The chaotic perceptions receded like the tide, and fragments of consciousness pieced themselves back together, coalescing into a complete “I.” Mercy…
was awake.
The first thing she felt was not the sensation of a body, but a power of unprecedented scale flooding every inch of her “existence.” It flowed like dark-golden magma through her veins (if she still had them), slow and powerful, carrying a heart-stopping aura of destruction, yet it lay docile and dormant, as if awaiting her command.
This power was utterly different from her original [Martial Artist] energy and the balanced, harmonious energy of the system.
It was violent, searing, and represented ultimate finality.
So this was the power of the Path of Destruction?
And at this magnitude…
She “opened” her eyes.
Perhaps not in the physical sense, but an extension of her perception.
What greeted her “vision” was a vast and desolate cosmic vista.
She was floating in the boundless void, and directly ahead was a red giant star of indescribable scale.
It had already entered its red giant phase, swollen to its maximum volume.
Slow, massive plasma currents churned across its surface, like the dying heartbeat of a colossal heart, radiating the mournful glow of an approaching end.
Its light fell upon her, but she felt almost no warmth.
Only the overwhelming, desolate vastness of the universe.
“Where…
am I?” A thought arose naturally.
She tried to move, and a strange sensation followed.
She did have a “body,” one composed of energy and spirit, resembling the adult form she had taken in her final battle, but more solid and seemingly unaffected by the vacuum.
She even instinctively raised her hand to rub her invisible “eyes.” This motion made her more acutely aware of the surging destruction energy within her.
It was so abundant, so powerful, as if with a single thought she could tear apart stars and incinerate galaxies.
Based on the forcibly implanted understanding of the Path of Destruction, and the scale of this power…
she, Mercy, had apparently and inexplicably become an Emanator of Destruction.
In other words…
one of those dreaded “Lord Ravagers” of the Antimatter Legion?
The identity shift was almost too theatrical.
One moment she was a hero fighting to the death against the Legion to protect her family, and the next she was a high-ranking officer of the destruction faction?
If Gopher Wood, or Robin and Sunday, ever found out…
A wave of complex emotions washed over her at the thought, but was soon diluted by a newfound curiosity and a sense of…
restless anticipation.
After all, power itself was neither good nor evil; it all depended on how it was used.
And becoming a Lord Ravager seemed to also mean she now had the capital to move freely through the universe, even to set plans in motion from the shadows.
With a thought, a system panel visible only to her unfurled before her eyes, glowing with a soft light.
The interface remained simple, with the familiar [Free Daily Shop] at its core.
Just as she was about to check what had been refreshed today, a glimmer of light projected from the panel and coalesced into a clear holographic projection before her.
It was Daria, the system spirit, with her white hair, amethyst eyes, and clutching a rabbit-like plush toy.
“Oh?
You’re awake?” Daria’s small face wore its usual hint of tsundere pride, her arms crossed as she floated in midair.
Mercy blinked in surprise.
“Eh?
I thought you couldn’t manifest like this before?” She remembered that Daria had only ever spoken to her directly in her mind.
Daria pouted, her tone carrying a hint of disdain.
“That was because you barely had enough energy to maintain your own form back then, let alone support my holographic projection.
Now though…
hmph, you barely meet the standard.
Stupid host.” Mercy understood.
It seemed that becoming an Emanator had its practical benefits.
Even the system spirit could manifest physically now.
She smiled, unfazed by Daria’s sharp tongue, and turned her attention back to the shop section of the system panel.
Today’s three free items had already refreshed: [A Bag of Random-Flavored Pop Rocks] (Note: Lets you experience the thrill of a flavor explosion on your tongue, even in the vacuum of space.) [Indestructible Hair Tie] (Note: A cosmic-grade accessory for tying up your hair.
But what use is that to you in your current energy-body form?) [One-Time Universal Cleaning Cloth] (Note: Instantly removes any non-rule-level stain.
Maybe you can use it to wipe off the destruction-energy soot that’s darkened your soul a bit?) Mercy’s lip twitched slightly.
As expected, the shop’s style remained reliably “helpful.” She habitually stored the three items in her system’s inventory and asked casually, “Daria, is my current situation…
safe?
What should I do next?
I can’t just keep floating around this red giant forever.” “Of course not.” Daria rolled her eyes with an exaggerated air.
“Do you think you’re space junk?
As for safety…
it’s fine for now, as long as you don’t go provoking any older Aeons or Emanators.
As for what’s next…” Daria paused and waved her small hand.
A golden light flickered on the panel, solidifying into an old-fashioned ticket that radiated faint spatial fluctuations.
“This is the reward from that ultimate mission ‘With Myself as Fuel’—[Astral Express Single-Use Group Ticket (Luxury Compartment Edition)].
Do you want to use it?
In theory, it can teleport you and designated targets directly to the vicinity of the Astral Express, or to a recorded stop.” “The Astral Express?” Mercy’s eyes lit up.
