This epochal Aether Spirit showdown between Silver Wolf and Haxxor Bunny had made history in the annals of Aether Front competition, opening a brand-new chapter for the realm of Trainers.
It set the record for the longest single-match duel in the entire history of the tournament!
Crusher Bunny 19C and Howl of the Azure Star had both trashed each other into oblivion, reduced to two smoldering heaps of utterly wrecked metal scrap, lying forlornly amid the rubble.
And yet, their creators—those two "selves" of the Aether Spirits—were still smack in the center of the field, full of vim and vigor, yanking each other's hair and rolling around in a tangled brawl.
This peak duel, which had opened with top-tier technique but gradually devolved into a street fight, was now surging toward a fever pitch in a way absolutely no one could have predicted!
The scales of victory seemed to hang on who could take a beating better, whose hair was more firmly rooted, and whose stomps on the other were more precisely aimed?
Of course, that was only the surface.
What truly decided the final direction of this drawn-out tug-of-war was, fundamentally, the level of Aether data.
For a full three hours, the true forms of Silver Wolf and Haxxor Bunny had their fingertips practically striking sparks off the control panels!
They carried out countless heart-stopping data attacks and defenses, authority struggles, system hacks and counter-hacks—and every single data clash mapped precisely onto the movements of those two "selves" out on the field.
—And so their Aether Spirits had been throttling each other for three whole hours as well.
In the audience stands, some people had turned green in the face, thighs clamped tight, yet remained nailed to their seats, unwilling to so much as leave for the toilet.
In the end, hobbled by Seele's Path of Balance, it finally concluded with both Aether Spirits collapsing at the same instant, their true forms sitting exhausted on the ground gasping for breath—declaring the outcome: a draw.
And then...
"Lord Caelus is the traveler from Teyvat, the Galactic Cudgel Hero."
Stelle stood in the dueling arena hugging a trash can, one hand on her hip, the other pointing across the whole venue—and at all the interstellar cameras still broadcasting live.
"I'm not targeting anyone in particular..."
Stelle's expression turned adorably brazen: "I'm saying that everyone here present—"
She swept her little hand out forcefully, drawing a big circle that encompassed the contestants, the audience, and even everyone across the entire Galaxy watching the livestream.
"—is trash!"
"..." Topaz covered her face.
"..." March 7th pressed a hand to her forehead.
"..." Little Duck's mouth twitched.
However, even after Stelle threw out such arrogant, outrageous provocation, this match's contestant—a renowned, Heavenly-King-tier Trainer hailing from the Jinjialun Star Domain—still bellowed those three iron-boned words.
"I forfeit!"
Before the words had even faded, he leapt down from the once-again-repaired dueling arena without so much as a backward glance, nimble as a twenty-year-old lad.
Only a fool would fight these cheating monsters!
The Heavenly King roared frantically in his heart.
Under normal circumstances, even knowing defeat was certain, his pride as a Master-tier Trainer would have compelled him to take the stage and trade a few moves—to lose, but lose with grace.
But right now, Jarilo-VI's Aether concentration had not yet dropped back to its normal state, and Aether Spirits could still inflict harm on the real world.
Playing cards against an opponent of comparable strength was fine—at worst you'd get some flesh wounds.
But playing against these cheating bastards who opened by whipping out fifty-meter-tall Giants of Light and Mashin Mecha god-cards?
That was a damn death wish!
Pure suicide!!
Bail, bail, saving your neck is what matters!
What's a Heavenly King title worth compared to your precious little life?!
Hearing her opponent forfeit, Stelle's expression switched seamlessly from 'hehe' to 'not hehe.'
Excuse me?
She'd gone out of her way to lob an area-of-effect taunt just to spark her opponent's fighting spirit, so why was still no one dueling her?
When Caelus dueled Giovanni he'd gone all out and made it big—so why, now that it was her turn to have some fun, was this happening?
Fine, Topaz—who'd fought once at the Herta Space Station and knew the depths of their power—simply refusing to take the field, that was understandable. But why were even these fresh-faced opponents surrendering so smoothly?!
Not a single one even put up a struggle!
What's the most frustrating thing when playing games?
Is it dropping from the plane thirty times in half an hour in battle royale?
Is it having your monkey stuck against the bobblehead phantom for three hours, blood pressure spiking?
Is it stuffing the Tiger Vanguard to death while doing food delivery?
No—none of those!
