Daziel's voice, carrying a tremor even he barely noticed, burst out:
"Phantylia?! You... how could you..."
The smile on Phantylia's lips deepened. She parted her lips slightly, "Benefactor wishes to ask why this little lady is here, correct?"
Her eyes flowed, each glance seeming to carry a hook, attempting to pull Daziel's very soul out.
"It's all thanks to you, Benefactor."
Daziel's brow furrowed tightly as he pressed urgently, "What do you mean?!"
He felt a strong sense of unease wash over him like a tide.
Phantylia calmly and methodically began to explain, her tone laced with a hint of amusement.
"In our last battle, this little lady lost the physical body she had meticulously planned for years. My spirit was also fragmented, as weak as a candle in the wind, barely able to attach to any vessel, let alone leave the Xianzhou Luofu."
Hearing this, Daziel's expression changed in shock.
Everyone had misjudged! Phantylia had never actually left Scalegorge Waterscape!
Phantylia paused slightly, her pale tongue lightly licking her light purple lips, a gesture full of both allure and danger.
"Unexpectedly, tsk tsk tsk."
Phantylia let out an ambiguous chuckle. "This shell, constructed from Aether coding data, after merging with a part of your memory of me, turned out to be just right for my remnant soul to attach itself to."
"Now I truly should call you Benefactor from the bottom of my heart. Coincidentally, deep in your memory, you seem to prefer my Foxian girl disposition. In that case, seeing as Benefactor provided this body for this little lady, I shall satisfy a small craving of yours."
Daziel's mind reeled as if struck by monstrous waves. He had never imagined events would unfold like this.
Tsk, the setting where Aether Spirits read memories when generated is way too overpowered. I need to mention this to that guy Giovanni...
This is practically an unpreventable loophole!
Daziel grit his teeth inwardly, understanding now. It was precisely because he had seen Phantylia's Undying Bloom form that Aetherium Wars replicated it so vividly, giving her remnant soul this opportunity.
But then again, isn't Phantylia's true form a Heliobus...?
So now, attached to a piece of data, what does that make her?
A cyber ghost?
This absurd thought flashed through Daziel's mind, adding another layer of strangeness to his already complicated mood.
Daziel's expression flickered indeterminately. He took a deep breath, trying to suppress the turmoil within.
With a tone mixing probing and bluffing, he snapped sternly, "Phantylia, so what if you're attached to an Aether Spirit? Right now, you're merely a piece of Aether coding data! If I report this to the Xianzhou Luofu this instant, what trouble could you possibly stir up?"
Hearing this, Phantylia let out a series of bell-like giggles. "Benefactor, in my current state, I indeed cannot cause massive waves. However, I'm afraid you no longer have the time to report to the Seat of Divine Foresight."
She waved the fan with one hand while extending the pale fingertips of the other to gently touch her forehead, an elegant yet dangerous gesture, like a viper flicking its tongue.
"I now have full control over this Aether Spirit's body. If Benefactor cannot defeat me in this battle, then I shall escape to the heavens. I won't be foolish enough to grant you a second opportunity for a direct confrontation, oh?"
Hearing this, Daziel's expression turned grim. Phantylia's words struck him like a sharp blow, instantly sobering him up.
That's indeed a problem...
The probability of an Aether Spirit escaping after a failed capture attempt does exist, but it's usually a matter of chance.
Just like last time when capturing Cocolia in the Echo of War, she hadn't escaped.
When Daziel and the others returned, she was still right there, like a pre-set program.
However, the Phantylia now possessed independent consciousness, not merely acting passively based on the memories read during Aether Spirit generation.
The difference between the two was like heaven and earth.
She was no longer a programmed Aether Spirit acting according to fixed patterns, but an Emanator of Destruction with world-shocking wisdom and the cunning of a fox!
"Oh, right, another friendly reminder: your memory of me is far too scarce."
Phantylia's voice sounded again, a casual remark that nonetheless made Daziel's heart sink.
"Now that I possess this Aether Spirit, the memories are complete. Its base stats and individual values have reached the highest tier possible in this game."
She extended a slender finger, tapping lightly in the air. Though her voice mimicked Tingyun's gentle tone, it carried a suffocating pressure.
