Riding the Astral Express was indeed a good experience. Although it was called a train, there was no bumping typical of a train. If not for the planets in the universe outside the window serving as reference points, one would not even realize that the train was moving.
Moreover, the scenery outside the train window was the universe.
Although in this world, humanity had already conquered the universe, in Takatsuki's world, it was still far from that.
Seele also loved these cosmic sights. Putting everything else aside, just seeing such scenery on this trip was already worth it.
In the universe, there was no day or night, but chronologically, it should be night in Belobog.
Takatsuki and Seele each chose a room and settled down.
Sitting in his room, Takatsuki looked at the system, pondering. If Welt's words were correct, and the future had not been changed, then Seele's power was likely obtained from him.
But Flora and Diana? Takatsuki had never heard those two names.
"Let's try gacha."
Since it was a living being, it was likely not an item, but the power of a certain character.
Opening the character gacha pool, Takatsuki clicked on the ten-pull.
"Holy crap!"
A flash of gold instantly appeared before Takatsuki. On the very first pull of the ten-pull, a gold appeared.
"Is this a luck burst?"
A red-haired figure, somewhat unkempt, wearing a straw hat and holding a sword, appeared on the card.
[Yonko: red Haired Shanks] S
[Three-Colors of Haki: Proficient mastery of all colors of Haki and its extended applications]
[Pirate Swordsmanship: Exquisite swordsmanship sufficient to become a Great Swordsman]
Shanks's panel was very simple, with only two skills, but Takatsuki knew that this guy, despite not having flashy effects and abilities, was simply… strong.
"Is this fate?!"
The first ten-pull yielded a gold, and it was even on the first pull. One could say that even the heavens wanted him to get a gold.
However, this was clearly not a healing ability, so Takatsuki continued drawing cards.
The accumulated crystals, after completing two quests, had reached 11,100.
Takatsuki decided to first pull with 1,100 crystals to see the results.
Given that he had already gotten a gold on the first pull, these 1,100 crystals guaranteed three S-ranks.
The result was as Takatsuki expected: only two more S-ranks appeared next, one was Minegishi Toshiki, and the other was Hatori Nozomu.
And the result of forty pulls in the character pool.
"Who… are these two?"
Takatsuki, looking bewildered, clicked on the introductions of the two characters.
[Minegishi Toshiki] S
[Plant Dialogue: Can communicate with any plant without hindrance]
[Psychic Power · Plant Manipulation: Can make plants grow rapidly by injecting energy and manipulate them]
[Hatori Nozomu] S
[Psychic Power · Electromagnetic Wave Manipulation: Can freely manipulate electromagnetic waves by consuming psychic power]
[Psychic Power · Mechanical Manipulation: Can freely manipulate machinery by consuming psychic power]
Looking at the descriptions of the two psychic powers, Takatsuki remembered where these two people came from.
Mob Psycho 100, a manga with a rather… unconventional art style.
These two belonged to the Claw's Five Supers, both of whom were not particularly strong.
"Forget it, they're still somewhat useful."
Neither of their abilities was extremely powerful, but they both had their unique aspects. For example, communicating with plants and accelerating their growth, or even manipulating radio signals, were things Takatsuki couldn't do right now.
Actually, compared to these, Takatsuki wanted the ability of the second of the Five Supers more. Takatsuki had forgotten his name, only remembering that he was blind but possessed telepathy and teleportation abilities. He could instantly teleport people with zero time lag, which was extremely powerful, and the teleportation distance was very far.
Looking at the remaining 10,000 crystals, and then at the pool with 40 pulls already made, Takatsuki finally succumbed to his gacha compulsion and pulled sixty more times, drawing out the fourth S-rank card.
[Moon Demon (Tso Lan)] S
[Gravity Manipulation: Can freely manipulate the direction of gravity or nullify it]
[Moon Magic: Can use the Yin energy of the moon as an attack]
Another one of the Eight Great Demons, but still not a character with healing abilities.
"This time I actually pulled a full hundred times."
Looking at the crystal count on the system, which had become 9,700, Takatsuki still resisted the urge to keep pulling. He felt as if he hadn't gotten anything particularly useful after all that pulling.
"I wonder if there will be any changes when the powers of the Eight Great Demons are gathered. But I haven't even collected all twelve talismans yet, and now there's another card collection… Oh, and now there are the Yonko and the Five Supers too."
Upon careful thought, the number of collectible items was increasing, and they were extremely unstable. If one had this kind of collecting compulsion, it would be falling right into a trap.
Takatsuki opened his inventory and looked at the Gold Experience character card, deep in thought.
"Making flowers grow on inanimate objects sounds very similar to Seele's creation, but Gold Experience seems to be able to do similar things as well."
Takatsuki recalled Crazy Diamond with Mei. Because she had fully absorbed that power, it transformed into the vessel for her Herrscher personality, Raiden, and its nature also changed due to her own power.
So, if it were Seele, she might transform the power of Gold Experience into a power leaning towards creation, perhaps turning it into Flora and Diana, as Welt mentioned.
Thinking this, Takatsuki went out and knocked on Seele's door.
A moment later, Seele opened the door.
Looking at Seele in her pajamas and with somewhat damp hair, she seemed to have just finished bathing.
The Astral Express was fully equipped, and even had abundant supplies, including things like pajamas.
"Is something wrong, Takatsuki?"
"Seele, didn't Welt say he once saw you with the power to heal his injuries, and also Flora and Diana? I just went back and checked my inventory, and found similar powers there."
Takatsuki said directly to Seele.
"Seele understands. Does Seele need to do something?"
"Yes, that power isn't suitable for me to use, so I've kept it tucked away. Welt's words made me feel that perhaps this is fate. This power might be more suitable for you, Seele, so I want to give it to you."
Seele didn't expect Takatsuki to come over before bed for something like this.
"Well, although I don't know what it is, if it can help everyone, Seele wants to help everyone too."
"There's just one small problem."
Takatsuki said somewhat awkwardly, "This is a power called a Stigma, just like the one on your body. It needs to be directly applied to the skin. And my Stigma can only be placed on the back, so you'll need to expose your back so my palm can directly touch your skin to imprint the Stigma."
"Ah…"
Seele's fair face turned crimson after hearing Takatsuki's words.
"Then… in that case… Takatsuki, please come in first."