Forward, Liuyun Crossing!

"Little March, are you okay?" Daziel arrived at the washroom door and knocked gently.

From inside, March 7th's intermittent voice could be heard, interspersed with the sounds of retching.

"Are you... are you really alright? Should I come in and check?" Daziel asked worriedly.

"N-No... it's okay... You... just wait outside..." March 7th's voice sounded weak.

"Alright..." Daziel sighed helplessly, resigning himself to waiting by the door.

Time ticked by, second by second, and Daziel grew increasingly anxious.

What's wrong with March 7th? Why is she taking so long...?

He couldn't help but pace back and forth in front of the washroom.

Just then, the washroom door finally opened.

March 7th emerged, pale-faced and looking extremely weak.

"March 7th, are you okay?!" Daziel quickly stepped forward to support her, asking with concern.

"I... I'm fine..." March 7th replied weakly.

"You look terrible, and you say you're fine?!" Daziel frowned, clearly unconvinced.

"I... I really am fine... just... just a little nauseous..." March 7th forced a smile.

"Come on, I'll take you to see a doctor!" Daziel said, about to help March 7th leave.

"No, really!" March 7th quickly stopped him.

"I... I'm just a bit dizzy. Maybe it was the instant coffee Himeko gave me this morning... I'll be fine after resting a bit..." she explained.

"You drank Himeko's coffee?!" Daziel froze, eyes wide, as if he'd heard something unbelievable. "Are you sure you're okay? Is Himeko's coffee even meant for human consumption? I took one sip and threw up, and you managed to finish it?"

"Well... Himeko meant well, I couldn't really refuse... I'm really okay..." March 7th hesitated for a moment before insisting again.

She definitely wouldn't dare tell Daziel that Himeko had added oxytocin, lactation aids... and other extra ingredients to the coffee she gave her.

"Okay..." Seeing her insistence, Daziel didn't press further. "Then rest well on the Starskiff for a while," he told March 7th.

"Mm..." March 7th nodded, leaning against Daziel as they slowly walked towards the Starskiff.

They boarded the Starskiff and found seats.

March 7th leaned on Daziel's shoulder, closed her eyes, and took several deep breaths, trying to steady herself.

After a while, March 7th slowly opened her eyes.

"Feeling better?" Daziel asked caringly.

"Mmm... much better. I'll just rest here a bit longer," March 7th's voice was still a bit hoarse, but considerably better than before.

"Okay, rest then," Daziel sighed in relief.

Just then, his phone chimed with a notification.

He picked it up and saw it was a message from Serval—

[Serval: Daziel, Mr. Giovanni asked me to relay a message to you after your victory.]

[Serval: But after the battle, Pela and I... did that kind of thing with you... I was too busy being embarrassed at the time and completely forgot about it.]

Not wanting to disturb March 7th beside him, Daziel typed a reply with one hand—

[Daziel: It's okay, just tell me now.]

[Serval: His exact words were—"When the ears of Harmony are filled with echoes, in the D-flat key of the seventy-thousandth cycle—whose panting do you hear?"]

[Daziel: ?]

[Daziel: What does that mean?]

[Serval: I don't know what it means either. I'm just passing on the message. Hope it's not too late.]

[Daziel: Understood. Thank you, Serval.]

Daziel turned off the screen, mulling over Giovanni's words, his brow furrowed in confusion.

What meaning was hidden within this riddle-like sentence? Every word seemed profound, yet utterly baffling.

"Daziel, who were you just chatting with? Zoning out right after?" March 7th's soft voice came from beside him, tinged with curiosity.

Daziel snapped back to reality and looked at March 7th. She was tilting her head, gazing at him quizzically.

"Oh, nothing. Just a message from Serval, relaying something from Mr. Giovanni." Daziel handed his phone to March 7th for her to see.

March 7th took the phone. The screen displayed the message Serval had sent. She blinked her large eyes and read it carefully.

"When the ears of Harmony are filled with echoes, in the D-flat key of the seventy-thousandth cycle—whose panting do you hear?" March 7th read aloud softly, then scratched her head. "What does that mean? It sounds so weird..."

