Regarding what Reveria was feeling.
The reactions from 'Saber' and Ruan i varied.
If anything, it was all a bit... upside down.
After all, the normal process involved practicing the Path first and obtaining power later—except for unique Path types like Propagation or Nihility. Every other Path followed that rule.
Even as a fallback, the Aeon would usually have to personally shove the power into you.
But now, thanks to the Elation Saint Graph that 'Saber' had tinkered with, it had beco a case of "boarding the train first and buying the ticket later."
Moreover, the power wasn't even sourced directly from an Aeon. It made the whole affair feel quite novel.
"This is an unexpected discovery. To gain power first, only to have that power influence the self in reverse..."
Ruan i recorded today's experintal data.
The power of Elation stimulated an individual's desire to pursue joy in this manner.
Was it because of the nature of Elation itself, or was this an inherent effect of Path power?
While Nihility exhibited similar phenona, Nihility was infectious by nature. Elation possessed no such quality.
'Saber' was also quite surprised.
After obtaining the power of Elation, her lifespan had increased significantly, yet no such impulses had been born within her.
Was it because Aha had given it to her directly? But was there really a big difference between getting it through a Saint Graph and having it stuffed into you by Aha? Or was there so other reason?
Unable to find a breakthrough for the mont, 'Saber' spoke up: "How does your body feel?"
"Um... no obvious sensations, but I think it feels a bit better?" Reveria said, sounding uncertain.
Although the Saint Graph rging into her body made her feel stronger, more energetic, and more ntally sharp, the Entropy Loss Syndro hadn't noticeably receded the way it did when joining a Swarm collective.
If she had to describe it, it just felt... more comfortable.
It left Reveria sowhat bewildered. To verify things, she decisively chose to disengage her armor.
As the armor retracted, the young girl landed on the ground in her familiar combat suit.
She took the initiative to place the testing equipnt against herself.
At the sa ti, she pulled a broken cara lens from her personal space, using it to observe the Entropy Loss monitoring device in detail.
"Co to think of it, I've liked observing the world through a lens like this since a long ti ago."
"That lens looks ancient. Is it even still working?" 'Saber' sized up the cara. It was very old, and if she recalled correctly, it was supposed to be broken.
Glancing down at the instrunt the lens was pointed at, the readings shifted constantly.
Based on the results, the symptoms of Entropy Loss were still occurring, but the severity had dropped significantly.
Clearly, the power of Elation was having a visible effect, though it wasn't enough to completely suppress the syndro.
Still, any effect was good news; at least it proved this research direction wasn't in vain.
One had to wonder, if Reveria could truly grasp a sliver of the "aning" of Elation, if the effects would beco even better.
Reveria didn't seem to have much of a reaction to the result.
Instead, she answered 'Saber''s question: "It was already broken when I found it. But for , it's not about recording anything. I just feel that by changing my perspective, everything feels completely different. It's the sa with these glasses."
Reveria reached up and pushed her red-frad glasses.
For a clone, physiological issues like nearsightedness or farsightedness that could affect combat naturally didn't exist.
'Saber' nodded and exchanged a look with Ruan i.
"As it stands, the power of Elation within the Saint Graph seems to be working. However, it's hard to say if actually pursuing Elation would truly suppress the Entropy Loss."
"If you want my advice, you can stay with the Swarm and wait a bit longer. Compared to Elation, things should be much simpler once I get my hands on the power of Permanence."
Given the current situation, now that the effectiveness of the Path Saint Graph was confird, she just needed to make a trip to the Fanghu to borrow so power from Xuanquan.
As for the Luofu's new High Elder... it wasn't out of the question, but she felt that actually going there to borrow power would be a huge hassle.
Since she didn't need specific remains or physical tissues to carry the power, many things beca much more convenient.
'Saber''s suggestion was sound, and Ruan i had no objections.
Besides, if they could actually secure a Saint Graph of Permanence, Ruan i could benefit as well by studying that ancient Path.
She wanted to see if the inability to reproduce normally was truly related to Propagation.
Reveria, looking a bit embarrassed, twirled one of her twin-tails resting on her shoulder.
