"Riku, there's a problem with the plan." Just as Riku was feeling astonished by Chen Li's appetite, his wife, Schwi, suddenly spoke up.
"A problem with the plan? Do you mean because your battle with that Flügel just now attracted everyone's attention, you couldn't place the remaining Passage Controls in their designated positions?" Riku asked.
Smart as he was, Riku instantly figured out the unexpected factor affecting the plan.
The original plan was to place thirty-two Passage Controls (armaments designed to redirect and twist energy). Currently, only twenty-four had been placed. Furthermore, due to the battle and the gathering of multiple races in the area, the act of placing the Passage Controls would easily be discovered, and the probability of engaging in combat was extremely high.
After learning that the sixteen Exceed races had launched the Great War to fight over the Star Cup—the conceptual device representing omniscience, omnipotence, and the throne of the One True God—Riku had decided to lead humanity into the fray. He spent a year carefully scheming and attempting to guide the wars between the other races. His goal was to force the other races into a situation where they had to use their ultimate weapons simultaneously at a specific moment. Then, using the Passage Controls set up by Schwi, he would guide all that energy into the planet's core, completely destroying the Spirit Corridor and thereby forcing the Star Cup to manifest.
Seizing the Star Cup was the only way to stop the war. It was perfectly logical.
"It's not just that problem. The concept of the plan itself is flawless, but the Passage Controls weren't placed as planned. And even if they were, the plan would fail due to a miscalculation on my part. If we follow my original plan, the combined energy of the ultimate weapons launched by the multiple races won't be contained. Ultimately, it will result in the destruction of this planet," Schwi said.
This conclusion was calculated by the All-Befehler, Einzig, after Schwi reconnected with the Ex-Machina network.
"..."
"However... guiding it to the southwest is viable," a foreign voice echoed within the cave.
Riku turned his head and saw a tall, hooded figure walking in. Beside this individual, hovering in the air while holding a large bowl, was Jibril, who was curiously inspecting the newcomer.
"Here." Jibril handed the large bowl filled with Black Ash to Chen Li, then enthusiastically observed the "person" who had just entered.
To Jibril, a simple hood was nowhere near enough to block her observation.
According to her analysis, this individual was actually an Ex-Machina, and it seemed to be a Befehler...
It appeared this cave had just welcomed a very big fish.
However, because Chen Li had ordered her not to harm anyone, Jibril could only watch from the sidelines.
And this Ex-Machina didn't seem surprised by Jibril's presence either.
"Ow!" Having two more feathers plucked from her wings, Jibril glared angrily at Chen Li.
"What are you looking at? If you don't bring me utensils, of course I have to use you as my utensils," Chen Li shot her a look.
Seeing Chen Li use her feathers as a spoon to shovel the Black Ash—a substance entirely toxic to the human body—into his mouth, Jibril, bound by the influence of the Compulsory Transaction Gold Coin, only dared to be angry but didn't dare to speak.
Of course, even without the Compulsory Transaction Gold Coin, Jibril wouldn't dare attack Chen Li.
The aura of Voracity filled her with dread.
It was a sense of danger that made her feel that even if this entity were to devour the entire planet, it would be well within the realm of common sense.
"You are..." Riku looked at the figure in confusion.
In truth, the cave Riku was using was merely a place for resting and hiding. It offered absolutely no safety or protection, at least not against the higher-ranking races.
"All-Befehler, Einzig," the Ex-Machina introduced himself.
"Wow, this really is a big fish," Jibril's eyes widened.
Among the unique race of the Ex-Machina, the All-Befehler was the supreme commander, directing the every move of the Befehler (Commanders), who in turn directed those below them...
In other words, with the disappearance of the Old Deus who created the Ex-Machina, the God of Doubt, the Ex-Machina standing before them was the absolute representative of their entire race in this eternal Great War.
If Jibril had encountered this Ex-Machina instead of Schwi back then, she absolutely would not have attacked him.
"Your purpose is..."
"Originally, I came to inherit the dying wish entrusted to us by the [Will-Inheritor], Schwi. But now, I have come to end this Great War." Saying this, the All-Befehler glanced at Chen Li.
When Chen Li used the blessing of Abundance to heal Schwi, her unit was in a state of connection with the rest of the Ex-Machina.
Therefore, following standard protocol, the Ex-Machina began analyzing the special power healing Schwi's body. However, the Ex-Machina's processing capabilities were completely unable to decipher it. It was a power from a higher dimension, even more difficult to comprehend and possibly stronger than the God of Doubt who had created them.