"Do your best, Benefactor~ This little lady is already here, eagerly awaiting your... splendid performance."
Hearing this, Daziel's mouth twitched slightly. Phantylia's pretentious act made him feel uncomfortable all over.
He tremblingly voiced his opinion: "Look, I can accept everything else, but can you please stop using your main body's appearance while talking like Tingyun? I really can't take it. Your normal way of speaking is better. Watching this is just... a bit much."
He felt completely uneasy watching her; the intense dissonance was breaking him down, bordering on mental pollution.
"Hmph, truly insolent and rude."
Phantylia's previously playful smile instantly retracted, cooling rapidly like Belobog's ice as she reverted to her original cold and majestic tone.
"I show you some courtesy, yet you don't appreciate it. No matter. There isn't much pleasant left for us to say to each other anyway."
Before her words faded, Phantylia suddenly attacked, her previously elegant figure instantly erupting with astonishing power.
With a flick of her finger, a howling gale launched a fierce assault on both Daziel and Cocolia simultaneously. The very air seemed torn apart by the aura emanating from her.
The battle reignited instantly!
At the same time, the fan in her hand pulsed with an ominous, sharp light. Upon its surface, numerous golden lotuses bloomed once more, their petal edges wreathed in black flames of destruction, sweeping towards Daziel like an overwhelming tide.
Daziel swung his baseball bat, clashing violently once again with Phantylia's enormous form. The sound of close-quarters combat was deafening, energy raging wildly in all directions.
However, the one controlling Phantylia's body was no longer the previous Punklorde AI, but the true Emanator of Destruction, Phantylia herself, logged in.
No one was more familiar with this body, constructed using her own data as a blueprint, than Phantylia.
In that instant, Phantylia's aura changed dramatically. All elegance vanished, replaced by the characteristic, suffocating pressure of the Antimatter Legion.
Phantylia, with her consciousness descended, underwent a qualitative leap in stats and combat skills, improving by more than just one level!
Daziel's offensive, which previously held a slight advantage, instantly became strained, like a small boat in a raging storm, constantly in danger of capsizing.
He and Cocolia were connected mentally, coordinating perfectly. Bat and poker intertwined, blizzard howled, frost condensed across the sky, yet they could only barely parry Phantylia's attacks, which crashed down like an angry tide, relentless and growing ever more ferocious.
"Blooming Flower!"
Phantylia parted her lips, letting out a clear cry. On the surface of the fan in her hand, countless golden lotus petals bloomed again.
This time, the petals were not merely a rain of energy but seemed imbued with life. Each petal appeared to possess independent consciousness, carrying an aesthetic of destruction that made souls tremble.
Overwhelming and inescapable, they swept in.
Alarms screamed in Daziel's mind. An unprecedented sense of crisis instantly enveloped his entire body.
He could clearly feel that Phantylia's attack intensity now completely surpassed that of the AI Phantylia he fought before.
I can't keep fighting like this!
Daziel roared internally. He knew that if he continued to take hits passively, his and Cocolia's defeat was certain.
I have to risk everything, launch a desperate counterattack!
"OJOJ FINIZ!"
Daziel growled, his tone resolute.
Cocolia, linked mind-to-mind with Daziel, instantly grasped his intention. Her massive body shuddered violently, and the dazzling light surrounding her dimmed noticeably.
Daziel immediately felt a surging power flood his entire body. Every cell thrilled with excitement, like oil thrown onto a raging fire. His battle spirit instantly soared to its peak.
This was a new Aether Expansion Chip skill Daziel had equipped for Cocolia—sacrifice half of her HP to transfer half of her stats to an ally for one turn.
Even though Daziel was currently in Aether Spirit form and couldn't temporarily use the remote control to crank the Purple Mood setting to maximum for optimal effect...
...he could still make the Aether Spirit use a skill from its equipped slot.
He would use this all-or-nothing power to create one last chance for victory!
Daziel took a deep breath, then pushed off hard with his legs. Like an arrow released from a bowstring, carrying an unparalleled, terrifying momentum, he leaped high into the air.
He channeled all his strength, including the stats Cocolia had infused into him, unreservedly into the baseball bat in his hand.
Instantly, the baseball bat blazed with roaring flames, as if a fire dragon clung to it, emitting a deafening howl.
