Starlight of the Apocalypse

After a long pause, Yuwang sneezed and snapped back to reality! He thought to himself, "Either I caught a cold, or that brat, Bo Yi, has been talking about me again."

In a hurry, he returned to their temporary residence. From a distance, he saw Bo Yi and the other two looking around. Chang Xi, with her sharp eyes, spotted Yuwang right away and called out loudly, "Yuwang, you're back! Where have you been?"

"Didn't you go out early this morning to hang out with some girl?" Bo Yi teased, as usual.

Yuwang's face turned red. He quickly handed over the breakfast he had brought back and said, "I went out to buy breakfast for you, handsome."

Bo Yi laughed heartily, taking the food and then dramatically making a gesture to dodge away, saying, "Don't try to tempt me, my preferences are firmly set!" He handed out the food to Sofia and Chang Xi.

Since they had grown up together, teasing each other was a common occurrence, and no one took it seriously. However, the observant Chang Xi noticed that Yuwang seemed a bit different today—why was he blushing at just a simple comment?

"Let's eat while walking, the competition is about to start. If they didn't insist on waiting for you, we would've gone to get a spot earlier," Bo Yi urged.

Soon, the four of them arrived at the nearest shuttle station. Normally not crowded, there was now a long line. Fortunately, the city management committee had added extra services for the event, and after 30 minutes, they managed to get on the shuttle.

Although there were multiple arenas for the competition in each district, the official announcement that the Goddess of the Gods, Princess Suoya, would be attending the opening ceremony of the Starfire Alliance's Divine Envoy selection at Blackstone City's central square attracted a large crowd. Everyone wanted a glimpse of the goddess. Even though the four of them had seen the princess before, they wanted to be in the most exciting spot for the grand event.

The central square of Blackstone City was brightly lit under a vast dome. Because the underground city relied on biological energy for power, only essential military and transport infrastructure were illuminated, making the added lights for the event feel festive and joyous.

The square was several times larger than Eagle Eye City's and could hold up to ten thousand people. Even so, due to the overwhelming crowd, it was completely packed. The four could only squeeze into the outermost guest entrance. From here, they could barely see anything in the center of the square. Bo Yi couldn't help but complain, "It's all your fault, stupid fishing net! I woke up so early for nothing. Didn't they say the early bird gets the worm?"

"Yeah, but have you never heard that the early worm gets eaten by the bird? Hehe," Sofia smirked and nudged him.

"Alright, I give up!" Bo Yi sighed.

Yuwang, embarrassed, said, "Sorry, I'll treat everyone to lunch."

"You're a good student!" Bo Yi laughed, patting him on the shoulder.

The group chatted casually as they waited. Meanwhile, the officials, guards, and competitors were already waiting at the center of the square. However, the event hadn't started yet because the main star hadn't appeared.

Soon, a herald called out loudly, "The esteemed Divine Envoy of the Gods, the stunningly beautiful Princess Suoya has arrived!"

On the red carpet, a procession of guards walked out, followed by the highly anticipated princess. The crowd eagerly craned their necks to catch a glimpse of the main character.

"Suoya? Isn't it her?" Yuwang thought, feeling a little disappointed.

After the ceremonial procession, two towering giants emerged from the passage. The crowd erupted in cheers! These giants were around 10 feet tall, clad in ancient warrior armor, with massive collars around their necks that emitted an air of mystery. As they stepped into the expansive square, they muttered a few words, and their collars glowed, causing them to grow even taller, reaching about 16 feet.

The crowd's cheers intensified. This wasn't just because of the spectacle in front of them but also because humanity had been forced to live in the underground cities for so long, in dark, mouse-like conditions. They longed for freedom, peace, and the return of their ancient lands and seas. Today, they hoped to witness a miracle, to see the dawn of a new future.

Behind the giants, Vice Speaker Mahmud accompanied a young woman of similar height. She had bright red hair and wore a flowing red gown, creating a warm and picturesque image, as if the fiery colors of her gown were alive with the essence of water. Her long hair cascaded like a waterfall, flowing into her skirt, and her graceful steps made the fabric seem like waves in a red river. Her golden eyes radiated with the ethereal beauty of a goddess, and the crowd knew at once that she was no ordinary person.

The only thing that puzzled them was how she seemed to be the same size as they were. But most quickly realized that since they could grow larger, they could also shrink in size.

Amid the gasps and cheers of the crowd, Suoya walked forward, acknowledging the crowd with a smile. The sight of so many people cheering and celebrating excited her as well.

"Fishing net, your mermaid is here!" Bo Yi slapped Yuwang, who was still in a daze, and pointed in the direction of Suoya.

Yuwang had originally thought there might be more than one princess from the divine race. As he pondered this, he was snapped out of his thoughts by Bo Yi's playful slap and immediately looked in the direction he was pointing.

"Isn't that Princess Tethys? Are they twins?" Yuwang asked, confused.

It seemed that Suoya had heard him call the name. She noticed Yuwang in the crowd and slowly walked toward him. The guards hurried to keep the excited crowd at bay, but as she smiled and moved forward, the people willingly parted to clear a path, showing their respect and awe for the divine being.

As she walked, she softly spoke, "Earth is also the homeland of our divine race. I love this warm and beautiful planet, especially the vast blue sea. That's why I choose to become the Sea Goddess Tethys. We will help you defeat the cold iron suits and rebuild our shared homeland!"

Her words, though soft, echoed clearly to every individual, as if they were wearing headphones, and the message was translated into their respective languages. As soon as she finished speaking, someone in the crowd shouted, "Goddess Tethys!"

"Tethys... Goddess... Tethys..." The crowd roared, their excitement growing.

When Suoya reached Yuwang, she softly said, "Come with me." She turned around and walked back down the red carpet.

Her voice seemed to have a magical allure. Without thinking, Yuwang found himself following her. The crowd remained in a frenzy, drowning out the voices of Bo Yi and the others.

"Yuwang, don't ditch us for a girl!" Bo Yi yelled.

"Yuwang, take me with you!" Sofia cried out.

But the guards stopped them from following.

Upon reaching the VIP seating area, Suoya, Mahmud, and others took their seats. The event organizers had already arranged an additional chair behind the princess, though they didn't know who the boy was. Vice Speaker Mahmud recognized Yuwang but, with the event about to begin, he didn't have time to inquire further.

Mahmud stepped to the center of the stage, raised his hands to signal for silence. The bustling square quickly quieted down, and the crowd eagerly awaited the start of the grand event...