Chapter 188: Stelle: Do you want reinforcements? I'll send them to you.
After a brief but efficient round of preparations, the three members of the Astral Express crew were fully armed and ready for battle. They stepped out into the faint, pearlescent light just before dawn, making their way to the solemn and majestic bathhouse of the Chrysos Heirs, located within the Cloudstone Sky Palace.
As expected, a few familiar faces were already waiting for them—Aglaea, Phainon, Tribbie, and Trianne stood assembled, their expressions grim.
March 7th offered a small wave as a greeting.
Upon seeing them, a flicker of gratitude warmed Aglaea's eyes. She dispensed with all pleasantries and cut straight to the heart of the matter. Her voice was clear and steady, yet it was threaded with a tension that was impossible to ignore.
"Thank you all for arriving on time. I trust Phainon has explained the situation," she began. "Trianne has located Hanging Edge City. The opportunity is fleeting; we must seize this moment and deliver a fatal blow before it shifts its location once more. We must reclaim the Spark of Conflict."
Her gaze swept over the trio from the Express, her tone softening with sincerity. "I know your companions are still recovering from their journey, and that this summons is hasty."
"But for the sake of Okhema, and for all those who have been harmed by Nikador and his minions, I, Aglaea, earnestly invite the three of you to join our expedition. Proceed with Phainon and Mydei to Hanging Edge City and help us put an end to Nikador's reign."
Stelle stepped forward, her usual playful demeanor tucked away and replaced by an eager seriousness.
"You're being too formal," she declared, her voice ringing with conviction. "We already gave Phainon our word. We have no intention of backing out now."
Her statement was decisive, brimming with a evident fighting spirit. Behind her, Dan Heng and March 7th stood in silent agreement, their determined gazes echoing her resolve.
Yet, just as Stelle accepted Aglaea's commission on behalf of the Astral Express, a familiar blue screen of light silently unfolded within the minds of all three Trailblazers.
[System Announcement: Exploration Quest has been updated.]
[Quest Name: Defeat Nikador]
[Quest Objective: Proceed to Hanging Edge City, defeat Nikador, the Titan of Conflict, and seize the "Spark" he holds.]
[Quest Reward: Completing this quest grants 5% event exploration progress.]
'Well now,'Stelle thought, a slow grin spreading in her mind.'This changes things.'
If agreeing to take down Nikador before was primarily about fulfilling a promise to Phainon—with a healthy dose of personal vengeance mixed in—the chat group officially certifying it as a major event quest elevated its significance entirely.
This was no longer just a personal choice for the three of them. It had effectively become a team dungeon for the entire chat group. And by all accounts, that meant they had a duty to ask their other companions if they wanted in on the action. It was only fair to let everyone get some participation points and a share of what were sure to be generous rewards.
After all, just clearing out Nikador's so-called "minions" yesterday had netted them a staggering amount of points and a pile of treasure chests. If they took down the big boss himself… the rewards would be unimaginable. And who in their right mind would turn down a treasure hoard?
Stelle's mind kicked into high gear. She cleared her throat, her expression suddenly shifting into one of deep gravity as she looked at Aglaea. "Please, wait a moment!"
Her abrupt solemnity startled Aglaea and sent a jolt of anxiety through Phainon, who had just begun to breathe a sigh of relief. Was she about to change her mind?
Stelle continued, her voice laced with carefully crafted worry. "I've just given it some deep thought, and I've realized that defeating Nikador and assaulting his very lair, Hanging Edge City, is an extremely dangerous, ninety-nine-percent-fatal, super-major operation!"
Phainon's heart leaped into his throat. Mydei, standing nearby, frowned deeply. Even Dan Heng and March 7th shot Stelle a look of mild confusion, wondering just what she was planning.
Then, Stelle's tone took a sharp turn. The worry on her face vanished, instantly replaced by a brilliant smile that screamed, 'I have a great idea!'
"So," she announced, "to ensure this operation is absolutely foolproof and to minimize any potential casualties, I have a question for you: Do you need reinforcements?"