That was the place she had “ridden” countless times in her previous life while playing the game, a place full of adventure and warmth.
Meeting Himeko, Welt Yang, March 7th, and Dan Heng in person seemed like a good option.
But then another thought surfaced, tinged with mischief and curiosity.
“Wait, Daria.
I’m technically a Lord Ravager now, right?
Shouldn’t I go report to the Antimatter Legion headquarters, or to one of the other Lords, to get acquainted?
I remember…
from the original story, that ‘Celenova’ lady was supposed to be quite beautiful!” A glimmer of anticipation, typical of a “gamer and anime enthusiast,” shone in her eyes.
Daria stared at her expressionlessly, then slowly, deliberately, asked, “And what about your adorable little sister Robin, whose voice can soothe the soul, who’s still waiting for you in Penacony?
What about her?” “Uh…” The anticipation on Mercy’s face froze instantly.
Then she clenched her fist and flashed a grin that was both “greedy” and utterly unapologetic.
“I want both!
I want to see Celenova, and I want to pick up Robin too!
Only kids make choices!” “Fine, fine.
Your two-timing mentality is thoroughly consistent.” Daria face-palmed, her expression saying, “I knew this was coming.” “But I should warn you, although the destruction energy inside you is under your control, its essential nature isn’t fully compatible with the ‘Trailblaze’ that the Astral Express represents.
In fact, they may actively repel each other.
Showing up unannounced could cause unnecessary trouble and suspicion.
And, you’re a Lord Ravager now.
Even without any hostile intent, your very existence would register as a massive threat to the Express crew.” Mercy thought it over and agreed that Daria had a point.
If she just showed up at the Express now, she’d likely be unable to explain herself and might end up being treated as an intruder and attacked.
Better to play it safe.
“Alright, alright.
I’ll use the ticket for now.
Floating around this red giant isn’t going anywhere.
It feels like I’m keeping this dying star company in its grave,” Mercy decided.
“A wise choice.” Daria nodded, then added with a serious tone, “But I suggest you move away from this red giant before using the ticket.” “Why?
This gravity is nothing to me now, right?” Mercy felt the space around her.
Though the red giant’s gravity was immense, it had a negligible effect on an Emanator.
“You might be fine,” Daria said, pointing at the ticket.
“But the Astral Express might not be.
When the ticket activates, it forms a temporary spatial passage.
The gravitational field around a red giant is extremely distorted, making the spatial structure unstable.
If the passage gets disrupted, it could send the Express or you to some strange place.
Like the star’s core.
Or inside a black hole’s event horizon.
That would be quite the joke.
You, as a Destruction Emanator, might survive, but the Express and everyone on it?
Not so much.” Mercy was startled and quickly nodded.
“Good point, good point!
I didn’t think of that.
Let’s get out of this area first.” With that, she focused her will, trying to move her body away from the red giant.
However, she underestimated how poorly she could control her new power.
BOOM—!
A massive surge of dark-golden energy, like an uncontrolled flood, erupted from her body.
It wasn’t aimed at any specific target, but instead fanned out in a wide cone ahead of her.
The energy distorted space where it passed, creating ripples.
This torrent of destruction slammed into the distant red giant.
Though the distance was immense and the energy wasn’t enough to truly destroy a star, it still triggered a violent disturbance on the red giant’s surface.
A huge area of the star’s surface flared with an unnatural, dazzling gold-red glow.
Enormous solar flares and prominences erupted, like the star’s painful convulsions, ejecting massive amounts of matter and energy.
Mercy stared in disbelief at the chaos she had “casually” caused.
She quickly reined in her power and looked sheepishly at Daria, who was equally speechless.
“I…
I didn’t mean to,” Mercy said in a small voice.
“This new power…
is a bit hard to control…” Daria sighed.
“It looks like before you use that ticket, you’ll need to learn how to finely control the destruction energy inside you.
Otherwise, I’m afraid you might accidentally ‘injure’ the Express.
That would be the ultimate cosmic joke.
The new Lord Ravager’s debut performance: attempted destruction of the Astral Express.” Mercy stuck out her tongue, realizing the gravity of the problem.
She didn’t want to hurt anyone because she couldn’t control her power, especially not potential future companions.
“Alright, I’ll practice first,” Mercy said, taking a deep breath (even though she didn’t need to).
She began to seriously sense the dark-golden torrent of destruction within her, trying to guide and restrain it, just as she had once controlled her [Martial Artist] energy, making it an extension of her will.
She hovered in the silent void, the distant red giant still violently active from her earlier “mistake.” Its deep red glow enveloped her, illuminating the focused, slightly troubled expression on her profile.
Becoming a Lord Ravager brought not just power, but also the corresponding responsibility and the challenge of control.
Beside her, the system spirit Daria floated quietly, clutching her rabbit plush toy, supervising the first-ever control lesson of history’s most “unconventional” Lord Ravager.
The journey to the Astral Express would have to wait a little longer.