"C-come on then, Boss Nero. We're ready now. We can battle your two friends."
The company employees wore masks, so their expressions couldn't be seen.
But judging from their wording and tone after speaking again, it wasn't hard to imagine the fake smiles hanging on their faces.
A battle began. Although Stelle and March still didn't have Aether Spirits at the moment, that was fine. Nero would provide them.
The company employees' Aether Spirits were two Blaze Out of Space and one Silvermane Guard.
But turning Belobog's official soldiers directly into copied Aether Spirits, wasn't that a little wrong?
'Don't turn everything into Aether Spirits!'
March looked at that Silvermane Guard several times, opening her mouth as if wanting to complain, but in the end she said nothing.
Then she and Stelle looked toward Nero together.
The white-haired boy wore a confident smile as he took out an Aether Coin.
"Let's use him. Beat them up hard!"
Stelle took the Aether Coin from Nero, then released the Aether Spirit inside. The next moment, along with a wave of scorching heat, both Stelle and March froze in place.
The Aether Spirit released from Nero's coin was a blazing humanoid flame. Luxurious armor covered its body, and roaring fire condensed into a sword of judgment.
Just from its presence alone, this Aether Spirit was already far more terrifying than the three small fry the company employees released.
"Hey, hey, seriously? This game can even have an Aether Spirit like this?" one company employee couldn't help saying.
"A-as expected of Boss Nero. He can even get a rare Aether Spirit at this level!" another company employee said.
"It's over, we're screwed. I knew this would happen. Boss Nero's already getting revenge. There's no way we're getting that coin now." The employee who previously called Nero petty became even more depressed.
"You're still thinking about the coin? Our mission right now is to entertain Boss Nero and keep our jobs if possible, okay?"
After seeing this Aether Spirit radiating terrifying power, the three company employees already understood they had no chance of winning.
Meanwhile, after their brief shock, Stelle and March showed strange expressions.
They knew and had seen the existence this Aether Spirit copied.
That appearance of burning itself always made people think of the final battle in Scalegorge Waterscape on the Luofu...
After exchanging glances, March and Stelle turned toward Nero at the same time. Neither said anything, but the meaning was already obvious.
'You're using this thing as an Aether Spirit?'
It was hard to imagine what level the Stellaron Hunter Falcorez ranked among Aether Spirits.
But things really developed exactly the way Nero said at the start. The three company employees suffered a crushing defeat.
After losing, the three didn't stay any longer. They fled in panic while remaining extremely polite.
Afterward, March asked Eric why the company employees had been bothering him. Eric himself didn't know either. It was only because he picked up a coin.
But just from the coin itself, there was no way to tell anything.
So the group kept asking questions and eventually got this information,
Those company employees claimed to be members of Topaz's support club. They also said they wanted to gather all the strongest Aether Spirits in the universe and give them to Topaz, so she could keep winning championships at the festival.
After hearing Eric say this, everyone couldn't help looking at Nero again.
Even Giovanni couldn't help glancing over. If they were talking about powerful Aether Spirits, then the one Nero brought out earlier was probably the strongest he had ever seen.
"Is there really an Aether Spirit stronger than Falcorez?"
March felt that was impossible, but then she moved next to Nero and said, "Nero, Falcorez is so strong. You should join this festival. Let's just win the championship directly!"
"Huh?" Nero froze for a moment, then looked toward the enormous venue of the Interastral Tournament Festival, looking at the arena platform in the center and the crowds moving everywhere.
He imagined that scene for a moment. Fighting others in a roaring arena, then taking first place. The spotlights would make him the center of the entire venue, and the audience would erupt with thunderous cheers.
'Too... too... too terrifying!'
Nero couldn't help shrinking back. He pressed his lips together, his entire face instantly turning red, and he looked like steam was puffing out of him with "huff huff" sounds.
"N-no way... I don't want to join the tournament. I... I'm fine just being a normal player... I... ugh..."
Giovanni nodded from the side and followed March's words, "Indeed. Judging from the strength of that Aether Spirit just now, I believe winning the championship in this festival would not be difficult for Boss Nero."
"Even afterward, it would probably be hard to find another Aether Spirit like it.
"I have a feeling that if Boss Nero participates in this Interastral Tournament Festival, this event will definitely become the liveliest and most beloved festival in history among players."
"After all, such a rare and powerful Aether Spirit is extremely difficult to see."
"No!" Nero refused very decisively. "I'm not competing. Absolutely not competing!"
"If Boss Nero is unwilling to participate, then there's nothing we can do..." Giovanni said.
March still wanted to say something, but Stelle pulled her back.
Stelle shook her head at March and said, "Stop bullying him. If Nero doesn't want to go, then he doesn't have to."
March immediately argued back, "What do you know? Didn't you see Nero's expression just now? Not only did you not help take pictures, you even stopped me..."
Stelle, "...!?"
After a round of arguing and pulling each other around, March still failed to convince Nero to participate, though she did manage to secretly take quite a few photos.
Still, although Nero didn't plan to compete, March and Stelle were preparing to participate. Afterward, Eric gave the Aether Coin without any markings connected to its original owner to Stelle and March.
Giovanni didn't say much about this matter. After all, trading and raising were also part of the game.
Nero did not personally participate in Aetherium Wars battles, but he still provided help to March and Stelle.
In later Aetherium Wars events, if players lost a battle and challenged again, they would receive Nero's help and could choose to let Falcorez join their team.
Of course, not making Falcorez work and continuing the challenge themselves was also possible.
Whether or not to accept the help depended entirely on the players themselves.
Back to the main topic. After receiving the coin Eric gave them, Stelle and March released it first under Giovanni's suggestion, and then obtained a Trotter.
When Stelle saw the Trotter Aether Spirit, her hand inevitably twitched.
She had already seen plenty of creatures like Trotters.
After the incident at the space station where she and Nero hunted Trotters together and got Stellar Jades, Stelle and Nero would almost start a "Trotter cleansing operation" every time they arrived somewhere new.
Very quickly, Stelle let out a long breath, 'That was close. Really close.'
She almost reflexively pulled out her bat.
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