Chapter 170: The Formation of the Ascension Network and Ark's Superstar

After spending so much time with Mo Chen, Anis and Neon had already developed immunity to all sorts of bizarre occurrences. Even if Mo Chen claimed he was the Rapture Queen, they would probably believe him without hesitation.

Watching Mo Chen being pestered endlessly by Anis and Neon, and seeing how neither of them showed the slightest fear despite his overwhelming power, Noise felt as if something inside her had shattered.

That was the illusion called idealization.

"Ding—!"

"System notification: Acquired 45,710 points."

"System notification: Blade of Ember has absorbed 17,865 souls."

Just as Mo Chen was being entangled by the two, he was momentarily stunned by the system's voice before quickly understanding—anyone slain by the Ryūjin Jakka would have their souls absorbed into the blade as an offering.

This was also a prerequisite for activating Zanjitsu Gokui.

The only question was whether he could release the souls already trapped within the blade.

Gazing at the sword, which had once again withdrawn its sharpness and returned to its plain, unassuming state, Mo Chen suddenly gained a realization.

The Zanpakutō had a spirit of its own.

Similarly, weapons like the explosive rifles and the creations of the Cult Mechanicus also possessed a soul.

One was technology, and the other was martial technique, yet in some fundamental way, they shared a striking resemblance, only diverging in the direction of their development.

The fact that the Punishing Virus could integrate with the Zanpakutō further confirmed Mo Chen's theory. His enhanced blade now carried a faint crimson hue—a connection formed through the Ascension Network.

"System notification: Ascension Network has begun to take shape."

At that moment, Mo Chen had an epiphany, his consciousness sinking into a realm he had never experienced before.

Infected Raptures, corrupted Nikkes, slain monsters, the Roses, and even the Ryūjin Jakka itself—all flashed before his eyes like a montage, appearing at the mere whim of his thoughts. Even Marian's figure was among them.

This connection was akin to a neural network.

And Mo Chen was its core.

With just a thought, he could control it all, dictate its every movement, as if everything here was his to command.

So this is the Ascension Network?

Mo Chen pondered.

Just then, he noticed a graceful, alluring figure in the corner of this ethereal space.

With a mere shift of his will, that figure was drawn toward him.

It was a stunningly beautiful woman, bound within a cocoon-like web, her body completely exposed. Through the translucent strands, he could make out the curves of her figure—trapped like a butterfly ensnared in a web, exuding an exquisite sense of helplessness, a beauty to be ravished.

Who was she?

Mo Chen's mind twitched slightly, as if an invisible hand had lifted her chin, bringing her captivating face into full view.

Sure enough, it was her.

Thanks to his Ryūjin Jakka's Jōkaku Enjō strike earlier, not only had he obliterated the Tyrant-class Rapture, Storm Bringer, but he had also inadvertently destroyed the Ark's elevator in the process.

Though this caused significant damage to the Ark, it had simultaneously cut off the Raptures' primary invasion route, preventing the Ark's downfall.

With the Central Government's elite Nikke units now arriving to mop up the remaining Rapture forces, the Counter Squad was finally able to take a short breather.

Breaking free from Anis and Neon's entanglement, Mo Chen stepped onto the scorched and charred ground, making his way to the site where Storm Bringer had perished. The area had been reduced to a massive crater, over ten meters deep and spanning over a hundred meters in diameter.

Under the searing heat of over six thousand degrees, even the soil had been melted into crystalline formations.

The remaining temperature still reached several hundred degrees, distorting the air with its intense heat.

He walked inside, and when he emerged, he was carrying a beautiful woman in his arms.

She was unique: her skin was a rare shade of black, though not entirely pure black—closer to an ashen gray, smooth and flawless, like silk.

Her figure was breathtaking, with perfect curves and proportions seemingly crafted by the golden ratio. Slender, long legs, a delicate waist that could be held in one hand, and a chest that rose and fell with each of Mo Chen's steps, trembling slightly.

Despite having such an enchanting and seductive body, her face was unexpectedly youthful—so childlike that it made one question her actual age. She looked like a princess in a fairy tale, peacefully asleep, exuding an elegant tranquility that made her all the more captivating.

Yet, holding her in his arms, it was clear she was fully developed—like a fruit that had ripened completely.

Anis and Neon came rushing over. Originally intending to throw themselves at Mo Chen, they abruptly stopped upon seeing the woman in his arms.

"Huh? Commander, this is...?"

Because Aria's hair was draped over her face, they couldn't see her clearly. All they could tell was that she was a strange woman—and from the looks of her figure, a serious threat.

Mo Chen was lost in thought and casually responded.

"Picked her up."

"Picked her up?"

Anis and Neon exchanged glances, both suspicious. It wasn't strange to pick up a person, but what was strange was that this woman wasn't wearing any clothes.

"Picked her up? Then let's send her to the Rehabilitation Center," Anis clapped her hands and suggested.

"Yeah, agreed," Neon nodded in agreement. "A woman of unknown origin shouldn't be kept. What if she's a spy trying to infiltrate us?"

Anis suddenly remembered something and turned to ask, "Wait a minute, Neon, weren't you a spy when you first came here too?"

Neon immediately looked offended.

"Hey! How can you say that? That was different! I'm absolutely loyal to Master now, with no ulterior motives whatsoever!"

"Not so sure about that."

"Hey!"

Well, before they could even reach a consensus, the two Nikke had already started bickering among themselves.

Mo Chen sighed in exasperation.

What a pair of troublemakers.

At that moment, Rapi approached. She was just about to greet him, but when she saw the woman in his arms, she paused, then silently stepped forward and took Aria from him.

"Commander, Nikkes are heavy. You're human—leave this kind of manual labor to me."

Now empty-handed, Mo Chen stood there, dumbfounded.

She's not even that heavy, though?

And besides, even though he was just a frail human, he could still lift tens—if not hundreds—of tons with ease.

Rapi brushed aside the woman's hair, and the moment she saw her face, she was stunned.

"She's... Aria?"

Even for those who paid little attention to entertainment, Aria's name was impossible to ignore. She was simply too famous—undoubtedly the most renowned celebrity in the Ark. Even the Central Government treated her with a certain level of respect.

Not to mention her enormous influence among the people.