The most frustrating thing is—
When your monkey swaps in the Great Sage template, the Golden Cudgel is charged to four pips, you're all set to slaughter your way back and forth through Heaven and the Underworld for several playthroughs, savoring that sweet, unstoppable mowing-down feeling...
every BOSS surrenders on the spot the moment they see you, not even giving you the chance to chunk their health bar!
When in battle royale you've scooped up five airdrops, armed to the teeth from head to toe, playing a limited-edition character with 100,000 HP and 100 attack, ready to become the Grim Reaper of the battlefield and go on a rampage...
you discover that every damn enemy on the whole island has quit the game!
"This is just TOO much bullying!"
Stelle hugged her beloved trash can, her little mouth pouting downward, shoulders drooping slightly, pitiful and aggrieved, as if she'd start shedding little pearly tears the very next second.
"There's nothing I can do."
Her tone was unbearably heavy.
"Kaka-kaka~!"
Not bothering in the slightest to hide his gloating and mockery, Caelus—who had likewise just won without a fight and come strolling back from the dueling arena—landed in a frog-hop right in front of Stelle and cackled wildly:
"I've been wanting to see exactly this look on your face all along—this look of envying me!"
Without the slightest courtesy he stretched out his demon claws, pinching Stelle's soft, tender, marvelously squishy cheeks, kneading them left and right like a fine ball of glutinous rice dough.
"Feels good? Feels good? Heaven-tier dueling technique: Refreshing Spirit~"
"Get lost!"
The indignant, grief-stricken cry squeezed out from cheeks kneaded out of shape, as Stelle hugged her trash can and ground her teeth with a crunch-crunch-creak.
No way!
The more she thought about backing down, the angrier she got!
Stelle opened her mouth and lunged to bite at this cub.
Haxxor Bunny and Silver Wolf got roughly the same treatment.
But certain clever contestants, recalling the ace mechs that had been thoroughly wrecked earlier, started to get some ideas.
"An opportunity! A once-in-a-lifetime chance!"
"Their top-tier combat power has all been knocked out! Right now is when they're weakest!"
"Exactly! Their decks have taken heavy damage—repairs will take time!"
"Seize this window and go challenge them! As long as we can beat any one of them, we'll be able to brag about it forever!"
You know Faker?
Back in the day I solo-killed him at match point in the World Championship!
Just imagining that scene was enough to make their blood boil!
Opportunity knocks but once!
A few opportunistic contestants, refusing to concede, mounted the dueling arena burning with a great enthusiasm for scavenging an easy win and a dream of making their names.
Then, when they saw the fully intact, factory-fresh, brand-new-gleaming Haxxor Bunny armored mechanical rabbit legion and the Prometheus mechanical wolf battle squad, the excitement on their faces instantly froze, shattered, and gave way to identical shades of ghastly pallor and blank stupor.
Haxxor Bunny picked out a single little bunny and, relying on superb gaming skill, showed off a wave of dirty-trick control play.
Silver Wolf was rather more excessive—she deliberately picked out a single little wolf cub and used mechanics-cheats to wipe out the opponent's entire team.
It was like playing Alliance where the heroes don't even lift a finger, and you just send in super-minions buffed with red, blue, Baron, and Elder Dragon to hammer the enemy to death and push down their Crystals...It was an ultimate humiliation crueler than fountain-camping, I swear!
The contestants' faces were no longer merely ghastly pale—they'd gone completely green.
From that point on, no one dared to court disaster from those few 'big bros and big sisters' anymore.
Stelle, Caelus, Haxxor Bunny, and Silver Wolf—these four, through a display of nonstop, crushing dominance, sent their opponents fleeing at the mere sight of them, their scores soaring like they'd boarded the Astral Express, unquestionably becoming this Interastral Showdown Gala's Four Heavenly Kings.
"Whoa!"
March 7th, cheeks puffed as she chewed away, gazed at the tiny loli on the big screen who was overwhelming her opponents with sheer combat power, and exclaimed in amazement.
"I never would've guessed! Little Hook is actually this strong?!"
Although there'd been a teeny-tiny bit of an accident along the way, the Interastral Showdown Gala, as the Aether Front's highest-grade tournament, still delivered top-tier spectacle and an endless parade of techniques and tactics, fully maxed out!
Aside from those few big bros and big sisters whose skills simply couldn't be learned, there were still countless contestants battling their hardest on the field, showcasing the true charm of strategy, execution, and Aether Spirit cultivation.
"Topaz, why don't you go talk to the organizers—for the next match, just let Hook duel me."
