Current Stellaron Level: Emanator Tier 2
Yan Huan stood on the table, his heart brimming with excitement.
The Lie Flat System really was great.
Aha:
"..."
"Looks like you've mostly recovered, haven't you?"
Below, the Aeon of Joy held a knife and fork, chuckling to himself.
Yan Huan: "?"
A few minutes later.
It was still the same stage.
The Audience Gallery below was once again filled with staff from every section, while Herta still lay sprawled over the table at the very top.
Unlike before, Asta and Arlan now occupied the guest seats on the left.
The Express Crew remained in the judges' seats on the right.
At the center of the stage.
Aha held a microphone and enthusiastically addressed the Audience Gallery:
"Hello, dear audience! The annual Emanator of Joy selection program is about to begin. Please welcome our seeded contestant, Miss Yan Huan!"
"OHHHHHHHHH—!!!"
Amid thunderous cheers from the Audience Gallery, a spotlight shone down at the edge of the stage.
Yan Huan was sitting sprawled on the floor, picking at his feet.
Yan Huan: "..."
Aha: "Worthy of being our seeded contestant! Even during his inauguration ceremony, he hasn't forgotten to pick at his feet. Let's give him a round of applause!"
"Clap clap clap clap clap—!!"
Another wave of fervent applause erupted.
At the judges' table, unlike the eager staff members, March 7th nervously tugged at Welt's sleeve.
She said gravely:
"Uncle Yang, what's he supposed to do this time? It looks like he can't get away."
Welt's expression was equally solemn as he sighed.
"March, that is an Aeon. We've never had the ability to defy an Aeon's wishes. Yan Huan knows that too."
A profound look appeared in his eyes.
"His earlier denial of his mental state was also a relatively gentle refusal. But the Aeon of Joy persisted. There really is no way out now."
March 7th bit her thin lip and said anxiously:
"Then isn't he doomed? Once the Aeon of Joy gets bored, Yan Huan might even be blown up as an Emanator of Joy. The Aeon of Joy is a lunatic too."
Welt folded his hands on the table and sighed.
"All we can do is pray. Even Herta's repeated audiences with Aeons have been widely celebrated as great honors. To be glanced at by an Aeon is considered a stroke of destiny. And now, the one lingering before us is an Aeon in person."
"Yan Huan's current behavior already shows that he has given up resisting."
At this moment.
Yan Huan sat on the floor, listlessly picking at his feet.
He seemed no different from before.
Himeko patted March 7th on the shoulder and comforted her. "All right, don't worry too much. Have faith in Yan Huan. He'll be fine."
March 7th pursed her lips, an indescribable ache stirring within her.
Were they truly that weak before an Aeon?
"I can't do anything." March 7th clenched her sleeve and murmured softly.
A feeling of helplessness enveloped her deeply.
Meanwhile.
Yan Huan leaped to his feet and suddenly performed a backflip.
Bang—!! He landed steadily at the center of the stage.
He shouted:
"Hahaha, I can do anything!!"
A black question mark slowly appeared above Aha's head. "What are you doing?"
Yan Huan flicked his trench coat, raised his head, and said flamboyantly:
"Enough nonsense. Hurry up and pass the Aeon position to me!"
"?"
The corner of Aha's mouth slowly curved upward.
This brat really wanted the Aeon position.
"Heh, sure... but that depends on whether you can handle it!"
He decisively threw the microphone onto the floor, and the stage speakers let out a piercing buzz.
"Kid." Aha's gaze grew increasingly fervent as he slammed a hand onto Yan Huan's head. "Let me congratulate you in advance!"
Boom—!!
At once, a vast and violent surge of energy erupted from the stage.
A terrifying shockwave swept across the entire Herta Space Station, shattering and collapsing everything in its path.
The staff in the Audience Gallery instinctively ducked down as well. The terrifying energy storm nearly swept them away.
The lights throughout the Herta Space Station flickered erratically, and it stood on the verge of collapse.
Every Herta Automaton was activated and rushed toward the venue, using their power at all costs to suppress the storm as much as possible.
The Express Crew also hurried down from the stage, doing everything they could to evacuate the staff.
"Uncle Yang, what is the Aeon of Joy doing? Why is there such a huge commotion?!" March 7th struggled through the energy storm with her bow in hand.
Welt gripped his cane tightly, his gaze sharpening as he barely managed to make out the scene at the storm's center.
He saw that the Aeon of Joy had turned into a being of energy and tightly enveloped Yan Huan within it.
"He really is going to force all of his power into Yan Huan." Welt's face turned extremely grim.
At the center of the storm.
The golden-red phantom of a mask cried out in wild delight:
"Hahahaha... Kid, this is what you asked for! I'll give you my position right now! But whether your body can withstand it is another matter!!"
Yan Huan floated at the center of the energy form created by the Aeon of Joy. His golden eyes were stretched so wide they nearly split, and he clenched his back teeth tightly.
A massive torrent of energy poured endlessly into his body!
Foreign energy intrusion detected... Impending binding by laws detected... Impending mental assimilation detected... Host's sea of consciousness is about to be contaminated...
Yan Huan gritted his teeth and tried his best to remain lucid.
He understood that ever since the Aeon of Joy had set his sights on him, this day had been inevitable.
"Hehe..." Yan Huan suddenly laughed.
His ink-black hair danced wildly in the storm, and his golden eyes brimmed with unrestrained madness!
"Aeon of Joy... watch closely!"
He declared loudly:
"...The power of a Path is not absolute. There is no road without an exit in this world. As long as I want to walk, the path lies beneath my feet!"
At the same time.
Aha felt a change occur within Yan Huan that he had never encountered before.
Proceed with energy conversion? ... Conversion in progress... ... Converting...
Boom—!!
Suddenly.
A strange fluctuation burst forth from Yan Huan's body. After silently spreading outward, it began frantically devouring every bit of energy Aha had forced into him!
Like a black hole, it endlessly drew the power of the Path it touched into the Stellaron!
"Kid, what the hell are you doing?!" Aha roared upon noticing the anomaly.
Although his power was indeed flowing into Yan Huan's body, the latter had not entered the Path of Elation because of it!
The energy sent in was inexplicably assimilated, severing its connection and becoming impossible to control.
"Damn it, this is a first...!!"
Stellaron Level increased to: Emanator Tier 3 ... Stellaron Level increased to: Emanator Tier 4 ...
An endless stream of power flowed into Yan Huan's body.
It was all converted into the Stellaron.
Aha sensed that something was wrong and immediately stopped supplying energy.
The raging storm in the venue gradually subsided as well.
Seeing the storm suddenly calm, everyone on the Space Station froze, unable to understand what had happened.
Only Aha, who had returned to human form, stood in shock at the center of the stage.
He stared blankly at the human before him.
At this moment, Yan Huan opened his golden eyes and met Aha's gaze.
The two stared at each other in silence.
Aha: "..."
Yan Huan: "..."
Aha: "..."
Yan Huan: "..."
Aha: "..."
Yan Huan: "Why'd you stop passing me your power?"
Aha: "...Fuck you."
Before you continue