'Mei...'
*M-Mr. Hell?*
*Why are you contacting me suddenly at this time?!*
'I have a rough understanding of things outside.'
*Huh???*
'So, as someone who has been there, let me give you a suggestion. Sometimes, saying what you want to say early isn't a bad thing.'
'My adopted son and adopted daughter were originally childhood sweethearts. As a result, because my adopted son wanted to prove something back then, he deliberately did something wrong and said some wrong things, ultimately hurting my adopted daughter's heart.'
'Although they should have reconciled in the end, this kind of thing shouldn't have happened in the first place. So, I personally suggest that regarding these matters, take the initiative to clear the air. There's really no harm in it.'
*Mr. Hell, what on earth are you talking about!*
'Sigh, you little girl, still being shy. Fine, fine, just pretend this old uncle didn't say anything.'
'But no matter what, seize the opportunity. Don't do things you'll regret. Alright, the old man's nagging ends here for today. Contact me when you plan to learn combat techniques from me.'
'Also, find a chance to let me chat with that kid. He has a power that I feel cannot be ignored.'
After the voice in her head dissipated, Raiden Mei felt her mind was in chaos.
*What did Mr. Hell mean by that sentence...*
*Wanting me to seize the opportunity?*
*Me, being shy?*
*No, no, no, now isn't the time to think about these things.*
*Mr. Hell said he wants to find a time to chat with Aaron, which means he likely plans to teach Aaron combat experience.*
Although it hadn't been long since she obtained Yuanhai's soul fragment, through those few brief exchanges with Yuanhai, Raiden Mei already felt that this middle-aged man with a gentle tone was indeed an elder worthy of her respect.
With just a few words, he could analyze parts of the truth—in fact, based on the subsequent intelligence Raiden Mei learned from Bronya and Aaron, the situation Yuanhai analyzed back then was completely correct.
This incident indeed had a mastermind behind the scenes.
And the mastermind, Cocolia, although claiming to her adopted daughter Bronya that she intended to use the Honkai to fight the Honkai, judging by her actions, Raiden Mei felt—this woman was just acting for her own selfish desires.
*Mm, Mr. Hell is so amazing; he must have been a remarkable person in life.*
*Come to think of it, I haven't heard him tell his story from before.*
*Find a time to chat with Mr. Hell about these things... No!*
*What is wrong with me.*
*Raiden Mei, where is your sense of urgency!*
*You must maintain sufficient strength and state of mind to prevent the Herrscher of Thunder from seizing your body to do evil.*
*The current you should strive to train and surpass yourself, not think about these trivial matters.*
*Although I don't approve of that fellow named Cocolia, she said one thing correctly.*
*Humanity truly has no time left.*
*Especially with people like Cocolia, who fear the world isn't chaotic enough, persistently causing trouble behind the scenes... Humanity really doesn't have much time left.*
....................
In the bathroom, Aaron turned on the showerhead, letting the cold water flow from the top of his head down his body.
As an Ice-elemental warrior, he found it hard to understand why he felt his body was a bit hot just now.
"That guy Kiana... Tsk, honestly, if not for worrying about others being around, who would be checkmated by her using such a method."
"But, I am indeed a bit tired."
Closing his eyes, Aaron recalled the days of his childhood, feeling his body gradually relax.
When he was in the orphanage, he would occasionally see airplanes soaring in the sky on that dilapidated old color TV in the orphanage lobby.
Back then, he thought that when he grew up, he would earn lots and lots of money and fly in airplanes all day long.
Of course, this was just a childhood fancy.
After growing up and realizing how expensive plane tickets were for him, this fancy faded with the passage of time.
Naturally, the cheapest tickets were only a little over a hundred, which couldn't be called expensive.
But for an orphan with no fixed abode, he absolutely didn't have extra money to waste on such things.
*The money I craved, the wish buried in my heart... Heh, I've obtained both things I craved, but in this manner.*
*I realized my childhood fancy because I came to a world where I have to risk my life.*
*The money I once craved has now become something easily within my reach.*
*Thinking carefully, it's really a bit ironic.*
*When I was small, I didn't understand what the Director meant by 'the price of growing up.'*
*But now, I seem to understand a little.*
*Ha, it seems the current me is truly completely at ease.*
*Only in this state of peace of mind...*
*—Would I completely lower my guard and be so sentimental, perhaps.*
.................................
In the kitchen of this mansion, Raiden Mei opened the refrigerator and found it packed with fresh food.
Everything needed for daily life was prepared in this house.
And outside this mansion, there was a huge training ground.
If it was just for practicing moves, that training ground was big enough.
*Hmm, although I already knew Aaron's style, but... he really is thorough.*
"Haa... this young lady is exhausted."
After tidying up her room, Kiana saw Raiden Mei open the fridge. With a 'whoosh', she rushed directly to Raiden Mei's side and asked with shining eyes.
"Mei, Mei, what delicious food are you planning to make today?!"
"We ate instant noodles all day at the clinic yesterday; I can hardly stand it!"
"You..."
Looking at her friend's expression, Raiden Mei chuckled lightly.
"There isn't enough time today, so we'll just make some simple meals. In the future, when there's time, I'll make whatever you want to eat."
"Awesome! Mei, it's so good to have you."
