Chapter 76: Rebellious Bronya

"Because of 300 power stones i have release one more extra chapter with regular chapters" Back to the story

On the Astral Express, Himeko and Welt were observing the situation on Jarilo-VI.

"The activities of the Fragmentum are intensifying... Something is happening on Jarilo-VI," Welt adjusted his glasses. "Shouldn't we set off now, Himeko?"

"Trust them. Besides Gu Tang, this is Stelle's first pioneering mission. Without a bit of pressure and setbacks, how can it become a memorable part of youth?" Himeko said with a smile.

"I see... You judge that they are safe, don't you?" Welt looked at Himeko.

"Yes, there haven't been any void reactions of Acolyte level, don't worry." Himeko looked out the train window at the snow-covered planet. "It's a stage for the young. We shouldn't intervene... at most provide a bit of off-stage support... right?"

Welt saw that Himeko's satellite above Jarilo-VI was already primed, ready to launch a terrifying fire from the heavens at any moment.

...For some reason, he felt that Gu Tang would still pull off something unexpected.

And he didn't dislike these surprises; he was actually somewhat looking forward to them.

"Heh... I can understand why Dan Heng likes him so much." Welt chuckled.

He looked at Himeko beside him.

Himeko was elegantly sipping her coffee, her posture graceful and her expression soft, looking as if nothing could disturb her calm demeanor.

"Maybe even Himeko will be greatly surprised..." Welt thought to himself, taking a sip of his steaming coffee.

Of course, it was made with Gu Tang's coffee machine.

That coffee machine fully embraced randomness, not only sometimes producing juice but also delivering random types of coffee.

Espresso, mocha, latte, piccolo, macchiato...

Fortunately, each one was delicious, so Welt didn't mind this aspect.

He savored the coffee as it flowed over his tongue and into his body...

"Hmm?"

Welt looked at the steaming coffee in his hand, puzzled.

He took another sip, tasting it carefully.

Then, Welt finally confirmed...

"Why... is it iced coffee?" Welt couldn't comprehend it at all.

And it was still steaming!

He decided to ask Gu Tang when he returned to see if he could study that coffee machine.

---

The cold wind howled, mixed with snow, mercilessly blowing across the land.

Everything in this ruin was covered in a layer of hard ice, with countless Fragmentum spreading here, forming twisted and sinister crystals that resembled dead tree branches.

A huge crystal even penetrated a building.

"What is this place, Mother?" Bronya asked her mother ahead.

Cocolia didn't turn around, just calmly leading the way in front, slowly saying, "Seven hundred years ago, this was the northern border of Belobog and the ancient battlefield where Alisa Rand led the first batch of Silvermane Guards to resist the Legion."

"So it's here..." Bronya looked around in surprise.

The surrounding scene looked like nothing but ruins. Coupled with the Fragmentum's erosion, it was like a hell covered in ice and snow.

"That was in the past. Now... it's just an abandoned corridor, echoing with the remnants of the old world," Cocolia continued. "Don't be fooled by the shattered surface, Bronya. When the promise is fulfilled... this ruin will become the cradle of a new world."

"Mother, do you really believe in the promises made by the Stellaron?" Bronya looked at Cocolia's back in disbelief. "It summoned the storm outside the walls and opened the gates of the Fragmentum. It destroyed our civilization—"

"The mistake our ancestors made was not embracing destruction sooner!" Cocolia suddenly turned, roughly interrupting Bronya's words.

"Mother..." Bronya's eyes were complicated.

"Rebirth requires a price... erasing all the rotten imprints of the old world and abandoning meaningless survival. This is the price the Stellaron demands," Cocolia came in front of Bronya, reaching out to caress her face.

So cold...!

Cocolia's palm had no warmth at all, making Bronya's body tremble slightly.

"When the promise is fulfilled, Bronya... we will no longer have to spend our lives guarding a wasteland. You and I, we will witness the new world rising from the ruins," she said gently to Bronya.

And that gentleness was what truly made Bronya feel the piercing cold.

---

"I see, so that's their conversation up ahead..."

Dan Heng rubbed his chin, murmuring to himself.

Gu Tang's group had already arrived here.

The conversation between Cocolia and Bronya above was relayed in real-time by Gu Tang, who was connected to Bronya's brain.

"So... Cocolia made some deal with the Stellaron, which is why her personality changed drastically, as she is fulfilling the conditions set by the Stellaron," Stelle analyzed.

Seele looked at her in surprise, "You can think like that? I thought you only knew how to fight."

"Thinking when not fighting isn't bad either." Stelle shrugged.

"What if there is a fight?" Seele continued to ask.

