“Shameless!”
Blue-white pillars of lightning crowded around her like spears in a storm. Feeling that crushing aura, Nana Toki didn’t dare slack—she ripped the Colossal Axe free to block.
Boom!
The waterfall of Heaven’s Dao crashed down, every drop a law, pouring onto the Black Great Axe in her hands.
Zzzzt, zzzzt...
Bei Yuan, given a sliver of breath by Heaven’s intervention, seized the opening. He hauled Jiang Xinli and fled the shattered plaza like dusk slipping off a blade.
Heaven’s Dao...
Before leaving, Bei Yuan glanced back at the commercial tower’s heart, where Nana Toki stood under the lightning pillar like a lone pine in winter.
His eyes were full of shadow and unwilling fire.
He was still too weak.
He clenched his fist till pain stabbed like a drill through bone. He knew he couldn’t linger under this sky.
If the mountain stays, there will be wood for the fire.
That woman braving heavenly thunder—if nothing goes wrong, she should die. A pity for that peerless divine weapon.
Even from this far, the pillar’s horror pressed like a tide. Yet that axe held steady. How terrifying must that axe be?
...
H-Host, hold on!
This System’s rushing to save you!
On the other side.
While Nana Toki was tanking the pillar, the System’s voice burst into her mind like a bell.
“Just a little longer!” The System worked permissions, anxious hands on invisible levers. “Host, don’t give up!”
“Ahh, you’re too damn loud!”
Zzzzt!
Zzzzt!
The blue-white pillar weighed like a thousand mountains. Its glare wanted to bleach a hundred li of world into day.
Even the thick fog scattered at Heaven’s single stroke, like curtains ripped by dawn.
This mist would end soon enough.
Whether Nana could outlast it was another storm.
Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!
The whole commercial tower became a lightning rod, Nana at its core. Floors burst into wild fractures, like ice plates shoved by a black tide.
Stone and dirt sprayed. Nana sank in segments, the pillar hammering her like a nail into the earth.
“Ahhhhhh! You bastard...”
Her body felt unthreaded, bones ready to scatter. Inside the pillar, everything below her waist was buried, pressed deep by thunder.
“Quit it—just a little!”
Her palms burned, blister-hot. With a snarl, Nana lifted the Colossal Axe and hewed at the sky.
The pillar to heaven split in two, lightning-shroud torn like silk.
Wwwwmmm—
As it split, a shrill sonic crack ripped the air.
From her, an inward-to-outward shockwave bloomed like a storm seed exploding.
Broken tiles and stone chips flew like grenade shrapnel. The floor heaved up in slabs, and the whole tower swayed, groaning like old trees in a gale.
Centered on the tower, every restaurant, shop, and block nearby took the hit.
The shaking rivaled an earthquake’s hungry roll.
Zzzzt...
Zzzzt...
The blinding pillar faded. On the first floor’s center, a crater five meters wide steamed with blue-white sparks.
Nana Toki stood there, Black Great Axe raised. Everything below her waist was buried in the pit’s maw.
...
H-Host, you okay...?
The System peered at the crater that still spat blue-white bolts, voice careful as a cat near water.
But—
...
Nana didn’t move. She held like a statue carved by storm.
Hos—
“Haaa—”
Suddenly.
Her lips parted, exhaling a white breath like winter fog.
Her head went biu~.
Her black hair puffed at once, an exploded mane, curls springing like scorched silk.
Pffft!
Pffft-ff—
The System saw and, unkind as a gossiping sparrow, cracked up.
It forgot to worry whether Nana lived or died.
...
“What the hell are you laughing at?”
Nana squinted from the pit, face darkening. “Tin-plated bastard, weren’t you ‘saving’ me? This how you save? I was one thread from dead!”
“B-but the System dispersed that heavenly thunder!”
Seeing the Host speak, the System tried to sober up. “How do I get blamed and not credited?”
“Exploding the thunder counts as saving me?”
Nana was stunned. So you thought Heaven’s thunder couldn’t kill me, and had to lend it a hand?
Alright then, little traitor!
You’re the mole the Protagonist Lord and his heroine planted in me!
I’ll uninstall you!
No! Host, that’s slander!
Before triggering the blast, the System gave you an invincibility buff!
Otherwise you wouldn’t be chatting so happily right now.
So I should thank you?
Exactly!
“Heh. Thank your grand-uncle.”
Host, why are you cursing?
Go curse your mother!
...
Anyway.
After their spat cooled, Nana noticed the mist had been beaten open by Heaven’s thunder. Sunlight spilled warm on her cheek, like the last hour had been a fever dream.
Fine.
She’d cursed the System. She’d bathed in sun.
Now the real question.
I, Nana Toki—how do I get out of this pit?
She still held the Black Great Axe. Half her body was buried, like a stake hammered by gods.
Climbing wasn’t the issue.
It was—
Yes.
The crater’s rim still sizzled with blue-white snakes of lightning.
Normal thunder would be one thing. This was residue from Heaven’s pillar.
Even thin as threads, those bolts carried Dao-power that turned anything near them to ash.
Nana was spent. Touching that arc was volunteering her head.
Host, weren’t you a war god a moment ago?
Now you’re scared to take a hit?
The System looked baffled at the axe-raised warrior.
With that brave stance, why not just climb out?
“...?”
I’d have to be sick to touch heavenly thunder on purpose.
If you’re not sick, why did you tank it earlier?
The System yelped.
Because you’re useless, that’s why!
Nana nearly rolled her eyes out. If this trash System acted like an actual system, I wouldn’t be in this mess.
When this plane ends, comp me a starter pack!
...
You’re still hung up on that, huh.
Of course. I wrote it in my little notebook. And I’ve eaten more losses with you than a starter pack could buy off.
Add a level-up pack, at least.
...
Fine, fine, stop clowning. When this plane settles, the System will add extra rewards.
Hmph...
As if I crave your junk rewards.
...
“Eh? Xixi, why are you in that pit?”
From a corner, Luo Shanshan poked out half her head, eyes wide. “Weren’t you hiding in the cabinet? And Xixi, what happened to your hair?”
“I told you—don’t come out without my order.”
Buried in the crater, Nana’s face hardened. “Want to die?”
“B-but, there was a gigantic crash...”
Seeing Nana’s face freeze, Luo Shanshan halted, head drooping. She twisted her fingers, voice shrinking like a timid sparrow. “I got worried about you, Xixi... so I came out alone...”
She risked a glance at Nana, half-buried in stone.
...
That pitiful look knocked the anger out of Nana’s mouth.
Fine. The fog’s gone. You’ve got all your limbs. I’ll forgive you this time.
Heh-heh, Host cares about Luo Shanshan, after all.
Playing aloof—what a tsundere~
Scram!
I just don’t want to throw away the luck points I already earned. Stop nosing around, you gossip System.
Are you a forty-something auntie?
“Xixi, why are you in this pit?”
Seeing Nana didn’t scold her, Luo Shanshan brightened, curiosity bubbling as she stepped closer.
“Whoa—don’t come over.”
Nana watched her approach and felt her brain short out. Are you a complete fool?
You’re walking into a blade.
Zzzzt!
Of course.
Before Luo Shanshan finished her sentence near the rim, a leftover bolt slithered like a hunting snake. It flared blue and lunged straight for her.
“Whoa?”
