NOVEL NEXT Chapter 144: Nanook's Seed
In the lobby of the Goethe Hotel.
"Everyone's rooms have been arranged," Orion said, handing over three room cards. "Tomorrow morning at nine, I will come to pick you up."
"It's so late, won't you join us for dinner?" March 7th warmly invited.
"Thank you, but I still have matters to report to the Supreme Guardian," Orion politely declined. "Everyone, get some rest."
After watching them enter their rooms, Orion turned to leave. However, he stopped in front of a door. The corridor was quiet. He stood there, not knocking, just quietly looking at the closed door.
The Express crew has arrived... Finally, it can begin.
The Golden Threads vibrated in his perception, clearly transmitting the scene inside—the gray-haired girl was crouching in the wardrobe, peeking out through a tiny gap. How... naive.
His gaze penetrated the door, as if he could see the Stellaron coexisting with her. He slowly raised his hand, his fingertips touching the doorknob.
Inside the room, Stelle suddenly felt an inexplicable chill. She subconsciously hugged her arms, her heart pounding.
Outside, Orion's fingers tightened, then relaxed. Then, he withdrew his hand and turned to leave. He wasn't foolish; he wouldn't kill the goose that lays the golden eggs. He would rely on the Express crew to leave Belobog. Besides, there was another Stellaron waiting for him.
He pushed open the hotel door. Belobog had another Stellaron.
Everwinter Hill, the forbidden land.
Orion walked through the thick snow. The deeper he went, the lower the temperature. Dense rows of Antimatter Legion soldiers were eternally frozen here, their expressions ferocious. Finally, he saw it: a massive mechanical device on the mountop, with a fist-sized crystal slowly revolving at its center. The Stellaron containment unit.
Useless.
This so-called unit couldn't contain the Stellaron's power at all. It was still active, still tempting everyone who approached it.
"Give up... Embrace the blessing... Let Belobog usher in a new life..." a low murmur sounded in Orion's ear. "You crave power... I can feel it... Come on... accept me..."
Orion listened quietly, then smiled. "New world? How... ridiculous."
The next moment, his palm violently pierced through the containment unit's shell! His hand grabbed the Stellaron, forcefully pulling it out. Terrifying, pure, violent energy surged into his body!
This energy, deadly to others, flowed freely within him, thanks to his [Lord Ravager] entry.
"This is the feeling..." A crazed smile appeared on Orion's face. He could feel the power surging through his veins. Then, he did something crazy—he pressed the Stellaron against his chest!
The golden Stellaron met no resistance and directly merged into his body. At the moment of contact, all of Orion's muscles trembled.
Pain? No, it was ecstasy!
[Detecting Stellaron merging into host body...]
[Fusion successful!]
[Ding! Congratulations, host, for acquiring the entry[Stellaron (Gold)]!]
[Entry Effect: A complete Stellaron resides within the host, granting immense power. If the host dies, the Stellaron will explode uncontrollably, capable of destroying surrounding planets.]
Power surged wildly within him. Orion knelt on one knee, panting heavily. Gradually, the violent energy began to subside, tamed, becoming a part of himself. He stood up and clenched his fists, an unprecedented sense of power filling his entire being.
[Detecting that the host has acquired the first Stellaron!]
[Do you wish to upgrade the entry[Lord Ravager]to Gold quality?]
"Upgrade!" Orion didn't hesitate.
[Congratulations, host! The entry[Lord Ravager (Purple)]has been successfully upgraded to[Lord Ravager (Gold)]!]
[Entry Effect: The ultimate path of Destruction. You stand on the threshold of becoming a Lord Ravager, just one step away from ascending.]
The moment the entry upgrade was completed—the entire planet of Jarilo-VI trembled!
In the depths of the distant void, a pair of golden eyes cast their gaze. That was the gaze of the Aeon of Destruction—Nanook! He felt it. On this remote, ice-bound planet, an extremely special existence had been born. A... seed that would soon become a new Lord Ravager.
The golden pupils locked onto Belobog, onto Everwinter Hill, onto the black-haired young man.
At this moment, Orion felt an unprecedented pressure. It was the gaze from an Aeon, an existence that transcended all. Under such a gaze, he was like an ant under a microscope.
But he did not submit. Instead, Orion raised his head, looking directly into the void, a provocative smile on his face.
"Watch me... Nanook. The seed you personally sowed may not bloom into the flower you desire."
In just an instant, the Aeon's gaze receded. But Orion knew that from this day onward, he had been remembered by Destruction. He turned and left Everwinter Hill as the now-empty containment unit behind him let out a final mournful wail and ceased operation.
[Inorin Note:
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