After witnessing the form Hoshigaki Sora had revealed, Jing Yuan began to seriously consider the infiltration plan Sora proposed.
Because, apart from that plan, if they wanted to restore the Xianzhou's communications through other means… the manpower, resources, and lives required would far exceed his expectations.
Thus, once Sora's infiltration plan proved even remotely viable, it was immediately put on the agenda.
And after running it through the Matrix of Prescience Ultima, the results surpassed Jing Yuan's expectations.
"If the infiltration succeeds, manpower losses will drop by ninety percent, and eighty percent of our resources will be preserved."
When Fu Xuan spoke, even her voice held astonishment. "More importantly, the chances of restoring the Xianzhou's communications… exceed seventy percent."
That was significantly better than steering the Luofu directly toward the Yuque.
Charging head-on had roughly a sixty-percent success rate, but once the two Xianzhou ships merged, the likelihood of mutual destruction rose to nearly seventy percent.
If they were destroyed, it would set off a chain reaction.
The Denizens of the Abundance pinning down the Luofu and the Yuque would then apply even greater pressure on the remaining Xianzhou ships.
By that point, regrets would be meaningless.
But infiltration would allow them to establish contact with the other Xianzhou ships without sacrificing vast amounts of manpower or resources.
And if successful, the probability of the Xianzhou Alliance decisively winning this crisis would rise to around fifty percent.
That figure alone was impressive. Previously, it hadn't even reached thirty.
This was sufficient reason to gamble.
Yet there was something even more crucial…
This plan had only been proposed as a rough sketch—with barely any details fleshed out.
If they could finalize most of the specifics, the success rate would rise above eighty percent.
It was astonishing. Fu Xuan had never imagined the odds could leap so dramatically!
If possible, she truly wanted to praise him.
Unfortunately, the reason she didn't was simple…
"Ahahahahaha!! Go on—cheer! Praise my genius!"
The figure covered in blood-red scales threw back his head, laughing so loudly Fu Xuan's brow twitched again and again.
He had some brains, true, but in this state, she couldn't even look at him directly.
"Who would've thought the problem trapping us would be solved so effortlessly by Mr. Sora? Your wisdom indeed surpasses ours."
Before Fu Xuan could make up her mind, the compliment had already been delivered.
Her eyes widened, staring at Jing Yuan in surprise.
She hadn't expected Jing Yuan to hand out praise so casually.
Noticing her expression, Jing Yuan merely winked.
Face and pride had long ceased to matter to him, so he naturally didn't care about such things. Besides, he'd already noticed how Sora's mood shifted after transforming.
Sora had gone from restrained to flamboyant—so why not indulge him?
He only needed to move his lips. It cost him nothing.
"Then please allow us to handle filling in the details, Mr. Sora."
Sora had already provided a workable plan. Jing Yuan couldn't bear troubling him further.
Thus, he proactively took responsibility on the Xianzhou's side. "Rest and recover your strength. Leave the trivialities to us."
Sora nodded repeatedly. "Good, good. Old Jing, you really get it—way better than that pink-haired shorty."
A vein popped on Fu Xuan's forehead. "Who are you calling short?!"
"Oh? You don't seem convinced."
A wicked grin appeared on Sora's face as he leaned toward the comms, staring at Fu Xuan. "Your face isn't bad. How about becoming my attendant from now on?"
Fu Xuan nearly exploded. "Hah?!"
You red-skinned bastard! Disrespecting the Master Diviner! It's time you learned exactly what the Master Diviner's authority entails!
"Ahem. Fu, my dear—do you object?"
Jing Yuan coughed twice, pulling Fu Xuan back from the brink.
This wasn't the time for tantrums. Once everything was over, she could do whatever she pleased.
Realizing this, Fu Xuan took two deep breaths, forcing her emotions down.
"General, I'll continue divining the plan's details. If anything comes up, call me."
With that, she cut the connection, refusing to face that infuriating man any longer.
A trace of poorly concealed amusement appeared on Jing Yuan's face.
Ever since Fu Xuan became Master Diviner, Sora was the first to dare treat her like that.
It really was interesting.
...
Fu Xuan and Jing Yuan began finalizing the plan's details.
With nothing else to do, Sora returned to his current residence.
But in his present form, he obviously stunned everyone.
"What? As my personal guard, you can't even recognize my true identity?!"
In fairness…
If it weren't for his familiar face—and the bracelets on his wrists resonating with theirs—Hotaru and the others never would've guessed the red-scaled dragon-man before them was actually Sora.
But once they recognized him, their caution vanished at once.
They swarmed him, their curiosity at full throttle.
Especially the feel of his scales—once they touched them, they couldn't bear to let go.
"Enough!"
At that moment, Titania slammed the table, drawing everyone's attention.
She glared at Sora with a heavy expression. "You don't have even a shred of a leader's bearing like this!"
Sora's appearance drew eyes like a magnet—ten out of ten, without contest!
Too shameless. He was definitely doing it deliberately, stealing everyone's attention!
"Oh?"
Sora didn't flinch. "Is that all the magnanimity you've got, my rival?"
"What did you say?!"
Titania raised her brows, stepping closer.
"I'm saying that rules are only for people who can't survive without clinging to laws."
Sora and Titania instantly returned to their familiar tense standoff.
Seeing this, the Iron Cavalry worried that the pair might turn the place into rubble.
Hotaru hastily urged, "Go get Robin-san!"
At times like this, only Robin could restrain these two.
Robin had been resting in her room. Hearing Sora and Titania were clashing again, she rushed out.