"Would that be too much trouble for you...? You've done so much for , and I don't even know how to repay you. Plus... I'm actually a bit interested in the Path of Elation."
'Saber' didn't care much about the first half. It wasn't that big of a deal anyway, and besides, she was a white-haired beauty to boot.
What was wrong with showing a little care? If she hadn't missed the chance to rescue the Queen of Glamoth, she probably would have spirited the entire Iron Cavalry back ho.
But that second half...
"You're actually interested in Elation?? You're not going to beco a Masked Fool, are you?"
"Well... I know the reputation the Masked Fools have in the universe. I don't intend to beco a 'jester.' It's just... in the past, even after I left the Cavalry, I was still just drifting. I didn't know what I wanted or where I should go."
Reveria looked toward 'Saber'.
"Even this na was a gift from you. 'A slow boat, a lucid dream, weighing down the river of stars'... what a beautiful image. I too hope that one day, my beautiful dreams can truly adorn the starry sky."
Perhaps the Masked Fools were too flighty and chaotic, making the Path of Elation always seem so dangerous.
But Reveria felt it wasn't necessarily so.
Madam Bai Ming possessed such formidable power, yet she didn't co across as dangerous or a re prankster, did she? Even within Elation, there were groups like the Mourning Actors.
She wanted to try following that impulse in her heart—to give herself aning in this aningless world.
Just as Madam Bai Ming had bestowed upon her a na full of beautiful expectations, she wanted to bestow a aning of existence upon her own life.
Hearing her reasoning, 'Saber's' expression beca a bit complicated.
Well... how to put it? That kind of mindset was actually quite suited for the Astral Express.
The problem was that before Reveria could encounter the Express, she had been stuffed with a piece of Elation Saint Graph. She had encountered the power of Elation first.
Now, Elation was clearly exerting its influence, and Reveria wanted to follow the first "aning" she had co into contact with.
Under these circumstances, she couldn't exactly deny her or crush Reveria's subjective initiative.
"That's fine. It's a good thing to have your own thoughts. Let fix that cara for you."
'Saber' smiled and reached out, taking the salvaged cara.
The technology was quite standard, and the lens was old. However, it was an easy fix—the kind of thing the local Smart AI could iterate on with ease.
She spent a bit of ti repairing the cara while simultaneously observing the progress of the Entropy Loss Syndro.
At first, the syndro was progressing normally. The green patterns spreading across Reveria's body were expanding as expected.
But then, sothing strange happened. The Entropy Loss was taking effect slowly, making it look as though the symptoms were easing.
However, detailed testing revealed that the situation wasn't simply a matter of suppressing the syndro. It was another, very strange state.
The Entropy Loss itself was still functioning normally, but there was another force nding Reveria's existence at the sa ti the syndro took effect.
Because the efficiency of the nding couldn't keep up with the Entropy Loss, the outward state appeared as though the syndro was being suppressed.
Without a doubt, this nding force could only co from Elation.
Regardless of whether Reveria's thoughts were triggering this power or if Elation was acting on its own—hypothetically, if the nding efficiency of Elation could match or exceed the onset of the disease, then on the surface, one could indeed claim to be free from the danger of entropy.
But in reality, the Entropy Loss itself would still exist, uncured.
Upon reaching this conclusion, both Ruan i and 'Saber' wore subtle expressions.
It wasn't that it was ineffective. In fact, it was not only effective but potentially very useful. But the direction of its effect wasn't aid at the disease; it was aid at existence itself.
One didn't know whether to call it a perfect match or to say "that's so Elation." Even when it ca to curing a disease, it had to pull so kind of stunt.
"Even the way it takes effect is quite interesting. The Path of Elation truly lives up to its na." Ruan i, whether teasing or reflecting, stared at the test results for a long ti before putting them down.
"Yeah... but this ans that until we find other materials, it'll depend on Reveria's own efforts. Who knows, she might settle it herself before the Permanence Saint Graph is even finished."
"Perhaps that really will be the case," Ruan i agreed with a smile. When it ca to the Paths, anything was truly possible.
