After Pei Guang's group completed all the puzzles and upgraded their Aether Spirits to the current level cap, they found Serval and Pela.
Seeing them arrive, Serval greeted them, "Yo, Trailblazers? You're here—we've been waiting for you for a while."
Pei Guang extended his hand toward her. "Hand over your qualification badges."
Seeing his gesture, Pela smiled. "No can do. Beat us, and then we'll hand them over."
Pei Guang said, "Well said. Then let's start an Aether Spirit duel! March, Stelle—who's going up?"
Stelle pointed at Pei Guang. "You! I want to win while lying down."
March 7th pointed at Pei Guang too. "Exactly! This time, both of us want to win without lifting a finger."
Pei Guang took out his Aether Coin. "Well, guess there's no helping it. Let me show you how I'll take them down. Go, Piggy Hero!"
At the same time, Serval also took out her Aether Coin. "Ooh, such confidence. Time for you to taste the power of the mechanical wave. Silvermane Lieutenant, take them down!"
The Aether Spirit battle began. Pei Guang and Serval & Pela's Aether Spirits appeared in front of them simultaneously. When they saw what Pei Guang was using, Serval and Pela looked a little stunned.
Serval said, "Didn't expect you to be using this too…"
Pei Guang looked at Serval's combo of Silvermane Lieutenant + two Gunners and a Marksman and smiled. "I knew it. You're using this setup. After all, in this playground, this setup is the strongest."
Pela said, "Didn't think you'd be thinking the same as us. Then let's see whose Aether Spirits are stronger."
Pei Guang shook his head. "Just raising them well isn't enough to bring out their full potential. Let me show you the bond we've built with Piggy Hero along the way! Silvermane Gunner!"
At Pei Guang's command, the Silvermane Gunner applied his Ultimate and buff skill to the Silvermane Lieutenant, and the Lieutenant raised his shield at that moment.
Serval didn't think much of the Gunner's lines, but the moment she heard the Silvermane Lieutenant shout, "Years of cold hardens the will. We shall never fall!!" her eyes widened.
"Wait? That line? Isn't that from my little brother?!"
Facing Serval's shock and confusion, Pei Guang proudly put his hands on his hips. "That's right!"
Pela said, "Careful. Their lineup is the same as ours, but we've got one extra Gunner. This round is ours."
Seeing the similar lineup, Pela had been a bit worried. But once she noticed the other side had one fewer Gunner, she felt confident.
Both sides were buffing their Silvermane Lieutenants. Both Lieutenants raised their shields, ready to counter. With such similar setups, it would come down to who trained their Aether Spirits better—or who could last longer.
What Pela and Serval didn't know was that Pei Guang had Piggy Hero on his side, who could heal. At the same time, Imaginary Weaver could perform single-target attacks, while their two Gunners only did AoE.
In this situation, their attacks would inevitably hit the Silvermane Lieutenant's shield, meaning Pei Guang's side would get more counterattacks. And with healing support, his Aether Spirits could survive much longer.
Serval and Pela were still full of confidence, but watching the battle unfold, Pei Guang knew the rules of victory had already been laid down.
When attributes are similar, a counter team supported by a Warp Trotter was bound to survive much longer than a counter team with no defensive or healing capabilities.
The path to victory was already set. All that remained was to crush them.
In that moment, the fire of triumph burned in Pei Guang's eyes. Win, then dominate. Let them all fall under the rule of the abundance pig!
While both sides were still fired up, March 7th blinked curiously at Pei Guang after hearing Serval's exclamation.
"Huh? That line's from somewhere? Then the others must be too, right?"
Pei Guang froze for just a second, then calmly replied, "You guessed right. They are from somewhere. Oh no! Silvermane Lieutenant! Dodge their counter!"
Under Pei Guang's command, the Silvermane Lieutenant used an evasion move. Seeing this, Serval was dumbfounded. "Wait, yours can dodge?"
Pei Guang: "Isn't it common sense that Aether Spirits can dodge? The rules don't say they can't, do they?"
Serval: "I don't think so… Wait, then why don't mine dodge?"
Pei Guang: "Maybe it's because your bond with them isn't strong enough. Come! Witness the connection between me and my Aether Spirits!"
Serval: "Heh, I've got a bond with mine too. Silvermane Lieutenant! Strike true!"
Pei Guang: "Tch, using a guaranteed-hit skill, huh? No big deal. Piggy Hero, group heal!"
The fight was intense, but March 7th stood nearby with arms crossed, looking at Pei Guang with a not-so-pleased expression. Because when Pei Guang had his Silvermane Lieutenant use a shielding skill on a single teammate, March 7th finally realized where the Lieutenant's voice lines came from.
"Stay right there while I give you a present~"
If before it had just sounded vaguely familiar, this line confirmed it. That was exactly what she often said during battles!
In that moment, Pei Guang felt a wave of malice from the universe itself. He was sure the real threat he now faced wasn't the enemy's offensive, but the punishment from his own teammate.
But Pei Guang wasn't bothered. When he chose to do this, he had already prepared to face death.
March 7th looked at Pei Guang, smiling sweetly with dead eyes. "Wow, Ah Guang. I didn't expect that… didn't expect that at all…"
Pei Guang: "Ahem, ahem! Piggy Hero, use… ! Eh? March? What's wrong?"
March 7th, seeing Pei Guang already sweating bullets, grinned and reached out to grab his waist. "You little sneak! Using my battle lines without telling me? I knew they sounded familiar. You're so bad~"
Did March 7th actually mind? Not at all. In fact, she found it pretty amusing. What made her mad was that she'd already said it sounded familiar earlier, and Pei Guang didn't say a thing, just made her keep guessing?
That was a grave offense. And for a crime so severe, March 7th decided on a harsh punishment: one Pei Guang would never forget for the rest of his life.
With that in mind, March 7th's hand on Pei Guang's waist began to lightly tickle, and she leaned in to whisper by his ear, "Hey, Ah Guang~ feeling guilty yet~?"