Time slipped by like a white horse flashing past a narrow gap. In the blink of an eye, October 7th arrived—the day the Wardance was officially scheduled to conclude.
From the very break of dawn, the Luofu Xianzhou was submerged in an ocean of roaring excitement and anticipation.
The sky was a brilliant, washed-out blue. Countless starskiffs decorated with colorful pennants and tassels wove busily through the crisscrossing aerial traffic lanes.
Holographic screens were projected on every street corner, looping highlight reels of the tournament and showcasing the top teams.
Whether in teahouses, taverns, street stalls, or among the hurried pedestrians, the conversation revolved almost exclusively around one topic: who would claim the ultimate championship title.
Inside the central Starskiff Haven, the famous Sleepless Earl teahouse was packed to the absolute brim. Thanks to the masterful storytelling of Mr. Xiyan, the various anecdotes, clashes, and histories of the tournament participants were brought vividly to life.
Many people couldn't understand it. The official website already had beautifully edited videos of the matches, so why bother going out of your way to listen to some guy talk about it?
But just as there were still people who preferred traditional theater and opera in an era dominated by the internet, gathering a few friends at a teahouse to sip on some immortal's Joy-Tea while listening to a grand tale was an entirely different kind of enjoyment.
For instance, at this very moment, the green-robed storyteller on the stage was in top form.
Mr. Xiyan, a man in his forties with a clean-shaven face and round sunglasses, possessed eyes that seemed capable of piercing through the myriad affairs of the world.
With a sharp clack, he snapped his folding fan shut. Tapping it gently against his palm, his clear, resonant voice instantly cut through the noisy hall.
"Honored guests! To speak of this year's Wardance, one must say it is an unprecedented spectacle, a true gathering of shining stars! Legendary scenes have emerged one after another, and fresh tales of heroism have been woven without end. Truly, it is a dazzling display that leaves the eyes overwhelmed!"
He paced back and forth across the stage. His tone rose and fell with perfect cadence, every word acting like a hook that gripped the audience's ears.
"If we speak of the most intense battles and the most fiery scenes, we must first look at the joint expedition into the ruins of Takamagahara—a realm cleaved in twain by the sword of an unknown powerhouse!"
"Who could have foreseen that within those decaying ruins, the lingering grudges of eight million fallen gods refused to dissipate?! They coalesced into a terrifying, world-devouring Magatsu Mitama, seeking to descend upon the mortal realm and plunge all of creation into ruin!"
"At that critical juncture, thousands of heroes were trapped in absolute despair! It was then that Kiana Kaslana, clad in the Chronos - Light Chaser battlesuit and bearing the moniker 'The Great Sage Equal to Heaven,' stood fearless! With a heroic shout—'If you want it that badly, then you can have it all!!!'—she made her move!"
Mr. Xiyan's voice abruptly peaked, his arm slashing downward. "Quicker than words can tell, the boundless Honkai energy within her erupted! Like the blazing sun, the Flamescion descended from the heavens, forcibly overloading the abominable god until it violently exploded, its colossal body shattering into a sky full of brilliant fireworks! Tell me, honored guests—does such majestic spirit and unparalleled might not deserve the title of champion?!"
"It does! It absolutely does!"
The crowd immediately erupted into cheers, mixed with excited chatter.
"But that was merely raw, brute strength," a guest who looked like a scholar pushed up his glasses, raising his voice in objection. "Mr. Xiyan, do you have any tales of exquisite skill, where true mastery is revealed in the finest of details?"
"I do! Naturally, I do!"
Mr. Xiyan slammed his folded fan onto the pear-wood table in front of him, producing a crisp thwack.
"Let us speak of the ultimate showdown, hailed as the Battle of Infinity! A grand executive of the World Serpent—Kurokawa! Relying on his unparalleled reality-warping domain, Made in Heaven, he accelerated time and altered reality in the blink of an eye! Fighting one against a hundred, he instantly annihilated the majority of the expedition force sent to subjugate him!"