"You two are not allowed to mess around—"
But when she arrived and saw what was happening, she froze.
"No one was born standing in the heavens—not you, nor I, nor even God. But the empty throne in the sky will soon have an occupant. From today forth, I will stand at the summit."
"Do you know why our matches so often end in your defeat?"
Titania frowned. "I don't."
"Listen closely, Titania!"
Sora continued, "There's only one reason you lose to me—you haven't found your own conviction!"
"You call yourself a god, but you don't have a conviction strong enough for others to follow. That's why you're defeated, time and again."
"But I'm different."
Sora thumped his chest; his scales rang like clashing metal.
"My conviction is as sharp as a sword!"
As long as I strike down threats before they emerge, I'm protecting everyone!
That's the true Sora! The true Crimson Blood Dragon! The true me!
Titania's cheeks flushed faintly with excitement.
She didn't fully grasp Sora's meaning, but it sounded… cool. And useful.
"So if I achieve that, I'll finally beat you?!"
"Admiration is the farthest thing from understanding."
Sora bared his teeth in a grin. "Why just beat me? You should surpass me!"
The instant those words fell, it was as if Titania had been struck by something immense.
Was this what Sora had always thought?
"So that's how it is!"
In Titania's mind, an image formed—on that impossibly high throne sat a solitary figure, silently enduring endless solitude.
And as the silhouette's face became clear, it was Sora's.
He'd been waiting for her all along—waiting for her to rise and stand equally atop that throne.
So that was it. Titania finally understood everything!
"Just you wait! I'll surpass you sooner or later!"
"Hahahahahaha! I won't stop. The road beneath my feet stretches endlessly forward! If you wish to surpass me, you're still twenty thousand years too early!"
"Hahahahahaha! Then I'll chase you for twenty thousand years—and surpass you anyway!"
The two burst into wild laughter together, instantly turning the place into chaos.
The Iron Cavalry covered their ears, desperate to block out the cacophony.
But once those two started laughing, they seemed unlikely to stop.
They exchanged glances, completely baffled at the madness that had seized the pair.
It had seemed like they were about to fight, yet now they acted as though they'd reached some profound understanding.
Only… none of them could figure out what, exactly, they had agreed upon.
Was this something comprehensible only at their level?
Thinking that, they almost felt envious.
Robin was just as bewildered—especially by their strange dialogue. She couldn't make heads or tails of it.
"So could one of you tell me exactly what it is you just 'understood'?"
Robin's interruption finally stopped their laughter.
"Heh. It's a great cosmic secret. Want to know?"
Titania hmphed.
Robin didn't even glance at her. Her gaze fixed directly on Sora. "Sora. What secret is she talking about?"
"W-what secret—th-th-th… there isn't really any secret…"
To everyone's surprise, the previously eloquent Sora began stammering under Robin's stare.
Titania's gaze snapped toward him.
What's wrong with you?
Robin tilted her head, equally confused. What was happening?
"What I meant was… well… right! Exactly that!"
Robin blinked. "Huh?"
She still didn't understand. "Stop speaking in riddles. What is it?"
"I-I-I-I-I…"
In front of everyone, Sora repeated the word "I" more times than anyone could count.
"Why does Sora look so awkward right now?"
Watching him stammer, Fenille couldn't suppress the strange feeling rising in her chest.
It felt like seeing a friend bragging—only to be caught red-handed by the girl he had feelings for.
He wasn't like this before.
Suddenly, Titania clapped her hands in realization.
"Sora, you're going to demonstrate that conviction—standing atop the throne in the sky, right?!"
Sora's eyes widened as he stared at her.
Do you not see what state I'm in right now?
"Just as expected of you. Come on—I'm ready!"
The moment she said that, everyone's eyes filled with anticipation.
Sora had said many things they didn't grasp, but action? That they could understand.
What exactly was Sora about to do?
Under their eager gazes, Sora suddenly drew a deep breath, pulled out the Vistamp, and forcefully swiped it!
Red energy surged out of him, rapidly pouring into the stamp.
Soon after, the scales and dragon horns receded, revealing his familiar appearance.
The original Sora had been so embarrassed, he'd blocked out awareness entirely.
When he was suddenly restored, he was momentarily confused.
Why did that guy suddenly switch back?
—Mm-hm-hm. Now the majesty of the Crimson Blood Dragon has been demonstrated. I'll graciously allow you to bask in their awe!
Awe…?
Sora scanned the room. His mouth twitched as realization dawned.
You bastard—you set me up.
And thus, Sora advanced further down the path of cursing himself.
Still, he somehow managed to endure.
He pinned every bizarre line he'd said onto the infiltration plan—there was no other way to muddle through this moment.
After hearing it, everyone nodded in sudden comprehension.
Oh, you're going undercover at the abominations' gathering point. Why didn't you just say so?
They dispersed—but after a few steps, they abruptly froze.
In unison, they whipped their heads back toward Sora. "Huh?!"
"You're going alone? Undercover?!"
"No, I won't allow it!"
"Are you insane?!"
They couldn't believe Sora intended something that dangerous alone.
Facing them, Sora could only state the reality:
"We don't have a choice. We're trapped aboard the Luofu and can't go anywhere. We can't wait for the abominations to strike first and wipe us out."
"So we do what we can—put our strength where it matters most—and find a way to survive this crisis."
His words were reasonable; they couldn't refute him.
Only Robin bit down hard, fists tightly clenched.
Finally, she grabbed Sora and dragged him into her room, firmly shutting the door behind them.
---
T/N: WOOOOOOOOOOAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH IS IT FINALLY HAPPENING????????
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