She returned the repaired cara to Reveria and explained the situation.
As the person involved, Reveria didn't seem to mind. Whether it was a radical cure or simply making up for her disappearing self, as long as it looked like she was cured, it was fine by her.
To that, 'Saber' could only say she was certainly an optimist.
"So... you're saying it's best if I follow the thoughts in my heart for now?"
"In theory, yes. Get your armor out; I'll add a monitoring system to it so you can track your own status more precisely."
"Oh, okay..." Reveria nodded and handed over the summoner, letting 'Saber' tinker with it as she pleased.
She felt a bit of excitent in her heart. She still didn't have a clear goal, but she had certainly found a reason to do sothing for herself.
To the side, Ruan i moved to add another system.
"The Glamoth Iron Cavalry belongs to the Swarm. Theoretically, if there are hidden bugs in your area, the pheromones you emit will attract them and wake them up. This system can help you neutralize those pheromones, rendering them ineffective."
Ruan i couldn't modify Path powers, but she could handle things on a material level.
The fact that being lonely caused one to release pheromones to call the Swarm—while rooted in the Path of Propagation and difficult to change at a fundantal logic level—involved pheromones that were physical matter. They could be dealt with.
"...I have a function like that?!" Reveria was startled.
Ever since realizing she belonged to the Swarm, she hadn't been without thoughts of whether she released pheromones or sothing similar.
But being called out so bluntly by Ruan i was still a bit shocking. It was that creeping realization that she was a "bug" that she found rather unpleasant.
Ruan i nodded relentlessly. "You do. So, if Bai Ming hadn't taken you away from Penacony back then, given the Swarm you encountered in the Asdana Star System, they definitely would have followed your pheromones and appeared in Penacony."
"..."
Reveria's heart skipped a beat. Penacony was so prosperous; if she had truly drawn the Swarm there because of herself, she would have found it very hard to forgive herself.
Furthermore, if that were the case, had she been able to travel to so many places safely before only because of good luck, never having been near a place where the Swarm was hidden?
Seeing this, 'Saber' reached out and patted Reveria's head. "Don't dwell on things that didn't happen. That hidden danger has been resolved now anyway, so you can travel with peace of mind from now on."
"Mhm... thank you." Reveria nodded, her face flushing slightly. The palm on her head was very warm and reassuring.
-- --
Reveria left for the ti being. The subsequent research didn't require her presence.
anwhile, 'Saber' took the opportunity to give her Saber-class Saint Graph a "super-enhancent."
Again, without a Holy Grail to worry about, as long as the Core could withstand it, she could fill in whatever stats she wanted.
For the sake of fun, and to create a suitable Saint Graph for Bai Ming, the two of them began tinkering all over 'Saber''s body.
Unlike the one given to Reveria for dical purposes, the purpose of 'Saber''s modification was singular: raw numbers.
Although the final result was a Saber Saint Graph so heavily modified by the two of them that it was almost unrecognizable, the stats had indeed reached a satisfying level.
At the very least, without using Path powers and relying solely on the Saint Graph's output, 'Saber' could likely shatter an average-sized planet with a single "Excalibur."
"This effect is about right. It feels worthy of you." Since it was only an interim solution, Ruan i didn't demand absolute perfection. Reaching this level was certainly enough.
"I'll cultivate a brand-new Saint Graph as quickly as possible. Once you're done with your business, co see . Perhaps we can give Herta a surprise."
Knowing that 'Saber' still had to go find trouble with Celenova, Ruan i took the entire task of creating a temporary body upon herself.
"Then I'll leave it to you. But will Herta really be surprised? I feel like she'll just yell at for not notifying her in advance." 'Saber' shook her head helplessly, but Ruan i laughed.
"I think you're being too pessimistic. Herta will definitely be happy to see your body; she's been looking forward to it for a long ti."
"Is... is that so?"
Why did she feel like sothing wasn't quite right...?
Would a person like Herta really look forward to sothing like that?
-- --
T/N: If you want advance chapters, you can find it at [email protected]/AspenTL
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