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From her elevated position, Cocolia surveyed the crowd below. Behind her, a colossal black-golden ancient robot—seemingly immense beyond measure—rose majestically.
If the Doomsday Beast stood nearly a hundred meters tall,
then this Creation Engine surpassed that height by far.
As such a massive machine moved, the ground trembled incessantly, even affecting the wind and snow, intensifying their fury significantly.
However...
None of this concerned Bochang.
The moment "Dating Options" activated, everything around him froze.
Two choices were presented before his eyes.
Bochang momentarily hesitated.
The BGM skill did appear quite impressive at first glance.
But...
Compared to the power of twelve talismans, it fell significantly short.
Bochang decided on Option One.
Watching as the world around him resumed its motion once again.
Bochang retrieved a bottle of Jim Rogers Bread-flavored Soda from the system space, ignoring Bronya's puzzled gaze. He opened it, took a sip, then tucked the bottle back into his coat pocket, shouting loudly, "March! Get ready to take a photo!"
"Huh?" Initially taken aback, March 7th noticed Bochang raising his hands and suddenly realized what he intended to do. "Alright, Bochang, remember to aim carefully."
With that, March 7th turned around, facing away from the Creation Engine, held up her camera, and struck a peace sign pose.
A sweet smile graced her face.
Bronya internally sighed, thinking, "These guys... aren't they being too casual? Do they think we're on a picnic? The situation is clearly dangerous..."
Bochang raised his hands, aiming at the Creation Engine, forming a flower-like gesture with his fingers. As he slowly pushed his palms forward,
flames began to gather at their centers.
Reaching maximum extension,
In the next moment...
"Explode!"
A pillar of crimson flames shot forth from between his palms.
Starting as a pinpoint, it rapidly expanded to over three feet wide, completely obstructing Bochang's view.
Fortunately, he had already aimed beforehand, ensuring there was no risk of missing.
Cocolia, expecting a spectacle, felt a terrifying wave of heat brush past her just seconds later. Even the edge of her billowing dress caught fire due to the intense heat emanating from the flame column.
Her purple pupils contracted sharply.
Cocolia shuddered with fear, realizing... if that blast had been directed at her,
she would have perished moments ago.
There was no escape.
This attack was simply too swift to evade.
"Boom!"
The newly risen Creation Engine, preparing for its assault, was struck squarely in the chest by Bochang's Dragon Blast. A torrent of flames instantly engulfed it.
From the epicenter, flames spread nearly a hundred meters outward, accompanied by deafening explosions.
It resembled a dazzling fireworks display.
A mushroom cloud ascended, dispersing the surrounding wind and snow with its turbulent gusts. Even the perpetually overcast sky briefly cleared up, allowing sunlight to illuminate the earth below.
The force of the blast pushed Bochang back a step.
Fortunately, they were no longer confined within the tight quarters of the Herta Space Station.
Otherwise...
Both Bochang, Stelle, March 7th, and everyone else would have undoubtedly been swept away by this gale.
Bronya squinted, shielding her eyes with one hand as the fierce wind made it impossible to see clearly. She could only maintain this defensive posture.
Honestly, for a moment... she feared being lifted off her feet.
Thankfully, Bronya's quick reflexes saved her. Just in time, she plunged her bayonet-equipped rifle into the ground and utilized her fate path's power to resist being blown away. Despite this, the relentless wind still stung her cheeks painfully.
"What...is going on with this guy?!" Bronya was filled with astonishment.
Such an attack didn't seem remotely humanly possible.
If unleashed in Belobog, it could likely obliterate half the city instantly—perhaps even the entire town.
As the gale subsided, Bronya finally managed to assess the situation outside. Her eyes widened, unable to locate her mother, Cocolia, in the sky.
Instead, she spotted the Creation Engine with a massive hole in its chest, flickering incessantly with sparks.
The ancient machine's colossal frame appeared unable to sustain itself any longer.
It swayed unsteadily before collapsing.
Golden lights blinked intermittently across its body.
"He took down the ancient machine...with just one strike?" A chill ran through Bronya's body. "No wonder they're treating this so casually; for them...this truly is just a leisurely outing..."
The impact staggered March 7th, causing her to eventually fall on her backside. Rubbing her sore posterior, she stood up and grumbled, "Why does your Explosion keep getting more powerful... Hey, wait, don't collapse like that..."
As she noticed the black-haired youth's body going limp, almost falling like a lifeless dog, March 7th rushed forward.
However, before she could reach him,
Stelle swiftly extended her arms, catching Bochang and cradling him in her embrace. March 7th halted in her tracks.
"Rewards being distributed—Congratulations! You have obtained the power of the Mouse Talisman."
Upon hearing the system's announcement, Bochang felt a surge of excitement.
Mouse Talisman?
This meant Bochang could bring all his favorite figurines to life, just imagining it sent chills down his spine.
Unfortunately, this world lacked the figurines from his original universe, as well as his beloved anime characters.
"If I use it on one of Herta's dolls... what fascinating things might happen?"
"Bochang, have you exhausted your strength again?" Stelle gazed at the black-haired youth cradled in his arms with golden eyes. Coming back to his senses, Bochang nodded.
"Then rest for now; leave the rest to us," Stelle reassured him.
Dan Heng approached, long spear in hand, and added, "Yes, defeating that ancient machine was more than enough."
Bochang glanced briefly at the stoic little azure dragon.
"Mm-hmm."
"Don't ignore me, hey!" March 7th stamped her foot nearby.
Bochang acknowledged both Stelle and Dan Heng but deliberately ignored her response. It was all too typical for the pink-haired girl to react this way.
Looking at March 7th, Bochang said, "Don't worry, let's discuss these matters... after we finish the battle."
Upon hearing his explanation, the pink-haired girl, who had been pouting, felt somewhat mollified.
Meanwhile... just outside the rift, Serval and Sampo witnessed the Creation Engine rise only to be toppled by a single blast shortly after emerging.
"What happened?"
Despite being at a considerable distance, both Sampo and Serval were still affected by the raging storm.
The fierce winds and snow even triggered an avalanche outside, narrowly missing them.
The corner of the blue-haired man's mouth twitched as he replied, "You ask me? How would I know... Regardless, we just need to head in that direction."
Serval glanced sidelong at Sampo.
Not long ago, this fellow had found her within the Silvermane Guard Restricted Zone, claiming he could help them locate Stellaron together.
Serval initially didn't trust Sampo at all. She even considered summoning the Silvermane Guards to apprehend him.
However...
Sampo showed no fear whatsoever. After his persuasive speech, Serval was swayed and ultimately decided to join him in searching for Stellaron.
Thus, they ended up here.