『 After Aventurine's words fell, the venue suddenly plunged into darkness. Stelle and March 7th summoned their weapons, scanning their surroundings, while Acheron and the other two also went on high alert.
The five of them warily observed everything around them, not daring to relax in the slightest. Just then, Aventurine's voice rang out again—a clear voice carrying a hint of a smile, echoing throughout this stage of his. However, the screen did not show Aventurine this time, but instead focused on a purple bird preening its feathers. 』
『 ....』
〘Robin〙: Is this… a Raven?
〘Hanabi〙: Interesting~
....
『 "The dice have been cast—"
"Ladies and gentlemen, ready to unveil your cards?"
Without a shred of hesitation or doubt, Stelle raised the lance in her hand, pointing its tip directly at Aventurine on the screen. Her gaze was firm and resolute, as if she were determined to eradicate the enemy before her completely.
Noticing the lance in Stelle's hand, Aventurine covered his face and laughed aloud. "The Architects' flawed stone… Hehahahaha, worthless!"
His words dripped with disdain and contempt for the lance. 』
『 ....』
〘Bronya Rand〙: Watch, IPC guy, what true Preservation is, what the will of the Architects is!
〘·HSR· Seele〙: Uh, aren't you embarrassed saying lines like that? It's giving me goosebumps just watching.
....
『 Along with those words, Aventurine casually tossed down three dice. As if endowed with life, they fell rapidly from high above, landing straight in front of Stelle.
"I bet!" When the first die stopped spinning, it clearly showed the spade pattern from before.
"I gamble!" The second die also stopped quickly, showing spades as well. Stelle's heartbeat began to accelerate because of this second spade pattern, and she looked expectantly at the third die, which was still spinning.
"I win!" The final die stopped exactly as expected, still showing that familiar spade. On the screen, the original Aventurine vanished, replaced once more by those three spade patterns.
"I let fate spin the wheel, risking it all on a single throw, traversing the land of death to find life."
Aventurine's figure slowly drifted down from the sky, his body gradually enveloped in a faint, ethereal glow. Looking closely, one could see a substance as hard as armor appearing on his body. And in his hand, he tightly gripped a fractured yet cleverly pieced-together Aventurine stone.
"All for the Amber Lord!" Aventurine spread his arms and cried out. 』
『 ....』
〘Topaz〙: All for the Amber Lord!
〘Jade〙: All for the Amber Lord!
〘Stelle〙: All for the Amber Lord!
〘March 7th〙: ???
....
『 In an instant, a dazzling golden light and a powerful aura erupted from his body, forming a violent storm that swept toward the five people below.
Holding the blazing lance, Stelle charged toward Aventurine like a meteor streaking across the sky.
However, just as the lance was about to pierce Aventurine, it was blocked by an invisible barrier. Seeing this, Aventurine grabbed the lance and flung Stelle away.
But Stelle had achieved her goal. The sky began to turn red. Aventurine looked up to see that Himeko's orbital cannon had finished charging. Aiming at his position, a beam of laser light crashed down.
BOOM—!
Along with the falling laser, billowing smoke kicked up and rapidly spread. The dense smoke filled the air, showing just how terrifying this strike was. 』
『 ....』
〘Stelle〙: Oh no, the classic 'smoke but no damage' trope.
....
『 Standing at the center of the explosion, Aventurine was exceptionally calm. He waved his hands slightly, dispersing the smoke in front of him.
Aventurine was completely unharmed!
Looking at the unscathed Aventurine, a grim expression appeared on Himeko's face like never before. Although that strike just now was a rushed attack meant to stop Aventurine from getting closer to Stelle and buy her some time, failing to even break his defense was an outcome she hadn't anticipated.
At this very moment, Aventurine finally spoke. He slowly raised his finger, pointing it at Acheron, who stood in the center holding her scabbard. Accompanied by the rumbling of thunder, his voice sounded exceptionally solemn:
"Always hide your ace with a straight face... I'm starting to get a bit impatient with you all." 』
『 ....』
〘Stelle〙: Looks like Himeko-jie's strike was useful after all. He's getting anxious.
〘Hanabi〙: If Acheron still doesn't draw her blade, he's going to lose this gamble. Of course, he's anxious~
....
『 Immediately after, the thunder grew even more violent.
Illuminated by the pale lightning, Aventurine let out a wild laugh and slowly rose high into the air.
"To make things interesting, everyone, I'll bet all my chips!"
Aventurine toyed with a special golden chip in his right hand, then tossed it into the sky. The chip turned into a beam of golden light that shot into the heavens, instantly enveloping the sky and forming a curtain.
"Only by casting aside reason does one truly gamble..."
The airflow generated by the golden curtain forced Stelle and March 7th to stop in their tracks, while Welt and the other two looked solemnly at the sky.
Within the golden curtain, white holes began to emerge one by one.
As white light condensed within the holes, pillars of dazzling chips slowly emerged and fell toward the earth. 』
『 ....』
〘Stelle〙: Handsome!
〘March 7th〙: At a time like this, you're still praising him?!
〘March 7th〙: Dan Heng, save us!
〘Dan Heng〙: I'm on the Express…
〘March 7th〙: Oh right…
....
『 The chips fell like a golden rain, and the golden curtain continued to expand, seemingly wanting to take the entire sky of Penacony into its grasp.
A low laugh echoed from behind his mask. Aventurine stood high in the sky, looking down at everyone—or more accurately, looking at Acheron.
"Emanator—I know you'll match my wager."
Acheron looked at the chips falling from the sky, placed her hand on the tsuba, and made a motion to draw her blade.
Then the scene transitioned. Acheron was standing in the rain, holding a red umbrella.
The voice of an old man came through.
"Are you… about to depart?"
"Yes," Acheron replied softly.
"Perhaps… I will pass through the place you mentioned."
"Penacony…"
"What do you seek in dreams?" the old man inquired.
"I need not seek anything."
"They are not in dreams."
The old man fell silent for a moment upon hearing this, then slowly spoke, "I'm afraid the Family will not open the door for you."
"Why?"
"Because the path you walk… is not tolerated by the Harmony," the old man explained.
"Even if... that's not what I want?"
"Precisely because it's not what you want. Because THEY are not like other Aeons."
"THEY have never glanced at anyone, and THEY never need to."
"THEY leave woven strands of fate for humans to walk, and together, THEY weave a great shadow... And this shadow silently envelops them."
"There are always those who return from the shadow," Acheron countered.
"Most of them became a part of that shadow."
"In your eyes, am I the same?"
"You still have a sliver of color left…"
"…But not much."
Acheron let out a soft chuckle upon hearing this. "That is enough."
"Before they completely fade away…"
"I will reach the Nihility's end(Device IX)." 』
『 ....』
〘Stelle〙: Looks like this is Acheron's memory from when she was preparing to set out.
〘Herta〙: Reaching the end of Nihility? Interesting. Want to come test my Simulated Universe?
〘Stelle〙: I feel like the computing power would explode.
〘Herta〙: Hmm… not without reason. I'll optimize the computing power first, then.
....