It was as if it possessed the very concept of "healing," capable of curing even an Ex-Machina.
The sheer processing power required to analyze this energy had temporarily caused the entire Ex-Machina network to crash.
"..." Riku couldn't shake the feeling that the Ex-Machina in front of him was lying.
Because Riku also knew from Schwi that she had shared her romantic feelings for him with the entire Ex-Machina race.
"We, the Ex-Machina, possess armaments that analyze and mimic any attack we receive. If we analyze and mimic the combined joint attack of the multiple races' ultimate weapons, and [The Will], Riku, wields this armament, it can be used to pierce the planet, allowing the Star Cup to manifest," the All-Befehler, Einzig, stated in a flat tone.
"I see... So the ones who have been secretly guiding the development of the war, drawing numerous races to gather in this narrow sector right now, were you weak, invisible creatures?" Jibril looked at the Ex-Machina and the humans beside him in astonishment.
How did these weak creatures manage to do it?
Jibril had originally thought that the convergence of multiple races in the vicinity, all with their nerves strung tight and ready to unleash total war, was a coincidence and a historical inevitability. She never expected someone was pulling the strings from the shadows.
Humanity... what a terrifying lifeform.
Why hadn't I ever noticed this before?
"If you know how to talk, talk more." After finishing the Black Ash, Chen Li started eating the bowl itself.
"And then?"
"And then you can die. Haven't you ever heard the saying, 'The more you know, the faster you die'?"
"..." Jibril shut her mouth.
"But analyzing an attack of that magnitude would cause a massive number of Ex-Machina casualties, wouldn't it?" Riku asked.
"We, the Ex-Machina, are heartless machines, mere tools. We only remain loyal to orders and execute them. According to the six pledges you established, the loss of tools is not considered a defeat," Einzig responded to Riku's inquiry.
"Hmm... before making a decision, why don't we ask the miraculous Curio Forger?" Riku turned his head to look at Chen Li.
"Hmm, ask me what? I'm just a witness. Though, if you need help, I don't mind providing some off-site assistance to achieve the perfect ending for this game."
"For instance?" Since Riku had already decided to gift the Star Cup to Chen Li after achieving victory and establishing the rules of the world, he naturally wasn't going to turn down the help of such a powerful ally.
Winning the Great War and obtaining the Star Cup was their mutual goal.
"Don't ask me what I have. Tell me what you need," Chen Li shook his head.
"According to calculations, if we want to force the multiple races to deploy their ultimate weapons, impersonating the Flügel and launching a preemptive strike against the other races holds the highest probability of success," Einzig stated.
"The Ex-Machina previously learned Pseudepigrapha: Fara after killing an Arant-Dragia. If we impersonated the Dragonia to attack the other races, it might be detected. But if we use Heavenly Smite, there will be no problem, because we just learned it." Speaking up to this point, Einzig looked at Jibril.
"Just learned it? Wait, you don't mean the Heavenly Smite I used on her, do you?" Jibril pointed at herself, then at Schwi beside her.
"Correct," Einzig nodded.
Just as Einzig said, the Ex-Machina possessed armaments to analyze and mimic received attacks.
Although Schwi could have remained completely unharmed under the protection of the [Friends Circle] shield, to account for the minute possibility that the shield Riku obtained from who-knows-where couldn't block Heavenly Smite, Schwi extended the hand that wasn't wearing the ring outside the shield at the very last moment, intentionally taking the brunt of Jibril's Heavenly Smite.
As an Ex-Machina, Schwi could rapidly analyze and assess situations, reacting with astonishing speed.
"...You can't do that." Jibril was starting to pull her hair out.
She finally understood why Azriel (the First of the Flügel and Artosh's deputy) had issued an absolute order forbidding attacks against the Ex-Machina to prevent Heavenly Smite from being copied.
The Ex-Machina were simply too disgusting to fight!
Sigh, so why didn't Jibril follow orders? That was because Jibril was endowed with "imperfection" upon her creation...
Just like being infected with the [Machine Spirit Virus], she was too "free."
Simply put, she was disobedient.
If Jibril had encountered anyone other than a discarded unit like Schwi, she might not have chosen to attack.
And if Schwi hadn't encountered Jibril, the Flügel wouldn't have attacked Schwi, or rather, Schwi wouldn't necessarily have lost.
