Chapter 37 - 35 - Transition

"Let's have a formal introduction. I am Natasha, the true leader of the Wildfire organization, and also the owner of this clinic." Natasha extended a hand to Wende. Wende took the hand that had performed so many surgeries and looked at the exhausted woman before him. A strange sense of shared suffering welled up within him. "I am Wende, a Trailblazer from..." "From the world outside, correct?" Before Wende could finish, Natasha took over with a smile. That fellow Sampo said he would find people who could help us. Although I didn't believe him one hundred percent, he actually did it... Natasha sighed with emotion. She had originally thought this was just another one of Sampo's tricks, but to her surprise, he had truly brought powerful reinforcements. "Although I don't know the purpose of your visit, thank you for your aid to the Underworld," Natasha said, her gratitude genuine. "I never would have thought the leader of Wildfire would be such a gentle big sister..." March 7th looked on with admiration. In her imagination, the leader of an underground organization should have been a dark-skinned old man with a full beard! Oleg, lying on a nearby sickbed, imperceptibly turned his head. He was covered from head to toe in bandages, so no one noticed him. Since Natasha now knew the Trailblazing team's true identity, there was no longer a need to hide anything. Under Wende's encouraging gaze, Stelle stepped forward and told Natasha everything, including the true culprit behind Jarilo-VI's current state and their specific theories about the Stellaron. Although they were now fairly certain the Stellaron was located in the Overworld and that Cocolia was the key, their own power was limited. They needed the help of the Underworld. They needed more information about the Stellaron on this world. After learning of the team's purpose, Natasha fell silent. This information was a bit too fantastical for her; she needed some time to digest it. Coincidentally, the Fragmentum creatures' offensive had now receded, and the situation in Boulder Town had temporarily stabilized. Wildfire had earned a moment of respite, and she, too, needed to think things through properly. If what the Trailblazing team said was true, then their world... this planet called Jarilo-VI... might not have much time left. But the Underworld was simply too exhausted... Over the last seven days, the attacks from the Fragmentum had been like a relentless tide. At first, Wildfire could hold them back using their stronghold in Rivet Town, but this time... the battle had reached Boulder Town itself. Yes... they were too tired... Both Wildfire and the residents of the Underworld needed to rest. And so, Natasha first sent the Trailblazing team back to rest, promising to give them a clear answer the next day. Watching the Trailblazing team's departing figures, Natasha turned and went back into the clinic. Wende and his group returned to the Goethe Hotel. Although it was impossible to distinguish day from night in the Underworld, the people here still lived according to the time in the Overworld. They had a simple dinner prepared by the hotel owner. Seeing the troubled looks on March 7th and Stelle's faces, Wende shook his head. He wanted to cook something special for these two kids, but... Looking at the black bread and strange meat, his spirit was willing, but his resources were weak. Fortunately, to thank the team for their help in Boulder Town today, the hotel owner had specially made them a bowl of the Underworld's secret recipe broth. Although the taste was mediocre, it was just enough to help wash down the black bread. Compared to little March's pickiness, Dan Heng and Stelle's performances were much better. Dan Heng went straight back to his room and chose to "fast," while Stelle was still numbly eating the meat of unknown origin... "Sigh... by the way... where's Bronya?" Wende sighed, then realized someone was missing. He looked quizzically at little March, who was still struggling to saw through her black bread. "Oh, her? We ran into her on the front lines in Boulder Town today. She was with a girl named Seele. Thanks to the two of them, the Wildfire members wouldn't have been able to hold out until we got there," March 7th said, sounding relieved. But when she looked down at the un-breached black bread beneath her saw-like knife, her expression drooped again. "Is that so," Wende nodded and said no more. Chew, chew, chew... swallow. Stelle swallowed the meat of indescribable taste and shape, then shifted her gaze to Wende's expressionless face. Wende seems... weird today, Stelle thought to herself, looking at the man who gave off a distinctly different vibe. "Hmm? What is it?" Sensing Stelle's gaze, Wende put down his now-bent cutlery and the untouched black bread and spoke to her. "It just feels like... Wende has something on his mind," Stelle nodded and said very directly. "Something on my mind..." Wende smiled bitterly and shook his head, looking helpless. "It's nothing, I'm just not used to the environment. I've just been having some nightmares lately." "Nightmares?" Hearing that word, Dan Heng's eyebrow twitched. He looked at Wende with a sense of empathy. "You're also plagued by nightmares?" Wende just shook his head at Dan Heng, his eyes listless. After finishing the "tough" meal, Wende returned to his room. Looking at his reflection in the full-length mirror, Wende shook his head. He looked at the mirror again, and the person in the mirror was looking back at him. Two pairs of purple eyes stared at each other. Then, Wende closed his eyes and lay down on the bed. "Forget it. I'm done thinking. I'll just let it be." If the system was truly forcing him to accept these memories that weren't "his," what could he do but accept them? So be it. Now that he'd thought it through, it wouldn't be so bad to treat it as living a new life. Wende consoled himself thusly, pulled the covers over himself, and exhaustion pulled him into dreamland. A night... without dreams. "Great Guardian... Great Guardian!" As if sensing someone calling out to her, Cocolia looked blankly at the Serval before her. "Hmm? Cocolia, why are you looking at me like that?" "Serval" said with a smile, seeing Cocolia's dazed expression. "Serval..." Cocolia mumbled, slowly repeating Serval's name. The guitar in her hand had, at some point, transformed into an ice spear. The smiling "Serval" before her had, at some point, become a blood-drenched figure, and the ice spear in her hand... was plunged into "Serval's" chest. "Coco... lia..." "Serval" raised a hand covered in blood, reaching tremblingly for Cocolia. "No... no... what have I..." Cocolia let go of the ice spear, staring in disbelief at her own corrupted hands. "How... how could I... how..." Clutching her head, she sank to the ground, her body trembling uncontrollably. "Cocolia... Cocolia... we promise you... no pain... no cold... no sacrifice..." "Cocolia... Cocolia... wake up..." "..." Cocolia's trembling body suddenly went still. Her purple eyes gradually dimmed, and a faint golden light flickered within her pupils before vanishing.