Did you pay the licensing fee?

The flames instantly melted it, but Himeko had no intention of stopping. Until the kill notification popped up, she would keep going.

"That hot?"

When the spinning saw blade came flying at his face, Taco thought he was about to meet Jesus. Yet when he opened his eyes again, he saw flames erupting from Himeko's hand, burning the wax figure that had attacked him into a lump.

The flames kept pouring out for nearly three minutes. Himeko felt almost drained dry, but the kill notification still hadn't appeared.

"How is it so resistant to burning?"

Himeko was already considering taking it back to use as fuel for a gas stove. She could also dig a little off to use as birthday candles whenever someone's birthday came around.

Himeko stopped, and the lump of melted wax and resin began wriggling again. After a moment's thought, she splashed a bucket of cold water over it.

As the icy water poured down, the liquid wax rapidly solidified. Seeing that there was no danger, Taco also stepped forward.

Seeing that it was under Himeko's control and could no longer resist, Taco simply got his hands on it and began shaping the lump of wax.

"?"

How was this guy so bold? And didn't it burn his hands?

Soon, it was completely fixed into a lump, no longer capable of moving. Under Taco's deft hands, its outward form had also become a pile of poop.

"This isn't poop. It's art," Taco corrected.

[Target: Art? The lady beside you is thinking: "Although it's rather rude to think this, the existence of this thing might lower the amusement park's ticket prices considerably."]

Himeko's expression didn't change at all, but the smart glasses beside her caught every last one of her rude thoughts.

"Now that we've dealt with this one, let's talk about you."

Turning around, Himeko pinned down the other wax figure, which was running around like a headless chicken.

"Your appearance really does need changing."

Taking the wax figure with her, Himeko found the employees' workshop inside the wax museum, where plenty of tools were laid out.

"Where are we? How about digging out my eyeballs first?"

"By the usual logic, this should be your spawn point."

Himeko took a block of wax from a nearby shelf. She possessed Imagenesis technology, and this world also permitted the existence of Imagenae.

That was undoubtedly good news. At least, whatever happened, she could stop this wax figure with no filter from continuing to wear her face.

"There are plenty of materials here to make you a brand-new body. Any requests?"

"I think Mama Himeko's appearance is great. Of course, it'd be even better with bigger breasts. I know where there's silicone."

"Natural is still better." Himeko voted against it.

"I've been an artificial product since I was born a little over two hours ago. Natural or unnatural doesn't enter into it."

Taco also had plenty of opinions on the matter. "I think you should add muscles. Powerful muscles. Only something that can wrestle a bull is true beauty."

Neither Himeko nor the wax figure could agree.

"How about this? Give me some beauty and beauty, a big chunk of top-quality beauty, plus all the beauty, then pour thick beauty over it, and add another big chunk of beauty!"

The wax figure gave its final requirements, and Himeko couldn't help wondering, "Are you trying to ascend into Idrila?"

Still, whatever the case, Himeko had worked out a preliminary design in her mind.

"Leave it to me. I guarantee it'll meet your requirements."

"Preferably without any sudden flashes of inspiration like when you're cooking."

Two hours later...

The wax figure opened its eyes again and fell into contemplation as it looked at itself in the mirror.

It was about the same height as Pom-Pom. The red fur covering most of its body was extremely smooth, as was the white fur on its face and chest. Its tail was fluffy, with none of the texture of a wax figure at all.

It also wore the same navigator's formal coat as Himeko, draped over its back.

"Did you pay the licensing fee?"

"Licensing fee? No matter how you look at it, shouldn't The Fluffy Voyage of the Azure Sky be paying the Astral Express a licensing fee? From now on, you're Himechi Cat."

"Can't you make me taller?"

"Respect the original." Himeko once again rejected Himechi Cat's suggestion.

"How much fan work that respects the original can you even find these days? Can't you be a little flexible?"

No matter how Himechi Cat tried to persuade her, Himeko remained unmoved. Soon enough, though, Himechi Cat calmly accepted the current design.

"Imagenesis technology really is amazing."

As it spoke, Himechi Cat produced a cup of still-steaming coffee from somewhere.

"What does this have to do with wax figures?"

Standing nearby, Taco had seen everything clearly.

Wax blocks? Carving knives? Himeko hadn't used any of them at all. She had just found a palette, used melted wax mixed with some unknown substances as paint, and actually painted this red Himechi Cat into existence.

"Is she a human or a 3D printer?" Having witnessed the entire process, Taco was deeply shaken. "And isn't that a fox? Why call it Himechi Cat?"

Hadn't the three commentators said Himeko had no way to take the guardian deity away?

Thinking it over carefully, whether it was the chainsaw folded inside a suitcase that she could whip out at any time, the flames erupting from her hand for no reason, or this technique worthy of a human 3D printer, none of it was something an ordinary person could master.

Could it be... A terrifying guess surfaced in Taco's mind. The commentators want to get me killed, so they're deliberately hiding the truth from me?

Cold sweat poured down Taco's body. He hadn't expected the three commentators he trusted to be so sinister.

Luckily, he had discovered it. From now on, he would completely ignore all the commentators' schemes and tricks!

A light of wisdom gradually appeared in Taco's eyes.

"From now on, nobody can fool me! Nobody!"

Himeko and Himechi Cat both looked in confusion at Taco, who had suddenly started frantically doing push-ups.

"What's wrong with him?"

Himechi Cat tilted its head. "No idea."

[That damned idiot! Why did he suddenly start doing push-ups and saying weird things!]

[Did he ruin his brain training his muscles?]

[Himeko must be cheating! None of these abilities are in her personal information, and Pom-Pom is only responsible for sweeping the floor. This doesn't make sense.]

[Who cares about that? Himeko is the powerhouse now, and Taco has already latched onto her. At least he doesn't have to worry about staying alive.]

[Why isn't he following the commentators' instructions? Doesn't he know the commentators have access to more information and can offer more reasonable plans?]

[You mean skipping the wax museum, facing danger with the other contestants, and having to watch out for the other contestants stabbing him in the ass?]

[Himeko isn't as evil as the commentators said, either. I think she's pretty nice, practically an angel.]

[But he's sticking with Himeko instead of collecting what he needs to level up, or gathering food and water. Let's see what he does at the next stop.]

[An idiot with muscles growing in his brain.]

Meanwhile, relying on his own two legs, Neon's contestant had also successfully reached the amusement park entrance with a ticket he had picked up along the way.

"Thank goodness. I'm exhausted!"

Inukai tossed his handcart aside. If there had been a complaint channel, he would definitely have lodged a fierce complaint about this world's false advertising.

What kind of train had only two wheels and needed human power to move?

The moment he stepped within the entrance's range, just like the other contestants, an endless stream of information and communication requests flooded his brain like mad.

[The commentators have requested communication. Accept?]

"What's going on?"

Inukai frowned. He had only just arrived, and headquarters was already contacting him so urgently.

Could the other countries have thrown fair play out the window and decided to launch a war outright instead of settling things in the National Destiny Instance, and Neon had been nuked again???