Because aside from Jibril, there was almost no Flügel who could take a Pseudepigrapha: Fara head-on and emerge unscathed.
Due to Jibril's "imperfection," she was the only one who had optimized and enhanced the Flügel's defensive formulas.
And now, Jibril was going to pay the price for acting on her own authority.
"There, there, little Jibril. Even though you might cause the defeat of the Flügel and perhaps even the death of the God of War because of your itchy trigger finger against Schwi, you still have me," Chen Li smiled, patting Jibril's head like a dog's.
"You!" Jibril's face flushed red with rage.
"As expected, this kind of taunting is much more satisfying when said right to the person's face," Chen Li nodded in satisfaction.
Otto's formula was indeed highly efficient.
The only problem was that when Otto originally said those words, he was entirely sincere.
Which made it seem even more punchable.
"Is there a way to create an attack capable of piercing the planet without requiring the sacrifice of the Ex-Machina?" Riku asked.
"There is," Chen Li nodded.
"Is there a way to resurrect the 'Ghosts' who have died, and the lives sacrificed in this final battle?"
"There is."
"Is there a way to ensure the Star Cup will manifest right beside me?"
"There is."
"Is there a way for me to actually grab the Star Cup?"
"There is. You just make the requests, and Daddy will figure out how to make them happen," Chen Li said, putting his hands on his hips.
When faced with a problem, use a Curio. If existing Curios can't solve the current problem, it just means you don't have enough types and quantities of Curios, so you forge new ones!
When it came to off-site assistance, Chen Li was a professional!
...
Terrifying power condensed from the air, instantly reducing massive amounts of spirits into Black Ash.
Countless Flügel living in the fortress looked up at the sky.
Multiple heat signatures were detected above the fortress, and a massive barrage of attacks was fired from behind the Phantasma, Avant Heim.
Subsequently, over one thousand two hundred Heavenly Smites rained down from behind Avant Heim, striking towards the "Alliance" (the location where the numerous races in the "final circle" were currently gathered).
The historic barrage that would decide the fate of the planet had begun!
"Heavenly Smites?!"
"What's happening? Who exactly is firing Heavenly Smites right now?!"
"W-We don't know!"
The Flügel gathered inside Avant Heim's Throne Room were in total chaos, scrambling in a panic.
"It seems to be... the Ex-Machina." Finally, the Flügel observed the scrap metal launching the attacks from behind their fortress.
A single hair moves the whole body. The races who qualified for this "final circle" by possessing ultimate weapons confirmed this was the signature Heavenly Smite of the Flügel and instantly entered a state of maximum alert.
"Preemptive strike from Avant Heim confirmed. Prepare to launch the E-Bomb (Marrow Burst)." The Dwarven fleet swiftly made their decision.
The E-Bomb was a magical warhead created by combining materials buried across the world with magical pathways and formulas. Developed by the Dwarves as their trump card to crush the other races, its power was sufficient to slay an Old Deus. The explosive force came from detonating an inactivated Divine Core.
And right now, aboard the Dwarven fleet, there were exactly twelve of these devices.
"Release all formulas of the [Void Zero-Guard]! Starboard target: Artosh. Port side: Dwarven fleet." The Elves also reacted instantaneously.
The [Void Zero-Guard] was one of the Spirit-Destruction formulas created by the Elves during the Great War, utilizing the protective power of their creator, Kainas. Its principle involved forcing an overwrite of the spell core of a Phantasma (which possesses an independent Spirit Corridor) using the Old Deus's protection, causing the core to self-destruct. Then, using a Spirit-Destruction formula, it forced the massive amount of spirits liberated by the self-destruction to trigger a "chain collapse," unleashing it all at once.
The Dwarves developed weapons using Divine Cores, and the Elves developed weapons using Phantasmas... both were rather unscrupulous.
However, the highly perceptive Dwarves felt that this attack from Avant Heim seemed a bit... off.
But right now, everyone had their fingers on the nuclear launch buttons. You don't launch? Then prepare to get blasted.
If you don't launch, you die, but the enemy might live.
If you launch, you might still die, but the enemy definitely won't live either.
And at this moment, the Flügel, having flown above the fortress, finally discovered the target using Heavenly Smite—a massive swarm of Ex-Machina!
The Ex-Machina's ability to mimic any race's attack played a decisive role at this exact moment.
An apocalyptic scene unfolded in this final circle.
The earth was shattered; the oceans evaporated.
Boundless, majestic power gathered in the sky above.
