... um? umm..."

I looked in the direction of the sound--

A girl who looked about twelve or thirteen years old sat cross-legged beside me, smiling as she looked at me.

Her blue eyes sparkled like jewels, her nose was pert and delicate, her lips were pink, her eyelashes were long, and her skin was as smooth and delicate as milk—every feature was exquisitely beautiful and adorable, without a single flaw. Her long hair reached her ankles, and its color was a very pale pink, almost white. She wore a loose-fitting pink pajama-like dress, and through the neckline, one could see her delicate collarbone, so slender it seemed as if it could break at any moment, and her adorable breasts, slightly larger than those of people her age, were simply breathtaking.

This is an absolutely stunning girl who embodies both beauty and cuteness, as if created by God. I'm confident I can surpass her in beauty, but when it comes to cuteness, she's miles ahead of me.

"What's wrong, Mother? Your expression is so strange..."

... Mother?

"Wait, wait, wait, wait... you are... Little Butterfly!?"

Blood and Otherworld Transformation Journey

Volume Two, Complete

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Seven thousand words! Seven thousand words! The word count I painstakingly saved has suddenly decreased by almost half! I originally wanted to split it into two chapters, but in the end I decided to post it together because I didn't want to waste time on a second volume.

Anyway, Volume 2 is finished! Hooray! Every character got what they wanted, super happy!

End! Don't hit me!

Oh, I almost forgot, here's the character design for my daughter, Little Butterfly.

The stock is experiencing an amazing surge! Want to buy now? Too late!

A new popularity poll for Volume 2 has started, don't forget to cast your vote!

Speaking of which, has no one provided the names for Volume 3 yet? There are only three so far... Afrinc's Evelynths, Silver Blue Wind's Kinggrass (is this name really okay? Oh well, it can serve as someone's code name), and Yaphets!'s Yafitz (they said I could just choose whatever I wanted... so I'll just use a homonym for yaphets).