"Ugh, Mother, I really think this can still be salvaged. Leyaris and Inferno could both cooperate and release a statement."
Watching her mother's expression, Zero raised her hand and spoke tentatively.
'Cipher's' mood didn't improve in the slightest. Had she swapped to almost any other Path, such a move would likely have been effective.
But now, in the eyes of the public, what was she? She was the number two jester of the cosmos—second only to Aha—someone whose tracks were untraceable and whose motives were a total enigma.
Would a statement from those two even matter?
It would probably just be interpreted by everyone else as another piece of her brilliant, elaborate performance. They'd think she had perfectly engineered her own "exit" from the mess.
"Sigh... forget it. Let it be. You've worked hard, Zero."
'Cipher' let out a long breath, looking up to give Zero a small, weary smile.
Things had already come to this, so what else was there to do? Might as well just lie flat and give up.
Seeing her mother like this, Zero couldn't help but grind her teeth.
It was all Typhon's fault!!
That woman had such a massive head; was it filled with nothing but muscle? It seemed that sword strike back then really had been too light!
"By the way, where did Typhon go afterward?"
'Cipher' felt that Typhon's way of doing things was essentially that of a reckless brute. She couldn't just let her run wild all over the place. She had to find a way to settle this issue.
Hearing this, Zero assumed her mother was planning to go find Typhon to settle the score.
"I don't know. She only said she was going to continue collecting samples from different scions of Long for you. She didn't specify where."
"I see..."
"Do you need me to investigate Typhon's whereabouts?"
"If you wouldn't mind. I need to have a proper chat with her; she can't keep acting this recklessly."
"I'll find her as soon as possible."
Regarding the Death Dragon, Typhon, and the Great Dragon...
To put it politely, they were each in their own territories, pursuing their respective paths of Permanence.
To put it bluntly, they had been absolute super-shut-ins for tens of thousands of years.
Moreover, unlike ordinary people, these two didn't have the habit of browsing the Interastral Network. They were the definition of being out of the loop.
In other words, when it came to emotional intelligence, these two dragons were truly... lacking.
Of course, under normal circumstances, beings of their stature didn't exactly need emotional intelligence. It was usually everyone else who exerted their social skills to cater to them.
But live long enough, and you're bound to run into an "abnormal" situation eventually.
Like this time.
In truth, after Zero took over, Typhon had a vague feeling that something wasn't quite right. That was why she had hurried away, choosing to seek out other scions for materials first.
It wasn't until she later heard the news spreading throughout the universe that Typhon finally realized, with a delayed startle, what had happened.
She seemed to have caused Madam Bai Ming's reputation to develop in a very strange direction.
Though they hadn't known each other long, Typhon could tell the other woman was likely someone who disliked being in the spotlight. Now that things had turned out like this, Typhon felt a wave of regret.
If she'd known, she wouldn't have wasted time with all that nonsense and would have just gone up to trade blows with that big idiot.
At the very least, the universe would only say that she, Typhon, was being inexplicably provocative, rather than dragging Bai Ming into it.
As it stood now, trying to clarify things wouldn't do much good. In fact, it would probably only further fuel the growth of that bizarre reputation.
"Sigh... next time I do something like this, I'll just use the Great Dragon's name. I'll say he asked me to do it."
Typhon sighed with such sentiment as she continued toward the next location she knew of.
It was hard to tell if she was actually reflecting on her actions or not. At any rate, she didn't seem to have any intention of reining herself in.
Lamenting her luck, Typhon flew toward a certain world, keenly sensing the Giants of Light lingering nearby.
She didn't pay them much mind, though, because it wasn't strange for the Giants of Light to appear anywhere. They were a race that practically ran all over the world.
"But why do they seem to be watching me? Is it because of what happened before, and they want to demand an explanation on Bai Ming's behalf?"
Typhon assumed it was just people from the Land of Light taking it upon themselves to confront her. She was even contemplating how to respond without losing face while still conveying her apologies.
But soon, she didn't have the luxury of thinking about that. Because the very person she had just accidentally "sabotaged" was blocking her path.
"..."
There was an obvious, massive difference in size between the two. Yet, Typhon didn't dare show any temper. She gave a sheepish laugh and shrunk her form.
"Long time no see, Madam Bai Ming."
"...It's been 'a long time' already?"
'Cipher' stared at Typhon, her tone far from friendly.
"Cough, as the old Xianzhou saying goes, 'one day apart feels like three autumns.' It's been several days; naturally, I've missed you."
Typhon scratched her head awkwardly.
'Cipher' appearing here now...
She couldn't be coming to say their previous agreement was void, could she? Please don't let that be it. If I don't have you, I—
While Typhon was still wondering how to speak, 'Cipher' said bluntly:
"What you did going after the Great Dragon went too far."
As soon as those words came out, Typhon knew she had no defense.
