"Are you all playing some weird role-play game?" Freesna ignored the captive believer, eyeing Blake and his double.
Screwlloyd still wore Blake's face; the real one was decked as a Cloud Knight, armor damage replicated 1:1—she suspected he'd scavenged it on-site.
"This is attention to every detail—pure [eternity] precision! But... role-play? You can call it that."
Blake answered, then flipped the script. "Hiding away... what shady deeds have you done?"
"Heh... you wouldn't understand." Freesna huffed. This was the legendary sense of ritual!
Screwlloyd stayed busy, grilling the [Disciples of Sanctus Medicus] captive. "The Stellaron Core... what do you know?"
"That glowing seed? Haha, I've seen it. So beautiful. Stare inside, voices whisper... The leader said with it, we could inject new life into the [Ambrosial Arbor]."
"Heh heh, I didn't believe it at first. We tried everything—short-lifers' lifetimes worth—and the [Ambrosial Arbor] showed no sign of stirring."
"But now look... Tsk tsk, [only an Aeon's power can recreate miracles]. Yes... yes! The great Yaoshi of [Abundance]!"
The believer went manic again, yammering about Yaoshi, even trying to recruit the trio to the [Disciples of Sanctus Medicus] and await [Abundance]'s glance.
"Longevity..." Screwlloyd's mech parts whirred. "Can I take this as you trying to outlast [eternity]?"
Elves, Intelligentsia mechs, innate long-lifers... Any one outlived [Disciples of Sanctus Medicus] believers without [eternity]'s help. To Screwlloyd, no contest.
The believer smiled, pivoting to the [Abundance]-tied Ambrosial Arbor. "Exactly! You saw it, right? The Ambrosial Arbor reborn... Haha, magnificent!"
"In the god-descended era long-life species can't even recall, Yaoshi of [Abundance] gifted the Ambrosial Arbor to the Luofu Xianzhou. Through that divine tree, humans wrought countless wonders: breathing soil, worry-free wood, free-form bodies..."
"Curse the demon bow for ruining it all, twisting truth, erasing Yaoshi's deeds... But soon, we'll reclaim that golden age!"
"You've seen the beasts fighting with us, right? Just a tiny [Ambrosial Arbor] boon..."
Freesna countered. "If you hate [The Hunt]... join [eternity]! Ite won't hold your past against you. What the Lord of [Abundance] can't give, we can!"
The believer snapped. "Shut up! How dare you disrespect merciful Yaoshi!!"
"Query: Which word just now insulted [Abundance]'s Yaoshi? Specify."
No dirty language—just the believer overreacting.
"Back on track: what did you do to those Cloud Knights?" Screwlloyd pressed.
"Do? We healed our kin! Trapped in frail flesh must hurt..." Lifting his head to Screwlloyd's mech eyes, he burst into laughter.
Flesh is weak—meant to lure them to the Disciples, but now... mech ascension seemed the real deal.
The captive shook it off. "No... you don't get it. Long-life species without Yaoshi's blessing wouldn't understand!"
"What [mara-struck]? That's Yaoshi's second life! Dissolve the ego, attain immortal form, free and unbound existence!"
He gazed fervently at Freesna. "I see power-hunger in your eyes! Life's too short, right? I can, I can make you..."
"Hah?" Blake nearly cracked. Did this guy lack basic common sense?
"Elf, don't fall for his sweet talk." Still in Cloud Knight armor, Blake reminded her to stay in character.
"Without [Abundance]'s boon, you short-lifers couldn't handle the [transformation]."
"Pitiful..."
[Praise the great Lord of [eternity]! Calling Pontiff Blake!! Request soap-style nuclear strike on Lord Ravager!]
Blake looked up sharply—he'd heard the call!
"Hm? Lord Ravager?" He muttered, hand reflexively grabbing soap.
[Pontiff Blake...]
The plea cut off, like forcibly silenced. Blake snapped to it: a Lord Ravager attacking innocents... No, this was Stelle—soon-to-join the church, already on [eternity]'s Path!
Urgent crisis. He had Freesna enchant the soap with tracking, stepped back, and hurled it in perfect form.
"May [eternity] shield you, devout Trailblazer... Er, that might bully the Lord of [Trailblaze]."
"Ahem... May [eternity]'s [Trailblaze] ever accompany you." Blake clasped hands, offering Stelle his sincerest prayer.
...
En route to Scalegorge Waterscape, a lone boat pressed stubbornly through vast sea and sky, golden sunlight dancing on waves, salty breeze carrying foam's whispers.
"Ah~ This is the vibe!" March 7th savored the headwind, forgetting they were Lord Ravager-hunting.
The young [Trailblaze] crew skipped starskiffs for the classic way: sailing.
Tried dragging Welt, but his age nixed it.
Adrian? HE wouldn't join.
"Something's off. Too quiet." Unease gnawed Dan Heng since boarding.
"Shiver..." March 7th trembled. "Teacher Dan Heng, don't ruin the mood! But now you mention... feels like something's closing in..."
Whenever March said that, Stelle knew trouble brewed. She stood, prepping for unknowns.
Besides Dan Heng's Cloudhacker, no sharp objects—safe!
Behind: no [Disciples of Sanctus Medicus] tail—still safe!
Land and sea clear. Now sky...
Huh? That black dot... getting closer...
Boom!
Soap bomb nailed their boat. Freshly launched, it capsized beautifully.
"Where'd that soap come from?!" Flipping, March 7th stayed true to form.
"Soap?" Stelle frowned, recalling her Phantylia SOS...
Delayed response from Pontiff Blake.
Stelle: ...
Dan Heng: ...
March 7th: ...
Friendly fire!!!