"Judging by its content, this seems less like a declaration of war and more like an invitation—a theatrical ball invitation." Yun Fan waved the piece of paper in his hand, sounding somewhat weary as he addressed the group beside him.
"An invitation?"
"Indeed. One issued by a Masked Fool, addressed to everyone in Belobog, including the Nameless and the members of the Interastral Peace Corporation." Though the handwriting on the note was as slow and messy as a turtle's crawl, Yun Fan could still make out the general shape of the letters.
"Moreover, according to this Masked Fool, she has already fully mastered the power of the Stellaron. For Belobog, this could spell utter catastrophe."
"Masked Fools again? Ugh, why do these people keep popping up everywhere?" March 7th clutched her head in frustration, her memories of these troublemakers still fresh in her mind.
Not only was there the Aeon of Elation, Aha—recorded in the archives as the one who once blew up the Astral Express—but even before arriving at Herta Space Station, during her first trailblazing journey, March 7th had encountered a Masked Fool. If not for Dan Heng's warning, this foolish... er, innocent girl might have already become a plaything for the Masked Fools.
"Hahaha..." Just as the group fell into silence, a somewhat discordant laugh broke the tension.
At this, everyone turned toward the source of the sound. To their surprise, Yun Fan seemed to be chuckling to himself, as if amused by something. Facing the group's mixed gazes, he awkwardly cleared his throat.
"Ah, my apologies. I just suddenly thought of something amusing," Yun Fan said, hastily changing the subject.
"Ahem. Since the Masked Fool has extended an invitation, it would be rather ungracious of us not to accept. Besides, given Belobog's current situation, we don't really have a choice."
Hearing Yun Fan's words, the group collectively facepalmed.
Ungracious? Buddy, are you even listening to yourself? The Masked Fools are about to make you their next joke, and you're talking about being gracious?
Still, Yun Fan wasn't wrong. Right now, Belobog had no room to refuse.
"Mr. Yun Fan, if I may be blunt, the power of the Stellaron is beyond imagination. Are you truly capable of dealing with it?" Serval chose that moment to voice her doubts. Just the half-day blizzard was enough to prove that the Stellaron's power far exceeded normal limits. According to Cocolia, these people before her were all outsiders from beyond the stars—but did they really have what it took to neutralize the Stellaron?
"Miss Serval, was it?" Yun Fan responded to her skepticism with a faint smile, unbothered.
"Rest assured. We wouldn't have taken on this task if we didn't have the means to handle it."
Yun Fan wasn't exaggerating. Even if he didn't lift a finger, the people present were far from ordinary. Take Dan Heng, for instance—not only did he wield the power of the Imbibitor Lunae, but he could also briefly channel the might of Permanence. Then there was Stelle, who possessed the Stellaron's power and was blessed by the world's fortune.
And let's not forget March 7th, whose past memories had been sealed away by an Aeon and who now carried the "Hunt's Arrow" gifted by Yun Fan. The Stellaron stood no chance against her. After all, beneath the Aeons, all were but ants!
"Alright then, everyone. Without further delay... let's attend this banquet."
——————————————
The scene shifted back to the glacial tundra. Sparkle, now fully in control of the Stellaron's power, idly played with her pet, the Dreamdrifter. After a long while, she sighed in boredom.
"Ugh, did that guy Sampo even deliver my message like I told him to? Did he just run off halfway?" At this thought, Sparkle's eyes narrowed slightly, and her hand petting the Dreamdrifter grew a bit rougher.
Smack!
With a crisp sound, she slapped the fish square on the head.
Dreamdrifter: ???
Utterly bewildered, the Dreamdrifter had no idea why its owner, who had been gently stroking it moments ago, had suddenly given it a solid whack.
"Hmm? They're here."
Sensing several unfamiliar presences entering her range of perception, Sparkle's mood lifted. It seemed Sampo hadn't lied to her after all.
"Hehe, since good ol' Sampo did deliver my message, I'll magnanimously cancel my original plan of 'sending him to Pier Point to perform a chicken dance.' Now, let's see who exactly these main guests of the ball are."
Expanding her perception further, Sparkle began carefully analyzing the auras of the approaching group. In the past, this would've been difficult for her, but now, fused with the Stellaron, it was effortless.
However, as her perception fully returned, Sparkle's previously relaxed expression stiffened. Soon after, beads of cold sweat formed on her forehead.
"Uh... did the Aeon of Elation just screw me over?"
In Sparkle's perception, at least three of the arriving guests were on par with her current strength. And there was one presence so unfathomably deep that even with the power of Elation granted by Aha, she couldn't begin to gauge its limits.
"Ah, so that's why that god of mischief suddenly sent me here. He was making me the joke all along!" Sparkle gritted her teeth in frustration. Yet, there was little she could do. This was her boss, after all—the Aeon of Elation, the one who had walked the Path of Elation further than any other. How could she possibly defy his will?
"Tch. This isn't joyful at all!"
...
"Oh? Looks like we've arrived."
Coming to a halt, Yun Fan tilted his head slightly as he observed the fortress constructed entirely of ice. Unlike traditional architecture, this glacial structure possessed an ethereal beauty, glimmering under the sunlight. Sharp icicles refracted the light, splitting it into a spectrum of colors.
Encircling the icy fortress was a golden barrier, woven from the Stellaron's energy. It appeared incredibly sturdy, as if utterly indestructible.
"Heh. Trying to test whether we're worthy of stepping onto the stage, are we?" Lightly tapping the barrier, Yun Fan chuckled and shook his head before turning to Stelle. "Stelle, I'll leave this barrier to you. Can you handle it?"
"Got it." Stelle flashed Yun Fan an OK sign, then drew the MiHoYo family's signature baseball bat. Surging with the abundant power of the Path of Preservation, she declared:
"In the name of Preservation!"