"Right? I think it's weird too," Daziel said with a wry smile.

"Why not just ask Mr. Giovanni directly?" March 7th asked, puzzled.

Daziel shook his head. "Since he left us this riddle, it means he wants us to figure it out. He wouldn't just tell us directly."

"Forget it, forget it. If even you can't figure it out, Daziel, then this girl definitely can't either!" March 7th stuck out her tongue playfully. "Let's not think about it, or my head will start hurting again."

With that, she nuzzled against Daziel's shoulder, found a comfortable position, and closed her eyes again to rest.

Daziel didn't disturb her.

He turned to look out the window. The Starskiff zipped through space, the stars outside blurring past like an endless calculation.

Corridor of Fading Echoes.

"...Haaa..."

Serval sat alone on the steps. After sending the message to Daziel, she let out a long sigh.

Just then, a pair of feet appeared in her line of sight.

They were delicate little feet in sandals, with round, cute toes painted with bright red nail polish, standing out sharply in the dim light.

Sandals? Who in Belobog would wear something like that...?

Serval looked up curiously, only to hear the owner of the feet—a young girl with an adorable face, dressed in clothes that seemed open to the wind on all sides—speak.

"Hey, excuse me, are you the champion candidate here?" her voice was crisp and pleasant, carrying a bright smile.

"...Ding..."

The Starskiff arrived at its destination.

Daziel helped March 7th, and the two slowly made their way towards Cloudford proper.

Various Starskiffs were docked at the pier, and stacks of cargo containers sat nearby.

Daziel had quite a vivid memory of this place. After all, it was here that Daziel and the Master Diviner had captured Jingliu to become a Star Slave.

Just as they stepped into the Cloudford area, a familiar voice called out from nearby.

"Mr. Daziel! Miss March 7th! You've come too!"

They looked towards the voice and saw Mr. Giovanni standing not far away, smiling warmly at them.

"Mr. Giovanni, we meet again!" Daziel hurried over to greet him.

Giovanni's eyes held a hint of pleasant surprise. "Seeing you both so enthusiastic about this game truly warms my heart."

March 7th's complexion had recovered somewhat by now. She stood up straight and offered some flattery, "Of course! The Corporation's technology is the best in the universe! The Aether Spirits created by Aether Coding are so realistic!"

"Haha, I'm glad you like it. Unfortunately, I must be going now—as the event sponsor, I have quite a lot to attend to," he said apologetically.

"Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Giovanni," March 7th quickly replied.

Both Daziel and March 7th tacitly avoided mentioning the riddle Giovanni had left them.

Mr. Giovanni waved his hand, smiling. "Not at all, it's my duty. I'm sure you two will be able to obtain the Cloudford Qualification Badge..."

"Hmph hmph!"

The Topaz spirit, released by Daziel and perched on his shoulder cosplaying Pikachu, let out a smug little piggy snort.

Suddenly, an energetic girl's voice cut through the crowd: "Wow, there are so many people here! If I'd known, I would've brought my Jade Abacus to do a livestream—"

Hearing this voice, Mr. Giovanni burst out laughing. "Haha, it seems another enthusiastic challenger has arrived. Why don't you chat with her? I'll be off then."

With that, Giovanni boarded a Starskiff heading elsewhere.

A girl with a high ponytail, wearing a red Xianzhou-style dress and black stockings, walked cheerfully towards them.

"My oh my, this place is bustling! Are you all players of that 'Aetherium Wars' too, here in Cloudford to challenge the... uh... champion candidate?" The woman's voice was clear and rapid-fire, brimming with energy and enthusiasm.

March 7th looked at the woman, a flicker of curiosity in her eyes. "What a lively girl! Look... she doesn't seem like a Xianzhou native?"

Hearing March 7th, the woman immediately grinned, revealing two cute little canine teeth. "Miss, you've got sharp eyes! Little sister here is indeed not a Xianzhou native~"

She walked up to them and introduced herself, "My birth name is 'Guinevere'. Later on, a Xianzhou friend gave me an authentic local name based on it—" She paused, enunciating each syllable, "Gui! Nai! Fen! Gui for fine wood, Nai meaning 'is', and Fen for fragrance. Isn't it nice-sounding and easy to remember?"

