Everwinter Ridge—stretching eight hundred li—was once among the most fertile lands on Jarilo-VI.
Seven hundred years ago, the twin calamities of the Stellaron and the Antimatter Legion froze this prosperity solid.
And now—
"Mother…"
"No… Supreme Guardian Cocolia."
"I don't understand why you brought me here."
Bronya truly knew nothing about the Stellaron.
Yet Cocolia's sudden departure from Klipoth Fortress, taking her along without explanation, was deeply unsettling.
"Bronya…"
"My daughter…"
"I brought you here to tell you the whole truth."
"The truth about the Stellaron."
"The Stellaron…?"
Bronya froze.
As the designated successor to the Supreme Guardian, she had long known of the Stellaron's existence—but she had never been told that the Fragmentum, nor the endless winter, were born from it.
Cocolia seemed to read her thoughts. She looked at Bronya calmly, a gentle smile on her face.
Indeed—beyond her role as Supreme Guardian, Cocolia had always been a qualified mother.
She had never been harsh with Bronya.
Even when Bronya opposed her decisions, that gentleness never changed.
Yet beneath that warmth was the unmistakable pressure of an absolute ruler—something that made Bronya deeply uncomfortable.
"Yes… the Stellaron."
"The beginning of everything—and the end."
As the words fell, a black crystalline core slowly emerged from Cocolia's body, phasing in and out of reality before floating into the air.
"This is the Stellaron."
"The source of all calamity… and the cornerstone of a new world."
"Bronya, come."
"Touch it. It will reveal everything to you."
"Relax your mind. Don't resist it."
"It will grant you everything."
Cocolia's voice carried an unmistakable power of persuasion.
As the sound reached her ears, Bronya unconsciously stepped forward, slowly raising her hand toward the Stellaron—
To approach it.
To embrace it.
"To know the truth you seek," Cocolia continued softly.
"Everything is within the Stellaron."
"Embrace it, and we will walk toward a new world."
"Embrace it—and the future will open before us."
"I've already seen it… a brand-new world, calling out to us."
Bronya's gaze grew unfocused.
Resistance flickered across her expression—along with something far more dangerous.
Trust.
Yes. The Stellaron was now using Cocolia's appearance to directly influence Bronya.
After being assaulted by the combined will of three hundred thousand minds, the Stellaron had nearly collapsed.
It desperately needed a new anchor.
And Bronya… was perfect.
So—
"Don't go near it!"
"Bronya!"
Before the warning could finish, a scythe tore through the air from behind her—
Its blade aimed straight at the Stellaron hovering above Cocolia's head.
Ten Minutes Earlier
Without alerting a single Silvermane Guard, Evan and Seele slipped out of Klipoth Fortress.
They were already within a few kilometers of Everwinter Ridge—deep inside the Guards' defensive perimeter.
"You really confident you can handle this?" Seele whispered, crouched behind cover and watching the patrols.
"Even if you beat Svarog… that thing is a Stellaron."
"It's fine. I can deal with it."
Evan glanced at the guards ahead.
"Though honestly, why not just knock them out directly?"
Seele gave him a look.
Evan calmly released a thread of imaginary energy.
Several translucent batons formed in midair—then flew cleanly toward the backs of the guards' heads.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
"Perfect force," Evan said lightly. "They'll wake up in a few hours."
"Let's move. That energy signature—"
"The Stellaron has already manifested."
Belobog — Outside the Goethe Hotel
Without proper identification, the three newcomers were swiftly thrown out.
But the moment they stepped outside—
Star suddenly stopped.
She frowned, staring toward Everwinter Ridge.
"That direction…"
"There's a huge energy source calling to me."
"It feels like…"
"…the Stellaron."
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