"Just as the expedition force was on the verge of total annihilation, Raiden Mei, the Lord of Massive Electric, stepped forth alone, walking upon the very air itself!"
Mr. Xiyan mimicked the girl's cold expression. Raising his chin slightly, he adopted a tone of absolute, condescending composure:
"The Super-Electric Neural Network clashed head-on against Made in Heaven! What kind of spectacle was that?! It was the ultimate duel between thought and time! A collision approaching the speed of light itself! Even when Kurokawa's colleague secretly deployed a Divine Key to interfere, the unflappable Dr. Raiden fought one against two, and struck down her powerful foes right where they stood!"
"To this day, her words—'Formulas are experience; algorithms are lethality'—are spoken of with awe! And her interview quote—'Those who imitate me die; those who resemble me die as well'—perfectly captured the absolute arrogance buried deep in the bones of a peerless genius!"
"Excellent!!"
Another wave of roaring applause swept the teahouse. The scholar-like guests were so excited their faces flushed red.
"Don't just talk about the big shots fighting and killing, Mr. Xiyan!" a female guest shouted. "Do you have any stories that don't just get the blood pumping, but actually make the heart feel warm and satisfied?"
"I do, sister, I certainly do! Please, be patient. Allow this humble storyteller to moisten his throat before sharing it with you all."
Smiling, Mr. Xiyan lifted the covered teacup from his table and took several large gulps.
His pause brought the enthralled audience back to reality. They immediately started shouting for the waiters. "Waiter! Bring tea! The finest Longjing!"
"Refill Mr. Xiyan's cup as well!"
Once the aroma of fresh tea thickened the air and the chatter died down, Mr. Xiyan finally set down his cup.
He stepped off the stage, slowly pacing through the packed aisles of guests.
"To speak of a tale that warms the hearts and satisfies the souls of us ordinary folks... naturally, it must be a story of drawing one's blade in the face of injustice, of eradicating evil to return peace and clarity to the world!"
His gaze swept across the crowd, his expression turning solemn and pained. "Take, for example, the evil Flood Dragon that plagued a corner of the Ancient Sea of Lunar Tides for over a decade! Relying on its innate talents, it stirred up endless storms. Over the years, who knows how many merchant ships it capsized, or how many innocent lives it cruelly snuffed out!"
"It wasn't that the Luofu hadn't tried to eliminate it! But the vile beast hid in the deep sea, coming and going without a trace. Even Her Grace Bailu, the Vidyadhara High Elder, struggled to lock onto its exact location!"
He sighed deeply before his tone abruptly shifted, turning soaring and triumphant. "But who could have guessed?! Heaven never seals off all paths! Her Highness Anna, the pearl of the Schariac family and an esteemed Senator of Schicksal, heard of this tragedy. Without hesitation, she sailed a lone skiff straight into the eye of the Ancient Sea's storm!"
"Standing at the bow of the ship, facing monstrous, heaven-devouring waves, she merely raised a delicate hand. In an instant, the entire ocean froze solid! The wicked Flood Dragon was trapped within an infernal prison of absolute zero, completely immobilized! A flash of cold light followed, and the beast was cleanly cleaved in twain!"
"Her Highness ventured in alone, single-handedly obliterating a threat that had plagued the sea for over a decade! She brought justice to the families of the wrongfully perished sailors, and added a magnificent, heavy stroke to the Luofu's legendary chronicles!"
"Tell me, everyone... does that not bring immense satisfaction to the heart?!"
"It does! It absolutely does!"
The crowd erupted in cheers, the applause deafening.
"And let us not forget the passionate Galaxy Rangers!"
Mr. Xiyan struck while the iron was hot. "Whether it be local tyrants oppressing the kindhearted, or scum colluding with corrupt officials to bleed the common folk dry... the moment the Rangers lock onto them, you best believe justice will be served! By the time the sun rises the very next day, those bastards will be found hanging from the highest building in town, dressed up like they're cosplaying the Chongzhen Emperor!"
