Chapter 103: Caelus: Why Do Birds Fly? Welt: Hmm? Hmm?? Hmm???
Welt's eye twitched, a single, uncontrollable tic. He stared at the greatsword in Caelus's hand, its blade carefully engraved with crimson flame patterns, and the muscle in his jaw tightened.
It was similar. It was far too similar.
Caelus's current posture—the way he held the weapon, the defiant set of his shoulders—was a near-perfect mirror of a man from his memories, a figure from his long-lost home: Kevin Kaslana.
And that sword… that sword?
That sword—
'Isn't that the Judgement of Shamash?! What in the world is it doing here, in Belobog of all places?'
A powerful wave of déjà vu washed over Welt, so potent that his carefully maintained composure nearly shattered.
Standing off to the side, Leon casually raised his camera, capturing the priceless look on Welt's face with a satisfying click.
Collection +1.
'A real shame Aha doesn't get this reference,'Leon mused.'Otherwise, he'd probably be pestering Fuli to immortalize this moment in a Light Cone.'
"The will of the Preservation!"
"This is impossible…"
A tremor ran through Cocolia, a complex cocktail of awe and resentment swirling in her chest. It was truly the power of the Preservation… and even though this was all an act, a part of a grander script, her composure faltered as she felt the dense, unyielding aura radiating from Stelle and Caelus.
After all, this was the very power she had begged for, the blessing she had been denied. And now, here it was, right before her very eyes.
Worse still, the ones who had earned the Aeon's favor weren't her, the Supreme Guardian of Belobog, nor were they even citizens of her world. They were visitors from beyond the sky.
Though they were here to help, the sight still left a bitter taste in Cocolia's mouth.
Fortunately, she had her benefactor.
For a moment, Cocolia had been tempted to abandon the script and reveal the truth. But seeing Stelle and Caelus receive the Preservation's blessing so effortlessly ignited a spark of indignation within her.
She decided to stick to the plan. If she couldn't give these two a proper thrashing first, she would never find peace.
Just then, the opening chords of "Wildfire" suddenly ripped through the frigid air, sending a jolt through everyone present. All eyes snapped toward the source of the sound.
There, next to Leon, an old-fashioned phonograph—not unlike the one in Serval's workshop—had materialized out of thin air. The stirring, revolutionary melody poured from its horn, filling the desolate landscape with an electrifying energy.
[Wrapped in biting wind]
[Wrapped in biting wind]
[Hearts will never bleed]
[Hearts will never bleed]
[Frozen and banished]
[Frozen and banished…]
Though the lyrics were in a language none of them understood, the Synesthesia Beacon worked its magic, translating the raw, defiant meaning of the song directly into their minds.
"Leon, you're seriously pulling this now? And with background music?!" March 7th's jaw went slack.
He had done something similar during the fight with the Doomsday Beast, but to do it again now? It was just… so Leon.
It wasn't just March 7th. Seele, Bronya, and even Cocolia found themselves at a loss for words.
'My benefactor is… truly eccentric,'Cocolia thought, a faint, almost imperceptible smile touching her lips.'What is the point of playing such a passionate song at a time like this? Is he just trying to build the atmosphere?'
Welt pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, a gesture that signaled he was already resigned to this kind of absurdity.
Topaz, standing beside Leon, was even more dumbfounded. Seriously? Playing music and drawing everyone's attention at a time like this? What was going through this man's head?
"Don't you think this song is very appropriate for the occasion?" Leon asked, turning to Topaz with a knowing smile.
Well… she had to admit, it really was quite fitting. Hearing his casual explanation, Topaz wasn't sure what kind of expression she was supposed to make.
Leon's voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly to everyone on the battlefield, leaving them caught somewhere between laughter and tears. The song's quality was obvious, its exhilarating rhythm perfectly suiting the unfolding drama.
Watching the scene from the Astral Express, Himeko couldn't help but cover her mouth, a soft chuckle escaping. Leon truly had a knack for making people laugh, even in the most serious of situations.
The music seemed to ignite something within Stelle and Caelus as well, their fighting spirit flaring. Just as they were about to charge Cocolia, Leon's voice echoed in their minds.
"Got it! Bro, consider it done!"
Amidst the stirring melody of "Wildfire," Stelle and Caelus exchanged a look, their lips curling into identical, mischievous smirks.
Facing the storm of biting ice condensed by Cocolia, Caelus gripped the hilt of the Judgement of Shamash with both hands and slowly raised it. Blazing fire erupted from the blade, the intense heat warping the air as it pushed back against the encroaching cold.
He tilted his head slightly, his voice a low, calm murmur just loud enough for Welt to hear clearly.
"Birds… why do they fly?"
The moment he finished, Stelle followed in perfect sync. Her voice carried the same extraordinary indifference, and the Flame Lance in her hand seemed to shimmer with the phantom of an undying fire.
"Because… they must fly into the sky."
Though Stelle's weapon didn't quite match the aesthetic, she absolutely nailed the aura.
They stepped forward as one. Flames roared to life around them, a conflagration that threatened to set the entire frozen world ablaze. In the searing light, their silhouettes seemed to briefly overlap with a certain white-haired figure who had once transcended Finality.
"—Thus, judgment is here!"
"Pfft—!!!"
In the rear, Welt Yang, who had been preparing to stabilize the battle, suddenly stumbled, his feet slipping on the ice. His glasses were nearly sent flying from his face.
He stared, wide-eyed, at Stelle and Caelus, his gaze locked on the Judgement of Shamash in Caelus's hand.
Those lines… they were so familiar they made the hair on his arms stand on end. It was just too damn similar.
If Caelus had only borne a passing resemblance to Kevin before, now his words, his aura, his very presence were a perfect imitation.
Caelus: When it comes to acting and vibes, I'm a professional.
Of course, while Caelus was a dead ringer for Kevin, Stelle didn't quite fit the part. She looked more like… Kiana.
'It's so hard to keep a straight face,'Welt thought, his mind reeling.'So, so hard.'
He knew, with absolute certainty, that Leon had put them up to this. Even the Judgement of Shamash must have been Leon's doing. There was no logical reason for Belobog's Path of Preservation to manifest as two distinct weapons, one of which just so happened to be a Divine Key from his old world.
Only Leon could orchestrate such a heart-stopping 'surprise.'
Leon: Aha! You actually guessed right.
Welt opened his mouth, but no words came out. In the end, he channeled all his surging complaints and deep shock into a long, complex sigh, firmly adjusting his glasses once more.
The look behind his lenses was a perfect pie chart: thirty percent shock, thirty percent nostalgia, and forty percent a grim determination to 'get a clear explanation from Leon as soon as this is over.'
See? Who said human expressions couldn't be quantified?
With a satisfied smile, Leon put away his camera. This footage was definitely worth rewatching.
On the other side of the battlefield, Cocolia didn't understand the 'deep meaning' behind their lines, but she was still intimidated by the sudden surge of battle intent—a potent fusion of Preservation's unyielding nature and a hint of raw destruction.
The slight annoyance she'd felt at the Aeon's 'favoritism' was instantly washed away, replaced by a sharpened combat instinct and the conviction to see her benefactor's script through to the end.
"You know nothing of this world's plight…" She raised her ice lance, the power of the Eternal Freeze rising to meet their challenge. "And even less of the end that awaits it!"
At the climax of the music, snow and flames collided in a violent, spectacular explosion.
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