Hearing Acheron's retort, Sylvia found herself at a loss for words.
She stared at Acheron's left hand. In Acheron's eyes, it had only been a ritual—a means to help Sylvia obtain power.
But to Acheron, Sylvia was nothing more than a chance encounter during her travels among the stars.
Put plainly, Sylvia didn't believe her actions today warranted such concern from Acheron.
Based on the plot she remembered and those two promotional videos, Acheron ought to have been a far more aloof person.
This mismatch with her expectations left Sylvia puzzled. What kind of person was the real Acheron, after all?
"Don't worry, I'll be careful. And it's not just idle curiosity—the Stellaron might actually be of use to me."
"You want to harness the power of a Stellaron?"
Acheron's brow furrowed, as if she were seeing the silver-haired lady before her in a new light. Was it ignorance or sheer audacity?
"Do you truly understand how dangerous Stellarons are? Every being in the universe that has tried to wield their power has marched steadily toward self-destruction."
"Even members of the Genius Society only seek to suppress and contain Stellarons. If you truly intend to exploit one, I will stop you."
Acheron's tone sharpened almost imperceptibly, carrying the weight of her experience and power as an Emanator. Even a sliver of that aura was enough to make Sylvia tense up completely.
Noticing Sylvia's reaction, Acheron closed her eyes briefly. When she opened them again, that aggressive pressure had receded.
Sylvia let out a breath, one hand pressed to her chest as she steadied herself.
Acheron watched her, puzzled by her own uncharacteristic behavior and regretting what she'd just done.
"My apologies. Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, no need to worry."
Sylvia waved a hand dismissively. She had only glimpsed a fraction of an Emanator's power, yet it left her deeply shaken.
The meaning behind those words—Emanator—ran far deeper than she had ever imagined.
But more than the power, what puzzled Sylvia even more was why someone like Acheron would show such emotion because of her.
It shouldn't have been possible.
Or was this simply Acheron's true nature?
Her gaze toward Acheron grew subtly complex. After a moment's hesitation, Sylvia couldn't resist asking:
"More importantly… Acheron, why do you want to stop me from getting near the Stellaron?"
She deliberately stressed the word "me."
"..."
Acheron fell silent. As she journeyed across the galaxy, she had always offered help to those adrift in the river of emptiness.
But Sylvia was not treading such waters. And her desire for the Stellaron was not born of ideals or purpose.
Acheron could see that Sylvia was no Pathstrider—her eyes lacked conviction. She was like a lost lamb that had strayed into the deep ocean.
An unsuitable person, in an unsuitable place, harboring an unsuitable curiosity.
With so many points of mismatch, Sylvia would be swallowed by the void.
"No reason."
"...Huh?"
Sylvia was baffled. Acheron merely replied calmly:
"When traveling the stars, not everything requires a reason."
Her words, spoken while looking directly into Sylvia's striking blue eyes, settled heavily in Sylvia's heart.
This wasn't some declaration of righteous intent. Behind those words, Sylvia faintly sensed only a desolate, deathly emptiness.
The realization left her both stunned and filled with a sense of powerlessness.
When someone possessed immense power yet acted without reason or purpose, how could anyone possibly persuade them to change course?
Sylvia felt a headache coming on.
"Acheron, I don't want to destroy myself. I know how dangerous Stellarons are. I just… want to try something. A small experiment. If you sense anything wrong, you can stop me anytime."
Sylvia hadn't expected Acheron to take her situation so seriously.
Or perhaps she never imagined Acheron would go this far for her sake.
Yet in response to Sylvia's explanation, Acheron only shook her head and laid her sheathed blade horizontally between them.
"That's not the point. Right now, you wouldn't only face Fragmentum creatures and the Antimatter Legion—more importantly, you couldn't resist the Stellaron's corruption."
Stellarons had been known to develop the power to sway minds; such cases were not rare.
In Acheron's eyes, someone as vulnerable as Sylvia wouldn't stand a chance if she touched a Stellaron now.
It wasn't that Sylvia hadn't considered this, but she thought that if she only made brief contact—if the containment card failed to hold it or couldn't isolate the Stellaron's influence—she would simply withdraw.
Such a short exposure shouldn't be enough to corrupt her.
But hearing Acheron's warning, she wondered if she had underestimated the Stellaron's power.
"Is there a way, then? A way to resist the Stellaron's influence?"
Instead of answering, Acheron looked at her curiously and posed a question of her own:
"Why are you so set on reaching for a Stellaron? You've only just gained power—shouldn't you focus on mastering it first?"
Sylvia had never intended to hide her motives. Omitting any mention of it being a "toy version," she explained to Acheron that her current power lacked a stable source.
If she could use a containment card to seal a Stellaron away, it might solve her energy problem.
"…I'm not a Pathstrider, after all. I can't draw strength from a Path, so I have to seek external sources."
"Very well. I think I understand."
Acheron grasped Sylvia's reasoning, but as she had said:
Contacting a Stellaron was extremely dangerous, and Sylvia's bold idea of carrying one around while traveling the cosmos was even more reckless.
She didn't know whether to call it the fearlessness of ignorance or a foolish gamble.
With that thought, Acheron turned her sheathed blade, pointing it toward Sylvia, and said:
"I understand why you seek the Stellaron. But it is too dangerous—especially if you plan to carry one with you. Even if that card of yours can seal it, how can you guarantee the seal will never break and lead you to ruin?"
"So even if I could help you retrieve a Stellaron, I would not."
As she spoke, Acheron shifted her blade and lightly tapped the greatsword in Sylvia's hands.
"Raise your sword. I suspect that after we part ways, you will still take the risk. In that case, let me temper your resolve now. At the very least… your will must be strong enough to hold out until I can reach you."
Shiiing—
With that sound, Acheron's blade was drawn—just a short segment.
Yet accompanied by the ring of steel, her presence transformed.
It was like a calm sea suddenly torn by storm and thunder.
A darkness from the abyss began to spread upward, and an aura of danger triggered every instinct in Sylvia's body to brace itself.
In that instant, Sylvia felt as if she could see the other shore—as if she were gazing upon the true Acheron.
"Thank you."
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
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