"Die!"
Daziel roared, his voice echoing like thunder throughout the data space.
He brought the baseball bat,凝聚ing terrifying, mountain-splitting power, crashing down fiercely towards Phantylia's exquisitely beautiful face!
This strike contained all of Daziel's determination and power—his final, desperate counterattack!
Phantylia's eyes narrowed. Faced with Daziel's all-out strike, she too felt a strong sense of threat.
However, she was, after all, not the AI Phantylia from before, but the experienced master of the account herself.
Her figure tilted slightly, intending to dodge the powerful, fatal blow, but she found that the speed and force of Daziel's attack far exceeded her expectations. It was simply unavoidable.
In desperation, Phantylia could only instinctively swing the fan in her hand, attempting to parry Daziel's meteor-like assault.
The fan surface suddenly unfurled, barely blocking her face, an ominous light flowing across it.
"Clang!"
A deafening collision exploded, the piercing sound wave spreading out as if tangible.
The baseball bat slammed heavily onto the folding fan, producing a harsh grating sound as countless sparks flew.
Phantylia's massive, elegant body shuddered violently. The immense impact forced her involuntarily backward, the data ground beneath her feet cracking open, spiderweb-like fissures instantly spreading throughout the entire space.
However, Daziel wasn't unscathed either.
Propelled by the recoil, his body shot out like a cannonball, landing with incredible precision right into the narrow crevice between Phantylia's two majestic peaks.
Softness, immensity, warmth, and a suffocating sense of pressure.
All sorts of indescribable, strange sensations instantly washed over Daziel like a tide.
Daziel felt as if he were gently enveloped by the softest cotton, yet simultaneously squeezed tightly between two towering mountains.
For a moment, the intense contrast and impact left his mind somewhat blank; he was actually stunned.
It wasn't that he hadn't been interested in Phantylia's phase-three form before...
But when such an enormous, incredibly real Phantylia appeared before him at such close range, he suddenly, inexplicably, thought of certain doujinshi featuring the special tag known as 'size difference'...
This thought merely flickered through Daziel's mind before combat instincts instantly took over his consciousness, banishing all distracting thoughts.
He had no time to savor the pulse-pounding sensation, no time to enjoy this momentary soft haven. With utmost speed, he pulled the poker, blazing with roaring flames, out from the narrow gap.
The poker's pain setting was instantly cranked to maximum, and the sensitivity modifier was pushed to its absolute limit of 1000.
Towards bad women, especially Emanators of Destruction championing the aesthetics of annihilation, Daziel never showed mercy.
For tsundere imps like Sparkle, Daziel had used max sensitivity 1000 plus 10% pain.
Facing Phantylia, Daziel directly maxed out both settings without reservation.
As an Emanator of Destruction, she was far more durable than Sparkle.
"Break!"
Daziel roared internally, aiming the fiercely burning poker at Phantylia's body and thrusting it hard.
The poker struck Phantylia's vital point with unerring accuracy.
"AAAH!!!"
Phantylia let out a piercing cry of agony, the sound sharp and shrill, filled with unbearable pain and unspeakable shame. Her huge body began to tremble uncontrollably from the intense agony.
If this were Phantylia in her true form, perhaps she could withstand the perverted special attack of the poker through the immense power of an Emanator of Destruction and her superhuman willpower.
However, this was an Aetherium War battle. Everything was reduced to cold, hard numbers; everything followed the cruel rules set by the game.
The poker's special attack, its bonus damage against females, was demonstrated to devastating effect at this moment.
Phantylia's HP bar plummeted like a bursting dam.
She twisted her massive body frantically, trying to shake off Daziel's deadly attack that clung to her like a maggot on bone, only to discover in horror that under the poker's terrifying special damage, she had become so fragile, so powerless to resist.
The poker stuck fast to Phantylia's body, continuously devouring her HP.
Finally, amidst Phantylia's despairing and unwilling roars, her HP bar, representing her life force, completely bottomed out, reaching zero.
"I refuse to accept this!!!"
Phantylia let out a hysterical, furious roar, her voice thick with despair, unwillingness, and deep humiliation.
However, Daziel gave her absolutely no chance to catch her breath, let alone any possibility of escape.
He grabbed Phantylia's body and instantly refined it.
