Leaning against the side of her bed, Chu Lian tilted her head and looked out at the beautiful starry sky beyond the window. This night was very peaceful.
In terms of environment, the main world, tainted by industrial pollution, was far inferior to the completely unpolluted world of Overlord. But this place held the attachments and feelings she could never cast aside. That was something that world could never compare with.
Even if Narberal and Albedo were worried about her, even if there were many matters that needed resolving, and aberrations were already occurring... for now, wasn't it true that she simply couldn't return? No matter how much she thought about it, it was useless.
A free dungeon did not mean she could reenter it the moment she came out. She still needed to complete a series of requirements first. Most likely, it would be a long time before they met again—Narberal, Albedo.
"Ayase, after I leave a dungeon, how will it continue to develop? And what is the time ratio compared to our side?" Chu Lian was now somewhat concerned about what would happen afterward, because she would return there in the future.
When the time came, once she had laid down all her pieces, completed every task in the shortest possible time, and firmly grasped an entire world in her hands, then she could do whatever she wished.
"The time ratio is 10:1. Ten days pass here for one day in Overlord, so you don't need to worry too much. The system carefully considered this sort of thing. Different flows of time are normal. Generally speaking, this is the last thing you need to think about."
Ayase's slightly lazy voice came through. Whenever she was not busy, she always sounded languid and relaxed. That lazy charm paired with her completely ripe figure truly carried a deadly temptation.
Of course, Chu Lian could only imagine that scene now.
Because she knew that if she entered now, before she could even admire that allure, Ayase would probably pin her onto the bed and demand she fulfill her promise and do what she had agreed to.
That kind of late-night anime scenario was far too embarrassing. Especially things like foot-licking... it was honestly too shameful. Even if she could endure her own embarrassment, she had to consider the other person's embarrassment too.
"Ten to one, huh? That's good. I was worried that by the time I returned, everything would have changed beyond recognition. By then, doing anything would be difficult." Chu Lian truly had such worries. After returning home, she suddenly felt unwilling to travel far away again.
Although she knew it was only temporary weariness, and once she became busy again it would no longer be an issue, it was still something worth considering.
"Things may not become unrecognizable, but there will definitely be tremendous changes," Ayase said frankly, explaining the matter. "You need to understand that once Judgement appears, even if the virus has already been eliminated and there is no need to worry about life being infected, Judgement itself is an existence that gathers countless races and forms of life to launch assaults on other living beings."
"What they crave is death. They long to turn a planet into wasteland under their occupation, then watch it die. The more negative emotions they absorb in the process, the faster they grow. Strictly speaking, Judgement only escalates. It cannot be eradicated, nor can it be avoided. It is a terrifying existence."
"As long as there is life, as long as there are living things, as long as there are planets, those places may become their habitat. Under such circumstances, Overlord may very well fail to endure it. Even if it does, perhaps only the Great Tomb of Nazarick would survive."
"You don't have much time left. If you cannot return within three months of Overlord time, then once Judgement erupts, there will be no saving anything. All your previous arrangements and everything you hoped to gain will be destroyed. Even Nazarick may become ruins. Narberal, Albedo, Shalltear..."
Whether Ayase was exaggerating the importance of the matter or merely stating facts, Chu Lian knew one thing clearly.
This was not something that could be delayed.
Three months in Overlord meant thirty months here—two and a half years. Ideally, she needed to reach Heaven rank. At the very least, she needed Earth rank peak. Otherwise, there would truly be no way to deal with those matters.
Because in a catastrophe sweeping across an entire world, without Heaven-rank strength, whether one could survive was already a question—let alone solving anything.
"Mm, I understand. Ayase, what do I need to do to return to Overlord?" If there were conditions, she wanted to know now so she could prepare early. Otherwise, if she became flustered later and accidentally missed the chance, wouldn't that be tragic?
"At that time, you only need 120,000 Dream Points. This is a gate that crosses countless boundaries. Opening a dungeon can borrow the dungeon's own power, but if you want to open it yourself, the cost is enormous. Of course, compared to the one-time nature of ordinary dungeon openings, once you pay this many points, the gate will exist forever. That is when the dungeon's true value can be fully realized. I imagine 120,000 Dream Points is not too expensive a price, right?"
That number sounded extremely high, especially for Dream Points, a precious currency with very few ways to obtain it and pitifully small quantities. But compared to what she stood to gain, it was truly a tiny cost. At the very least, she was willing to accept it.
"Understood. I'll prepare for it. Also, Ayase, didn't you say the system was going to upgrade? Why hasn't it upgraded yet?" Chu Lian remembered another matter. The system had said the second upgrade was coming. Why was it still the same?
