Awakening and Uprising

As she uttered those words, Little Nightingale seemed to be enduring something, a flush spreading from her cheeks all the way to her earlobes, her breathing growing increasingly rapid.

From the day she returned home, she had deliberately severed her visual connection with Luna, allowing darkness to envelop her.

Yet, having lost her sight once more, she was no longer as despondent or helpless as before.

In Little Nightingale’s world of perception, within a spherical area of nearly two meters centered around her, everything was projected onto her mind through the function of Spirit Vision.

The myriad characteristics of these things, reflected in her mind, encompassed visual forms, auditory states, and olfactory sensations.

As the output of her spiritual energy increased, so did the range and depth of her perception. It was akin to adding fuel to a lantern; the more vibrant the flame, the more darkness it was bound to dispel.

Though a hazy mist lay beyond her perceptive range, and maintaining Spirit Vision required immense physical and mental exertion, she persisted.

Drawing upon the wisdom of her predecessors, Little Nightingale diligently honed her consciousness. Each day, she pushed her spiritual energy to its absolute limit, often nearing collapse before succumbing to an unnatural, profound sleep.

Gradually, the Ming Yu who had existed only in her fantasies silently descended into her reality.

This was a Ming Yu that only Little Nightingale could perceive.

Her perceptive range was like a spiritual domain unique to her, and within this domain, her Ming Yu would remain, never to depart.

Never.

In that very moment, Little Nightingale yearned for Ming Yu to embrace her gently from behind, for Ming Yu’s delicate hands to caress her body. She longed for there to be no distance or barriers between them, for them to meet with unburdened honesty.

The real world could not acknowledge her desires, but her own virtual reality could fulfill her longing.

“Ming Yu, that tickles…”

A soft moan escaped her lips, echoing through the bathroom.

What kind of existence, then, was Ming Yu to her? Was she a gentle, caring elder, or… something more?

Faced with Ming Yu’s radiant beauty, Little Nightingale found herself unable to speak, burying certain unspoken thoughts deep within her heart.

It was like a Pandora’s Box, long sealed away. And at this moment, she had personally lifted the lid.

****

Star Ring Base, Sector 1.

A journey across the void had ushered in an unprecedented and earth-shattering upheaval for the political landscape of the Azure Sea United Nations.

A terrifying behemoth, vast enough to obscure the sky, hung high above the void.

Augu, bearing the mandate of heaven, strode proudly into the United Nations Congress, making one truth abundantly clear to politicians of all factions.

The Idealist faction, spearheaded by the psionicists, had taken the first decisive step.

“Augu, what did you just say?!”

“Dissolve the Congress and establish a higher-level authoritarian system? Do you even understand what you’re proposing? Are you aiming for a dictatorship?”

“Even if there have been breakthroughs in psionic theory, it’s no reason to change a system we’ve maintained for centuries!”

“He has a point, a very good point…”

“…”

The cacophony of voices and scattered discussions began to grate on Augu’s nerves.

He was old, and his sole wish was to accomplish something for the future of human civilization in the twilight of his life.

The democratic-republican system of government was a relic from centuries past. Now, only an immortal supreme leader, coupled with a highly centralized government, could most efficiently operate the machine known as “the nation” and fulfill humanity’s material and spiritual needs as they vied for dominance across the galaxy.

Even though that immortal leader had not yet appeared, Augu refused to abandon his ideal. He was determined to fundamentally change the status quo, to rewrite the history of civilization with the power bestowed by the gods.

From ancient times to the present, in every era, violence had served as the foundation for establishing and maintaining order.

Augu was, by nature, a ruthless politician; indifference and coldness were ingrained in his very being.

With but a thought, hundreds of psionicists from across the United Nations surged into the Congress Hall, instantly seizing control. Any who dared to resist would be summarily executed, their blood staining the ground where they fell.

Even a heavily armored composite brigade, facing a psionic legion composed of hundreds of high-ranking psionicists, would find the pinnacle of scientific technology to be mere playthings in the hands of spiritual power. If mechanized forces were so easily overwhelmed, then regular security units stood even less of a chance.

The farce that would determine the future of the Azure Sea United Nations concluded amidst a storm of curses.

“Augu, what happens next? Who will lead us? You?”

A politician who supported the Digital Life faction, clearly indignant, shouted out his challenge.

Although Augu had seized control of the Congress, he had not harmed these compliant “political enemies.” He afforded them a measure of dignity, merely restricting their personal freedom for the time being.

The challenging question reached his ears, and Augu shook his head, gazing at the young politician with a soft chuckle.

“No, not I. The only entity worthy of leading human civilization is the supreme deity, the Eternal Lord.”

“During the establishment of this new political system, the Divine Lord will issue a decree, informing us who is capable of bearing this great responsibility, of communing with the Void Realm, and building a bridge between the divine and the mortal.”

“All of you need only wait patiently. Rest assured, the future organs of power may well have a place for each of you.”

Augu casually dismissed the politician’s inquiry, swept his gaze around the hall, and then slowly departed the Congress.

Standing atop the grand staircase, he looked up at the colossal entity hanging in the starry sky, an entity that appeared ethereal yet possessed immense deterrent power.

According to the High Priest of the Temple, its name was ‘The Arbiter’.

In truth, Augu had no authority to command it; only the will of the future supreme leader could direct ‘The Arbiter’.

But where was this future supreme leader now?

The thought brought to Augu’s mind the silver-haired woman he had encountered in the Void Realm, whose terrifying accomplishments were enough to astound anyone.

Could it be her?

A psionicist from the Old World…

****

Across the azure expanse, several colossal ships cut through the waves, finally nearing the designated alert zone of Pharos.

Aboard were refugees from Dresa, desperate and with no other recourse. They had gambled their lives to cross vast oceans, hoping to find a home in Pharos.

While many such refugee fleets existed, this was the only one that was mere days away from its destination.

The people on board had pooled their funds to hire sea beast hunters. Several hunter teams patrolled the fleet’s vicinity in speedboats, neutralizing countless overt and hidden dangers and averting innumerable risks.

Everything had proceeded remarkably smoothly.

“I heard that the first few fleets to depart all ran into trouble. Hardly anyone survived the sea beasts. We’re truly fortunate…”

“Hah, if you ask me, it’s not luck. If we hadn’t hired those sea beast hunters, we’d almost certainly have met the same fate.”

“True. They’re S-rank hunters, famous throughout Dresa. It was worth every penny to hire ‘The Ultimate Hunter’ to escort us.”

“‘The Ultimate Hunter’ is excellent in every regard, and their physique is a sight to behold. It’s just that their temper is a bit peculiar…”

“Keep your voice down. Don’t speak carelessly, or you’ll invite trouble.”

“…”

On the heavy steamer, people gazed at the sea and sky, chatting and laughing amongst themselves. They remained completely oblivious to the underwater shadow rapidly approaching from the distance.

The profound shadow snaked forward, resembling a soaring dragon.