LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 88: Who Did Elysia Learn That From?
Squeak—
Quietly, the door creaked open.
The earthy scent of soil mixed with cherry blossoms wafted through the air, brushing against the cold man as he walked in.
The steps at the threshold bore faint traces of fresh dirt and subtle patches of moss, coated with a thin green sheen.
"Hey, long time no see! Did you miss me?~"
Elysia's head peeked out from behind the door, and she tilted it slightly in surprise. Seeing the long-absent companion before her, she broke into a soft smile.
"Mm, Elysia. It's been a while."
Kevin gave a slight nod and glanced at the well-maintained courtyard. The flowers and greenery were arranged with care, likely Eden's handiwork—not Mobius's. It seemed they genuinely enjoyed their lives here.
This realization allowed him to let go of certain concerns completely.
"Don't be so serious! Look, if we're talking about 'a long time,' didn't we just meet a week ago? Back then, I thought you'd go straight for Su Lu and…"
Her mischievous grin widened.
The place where she and he stood seemed like a dividing line. He was on this side, and she was on the other.
One side was bitterly cold, while the other was basked in the warmth of spring.
Elysia stepped forward naturally, effortlessly dispelling the cold atmosphere. Kevin always exuded a naturally chilly aura, making people instinctively avoid getting too close.
Perhaps he had long grown used to the strange looks others gave him.
In the early days of the previous civilization, his inability to control his body temperature had been the reason. After countless lonely years, he could now fully command his cold powers.
"Fortunately, you've changed a little~"
Elysia arched her eyebrows, smiling as she looked at him. "Oh my, what's this? Are you afraid to go in and meet your old friends? Hmm?~"
"No, it's really just that you happened to come out."
"Oh? Rea-lly~?" Elysia grinned mischievously, closing the distance between them. Her calm, blue eyes locked onto his without the slightest ripple of emotion.
If it were Luo Mo, his eyes would likely dart away nervously for a moment before quickly masking his feelings…
For some reason, this thought flitted through Elysia's mind. She then took a step back, creating space between them. With her hands clasped behind her back, she playfully twirled twice and skipped ahead.
She opened the door and bowed slightly, making an inviting gesture.
"Alright then~ Come on, let's go see everyone! And also discuss how to plan the rescue of Griseo, who's trapped far away. Sigh, she's entangled by an entity called Sa… Have you heard of it?"
"I've heard a little."
In truth, he had only come across the name while wandering the Sea of Quanta. Travelers from civilizations different from Earth had mentioned it in passing. At that time, though, he hadn't been in the mood to inquire further.
But Sa… so what?
Standing at the pinnacle of power, there was nothing he feared.
"Hmm… How should I explain it to you? Let's start with Su and Griseo. Su isn't in trouble; he's observing us from afar… Uh, not from the afterlife."
"I know." Kevin's tone was calm, filled with confidence in his friend. "I trust he wouldn't fall."
"…Ah, that's wonderful. I sometimes wonder if Dr. MEI ever envied the bond and trust between you two. Well… back to Griseo."
She patted the sofa, inviting him to sit. Seeing the familiar faces of old comrades, Kevin nodded to each in acknowledgment.
"Although I know you'd probably rather talk with Su, who knows more than I do and is closer to you, there's no helping it. He's currently stuck in a place that doesn't allow easy communication. Last time, he only managed to say a few words before hurriedly cutting off."
"And Griseo… she's been forcibly put into stasis by Sa. She can't move and is trapped in her memories, endlessly calling for Uncle Kevin. It's so pitiful…"
Elysia extended a finger, her expression tinged with faint sorrow.
Kevin clenched his fists, his gaze turning sharp.
Elysia might exaggerate, but she wouldn't outright lie. Griseo's situation indeed stirred his anger.
"Oh, and there's that crystal orb, the one like an ecological sphere that still carries Eden's songs… Ah, I don't know what it looks like since it can't compare to Eden's actual singing. But… the orb shattered, along with Fu Hua's warm jade."
She glanced at Fu Hua nearby, blinking her eyes before repeating, "Both of them… shattered."
Fu Hua: "…"
She wanted to say, "You don't need to emphasize it again." Also, Fu Hua now knew exactly whom Elysia had picked up these antics from.
Still, this tactic was highly effective.
Though she hadn't been angry, Fu Hua now found herself silently simmering.