Sensing this mighty force originating from their creator, the Flügel looked up at the sky. They could feel the power of Artosh, the God of War.
"I have waited a long time for this, my natural enemy."
"I see. The weakest challenging me, the strongest. It is perfectly rational."
"Isn't that right? Monkey." Artosh's calm yet world-shaking voice echoed across the space.
The Heavenly Smites fired by the Ex-Machina didn't kill anyone, but they completely muddied the waters. After firing their attacks, the Ex-Machina utilized spatial transfer to move to their pre-designated locations.
Pseudepigrapha: Heaven's Shift.
This was originally the Flügel's spatial transfer ability. It was meant to only work on the Flügel themselves and was supposedly impossible to copy. However, because Azriel had used it as an offensive maneuver, it was successfully copied by the Ex-Machina.
"All personnel, prepare," Artosh's voice echoed again.
Every single member of the Flügel entered a state preparing to unleash Heavenly Smite.
As an Old Deus, Artosh easily saw through the petty tricks of humanity. But even so, the strong do not fear the challenges of the weak.
If the weak flaunt their petty cleverness, what should the strong do?
At this moment, all the Flügel were preparing their Heavenly Smites, entrusting everything to the God of War, Artosh!
"Recognize your insignificance, you dust that only knows petty tricks. Even if insignificant insects swarm together, they cannot touch the majesty of Heaven!"
The initiation stance of the Divine Smite terrified both the Dwarven and Elven fleets.
Even though they had manufactured numerous weapons with the God of War as their hypothetical enemy, it was only when directly facing his attack that they truly understood the terror of the God of War.
On one side, the full-formula deployment of the [Void Zero-Guard].
On the other, the full-barrage launch of the E-Bombs.
Even several Dragonia joined the fray, sacrificing their lives to unleash a "Farce: Roar."
And the target of all these attacks was the descending... [Divine Smite]!
The ultimate attack launched by Artosh, using the Flügel as his medium!
Yet, even with the combined power of all the aforementioned attacks, they could not stop Artosh's Divine Smite. As the God of War capable of easily ending this war, his power was unrivaled!
Thus, a unique scenario was created—all the energies collided with each other, coalescing into a brilliant light announcing the destruction of the world.
A massive fireball, akin to a sun, was gradually falling from the sky...
If this massive fireball were to touch the ground, the entire planet would be annihilated.
...
"So what exactly is your crazy plan?! Why didn't you let the Ex-Machina deploy the Passage Controls?! If this attack hits the ground, it will destroy the world! Are you really that confident in yourself?!" Jibril yelled at Chen Li, her emotions a complex, incomprehensible mess.
Jibril's feelings were so complicated primarily because Chen Li had outright rejected Riku and the Ex-Machina's proposals, stating that he didn't need a single Ex-Machina to be sacrificed to provide Riku with a planet-piercing strike.
In Chen Li's words, if the Ex-Machina sacrificed themselves before he came to this world, and they still sacrificed themselves after he came to this world, wouldn't his trip have been for nothing?
Although he could use resurrection Curios to revive the Ex-Machina, forcing thousands of Ex-Machina units to win the Revival Games... if their luck was bad, it could take weeks or months.
And Chen Li simply didn't have that much time to spare.
If the Ex-Machina died and weren't resurrected, it wouldn't count as a perfect ending.
Muttering incomprehensible phrases to himself, Chen Li forcibly rejected every proposal regarding this matter from both the Ex-Machina and Riku.
On the other hand... Jibril's complex emotions were also due to their current location.
There's a saying: "Beneath a Divine Smite, all are but ants."
But there's another saying: "Beneath a Divine Smite, all are but lolis."
When Jibril released a Heavenly Smite, her energy depletion turned her into a loli. When Artosh used the entire Flügel race as a medium to cast Divine Smite, it turned the entire Flügel race into lolis. This was the Flügel's most vulnerable state.
If other races broke into the fortress right now to slaughter the Flügel, more than half of them would have absolutely no ability to resist.
And right now, Chen Li was blending into this massive crowd of lolis without the slightest hint of incongruity.
Precisely because of his current position, Chen Li got to experience up close the power of the deity known as the [Strongest] in this world!
Chen Li's evaluation was... very strong, but nutritionally inferior to "Nihility."
"I know this power will destroy the world if left unchecked, but don't worry, I've got this handled." Chen Li gave a thumbs up, then proceeded to run up to the Flügel lolis one by one, casually plucking their feathers.
