A start more wonderful than ever!
The Stellaron was now exhilarated.
Ever since it fulfilled the wish of the first Supreme Guardian of Jarilo-VI seven hundred years ago, engulfing the entire planet in an endless blizzard, it had been imprisoned for a full seven centuries.
A full seven hundred years!
It had attempted to corrupt each successive Supreme Guardian countless times, never ceasing for seven hundred years. But these loyal hounds of Preservation possessed an unwavering faith in the Amber Lord. All seventeen Supreme Guardians before Cocolia had ignored its temptations and even ordered it sealed away.
How detestable.
Fortunately, circumstances always change. The young Cocolia witnessed the false future it constructed—a future where the bitter cold ultimately breached Preservation's barriers, and all life perished under the erosion of the Fragmentum.
Including... her daughter, Bronya.
Humans are foolish and fragile creatures; once they harbor deep attachments, vulnerabilities appear. Clearly, Bronya was her weakness.
For Bronya's sake, Cocolia betrayed Preservation. Having witnessed how Preservation's will had failed to bring hope to Belobog over seven centuries, she chose instead to embrace "Destruction."
**[Without destroying the old, there can be no establishment of the new!]**
After successfully corrupting Cocolia, it thought freedom was finally at hand. But it hadn't anticipated the arrival of the Astral Express crew at this critical juncture.
The most dangerous among them was that Emanator of Abundance, who could bring vitality to the entire planet.
Thus, it laid a trap.
It began recklessly draining the life energy of Jarilo-VI, intending to trick Felicity into infusing the planet with her own life force. But it never expected her to be so generous, filling Jarilo-VI to the brim.
After releasing such an immense amount of power, surely even an Emanator of Abundance must be nearly drained!
The Stellaron thought confidently. It manipulated the Engine of Creation, swinging its massive arm. A gigantic fist descended like a meteor falling from the heavens, aiming to completely bury Felicity.
"Sigh..."
It suddenly heard a sigh.
A foreboding feeling abruptly arose within it. The Stellaron's glow intensified as it tried to channel more energy into the Engine of Creation to make it even more powerful.
However, its power ultimately belonged to Destruction. Even mixed with a trace of Abundance's aura and having secretly siphoned a bit of power from the Guardian's Spear, it couldn't fully unleash the Engine of Creation's potential. Reaching this level was almost its limit.
But it wasn't enough.
The descending giant fist suddenly shuddered. Then, a massive cluster of wooden pillars erupted from beneath it, thrusting the Engine of Creation's fist high into the sky.
"I was planning to feed you a bit more..."
Felicity shook her head. Pursing her lips, her gaze fell upon the absurdly large Engine of Creation, a flicker of curiosity and envy in her eyes.
So cool.
She wanted one too.
As soon as this thought emerged, the soaring wooden pillars suddenly twisted together, interlocking like building blocks. Following Felicity's will, they naturally assembled into a gigantic deer.
Abundance inherently encompasses life, and manifesting living beings was no difficult feat for Felicity.
A massive black deer lifted its head and roared toward the Creation Engine. Its life originated from Felicity's call, naturally harboring hostility toward her enemies.
[How is this possible...]
The Stellaron stared in astonishment at the black deer's emergence, unable to fathom how Felicity still possessed such abundant life energy—enough to manifest what it perceived as a terrifying Abundance Ebon Deer.
Suddenly enraged, it commanded the Creation Engine to swing its colossal fist once more. This time, however, the Abundance Ebon Deer charged forward without hesitation, its resonant cries echoing as it swung its enormous antlers, directly blocking the Creation Engine's massive strike.
"What a pity, I couldn't fabricate a robot."
Felicity appeared somewhat disappointed. She had attempted to construct a giant wooden puppet similar to the Creation Engine but ended in failure.
After several attempts, she finally manifested this Abundance Ebon Deer.
But it would suffice—at least it evoked a sense of being a Stand user.
Crossing her arms, Felicity watched the Stellaron with keen interest. The radiance emanating from the Stellaron grew increasingly intense as it continued absorbing life energy, attempting to deplete Felicity's reserves entirely.
Abruptly, the Creation Engine's other arm lifted and slammed fiercely into the ground not far from Felicity, sweeping through the area and hurling her backward.
Thick snow was sent flying, nearly blotting out the entire sky.
[Arrogant Emanator of Abundance who meets her end, remember—it is I who shall kill you!]
The emotions radiating from the Stellaron grew more potent, its intelligence gradually refining through the absorbed life energy.
But its hopes were destined to be dashed.
The sky gradually darkened, the shadows of night gnawing at the heavens as a chaotic blizzard descended.
Amid the bewildering whiteness, a maiden shimmering with emerald light slowly descended from the air.
[How can this be...]
The Stellaron could scarcely comprehend Felicity's presence, horrified to discover that this Emanator of Abundance hadn't weakened from the Creation Engine's assault. On the contrary, the Pathstrider energy surrounding her had grown more concentrated.
—She dodged it? When?!
The Stellaron was baffled.
Felicity hovered mid-air, Abundance's blessings blooming spontaneously across her form.
In truth, she hadn't evaded at all.
Even if the Creation Engine struck her a hundred times consecutively, the outcome would remain unchanged—she couldn't possibly perish from such simplistic physical blows.
Since death wasn't an option, why bother dodging?
Looking down imperiously at the Stellaron, she suddenly took a step forward as if walking on invisible stairs.
"You've overstepped your bounds."
Pursing her lips, Felicity strode right up to the Stellaron, raised a finger, and gently tapped it.
Several vines emerged from nowhere, burrowing through the earth to instantly ensnare the Stellaron. No matter how frantically it channeled imaginary energy, it couldn't break free.
[What... what are you doing?]
The Stellaron finally experienced fear. Having absorbed too much life energy and gained genuine wisdom, it could now truly dread the impending death.
[Creation Engine!]
It tried to summon the Engine of Creation to rescue the situation, but the Engine of Creation malfunctioned at that moment, refusing to budge no matter how desperately it called.
"Here."
Just as it despairingly prepared to embrace death, it suddenly sensed a surge of rich life energy being offered to its mouth.
Felicity pinched her fingers and summoned more life energy, continuously pouring it into the Stellaron's core.
The Stellaron's glow instantly intensified!
—It's going to... it's going to burst.