[Yukong hoped that the members of the Trailblazer crew could select some of Tingyun's personal belongings from her lifetime to place aboard the starskiff.]
[Tingyun didn't have many possessions from her lifetime—aside from some everyday items, there were also some gifts she hadn't had the chance to send out yet, such as some tea seeds, a kitchen knife, and a bow…]
[Following Tingyun's own ideas, Stelle gave the tea seeds to the boss of Nevernight Inn, presented the kitchen knife to Yan Cui of Shang Zi Wei, and as for the final bow… Welt already had an idea.]
[Arriving at Stargazer Navalia, the group met Yukong, who was overseeing the construction of the starskiff. After explaining their purpose, March 7th handed the bow over to Yukong.]
[Looking at this bow, Yukong seemed momentarily lost in thought. After a long silence, she gently shook her head: "She understood my pain, yet now I can no longer do anything for her…"]
["Thirty years ago, during that Abundance War, Guangyuan fell in battle, Caiyi departed, and I was left all alone. After the war ended, it was as if everyone feared touching the scars left by the conflict. The Xianzhou Luofu has since followed its course, recuperating and engaging in trade and commerce…"]
["Although I was promoted to Helm Master, I come from a military background and am not skilled at these delicate business operations. Tingyun, however, was a born merchant. Officially my subordinate, she always loved discussing business matters with me and offering suggestions."]
["I once thought the era had changed, and so had the Xianzhou. People like Tingyun were the future of the new Sky-Faring Commission; she could bring prosperity to the Luofu. Unlike me, who only knew how to charge through blood and fire."]
[Yukong's gaze suddenly sharpened, and her tone changed accordingly: "I was wrong. Until every single member of the Antimatter Legion is eliminated one by one, the Xianzhou still needs me… needs people like me who rush through blood and fire across the skies."]
——
Bleach.
The setting sun dyed the wooden corridor outside the First Division barracks in amber hues. Kyōraku Shunsui leaned lazily against the vermilion-painted railing, idly swinging a sake bottle. In the light screen, Yukong's eyes filled with resentment reflected in the clear sake, shattering into rippling waves.
"If destruction is so detestable, why not unite all the forces that oppose Him? Even if we can't eradicate the Aeon, taking out His Lord Ravagers would be pretty good too." Gazing at the reflected eyes in the wine, Kyōraku Shunsui let out a soft sigh.
"An absurd notion." Byakuya Kuchiki stood motionless in the distance, his silver-white windflower-patterned scarf fluttering gently in the evening breeze.
"Among the forces that have appeared so far, aside from the mysterious Genius Society, the largest are probably the Xianzhou Alliance and the Interastral Peace Corporation, right? The Xianzhou Alliance patrols to suppress Abundance, while the Corporation seeks neutrality in cosmic conflicts… Even if both possess formidable strength, it's utterly impossible for them to stand together."
"As for the Stellaron Hunters…" Byakuya's fingertips unconsciously brushed over the hilt of Senbonzakura, "…they may have some capabilities, but in the face of an Emanator's power, they remain far too insignificant."
"Moreover, these various factions across the cosmos… they remind me of the noble assemblies in the Seireitei."
"Oh?" Kyōraku Shunsui approached him with interest. "Captain Kuchiki actually using such a biting metaphor."
Byakuya Kuchiki slightly turned his body to avoid the sake-scented Captain-Commander: "It's merely the truth. In reality, even when facing a common enemy, these factions would calculate each other's gains and losses, preferring to maintain a dangerous balance rather than relinquish authority."
"Can you imagine the Xianzhou Alliance handing over full command of its military deployments to the Corporation or another faction when confronting Nanook together? If the different forces are scattered… in a situation of disunity, the odds of victory would be slim indeed."
"To truly unite against Nanook, the Emanators will probably need to knock on quite a few more doors."
——
["Tingyun, the Sky-Faring Commission will never forget you…"]
[Yukong stood at the very end of the pier in Stargazer Navalia. The long wind lifted the hem of her robe, like a fallen feather refusing to drop.] She stared at the starskiff loaded with Tingyun's belongings, her gaze as cold and hard as chilled iron, as if an inextinguishable flame burned within. "I will uncover the truth. If you have met with misfortune, I will avenge you."
[As she spoke, the time for the Soul-Soothing Ceremony had arrived.]
[Accompanied by the roar of the starskiff engines, thousands of starskiffs streaked like meteors into the distance, flying toward the Jade Gate at the edge of the sky. Every single one of these starskiffs carried a name that could never return home.]
[Yukong stood atop the Kunyu Platform, head raised toward the firmament. The long wind lifted the hem of her robe, like a fallen feather refusing to drop.]
[Watching these starskiffs disappear, the ceremony thus concluded. Jing Yuan, whose injuries had not yet fully healed, approached the group. Ignoring Yanqing's dissuasion, he insisted on saying a few words to the Trailblazer crew.]
["Before all of you depart from the Luofu, there are two things I wish to present to the Astral Express."]
[March 7th's eyes lit up: "Gifts? Has he finally grown a conscience and decided to compensate us for all the hardship along the way?"]
[The group arrived at the Seat of Divine Foresight. After once again expressing his gratitude to everyone, Jing Yuan stated that what they had done could never be fully repaid by the Luofu. Therefore, on behalf of the Luofu Cloud Knights, Jing Yuan presented to them a jade token symbolizing [Alliance Covenant].]
["Thousands of years ago, when the Alliance was first established, all the Xianzhou ships swore a collective oath, engraved upon jade tokens as proof. Even should heaven and earth perish, this vow shall remain unbroken."]
["This jade token is the same: it records the Luofu Cloud Knights' promise to the Trailblazer crew, and it is also a beacon—grip it tightly, and it will send a message to the paired token in my hand."]
[Jing Yuan looked solemnly at the members of the Trailblazer crew: "No matter how vast the galaxy or how arduous the journey, the Luofu Cloud Knights will hasten to rendezvous with the Express and fulfill whatever you entrust to us."]
——
Overlord.
In the Throne Hall of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, Ainz sat upon the pitch-black throne, his crimson pupils flickering faintly as his bony fingers rhythmically tapped the armrest.
(A contract item capable of transmitting information across planes? If I possessed such an item… wouldn't the Trailblazer crew be able to rampage freely across the cosmic galaxy?)
(How enviable… If only I could have something like that too.)
Sigh. Ainz let out a huge internal groan. Ever since witnessing this group fighting through the light screen, unease and chaos had caused a stomach that shouldn't even exist to ache continuously. And the mere thought of sharing the same universe with these people who casually shatter stars made his stomach hurt even more.
In truth, the guild wasn't lacking in coordinate-type items, but the problem was that those items could only summon monsters of Lv80 or higher. While that level of combat power was more than sufficient in the current world, once one's gaze turned toward the cosmic galaxy… they would probably be erased with a flick of an Emanator's finger, right?
"Lord Ainz, there is news from Sebas." Demiurge, standing to the side, bowed respectfully.
"Oh… what did he say?"
"The ritual in which the Roble Holy Kingdom prayed to the [Abundance] Pharmacist has concluded. The result was… nothing happened."
"Praying… to [Abundance]?" Ainz's voice paused in surprise.
(Could this group of humans want to become creatures of Abundance?? A native Disciples of Sanctus Medicus faction native to the Holy Kingdom? No, are they trying to draw the forces of the Xianzhou Luofu over here? To come and subjugate me?)
In an instant, countless thoughts surged upward, crowding into Ainz's empty skull.