After a quick wash-up, Sasha stepped out of her room. Downstairs, Xue Die remained glued to her handheld game, Tina was absorbed in a grimoire, and Agnes was still frying eggs in the kitchen.
Sasha let out a soft yawn and descended the crystal staircase.
Tina immediately noticed the small figure.
"Ah, good morning, little Sasha."
"Good morning, Miss Tina. Good morning, Xue Die."
"Mm."
Xue Die gave a brief nod—clearly wrestling with a tough game level. Best not to disturb her.
Once Agnes finished the eggs, the four gathered around the table.
"Though simple," Tina said with a smile, "it’s Agnes’s cooking. The taste won’t disappoint. Please enjoy."
But Sasha’s eyes widened at her own plate: steaming milk, fluffy omelets, grilled meat chops, even dessert and fresh fruit.
Across the way, Roland munched on compressed biscuits and flatbread, looking near tears.
Well… time to enjoy this properly.
...
"Xue Die, no games during meals," Tina said, glancing at the console.
"Pause it."
"It’s an online game."
"Can’t you pause online games?"
"Can I pause *your* pause?"
Classic Xue Die.
Meanwhile, Agnes sipped hot milk while typing rapidly on her laptop. Curious, Sasha peeked over—and froze.
Her videos were posted on a site called *Di Shi* ("Imperial Video Network").
Rules allowed beast-slaying clips. No censorship for bloodshed: innocence needed exposure to reality’s harshness. Sheltered minds grew careless. Crisis awareness came from hard lessons.
Two videos uploaded:
One—slaying an E-rank Bloodthirsty Lion.
Two—a single punch KO on a D-rank Black Blood Boar.
The first drew solid views. The second? Over ten thousand clicks.
"No promotion, just the title… truly our little Sasha," Agnes murmured, setting down her cup and gently ruffling Sasha’s hair.
A quiet comfort. Sasha wouldn’t show discomfort. As Tina said, this was part of the Faithhunter Experience Program. She accepted it—making the best of the situation.
More importantly…
That Faith Power? *Extremely* useful.
...
Post-breakfast, Tina tucked the portable dormitory back into her Spatial Storage Ring.
Sasha’s gaze lingered on Tina’s violet-gold ring… A standard Spatial Storage Ring maxed at ten cubic meters. *This* one?
Unimaginable.
Sasha adjusted her Faithhunter Goggles. Top-right corner:
[200]
Four times yesterday’s total—even after spending ten points.
As promised: viewer approval from beast-hunt videos generated faint Faith Power, captured cleanly by the goggles.
"Oh, right!" Tina raised a finger, teacher-mode activated.
"Faith Power limit per attack: 20 points."
"What if I use 30?" Sasha asked.
Tina smiled elegantly. "It’ll hurt. Output stays at 20. The extra 10? Wasted."
"Then why accumulate it?" Sasha frowned. At current rates, battles used it all. But with more videos… thousands awaited.
"Exactly!" Tina’s eyes sparkled. "To use it *effectively*, you need martial techniques."
Sasha blinked. Xue Die cut in bluntly:
"Like a character’s SP?"
(Sasha had no idea what "SP" meant.)
"Close," Agnes continued smoothly. "Basic swings max at 20 Faith Power. But fuse it with spiritual energy *through* martial techniques? 30, 40, even higher. Depends on your mastery and how well your technique resonates with Faith Power. Higher compatibility = bigger release."
*Martial techniques…*
Sasha stared at her fists.
Master Gudao taught Roland countless sword forms. Her body? Only one move.
Not that she *couldn’t* wield a blade—but image mattered. Agnes watched. Same master, different paths: body refinement versus swordsmanship.
Childhood training carved deep grooves. Hand a sword to Sasha? She’d never match Roland.
Like switching from right hand to left: you *know* the letters, but the writing’s crooked, slow.
Sasha and Roland? Left hand and right.
And the left hand? Better for punching than holding a pen.
After the briefing, Agnes tapped her phone.
"Miss, shall I send the Faithhunter Goggles intel to Thuke’s team?"
"Confirmed they’ve entered the Black Forest?"
"Yes."
"Send it. Though… digesting this might take them another full day."
Tina *had* left the boys hanging intentionally.
Luckily, Sasha’s prep spared Roland confusion.
But Autumnwater and Thuke?
Bombarded with raw data.
Too many questions. Overwhelmed.