Guinaifen... Is she the champion candidate for the Cloudford Duel Metropolis? Is she? Why can't I remember clearly?

Daziel glanced at the scale of Guinaifen's chest... Not small.

He couldn't help but wonder how, with those two mounds of soft flesh, she managed to perform the feat of breaking stones on her chest.

After introducing herself, Guinaifen added enthusiastically, "Meeting is fate—since fate brought us together, from today onwards, we're all friends! I usually perform street tricks over at Central Starskiff Haven. If you're ever free, come check out my show~"

"Central Starskiff Haven? Street tricks?" March 7th blinked, intrigued by the place and profession Guinaifen mentioned.

"That's right! It's where I perform and sell my skills!" Guinaifen explained. "I'm super talented, you know! Eating noodles upside down, breaking boulders on my chest, catching bullets barehanded—I'm proficient in all of them!"

"Wow! That's amazing!" March 7th exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Daziel looked at Guinaifen and smiled. "Miss Gui is truly multi-talented. We'll definitely come see your performance when we have time."

"Not at all, not at all, just making a living," Guinaifen waved her hand modestly. "You're here to challenge the Cloudford champion candidate, right? Go on ahead, I'll wait here for your good news."

March 7th asked curiously, "Aren't you a challenger?"

Guinaifen scratched her head awkwardly. "To be honest, I just tried, but I couldn't beat the champion candidate here."

"Couldn't beat them... Who is the champion candidate here? Are they very strong?" Daziel couldn't help but feel curious. If Guinaifen wasn't the Gym Leader here, then who was? He couldn't quite recall...

Thinking about this, Daziel felt a pang of disappointment. If Guinaifen isn't the Gym Leader, and the Xianzhou is far from Belobog, meaning she isn't heavily affected by the DLC memes... then I guess I don't really have a reason to help 'purify' her.

He glanced at Guinaifen's black stockings, then thought about her flexibility from years of physical training, her exceptionally limber ligaments... it certainly promised a unique experience. If I could conquer Guinaifen, it would definitely be an unprecedented, entirely new sensation! Some characters are just nice to look at, but ones that unlock new 'gameplay' are rare...

Wait, what kind of nonsense am I thinking? No, no, if I keep thinking like this, my conviction will waver. I absolutely cannot think about others for such reasons!

Daziel quickly shook his head to clear his thoughts.

"The challenger here, he is..." Guinaifen tapped her chin with a slender finger, about to answer.

Just then, a resonant male voice, delivered in a dramatic opera style—full of cadence, clear articulation, and imposing rhythm—sounded from behind them.

"Halt! Who~ dares~ stand~ before~ me~?! State~ your~ names~!!"

The voice was powerful, carrying an air of authority that commanded respect.

Hearing the voice and seeing the person approaching, Daziel instantly recognized him. It was a burly, bearded uncle in exquisite traditional attire and glasses, walking slowly with measured steps. His gaze was sharp, as if it could see right through people.

Seeing him, Daziel immediately remembered. Ah, so the Cloudford champion candidate is Master Gongshu.

No wonder I didn't remember him clearly. Turns out a mere bit player is the Gym Leader here.

But, if it's Master Gongshu, does he need... purification...?

At this thought, Daziel's expression turned slightly grim.

[Master, have you forgotten? Only female characters are affected by the special meme DLC.]

The System's reminder popped up just in time.

This was the first time Daziel found the translucent text so pleasing to the eye. He let out a long sigh of relief.

Good, that's good. Not having to purify this old man is great news.

March 7th was amused by Master Gongshu's unique entrance. Mimicking his tone, she said, "Aiya~ya~ya~ Master~ Craftsman~ Have~ we~ met~ before~?" She blinked her big eyes, tilting her head playfully.

Master Gongshu burst into laughter at March 7th's antics. He stroked his beard and replied in the same theatrical tone, "Aiya~ya~ya~ya~ It seems I~ have~ met~ you~ before~! This old master remembers now!" A glint of appreciation flashed in his eyes; he clearly admired March 7th's quick wit.