And because these Flügel were too energy-depleted to resist him, and because, in their eyes, Chen Li registered as being in the "allied" faction, they didn't put up much of a struggle.
Jibril completely failed to understand this power of Chen Li's.
How the hell did you, a guy with zero Flügel characteristics, manage to blend into the Flügel faction so seamlessly?!
"So tiring. Never mind, I'm going to save the world now. Jibril, help me pluck the feathers from these little lolis. This might be my dinner tonight."
"Huh? Me?" Jibril had also blended back into the Flügel faction earlier and released a Heavenly Smite, but Chen Li had used his [Fictional Historian] power to revert her back to a state where she hadn't used it.
So Jibril was currently arguably the strongest combatant among the Flügel.
"They are my sisters! My beloved kin!" Jibril resisted.
"Oh, then I guess my dinner tonight will have to be Little Jibril Stewed with Mushrooms," Chen Li said, looking at Jibril and licking his lips.
"I'm sorry, I was wrong." Sensing the aura of Voracity emanating from Chen Li once again, Jibril immediately held her head and admitted her mistake.
Meanwhile, Chen Li walked to the edge of the fortress, looked at the sun gradually falling towards the earth, and tossed the golden sphere of light in his hand.
"Go, Friends Circle! Show me your limits! Let this world witness the power of bonds!"
Thrown with all of Chen Li's might, the [Friends Circle] turned into a shooting star and violently "crashed" into that sun.
The Friends Circle rapidly expanded until it enveloped the entire sun.
Seeing this suddenly appearing shield enveloping that combined attack, countless people were baffled.
But after that "combined attack" was enveloped by the shield, its destructive power stopped scorching the earth and destroying the planet, which made everyone heave a sigh of relief.
This shield could actually isolate the effects of this artificial sun!
Snap! Chen Li snapped his fingers.
Guided by the Friends Circle, the originally massive artificial sun flew towards Chen Li, shrinking smaller and smaller as it flew.
Treating the Friends Circle as a container to house energy attacks wasn't something Chen Li was doing for the first time.
He had even used this method to devour the gaze of HooH, the Aeon of Equilibrium.
When the Friends Circle returned to Chen Li's hand, both the shield and the sun inside it had shrunk to the size of a fist.
This was... a strike capable of slaying gods and shattering stars!
It was an energy storm created from the convergence of eighteen Void Zero-Guards, twelve E-Bombs, eight Farce: Roars, and the Divine Smite!
And as for how to use this attack to pierce the planet, Chen Li already had a brilliant idea!
...
"Chen Li, you're telling me that because you've always found me dextrous, you plan to ask me to roll this lump of playdough into an arrow?" Haruhi Suzumiya took the Friends Circle Chen Li handed her, opened it, and poked the lump of playdough radiating an extraordinary red light.
It was just a tiny bit hot, like a freshly baked flatbread.
"Exactly. You're the only one I can ask! The one and only Lady Haruhi Suzumiya," Chen Li nodded emphatically.
Chen Li was initially unsure if Haruhi Suzumiya could actually turn an attack capable of slaying gods into actual playdough simply by treating it as such, but the facts proved that Haruhi Suzumiya's upper limits were beyond imagination.
"I guess I can. What is this thing for anyway?" Taking the gloves Chen Li handed her—which supposedly increased finger precision and provided heat insulation—Haruhi Suzumiya began rolling the lump of playdough into an arrow while asking.
Chen Li provided compensation, and Haruhi Suzumiya provided the physical labor. A fair and reasonable exchange.
"You might not believe this, but this playdough was originally an artificial sun, one capable of destroying a planet. But I used a Curio to turn it into playdough. Its essence hasn't changed, but its plasticity has increased. Turning it into an arrow is to pierce a planet and save a world," Chen Li explained.
"Oh." Haruhi Suzumiya didn't have any special reaction.
It's just a strike capable of destroying a planet, right?
If Chen Li could take a bite out of an Aeon who could obliterate galaxies with a wave of their hand, what was so strange about turning an artificial sun into playdough?
If Haruhi Suzumiya absolutely had to give her thoughts, it would only be: As expected of the Curio Forger, he's just that amazing!
And if Chen Li knew what Haruhi Suzumiya was thinking, he would definitely reply: Right back at you.
"...Done." Haruhi Suzumiya rolled the artificial sun into a perfectly straight arrow and handed it back to Chen Li.
