Chapter 127: Atoning with Merit
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 127: Atoning with Merit
Hearing Aisarakus’s plea, Brandon’s gaze swept calmly over the others present.
They were the three Unfated who had recently joined the Wheel of Fate. Under normal circumstances, these people could simply resurrect after death, so they didn't truly need Aisarakus’s protection.
However, among them was Elania, a Child of Fate who was not one of the Unfated.
"Is that so? Indeed, you did at least protect an important figure. Your merits and faults offset each other, so I shall not pursue the matter further. However, you have no other reason to remain here."
With that, he turned slightly and raised a hand, signaling for Aisarakus to follow.
Aisarakus’s shoulders slumped instantly, and her tail dragged despondently across the snow.
Just then, a somewhat hesitant voice rang out.
"U-Um, please wait a moment!"
Brandon stopped and turned his head slightly, fixing his gaze on Maomao, who had spoken up.
"You are… that Druid who sat in the corner and didn't say a word during the Wheel of Fate meeting? Is there something you need?"
Being recognized made Maomao scratch her cheek in slight embarrassment.
"So you remember me… I thought no one noticed me back then…"
Taking a deep breath, Maomao pointed at the dejected Aisarakus beside her.
"I know I don't carry much weight, and I’m not entirely sure what your… uh, dynamic is with Her Majesty, but I’d like to request that you let Her Majesty Aisarakus… stay for a while."
At those words, Aisarakus’s lowered eyelashes trembled. She stole a glance at Brandon but quickly looked away when their eyes met.
"I don't have much standing, and I don't know your relationship with Her Majesty, but I still want you to let Aisarakus stay."
Hearing this, the corners of Aisarakus’s eyes lifted in hope, but she was quickly glared back into submission by Brandon.
"Oh?"
Brandon turned fully to face Maomao.
"And your reason?"
Sensing a potential opening, Maomao immediately perked up.
"Because… because it’s only with her help that we were able to slay this powerful Skeletal Giant Lizard and rapidly increase our strength. So, I’d like to ask you to let Her Majesty Aisarakus stay and help us."
Brandon’s brow arched slightly.
"Is that so?"
At this point, Taro Ball took a step forward and stood beside Maomao.
"She’s right. We Unfated can increase our strength by slaying powerful enemies. Her Majesty’s participation has significantly accelerated our growth process."
Seeing Taro Ball, Brandon’s expression turned serious.
"It’s you—the Traveler who made a deal with Thanatos… Wait, your strength?"
In his perception, Taro Ball’s current aura had undergone a qualitative leap compared to their first meeting at the Wheel of Fate. If he progressed any further—specifically to Level 100—Taro Ball would touch the threshold of a Demigod.
Not only him, but the Priest standing further away was the same.
"Even so, enemies as powerful as this should be rare on this continent, shouldn't they?"
Taro Ball shook his head.
"No. As far as I know, the Cult Leader of Chaos is operating in the shadows within the Land of Storms, attempting to awaken more Undead Behemoths like this Skeletal Giant Lizard. If my predictions are correct, within two days at most, a Chaos Beast Tide composed of corrupted behemoths will form and surge out from the Land of Storms to invade the borders of the Northern Empire."
"I see…"
Brandon did not doubt Taro Ball. He had indeed detected traces of Chaos Residue on the remains of the Skeletal Giant Lizard. Moreover, he sensed no hint of a lie from Taro Ball.
This Unfated before him always seemed to possess intelligence that even he had yet to grasp.
"Very well."
Brandon nodded.
"In that case, Her Majesty Aisarakus shall accompany you for the time being. I hope that by the time we reach Heavenly Mountain, our side will have a few more useful Demigods."
He then turned to Maomao and flipped his palm over.
"By the way, take this."
"This is… a Soul Proof?!"
Maomao’s eyes lit up as she took it with delight. With this, she might be able to undergo Class Sublimation just like Taro Ball and the others, obtaining that utterly broken execution ability.