Then, without hesitation, he stored her within the Aether Coin.
The battle was over.
Daziel stood panting, large beads of sweat dripping continuously from his forehead.
Looking at his character panel, his HP bar almost flashing red from Phantylia's torment, and the dense cluster of negative buffs in his status bar, his heart filled with the relief of survival and an indescribable sense of immense achievement.
Without a moment's hesitation, Daziel impatiently released the Phantylia he had just captured back out of the Aether Coin.
He was eager to see with his own eyes what this V6 Shiny Pokémon, which he had fought tooth and nail and paid a huge price to capture, actually looked like.
This was a genuine wild V6 Shiny, a rare commodity incomparable to the officially produced 'magical pets' like the ones Sparkle had.
With a flash of light, Phantylia was summoned forth.
It was still that enormous female body. Even with only the upper half visible, it stood tens of meters tall, possessing a breathtaking visual impact.
Phantylia's upper body lay limply on the ground, her exquisite face pale as paper, trembling slightly. She had lost her previous world-睥睨ing majesty, revealing an extremely weak, pitiful state.
An Aether Spirit possessing the body of the Ambrosial Arbor should have had far superior automatic HP recovery compared to ordinary Aether Spirits.
Given Phantylia's original power, being burned a few times by the poker should have been a trivial matter.
However, she was currently in Aether Spirit form. Even the most top-tier Aether Spirit, once its HP bottomed out, could not escape the shackles of a weakened state.
Daziel eyed the Phantylia before him with great interest, his gaze sweeping over her massive form, not missing a single detail.
His eyes finally landed on the stats displayed on the Aether Coin. Clicking his tongue in amazement, he sighed inwardly at the truly perfect data.
There was a certain beauty in its strength.
His initial plan was simply to capture a Phantylia to bring back. Even if not used in actual combat, just keeping her around to look at would be pleasing enough.
Perhaps she could even have other uses...
But now, the consciousness occupying this shell was Phantylia herself, placing Daziel in a difficult situation.
He rubbed his chin, a hint of hesitation and scrutiny in his eyes.
Although under the constraints of the Aether Coin, she likely couldn't disobey his commands.
But this was ultimately just a game. No one could predict if there might be some loophole or bug that would allow her to break free and then stab him in the back.
Carrying such a potential source of danger with him was tantamount to carrying a ticking time bomb, ready to detonate at any moment.
Perhaps reporting it was the safest option. It would be best to hand it over to the Xianzhou and the Corporation for discussion and proper handling.
Ultimately, the root cause was Daziel's own weakness. He was so weak that he didn't dare securely hold onto the top-tier Pokémon he had just obtained, fearing backlash from the Emanator-level Annihilation Gang leader.
Logically speaking, his current strength should be sufficient; he was already somewhat stronger than the protagonist in the original storyline.
But this wasn't the 12+ rated Star Rail; it was the 'inner world' Star Rail.
Without Emanator-level strength, one couldn't participate in the power plays between various factions, destined only to be a pawn, not a player.
Although Herta backed him, the one by his side was ultimately just her puppet. That true genius witch couldn't possibly guard him constantly.
And then there was his useless system. Apart from incessantly pushing him to grind 'Corruption Value,' the rewards it offered were mostly things convenient for grinding said value.
Thinking of this, Daziel felt a wave of helplessness.
The poker transformed from the Flame Lance was arguably a highlight, but its use was too limited, only effective against female targets, ultimately not suitable for the main stage.
As for that baseball bat that could change size at will and vibrate...
Daziel's mouth twitched. That thing was better left for 'Purple Mood' uses. In terms of combat capability, it wasn't fundamentally better than before.
After all, this baseball bat wasn't some magical size-changing staff like the Ruyi Jingu Bang, possessing terrifying weight, usable in hand for single targets and enlarged to crush groups.
Even more frustrating, during this Aetherium Wars incident, he had 'scored' like crazy in Belobog, yet this broken system seemed idle most of the time, issuing tasks and rewards only a handful of times.
And Daziel's biggest gain related to combat power turned out to be that inexplicable Sensitivity Modifier...
While somewhat useful, it felt like it deviated from the main path. Against truly formidable opponents, it was clearly ineffective.