Meanwhile, Luo Mo also decided to head to the Golden Courtyard, bringing along Kiana and Mei. They were curious about the matter as well.
Plus… Luo Mo felt that bringing Kiana along wouldn't hurt.
Let her meet Kevin, their elder, right?
It might also add a little pressure on them both. Mei hadn't managed to pull a stigma, but that was unavoidable. Once the Elysium Everlasting's story arc ended, there would likely be room for improvement.
Using crystals from Elysia's storyline to pull for Mei's stigmata? In a way, wasn't that a subtle NTR? Luo Mo mused with amusement, indulging in his idle thoughts.
In the Golden Courtyard, to help Kevin gain a proper understanding, the Flame-Chasers collectively kicked Elysia out, stopping her from continuing her odd and frightening descriptions.
Compared to Luo Mo's stories of Fu Hua playing Snow White with seven dwarves, or Vita and Griseo having a child together, or Su and Sa's unspeakable affairs… Elysia's tales were just as outlandish.
On the contrary, she had thoroughly embraced the spirit of the MOTH's whimsical narratives and extended them further.
For instance, she claimed it was a place where trendy magical girls hung out, where Su transformed into a girl, only to face apocalyptic floods. To save the world with love and justice, Fu Hua donned a magical girl outfit and teamed up with Griseo to rescue the day!
In short, when Kevin repeatedly turned to stare at Elysia and Fu Hua in confusion, the group decided to silence her. Their chosen method? May sealing her mouth.
Fortunately, Elysia had properly explained Sa's power and situation. It wasn't entirely nonsense.
As such, Kevin pondered deeply and understood both Su's concerns and Elysia's hints.
She was probably worried that his trust in Su would make him place too much weight on his words.
But… having abandoned the Stigma Project, how could he fear an enemy weaker than Finality? Escaping was not an option; he would confront it head-on.
In the face of a fraction of Finality's power, he would prove himself. He had reached humanity's peak and would surpass the invisible barrier. He would engrave salvation and the ideals of all upon a force greater than Finality itself!
"I will defeat her. No… I will utterly destroy that fragment of hers."
Kevin's words carried a chilling resolve—calm and confident. There was no need for further discussion; he would win.
For a moment, silence fell over the group as they looked at their companion from 50,000 years into the future. They felt both a trace of unfamiliarity and a surge of inspiration.
Mobius narrowed her snake-like eyes, staring at Kevin for several seconds. This version of him indeed made her reevaluate him. Had he now fully embraced the responsibilities of leadership?
Even Kalpas refrained from objecting; the eyes beneath his mask seemed to burn with approval. This time, Kevin's response satisfied him.
After a few seconds' pause, Vill-V immediately resumed the discussion.
"Then, let's move forward with refining our plan.
"The teleportation device will be primarily handled by Su and me, while Kalpas, Fu Hua, Elysia, and Kevin will take charge of the combat roles. Aponia and, uh… Su again, will stabilize the passage, and Mobius will provide energy support to Kalpas during the fight.
"As for Kosma's suggestion, it's rejected. Rescuing Griseo is already complicated enough; awakening you at the same time would be even messier. Besides, per our collaboration guidelines, individuals too emotionally affected by the mission are not permitted to join the battlefield."
"Does anyone else have additional suggestions?"
Kosma silently stared at Vill-V for a few moments before ultimately saying nothing. However, he could not agree with her logic.
"I can handle this on my own," Kevin said plainly, as if stating an obvious fact.
"Heh—what, not even giving me a chance to vent my anger?" Kalpas sneered, clearly displeased at being excluded from the fight.
"You mentioned that the projections are unstable. Memory constructs or stigmata imprints—proceed with caution."
Kevin offered the advice, though he didn't expect it to dissuade Kalpas.
"Hmph, if there's a physical form capable of passing through the passage, it might even bear less strain than the rest of you," Kalpas retorted. There was no way he'd let go of such a rare opportunity for a brawl.
Evil? So what if it was evil? While he wouldn't claim to stand for justice, rescuing one of their own was perfectly reasonable, wasn't it?
Fight! Bring destruction to heaven and earth!
"What about me? What about me, Vill-V?!" Pardo enthusiastically jumped up, raising her right hand high in the air to grab attention.