When Maomao first entered the Wheel of Fate, Brandon hadn't paid her much mind, only allowing her to join as a nominal member for Taro Ball’s sake.
When crafting the Soul Proofs, Xie Bai had given several to Brandon, specifically instructing him to look out for Unfated who met the right criteria.
Though he didn't quite understand what Xie Bai meant by "criteria," Maomao’s reckless act of speaking up for Aisarakus gave Brandon an intuitive feeling that she possessed it.
To be more specific, it felt like she was becoming entangled with fate.
Is she becoming entwined with Aisarakus’s fate?
Though slightly puzzled, she was the only one of the three Unfated who had yet to receive a Soul Proof. Since that was the case, he might as well provide it.
"No need for thanks," Brandon said calmly. "Just remember to take good care of Her Majesty."
As his voice faded, Brandon’s figure vanished into the wind and snow.
Once she was certain Brandon had truly left, Aisarakus froze for a moment before a massive wave of joy erupted in her heart.
"Hooray! He’s finally gone! I am free!"
Aisarakus cheered, her dragon tail thumping excitedly against the snow. Then, she spun around and lunged at Maomao with open arms for a hug!
"Thank you! You helped me drive that dreadful fellow away!"
Thud!
CRACK—!
[-26,860!]
[HP: 1,840 / 28,700]
[Fracture Lv.5]
Hearing the sound of snapping bones, Aisarakus hurriedly let go.
"Ah! Oh no, I’m sorry… I forgot that you are very fragile…"
It wasn't entirely her fault. The people she usually dealt with, whether it was Xie Bai or Brandon, were essentially non-human entities with inconceivable physical durability. She had clearly held back the vast majority of her strength, merely wanting to express her affection and gratitude out of habit.
She hadn't expected it to result in such dire consequences.
"I’m… I’m fine…"
After receiving several Purification Spells from Yu Yunsheng, Maomao managed to pull herself together. Counting the time she was "accidentally" hit in the face by the Blue Dragon Puppet, this was the second time Aisarakus had dealt her a near-fatal blow.
But why does it always come with such severe debuffs… Does she have a hidden 'Player Killer' trait or something?
Despite the thought, Maomao’s gaze involuntarily drifted back to Aisarakus.
The little dragon girl currently had her head tilted, her brow slightly furrowed in worry, which, combined with her petite frame and twitching tail…
The sheer lethality was comparable to a mental attack.
Dammit… how can she be this cute…
Under the influence of a certain "special filter," Maomao even felt that the Aisarakus before her was cuter than the Xie Bai who had appeared in the videos.
Seeing Maomao doubled over clutching her chest, Aisarakus grew even more worried and instinctively leaned in closer.
"Um… are you truly alright?"
"I’m… I’m really fine…"
Maomao took a deep breath, trying to keep her voice steady.
At that moment, Taro Ball stepped forward, breaking the slightly awkward atmosphere.
"Alright. Now that you have the Soul Proof, go back and complete your class change. After that, we need to push hard to reach Level 100. If possible, try to hit Level 110."
"Level 110?"
Maomao paused, confused.
Faced with Maomao’s confusion, Taro Ball considered the fact that her livestream was active and chose his words carefully.
"In two days, the first major version event of the closed beta will begin. The Dual Emperor Alliance plans to attack Heavenly Mountain. We won't just be facing the Holy Church; we’ll also be dealing with the Angel Race, who haven't appeared in the world for a long time. We can't afford to fall behind in strength."
Maomao became even more bewildered. "How do you know all this?"
"The Wheel of Fate will be participating as well."
"Huh?"
Seeing Maomao’s shock, Taro Ball added, "I’ve managed to work my way into the upper echelons of the Wheel of Fate, so naturally, I’m privy to some important matters. Anyway, later on, I want you to edit a video based on what I’ve told you to do some promotion."
"But… why? Shouldn't this kind of thing be kept secret?"
Taro Ball explained, "We need to expand the player base for the Wheel of Fate. During that version event, if players perform well, it’s possible they might catch the attention of the Wheel of Fate faction."