She thumped her chest with a confident fist, her voice booming with enthusiasm. "Just say the word, and I can immediately contact our other companions! They're all combat experts, and I know for a fact they'd be more than willing to contribute to the peace and stability of Okhema!"
March 7th caught on in a heartbeat, quickly chiming in to support the gambit. "Yes, yes! Lumine, Zhongli, and the others are all super powerful! And they can come to Okhema anytime. Like, right away!"
The combined declarations from Stelle and March 7th plunged the tense atmosphere into a state of… strangeness.
Phainon, Mydei, and the nearby Tribbie all wore expressions of pure, unadulterated shock. Even Aglaea seemed at a loss.
Going to war? Fighting a Titan? This wasn't something one was supposed to be excited about, was it? Why did their voices carry the kind of breathless anticipation one might have before a grand festival?
And… 'can come to Okhema at any time,' 'right away'? What did that even mean? Had their companions been secretly traveling back and forth to Amphoreus these past few days? How could Aglaea possibly allow so many outsiders to come and go so freely? Or… did they possess some unique method of travel that not even a Titan could detect?
A thousand questions flooded the minds of the Chrysos Heirs.
From a purely practical standpoint, however, this was undoubtedly fantastic news.
Phainon was the first to regain his composure, his mind racing. Okhema's high-end combat power was already stretched thin. It consisted of Aglaea, himself, Mydei, and only a few others. If they committed their full strength to the assault on Hanging Edge City, they would leave their rear completely vulnerable to any sudden emergencies. If several powerful reinforcements were to join them, it would not only greatly increase their chances of victory but also allow Okhema to retain a much-needed defensive force.
Aglaea, however, as their leader, hesitated.
She realized, with a growing sense of unease, that the situation was rapidly deviating from her expectations, gradually slipping from her control. In a recent gesture of sincerity and trust, she had deliberately reined in her 'golden threads,' refraining from probing into the secrets of Stelle and her companions. This meant she knew almost nothing about the 'reinforcements' Stelle was offering to summon—their personalities, their motives, whether they would strictly abide by any agreements made. Introducing such a large number of unknown, uncontrollable variables into an operation this critical was an enormous gamble.
As Okhema's guardian, she had to be responsible for everyone's safety.
Seeing Aglaea's hesitation, Phainon immediately stepped forward, his tone firm. "Aglaea, I believe in Stelle! And I believe in her companions! I am willing to vouch for them. They are by no means evil people!"
An instant later, Mydei also took a step forward, his deep voice connecting with conviction. "Aglaea, I also pledge my honor as a warrior. Though our only interaction was through combat, I trust her character."
He recalled the brief but exhilarating spar he'd had with Stelle, utterly convinced that someone with such a pure and unyielding fighting spirit could not possibly associate with treacherous individuals.
The unanimous guarantees from two of their core combatants tipped the scales.
Aglaea looked from their firm, resolute eyes to Stelle, who was practically vibrating with anticipation and confidence. Finally, she let out a soft, resigned breath and nodded.
"…I understand. In that case, I will gratefully accept the help of Stelle's companions. Okhema thanks these heroes for their assistance."
"Great! Leave it to us!" Stelle's face immediately lit up with a triumphant grin.
And so, all the Chrysos Heirs present bore witness to a truly bizarre scene.
Stelle produced no communication device. She merely raised a hand and began to tap and swipe at the empty air in front of her, her fingers moving with a practiced quickness as if she were operating some invisible interface.
Her expression shifted from excited to expectant, and she occasionally let out a soft, muffled laugh, as if she had just read something delightful.
"Is that… how they contact their companions?" Tribbie tilted her head, whispering the question to a woman standing beside her.
The woman, Aegle, simply shook her head, a matching look of confusion on her face.
Phainon and Mydei exchanged a glance, both seeing the same astonishment reflected in each other's eyes. The methods of these outsiders were truly beyond anything they could have imagined.
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