"Cosplaying Chongzhen?" a younger patron asked, confused.
Someone who understood the meme immediately clarified, "He means a Teru Teru Bozu! Basically, hanging themselves from a tree branch facing southeast!"
The dark, humorous analogy triggered roaring laughter across the hall. But soon, another voice raised a doubt. "What if they kill the wrong person? Can the Rangers guarantee they never make a mistake?"
"Do you think the Rangers are like you, walking around with a chamber pot for a head?" someone scoffed in response. "Their investigative methods are incredibly thorough! After the deed is done, they even pin all the evidence on the public notice board so the bastard knows exactly why they died."
The man spoke with a face full of reverence. "I wonder if I'll ever have the chance to join the Galaxy Rangers in this lifetime."
"Forget it. Leave being a hero to someone else, and just sit back and enjoy the peace," another person sneered sarcastically. "Look at the Rangers this time. Weren't they disqualified from the rest of the tournament by the higher-ups because their methods were 'too extreme'?"
Seeing the crowd's glares turning slightly hostile, the man quickly changed the subject. "Mr. Xiyan, enough about fighting, killing, and inciting public sentiment! We live in a civilized society! Tell us something a bit more sophisticated!"
"Civilized, you say?"
Mr. Xiyan paced back onto the stage, a mysterious smile creeping onto his face. "Then we naturally must speak of the world-shaking hacker war between Metal Gear Bronya and Mr. Screwllum, the Crown Prince of the mechanical civilization!"
"That battle was a silent thunderclap, a life-and-death struggle waged entirely within the abyss of data! Countless top-tier hackers watched in awe! Even with my indestructible silver tongue, I could barely describe a fraction of the sheer majesty of that clash!"
His tone suddenly shifted, taking on a teasing lilt. "However... it is quite a pity. Right at the critical climax, when the two protagonists were locked in an unbreakable stalemate, Mr. Screwllum's teacher—the illustrious Madame Vill-V—employed some unknown, miraculous method! In a single breath, she defeated the Savior of Light who was playing support! Then, joining forces with her student, they ruthlessly permanently banned all seventy-six of Bronya's gaming accounts!"
"Rumor has it the poor girl suffered a complete mental breakdown. She cried, she threw a tantrum, she wailed piteously! Truly, a tragic sight! As for the victor of that duel... well, that goes without saying!"
BANG!
Before Mr. Xiyan could even finish his sentence, a massive crash erupted from a corner table near the window.
"I DID NOT CRY OR THROW A TANTRUM!"
A tall figure abruptly stood up, her silver-grey hair trembling with fury.
Bronya, who had secretly snuck in to listen to the storytelling, had a face flushed completely red. Her pale grey eyes looked like they were about to shoot actual lasers.
She shot a vicious, murderous glare at the storyteller's stage, turned on her heel, and stormed out of the teahouse.
A bizarre, suffocating silence gripped the teahouse for several long seconds.
And then—
"AHAHAHAHAHA!!!"
Earth-shattering laughter nearly blew the roof off the building. People were clutching their stomachs, laughing so hard they were crying.
"I-I-Is that... did I just run into the actual person?!"
Mr. Xiyan was completely dumbfounded, his eyes wide behind his round sunglasses.
He immediately slapped his thigh, his face twisted in profound, agonizing regret. "Aiya! What a massive loss! If I knew the actual Bronya was here, I would have shamelessly run down and asked for her autograph! I'm a massive Hyperion fanboy!"
As the saying goes: Gathered, they are a raging inferno; scattered, they are a sky full of stars.
Even though the members of Hyperion had split up to fight on different teams for this tournament, every single one of them had shone brilliantly on their respective stages, leaving behind countless legendary tales and chaotic incidents.
After all, one out of the four of them was a literal walking calamity. When Fuli, the actual "Lone Star of Calamity" himself, was present, the girls' natural trouble-magnet constitutions were suppressed completely, like fireflies trying to compete with the full moon.
