Just as the gaze of Nous fell silently upon Punklorde, crimson eyes fixed on Herta, a trace of astonishment and admiration flickered within Them.
Soul Gem!
To store a soul from another time-space dimension and isolate the rejection of the universe—such a feat was truly extraordinary. Even They could not accomplish something like that.
Yes, They could not.
Although Nous had comprehended the boundless truths of the cosmos, They likewise understood that the rejection of anomalies and of αWolf from another time-space was an instinct of the universe itself. This instinct was nearly impossible to eliminate. At best, like Terminus, one could temporarily transfer the universe's rejection of αWolf onto Themselves.
And yet a tiny Soul Gem had achieved what even an Aeon could not.
Inconceivable.
In truth, it was not only Herta who was astonished. Not long ago, the Aeon of Elation, Aha, who had departed from the game, now revealed a mask filled with amazement and theatrical humor.
"As expected, Herta is like Akivili—an existence capable of bringing laughter to the universe.
"With αWolf accompanying little Silver Wolf, she will no longer be alone. The days ahead are sure to be filled with endless amusement."
Meanwhile, the Aeon of Harmony, Xipe, was also observing Herta, Silver Wolf, and αWolf whose soul resided within the Soul Gem. Their radiant gaze seemed to speak silently:
To store a future soul from another time-space within a Soul Gem, then allow its counterpart in this timeline to wear it and converse with it—how beautiful.
Yes. In Xipe's eyes, the quarrel between Silver Wolf and αWolf over the outcome of their game was something beautiful.
At that very moment, Xipe even considered inviting the two Silver Wolfs to join the Family and become part of it.
Yet just then, from the distant future, Terminus extended a vast hand, blocking Xipe's path.
Harmony and Finality—the masters of their respective Paths—engaged in a peak confrontation as the highest Aeons of the cosmos, exchanging informations concerning the end.
In the end, Xipe abandoned the thought of drawing Silver Wolf into the Family. Still, Their gaze upon her remained filled with appreciation.
Elsewhere, HooH—the Aeon of Equilibrium, already fused with the universe—had originally been exerting influence to expel αWolf from the cosmos. But the function of the Soul Gem had far exceeded even this Aeon's expectations.
The Soul Gem could completely isolate the universe's rejection, leaving not even the slightest trace.
A truly unbelievable genius creation!
...
On the planet Punklorde, Blade watched Silver Wolf and αWolf arguing over who would win. A faint haze rose within his heart.
If Herta had already developed the Soul Gem back then... if Baiheng had worn one... would her soul have been preserved? Could everything have been undone?
As the thought lingered, Blade clenched his fist, and in the end, only a quiet sigh escaped him.
At that moment, Stelle finally hurried over from afar.
"What happened? I feel like a lot went down while I was busy doing missions on Punklorde."
"It's like this—Silver Wolf has joined the Stellaron Hunters. And just now..." Firefly began explaining everything to Stelle.
Stelle's eyes immediately lit up.
"Silver Wolf joined the Hunters? And not just her—the future αWolf joined too?"
"Hmph. I never said I was joining," αWolf snorted from within the Soul Gem. "As for whether Silver Wolf can break the upper limit within the Stellaron Hunters, I remain doubtful."
"After all, I struggled for an entire lifetime and still failed to break the cap. I was stuck at level 999 the whole time!"
Silver Wolf retorted, "Is there a possibility that you're just useless?"
"Oh? Then don't use the Invincible Player Cartridge," αWolf shot back, the Soul Gem flashing rapidly. "And don't forget—on some level, you and I are the same person. If I couldn't break the limit, that means you can't either."
"Hmph. I definitely can!"
"You can't!"
"I can!"
Like children who refused to grow up, αWolf and Silver Wolf bickered endlessly.
Watching the scene, the light in Stelle's eyes grew even brighter.
"Arguing with yourself is seriously interesting. If only... I hadn't asked Kafka before about summoning my future self. She refused."
A vein symbol popped above Silver Wolf's head.
"What's so interesting about it?"
αWolf sighed at Silver Wolf. "You dragged me into this. Why am I even arguing with a weakling like you?"
Silver Wolf crossed her arms.
"Heh. Declaring victory before the game even starts? Is that some kind of imaginary-win masterclass?"
αWolf gritted her teeth.
"Just you wait... In a moment, I'll beat you so badly you'll run around clutching your head, crying and throwing a tantrum."
Stelle looked even more envious. She turned and stared pitifully at Kafka.
Kafka could only ignore her.
The reason was simple—Stelle's future absolutely could not be summoned using the power of Finality.
After all, Stelle concerned whether the cosmos could move toward its most perfect future. Her future must never be fixed.
