My obsession with role-playing seems to have distorted the world's aesthetic.

Akizuki Airi thought somewhat frantically, "As for refusing to join this obviously disreputable NEST-S?"

Akizuki Airi felt that she must be incredibly brave to refuse, daring to directly capture her and use her as an experimental subject. Judging from this style of doing things, Akizuki Airi had already guessed what would happen if she didn't agree.

If you really do that, then there's only one outcome: disappearance. Since choosing to refuse the organization's invitation means disappearing, then there's only one choice left.

If that's the case, then there's only one answer.

I, Akizuki Airi, will pledge my allegiance to the NEST-S organization!

Seeing Xia Qingqiu nod, Ai Li seemed to have added some strange characteristic to herself.

"A good bird chooses a good tree to perch on, and a good minister chooses a good master to serve. Akizuki Airi, you certainly have good judgment. Choosing to join NEST-S will be the best decision you've ever made."

Looking at Akizuki Airi, who was still sitting on the ground, Xia Qing in her True Zero form slowly spoke.

At the same time, he manipulated another illusion to slowly approach Akizuki Airi.

Looking at Aili, who was lying helplessly on the ground, Xia Qing slowly walked towards her: "Welcome to NESTS. I am Igniz, the leader of NESTS."

Chapter 377: Akizuki Airi on the Barren Earth

"Host, it seems that Akizuki Airi could be developed into a proper object of prayer."

Just as Xia Qing was about to explain her current situation to Qiu Yue Ai Li, the system's voice suddenly rang in her mind.

"A proper object of prayer?"

Xia Qing paused time through the fault driver II and asked with some confusion, "But... a proper object of prayer, you mean I've had some improper ones too?"

The Kronos cassette tape and related facilities currently used by Xia Qing have undergone some modifications.

One of the results of the modification is the ability to stop time directly without transforming into a game character, which rapidly expands the surrounding game area.

After the system realized that time had stopped around them, it slowly explained:

"Unlike Kirei Kotomine, whom you found before, Akizuki Airi's prayer was already recorded in my prayer backup database when I received the prayer last time."

I can force your next wish to be in her world, then we won't need to say thank you anymore~

Hearing this, Xia Qing silently remembered the system's help and prepared to make a gift with care next time as a way of repaying it.

Although the system said there was no need to thank her, Xia Qing suddenly remembered that she hadn't given the system, which had helped her so much, a gift yet.

By the way, the system seems to really like different virtual avatars, right?

Xia Qing decided to postpone thinking about the gift for a while, and looked at the system with some confusion:

"Isn't her world's story already complete? It seems that the tragic fate of Akizuki Airi in the original work will never happen to her."

The system gave a clean and concise answer: "Because Akizuki Airi's wish is not to escape Akizuki Kozo's clutches, but to resurrect her mother."

Okay, so it turns out I've been misunderstanding all along.

Hearing the system's explanation, Xia Qing nodded. Okay, I see.

Xia Qing began rapidly crafting a plot in her mind. Hmm, that's fine.

A dozen seconds later, the time stop was lifted. Looking at Akizuki Airi, who only had a rough understanding of the current situation, she simultaneously controlled two illusions to enter acting mode.

Wearing a purple battle robe, Igniz looked at Akizuki Airi, whose clothes were soaked and whose color was completely exposed, with clear eyes and without any desire.

With a wave of his left hand, heat instantly filled the small area near Akizuki Airi. In reality, Xia Qing himself did not feel any desire at this moment.

The soul does not secrete hormones or similar substances; desires are largely determined by the body.

Aside from using the character card's body, Xia Qing doesn't need to worry too much about being tempted by ordinary means when it comes to lust.

The clothes were quickly dried, and once the heat was gone, Igniz swiped his hand to bring up a virtual screen.

Although the view from her side was reversed, Ellie was still able to roughly decipher the information in the text on the transparent screen.

Your name, age, identity, blood type, and all sorts of information are displayed on it. Wait a minute, there seems to be an error with that age.

I'm only 16, but it's recorded as 17.

As Akizuki Airi looked somewhat puzzled, Igniz spoke in a calm tone:

"Akizuki...Airi, right? Congratulations on mastering this power. The contract you signed earlier will be modified later."

However, you must have been prepared when you signed the contract, because now the things described in the contract will become a reality.

From this moment forward, you will no longer be an ordinary student, but a candidate for leadership of our NESTS organization.

As for your codename, before you truly become a cadre, let's use the name of the power you inherited, ZERO. What power did he inherit?

As soon as Igniz finished speaking, Xia Qing, who was playing the role of Zhen Ling, said in his usual calm and authoritative voice, "Lord Igniz, it is the power of Yashiro."

Igniz raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised by the answer: "Is that so? But this title... well, let's leave it at that for now."

"Akizuki Airi, from this moment on, you will be reborn. You will now have a new title: NESTS Executive Candidate, Akizuki Airi of the Barren Earth."

After speaking, Igniz tapped the air in front of him a few times, and then Yashiro's information and pictures appeared in front of Akizuki Airi on the dry earth.

Looking at the picture of the muscular man right in front of her, Ellie felt like she had a lot of questions.