Stelle released Caelus, whose face and neck she'd bitten out strawberry marks upon.
"Hey! You even want to bully a kid?! Have some shame!"
March 7th nearly choked on her snack, staring at Stelle with an utterly speechless look.
"On a personal level I completely understand your craving for battle, but I'd still suggest you two rein it in a little."
Topaz, who was in the middle of directing an army of paid posters to delete threads on behalf of the four big bros and big sisters, revealed a polite—yet not entirely polite—smile.
"Audience friends! After countless brilliant, even beyond-imagination duels! The fifth contestant to top the score rankings and be crowned a Heavenly King has finally emerged—"
The host's passionate, surging voice once again rang out across the arena, drowning out all the clamor:
"She is the eternal leader of The Moles, hailing from Jarilo-VI!"
"The one who, with a tiny body, burns with an indomitable fighting spirit—the pitch-black Lord Hook!"
The spotlight instantly fell upon the dueling arena, upon little Hook—wearing an 'I'm so strong~!' expression, with a heap of Overlord-class Aether Spirits as her backdrop.
She proudly puffed out her little chest, and her adorable appearance drew even more enthusiastic waves of applause bursting from the audience stands.
"So in the end, it's still gonna be bullying kids?"
March 7th made dead-fish eyes.
"What do you mean bullying? Hook clearly became the Fifth Heavenly King through her own strength."
Caelus stood up for the underestimated Hook.
"And with that! For this Interastral Showdown Gala, the Heavenly Kings who have contended for the summit are now all in place!"
The host's voice abruptly climbed higher: "And next! We will open the most thrilling, most eagerly anticipated chapter of this entire gala!"
"The peak collision among Heavenly Kings! The final contest beneath the throne!"
"The Championship Battle—"
"Now! Officially! Begins!"
Based on score rankings, the Interastral Showdown Gala would first produce five Heavenly Kings.
The Heavenly King seats actually numbered only four; the five Heavenly Kings would be matched against one another in Aether Spirit battles, ultimately deciding a single victor—that would be the [First Champion]!
The clash of gods resumes!
In the first match, little Hook was nearly reduced to actual tears.
In the second match, Silver Wolf and Haxxor Bunny, disrupted from the sidelines by Seele—who upheld a Balance strategy of 'cheer for whoever's weaker, mess with the mindset of whoever's dominant'—once again drew.
In the third match, both Stelle's and Caelus's cheats were crafted by Bronita; techniques taught by the same master simply couldn't be countered—another draw.
The fourth match, Stelle VS Haxxor Bunny.
The creations of the Erudition Emanator Bronita proved superior.
The fifth match, Caelus VS Silver Wolf.
Bronita still hard-carrying!
The sixth match...
The seventh match...
As the Championship Battle went on, the organizers and audience gradually noticed a problem: Stelle's and Caelus's scores simply couldn't be pulled apart.
Little Hook was the first to be kicked out of the peak championship contest—for a mere mortal, reaching this far was something to be proud of!
Then, Silver Wolf and Haxxor Bunny fell one after the other.
Whether Stelle or Caelus won, for the two hacker ducks, as long as it wasn't the other one taking the championship, either was acceptable.
Only two contenders remained for the seat of First Champion: Stelle and Caelus.
"Caelus-cub, why not just concede? Big sis will give you the championship prize money as pocket change, okay~"
Stelle switched to a doting expression, one hand resting on her chest, pitching her voice into a sultry mature-lady tone to coax him.
"Heh heh, if you concede, big bro can also give you the prize money as pocket change."
Caelus replied with a smile.
"If you concede, Mommy will wear a qipao for you to enjoy tonight, how about that~?"
Stelle's brow twitched, but she kept up that maternal smile, speaking in a voice so elegant it was nauseating.
"Swimsuit, cat ears, maid, nun, bunny girl—all on the table~"
As if seduced by a demonic melody, Caelus's expression went hazy for two seconds, then he slugged himself with a punch and shook his head:
"If you concede, Daddy will give you a nice little video to enjoy tonight~ filmed by Topaz. How's that?"
Stelle's elegant poise cracked; her breathing quickened, and then she too slugged herself in the chest with a punch.
The gazes of both went from seduced and dazed to gradually resolute.
The dueling arena fell into an eerie silence. March 7th's mouth twitched madly, and she chose to switch off the screen.
Can't bear to watch, these ungodly things.
These two didn't have a shred of decency left!
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