"Oh, my little kitty… Hmm…" Vill-V tilted her head, pondering for a while but failing to come up with a suitable role. Seeing Pardo's hopeful expression, however, she couldn't bear to let her down.
After all, saving Griseo was everyone's responsibility.
By now, Luo Mo, Kiana, and Mei had also arrived, though they hadn't had a chance to interject. Kiana and Mei were unfamiliar with the Flame-Chasers of the previous civilization, while Luo Mo was silently repenting for Elysia's earlier storytelling.
Setting aside the facts, it might actually have been partially his fault.
Seeing Elysia, whose mouth Mobius was still covering, utterly excluded from this crucial mission planning session despite being the second-in-command, Luo Mo felt a pang of guilt.
But even so, he would firmly state: Her last comment was slander!
"Pardo can focus on praying and wishing for the mission's success," Luo Mo quickly chimed in, offering a reasonable explanation for her involvement.
While battling Sa would require opening a gate, he was genuinely concerned that Pardo might wander off to find one. Having her stay at the base as a mascot could still boost morale, after all.
Pardo hesitated, scratching her head and glancing around at the others. Finally, she accepted the reality of her role.
"Uh… Okay, fine. I'll pray really hard, then. Let's hope it works—amen~"
She clasped her hands together in a praying gesture, imitating an action she had picked up from who-knows-where, and began a serious-looking prayer.
"Pfft—"
"Eden, you're not allowed to laugh! This is partially your fault, you know! I even had someone investigate and found out that the suspicious fund transfers within the organization were all sponsored by you!"
Elysia finally freed herself from Mobius's hand, puffing up her cheeks in dissatisfaction. Meanwhile, Mobius quickly withdrew her hand, her face faintly flushed, and discreetly wiped it on her clothes.
"And me?" Sakura asked softly, pressing down a mischievous Rin with one hand. Her little sister had become increasingly lively, though her tendency to cause trouble left Sakura unsure whether to feel joy or concern.
It must have been from hanging around Rosalia and Lilia too much.
Gently stroking her sister's fluffy hair, Sakura gazed at her affectionately.
"Keep an eye on Vita," Vil-V instructed. "Although everyone is eager to help, not all the projections can cross over. Don't worry—Kevin's group will handle it. And if they fail… uh, I might even get new ideas for upgrading Kevin's armament."
Vill-V shrugged, delivering a rather cold joke.
"Well, let's hope that doesn't happen. Giving you new ideas is always a dangerous thing," Kiana muttered under her breath.
"Oh, Kiana, it's you! How special~" Vill-V greeted warmly. In her own way, she was quite similar to Mobius—always in search of test subjects.
The difference was that one sought physical experimentation, while the other craved conceptual inspiration.
Vill-V had long been intrigued by the Herrscher of Reason's powers. Unfortunately, Kevin's associated core had been heavily damaged, and Bronya's abilities weren't quite enough.
"Oblivion.… Oblivion's power?"
Kevin's gaze locked onto Kiana. Having paid her little attention earlier, he now sensed something distinct about her.
This so-called protagonist carried a familiar yet foreign power—originating from the same source, yet complementary in contrast.
"Are you ready? Four people… You'll likely need their help. Consider this a long-overdue joint effort," Su's ethereal voice drifted into their ears, signaling the final preparations for battle.
Naturally, none of them would refuse.
"Mm?~"
"Let's begin, Su."
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Meanwhile, within the Interstice, Vita was enjoying her usual break.
"Wow, what… what in the world is this? Sa, aren't you going to do something about this? Look, the people you bullied have sent their adults after you~"
One moment, Vita was leisurely swaying in the illusory white space, and the next, she noticed four figures. A brief sensation of their icy and fiery auras was enough for her to match their identities with records in the Ark.
She swiftly recognized who they were.
Hmm… How should she put it? Surprising? Not really, as she had anticipated this day.
But shouldn't it have just been the two of them? That white-haired one and the other with an unremarkable build? Shouldn't the other two have perished 50,000 years ago?
Could the Ark's records be wrong?
"My, my, I wonder how Sa will respond to this. What a shame—I'm not fully prepared yet… Will I truly gain Her authority?"
The girl scratched her cheek in frustration, her crimson eyes flickering as she hesitated. Things were diverging from the plan far too quickly!
"Opportunity… attempt? The risks are so high; I really don't want to try this."
"But, who told me to be so kind-hearted? I guess I'll follow along~"