Herta Space Station.
Kai and Dan Heng soon located the missing Arlan.
After swiftly eliminating the Voidrangers surrounding him, they escorted him back and reunited him with March 7th and Stelle.
Before long, the group was only a short distance from the Master Control Zone.
At the entrance to the Master Control Zone.
Asta stood near the sealed doors and anxiously watched the corridor outside.
Kai had vanished shortly after the Antimatter Legion began its invasion.
Not long afterward, all contact with Arlan had also been lost.
The Astral Express crew had now rescued Arlan and confirmed that his injuries were not serious.
There was still no news about Kai.
Kai was an Emanator.
Logically, Asta knew there was little reason to worry about her.
Even so, Kai had been missing for so long that Asta could not stop herself from imagining the worst.
What if something had happened to her?
Several figures appeared in the corridor while Asta was lost in those thoughts.
She looked up.
Her worried expression immediately brightened.
It was the Astral Express crew.
More importantly, Kai was with them.
Asta opened the doors and hurried outside.
She waved enthusiastically.
“Over here.”
March ran toward her while speaking quietly.
“Lead Researcher Asta came out to welcome us personally.”
“That is surprisingly enthusiastic.”
“Is it really safe for her to stand outside like this?”
A deafening roar suddenly echoed above them.
A colossal figure swept through the station like a living shadow.
It moved at tremendous speed and flew directly toward Asta.
“A Doomsday Beast.”
“Asta, watch out.”
The others were too far away to intervene.
All they could do was shout a warning.
Asta saw the creature and immediately ran back toward the entrance.
She was still far too slow.
The Doomsday Beast crashed onto the passageway in front of her.
Its enormous left fist rose above her and descended with the power of Destruction.
Asta stared at the massive fist as it drew closer.
Fear tightened around her chest.
She carried several protective devices provided by her family.
Unfortunately, she had never studied how they worked.
She had no idea whether they could withstand a direct strike from a Doomsday Beast.
A streak of icy blue light flashed past everyone.
Stelle’s eyes widened.
“What in the stars was that?”
The Doomsday Beast froze.
A moment later, its entire body dissolved into a thin trail of smoke.
Kai now stood between Asta and the vanished creature.
Stelle grabbed both sides of her head.
“She defeated it in one hit.”
“That was not a fight.”
“That was a deletion.”
Her mouth remained open as she stared at Kai.
March covered her own mouth in disbelief.
Sparkle was this powerful.
She had eliminated a Doomsday Beast instantly.
Dan Heng remained silent.
After awakening the power of Imbibitor Lunae, he could defeat such a creature as well.
He simply could not erase one with a single effortless attack.
Kai was even stronger than he had estimated.
Kai brushed her hands together and glanced at the spot where the Doomsday Beast had disappeared.
Then she gave a satisfied hum.
That creature had dared to attack her wealthy bestie.
It had chosen extinction.
Kai immediately turned around and helped Asta rise.
Her expression filled with concern.
“Asta, are you all right?”
“That Doomsday Beast actually tried to hurt you.”
“How unforgivable.”
“I am fine.”
“Thank you, Kai.”
Asta held Kai’s hand and gave her an enthusiastic thumbs-up.
“You were amazing.”
Dan Heng and the others finally reached them.
March heard the name Asta had used and stopped abruptly.
“Wait.”
“What did you call her?”
“She told us her name was Sparkle.”
Asta looked at March in confusion.
“Sparkle.”
“Her name is Kai.”
March stared at Kai.
“Kai.”
“The Emanator of Elation who destroyed the IPC headquarters.”
She retreated several steps.
Dan Heng’s expression became serious.
He moved slightly ahead of March and Stelle, shielding them with his body.
That explained why Kai had transformed into Blade to torment him.
The unmistakable presence of Elation surrounding her now made perfect sense.
She had to be associated with the Masked Fools.
Most members of that organization treated common sense as an optional inconvenience.
They would do almost anything for entertainment.
Kai was not merely one of them.
She was an Emanator who had recently reduced part of the IPC headquarters to rubble.
Every possible warning sign had gathered in one person.
It was impossible to predict what kind of outrageous disaster she might create next.
Stelle was not paying attention.
Her gaze had become completely fixed upon a nearby trash can.
It was magnificent.
Its shape was flawless.
Its lid possessed an irresistible mystery.
She desperately wanted to search through it.
Asta noticed the others’ apprehension and quickly tried to reassure them.
“You do not need to worry.”
“Kai is nothing like the person described in that wanted notice.”
“She is my bestie.”
“She is incredibly kind.”
…
Silence followed.
Dan Heng, March, and Stelle looked at her.
A six-star Light Cone could have been created from the moment.
Only Silence.
Kind.
Was destroying the IPC headquarters supposed to count as kindness?
She was transforming into Blade and nearly forcing Dan Heng to reveal his hidden power, another example of her kindness.
Asta could not honestly expect them to believe that.
Arlan stepped beside Asta and supported her claim.
“It is true.”
“Miss Kai has treated Lead Researcher Asta very well.”
“Since Kai arrived, Asta has been smiling much more often.”
“She even volunteered to take Peppy for a walk.”
“Peppy used to be rather mischievous.”
“After spending time with Kai, he became remarkably obedient.”
Somewhere nearby, Peppy trembled.
Of course, he was obedient.
None of them understood what he had experienced.
He was only an innocent little dog.
Why had he been forced to confront a woman that terrifying.
She had even fed him peanuts.
The group remained unconvinced.
Asta hurriedly added another argument.
“Kai is also a close friend of Madam Herta.”
“They have an excellent relationship.”
“I even saw them hugging.”
“If Kai were truly as dangerous as the IPC claims, Madam Herta would never allow her to get that close.”
That explanation carried considerably more weight.
Even Herta considered Kai a friend.
Perhaps the IPC’s report had exaggerated what happened.
The corporation deliberately manipulating public opinion to protect its reputation would hardly be unprecedented.
Maybe Kai truly was not as dangerous as they had assumed.
Dan Heng and March gradually relaxed.
Then, March remembered something.
She pointed at Kai with an offended expression.
“So you deliberately kissed me earlier.”
Kai blinked.
March had actually connected the clues.
Perhaps she was becoming more perceptive.
Kai playfully stuck out her tongue and winked.
“Hehe.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“I am sorry.”
“You were simply too adorable.”
“Kai lost control for a moment.”
March tried to maintain her anger.
“Even then, you cannot simply.”
She paused.
Kai had called her adorable.
March’s irritation disappeared.
“All right.”
“I forgive you.”
A sweet smile immediately spread across her face.
Kai had called her adorable.
That changed everything.
March turned toward Dan Heng.
“I do not think she seems like a bad person.”
Dan Heng stared at her.
If March was happy, that was apparently all that mattered.
For one brief moment, he had believed she had become more perceptive.
He had been mistaken.
Kai observed March’s reaction with quiet satisfaction.
March was remarkably easy to handle.
A single compliment was all it took.
Hehe.
Asta listened to their conversation.
An unfamiliar sour feeling appeared inside her chest.
Kai had kissed someone else.
Asta also wanted Kai to kiss her.
She immediately froze.
What was she thinking?
Heat rushed into her face.
Before anyone could notice, Asta turned away and began walking toward the entrance.
“Everyone, let us return to the Master Control Zone.”
No one objected.
They followed her through the doors.
Kai immediately linked her arm through Asta’s.
The two looked at each other and smiled as they walked together.
At the back of the group, Arlan watched them with a quiet smile.
“It has been a long time since Asta looked this happy.”
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Save to library!