It had been the first time Acheron had ever shared sweets with someone else.
The taste of that white peach dessert had long faded from memory; she only remembered that it had been delicious.
The exact flavor was gone.
But now, as she bit into the peach Pei Guang had created for her, the taste came rushing back. It wasn't exactly the same, but close enough: the same sweetness, the same warmth.
She could almost smell the girl's scent on it, hear her laughter, see her smile.
It had been so long ago, and yet it felt as vivid as yesterday. Every bite brought her back to the past.
The taste reminded her that she was still alive: that her life still had meaning. The world might have forgotten her and those she once knew, but as long as she kept living, traces of herself, of them, and of her homeland would never disappear.
As she savored the peach, her gaze drifted toward Pei Guang. After spending a bit of time around him, she had begun to understand his peculiar logic.
Now she wasn't just thinking about whether Pei Guang could make another peach by "smashing" Black Swan: she was also wondering if she could commission him to make one, and what sort of reward she should offer in return.
While pondering that, a faint voice echoed in her mind, reminding her of something.
Only then did she recall what she had done before coming to Penacony: she had casually cut down… something. Whatever it was, it had been rare material.
She couldn't remember why she'd done it, but she didn't care. As long as she could use it as payment for Pei Guang to make more of these peaches, that was enough.
No matter how big they were: if they could let her taste the past again, that was worth it.
Pei Guang, meanwhile, had no idea he was being targeted by both Firefly and Acheron. He was entirely focused on the upcoming battle, eyes sparkling with anticipation.
Pei Guang: "Tsk tsk tsk, Cutieefly, you really know how to have fun, turning into Sam to fight Sam! If the Stellaron Hunters find out, they'll laugh themselves sick."
Stelle turned to look at him. "Why are you calling her that?"
Pei Guang: "Calling her 'Firefly' feels too formal, and 'Fire' sounds weird—so, 'Cutiefly' it is~ Back home, we all use nicknames for close friends. You see? 'Firefly' but if you change the first part it becomes 'Cutiefly': it's a perfect pun, especially since it's true!"
Stelle: "In the Xianzhou Luofu, making puns like that gets you fined."
Pei Guang: "Not a problem! We're in Penacony. Firefly, what do you think? Should I call you Cutiefly, Ying'er, or just your name? Whatever you prefer."
Firefly: "Um~ either's fine, hehe~"
Sam: "…"
At that moment, Sam wanted to scream: to demand whether Firefly was even in her right mind. But clearly, she had already fallen under the spell of that male succubus named Pei Guang.
Sam was just an armor; Pei Guang's scans didn't affect it. Pei Guang, however, had already pulled out a camera, seriously suggesting, "Since the fight's about to start—tradition! Shout your catchphrase. I'll record it for you!"
Firefly: "Record…"
Stelle: "Reward! You can ask for a reward!"
Firefly turned to Pei Guang. "Reward…"
Pei Guang: "No problem. I'll reward you handsomely."
Firefly: "Got it…"
The hopeful look on her face vanished. In its place appeared determination—the calm, steely focus of a veteran warrior.
Her expression hardened as she looked straight at Sam.
"The game's over, Stellaron Hunter. You shouldn't be here. When you return to reality, tell the Stellaron Hunters: it was I, Firefly, who sent you on your way."
Her tone was calm yet commanding, every word carrying weight.
Pei Guang was thrilled. "Yes! That's exactly it—that aura of authority! Just like a true warrior. Go all out! And if you really don't want to fight, just strike a pose, we'll take care of the rest."
Firefly: "Leave it to you…"
She thought back on everything Pei Guang had done along the way, then looked at Sam again.
Her voice softened with a hint of compassion. "No need. Let me handle this. I'll win."
Pei Guang grinned. "That's right! Cutiefly's definitely gonna win!"
Stelle turned to look at Pei Guang. "So if she wins, she's 'Cutiefly,' but if she loses, she's also 'Cutiefly'? Which means whether or not Firefly wins… is actually an unknown variable?"