*Yes, this is the expression you should have, Kiana.*
*You are like the sun, radiating incredibly dazzling light. The expression on your face right now is the one you should be showing.*
*On the day I awakened, you looked unhappy.*
*But today...*
*Sure enough, it's because Aaron is here.*
*The current me is completely certain.*
*Kiana, you have completely fallen for him.*
*Even if you haven't realized this yourself, I have already seen it.*
*You can smile happily here not because of me, but because Aaron is by your side.*
"Mei?"
Seeing the smile on Raiden Mei's face gradually fade, Kiana suddenly scratched the back of her head in embarrassment and said.
"Sorry, I got too carried away."
"No, don't think too much. This is the way you should be."
"What's that supposed to mean? Makes it sound like this young lady is just a glutton!"
"Isn't that the case?"
*Mr. Hell, you told me to speak my mind early, but...*
*Under these circumstances, how can I speak... No, wrong, I have nothing I want to say.*
*Right, it's fine as long as things continue like this.*
*If possible, as long as these daily days can continue like this... that would be fine.*
Late at night, Aaron found he still couldn't fall asleep in his room.
*Sys, hey System, you there?*
[What is it? Don't bother this System if it's nothing important.]
*Is my potential really only at the level of Blue Shou-Nan?*
*If I only have the potential of his level, then within three years... even calculating with the most optimal magnetic field environment, I can't possibly master this power to the ultimate realm.*
*And on that day three years from now... I must become stronger by that day three years from now.*
[Hmm, let's put it this way. Your current potential is actually equivalent to your comparison target's potential *after* he was enlightened.]
[Before his potential was unlocked, he was very weak. But because of Lan Daotianwu's words, he was moved, touched his limit, and broke through that limit.]
[You can take this situation as a reference.]
*You mean... you want me to find a 'Foster Father' who looks like a donkey and is good at hoodwinking people, to hoodwink me until I'm moved, and then suddenly explode in power?*
[...This System admires your imagination.]
*Hmm, someone good at hoodwinking, with certain charisma, who has been a foster father to others, a big donkey...*
At this moment, Aaron suddenly took out a Noble Phantasm stored in his storage space.
This Noble Phantasm was one of the ones he swiped from Gilgamesh's Gate of Babylon.
The God of War's Armament—of course, Shenzhou people knew very well what its real name was.
The Sky Piercer (Fangtian Huaji). This is a Noble Phantasm with special effects against Foster Fathers.
*Thinking about it this way, the only candidate fitting this description is Otto.*
*Understood. Tomorrow I'll fly to Schicksal HQ, take Otto as my Foster Father, let him hoodwink me to my limit break, and then find a time to stab him with the Sky Piercer.*
[So, is the prank over?]
*It's over—you really have no sense of humor.*
[Nonsense. Even if this System has feelings, it's just a program. What unrealistic expectations do you have of this System?]
[Alright, let's stop the nonsense. This System used Blue Shou-Nan being hoodwinked and breaking his limits as an example to tell you that epiphany often requires clarity of thought or sufficient conviction. And this situation is something that can be discovered but not sought.]
[Blindly pushing your power and Perfect Realm—don't blame this System for not being able to save you if you suffer Qigong Deviation.]
*Got it.*
[Sleep. You urgently need deep sleep right now.]
*Okay, got it. You're really getting more and more wordy.*
[Who asked you to give this System less and less peace of mind?]
After interrupting the chat with the System, Aaron didn't go to sleep immediately.
After leaving the bed quietly, he took out paper and a pen, and secretly wrote a sentence on the paper.
Then, activating [Fog of War], Aaron sneaked into Bronya's room, placed the paper under the girl's pillow, and returned to his own room.
Minutes later, Bronya, who had been feigning sleep, let go of the Homu doll Aaron bought for her and pulled out the piece of paper Aaron had placed under her pillow.
On the paper, Aaron had written two sentences.
The first sentence—*Help me keep the Demon Castle matter a secret, especially don't let Kiana know that Cecilia is still alive.*
The second sentence—*Don't take the Nagazora City matter to heart. You didn't have the ability to stop Cocolia; this is not your fault.*
*Stupid Master. Knowing clearly that Bronya approached you intending to use you, yet you're worried Bronya's heart will break because of these things...*
*Truly foolish.*
*Clearly, you should have just used Bronya as a tool.*
*Bronya cannot resist you, nor does she have the heart to resist Mother Cocolia, and she wants to save Seele even more...*
*If I didn't have a heart, perhaps Bronya wouldn't have these troubles.*
*But, if I didn't have a heart, could Bronya... still be counted as Bronya?*
*Moreover, the Master truly cares about Miss Kiana.*
*But isn't her mother being alive a good thing for Miss Kiana?*
*Why deceive the Miss Kiana he cares about on this matter?*
* The human heart... is truly a complex thing.*
*I'll let it pass this time. For the sake of that contract with the Stupid Master, Bronya will help the Stupid Master keep his little secret.*
*Finally, Mother Cocolia... did you really leave a backdoor in Bronya's brain chip as the Master mentioned?*
*If it's true, Bronya will be very sad.*
*Bronya and Seele, and everyone at the orphanage trusted you so much. You... shouldn't betray everyone's trust, right?*
*Clearly Bronya should think this way, but why...*
*Bronya already can't think of what expression to use to face you next time.*