"Haha, I didn't expect even you two would come to this Decisive Paradise to challenge this old master—it truly makes my blood boil with excitement!" Master Gongshu's voice was loud, full of confidence and bravado.

Daziel quickly waved his hand, explaining, "Not us, just me." March 7th is still too green right now, she can only be part of the cheering squad, not fight a Gym Leader like this.

Master Gongshu squinted, looking Daziel up and down, seemingly assessing his strength.

"As they say, old but vigorous! Though I, Gongshu Liang, may have lived for several centuries, I can still keep up with the youngsters' trends!" His tone shifted, becoming serious, his eyes flashing sharply. "Listen well, this old master won't hold back! Let me show you what they mean by—'Old ginger is spicier'!"

As soon as Master Gongshu finished speaking, he flipped his wrist, tossing an ancient-looking coin high into the air.

The moment the coin landed, several beams of light flashed, and peculiar mechanical contraptions appeared on the field. Among them were three simple Mara-Struck Ingenia—an Aurumaton Gatekeeper (Toad), an Illumination Dragonfish, and an Obedient Dracolion—exuding a cold, metallic aura. There was only one Overlord-class Aether Spirit: an Automaton Gatekeeper.

For a regional Gym Leader, this level of Aether Spirits might be sufficient, but... he was facing Daziel, who possessed both the Topaz spirit and the Tier 1 God Cocolia!

With a thought, Daziel summoned two figures onto the dueling field.

One was a silver Warp Trotter.

The other was Cocolia in her Mother of Deception form.

The moment she appeared, the entire field seemed to be enveloped in frost. The temperature dropped noticeably, and a suffocating pressure filled the air.

Seeing Cocolia, Master Gongshu's pupils contracted violently, a flicker of horror crossing his eyes.

"Oh my, oh my~ What a terrifying Aether Spirit. I wonder how you obtained such a thing." He suppressed his shock, his voice tinged with gravity. "But no matter, my Ingenia and I will not lose."

A few minutes later, the battle was over.

Master Gongshu's Mara-Struck Ingenia were no match, their parts scattered across the ground. The Automaton Gatekeeper slumped defeated, its HP depleted.

He stood frozen, staring blankly at his broken contraptions, looking utterly lost, as if he had aged ten years in an instant.

Seeing Master Gongshu's dejected state, Daziel felt a twinge of guilt. After all, using an Aether Spirit of Cocolia's caliber to bully a centuries-old man did feel somewhat unsporting.

My bad, my bad! Daziel silently chastised himself, feeling like he'd done something slightly unethical. If the final mysterious expert turns out to be Hook, won't that mean I've beaten everyone from centuries-old seniors down to little kids? What a sin!

"Aiya~ya~ya~ya~ Such~ vigor~! The~ young~ generation~ is~ truly~ formidable~!" Master Gongshu said, slowly getting to his feet, his face etched with fatigue and disappointment. No matter how hard the blow, the show must go on.

He dusted himself off, straightened his slightly disheveled clothes, and declared in his unique opera voice, "Ever since this old master joined the Artisanship Commission, it's been a long time since I've had such an exhilarating bout! Thank you both, for letting this old master experience such an evenly matched... such a refreshing battle—"

Master Gongshu gritted his teeth and pulled out an exquisite badge from his robes, handing it to Daziel. "This Qualification Badge belongs to you!"

Then, he produced a chip gleaming with metallic luster. "And this Aether Cartridge. It's been modified by me, the 'Foremost Master of Smelting Gold and Forging Iron'. As per tradition, take this too."

Daziel accepted the chip, immediately feeling a powerful energy wave from it. He examined it closely; the patterns on the chip were more complex and intricate than the ones he'd obtained before, emitting a faint purple glow.

"Perfect, a new purple 'mood'. I can slot this into Cocolia later." Daziel mused inwardly, fiddling with the rod-shaped object in his hand.

Master Gongshu watched Daziel put away the chip, stroked his beard, and changed the subject. "Speaking of which—little ones, have you perchance seen an Outworlder, often wearing a mask, named Giovanni? He asked me to relay a message to you two..."

_____

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