But the moment they operated independently? It wasn't them looking for trouble—it was the bizarre, apocalyptic incidents lining up to find them.
Of course, this could also be explained by the fact that, as Sequence Herrschers, they inherently carried massive amounts of information and causality, making them naturally prone to being dragged into anomalous events.
Combine that with their absurdly stunning looks, terrifying strength, and highly distinctive personalities, and it was impossible for them not to become the center of attention.
Once the excitement died down, Mr. Xiyan watched Bronya's furious retreating figure and sighed.
He tapped his fan against his palm, his tone carrying a hint of regret.
"Hyperion, huh..."
In truth, out of all the teams belonging to this legendary, rapidly rising mid-sized faction, the one he favored the most wasn't Kiana's wildly popular squad. It was the team led by Fuli, now renamed Memory Battleship.
From starting the tournament with a catastrophic negative 100,000 points, to their very first mission spiraling into the massive "Ji Gui Incident" that nearly unleashed millions of zombies, to the heart-stopping, universally discussed "Living Planet" battle.
Setting aside whether their actions were "spectacular," the sheer scale and profound impact of the increasingly absurd incidents they got involved in were enough to leave anyone utterly dumbfounded.
Furthermore, the events Fuli's team participated in always had massive stakes, often threatening the safety of the Luofu or countless ordinary people.
This naturally skyrocketed the audience's immersion and tension, making them terrified that one wrong move from the team would result in a disaster landing right on their own heads.
Honestly, the immersive viewing experience they provided was entirely unique.
But who could have predicted that just as Mr. Xiyan and countless viewers were eagerly anticipating what earth-shattering event the team would trigger next... during the final days of the Wardance, Memory Battleship seemingly vanished from the face of the universe.
Their team points completely stagnated, barely keeping them in the top five. They were at constant risk of being overtaken by other teams pushing hard in the final stretch.
Just what on earth had they been doing?
"Mr. Xiyan! Mr. Xiyan!"
The shouts of the patrons pulled the storyteller from his melancholy thoughts. "Enough about the Wardance! Tell us about the massive incident that happened in the Real World a little while back!"
"Yeah, yeah! I heard the entire Earth was completely cut off from the rest of the universe!"
"It's true! I was on Earth for business when it happened! The entire sky went pitch black! It was even worse than the Second Honkai Eruption! So many people thought it was the end of the world!"
"I heard it involved the Divine Keys?!"
The patrons began to chatter excitedly, their faces a mix of intense curiosity and lingering fear.
"Well, about that..."
Mr. Xiyan tapped the table, a look of hesitation crossing his face.
He could speak eloquently about the Wardance because most of the intelligence was public; it only required a little embellishment and theatrical flair.
The incident on Earth, however, was a completely different story. Politely speaking, it was uncharted waters. Bluntly speaking, he'd just be making shit up.
Fortunately, as a professional storyteller, Mr. Xiyan was a grandmaster at pulling things out of his ass.
"Ahem! Honored guests, quiet down!"
He coughed lightly, snapped his fan open, and struck a dramatic pose.
"To speak of the great calamity that recently befell the Real World, it was truly cataclysmic! Heaven and Earth were overturned, the sun and moon lost their light! Human civilization on the surface was but a hair's breadth away from total annihilation!"
"As for what exactly transpired, allow this humble storyteller to explain in exquisite deta—"
Before he could even finish the word, a patron sitting near the door slapped his thigh violently. "Oh crap! I was so caught up listening to the story, I forgot today is the Finals! They're broadcasting the final championship ceremony right now!"
He jumped up, turned, and bolted out the door.
"You're right! The livestream! I gotta get home and watch it!"
"Quick, quick! It's the final sprint! Let's see who takes the crown!"
The previously spellbound audience instantly snapped out of their trance. In the blink of an eye, the bustling Sleepless Earl teahouse was completely emptied out.
Seeing this, Mr. Xiyan let out a long sigh of relief. While he was fully confident in his ability to ad-lib an incredibly epic final battle for the fate of Earth on the spot, not having to rely entirely on his improvisation skills was definitely much easier.
