Chapter 114: Why Can't I, March, Use a Blade?
Inside the Astral Express's observation car, the dust of a chaotic chase had just settled.
Conductor Pom-Pom, huffing with righteous indignation, straightened its ruffled ears and carefully adjusted its cap. It shot a glare at Stelle, who was grinning unabashedly not far away.
The new passenger, Sunday, stood off to the side, a perfectly pitched note of bemusement gracing his handsome features. He looked as if he had just witnessed a bizarrely staged play.
He tilted his head slightly, his gaze landing on Stelle, who was closest to him. "Stelle, if I may be so bold," he began, his voice smooth as silk, "was that behavior just now… a unique culture of the Astral Express?"
"Why is there a persistent desire to, ah… 'get close'to Conductor Pom-Pom, which then invariably escalates into a scene where the Conductor gives chase?" His gaze swept from Pom-Pom's fuming little back to the lingering smile on Stelle's face. "This doesn't seem to have much to do with the spirit of'Trailblazing,' does it?"
Being addressed so politely instantly improved Stelle's mood. She rubbed her calf where Pom-Pom's short legs had delivered a flurry of "kicks"—which hadn't hurt in the slightest—and chuckled. Leaning in, she lowered her voice to the solemn tone of someone sharing top-secret organizational intelligence.
"You wouldn't know, Sunday! This isn't just ordinary roughhousing. This is us, the Astral Express crew—especially us chat group members—performing a crucial 'Metaphysical Ritual'!"
"Metaphysical Ritual?" Sunday raised a single, elegant eyebrow. The term had clearly piqued his interest. As the "Planet of Festivities," Penacony was home to countless rituals for blessings and wishes, but he had never encountered one quite like this.
"Exactly!" Stelle nodded vigorously, pointing a thumb toward March 7th and Dan Heng. "Look at March and Dan Heng over there. They're also members of our 'Interdimensional Chat Group'!"
Stelle's face was alight with mischief. "And this 'petting Pom-Pom' ritual," she made a little kneading motion with her hands, "is what we've concluded is the most effective Metaphysical Ritual to perform before gacha draws! It's said to significantly increase the probability of pulling good items! See? March and Dan Heng just successfully completed the ritual, didn't they?!"
"I see." A look of dawning comprehension spread across Sunday's face. "'Metaphysical Rituals'… The concept is not entirely unfamiliar. In Penacony, similar customs are quite popular as well."
"For instance," he continued, a hint of nostalgia in his tone, "devoutly praying before a statue of 'Clockie' before drawing dream bubbles, or standing at the highest point of Golden Hour and chugging an entire bottle of SoulGlad before participating in certain… luck-based activities." His voice carried a fond acceptance of his homeworld's quirks. "It seems that when faced with the unknown, people from different worlds always find similar forms of reliance."
While Stelle and Sunday were exchanging metaphysical insights, March 7th and Dan Heng had already composed themselves for the final, decisive battle—the ten-pull.
March 7th took a deep, steadying breath, her small face taut with concentration. "Brave March, no fear of difficulties!" she muttered to herself. "This time, I'm pulling with my eyes open! I can definitely do it!"
She mustered the greatest courage of her life, abandoning her usual "ostrich strategy" of squeezing her eyes shut, and resolutely pressed the ten-pull button.
Dazzling streaks of light erupted before her, the outlines of items flashing by in a rapid, dizzying sequence.
The first ray of light resolved—green! [Thermostatic Plush Care Set "Warm Embrace"].
March 7th's heart gave a little leap. 'A green start! That's a good omen!'
Immediately after, the second—white! [Ordinary Screws (One Box)].
The third—white! [Universal Fashion Magazine].
The fourth—white! [Flavorless Gum].
A series of blinding white lights, like cold, merciless raindrops, splattered onto the small flame of hope March 7th had just ignited.
Her heartbeat hammered against her ribs. The courage she had so painstakingly mustered began to deflate like a punctured balloon, and her expression crumpled.
'No way, no way… Am I going to be punished for being brave just this once?'March 7th wailed internally.'I should have just closed my eyes and fumbled through it like always…'
Just as her heart was about to sink to the very bottom, her eyes beginning to prickle with tears, the final ray of light arrived, fashionably late.
The light was so brilliant, so utterly dazzling, that it instantly overshadowed all the preceding white and green glows. For a moment, it seemed capable of illuminating the entire observation car in its magnificent splendor.
"Purple… purple?!" March 7th gasped, her hand flying to cover her mouth in shock.
"I… I pulled a purple?! I, March 7th, am having a day like this?!" The immense, overwhelming surprise made her feel a little dizzy.
She completely ignored the pile of green and white junk, her gaze locked on the item radiating a captivating, regal purple light. She could hardly believe her eyes! Throughout the entire chat group's gacha history, purple-quality items were few and far between.
Paimon's Optimization Power wrench, her little Stand… each one possessed game-changing abilities or deep significance.
Purple, in and of itself, represented power and rarity.
Ecstasy instantly washed away her earlier frustration. March 7th was so excited she nearly jumped out of her skin. She held her breath, her eyes fixed on the item as the purple stream of light finally converged.
The light dispersed, revealing a sword resting in the virtual item slot.
It was pure white, as if carved from the purest, most pristine ice and snow. The blade was sleek and slender, not as exaggerated as General Jing Yuan's glaive, but it possessed an inherent, restrained sharpness and an aura of cold purity. The hilt was also plain white, devoid of any complex patterns. The overall appearance was… exceptionally simple, even plain. No energy fluctuations leaked from it; it looked just like a finely crafted, ordinary blade.
"Huh?" March 7th froze, her excitement hitting a sudden pause. 'This… this is a purple-quality item? It looks so ordinary, doesn't it?' It was a far cry from the divine weapon she had imagined, which would be radiating brilliant light and bursting with special effects.
She quickly looked at the item description.
[Sode no Shirayuki (Ice-type Zanpakuto)]
Origin: A world skilled in the use of spiritual power. Has gained knowledge of its Shikai's true name (value-added service).
Ability: The release command for its Shikai is "Dance, Sode no Shirayuki!" Upon release, the blade emits an extremely cold freezing aura, capable of flash-freezing anything it touches. Attacks carry powerful ice-attribute damage and have a significant effect on spiritual entities (souls).
Bankai:??? (Locked, requires self-comprehension)
Special Note: This blade possesses immense potential. Its cold can freeze all things and purify souls. The wielder must possess a pure heart (or a will of unyielding strength) to wield its full power.
'Zanpakuto? Ice-type? Soul attack? Shikai? Uh… what's that release command thing?'
A series of unfamiliar terms bombarded March 7th's brain, but the keywords—"purple quality," "extremely cold freezing aura," "freeze all things," "soul attack," and "immense potential"—made her instantly grasp the terrifying power contained within this deceptively plain blade.
Especially "soul attack"! Didn't that subtly echo the soul-related ability of the [Sheep Talisman] she had drawn earlier?
Besides, there was an old Xianzhou saying: "Swords and blades come from the same source!"
March 7th had learned swordsmanship from Yanqing, the prodigious disciple of the Luofu's Sword Champion, and from Yunli, the genius swordswoman among the Eight Leaves of the Blazing Wheel.
Although she was still leagues away from her masters, she had the basics down! Using a blade… shouldn't be a big problem, right?
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