The gloves Haruhi Suzumiya was wearing were the Teigu [God's Hand: Perfector], given to Chen Li by Najenda from the Akame ga Kill! world. It was a glove-type Teigu that could increase the precision of finger movements hundreds of times over, facilitating the manufacture of various delicate weapons, and could also be used to heal the human body.
"Thanks for your trouble. As expected of the Brigade Chief, your hands are incredibly dextrous." Looking at the arrow, Chen Li nodded in satisfaction.
"No need to be so polite. Speaking of which, is there anything fun going on lately? I heard you guys all went to the Honkai world for a team-building trip." Haruhi Suzumiya tried to fish for information from Chen Li.
"That's right. But Brigade Chief, you can't go to the Honkai world yet, because your physical constitution is rather average. Without Honkai resistance, you'd easily be corrupted. But once I finish forging a new Curio and give you a Stigmata, you can go play in the Honkai world."
"Sigh, compared to you guys, I really am weak, pitiful, and helpless... When will I be able to punch Aeons and kick Emanators?" Haruhi Suzumiya sighed.
"That day will come. Among the miraculous items you can get from the Star Stone lottery, there are quite a few that can be used to strengthen yourself. Alright, I'm off to save the world now." Having achieved his goal, Chen Li paid Haruhi Suzumiya 50 Star Stones and took his leave.
Haruhi Suzumiya was truly useful. He would definitely come to her again next time.
"Earning Star Stones is so easy. It's not nearly as hard as Yakumo Yukari makes it out to be." Haruhi Suzumiya tossed a small pouch of Star Stones in her hand.
...
"You're saying this arrow is the energy storm that could have destroyed the world just now?" Holding the slightly warm arrow, Riku was profoundly shocked.
As expected of the Curio Forger, he was simply amazing.
A power incomprehensible to mortals!
"Exactly. And as long as you shoot this arrow, it will revert to its original power and help you pierce the planet," Chen Li nodded.
The reason the arrow created from that energy storm felt slightly warm was primarily because the artificial sun's appearance was a bit too bright, making one feel hot just looking at it. Otherwise, after Haruhi Suzumiya's processing, this arrow should have been at a normal temperature.
That's just how Haruhi Suzumiya was: it wasn't about what you thought; it was about what she thought.
"I'm ready." Even a rational person like Riku felt his emotions surging when facing such a critical juncture.
"No, you're not ready. Even though the God of War's condition is less than 20% of what it used to be after using Divine Smite, if you pierce the planet right now, there's still a 52% chance the Star Cup will appear before him. Because he is the strongest." Chen Li shook his head, then reached out and took the arrow from Riku's hand.
Crunch! Chen Li took a bite, eating one-fifth of the arrow.
"Uh, by doing that, you can guarantee the Star Cup will appear right next to me with 100% certainty?" Although Riku didn't understand Chen Li's actions, he showed respect and felt this action must hold profound meaning.
Riku had actually learned from Einzig that the Star Cup might appear before the God of War.
If they were driven into a corner, the Ex-Machina wouldn't mind using the power of their entire race to slaughter the Flügel and defeat the God of War to prevent any exceptions. But didn't they have Chen Li's route now?
So the Ex-Machina had told the truth.
And they declared that if necessary, they wouldn't mind committing deicide once again.
The Ex-Machina couldn't defeat the God of War at full strength. But if the entire Ex-Machina race remained intact, and the God of War's strength dropped to 12% of his normal state after using Divine Smite, they had a fighting chance.
"Oh, don't misunderstand, I was just feeling peckish and wanted to taste a planet-busting strike... Mmm, tastes pretty good. The power is surging!"
Chen Li increasingly felt that the [Gourmet Cells] Curio was absolutely perfect.
With the Gourmet Cells, all Chen Li had to do was eat. He could constantly grow stronger just by taking a bite out of whatever he encountered. Furthermore, he didn't have to worry about uneven growth because [Allocation] would do its job.
"...So, what's the method?" Riku didn't really want to ruin Chen Li's enjoyment of his meal, but it was truly a critical moment. He shouldn't just be thinking about eating.
If he kept eating, what if the remaining power wasn't enough to pierce the planet?
"Relax, only 72.8% of the energy contained in the artificial sun is needed to pierce the planet. I only ate 20%, so it's more than enough. And the thing that will guarantee the Star Cup appears beside you is right here." Chen Li tossed a crystal to Riku.
After scrambling to catch the crystal, Riku saw a line of text encased within it.
