Absolutely legitimate Star Iron, I've awakened the Underworld System?

Bai Qiong remembered—wasn't this part of the story from Shiluva's companion quest, "Just a Child"?

How did I end up here?

At this moment, Bai Qiong was somewhat confused.

March 7th grumbled in dissatisfaction, "This thing is so noisy! Can a Rift Creation really mutter to itself?"

She tugged at Bai Qiong's sleeve. "Tell me, when are we going to make our move? I'm about to fall asleep."

Turning earnestly to Pella and Hilva beside her, she asked, "Is White Dome ignoring March 7's complaints, because you can't hear it either?"

Pera paused slightly, then shook her head. "Speak? I only heard a jumble of noise, like a broken radio..."

She paused, then, as if struck by a sudden thought, looked sharply at Bai Qiong. "Wait a minute—can you understand her language?"

Bai Qiong nodded, confirming Pella's guess. "She's repeating your name, Hiluva." Hiluva's face turned pale instantly; she bit her lip, her eyes filled with pain.

"Cocolia, is that you?!"

"You're like a persistent ghost," Hiluva's voice trembled slightly, as if suppressing some intense emotion. "I've tried everything to forget what happened before, but you always find a way to get back into my sight..."

"Cocolia, you... bastard! First you stopped my research, and now you're trying to ruin my life... What else do you want to take from me?!"

Hilva seemed to have lost control of her emotions, and she roared at the Guardian's Shadow, her voice echoing in the empty corridor.

Seeing this, Pera quickly stepped forward, trying to calm Shiluva down, "Shiluva, calm down! It's just data!"

Although it's unclear how the data copied by Ether could produce this thing, since the company claims to have seen all kinds of creatures and can record them in Ether coins, recording a Great Guardian isn't impossible.

I wonder if this ether copying technology can record life forms at the Envoy level?

Bai Qiong was making wild guesses in his mind.

Hiluva wasn't listening to Pera at all. She shook her head, her eyes filled with confusion, "Was all that time we spent together... just a lie?"

"You left so gracefully... Don't you realize you still owe me an explanation?!"

Hiluva's voice grew louder and louder, almost a roar.

Seeing that Hilva was becoming increasingly agitated, Pella quickly raised her voice. "Calm down, Hilva! I know you want a response from Lord Cocolia."

"But this thing before us... it's just our enemy, merely data fabricated by ether! You won't find the answers in it!"

Pera tried to rouse Hiluva with a rational voice. Upon hearing this, Hiluva suddenly calmed down. She took a deep breath and slowly said, "Ha, you don't need to comfort me, Pera. I'm very clear-headed. I know what I'm doing."

Her gaze hardened again, as if she had made up her mind.

"Since we've come this far..."

Hilva turned to look at White Sky, her eyes gleaming with unwavering determination. "White Sky, let me become your ethereal spirit. Let's settle our old scores here and now!"

Bai Qiong looked into Xiluwa's determined eyes and knew she had made her decision. He nodded and said without hesitation, "Alright, since you've said so."

He knew that Shiluwa needed an opportunity, a chance to say goodbye to the past.

"Topa, is it alright if Miss Shiluva wants to join?" Bai Qiong asked Topa.

"Hmph, hmph!"

After receiving Toppa's permission, Shirakyo took a deep breath and tossed the coin toward Hiluva.

The coin traced an arc in the air before landing precisely on Hiluva.

The moment it touched Silva, the coin emitted a dazzling light, enveloping Silva within it.

In the eyes of others, Shiluwa has changed.

Hilva, who had been standing before everyone, had now transformed into a humanoid mech. The mech was painted primarily purple with sleek lines, wielding a chainsaw sword, and the turbine on its back vibrated gently, as if it were ready to charge up at any moment.

"This is..." March 7th said, somewhat surprised. Isn't this the Automaton Ruler Wolf?

In a sense, this is also a rare ethereal spirit, only it exists in the White Dome.

Chapter Sixty-Seven: Bronya, Her Beautiful Feet! (4.8K)

In the original game setting, Cocolia was a boss-level enemy, a level above other elite monsters.

Some elite monsters have already reached the level of overlord-level ethereal spirits.

Leader-level

Bai Qiong silently recited the words in his heart, a hint of excitement flashing in his eyes.

