"Interesting..."
Li Ke muttered the word under his breath, his eyes fixed on the glowing translucent screen of his interface. The update changed everything. The shackles of his previous travel limits were loosening; he could now sense the distant, jagged echoes of other worlds. He gripped the World Power Fragment tightly, but the air around him remained silent. It seemed the Minecraft world was a hollow shell—devoid of any other fragments to hunt for now.
"How is it? Was it of any help?"
Alexstrasza's voice broke his concentration. She was watching him with a maternal concern so thick it was almost tangible, her brow furrowed as she waited for the mortal she had just "overworked" to find his footing.
"Yeah. It helped a lot," Li Ke replied. For him, this was a massive step forward.
"I'm glad. It was a heavy burden for a child like you to assist me," Alexstrasza said, her eyes brimming with maternal affection. "Go now. Send those two girls home, then come back to me. I shall grant you a proper reward."
Li Ke felt a bit restless under her gaze—her "motherly" aura was just too overwhelming.
He stepped out of the room, which was now thick with the heavy, musky scent of blooming heather, and breathed in the fresh air. Outside, Elsa and Toph were visibly drowsy, but they snapped awake the moment they saw him.
"So, you finally ground out enough energy?" Toph asked, her voice laced with that familiar, sandpaper grit. Seeing that Li Ke had actually walked out on his own two feet instead of being carried like a sack of potatoes by Alexstrasza, she knew exactly what had happened. The air around him felt different—less like a drained battery and more like a live wire.
"I did. It's time to send you both home." Li Ke nodded, extending his hands toward them. The weight of the moment settled in his chest. "Who's going first?"
He felt a sharp twinge of regret. He had genuinely wanted to spend more time with them here, using the strange, blocky logic of the Minecraft world to train, build, and bond without the distractions of their respective realities. But unfortunately, Alexstrasza was just too... efficient. Her presence was a tidal wave that left no room for dallying.
"I'll go," Elsa stepped forward, her movements graceful despite a lingering gingerly stiffness. She had regained enough strength to walk, her regal bearing returning like a winter frost.
Her soft skin felt refreshingly cool against his palm, a stark contrast to the humid air of the biome. As her large, crystalline eyes searched his, a complex swirl of emotions tugged at her heart. She didn't quite feel like she had "fallen in love" with him yet—love was a heavy word for a Queen—nor did she view the sudden arrival of Alexstrasza right after giving him her purity as a curse. Even if she had to do it all over again, she still would have chosen to be with Li Ke. It wasn't just because he was the only man who could touch her without freezing; it was because being with him simply felt good.
Good in every sense of the word—spiritually, physically, and fundamentally.
"Safe travels, Princess," Li Ke whispered, his voice catching slightly.
"Mm."
Elsa gazed at him, and just as he opened the flickering system menu, she leaned in. She captured his lips in a soft, lingering kiss that tasted of ozone and snowflakes. "You must come find me. And... please thank Lady Alexstrasza on my behalf."
Deep down, she harbored a lingering bit of resentment toward the Dragon Queen for the "interruption" of their private moment, which was why she had no intention of a formal, face-to-face goodbye. A Queen's pride was a difficult thing to thaw.
"I definitely will," Li Ke promised.
With a heavy heart, Li Ke activated the Repatriation skill. He couldn't help but think that if he had just been a bit more capable, he could have enjoyed the poetic contrast of the Dragon Queen's fire and Elsa's ice simultaneously. But unfortunately, in the face of a Dragon Aspect, a mere mortal's strength was non-existent—let alone having the stamina for any "extra" flourishes.
Elsa's body began to shimmer, turning into a constellation of translucent pixels. The scenery around her shifted like a kaleidoscope; Li Ke saw a flash of another world—a girl who looked nearly identical to Elsa sprinting into view almost instantly, throwing her arms around the Queen in a frantic embrace. Elsa hugged Anna back tightly, and as the image began to dissolve into the ether, she gave him one last, haunting wave.
Then, the vision vanished, leaving the clearing feeling suddenly empty.
"Alright. Your turn," Li Ke said, turning to Toph.
He had once vowed to "work" her until she couldn't even take care of herself, a petty revenge for her constant barbs. But looking at her now—small, defiant, and knowing she had lived her whole life in a world of sightless vibration—he found he couldn't quite bring himself to be that ruthless. The empathy was annoying, but it was there.
"Huh? You're not taking my virginity?" Toph looked at him, her blind eyes fixed somewhere near his chin, looking genuinely puzzled. "I thought I'd provoked you enough for that. I was practically handing you the shovel."
She crossed her arms and shrugged, the movement casual and dismissive.