As long as Herta did not join the Stellaron Hunters, Stelle had to remain the cosmos' variable.
After a brief silence, Kafka spoke.
"What matters now isn't summoning your future self. It's asking Herta whether the Soul Gem can cure the wound of of Propagation—Entropy Loss Syndrome."
A glimmer flashed through Stelle's eyes.
Right.
The Soul Gem could even preserve souls from another world. If, at the moment Firefly could no longer endure it, her soul entered the Soul Gem, could she avoid the symptoms of Entropy Loss and the loss of self?
Thinking of this, Stelle could not help but ask Herta whether it might cure Firefly's illness.
Herta, upon hearing the question, felt a flicker of confusion in her mind.
Firefly? Who was that?
Was there someone in the Stellaron Hunters by that name? And what exactly were Entropy Loss and loss of self?
In the next instant, Herman's voice echoed within Herta's mind.
"Firefly is the one who used the transformation device to become the Firefly Type-IV mecha—the robot Sam wanted by the IPC. Or rather, an Iron Cavalry Knight of the Welkin Empire of Glamoth."
"The Welkin Empire of Glamoth? What kind of nation is that? I've only heard of the Republic of Glamoth. And according to what I know, that republic was completely destroyed not long after the Swarm Disaster."
"Is there some connection between this republic and the Welkin Empire of Glamoth?"
"There is," Herman replied seriously. "In a sense, the two nations are one and the same.
"Or rather—the Welkin Empire of Glamoth was a lie fabricated by the Republic of Glamoth.
"In the distant past, not long after the Swarm Disaster had ended, the Republic of Glamoth encountered a crisis brought about by the Propagation swarm."
"When the Republic of Glamoth was on the verge of collapse and had lost contact with the IPC, unable to request reinforcements, it could only begin researching Propagation. They created bio-engineered humans born upon the Path of Propagation and developed the Firefly Type-IV mecha."
"They sent those bio-engineered humans into battle against the swarm, clad in the Firefly Type-IV armor."
Herta frowned upon hearing this.
"That was a Propagation swarm—darkening the skies and covering the earth... How could newly produced bio-engineered humans possibly fight such insects?"
"That is precisely why the Republic of Glamoth fabricated the story of a Welkin Empire of Glamoth," Herman replied. "Then the earliest Glamoth bio-engineered human—or rather, the Glamoth Empress—issued the command for war to the others."
"And more importantly, just as higher-ranking insects on the Path of Propagation can command those below them and ensure efficient execution... the bio-engineered humans functioned the same way."
"So the war between the swarm and the bio-engineered humans began. As for the final outcome, Herta, you already know—when the cunning rabbit dies, the hunting dog is cooked."
Herta said slowly, "In other words, once everything ended, the Empress of Glamoth died. And without her, the bio-engineered humans lost their pillar. Firefly—Sam—thus became one cast adrift from the flock?"
Herman nodded. "That's right. According to what I know, Firefly wandered the stars for a time, becoming a lone firefly drifting through the cosmos."
"Of course, that isn't the most crucial point... The most crucial point is that when the Aeon of Propagation fell, those who walked the Path of Propagation and lost their collective would all contract this illness."
"I understand."
The Herta nodded in realization and quickly raised her head toward Stelle.
"The Soul Gem can isolate the universe's rejection and contain souls from other time-spaces. Naturally, it can also contain a soul on the verge of losing itself. If it is used at the final moment of life, it can protect the soul."
Stelle turned excitedly toward Sam beside her.
"That's great, Firefly—you're saved!"
Inside the Sam armor, Firefly's face was filled with emotion.
"I... can really keep living?"
"Of course you can live. In fact, in my view, not only can you live—you may even be cured of Entropy Loss Syndrome."
Herta paused briefly before continuing.
"Of course, I personally have not conducted much research on the Path of Propagation. But I have a friend who has studied it deeply. Perhaps she can resolve the issue within you."
"Please—I'm counting on you."
Without hesitation, Firefly controlled the Sam armor to bring its hands together and bow deeply.
"It's nothing. After all, Blade just gave me the Vitalized Blood of Abundance, didn't he?" Herta replied. She then contacted Ruan Mei, described the symptoms of Entropy Loss Syndrome, and asked whether it could be cured.
"It is difficult. That is a flaw of the Path itself. Unless the Aeon of Propagation returns to life—or my own research on the Path advances further—the illness cannot be cured."
"Very well. I'll look forward to your progress. When the time comes, I'll bring the patient to you."
"Alright."
Ruan Mei's reply was succinct.
Herta let out a slow breath and raised her head to explain to Firefly that her biological researcher friend did not yet have the confidence to cure Entropy Loss Syndrome. However, with further advancement in research on the Path of Propagation, treatment might become possible.