Although Riku had never seen this type of writing before, he instantly understood the meaning of the words.
[The Strongest]
"You are very lucky to have met me today. Of course, I am also very lucky to have met you today," Chen Li said.
Riku needed the [The Strongest] Entry from Abyss Flower, and the Honkai world needed the [Game] Entry from Riku's world.
So it was a stroke of luck for both of them.
"This thing is called an Entry. After being refined by the fire of miracles, it represents a concept. The God of War is indeed the strongest in a conceptual sense in this world. But unfortunately for him, extracting concepts is my specialty. Take it. Use this bow to shoot the arrow into the ground, and then welcome victory," Chen Li said, tossing the [Longbow of Peace] to Riku.
The [The Strongest] Entry came from the Abyss Flower wielded by Durandal.
Although Abyss Flower's [The Strongest] Entry stemmed from the concept that "every wielder of the Divine Key Abyss Flower is Schicksal's strongest Valkyrie," its brightness, while not blindingly radiant, was still respectable.
The brightness of this "Strongest" Entry certainly couldn't compare to the God of War's [The Strongest] Entry. When Chen Li ate Jibril's feather and used his new Miracle Card to successfully infiltrate the Flügel faction, he observed the [God of War] from afar. Although he couldn't clearly read the text of the Entry on the other party, he could vaguely sense its brightness.
Without a doubt, the brightest Entry had to be [The Strongest].
But the God of War was only at 12% of his usual state, while Riku, who now held the [The Strongest] Entry, was in perfect condition.
Even if Riku's combat power remained at 100%, it wouldn't equal 0.01% of the God of War's. But now was the time to compete with percentages!
The [The Strongest] Entry was very interesting. Chen Li would likely need to use it in the future, so extracting it now wasn't premature.
And the reason he didn't use the [Elation's Die] was that Chen Li had already used up his Elation Points. When faced with such a major event, he absolutely couldn't pin his hopes on the Elation's Die when its points weren't full, otherwise, it would only cause trouble!
At the same time, the reason Chen Li was so certain this method would work was because he had spent 10 Star Stones to use the [Prophecy] ability to view the ending resulting from forging a Curio for Riku.
In that ending, Chen Li saw humanity thriving.
This function was originally intended for Chen Li to predict the potential risks of forging Curios for others, to help him decide whether to proceed. But it could also be used to glimpse the general direction of the future.
Chen Li always hated mechanic-abuse bosses, because he truly knew just how disgusting they could be.
"Go, Riku. Turn the tide of this grand game!"
"Right!"
Encouraged by Chen Li, Riku glanced at Schwi and the All-Befehler Einzig, who had already begun to leave, then drew the Longbow of Peace and aimed it at the ground below.
If they were too close to Riku when that power capable of destroying everything was released, it would be the day they all perished.
When the arrow, concentrated with the power of the ultimate weapons of numerous races, left the bowstring and struck the earth, the bound power within it was instantly liberated. That power contracted into a beam of light, piercing the earth like a needle, skewering the planet's core, and even destroying the Spirit Corridor.
BOOM!
When the planet's core was pierced and the spirit energy contained within the planet was released in a concentrated burst, a power sufficient to erase the world without a trace was unleashed.
And as Riku was engulfed by that power, he saw a polyhedron emerging like light itself, adorned with pentagrams—a star-shaped regular dodecahedron.
It was the condensation of all that liberated power!
The unactivated Divine Core representing omniscience and omnipotence!
The supreme throne symbolizing the One True God—the Star Cup!
A flash of golden light passed before Riku's eyes.
When that immense power surged forth, even though it held no malice, it broke through the defense of the Friends Circle, placing Riku into a Golden Body state.
And the crystal holding the [The Strongest] Entry in Riku's hand resonated with the Star Cup nearby.
Now was the time!
In his Golden Body state, where he could move freely without fear of death, Riku reached out towards the Star Cup, which was just a short distance away.
The Friends Circle was a shield that defended against any attack, but it also kept objects out. However, during the Golden Body state, it was equivalent to having a personal, skin-tight shield. This was the exact moment Riku had been waiting for.
"Do you really not mind losing all this?" Not far from Riku, Chen Li floated above the erased earth, utilizing the authority of the Herrscher of the Void.
Chen Li quietly watched everything unfold. And beside him stood a figure that only he could see.
The unmanifested, yet deeply believed-in God of Play—Tet.