The teahouse's proprietress, Mengming, walked out from the back room. Seeing the completely empty hall, she shook her head helplessly.
"Mr. Xiyan."
"Oh! Boss Mengming! What can I do for you?" the storyteller asked with a grin, folding his fan.
"Why didn't you stop the guests from leaving?"
"Boss, boss... I am highly confident in my storytelling abilities. I'm certainly no worse than those overrated hacks on the Spring Festival Gala. But even I don't have the confidence to compete against the live broadcast of the Wardance finale."
"Then why didn't you just turn on the teahouse's holographic screens and broadcast the championship ceremony yourself? You could have provided live commentary and analysis. With your silver tongue, did you really think you couldn't keep the guests here?"
Mengming's tone carried a faint trace of pity, as if she were watching mountains of silver taels slipping right through her fingers.
Hearing this, Mr. Xiyan looked as though he had been struck by lightning. He froze completely solid, the lucky smile on his face shattering instantly.
How could he have forgotten something so obvious?!
This was why she was the boss!
The Skysplitter Dreadnought. Formerly a main battlecruiser that saw active service during the Sea of Quanta War.
After being decommissioned, the Artisanship Commission heavily modified it, using Delve technology to massively expand its interior space. It was now one of the Luofu's most popular tourist attractions, combining historical education with sightseeing.
Just like the preliminary announcement ceremony, the grand finale and award ceremony of this year's Wardance was being held here.
In the backstage dressing room, Robin was organizing her appearance in front of a mirror.
The girl in the mirror had bright eyes and flawless teeth. Her silver-white hair was styled into an elegant updo, adorned with stardiamond hair accessories.
A gradient-blue, off-the-shoulder gown perfectly outlined her slender, graceful figure. The hem of the dress cascaded down like flowing water, catching the light and shimmering with thousands of tiny, starlike reflections.
Little Bird-Bao took a deep breath. She closed her eyes, forcing down the chaotic thoughts swirling in her mind—including the faint trace of disappointment caused by the absence of a certain familiar figure among the championship contenders.
When she opened her eyes again, they contained nothing but the sweet, flawless focus of a top-tier idol.
"Alright."
She nodded, picked up the hem of her skirt, and walked toward the tunnel leading to the main arena with elegant, confident steps.
A moment later—
"Good afternoon, everyone~ I am the host of today's ceremony, Robin~"
Her sweet, clear voice—like a fresh mountain spring—echoed across the massive circular arena through the amplification system, instantly detonating a tidal wave of deafening cheers and whistles.
"BIRD-BAO, I'M YOUR BIGGEST FAN!!!"
"MISS ROBIN, LOOK AT ME! I'M YOUR DOG!!!"
"LITTLE BIRD-BAO IS NUMBER ONE IN THE UNIVERSE!!!"
Even on the deeply experienced and worldly Luofu Xianzhou, the popularity of this world-renowned singer could only be described as terrifying.
Robin's smile grew even sweeter. The prelude to her signature opening song, Sway to My Beat in Cosmos, began playing right on cue, the melodious rhythm echoing through every corner of the arena.
"Mend your pace, sway to the beat, hands up! Embrace who you wanna be~"
She stepped lightly into the center of the arena, dancing gracefully to the music. Her flowing voice transformed the massive stadium into her own personal stage.
Every glance, every spin perfectly tugged at the heartstrings of the audience.
The captain of Team Robin is Number One—a certain Halovian male who refused to disclose his name—had somehow materialized at the very front of the stage. Holding multiple glowsticks, he was furiously cheering and chanting, using his VIP status as a championship contender to get the best seat in the house.
His fanatical energy really made people wonder if the only reason he fought so hard to reach the finals was just so he could be a few feet closer to her during this performance...
When the song ended, the audience was utterly mesmerized, unable to snap out of it for a long time.
Robin panted slightly, her cheeks flushed with a healthy, beautiful red from the exertion, making her look even more stunning.