???

BOSS, I don't feel that title suits me very well.

In this helpless situation, Akizuki Airi quickly accepted her identity. Since she couldn't resist, she would pretend to submit for the time being.

It's not too late to make further plans after we have a better understanding of the NESTS organization.

However, although he decided to temporarily join this cause, the title is really not a good match for his appearance.

Upon hearing the title "Dry Land," Akizuki Airi froze on the spot. For the first time, she had become a candidate for a leadership position in a mysterious organization and had her own title.

But why is this name so unsuitable for my art style?

Parched earth...

It would be fine if I didn't show this picture to myself, but the problem is that after seeing it, I keep visualizing the man's face in the picture as my own.

Akizuki Airi felt exhausted, and she knew she had no choice but to accept the situation.

"This is wonderful, this parched land is truly wonderful..."

Kuroki, temporarily cosplaying as a researcher, looked at the exhausted Akizuki Airi and said in a satisfied tone, while Akizuki Airi turned her head away, Kuroki continued in the same excited tone:

"So powerful... what kind of torpedo is this?"

The blood of the heavenly gods and the power of the parched earth—these two things are perfect for you.

To paraphrase the line from the device developed by that brilliant physicist, well, these two forces are a perfect match for you.

"You succeeded. Although you are just a rare example of success, but... once is enough, there will be a second, Lord Igniz. One day, the combined power of the Eight Heroes of the Celestial Race will be at the service of NESTS."

Hei hope said he had completely entered the state of a science fanatic he had always imagined.

However, having never met a true science enthusiast, Heath could not be certain whether his disguise was flawless.

"This is your new contract, a contract for a candidate for cadre, on this parched land."

Igniz watched as Akizuki Airi waved her right hand, and two contracts with gold patterns and black ink appeared, along with a gilded fountain pen. Kuroki suddenly felt that this scene seemed somewhat familiar.

Chapter 378: Ellie: I have a feeling the organization I joined is like a standard villainous organization...

However, Hei hope didn't pay much attention to it and curiously glanced at the contents of the contract.

Well, one contract is to give Akizuki Airi enough power to kill Akizuki Kozo and help Akizuki Airi revive her mother, and the other is an employment contract for executive candidates.

Akizuki Airi gently took the two contracts floating in the air with her right hand. On the surface, she remained calm, but inwardly she was quite surprised.

Resurrected! ? ?

Is this really possible? Has human technology advanced to this point?

And how did this handsome blond man manage to make the paper float? Is it some kind of magnetic levitation technology?

Akizuki Airi's grades weren't too bad, just average. She felt it would be strange if she could understand the principles behind this obviously extraordinary technology.

Moreover, compared to the terrifying technology of possible resurrection, something as trivial as floating paper becomes insignificant.

"Don't be surprised, Miss Qiuyue. Our organization's influence spans the globe, and North and South America have been completely turned into puppets of our power."

The general public would not develop technology capable of resurrection, as its costs are too enormous and would be a significant burden for our organization.

However, you don't need to worry about the resurrection. The organization is known for its credibility, and it will definitely resurrect your mother. In fact, your situation back then was essentially a case of being resurrected by the organization.

Shin-Zero seemed to notice Akizuki Airi's surprise and explained, but Akizuki Airi was somewhat confused upon hearing this: "Resurrected by the organization?"

"That's right, your original body was just an ordinary human, and it was impossible for you to withstand the bloodline of the Eight Heroes."

Even genetic modification requires a good innate constitution. The strength of your bloodline is so poor that we can only describe it as terrible. You are practically like an ordinary human being.

The reason you were qualified to participate in the Eight Warriors Experiment was because your soul was a perfect match for the Eight Warriors. For this reason, the organization created a brand new body for you, a body that was more powerful than before.

That body is the one you have now. It didn't cost much to build, but saving your mother will probably cost a fortune.

After all, transferring a living person's body is a completely different level of difficulty from resurrecting a dead person...

Shin-Zero tried to comfort her, repeatedly emphasizing that the organization's value was to convince Ellie that it had a way to revive her.

The easier something is to obtain, the less likely it is to be cherished; the more casual a lie is, the easier it is to be exposed.

Listening to Shin's words, Akizuki Airi felt that coming to this organization seemed a bit terrifying in many ways. Look at what this man is saying.

Body creation, soul transfer, resurrection of the dead, genetic modification, bloodline transplantation.

What have you all done to me, a 16-year-old minor...?

Akizuki Airi felt that the organization she had joined was somehow very similar to the villains in some anime.

Many of the technologies involved were clearly unscientific, and Akizuki Airi, who didn't really believe it, readily signed her name on the contract.

On the other side, Ellie Igniz, watching the contract signed so decisively, suddenly frowned.

"What's wrong, Lord Igniz?"

The system, acting as Mio, feigned a worried expression, while Igniz waved his hand and replied, "It's nothing, but some things just didn't go as I expected."

"Akizuki... Airi, I'm calling you that correctly, right? That should be your name, isn't it?"

Looking at Ellie in front of him, Igniz's tone quickly returned to calm, and Ellie nodded with some confusion.