Chapter 60 - 56 - The Gaze of [Destruction] and [The Preservation]

The last time there was a Version 1.0 hotfix, the system had compensated him with a life-saving item. He had originally planned to save it for a rainy day, but now, it seemed, was the perfect opportunity to use it... "As expected, a rat's life force is tenacious. Even with your body this broken, you still insist on clinging to life, is that it?" "Cocolia" said mockingly, looking at Wende, who still had a breath left in him. "Cough cough... Heh heh... How did the coffee taste? It seems you quite liked it. A Stellaron, outsmarted by a cup of coffee... you're probably the only one, aren't you?" Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, Wende, kneeling on the ground, taunted "Cocolia" with maximum sarcasm. "Hmph, silver-tongued devil!" "Cough cough..." Wende coughed up two more mouthfuls of blood. Stelle was still in the Guardians' consciousness space; he couldn't afford to hold back any longer! His consciousness summoned a system screen. On the blank panel was a single line of simple text—the item the system had compensated him with. [Temporary 5-Star Experience Card] [Upon use, you will gain the ability to simulate a 5-star character template once. This template can be applied to yourself for five hours, after which the item will be automatically destroyed.] Reading the item's description, Wende gave a deathly pale smile. Five hours? Even five minutes would be enough for him to wipe the floor with Cocolia! He chose to use the Temporary 5-Star Experience Card. Time... came to a standstill once again. "Cough cough..." He pulled the lance out of his chest. For the next five hours, he would be in a near-invincible state. Although he couldn't move much, he could at least use the power of [Abundance] to repair himself. The last dregs of his [Abundance] power were just enough to mend the wound in his chest and his internal organs. "Haaaah... let's begin." Recalling the memories in his mind, Wende let out a long breath, his eyes filled with grim resolve. "What is a sword?" That was the first question the "Bad Person" had asked him after she began teaching him swordsmanship. "A sword is a weapon." Thinking about the purpose of a sword, little Wende had answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Under the shade of a tree, the "Bad Person" smiled and patted little Wende's head. She didn't reply to his answer, only lifting her head to look at the mottled shade of the leaves. Little Wende wasn't sure if she could see through the black veil, but "she" definitely "saw." Every morning at mao shi, the "Bad Person" would quietly sneak into little Wende's room, then drag the still-sleeping boy out to practice the sword. It was like this before she left, and it remained so even after she was gone. Staring at the empty courtyard, little Wende no longer saw that figure standing under the tree, listening to the wind... "She is a person of the blade; you don't have to be like her." His Master stood behind him, gently massaging his head. It was just the two of them, master and disciple, again. When that person was around, their small courtyard had been a little more lively. His Master shook his head with a sigh. "Her sword and your sword share the same form, but their souls are vastly different." He took the wooden training sword from Wende's back, broke off a branch growing from it with his hands, then handed the sword back to Wende. "The end of immortality is Destruction, and the end of Destruction is rebirth... just like this wooden sword." His Master said softly. "Yin and Yang, life and death, [Abundance] and [Destruction]. No matter which Path you walk, no matter which Aeon's gaze falls upon you... Wende, you must remember, life itself is a contradiction. You only need to believe in yourself." His Master's words echoed in his mind like a phantom dream. Opening his eyes again, Wende looked at the snowflakes frozen mid-air around him and smiled with acceptance. He didn't need to choose. The system panel automatically selected the Path of [Destruction] for him. The gaze of [Destruction] descended once more. Only this time, the protagonist it looked upon... was Wende! The miracle of Abundance had not yet receded, but Destruction chose to share him. Wende's chest rose and fell as the power of [Destruction] poured into his body, fusing harmoniously with the power of [Abundance]. A longsword gradually materialized before him. The powers of Yin and Yang, of life and death, converged upon this blade—one side black as ink, the other white as silk. A black and white interwoven robe appeared on his body, and a hair crown engraved with the Yin-Yang symbol gathered his now-long, ink-black hair. His purple eyes seemed to have crossed the boundary between life and death. "This power... it feels so strange, yet so familiar... I was thinking of making a Kevin template for myself, but you went and locked it in for me." Wende caressed the body of the blade before him, smiling helplessly. "If that's the case, then so be it!" ZING!! Gripping the pitch-black hilt, Wende aimed the snow-white blade at Cocolia. "A mere passerby, yet you insist on shouldering the fate of a world..." The Will of the Guardians looked at the resolute expression on Stelle's face and finally lowered its head. "Very well... what more is there to lose... what is there that cannot be tried?..." "Go, touch the amber light, Trailblazer. Let us see if the will of [The Preservation] in your heart is strong enough to attract Its gaze..." The Guardian's Will's gaze fell upon a lance not far away, glowing with a fiery light. That was the weapon of the first Great Guardian, Alisa Rand... its name was the [Lance of the Blazing Undaunted]! "For Belobog... for... Wende!" Stelle resolutely walked towards the fiery lance. The [Preservation] within her heart was now magnified to infinity! As if moved by her will, the lance offered no resistance to her approach. It simply waited quietly, waiting for that moment to arrive! The gaze of [The Preservation] descended the instant Stelle pulled the lance free! The flames, symbolizing protection, instantly healed her body and caused her to open her eyes! Her golden pupils were filled with unyielding resolve! At this moment! The gazes of [Destruction] and [The Preservation] fell upon Wende and Stelle. He and she raised their longsword and lance, aiming them at the completely corrupted "Cocolia"! Whirrr... The giant Engine of Creation gently placed the transformed pair onto the ground. It had now accepted Stelle's [Preservation] and broken free from Cocolia's control! "Come on. It's round two now." Looking at "Cocolia" in the sky, Wende smiled at the lance-wielding Stelle beside him. "Yeah!" Seeing the completely unharmed and radically transformed Wende, Stelle showed little surprise, only nodding seriously. Now, it was time to avenge that stab wound!