Chapter 115 - 114: I Had a Nightmare...

After adjusting Dan Heng's puppet, Pei Guang handed it to him. Pei Guang said, "Based on all my gaming experience, the better you raise their affection, the stronger they become. Once you max out their affection, you'll be able to enjoy the full benefits." Stelle chimed in, "Exactly! But honestly, I'm already enjoying it right now." At that moment, Stelle was lying on Puppet No. 2's lap. Its limbs were made from materials that mimicked human skin, and the soft, cushiony legs made Stelle feel extremely comfortable. Herta Puppet No. 2 asked, "Trailblazer, would you like some water?" Stelle replied, "Sure! But let's drink mine." Earlier, while they were at a drink shop in Belobog, Stelle had stocked up on drinks, using the extra space in her inventory to store a bunch. She casually pulled out a "Blue Lovers" and attached a Y-shaped straw. Stelle said, "Here~ Let's share. This is called Blue Lovers. You know what that means~" Herta Puppet No. 2 responded, "Trailblazer, you're in such a good mood~" Lowering its head, the puppet and Stelle each took a side of the straw, sipping the drink together. At this sight, Dan Heng fell into deep thought. Meanwhile, Pei Guang praised Stelle, "As expected of Stelle, already learning how to raise affection so quickly." Herta Puppet No. 1 gazed at Pei Guang with wide eyes. Noticing this, Pei Guang smiled and said, "Don't worry. Once we get back, I'll help March 7th dress you up beautifully. March 7th has tons of cute clothes in her room." March 7th proudly patted her chest, "Exactly! I promise I'll dress you up so nicely. Don't listen to Ah Guang about mining—getting that pretty face all dirty would be a real shame." Dan Heng said, "If you're all done, I'll head back." Pei Guang replied, "Go ahead~ If you want to store the puppet in your inventory, just turn it off. In its shutdown mode, it'll fit in your storage space." Dan Heng nodded, "Got it..." He returned to his room, where the puppet watched him, and he stared back at it. After a long moment, Dan Heng finally asked, "Can you parry?" Herta Puppet No. 4 smirked and replied, "Wanna try? I guarantee you'll end up with a swollen face." Seeing the puppet's confident smile and hearing her words, Dan Heng had the feeling there might be something off with this puppet. But then he remembered what Pei Guang had said earlier. Listening to Herta Puppet No. 4 and watching her expressions, Dan Heng began to feel like this might actually be fun. Dan Heng smiled, "Alright! Let's go to the Fragmentum at dawn and test it out." Herta Puppet No. 4 said, "Don't hold me back!" Dan Heng replied, "I won't. I just want to test your 'block' skills." Herta Puppet No. 4 confidently responded, "Bring it on! As long as you don't use magic, I'll make sure you leave looking like a pig." Dan Heng chuckled, "I'll be looking forward to it." Feeling pretty good, Dan Heng decided to return to sleep before dawn arrived. That dream he had earlier had been so pleasant—it would be a shame not to continue it. As soon as he lay down and turned off the lights, something felt off. He opened his eyes abruptly, only to see a glowing pair of eyes next to him. Herta Puppet No. 4 said, "Don't mind me. You go ahead and sleep—I don't need to rest." Dan Heng thought for a moment. According to Pei Guang, increasing affection would raise the puppet's power. Considering Blade's combat prowess, he figured simple blocking might not be enough. So, he decided it wouldn't hurt to raise their "affection" a little. Dan Heng tossed the blanket onto the floor and said, "Sleep." Herta Puppet No. 4 teased, "Isn't this the part where you're supposed to be a gentleman, offering me the bed while you sleep on the floor?" Hearing that, Dan Heng silently lay down on the blanket on the floor. He didn't really care where he slept—whether it was a bed or a tree branch, he could sleep anywhere. Herta Puppet No. 4 was momentarily stunned, "Huh? I was kidding. I didn't mean for you to actually sleep on the floor. I'm just a puppet—I don't need to sleep. Get back on the bed." But Dan Heng had already closed his eyes. Seeing he wasn't going to move, Herta Puppet No. 4 sighed and picked him up, placing him back on the bed. By then, Dan Heng had already fallen fast asleep, determined to continue his pleasant dream. As Dan Heng drifted into sleep, Stelle and March 7th returned to their own rooms to rest. It had been a long day—from fighting their way through the Underworld to the Overworld, draining the fountain, breaking through the gates, defeating Fragmentum creatures, sealing the Stellaron, capturing Herta's puppets and betting against Silver Wolf. After doing so much in just one day, even March 7th found it hard to believe. If it weren't for the sight of their beds, everyone would've felt fine. But once they saw the beds and their emotions settled, all three of them were ready for a deep, well-deserved sleep. There was still a lot to do in the coming days—lifting the lockdown in Belobog's upper and lower districts, Bronya's speech, Pei Guang's "romantic" moment with Welt and March 7th's plans to have some fun. Even Stelle, who rarely set goals, made a small one for herself—to check every trash can in Belobog, hoping to get another rare drop. As the Trailblazer squad drifted off into dreamland, in another star system, Blade suddenly woke with a start as he prepared for his next mission. He clutched his chest, his whole body drenched in cold sweat, breathing heavily. Kafka, noticing his state, curiously asked, "What did you dream about to make you this scared?" Kafka understood Blade well. He had his own goals, and he also possessed an incredibly resilient spirit. Blade would sometimes have nightmares, even reliving his past in his dreams. While those memories caused him pain, they never resulted in a nightmare like the one he seemed to be having now. Hearing Kafka's question, Blade covered his head, and fear flickered in his eyes beneath his hair. "I had a nightmare... I dreamt of a pink bunny doll, poking me... poking me relentlessly. No matter how I attacked, it always managed to poke me. It didn't kill me... it toyed with me, with my body, with my mind. Nooo!!!" Blade's emotions were spiraling out of control. Kafka moved to his side, calming him. "Relax, it's just a dream." With Kafka's soothing words, Blade gradually regained his composure. Kafka chuckled softly, "I never imagined the day would come when you'd have such a dream. Don't worry, in Elio's prophecies, there's no future where you're defeated by any bunny doll. You'll only be pierced by his weapon or crushed by a giant hammer. You won't be humiliated by a pink doll." Kafka had already foreseen the future on Xianzhou, and in all those futures, Blade was never defeated or humiliated by a pink doll. Blade sighed, "Maybe... I've just been too stressed lately." Taking a deep breath, Blade acknowledged the importance of the upcoming events. Besides, he was about to confront his former "best friend," so some anxiety was understandable. Kafka smiled, "Since you're awake, why not take a walk? It's almost time you met your old friend again." Blade straightened his clothes and stood up. Just as Kafka suggested, he decided to take a walk to clear his mind. He pushed aside the strange feelings from the dream and mentally prepared for the moment when Dan Heng would arrive on Xianzhou—he'd have a special "gift" waiting for him.