But she hadn't forgotten her duties. Once the applause slightly subsided, she raised her microphone.
"Thank you all for your passion! Now, we move on to the most exciting segment of the day—the final voting and crowning of this year's Wardance Champion!"
Some might wonder, why was there a voting process at all?
The Wardance was officially over, and the points were already tallied. Shouldn't they just hand out the awards based on the final rankings?
The reason was simple. When the rules for this year's Wardance were being drafted, some chaos-loving bastards had suggested assigning an AI livestream drone to every participating team.
The plan was to edit the highlights and post them online, allowing viewers from across the universe to vote on special awards like the "Popularity Award," "Most Hyped Moment," and "Most Touching Team."
These special awards came with massive bonus points attached to them.
The livestream happening right now was exactly for that—to conduct the final voting for these special awards, and to instantly add the bonus points to the respective teams' pools, deciding the ultimate winner of the championship trophy.
Thus, on the colossal holographic screen behind Robin—which covered an entire wall—a highlight reel began playing, showcasing the most blood-pumping and jaw-dropping moments of the tournament.
There was the scene of Miyuki Asakura, her face pale from exhaustion but her expression utterly resolute, using the stigmata power of the Deva Path to simultaneously stabilize the injuries of over a hundred critically wounded people.
There was Kiana, sweating profusely as she trained her swordplay in the Chronicles of the First Bloom, only to throw a deeply frustrated tantrum when she discovered her target—the Overlord's Horizontal Bar—had completely vanished.
And there were the real recordings of the legendary scenes Mr. Xiyan had been narrating...
Scene after scene, frame after frame, they wove together into an epic tapestry. The live audience and the countless viewers watching the broadcast held their breath, their hearts surging with excitement.
Many people hovered their fingers over the voting buttons, completely torn. They would decide to vote for Option A, only to be moved by Option B a second later, wishing they had more than one vote.
Meanwhile, in a completely inconspicuous corner of the deafeningly loud spectator stands, a bizarre creature entirely out of place had managed to sneak in.
It was a cute, semi-transparent little jellyfish with a dreamy, pink-and-blue gradient body.
It was squishy and soft, floating gently in the air while tightly hugging a video cassette. Just like everyone else, it was entirely engrossed in the highlight reel.
It wasn't until the highlights finished and the prompt signaling the start of the final voting chimed that the little cutie finally snapped out of its daze. In a complete panic, it hugged the cassette and flew frantically toward the most dazzling figure in the center of the stage.
"Everyone! Please cast your precious votes for the team and contestants you love and support the most! Their glory will be decided by you—hm?"
Robin, who was in the middle of her final mobilization speech, suddenly felt a weight in her arms. Something squishy, bouncy, and cool had crashed right into her.
She looked down and gasped in surprise, "Little March?!"
Indeed, it was the adorable energy entity summoned by the famous sword Evernight, possessing the ability to record and project images—Little March.
The little creature was frantically using its tentacles to shove the video cassette in its arms into Robin's hands. It was glowing with an unstable, erratic light due to its sheer anxiety, looking as if it were a second away from speaking human words out of pure desperation.
On the cover of the cassette, a handwritten label was clearly visible:
[The Great Saint King of the Vast Heavens (Memory Battleship's Final Operation Record)]
Robin instantly understood. This was undoubtedly the recording of the mission Fuli's team had undertaken during their disappearance. This was the explanation for why Memory Battleship's points had completely stagnated.
This cassette was their final answer sheet.
However—
A conflicted, helpless smile appeared on the singer's breathtakingly beautiful face. She gently stroked Little March's head and spoke softly, using a volume only the two of them could hear: "The deadline for submissions... ended this morning."
No matter what their reason was, this crucially important answer sheet was late. That was an indisputable fact.
According to the rules, it had already lost the qualification to be evaluated.
The tentacles Little March was using to hold up the cassette froze. The light radiating from its body dimmed at a visible rate. The entire creature seemed to lose all its strength, drooping limply.