Pei Guang clicked his tongue. "Huh? Who did you learn that from? You're boosting someone else's morale and tearing down your own?"
Stelle mimicked Pei Guang's usual pose, rubbing her chin. "I don't know either!"
While the two of them were bantering, on the other side, Sam, after hearing that Firefly intended to fight and defeat him, was about to turn and leave.
But at that exact moment, he received a new command.
[You will fight Firefly.]
"…"
Sam fell silent.
For a long moment, he fixed his "gaze" on Firefly, and if he could use human language, he would've shouted a single strong word:
"Fuck."
But since the command had come down, that meant…
Sam moved into a battle stance. However, before he could act, Firefly ignited flames all around her.
"Scorched earth operation, activated! I shall... set the seas ablaze!"
Firefly struck a confident pose, her armor blazing with flame. Once she was ready, she launched into a powerful flying kick.
Seeing such a cool move, Pei Guang whipped out his camera and started taking burst shots. He was sure he'd just captured Firefly's most heroic moment.
At the side, Stelle, too, was brimming with excitement, holding up her fiery amber-tipped lance: not to fight, but to cheer her on.
At this point, this wasn't a dream: it was a full-on fan meet for Pei Guang and Stelle. After all, who could possibly resist cool armor?
Don't be fooled by their usual chaotic antics and refusal to wear proper suits of armor. That's only because they don't have any. If they actually got a stylish, stat-boosted set, their sense of fashion would reach levels beyond mortal comprehension.
Player aesthetics: ridiculous at the bottom and ridiculous at the top.
While the two were hyped up, Sam simply watched Firefly's flying kick with no intent to resist.
His scanners confirmed that Firefly's seemingly powerful kick actually had no damage output. Even in a dream, it couldn't even scratch his armor.
But when Sam detected Firefly's joyful state, and that… stringy look of glee, he completely gave up on resisting.
What's the point? This fight's unwinnable.
Forget it.
What? The command said "fight"? Fine, getting beaten still counts.
As Firefly drew near, Sam struck a dramatic pose and swung his arm as if to counterattack.
But at the very instant Firefly's kick connected, Sam's armor systems flared to full power. In the next second, his entire frame shot off like a meteor.
"Ahhh—Mission… failed."
As he flew, his mechanical voice rang out clearly. Then, fully boosted, he turned into a streaking meteor and vanished from the hall.
Firefly blinked, stunned. She knew she hadn't actually used any force.
Her attack looked spectacular, sure—but there was no real damage. So why did Sam go flying?
Before she could figure it out, Pei Guang and Stelle started cheering at once.
Pei Guang: "Look! Cutiefly one-shotted Sam the Stellaron Hunter with a single knight's flying kick! Hah! Stellaron Hunters, so much for the hype."
Stelle: "That's right! Firefly kicked Sam straight into orbit!"
Pei Guang: "But here's the problem—he got kicked away, so… how do we get the loot drop?"
Stelle: "No worries! We know Silver Wolf. After Penacony's over, we'll ask her to summon Sam back so we can beat him up again."
Firefly: "…"
Watching the two of them laugh together, Firefly's expression turned complicated, her thoughts even more so. But soon, she decided to stop thinking altogether.
What was the point? Ever since she met Pei Guang, thinking had become increasingly pointless.
Reality, missions, logic… whatever. In a dream, the only rule was to have fun.
Meanwhile, Black Swan, who had been watching the whole time, smiled faintly. "I wonder if you'll still be laughing when you learn the truth."
As she pondered that, Pei Guang's earlier words drifted into Acheron's mind.
"If you can drag it back for another round, maybe there'll be more loot… then does that mean—"
Her gaze shifted toward Black Swan.
She wasn't interested in Firefly kicking Sam or in some philosophical duel between one person and her armor.
She was just wondering whether she should ask Pei Guang to try… seeing if Black Swan would drop anything special.