"Cl…Clara."
March 7th stared at the newcomer before her, a look of shock on her face. Then, rather foolishly, she voiced her concern.
"Clara, what are you doing here?"
"It was really dangerous here just now. We had a fierce fight with Cocolia. Good thing you're a little late~"
Looking at Clara, March 7th didn't notice anything unusual. On the contrary, she wanted to run over and scoop her into a hug, giving her a good squeeze.
But as soon as March took a step, Dan Heng, his expression full of caution, blocked her path.
Under March's utterly bewildered gaze, Dan Heng spoke slowly.
"You… are the mastermind behind all of this, aren't you?"
Though phrased as a question, his tone left no room for doubt.
"Huh? What do you mean?"
Before Clara could even react to Dan Heng's words, March 7th asked, confused.
But Dan Heng didn't answer March. His gaze remained fixed on Clara, as if waiting for her response.
Hearing this, Clara let out a soft laugh. She clasped her hands behind her back and began walking slowly towards the group.
"Whether I'm the mastermind or not… if I said I wasn't…"
"Would you believe me?"
"Hmph." Watching Clara approach, everyone except March 7th immediately drew their weapons, watching her warily.
March looked left and right. Seeing Seele, Bronya, even Stelle and Mr. Yang all on high alert, even someone as oblivious as March understood. Right now, Clara was the kind of hidden final boss you read about in stories.
"But that can't be right… How could Clara be the final boss…?"
Remembering Clara's super adorable face, March still had doubts, but she summoned her weapon nonetheless.
"Hehe, no need to be so hasty~ We can talk, sit down, and discuss this properly~" Facing the tense, hostile group, not a trace of panic showed on Clara's face.
"Talk? What do you want to talk about?" As soon as Clara finished speaking, Welt pushed up his glasses and asked.
Welt was one hundred percent certain that inexplicable sense of crisis they'd felt was thanks to this "little girl" before them…
He could feel it—the suffocating pressure constantly radiating from Clara…
If Cocolia was an ant, then Clara was a giant, capable of crushing hundreds of millions of Cocolias underfoot.
Therefore, hearing Clara's words, Welt felt it would be better to avoid a fight if possible…
"Leave the Stellaron inside Cocolia behind, and then depart." Clara tilted her head, giving the group an innocent, adorable smile.
"Impossible." Welt shook his head instantly upon hearing this.
The Astral Express had come precisely for the Stellaron. Now that it was right before them, how could they just leave?
"Is that so? What a pity." Hearing this, Clara put on a show of helplessness and shook her head.
"Well then, let me remind you one more time."
Clara raised her fist and gave it a gentle squeeze towards the group.
"Leave now, and no one gets hurt. Otherwise… all of you will die here!"
"Eep!" Hiding in the shadows, Firefly, upon hearing Clara's words, let out a shy, involuntary gasp.
Somehow, it felt like Clara's words weren't meant for Welt, Stelle, and the others… but for her alone…
…
"I see. It seems you've made your choice."
Seeing that none of them made a move to leave, Clara understood their decision.
"A meaningless struggle. The birth of the new world is an inevitability." Clara shook her head, then gently crooked a finger towards Cocolia's body.
"Ahhhh~ Ahhh~!"
Instantly, Cocolia, cradled in Bronya's arms, let out agonized moans.
"Mother!" Seeing this, Bronya quickly tightened her grip on Cocolia's hand, trying to comfort her, to offer some solace.
But Cocolia's pain didn't subside. With a heave of her chest, a golden object radiating an aura of Destruction flew out from her bosom and landed in Clara's hand.
"What are you trying to do?" Seeing this, everyone aimed their weapons at Clara, demanding coldly.
"What am I trying to do." Hearing this question, Clara couldn't help but find it somewhat amusing.
"I'm taking back what belongs to me. Is there something wrong with that?"
Once the Stellaron she had created was in her grasp, another Stellaron slowly materialized beside Clara.
"T-two… two Stellarons!" The group stared at the two Stellarons in Clara's hands, utterly stunned.
"Two?" Clara gave a light laugh. The next second, a third Stellaron appeared beside her.
(One from Jarilo-VI, one belonging to Luocha, and one created by Clara herself.)
(Although the Stellaron Clara crafted by hand differed significantly from a normal Stellaron, unless you held it and examined it carefully, you basically couldn't tell.)
"Th-three… three…" Looking at the three Stellarons surrounding Clara, everyone except Seele and Bronya—who didn't fully understand Stellarons—fell into a heavy silence.
Oh, and March 7th, of course.
"Are you… a Lord Ravager?" Welt looked at the three Stellarons around Clara, this possibility surfacing in his mind.
"Lord Ravager? What's that?"
As a "native" of Jarilo-VI, how would Clara know what Welt meant by Lord Ravager?
She looked at Welt with a puzzled expression.
Welt: …
Clara's answer clearly took Welt by surprise. How could someone who didn't even know about Lord Ravagers possess three Stellarons?
"Lord Ravager, Emanator of Destruction, whatever you call them—none of it matters to me." Clara shook her head dismissively.
"I'll ask you one final time. Leave now, and remain unharmed."
"Or cling to your so-called Preservation, and ultimately be buried by the endless snow and ice?"
"Th-that! Clara, we can talk this out properly!" March 7th still felt in her heart that Clara wasn't a bad person.
"As long as we seal the Stellaron, everything will get better!"
Welt, Dan Heng: …
Hearing March's words, Welt and Dan Heng didn't speak up, nor did they refute her.
If there was only one Stellaron, that method might indeed work. But with three Stellarons…
Under no circumstances could they be sealed in the same place…
"Talk? What is there left to talk about now?" Clara raised her hand. The three Stellarons orbited around her, then all merged into her body.
"I gave you a chance. You were the ones who didn't cherish it."
"Since that's the case, then turn to dust of the old world, and welcome the arrival of the new one!"
As the three Stellarons merged within her, the aura of Destruction enveloped the entire star system…
If this were happening in the game, then at this moment, from the player's perspective, the screen would begin to shatter into fragments.
Then, combat would initiate, and Clara's name would appear before their eyes…
[????] Clara (Complete)
...
A/N: Protagonist Team: If our opponent is Clara empowered by three Stellarons… it might be a bit tricky.
You'd loose?
Protagonist Team: Nah, we'd win!
…
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