Looking utterly heartbroken, it slowly floated out of Robin's arms. Hugging the cassette tightly, its tiny figure wobbled unsteadily under the dazzling stage lights, drifting aimlessly toward the backstage area.
Squish!
And then, it bumped into someone.
Or, more accurately, it bumped into a pair of straight legs wrapped in black thigh-high socks.
Little March dizzyingly looked up, meeting a face that was completely expressionless, yet as exquisitely beautiful as a porcelain doll.
It was Raiden Ei.
Like Robin, the girl was serving as a host for the ceremony. However, because her general popularity was significantly lower, she had been assigned to handle sideline interactions.
She lowered her head, her amethyst eyes calmly examining the labeled cassette in Little March's arms. She then looked up at the audience, who had quieted down and were looking slightly confused due to the unexpected interruption.
Expressionlessly, she raised her microphone to her lips.
"An interruption. Team Memory Battleship—who submitted the records for the Ji Gui Incident and the Living Planet Battle—has just submitted a video recording. The label notes it as their final operation record."
Her voice, completely devoid of any ripples of emotion, was projected clearly through the speakers to every corner of the arena, and into the ears of countless viewers watching the livestream.
"It likely contains a record of what they have been doing these past few days."
"Do you want to watch it?"
"Right now."
The arena plunged into a momentary silence. The dense flood of comments in the livestream completely stopped, resulting in a several-second-long blank screen.
And then—
"WE WANT TO WATCH IT!!!!"
A colossal wave of sound erupted like a volcano. From every corner of the stadium, from behind every viewer's screen, the roars converged into an unstoppable, earth-shaking torrent.
Holy crap, an unexpected bonus drop?!
I absolutely must eat this melon right now!
A faint 'I knew it' look flashed across Ei's face. She nodded, and then, under the gaze of millions, spoke with absolute clarity:
"I, Raiden Ei, representing Team Dimensional Boundary Break, consent to the broadcasting of this recording."
Whoosh!
Every eye in the stadium instantly snapped toward the VIP championship contender section, locking onto the silver-haired girl sitting in the front row, who was currently aggressively shoving a handful of popcorn into her mouth.
Bronya paused her chewing for half a second before calmly continuing to eat her snacks, tacitly acknowledging her teammate's "act first, ask permission later" behavior.
"That guy Fuli has been acting all mysterious and disappearing for the last few days, only to pull a stunt like this at the very last second..."
Kiana, another championship contender, curled her lip slightly. But she quickly raised her hand, her voice crisp and loud. "I agree to let them play it too!"
"Seconded."
Anna and Asta of Team Song of Unspoken Words nodded as well. Asta even smiled and added, "Since everyone is looking forward to it so much, it would be highly inappropriate for us to deliberately play the villain right now, wouldn't it?"
"Who exactly are you referring to? The Mr. Halovian who refuses to disclose his name?"
Sunday, who was being stared at by a smiling Asta, remained entirely composed. "I am naturally not so devoid of romantic sensibilities."
He had, of course, noticed Robin's inner conflict.
Furthermore, even if that hadn't been the case, Fuli was a walking calamity. The fact that a troublemaker of his caliber had suddenly vanished without a trace was enough to pique the curiosity of someone with even Sunday's status and composure.
"Well then."
Seeing that a consensus had been reached between the participating teams and the audience, Robin nodded slightly. She then cast her gaze toward the highest viewing platform in the arena.
Who was sitting up there?
The Master Diviner of the Luofu, Fu Xuan. Her expression was calm, her fingertips tapping rhythmically against her armrest.
The Triumphant General of the Yaoqing, Feixiao. A playful smirk played on her lips, her eyes burning with intense curiosity.
The Flaming Heart General of the Zhuming, Huaiyan. The old man was happily stroking his long beard, his entire vibe completely out of sync with the others.
And the ultimate symbol of the Taixuan Front, the immortal who had guarded the current era of humanity for five thousand years—the Celestial Phoenix, Fu Hua.