Sigh, useless waste of a system, unreliable as always.
As if keenly sensing the undisguised disdain in Daziel's thoughts, the system responded, sounding slightly wronged and dissatisfied—
[Master, how could you say that?]
[Didn't I give you the biggest reward for free right at the start? That's a rule-based ability!]
[Your Aether Coin, the 'scoring' actions you can perform after battle, the removal of those special meme DLCs from you—which one of these wasn't generously gifted by me from the beginning? It's only natural that I didn't give you more rewards afterwards!]
Daziel's mouth twitched hearing this, and he couldn't help retorting mentally: "But my personal combat power hasn't improved at all!
These things you gave are, at best, useful only within Aetherium Wars. Am I supposed to pull out a coin to fight enemies if I get into a real, life-or-death battle later?"
[Well... it's not entirely impossible?]
The system's answer rendered Daziel instantly speechless, completely choked up.
Daziel retorted mentally, annoyed:
"Do you take me for a fool? If I later encounter opponents on the level of the Philosopher's Embryo or Nikadori, am I supposed to pull this thing out hoping to escape while they're incapacitated from laughter?"
[ It's not like that, Host.]
The system quickly defended itself, its tone slightly hurried.
[Please wait, scanning data...]
The system suddenly cut off the conversation, and the dialogue box briefly disappeared.
After a moment of silence, the system's voice sounded again.
"Ah!"
[Scan complete!]
[New Target Added: Phantylia]
[Corruption Value: 0%]
[Mission: Raise Phantylia's Corruption Value to 50%]
[Mission Reward: Contract: Phantylia]
[Contract: Phantylia: Allows summoning Phantylia from the Aether Coin to possess a prepared body. Simultaneously, Phantylia, wherever she is, whatever state she's in, will completely submit to you, unable to resist your will ever again.]
Hearing this, Daziel frowned slightly.
He continued to question it mentally: "Look, can't you just consider giving me rewards that can genuinely improve my personal combat abilities?
"I don't want to just rely on others, letting women do all the fighting. That completely contradicts my usual style."
"If I really manage to get a complete Phantylia, what room is there for me to even act in battles?"
[A body of the Undying Bloom's level isn't easy to find, at least not for Master currently.]
The system seemed to have prepared its excuse in advance, its tone softening slightly.
[The mission has been issued. Just tell me, do you want this reward or not?!]
Its current tone sounded absolutely certain that Daziel would agree.
Daziel pouted. Although somewhat reluctant to admit it, he nodded and responded mentally:
"Yes, of course, I want it! Who said I didn't?"
A new toy, delivered right to his doorstep—how could he refuse?
Having reached an agreement with the system, Daziel had already made his decision.
Phantylia—he was determined to keep her.
This matter absolutely could not be reported, and it was best not to mention it to others.
The correct approach was to secretly develop this first, find a suitable body, and keep her as his hidden trump card.
This concerned his goals, and even more so, the future direction of the entire world.
Therefore, the immediate priority was to rapidly accumulate Corruption Value...
Just getting to fifty percent... unless it was a special case like Jingliu, it should actually be quite easy.
Thinking this, a playful curve appeared on Daziel's lips, and his gaze became somewhat unrestrained.
He stepped forward and, without ceremony, lifted his foot. With a hint of probing intent, he kicked the Phantylia who still had her head buried, her body trembling slightly.
Daziel wanted to see how Phantylia would react.
"Hey! Phantylia!"
Daziel's tone was somewhat casual, yet mixed with a trace of hidden anticipation. "Wake up. Can you still talk?"
Phantylia's body seemed to stiffen for a moment before she slowly raised her head.
Those eyes, once cold, sharp, and arrogant, were now a mixture of anger, humiliation, and fear, completely lacking the dignity expected of an Emanator of Destruction.
"..."
Phantylia's voice was weak and intermittent due to her condition, yet it couldn't conceal the fury within. "You... insolent fool! What do you want?"
Daziel looked Phantylia up and down with great interest, his gaze brazen, as if admiring a trophy.
At this moment, the high and mighty Phantylia had become a lamb awaiting slaughter.
"Hmph hmph, what do I want?"
He chuckled lightly, his tone laced with the amusement of toying with a superior being. "Why don't you guess?"
______
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