["Sinking? You mean… the dream world is collapsing?" March 7th widened her eyes.]
["The experience at the dream hotel is the omen."]
["…I see. This explains the sense of dissonance in the Family's words." Welt lowered his head in thought. "If this news gets out, regardless of the actual safety of the guests, the reputation of the Festival Star will inevitably be affected. With the Harmony Ceremony approaching, they have no choice but to conceal it."]
["The safety of the guests may not even be guaranteed… Isn't the monster she encountered the best proof? Shall I remind you again? It is a Mem in the Memoscape…"]
[Black Swan chuckled softly: "How could a meme that metaphorically represents death and murder appear in the dream that the Family claims is 'absolutely safe'… In Penacony, anyone can lie—perhaps including the Family itself?"]
——
One Punch Man.
"So that Sunday… As the Family's representative, he actually knows very well that there is a safety crisis in Penacony right now?"
In the Hero Association headquarters, Fubuki frowned slightly: "He actually acted so calm and composed in front of everyone, as if nothing had happened… Is this the mental quality of the Family's elites?"
"Isn't this normal? To become the Family's public face, he must be one in a million." Tatsumaki lazily leaned on the leather sofa. "That guy looks like a schemer with extremely deep schemes, and… I don't think he's just a public face. He's probably the Family's next 'Helm Master' of power."
"Power… It's really strange hearing that word from my sister." Fubuki smiled faintly, feeling she understood her sister a little more today.
"Fubuki, I'm not just good at using psychic powers." Tatsumaki snorted. She looked up at the elegant woman wearing a veil in the sky screen. "Also, this Black Swan is no good person either. This woman knows too many secrets, and… her way of speaking makes me very uncomfortable."
"Uncomfortable? That can be a reason for sister to deny someone?" Fubuki widened her eyes.
"Of course, and it's the most important reason!"
Tatsumaki narrowed her emerald eyes: "Black Swan's position is very mysterious. In an environment like Penacony with multiple factions in check, people with super strong power but ambiguous positions are the most dangerous. If she has some plot against the Astral Express crew… I might feel slightly more at ease with her."
"Then in sister's opinion, who is the safest for the current Astral Express crew to team up with?"
"Hmm… Probably that woman called Acheron? Her strength—"
Tatsumaki subconsciously swallowed.
"Although I don't understand swordsmanship, I can tell that woman is much stronger than Atomic Samurai. I wonder who would win between her and KING at full power. She's a speed-type swordswoman. Maybe even faster than Flashy Flash?… Anyway, she's very strong."
"Shouldn't they team up with Firefly? That girl may not be very straightforward, but she's at least very sincere."
"No—way!"
Tatsumaki shook her head vigorously and said seriously: "Good intentions can't be converted into combat power. That girl has a good personality, but she's completely weak, okay?! When Stelle fought that monster, she didn't help at all and even needed Stelle to protect her! She's a total deadweight!"
"Fubuki, you should also know that in battle… a teammate who is so weak she's basically a burden is more dangerous than a powerful enemy, right? That child will become Stelle's weakness and Achilles' heel—so they absolutely cannot act together. It's to protect her and for Stelle's safety."
——
["Miss Black Swan, we now fully understand the current situation. Going back to your initial proposal…" Himeko paused. "May I ask what reason the Garden of Recollection has for choosing to cooperate with the Astral Express?"]
["Hmm, allow me to correct you… This is my personal request and does not represent the Garden. The answer is simple, Miss Himeko. I just want to make an exchange… an exchange regarding [Memoria]."]
["Outside of my duties, I also have some… personal aesthetic pursuits. I am a Memokeeper and also a collector. I want to witness those crystal-clear, brilliant, precious memories—This kind of thinking is easy to understand, isn't it?"]
[Black Swan turned her face to look at the Astral Express crew: "And you, the Nameless of the Astral Express, practitioners of the [Trailblaze] Path… I believe in your potential and in the unique brilliance you will bloom with on this stage. This is why I want to be friends with you all. The intersection of nightmare and beautiful dream… is the most suitable cradle for memories."]
[Himeko nodded, indicating that they needed to discuss together before giving a reply.]
[After Black Swan walked away, Welt looked at Himeko: "…Himeko, what do you think?"]
["Her words cannot be fully trusted. There are quite a few deliberately guiding elements." Himeko frowned slightly. "But I will consider the worst possibility. If the anomaly in the dream really exists and is not natural but pushed by someone behind the scenes…"]
["Then it is most likely related to the 'Watchmaker's invitation.'"]
——
Frieren: Beyond Journey's End.
"If the dream undergoes an anomaly, it won't benefit anyone, right?" Sense tilted her head slightly, her eyes full of confusion. "If all factions are dragged into the Primitive Dream, how many people can retreat unscathed?"
Lernen lowered his head in thought: "Could it be Aventurine? Is he secretly manipulating all this?"
"Aventurine? No way… Can he push the dream anomaly? Plus he and Dr. Ratio are also in the dream. If they all fall into the Primitive Dream, can he handle it? I admit he's a bold gambler, but that Mem doesn't seem to understand human speech and doesn't look like it wants to gamble…"
To be honest, besides being flashy and having more presence, Sense really couldn't see what combat power Mr. Aventurine had. If they really fought, he'd probably be about the same as that unarmed Miss Firefly.
"Indeed, life is a gambler's last capital for a comeback. He would never bet it no matter what. No matter how crazy he is, he would never gamble with his own life." Lernen nodded in agreement. "…We can rule out the Company first."
"Lernen, who do you think is more likely to be the mastermind?"
"Hmm…" Lernen took out a notebook from his bosom. It recorded the faction information he had organized after the sky screen started—this was strictly ordered by Lady Serie, so he recorded it very detailedly.
His finger slowly moved down and finally pointed to the [Destruction] column.
"Duke Inferno has a child—Akash, do you remember?" Lernen read: "You shall play the banquet tune with a four-stringed instrument, silencing the choir of [Harmony]—These are the Duke's original words. I believe this person may have secretly come to Penacony and is using his abilities as a weapon against [Harmony] to disintegrate the dream."