If you can recruit Cocolia as an Aether Spirit, your Aether Spirit national team will experience a qualitative leap.

I started with a legendary beast, I don't know how I could lose!

Cocolia's gaze swept over White Sky, Topa, and the Hilva mechs, finally settling on White Sky.

There was no emotional fluctuation in her eyes, as if she were simply examining an object.

Bai Qiong shivered under that cold gaze, and couldn't help but recall his final battle with Cocolia on the ancient battlefield of Beloberg, where he was stabbed by Cocolia and fell off the creation engine.

Although I knew I would obtain the Flame Spear and embark on the path of survival, the pain of being stabbed in the body was real.

Damn it, I'll stab it back in a minute!

The Cocolia created by the etheric code in front of him now looked almost identical to the real thing, incredibly lifelike.

Realistic is best!

Just as Bai Qiong was lost in thought, Cocolia's figure suddenly became somewhat blurry, like a holographic projection with an unstable signal, which could disappear at any moment.

"What's going on?" Bai Qiong was startled and quickly took a few steps back.

"Hmph!"

Toppa nervously stood in front of Shirakami, watching Cocolia warily.

"Buzzing... Ethereum data... Unstable."

"

Intermittent sounds also came from inside the Hiluva mech.

At the same time, a cold, mechanical notification sounded in Bai Qiong's mind.

"Ding!"

[Scanning in progress.]

[Incomplete data detected for the Ether Spirit "Cocolia". The host is reminded that more emotional stimulation is needed to complete its Etheric encoding.]

"Touched?"

Bai Qiong was taken aback, then understood what the system meant. "Does it mean we need to expose Cocolia to more memory information and refine her data before we can continue capturing her?"

The system did not respond again, but Bai Qiong knew that he had guessed correctly.

"Relying solely on Hilva... is no longer enough to evoke any more emotions in Cocolia."

Bai Qiong frowned as he looked at the dimly lit phantom of Cocolia.

A name suddenly appeared in Bai Qiong's mind.

"Oh, right, Bronya..."

As Cocolia's adopted daughter and once her closest confidante, perhaps she could help her.

"The situation has changed; let's go somewhere first."

Bai Qiong made a quick decision, using the Ether Coin to collect Topa and Shiluva, and turned to walk towards the exit deep within the Echoing Corridor.

"Where to?" March 7th asked.

"Kripper Castle, go find Bronya," Bai Qiong said without turning her head.

"Cripperburg"

March 7th blushed, immediately recalling the time she'd spilled water under Bronya's office chair...

At that time, she had just awakened some strange things, and her overall condition was worrying.

"Looking for Lady Bronya? Is there anything she can do to help? I remember she's been busy lately and hasn't had a chance to experience the game Aetherfronts yet." Pella was also a little confused.

“She might be… the key to making Cocolia ‘complete.’ Right now, Cocolia is incomplete and impossible to capture. Although Hilva’s appearance has made her memories clearer, it’s not enough!” Bai Qiong’s voice carried a hint of uncertainty, but more so a sense of determination.

Topa and Shiluva exchanged a glance. Although they didn't understand Bai Qiong's plan, they still chose to believe him.

The three left the Victory Park and headed towards Clifton.

Throughout the journey, Bai Qiong pondered how to persuade Bronya to help her.

After all, to Bronya, Cocolia was her most beloved mother, and yet she herself was about to use her mother's ethereal power, even in front of her...

cough cough.

While it's exciting, it's undoubtedly a form of blasphemy!

"I hope... Bronya can understand." Bai Qiong sighed, feeling somewhat uneasy. Kleberburg, administrative district.

Bronya sat at her desk, dealing with a mountain of documents. Since becoming the new High Protector of Belloborg, she had been constantly busy.

She, of course, had no chance to experience the Ether Front, which was currently all the rage in Belleburg.

"Great Guardian, Commander Pella, Miss March 7, and Mr. White Sky request an audience."

A guard entered the office and reported to Bronya.

"Mr. Bai Qiong, Miss March 7th?"

Bronya looked up, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes. "What are they doing here?"

Ever since Bellberg's creditor changed from the company to Bai Qiong, she's been a little afraid to face Bai Qiong, fearing that Bai Qiong will come to collect the debt, since Bellberg can't repay that debt now.