"Well, since it's the Queen's kindness, I'll accept the ride. But don't you worry, Li Ke—I swear on the name of Toph Beifong: the moment you set foot in my world, my virginity is yours!"
Toph thumped her chest with a dominant air, the bravado of the Blind Bandit returning in full force. She added one final, sharp provocation just to be safe. "If you don't show up, you're not a real man! You're just a pebble!"
Li Ke: "..."
Seriously, what is wrong with this person? Her lack of a filter was a biological marvel.
"Don't you worry," Li Ke muttered, his jaw tightening as he stared her down. "Based on how much you've poked the bear today, I'm definitely going to find the time to come to your world and cause you some serious trouble. Consider yourself warned."
Toph didn't flinch; if anything, she looked like she was enjoying the threat. She let out a sharp, mocking huff and began walking toward the house.
"Yeah, yeah, big talk for a guy who looks like he's running on fumes," she called back over her shoulder. "Anyway, don't be in such a rush to kick me out just yet. Unlike the Queen of Ice over there, I'm not as emotionally complicated—I'm going to go thank the Big Red Dragon in person for her 'help' before I vanish."
Li Ke stood there, momentarily speechless as he watched her swagger away. He had meant to be the one ending the conversation, but Toph always managed to get the last word in. Whether or not he actually "did" anything with her later was one thing, but he was absolutely going to settle the score. He couldn't let her constant stream of insults and mockery slide into the sunset.
Toph's respect for the Life-Binder was entirely sincere, even if her respect for Li Ke was currently hovering somewhere near sea level. However, just as she reached the wooden doorway, her bare foot landed in a thick, sticky puddle.
Her toes curled, and her seismic sense relayed the texture of the mess with vivid, unwanted detail. Her nose twitched, and in the next heartbeat, she shot a look of pure, malicious amusement back at Li Ke.
"Heh, you really left quite a mess back there! You must have a real short fuse, huh? One little spark and—splat—all over the floor!"
You little brat!
Li Ke marched over and brought his hand down in a heavy, frustrated smack on the top of Toph's head. It wasn't enough to hurt, but it was enough to show he was thoroughly annoyed.
"You'll find out exactly how 'short' it is soon enough! Even if I get chopped in half by a world-eater, I'm still coming for you!"
In the face of Toph's relentless teasing, Li Ke offered his highest-spec vow of revenge. As he spoke, he took a quick, nervous peek at the system menu to see exactly how much energy it would cost to travel to Elsa's world.
One look, and he immediately felt his soul leave his body.
100,000 points.
Apparently, the world Elsa called home wasn't exactly "next door."
While he was spiraling over the cost, Toph went to find Alexstrasza, who was currently busy gathering her power. After giving the Dragon Queen a sincere and solemn thank you, Toph returned to Li Ke and placed her hand in his.
"Alright. You can send me back now."
Li Ke didn't hesitate to activate the Repatriation skill. But as Toph's silhouette began to fade from this world, he decided to check the travel cost to her world on a whim.
And then...
[Travel to Toph (Avatar: The Last Airbender)]: 50 Energy Points. Proceed?
"Wait, what? Fifty points?!"
Li Ke did some quick mental math. If Toph's world was this cheap, and if traveling from her world to Arad or Erina's world was also a bargain, he could just use the Earth Kingdom as a "transfer station"!
Fifty points was a steal—a total bargain! He'd be a fool not to take it.
He made his decision then and there: the moment he sent Alexstrasza off, he was heading straight to Toph's world. He needed to see if he could find a faster, cheaper route back to the Food Wars or Dungeon & Fighter realms.
He felt a slight pang of regret leaving behind the resources of the Minecraft world, but he couldn't help it. This world was too empty. Without other humans around, Li Ke was certain he'd eventually lose his mind. Since he had to leave sooner or later, it might as well be sooner!
With his mind made up, he turned to Alexstrasza, who was finishing her energy gathering. A golden-red stream of light began to spiral around her, pulsing with life. She stopped her movements and looked at Li Ke with a warm, regal smile.
"To honor your selfless assistance to me and the other children, Li Ke, I—in the name of Alexstrasza—bestow upon you the power of a Dragon Aspect. May you command the Life-Binder's Flames!"
She reached out, cupping Li Ke's face in her hands, and pressed her crimson lips against his in a deep, sealing kiss. As she did, the spiraling golden-red light surged into Li Ke's body.
Habitually, Li Ke opened his skill menu, only to stare in shock at the screen.
Under the influx of Alexstrasza's power, the title and description of his [Mana Burst: Flame] skill were beginning to warp and distort right before his eyes!