In the end, he still didn't get the answer he wanted from Sorceress Sellen.
He stepped out of the underground cellar and stared up at the clear blue sky, his expression full of quiet frustration. Then he lowered his gaze to the key in his hand.
This was what Sellen had given him before he left—the key to the seal that imprisoned Professor Lusat.
She had asked him to rescue Lusat.
But he had no intention of doing so.
He also didn't plan to tell Sellen where Lusat was. When the time came, he would simply announce that Lusat was dead.
As he'd said before, it was unfair to Professor Lusat… but doing this would at least slow down the pace at which Sorceress Sellen would become a sphere.
It would buy him more time—time to search for a way to save her.
"Forget it. No point torturing myself over this right now…"
He shook his head, forcing the thought aside, then swung up onto Torrent and set off leisurely for the Weeping Peninsula.
At the same time, he opened the chat group, hoping to lighten his mood.
He wasn't especially invested in whether Castle Morne had fallen. If he could lend a hand, he would—but Irina's death wasn't particularly important to him either.
This trip was mainly to confirm a theory: whether Irina truly was Hyetta.
Yet the moment he opened the chat, he noticed an unfamiliar ID.
A newcomer?
Tony Stark: "Okay, I've got the gist of it now. Thank you, lovely lady. @Fujiwara Chika"
Fujiwara Chika: "No problem! Since everyone's gathered here, it's only right that we help each other."
Tony Stark: "Then as thanks, may I invite Miss Fujiwara to dinner?"
Forever Seventeen: "My, my… I never thought the day would come when little Chika gets flirted with, hehehe."
Fujiwara Chika: "…Mr. Stark, I'm still a high school student. What you're doing is a crime, you know. (smile)"
Tony Stark: "…Sorry. Please allow me to retract that."
NorthNorthNorth: "You bad thing.jpg"
Tarnished Who Wants to Save His Wife: "What's going on? Did we get a new member?"
Fujiwara Chika: "Ah, Tarnished! Yep, we did! And he's American!"
Tony Stark: "Chairman of Stark Industries. Tony Stark. You can just call me Mr. Tony."
Tony Stark: "Oh, and if you want to buy weapons, please book an appointment in advance. No idea what my schedule looks like."
Tony Stark: "Also, kidding. I love peace—but peace would put me out of a job."
Tarnished Who Wants to Save His Wife: "…"
Maybe it was his imagination, but this Tony Stark felt a bit talkative… and more than a little full of himself.
Still, politeness was politeness.
Tarnished Who Wants to Save His Wife: "Hello. I'm a nobody Tarnished from the Lands Between. Just call me Tarnished."
Tony Stark: "Oh. The Lands Between. Weird place. Weird name."
Fujiwara Chika: "But Tarnished is really strong, you know!"
Tony Stark: "Oh yeah? Then Uncle Tony is looking forward to it."
In the office of his villa, Tony stared at the chat window that only he could see.
The grin on his face slowly widened.
At first, he had been shocked—he'd assumed it was some kind of prank.
But it didn't seem like that at all.
There were yokai, demigods, even a "Shinigami"—creatures that belonged in myths and bedtime stories.
He was still skeptical, but his interest in this so-called chat group was growing fast.
And now there was a place called the Lands Between, plus some guy calling himself "Tarnished."
Tarnished?
What did that even mean?
Someone who'd lost their color?
"Whatever. It's time. Casino."
He glanced at the clock on his desk and stretched hard.
Tony's sense of time was excellent.
Meanwhile, the chat continued to scroll.
Tarnished Who Wants to Save His Wife: "By the way, where are Gilgamesh, Aizen, and Otto? Why haven't those three shown up today?"
Based on last time, those three should have appeared immediately.
But so far, not a trace.
Fujiwara Chika: "Aizen… I think he's practicing calligraphy. Otto seems busy with something. As for Gil… he's probably preparing to resist the Three Goddess Alliance?"
NorthNorthNorth: "She's right.jpg"
Tarnished Who Wants to Save His Wife: "Three Goddess Alliance? What is that?"
If he took the phrase literally, it was simple—three goddesses forming an alliance to attack a target.
But did gods really form alliances?
In his understanding, gods fought and devoured each other.
Like the Gloam-Eyed Queen of the Eternal City, wielding a god-slaying greatsword and using Destined Death to butcher other divinities.
Or Queen Marika, ordering Godfrey to slaughter and seize "laws" themselves.
Fujiwara Chika: "Ah… I don't really know the details either. Gil just said it's three goddesses teaming up to attack Uruk."
Tarnished Who Wants to Save His Wife: "Uruk? If I remember right, that's Gilgamesh's territory. Is that okay?"
Fujiwara Chika: "It's fine! Gil said, 'It's only three goddesses,' so it should be fine."
[Group Notice: Emergency Mission — Reincarnator Invasion]
Description: The world of the group member King of Heroes has been invaded by a Reincarnator Squad. Other members, please resolve it as soon as possible.
Mission Slots: 2
Reward: 10,000 points
Forever Seventeen: "My, my… is this what humans call 'jinxing it'? Chika-chan, you're impressive."
NorthNorthNorth: "Blessed mouth.jpg"
Fujiwara Chika: "Waaah…"
Tarnished Who Wants to Save His Wife: "That's a lot of points."
Seeing the reward, he decisively tapped the Join button.
[Group Notice: Tarnished Who Wants to Save His Wife has joined the mission]
Forever Seventeen: "Eh? Tarnished is unusually proactive this time. (smile)"
Tarnished Who Wants to Save His Wife: "No choice. There's something I want to buy."
If he could, he'd rather not participate in missions like this.
But the problem was the shop.
A single artificial body cost 10,000 points.
With what he had now, he couldn't afford it.
As for asking Aizen…
He'd considered it, then abandoned the idea.
After so many years of experience, he was certain Aizen wasn't someone to get close to.
Better to keep his distance.
Director Hu Tao: "Eh? Another mission? Wait for me, I'm coming!"
In the Honkai Impact 3rd world, Hu Tao—currently directing the construction of a Wangsheng Funeral Parlor branch—was just about to hit Join when another notification popped up.
[Group Notice: NorthNorthNorth has joined the mission. Teleportation will begin shortly.]
The girl froze completely.
"Eh? Why is it like this…?"
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