"First turn your Goddess Points into 400,000. Right now you're still short by 220,000. Getting that many points is not an easy matter." Ayase wanted the upgrade too, but unfortunately the second upgrade required ten times the Goddess Points of the first. That many points were not something one could obtain just by wanting them.
"I understand. I'll finish the second main quest line as soon as possible and move on to the third. Things should become much better then." Chu Lian nodded. She now understood Ayase's difficulties all too clearly. Many things were not as simple as she had once assumed.
"No, I think you should wait. I estimate the Fantasy-rank task can be completed. Don't you want to obtain 'Whispers of the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox'? It perfectly complements your Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox form." Ayase, however, gave the opposite suggestion. A task that should have been quickly completed once her popularity rose had been delayed by Chu Lian for so long. Now that she wanted to complete it, Ayase would not allow it.
"Three million followers, one million diehard fans?" The moment Chu Lian heard Ayase's words, she knew which task she meant.
It was that Fantasy-rank task she once believed impossible to complete.
Yet Ayase was saying now that it might actually be achievable.
"That's right. It hasn't even been a full month yet, and you already have over a million followers. Your diehard fans are also showing signs of reaching three hundred thousand. Just wait a little longer. At most three more months, and your task will be complete."
As the system's chief steward, helping the host grow and obtain the greatest possible benefits was Ayase's basic responsibility.
"Once this is achieved, you'll gain more than you would by rushing to unlock the third phase of the main quest line first. I know you really want to unlock Item Point exchanges, but with your current assets, you simply don't have enough wealth to spend on it properly. It won't be too late to unlock it after you've built up substantial capital, started a company, and begun investing large amounts of money."
Ayase's words greatly tempted Chu Lian. The exchange price of Whispers of the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox was simply too expensive. One hundred thousand Dream Points... if she redeemed it, she might not have enough saved to open the Overlord dungeon a second time. Daily expenditures also had to be calculated. This thing was easy to spend and hard to save. It was never enough.
Besides, the description said that Whispers of the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox would increase charm, making every smile and every glance irresistibly lovable. It would also improve musical talent, gradually grow stronger, and eventually reach Immortal level.
She knew very well that Immortal level corresponded to an SSS evaluation. Ordinary SSS-rank Dream Catalog items all required more than three hundred thousand points.
So after comparing them, Whispers of the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox was practically a bargain of conscience. Although it required growth, it was absolutely worth far more than that price. Selling it for one hundred thousand was probably a special growth benefit meant for her.
"Also, Ayase, those things from before that were clearly powerful and extremely cost-effective... I've always felt their prices were too low. After the next system upgrade, will their prices become normal values?"
What Chu Lian meant was the item that had repeatedly helped her through desperate situations: Remilia-sama's Dignity. It was simply too useful, and far too cheap.
"Of course. Those were originally sold at the lowest possible prices. If you found them, that was your luck. If not, it was your loss. There won't be chances like that again. After the upgrade, most of those wonderful items will rise in price. Not only will Remilia-sama's Dignity become more expensive, Reimu's Donation Box will too. Many things from Touhou will~"
Ayase, you just said something rather subtle there, didn't you? If that flat-chested loli vampire Remilia heard it, she would definitely be heartbroken.
Luckily, I'm not flat-chested. Otherwise I'd be heartbroken too. Being judged as only fit for children's bras absolutely does not count as flat-chested!
"Why do I feel like Reimu's Donation Box, which costs even more than Remilia-sama's Dignity, is actually less useful than the latter? It doesn't seem worth that price at all. So whether the system upgrades or not, I don't plan to buy it."
"That's only because you haven't used it in the right direction. Once you discover its true use, you'll feel every bit you spent was worth it. Forget one hundred thousand Integrity Points. Even one million, you'd willingly pay it."
Ayase once again rejected Chu Lian's judgment. In her view, correcting the host's misunderstandings about the system and its items was also a necessary duty.
"Maybe. I'll try to see if I can use it properly someday."
Ayase's words were always for her own good. Even if Chu Lian still felt unconvinced, she firmly remembered them.
"Phew... chatting with Ayase really is the most relaxing. I don't need to hold anything back..."
Chu Lian recalled the oppressive atmosphere after dinner. If she hadn't decisively used sleep-escape and instantly run off, the result would probably have been a full-blown battlefield.
Just as she was secretly relaxing over her wise decision, someone knocked on the door.
She hesitated over whether to go open it. She was truly worried that the moment the door opened, some unreasonable girl would be standing there carrying a kitchen knife.
But not opening it didn't seem right either. She couldn't really just give in to fear, could she?
There was no choice now. She could only gamble on her luck.
Her hand trembled as she reached out to open the door.
But just as her fingers were about to touch it, the door opened first.
She saw the visitor.
And that snow-bright flash of blade.
Her heart skipped a beat.
It's over. The cleaver ending is unavoidable...