Compromise (First Update)

Whether it was Anya herself or Mariana, both possessed considerable combat skill.

As the mech fragments fell, after adjusting her balance for a moment, she hit the ground and rolled, bleeding off the impact.

Yet the few strips of cloth she had already been wearing were reduced even further, leaving her looking somewhat bedraggled.

Covering her vital areas with one hand, "Anya" looked toward Xu Yue, her face filled with shock and disbelief.

With just one strike—one strike—he had utterly destroyed the Knights of the Round’s most elite mech.

And she could not understand what kind of attack he had used. The mech had been blasted into fragments, yet she herself had somehow remained completely unharmed.

She could think of several attacks that targeted only living beings, but she simply could not comprehend something that targeted only inanimate objects.

"You’re still wet behind the ears. What is there to worry about, Princess Mariana?"

Dismissing Susanoo, Xu Yue looked at "Anya," whose body was barely covering its vital areas with a few scraps of cloth and her own hands, then slowly approached.

"Anya" was likewise completely unable to understand how that enormous "machine" had appeared and vanished. What kind of technology could achieve something like that?!

"Hmph. If you want to look, then look your fill."

After her initial instinctive attempt to cover herself, she simply let go. It was not her own body, after all. There was indeed nothing to hide.

Watching Xu Yue with a somewhat grave gaze, "Anya" could not understand why he was approaching her directly instead of using that "mech."

Yet the moment that thought surfaced, she inwardly realized something was wrong.

But the next instant, she discovered it was already too late.

For some inexplicable reason, the boy approaching her, whom she had originally found detestable, suddenly looked far more pleasing to her eyes. A natural sense of closeness and trust rose within her heart.

Even stripping naked for him no longer seemed like a big deal.

"You really are still undeveloped."

Arriving before "Anya," Xu Yue reached out and lightly tousled her slightly disheveled hair. His expression remained as gentle as ever, free of any impure thoughts.

"Heh, it really is an interesting Geass. But your Geass has no coercive power, so it is actually of no use to me."

"Anya" did not dislike the touch of Xu Yue’s palm. Instead, she narrowed her eyes, seeming to enjoy it like a little kitten. This non-compulsory Geass merely made her feel reliance and trust toward him, but her reason, her own thoughts, and her goals would not change.

Unless he exploited an ideology close to her own, he could not alter her way of thinking.

Mariana was an extremely self-centered person. It could be said that she was among those least affected by Xu Yue’s Geass.

"This is rather troublesome. I had originally wanted you to help connect the ruins throughout the Empire as well."

Xu Yue hooked "Anya’s" delicate chin, lifting her pretty face so she looked at him, his tone unchanged.

"If your goal is the same as ours, then it is not impossible."

In the end, Xu Yue’s Geass still had some effect. Although Mariana within Anya constantly reminded herself to be cautious, she still spoke words that showed some willingness to compromise.

That was true. If his objective was the same as theirs, then adding one more person was not impossible. But the initiative had to remain on their side!

"Then I have no choice. Actually, I do not wish to use such brute force either, but Princess Mariana’s will truly is strong enough."

Xu Yue smiled as the pattern of the Mangekyo appeared in his eyes. The next moment, the entire world froze, and Mariana was forcibly dragged by Xu Yue into his Tsukuyomi space!

"This is?! What is going on?"

When Mariana sank her consciousness deep into Anya’s mind, she could also use C’s World to converse and communicate with C.C.

She was not entirely unfamiliar with mental worlds.

But she had never experienced this mental world before. It lacked the vastness of C’s World, yet it carried an indescribable strangeness and oppression.

"This is my personal mental world. Oh, you have probably entered C’s World as well, but unlike the C World, which operates according to its fundamental settings, in this world, everything is decided by me."

Xu Yue’s figure appeared beside Mariana.

"This…"

Very quickly, Mariana discovered that she could not move at all. She was truly, completely under his control.

She could not understand why this was happening. Even Geass should not be capable of such a change!

"With the strength of your mental fortitude, I really do need to use some extraordinary measures."

"Here, I can magnify the pain your body feels a thousandfold…"

Xu Yue said lightly.

"Then give it a try."

Although Mariana could not move, she showed no weakness.

"Likewise, I can magnify your other sensations a thousandfold as well. Hmm, whenever you are willing to compromise, just let me know. No matter how long passes here, in reality it will only be an instant…"

As Xu Yue’s words fell, Mariana’s pupils could not help but contract. You intend to…

But before she could even finish the thought, an indescribable sensation surged up from the deepest part of her heart…

"Mm~"

In reality, "Anya" let out a soft moan and immediately went limp, collapsing onto the ground. Her body then began trembling at high frequency, and even her skin turned pink.

Then she raised her pretty face and shot Xu Yue a fierce glare with watery eyes.

"Beast."

"Thank you for the compliment."

Xu Yue gave a slight bow, seemingly unconcerned.

Xu Yue had truly gone all out to make her compromise. She was clearly a normal individual, yet her mental will was terrifyingly powerful.

He did not know whether that was simply her nature, whether it was because of this world’s C’s World, or whether the space itself imposed corresponding limits and protections.

Once he had forced her into compromising, he made a few appropriate concessions himself.

In the end, the two sides reached an agreement: whichever side captured the remaining ruin nodes would share them and connect them with the other. Then they would enter the final operating system together. As for who would win in the end, that would depend on their respective methods.

Obtaining an agreement of this level meant Xu Yue had more or less achieved his goal. As for whether she would honor it, Xu Yue had planted a Tsukuyomi seed in her mind.

At any time, he could make that thousandfold sensation erupt again.

Even taking ten thousand steps back, this had been an unexpected gain delivered right to his doorstep. He had only acted on impulse to begin with. Even if she ultimately endured that sensation and refused, he would lose nothing. At worst, he could simply proceed according to the original plan.

"I will make contact. I will not keep you company for now. Take good care of this body for me."

After giving a final cold snort, Mariana’s consciousness seemed to sink back down again. She was probably preparing to use the C World to send out the message.

As for the real Anya, she had directly fallen unconscious and was caught in Xu Yue’s arms…

Working overtime over the weekend, then driving seventy kilometers of winding mountain roads home—I’m exhausted to death… This is the first update! There will still be three updates today, as promised!