Chen Li had seen him much earlier.
But unlike previous illusory figures, this God of Play—who had still not fully been born and had only Riku and Schwi as his believers—was holding an illusory object in his hands.
Even without touching it, Chen Li could feel that the light radiating from that illusory object was completely identical to the light radiating from the Star Cup Riku was about to touch.
For the wielder of the Star Cup—the One True God—creation and destruction, past and future, and even observation and determination could be manipulated at will.
Which meant...
"What's wrong with that? All disputes are to be resolved through games, and he won this game. This prize rightfully belongs to him," a hazy voice reached Chen Li's ears.
"Though your constitution is truly miraculous. You can actually perceive me?"
Time seemed to slow down slightly at this moment.
"It's nothing. Just some... curses that have always entangled me."
The [Restraint Bracelet] provided Chen Li with a little assistance when he needed it.
And Chen Li continued to watch everything, until Riku touched that omniscient and omnipotent object just before his Golden Body time ran out.
In the Throne Room, the deity sitting upon the supreme throne, his eighteen wings draped around him like a cloak, revealed a look of displeasure on his face.
It seemed the question he had anticipated remained unanswered—if it was the destiny of the strong to be defeated by the weak, then was the God of War's 'Divine Core' truly worthy of being called the strongest?
Subsequently, light enveloped the entire world.
The light spreading from the distant horizon dyed both the sky and the earth white.
And the moment the silently spreading light stopped, the world instantly lost its color.
Everything came to a halt, whether it was the endless Black Ash or the flickering flames of war.
Except for those possessing life, even time itself was stopped.
Several moments later, a gentle power, distinctly different from destruction, washed over the entire world.
Countless lives were completely healed at this moment, just as Riku had envisioned—the Great War should end, and no one should die.
Mountains and rivers began to reshape, fully displaying the majestic power of omniscience and omnipotence.
...
"Then, I won't hold back." Looking at the star-shaped regular dodecahedron Riku handed over, Chen Li opened his mouth and bit into the Star Cup, under the watchful eyes of Riku, Schwi, and Tet, the God of Play, whose Divine Core had finally activated because Riku obtained the Star Cup.
"Eat it, you've earned it. And eat a future for humanity while you're at it. A future where humanity can even surpass the limits of the Star Cup. I'm very much looking forward to that happening," Riku said with a smile.
If the Star Cup was omniscient and omnipotent, then everything would be beneath the Star Cup.
But just like the omnipotence paradox—can God create a stone so heavy that he cannot lift it?—whether the Star Cup could allow humanity to surpass the Star Cup in the future was also an unknown.
Was there a possibility that, in the future, humanity would shine among the stars!
As the leader of humanity, having poured in over a year of effort and witnessed the sacrifices of countless humans before Chen Li's arrival, Riku naturally wanted to seize an opportunity for humanity to become an exception to the rules.
If the Star Cup couldn't do it, then let the one who could eat the Star Cup do it.
Crunch! A crisp sound echoed from the Star Cup. Although the regular dodecahedron of the omniscient and omnipotent Star Cup reverted to its perfect state in an instant, in another sense, it had permanently lost a certain part.
And this crunching sound echoed simultaneously in countless corners of this world.
The living beings of the entire world simultaneously felt as if they had lost something, but as a soft light swept past, that missing piece was replenished.
When Chen Li ate using the Gourmet Cells, the first bite always had the greatest impact on his attribute points.
The chair beneath Chen Li instantly shattered due to the sudden surge in his power. Reacting quickly, Chen Li allocated all his attribute points into various bizarre skills to lower his physical constitution to the limit of his control, preventing his hand from slipping and "smashing" the cave they were in.
Good news: Chen Li was buffed.
"Here." Chen Li tossed the Star Cup back to Riku.
Chen Li was very interested in many of the attached Entries on the Star Cup, but Riku still needed to use it to establish the Pledges, so Chen Li returned it to him for now.
"How was the taste?" Riku was very curious.
Whether it was the fact that Chen Li could actually bite through the Star Cup, or the taste of the Star Cup itself, Riku was curious about it all.
"Like a crispy sweet cone. Tastes pretty good, and it's crunchy! Burp."
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. Burp."
"This is bad. Burp."
"Why can't I stop? Burp."
Bad news: Chen Li was full.
Or rather... he was stuffed.
[If the Aeon of Voracity came here, even he would have to call you 'Bro'. Bro, you are the true Aeon of Voracity.]
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