Among these apex powerhouses holding ultimate authority, the one with the most distant relationship to Fuli was Old Man Huaiyan... and even he practically viewed the boy as a grandson-in-law.
Not to mention the tsunami-like pressure of public opinion demanding to see the video.
Without almost any hesitation, a pale golden halo representing absolute authorization lit up from the high platform, projecting down into the center of the arena.
Robin's heart settled, and an impeccable, flawless smile bloomed on her face once more.
She hugged the eagerly returning Little March and carefully took the slightly worn cassette from its wildly dancing tentacles.
Under the expectant gazes of billions, with the focus of countless viewers locked onto her, she walked quickly to the holographic control console at the side of the stage.
With a few practiced movements, she inserted the cassette into the specialized reading terminal.
"Please enjoy the Special Operation Record submitted by Team Memory Battleship during the final phase of the Wardance."
With that, Robin pressed the play button.
The screen instantly lit up.
Early morning, the day after the promotional photoshoot.
The pale light of dawn struggled through the sparse clouds, barely illuminating the deserted stone path leading away from the ancient mansion.
"I'm going to... I'm really going to die..."
Clutching his painfully aching, agonizingly sore lower back with one hand, Fuli leaned heavily against the weathered doorframe with the other. His face was entirely pale as he stumbled out of the estate.
"Mi..."
He wasn't the only one. Even Mimi, perched on his head, looked just as dead inside.
Because the Great-Auntie was present, Jingliu naturally didn't do anything inappropriate to Little Li.
Instead, it was literal, genuine "special training." And Mimi had been dragged right into the hellish, night-long boot camp.
Faced with the Epiphyllum sword that could sever all things, Fuli—who hadn't even had the chance to let his ego inflate after defeating Hoolay—was instantly beaten back to his original factory settings.
Fortunately, the Master remembered that her rebellious disciple still needed to make a final sprint for the Wardance championship, so she kindly left them with half a breath of life.
Even so, having experienced such profound torment for the first time in her life, Mimi's eyes were completely unfocused, looking as if her soul had detached from her body and floated into the stratosphere.
Relying entirely on the autopilot function of the custom Type-59 cruiser, the deeply unfortunate duo huddled together and slept the entire way back. They managed to arrive at the Twilight Courtyard safely.
Castorice didn't seem to have arrived yet, but Hyacine had clearly been waiting for a long time.
The little girl hurried over, her delicate face filled with deep concern. "Li-bao! Mi-bao! Are you two okay?! What happened to you?!"
"I'm fine."
Fuli waved his hand, forcing a smile that looked worse than crying to signal that he was still technically alive.
"Where's Cassie?"
He looked left and right. "I absolutely can't wait to go do a mission and brutally bully the weak!"
I can't beat my Master, so I'll just have to beat the crap out of a World Serpent executive to vent my frustration!
I happen to remember one of Raven's hidden bases. You're the first target today!
"Mimi! Mimi mimi!"
Mimi squeaked in fierce agreement.
ORA ORA ORA ORA! We're gonna show them the power of Star Platinum!
"..."
Seeing her friends looking so eager to fight, Hyacine pursed her lips, seemingly coming to a final decision.
She took a deep breath. Slowly, she lifted the Little Ica she had been carefully cradling in her arms, holding it out in front of her.
"Doo... doo..."
The little Pegasus was clearly in a terrible state. Normally, it would be happily flapping its tiny wings, but right now, it was curled into a lethargic ball. Its pristine white wings drooped listlessly, its eyes were half-closed, and its usually fluffy fur had lost all its luster, looking dull and messy.
Hyacine looked up. Her eyes, which were usually filled with warm, healing smiles, were now clouded with a clearly visible layer of mist.
She bit her lip. It looked as though she was using every ounce of strength in her body just to keep her voice from violently trembling:
"I-I'm sorry, everyone..."
"I might have to... withdraw from Memory Battleship too."
Fuli: ...?
Wait. Was I actually cursed by the Team Crychic virus?!