Bronya's kiss, brimming with tenderness and affection, caught Caelus off guard — but that wasn't why he froze.
The reason was the mission that popped up in his mind, and the System's voice, which had deliberately tuned itself grand and sweeping, narrating an epic legend like a storyteller spinning a tale.
[Mission: Whether in the fire, in the water, in the great forest or in the green grass, you must find it; whether it burrows into the earth, hides in the clouds, or in the aether, you must find it — your goal: to become an Aether Spirit Master!]
[Details: This is a universe where Aeons, humans, Aether Spirits, and intelligent machines all exist. All eighteen types are born from the eighteen Paths:
Permanence-Dragon, Equilibrium-Steel, Order-Fighting, Preservation-Rock, Voracity-Dark, Elation-Poison, Trailblaze-Flying, Ending-Ground, Propagation-Bug.
Nihility-Normal, Beauty-Fairy, Remembrance-Ice, Harmony-Psychic, Abundance-Grass, Erudition-Electric, Mystery-Water, The Hunt-Ghost, Destruction-Fire.
An Aether Spirit's Path is determined by how it lives. Divine beasts and Mythical Aether Spirits are all avatars of Aeons; they are not bound by any Path, and their types don't necessarily follow that Path.
Saved by the Nameless, you seem to remember nothing except the words left behind by a certain lady in black. The only thing at your side is a single Stellaron spirit. In the end you decide to join the Astral Express and, in the name of a Trailblazer, set out on a journey of trailblazing.
Along the way you make new companions — March 7th, Dan Heng… and Pom-Pom, one of Akivili's avatars. Together with your Aether Spirits, you grow, striving for the throne of Galactic Aether Spirit Master.]
"Now that's lore-crafting!"
"Goddamn System, when did you go and hook up with [Mystery]?"
Caelus griped inside his mental space, staring at the mission details, chin propped in his hand:
"But you know what, I'll say it — this setup actually makes a lot of sense. And it fits the whole 'protagonist is a Flying-type master' premise really well."
You with Permanence — what can Permanence even do? Beauty's just one big tease… ow, hey, that one missed.
"But I've got one question. Why does Order correspond to the Fighting type, and what does Ground have to do with Ending?"
The System gave a light cough, still keeping its storyteller-narrator voice:
[No one knows why Fighting was born from Order — perhaps Fighting is used to uphold Order. As for Ground, it means that life's true ending is dust returning to dust, earth to earth…]
"Mm, upholding Order through Fighting, huh — makes sense. Keep making it up."
Caelus snapped his fingers.
[The worldview introduction is complete. Next comes your story, as the protagonists! Go forth and find your Aether Spirit partners!]
The System had run out of things to invent.
"Aw, come on, I was really into this lore-craft."
[Uh… how about you take a look at this instead?]
The System's little cursor swiped across the interface, revealing the reward below.
[Reward: 300 Crystals.]
"I must begin cultivating my Aether Spirit partners at once!"
Under the baffled gazes of Topaz, Bronya, and Little Duck, Caelus sprang to his feet and declared with utmost solemnity.
"?"
Bronya blinked. What was going on?
He'd been perfectly fine just a second ago, and now he was suddenly having a fit… Well, for Stelle and Caelus, this was pretty much normal.
"This actually sounds pretty fun!"
Little Duck, herself a hardcore gaming enthusiast, had a faint sparkle in her eyes.
"Looks like you're all really interested in this game, Aether Front."
Topaz smiled.
She'd known Caelus's personality would inevitably draw him to Aether Front; what she hadn't expected was that the other Bronya — the elegant, dignified-looking one — would be just as keen on the game.
"Hehe, not to brag, but I'm a fairly well-known Aether Spirit trainer myself. Last time I made the top 4 in the Alola Region tournament, and I even became the Kalos Region champion, qualifying for the grand finals of the Interastral Showdown Festival."
"Want some advice from your senior? Anything you'd like to know, I'll tell you everything I can! Hey, Numby, stop squirming."
The piggy-bank-shaped Numby, clamped in Topaz's arms, kicked its chubby little legs against those snowy peaks, stirring up wave after mouth-drying ripple of bosom.
Little Duck's radiant, dazzling smile stiffened for an instant as she stared at Topaz's chest, nearly reverting on instinct to her own body's trademark deadpan expression.
But she quickly glanced down at her own chest, then lifted her head proudly.
She, Bronya, would never again bow her head to any big-boobed freak!
"Hmph hmph, a pro gamer never needs a walkthrough or anything like that."
The Haxxor Bunny clapped her hands, brimming with confidence.
She'd detected the keyword 'game' and sidled right over.
"This young lady wants to join too!"
March 7th, who had set down her guitar, bounced over, wiping her sweat with one hand and raising the other.
"Topaz, tell us the rules and how to play~"
After learning that Topaz had given up the Belobog debt-collection job, and given the connection through Asta, March 7th let go of the bias she'd first held against her for coming to collect debts.
"Sure. Let me first explain Aether Spirits to you."
Since the two had only just wandered over to listen, Topaz repeated her earlier introduction.
"The IPC actually understands Aether-copying technology too? I thought this was the kind of thing only Punklorde's hackers could pull off."
Listening to the basic principles, March 7th said in surprise.
"Haha, you're right — this technology originally came from Punklorde, but thanks to the tireless efforts of the IPC and the Society of Erudition, we've gained a preliminary grasp of how to edit aether."
"That said, for now we still can't freely rewrite reality's data the way those hackers can."
As Topaz spoke, both March 7th and Stelle glanced at the Haxxor Bunny. The two of them knew she was studying Aether Editing — and not only had she learned it, she'd even achieved a small degree of mastery.
"If anyone's got an Aether Spirit they fancy, come find me."