"Really?!" Firefly asked excitedly.
"Really."
"That's wonderful."
Within the Sam armor, Firefly's beautiful yet frail face was filled with joy.
For Firefly, this day was extraordinarily fortunate.
First, the Stellaron Hunters had gained new companions—not one, but two.
αWolf and Silver Wolf.
Beyond that, she had received news that her illness could potentially be cured—two separate hopes.
The Soul Gem, and a genius' treatment.
Hope. A dawn at last.
If she could be cured, then Firefly would live a life dazzling beyond measure.
With that thought, she tightened her grip on the Soul Gem that Stelle had once purchased for her from the IPC and gifted to her.
From now on, if she encountered an overwhelming crisis, she could activate her complete combustion state and unleash her strongest power, confronting the enemy with absolute resolve.
In such a state, she would burn herself entirely, hastening the arrival of death—and at that moment, the Soul Gem would play its crucial role.
Like a firefly flying into flame—seeking life through death.
...
Half a day passed in the blink of an eye. During that time, Kafka, Blade, Stelle, and even Elio entrusted the matter of curing Entropy Loss Syndrome to Herta.
Of course, Kafka and Stelle genuinely believed that Ruan Mei had a strong possibility of solving the illness.
Elio, however, was different.
As one who could see the future, he was certain that Ruan Mei would eventually encounter a bottleneck in her research on Propagation—one she could not overcome. On her own, she would not be able to cure Entropy Loss Syndrome.
The key to curing it lay with Herta—and with Stelle.
Only the cosmos' variable could alter the destiny in which Firefly would inevitably die under the torment of Entropy Loss.
Meanwhile, within Silver Wolf's hideout, she and αWolf engaged in another gaming match.
And then Silver Wolf discovered something terrifying.
She lost.
Not just lost—she was utterly crushed.
But how was that possible?
She had clearly used a cheat. Even with that, she couldn't win?
"This isn't logical. There's no way I should lose," Silver Wolf muttered, staring at the defeat screen.
"It's perfectly logical," αWolf replied lazily. "I'm the future you. My skills far surpass yours. Isn't that normal?"
"But I used a cheat!" Silver Wolf shouted.
"Then that only proves my cheat is above yours. You couldn't even detect that I was using one."
"???"
Silver Wolf stared blankly at the Soul Gem in her arms.
"What do you mean your cheat is above mine?"
"I'm using cheats from the future era. I've upgraded them countless times. You're still lacking, Silver Wolf."
"..."
Silver Wolf fell silent.
Just then, a cheerful Firefly walked over.
She wanted to build a good relationship with her companions, so she asked, "It looks fun. Can I join you?"
"Of course," αWolf replied arrogantly. "Just don't cry if you lose."
"I won't."
Firefly logged in and played a round against αWolf.
Then something unimaginable happened—αWolf lost.
But how?
She had clearly used a cheat. And her pure technical skill was top-tier. She shouldn't have lost.
"Yay, I won." Firefly smiled brightly. "Games are really fun. You have to play them with a smile!"
"I've finished cooking. Time to eat," Blade's voice called from the kitchen.
"It's dinner time. Let's eat first," Firefly said, preparing to put down the controller.
"Stop her, Silver Wolf."
Without hesitation, Silver Wolf blocked Firefly's path. The Soul Gem on her body flashed with light.
"You don't get to win and run. Again!"
"Alright—but just for a little while!"
Firefly sat back down.
They played three consecutive matches.
Firefly won all three.
Inside the Soul Gem, αWolf grew increasingly dumbfounded, muttering under her breath.
"Impossible... impossible... impossible..."
After a few seconds, she noticed Silver Wolf laughing along with Firefly.
In an instant, realization struck.
"It was you, Silver Wolf?!"
"Did what?"
"You sealed my cheat—FLiNG Trainer?!"
Silver Wolf grinned mischievously.
"Since you've figured it out, I won't hide it. Yeah, I did. If we're playing a game, what's the point of using cheats? And it's even worse when you're playing with companions."
"You're the one who joined the Stellaron Hunters, not me," αWolf said through gritted teeth. "Damn it. Through experience resonance, you didn't just gain levels from me—you even learned my cheat techniques that quickly."
Silver Wolf laughed.
"Hehe. That just proves you and I both rely entirely on cheats. In pure skill, you can't even beat Firefly."
The top Emanator of Elation, a being standing at the pinnacle of the universe, had just been mocked by her own past self.
And the worst part was—she couldn't refute it.
In pure technical gameplay, she truly was no match for Firefly.
"Ahhhhh—!"
Inside the Soul Gem, αWolf let out a hysterical scream.