I have to say, Sirin's sudden transformation truly made Ling Ke feel a little surprised.
Of course, it was only "a little" surprised.
After all, by now, the number of Pathstriders on this third planet of the current universe's solar system was no longer just the one before his eyes.
Although, at present, besides himself as the "spectator," others... even a few of the parties who were using their powers vigorously, did not know exactly what kind of concept "Path" was.
"So, should I find time to hold a so called "Ling Ke's Lecture" episode?"
Ling Ke rested his chin on one hand as he thought.
Not long after, his gaze fell back on the white haired girl across from him.
"Speaking of which, Sirin has already "taken the lead," hasn't she?"
Ling Ke asked intentionally: "Kiana, won't you try and "catch up"?"
After he finished speaking, he snapped his fingers...
"Snap~"
The invisible force that had previously forcibly restrained Kiana's consciousness, not allowing her to interrupt while Sirin answered the question or seize control of the body, instantly dissipated completely.
Just then, one would notice that the white-haired girl's eyes had turned gold and blue.
"Using eye color to distinguish personalities... Hmm, while it's a cliché, it is convenient."
Ling Ke muttered inwardly. "But..."
He felt somewhat disappointed. "It seems Kiana won't be having a high-end talent show and suddenly becoming a Pathstrider just yet."
"Well then..."
Ling Ke stood up from his seat, habitually shoving his hands back into the pockets of his jacket.
Actually, he quite liked this black hoodie with its large double-pocket in front.
It was comfortable and practical...
Alright, enough with the digressions.
Right now...
"He's coming," Ling Ke muttered without looking back.
And just then...
Thud
The figure of a white-haired young man(?) appeared in Kiana's line of sight, facing Ling Ke.
Kevin Kaslana.
Sovereign of the Newborn World Serpent, the Strongest MANTIS, a "Returnee" born into this era after living for over 50,000 long years...
"!!!"
Kiana stared at the newcomer with extreme caution.
Before she could even stand up, she sprang backward, leaping several meters away.
In the process, she knocked over the lounge chair she had been sitting on.
Kevin remained silent, saying nothing.
But Ling Ke spoke.
"Kiana, this is the 'First Trial' on your path to godhood, the one you will face and must overcome."
He smiled. "The trial is called—"
"Run for your life, kid!"
"!!!"
Kiana's breath hitched.
Without hesitating, she vaulted over the railing of the school building's rooftop and leaped down.
This shocking act immediately drew the attention of several ordinary students below.
The young people, thinking someone was attempting suicide, cried out in alarm.
Some rushed over to help, while others, mere spectators of the commotion, gathered around.
Faced with this...
"They're here fast," Ling Ke said, ignoring the fleeing Kiana and turning to Kevin. "Where's Raiden Mei?"
"Hua is stopping her."
"Oh."
Ling Ke nodded.
From Kevin's brief explanation, he understood everything.
Ultimately, Fu Hua had chosen "Father" over "some of her friends."
But forcing her to personally kill Kiana, the friend who had once saved her, was too much to ask.
Setting aside Ling Ke, Kevin, as Fu Hua's old comrade, obviously wouldn't deliberately force her to endure such emotional torment.
So, he had thoughtfully assigned her other tasks.
Unfortunately, Ling Ke had only said that "K-423 would appear in Nagazora in half a year," without specifying the exact time or place.
Combined with the recent chaos caused by the Third Herrscher (the Herrscher of Blood), the Newborn World Serpent was already spread too thin.
That was why only Kevin and Fu Hua, the high-level combatants, had come to Nagazora this time.
As for the Memory Bodies of the Thirteen Flame-Chasers, who had only returned to the world last night...
It was clear that each had their own considerations. They either didn't want to get involved in this mess, had their own plans, or... simply hadn't contacted the Newborn World Serpent yet.
In short...
"It seems I've delayed your pursuit."
Ling Ke looked at Kevin and smiled insincerely. "Don't mind me, I'm just here to watch the show."
"..."
Hearing him say that, Kevin left without a word.
By this time, Kiana had already run far away.
But for the current Kevin, this distance was completely insignificant.
After leaving the rooftop of the Chiba Academy teaching building, Kevin quickly locked onto Kiana's trail.
Then... he bent his knees and stomped down fiercely...
"Whoosh~"
He turned into a stream of cold air and rapidly closed in on the white-haired girl from behind.
In his hand... well, for once, he didn't use Shamash.
Instead, he used the ice power from the Parvati Factor to condense an ice sword strong enough to freeze celestial fire, and swung it without hesitation at the figure ahead.
It was clear that Kevin didn't want to cause too much collateral damage in the surrounding area.
But...
"Fwoosh~"
"Hmm?"
A flash of golden-orange fire flared in his vision.
The ice sword slashed through empty air.
Kiana... or rather, the white haired girl... her figure completely vanished from its original spot.
Next thing you know, she had already appeared in midair several kilometers away.
A few golden orange fiery embers were drifting around her body.
That kind of power...
Kevin frowned deeply.
Clearly, it was Sirin using the Power of Destruction she had just comprehended.
As everyone knows, the abilities that Pathstriders awaken are not forcibly restricted to a very limited range based on the type of Path they tread.
It only carries some "tendencies" like a buff.
For example, although Pathstriders of Preservation are better at using defensive abilities, it doesn't mean they can't fire energy waves, or like some Masked Fools, directly transform into another person.
Another example: the Self Annihilators of Nihility... This group's attacks are inherently highly corrosive, but look at Raiden Mei. Having been used to using the Authority of Thunder for a long time in the past, she is still more accustomed to playing with lightning and thunder.
In summary, what abilities a Pathstrider awakens depends on their personal traits.
And on top of that...
A Pathstrider's power isn't tied to how long they've walked their Path.
Instead, it depends on their personal insights... and how many great deeds they have accomplished that align with their Path.
Of course, if you get technical, the subject of "Multiple Paths" also comes into play.
These are all very mysterious and abstract concepts.
But if we only talk about how a Pathstrider's strength changes...
Simply put: how far someone has walked on their chosen Path is actually quite similar to the concept of "leveling up" in a game, or "ascending a realm" in a cultivation system.
Because of this, rare cases can occur where someone "gains a huge amount of experience, causing their level to skyrocket," or "achieves sudden enlightenment, rapidly ascending to a new realm."
The clearest example of this... in Ling Ke's mind, was Firefly from the neighboring parallel universe.
In an instant, her power skyrocketed.
She ascended from a mass-produced Iron Cavalry of Glamoth to a terrifying being capable of destroying a planet single-handedly.
In short...
"A teleportation ability activated through fire... Heh, should I say it's just as expected of the former Herrscher of the Void?"
Still on the rooftop of that teaching building at Chiba Academy, Ling Ke, with his hands in his pockets, chuckled as he commented, "Hmm, she's awakened an ability that's quite suitable for 'running away'."
"And..."
Ling Ke's eyes narrowed slightly as he easily saw through the essence of certain things. "It seems this is just one manifestation of Sirin's newly awakened 'new power'."
"She still has more trump cards."
He nodded with satisfaction. "Although she's clearly not very skilled at using it yet, her growth potential has been significantly raised."
"Hmm, this is where it gets interesting."
At this point, Ling Ke's gaze naturally shifted to the white-haired young man (?) who had started chasing her again. "It seems Kevin won't be able to succeed so easily without paying a price."