The Haxxor Bunny patted her barely-curved chest.
Ordinary players needed the game items provided by the IPC to capture Aether Spirits, but this group of hackers could print their own cards.
Of course, the basic conditions wouldn't change. Even mastering Aether Editing couldn't print out invincible cards directly — you could only print creatures you'd seen with your own eyes, and their stats and star-ranks would only match the real thing.
If you only print cards without tweaking the Aether Spirit's stats, it doesn't count as cheating!
"As a beginner, you need to pay attention to your Aether Spirit's type, and learn to use type-matchup relationships. [Alien-form] beats [Humanoid], which beats…"
Topaz launched into her game experience.
"Oh, I get it!"
Stelle nodded as if enlightened: "You use Humanoid to deal with Alien-form!"
"You don't get squat!"
March 7th gave Stelle's head a light bonk, planted her hands on her hips, and shot her a pretty sidelong glare: "It's Alien-form to deal with Humanoid, you dummy~"
That proud little tone showed off her pride at being able to understand human speech.
"Ah Qi, now this is where you don't get it~"
Stelle shook her head, looking down at March 7th — at peak-girlfriend height — from her standard adult-male stature: "A true protagonist is always a reverse-type master!"
"It's about using Electric to beat Rock! Pika-Caelus, use Thunderbolt on Onix!"
Stelle, wearing a red-and-white cap, gave Caelus the command. Caelus met those golden eyes for an instant, nodded, fished a 'Purple Mood' item out of his spatial ring, switched it to the low-current vibration setting, and chased after Stelle to use a ten-volt attack.
"Eep, what are you doing~"
"How can your Aether Spirit attack its own master?!"
Stelle clamped together her flawless, jade-white legs.
"A Pikachu's supposed to use Electric attacks on its master."
Caelus said it with total conviction.
Stelle froze: "Ssss~ that does seem to be the case!"
"Then let me show you what a Super Pallet Town native really is!"
Ten volts is within the normal voltage range the human body can withstand, and for a Stellaron spirit it was rather feeble — she didn't even use this setting when she played with Caelus at night.
Stelle rolled up her sleeves and, with the physique of a Super Pallet Town native, easily subdued Pika-Caelus.
The inexplicable exchange left everyone glancing at one another. Aside from Topaz, the rest had long grown used to Stelle and Caelus spouting nonsense no one could follow in their everyday chatter.
The band's impromptu performance wrapped up, and Sylvia and Pela began refueling their energy, enjoying the delicacies Caelus had brought back from other planets.
Hook and Clara were soon drawn in by the Aether Front topic as well.
"The pitch-black Lord Hook wants to join too! Let everyone witness the might of the Moles' boss!"
Hook stood on a chair, brandishing her drill as she declared it.
"Hook!"
Natasha's scolding voice came over, and the little one's legs went weak — she nearly tumbled off the chair.
The latter half of the banquet revolved around Aether Front; even Rand-Duck would occasionally chime in with a question or two.
The bonfire died down, host and guests thoroughly content.
The Silver Wing's consciousness briefly transferred back from the Honkai World, going off with Rand-Duck to pay off her debt with her body.
[My other self — I'll leave the rest to you.]
A slender figure walked out of the bathroom, drying her dripping hair, the slightly-too-small towel barely wrapping her rounded curves, baring the exquisite line of her collarbone and the snow-white, delicate valley.
[Wait! This kind of thing — you do it yourself!]
Little Duck's tone turned flustered.
Even though she would fully experience and feel everything when they did that sort of thing, being active and being passive were completely different!
[There's an urgent matter back on Earth I need to handle. Besides, if I don't mind, what is there for you to mind?]
As the words fell, Little Duck sensed her spiritual link with the Silver Wing grow extremely faint — meaning the other party's consciousness had already departed for her own body back on Earth.
[Have a wonderful night~]
"…Eh."
Little Duck let out a wistful sigh. Here we go again.
The Silver Wing's habit of sharing even her lover and fiancé with her was generosity beyond words — yet she just felt it was a little weird.
A clear sound came from the bathroom door, and Little Duck saw Rand-Duck step out on bare jade feet, her face faintly flushed.
The hem of her towel hung down, covering exactly half of her fair thighs, swaying loosely as she walked, flickering in and out of view right at the dangerous edge.
Rand-Duck lightly pursed her red lips, seeming a little too shy to meet Little Duck's eyes, but still took Little Duck's hand and led her toward the bed.
Stelle and Caelus had already finished washing up.
Stelle lay sprawled on the soft, large bed, feeling Caelus's palms press gently against her back. The tingling numbness drained away the colossal strength that could wrestle even a Trampler; an intoxicated, secure feeling spread rapidly through her mind, and her taut muscles softened just the same.
Caelus poured out the premium lubricant he'd bought onto Stelle's smooth, beautiful back — a back so flawless it'd be a shame not to do cupping on it — glistening, and worked it in.
Stelle enjoyed Caelus's massage service while tapping through her mobile game's daily quests.
"Ta-da-da-da~!"
Seeing that the two Bronyas had finished washing up, Stelle tossed her phone onto the pillow and, like a magician, produced a pair of earrings.
"Bronya~ try putting these on!"
"What are these?"
Rand-Duck sat sideways on the edge of the bed.
"A very impressive item."
Watching Stelle introduce them with that scummy grin, Little Duck put the earrings on with practiced ease.
Clearly she'd used the earrings plenty at night.
She'd even actively requested to use them — to fuse with Seele.
Caelus-Seele naturally had no objections whatsoever.
"What would two nearly identical parallel-world isotopes fuse into when they use the earrings?"
Stelle was full of curiosity, her bent legs swinging lightly.
"Hold on a second!"
A sudden cry of alarm — catching her off guard, Caelus had actually launched a sneak attack.
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