Stelle answered without hesitation, "Then I'll focus on fighting, and thinking can be left to Dan Heng."

March 7th patted Stelle's shoulder, "I think it's better not to have too many expectations for Dan Heng..."

"Strange, March used to rely on my thoughts quite a lot..." Dan Heng looked at March 7th, puzzled.

"It must be because March 7th has grown, and can now think for herself," Gu Tang said confidently.

Dan Heng nodded in agreement, "Makes sense, it seems even March 7th can grow."

March 7th looked at Dan Heng speechlessly.

Why doesn't this guy ever look for problems in himself?

"Back to the previous topic, Stelle's guess makes sense... Cocolia was likely bewitched by the Stellaron. This would explain why her personality changed so much. She probably became an accomplice of the Stellaron before we arrived, accelerating the destruction of this planet," Dan Heng said with a frown.

"Bewitched? Stellaron can talk?" March 7th found it hard to believe.

Dan Heng looked at Stelle, "There is no precedent, but don't forget Stelle's previous strange dreams."

March 7th struck her palm, "Ah, right! Cocolia's voice and the strange voice, that strange voice must be the Stellaron."

Seele looked at Stelle, puzzled, "You get clues from your dreams?"

Stelle pointed to her chest, "Believe it or not, I'm actually a Stellaron spirit."

Seele pointed at Stelle, looking at Gu Tang's group, "You guys travel the stars with such a dangerous thing?"

Dan Heng crossed his arms, looking indifferent, "Don't mind it. There are many things in my room more dangerous than the Stellaron."

"...I originally wanted to visit the Astral Express, but now I need to reconsider," Seele exhaled and said slowly.

"Things more powerful than the Stellaron... Don't you want to visit my room?" Gu Tang looked at Seele, blinking.

"Tsk—" Seele rubbed her chin, "You know, it's kind of hard to refuse..."

"Look, Stelle. This is how Gu Tang lures girls into his room," March 7th said to Stelle.

Stelle looked at Gu Tang, "You're too careless, Gu Tang. As a young man, you should protect yourself. What if you get attacked in your room? You know, some people come to the train to visit, some come to the train to do things."

"Hmph, nonsense, only that Bronya would do such things," Seele rolled her eyes.

---

"When the promise is fulfilled, Bronya... we will no longer have to spend our lives guarding a wasteland. You and I, we will witness the new world rising from the ruins," Cocolia said gently to Bronya.

Bronya stared at Cocolia, dazed.

Then she suddenly became furious, "You bastard! You would do such a despicable thing! Don't lump me together with you!"

"???" Cocolia looked at Bronya, incredulous.

"Ah, sorry, Mother." Bronya quickly covered her mouth, "I wasn't talking to you."

---

Gu Tang asked Stelle, "By the way, Stelle, we should be close to the Stellaron here. Do you feel anything?"

Stelle scratched her head, "There are some voices echoing in my mind. The Stellaron seems to know we're here and has already warned Cocolia."

March 7th was stunned, "Huh? Aren't we walking into a trap then?"

Gu Tang didn't seem to care, "Doesn't matter. Then we'll break the trap and then break Cocolia."

"Well said, that's the spirit," Seele nodded in satisfaction.

"Looks like it's time to show that spirit," Dan Heng turned, looking into the distance.

A humanoid monster made of ice and floating in mid-air was charging towards them.

Countless ice crystals formed and shattered around it, every move bringing a chill, clearly not on the same level as the previous Fragmentum monsters.

If a sage were here, they could tell them this was the Outer Cosmic Ice, growing from the Fragmentum brought by the Stellaron, parasitizing the foundational structures of the world and absorbing energy.

But the sage wasn't here, so the group called it "Big Ice."

"Looks like thinking time is over..." Stelle took out her bat.

"Perfect, I've finally adjusted to the fresh air," Seele handed the trash back to Gu Tang, taking a deep breath, "It's time to show my true strength!"

Everyone prepared for battle.

At this moment, countless missiles flew out, bombarding Big Ice, leaving it half-crippled.

"This attack method... Could it be!" Dan Heng turned around

 sharply.

The red monocular, the tall mechanical body, the cold synthetic voice.

"High-risk mission confirmed, Prototype No. 3—Supervisory Machine Svarog, requesting to escort Gu Tang," Svarog said as it walked over.

It extended its palm, firing a laser that passed through everyone, shattering Big Ice into pieces.

Steam was released from the gaps in its steel shell, and the black coat on its body fluttered in the cold wind.

Everyone: "Svarog!" (Surprised)

Dan Heng: "Svarog..." (Disgusted)