The Death Dragon Typhon, whose name shook the cosmos, was currently in human form, obediently bowing her head before 'Cipher'.
"Yes, you're right to scold me. I should have restrained my impulses. Why don't you give me a beating to vent your anger?"
Typhon lowered her head submissively, moving it closer as if ready to take the hit.
"..."
'Cipher' blinked, but didn't move a finger.
After all, she didn't really need to beat her up. This girl was quite sincere in admitting her mistakes, but 'Cipher' felt that after living so many years, this personality probably wasn't going to change easily.
"Instead of hitting you, Typhon, tell me honestly... is it even possible for a personality like yours to change just because you say it will?"
"Heh heh..."
Typhon pulled her head back and stopped talking, merely offering a silly grin. What that represented didn't need to be spelled out.
'Cipher' let out a long sigh.
The girl was a bit of a hothead, but she was indeed helping her collect materials.
At the very least, that dragon horn from the Great Dragon was an excellent research specimen. Ruan Mei had expressed great satisfaction with it.
And according to Zero, this person wasn't a bad sort. She was more like someone who had stayed cooped up in her own house for countless millennia until she'd turned herself into a bit of a space cadet.
"Instead of beating you to vent, Typhon, I'm going to leave something on you. If you can't control your impulses again, I'll give you a remote reminder."
"Leave what? A phone? Do they even make models that fit my size?"
Typhon pointed to herself—her true form, of course, not her current dragon-girl appearance.
"There are no models for your size. I'm talking about leaving a mark on you using the power of Elation."
As she spoke, 'Cipher' raised her hand, and a black mask condensed within her palm.
Through her continuous analysis lately, 'Cipher' had gained a deeper understanding of the essence of Elation.
She could now actively bring about things that were theoretically impossible. For example... using the power of existence to fill the flesh that Typhon was missing.
'Cipher' still couldn't modify the power of Permanence or reverse Typhon's fundamental state to turn her from "maimed" to "whole." However, on that foundation, she could give Typhon a "prosthetic."
She would construct flesh and blood from Elation to cover Typhon's thoracic cavity, reconnecting those blocked and severed muscles to restore her condition.
Furthermore, if Typhon agreed... she could even leave a specially made cocoon within it in the future.
At that time, by relying on the cocoon, she could replace Typhon's self-sacrifice to maintain the prosperity of Inferno.
Of course, this solution was still in the experimental stage. Maintaining the vitality of a cocoon once it was separated from 'Cipher' and the Swarm King was no easy task.
After all, she didn't intend to plant a living insect inside Typhon's body. And a dead thing couldn't emulate Reveria's method of warding off Entropy Loss Syndrome.
"This mask is...? Don't tell me it's proof of being your Emanator?!"
Typhon blinked, a sudden realization hitting her.
Theoretically, 'Cipher' was currently an Aeon, right? So the power she was bestowing... could it be said she was choosing her to be an Emanator under her command??
But 'Cipher' merely gave her a sharp, annoyed look.
"What Emanator? You pulled such a stunt on our very first collaboration; even if you wanted to be one, I wouldn't be willing to give it! This thing can temporarily fill the gaps in your body and serve as a tool for me to monitor you."
"Ehehe."
Just as Aha would use the mask to chat with 'Cipher', the mask she condensed and bestowed could likewise allow her to communicate with Typhon across the sea of stars and perceive what was happening on this end.
Typhon considered it for a moment before reaching out to take the mask. But before she could even put it on, she felt a surge of power erupt from the mask, rapidly enveloping her body.
The power of Elation manifested upon Typhon.
Soon, accompanied by a wriggling light, the exposed ribs and empty chest cavity were gradually filled, bit by bit, with flesh and organs.
The necrotic tissue at the edges was forcibly granted vitality by the power of Elation—or rather, forcibly reconnected, allowing blood to flow through.
While the power 'Cipher' condensed couldn't completely repair the damage, under this forced circulation of blood and organs, those necrotic edges regained a bit of life, bordering the power of Elation.
Her heart beat powerfully within her chest, a sensation she hadn't felt in ages. The power of Elation flowed through her body with her blood before returning to her chest.
Typhon looked down in shock, staring at the snowy-white, slightly pink new flesh, then looked back at the mask in her hand.
"Healed... I'm healed??"
"It's not a complete cure. You can think of it as me shaping a body of Elation for you. It will gradually replace your missing flesh as you continue your self-sacrifices. The benefit is that you can maintain a complete physical state," 'Cipher' explained regarding Typhon's situation.
"The downside is that if one day you have given away all your flesh of Permanence, you will turn entirely into an Apostle of Elation. My Apostle."
"..."
Not only was she not getting beaten, but she was also getting her maimed body repaired?
Typhon felt deeply moved.
Was there any way to cling to this person's leg and never let go?
--+--
T/N: If you want advance chapters, you can find it at [email protected]/AspenTL