Chapter 91 - 90: Set a Small Goal First

This was a powerful attack, so strong that Serval, who witnessed such power for the first time, fell silent. The trio's fight was clean and precise, not the slightest bit sloppy. Stelle swung her bat directly at the enemy's head. Just watching it made one's own head throb in sympathy. Even more terrifying was the aura of utter destruction radiating from Stelle's swing, as if that bat would obliterate the target into nothing. The contrast with the bright smile on her face made the scene even more chilling. However, when the bat landed, instead of the expected mess, it unleashed a burst of brilliant fireworks. These fireworks erupted from the body of the Guardian Shadow as if celebrating the sheer purity of the attack, rejoicing in yet another successful strike. Compared to Stelle's display, Seele's attack seemed more straightforward, a simple stealth approach followed by a neck slash. But when her scythe made contact, butterflies scattered from the enemy, creating the illusion of a serene paradise—though something seemed a bit off about this particular "paradise." As for Dan Heng, his fighting style and expression didn't seem to change much. There were no flashy effects when he struck the enemy. But watching him thrust his spear adorned with the pink bunny straight through the enemy left an odd sense of incongruity. "Can the pink bunny really pierce through enemies?" Serval gasped. The sight sent chills down her spine—not from the cold but from deep within her soul. If she had to choose... Wait, why was she even thinking about being defeated by them? But that wasn't even the scariest part. The truly terrifying thing was how, before the Guardian Shadow had fully dissipated, Stelle and Seele were already digging through its pockets—one high, one low, one in front, one behind. Before the enemy's body vanished completely, they were both left staring at their empty hands. Seele: "Did you find anything?" Stelle: "Nothing at all. That's odd. Isn't pocket-checking supposed to guarantee loot?" Seele: "Maybe something's wrong?" Stelle: "No idea. Could it be because it's not human?" Seele: "That's possible." With a final swing, Stelle obliterated what remained of the Guardian's Shadow, grumbling, "So broke, not even a little drop." Seele chimed in, "Exactly! How dare it come out wearing clothes without any treasures?" Watching the pair gripe, Dan Heng silently thanked his luck for being somewhat normal... But little did he know, in Serval and Gepard's eyes, Dan Heng wasn't much better off! While the others vented their frustration, Pei Guang and March 7th returned with smiles, clearly satisfied. March 7th: "We're done with our part! How about you guys?" Stelle: "All finished. One thing's certain—despite having pockets, Fragmentum creatures don't drop loot." Pei Guang was surprised by this revelation. "So, they're just like the Antimatter Legion?" Stelle: "Exactly. Not a single treasure drop. So poor!" Pei Guang: "No worries. We still have the blue-haired guy with guaranteed drops. Once we're back, we can have the Silvermane Guards release him, then we'll grab him, stuff him into a room, and loot him every day until he runs dry." Stelle: "Great idea." Listening to this open discussion of robbery and kidnapping, Serval and Gepard could no longer stand idly by. Serval: "Bronya is still waiting for us to rescue her." Gepard: "Yes, we should press on." Pei Guang raised his wooden sword. "Right! Let's keep moving forward!" There was only one path left, leading directly to where Cocolia and the Stellaron were located. As the group pressed on, they encountered another illusion of Cocolia. Seele eyed the shadow skeptically. "Is that woman's shadow? Why isn't Bronya with her?" Pei Guang: "Do we even need to think about it? It's clearly an enemy." March 7th: "Pei Guang, don't scare me. It's just an illusion, right?" Stelle: "No problem. Let's hit it with a righteous sneak attack!" Pei Guang: "Exactly! A righteous sneak attack!" Seele: "Count me in!" As Pei Guang's group crept closer, the shadow of Cocolia began to speak. This was a remnant set by Cocolia using the Stellaron, meant to block their path. It copied most of Cocolia's strength, making it virtually indistinguishable from facing her directly. Meanwhile, Pei Guang, March 7th, and Stelle crouched, weapons at the ready, as Seele gripped her scythe, prepared for a surprise attack. "Intruders... must not... approach... the Stellaron!" As the projection of Cocolia used to block the way to the Stellaron suddenly turned corporeal, it experienced the most underhanded ambush in that very instant. Pei Guang attacked from below, Stelle from above, March 7th unleashed a full-powered arrow and Seele delivered a neck slash. There were so many attackers that Dan Heng didn't even participate. But the impact of him not joining in was even greater than if he had. If he had participated, it would've been his Pink Bunny piercing through the enemy's chest. Since he didn't, he just stood guard, holding his Pink Bunny with a serious