Chapter 22: Sampo: Family, you won't believe this!

[Here it comes! Sampo's about to become the laughingstock heh~]

-

Meanwhile, in the Astral Express Family group chat:

Big Robot is Really Awesome: Excuse me, but are you all truly Aeons?

Permanence Dragon—Qin: Yo, Old Yang! You don't recognize me, but I know another version of you from a different universe~

Permanence Dragon—Qin: Whether you believe it or not is up to you.

Destruction—Nanook: @Permanence Dragon—Qin, Permanence, fight me!

Permanence Dragon—Qin: Get real. I'm a multi-dimensional immortal golden immortal now. Fighting you would just break your universe.

Aha the Elation: Fight! Fight! Fight!

Harmony—Xipe: ??? Silence.

Big Robot is Really Awesome: ...

Most of the Astral Express Crew were silently observing the drama. After all, the Aeons themselves were chatting in their group chat! If word got out, it would scare people half to death.

Theresa is the World's Cutest: I have a question!

Big Robot is Really Awesome: !!!

Big Robot is Really Awesome: Theresa, for the love of Aeons, please don't stir up more trouble!

The Aeons: ?

Theresa is the World's Cutest: @Destruction—Nanook, I have a serious question: did you create the Stellarons?

Destruction—Nanook: So what if I did? So what if I didn't?

Theresa is the World's Cutest: @Stellaron Spirit, hurry up and call Him "Papa"! The Stellaron is His creation, you know!

Stellaron Spirit: @Destruction—Nanook, Nanook Papa?

Intertwined Fate Spirit: Pfft!

Dan Heng: This is outrageous!

Big Robot is Really Awesome: ...

Elegant and Beautiful Navigator: Doesn't seem entirely wrong, does it?

Theresa is the World's Cutest: Tee-hee!

Aha the Elation: @Theresa is the World's Cutest, Excellent, excellent! Aha knew he could count on you! Aha is immensely pleased! This is too hilarious!

Permanence Dragon—Qin: Heh, doesn't seem to have any flaws?

Destruction—Nanook: All of you, get lost!

-

The Aeons began teasing Nanook relentlessly, driving the furious Aeon to annihilate several star systems across the universe in his rage. Meanwhile, Yaoshi the Abundance and Lan the Hunt continued their cosmic chase through the Sea of Stars.

By now, everyone had put down their Terminals. Dan Heng and March 7th had finally acknowledged Theresa's talent for stirring up trouble.

"This has to be unprecedented, something never seen before or since," Dan Heng muttered, half in exasperation, "an Aeon dragged into a group chat by the Aeon of Elation. What's even more puzzling—do they really have Terminals?"

He couldn't help but voice his overwhelmed thoughts. He'd long abandoned any pretense of aloofness. After all, how could anyone maintain their composure when the Aeons themselves were behaving like this?

"Brr, doesn't it feel like it's getting colder?" March 7th exclaimed, hastily wrapping herself in a pink coat. "It really is a frozen wasteland. Even I can feel the chill, and I'm ice-attuned!"

"It really is a frozen wasteland," Theresa and Stelle echoed.

"Are you two parrots?" March 7th grumbled, rolling her eyes in exasperation.

"Enough fooling around," Dan Heng said sternly. "We need to find shelter. Lingering in this snowfield indefinitely isn't feasible, especially with this dim light. If the sun comes out, we could easily get snow blindness, which would severely damage our eyes. We must find a place to rest quickly."

Although their Trailblaze blessing kept them warm for now, prolonged exposure to the snowfield was not a viable long-term plan.

"Relax! What could possibly stop the four of us? Well, aside from the Aeons and their Emanators, of course!" March 7th declared with a triumphant grin.

"Stelle's a Stellaron Spirit, Theresa's an Emanator of Elation, I wield the unique Six-Phase Ice, and Dan Heng has a mysterious past."

"Anyone who dares to mess with us is asking for trouble!" March 7th laughed gleefully.

"They're asking for trouble!" Theresa and Stelle chimed in unison.

"You're doing it again!" March 7th shot them another exasperated glance.

Dan Heng then informed them that Himeko had marked the location of Belobog, the planet's sole fortified city, on their map.

Stelle scratched her head, puzzled. "Belobog?"

"Yeah, Belobog!"

"Let's go, let's go! Do you want to end up as snowmen if we don't hurry?"

"Trailblaze Squad, move out!"

March 7th led the group toward the marked location, the others chatting and laughing as they followed. Theresa remained behind in the snowy plain, staring at the snowman March 7th and Stelle had built.

"Aren't we the 'Troublemaker Squad'?" Theresa blurted out.

"Haven't you caused enough trouble already?" Dan Heng retorted dryly, giving her a helpless look. Theresa chuckled awkwardly. Who knew attracting an Aeon was even possible?

The group ventured deeper into the snow-covered plains.

As they pressed onward, they encountered Fragmentum monsters roaming the landscape, including ice-based Fragmentum Constructs and humanoid creatures wreathed in flames.

"This area hasn't been fully corrupted yet, but Fragmentum monsters are already emerging," Dan Heng observed as they walked. "The Stellaron here must be extraordinary."

Soon, they came across a Calyx. Stelle curiously snapped a photo and peppered Welt with questions, who patiently explained its nature. By this time, the previously active Aeons had all retreated into seclusion.

After all, the Aeons had their own affairs to attend to. Everyone endured the initial awkwardness and maintained harmonious relationships with them, deciding they would tell Herta and Asta later when the opportunity arose.

[They forgot for a year! HAHA]

The group effortlessly dealt with the wandering monsters and then noticed a snowdrift in the distance that seemed to be trembling.

"Hey, does anyone else see that?" March 7th asked in surprise. "That snowdrift is moving! Is something hiding inside?"

"Everyone, proceed with caution," Dan Heng said, stepping forward. "I'll take the lead."

They approached the snowdrift and discovered a tall man huddled inside, shivering uncontrollably.

"Hey, stop hiding!" March 7th called out. "You're freezing!"

The snowdrift immediately fell silent.

"Ugh, holding your breath won't help," March 7th said with a sigh. "We've already found you."

Dan Heng stepped forward and drew his Cloudpiercer Spear.

"The best way to deal with someone who's burying their head in the sand is to yank them out and smash in their skull."

Dan Heng prepared to strike with his Cloudpiercer Spear.

"I'll do it!" Theresa exclaimed excitedly, brandishing a tree branch. Her short legs churned as she charged forward, only to trip over a snowdrift and tumble onto the ground with a splat. The branch she'd accidentally flung went whistling through the air, narrowly missing Dan Heng, March 7th, and Stelle before embedding itself in a snowbank.

"Aaaah!"

A tall man leaped up with a pained cry, the branch Theresa had carelessly tossed impaling his rear. Panting, he gripped the branch and yanked it free, sending droplets of blood scattering as everyone ducked for cover.

"Ow! That hurts like hell! What did I ever do to deserve this? I was just hiding in the snowbank minding my own business! This is outrageous!"

"My poor rear!" the man wailed, clutching his backside in agony.

"Ugh!"

Stelle helped Theresa up from the snow. When the tall man saw her, his face froze in shock.