expression. Watching this, Gepard couldn't help but question if coming along was the right choice. There was no rationale and no morality involved—just pure destruction aimed at the enemy. "Well, that was something... but it's gone now," March 7th said with a bit of regret, as the enemy dissolved into thin air. To her, human-like enemies always offered a chance to loot. Even though Stelle and Seele both said the enemy wouldn't drop anything, what if their luck had just been bad? But because the four of them had attacked so fiercely, they instantly took down the enemy with no chance to search the body. "Such a shame..." Stelle sighed. Seele glanced at the stairs ahead. "That staircase—it's the only way forward. Could Cocolia be up there? Her physical body should still be human, right? If she's human, then she's bound to drop something, right?" Pei Guang confirmed, "Of course! Based on my experience, whether it's the starting village or the final fight, beating the boss always comes with rich rewards. Though the rewards might not be physical—maybe skills or a new class. Who knows! Let's head up and take her down!" Dan Heng, however, gazed solemnly at the stairs. "No matter what's ahead, the end of this journey is at the top." March 7th put her hands on her hips. "I don't want the journey to end so soon. I hope my adventure never—" Pei Guang quickly covered her mouth. "Stop! Don't jinx it. Journeys will always have an end, and games always have a final boss. The only time a journey doesn't end is if you die, or everyone else dies and you're left alone." "Mmph mmph!" March 7th nodded hastily, silenced by his words. She stared at Pei Guang, thinking that whatever he said, it would probably come true. Whether it was her own demise or the loss of her friends, neither outcome was acceptable to her. Especially... Pei Guang continued, "That's why our goal should be to happily reach the conclusion. But you know, I've been thinking—maybe the end of this game is me using this wooden sword to poke every Aeon in the butt?" March 7th finally spoke, "No way, Pei Guang! There's no way you'll ever finish that goal." Pei Guang shrugged. "Who knows? No matter how long the game is or how long the journey, there will be an ending. When the time comes, we'll all be there at the finish line, splitting the loot. After that, whether we settle down on a peaceful planet to live simple lives, or embark on a new journey to explore the unknown, those are decisions for when we finish this stage." Stelle chimed in, "Poking Aeons in the butt... Count me in!" Seele added, "I feel like I could join that too." March 7th, although unsure, said, "Even if your goal sounds ridiculous, I'll follow Pei Guang's lead. Just make sure to take me along when you're traveling around the universe." At this point, Dan Heng, Serval, and Gepard didn't dare say a word. Poking the Aeons in the butt—how could they say something like that without fearing retribution from their followers? But then again, if any followers did come after them, Pei Guang would likely poke their butts first with his relentless underhanded tactics. In the vast galaxy, no one could say for sure how many enemies this group would make, but one thing was certain: none would leave unscathed. Pei Guang raised his wooden sword high. "Exactly! Now let's wrap up this journey in the starting village! Defeat Cocolia and get the loot!" Stelle followed suit, "Defeat Cocolia! Get loot! And gear!" March 7th interjected, "Wait! What about Bronya? You've been gaining quite a bit of favor with her." Pei Guang slapped his forehead. "Right! I got so caught up thinking about loot and gear. Alright, we'll grab Bronya, defeat Cocolia, and rush to the final showdown! Let's hurry! Today, it's either her life or mine!" With that, Pei Guang led the charge! Seele raised her scythe and followed, "Grab Bronya!!!" Stelle followed close behind, shouting, "Loot the coins! Loot the gear!!" March 7th exclaimed, "Hey, hey! Wait for me! You promised! Let me loot the bodies and open the chests. I still haven't gotten a golden drop yet!" As the four charged ahead, Serval and Gepard looked at each other, then turned to the only calm person left, Dan Heng. But when they saw the weapon in his hands, they exchanged glances and decided not to say anything, quietly following behind. Dan Heng, watching Pei Guang's back, fell into deep thought. He was certain that the upcoming battle would mark the end of their current journey. Many thoughts raced through Dan Heng's mind, but in the end, he smiled and shook his head. He decided to abandon those scattered thoughts and fully experience this unique experience. The group quickly ascended the stairs. As soon as they reached the top, Stelle looked around excitedly. There were numerous creatures frozen in ice all around them. Stelle turned to March 7th with enthusiasm, "Look! So many Marchs!!" March 7th looked over to Pei Guang, "Pei Guang! Can't you do something?" Pei Guang pondered, "I'm thinking... If we put all these Marchs in a plaza, would it become March 7th Plaza?" March 7th: "???"