BXBX NOVEL Chapter 42: Evangeline's Resolve
Instead, he felt a new ability awaken within him—the power to summon loyal servants obtained from the God Simulator's rewards.
Hellhound was now under his command, waiting for the moment Linsley would call upon him.
The transformation was complete. Linsley stood in the real world, fully aware of the immense power he now wielded and the responsibilities that came with it.
With his newfound strength, he knew he was one step closer to challenging the Outer God Association and securing his place in the world.
But first, he had to understand what had happened in the simulation. The answers lay with Evangeline, and the Goddess Simulation was the key to unlocking them.
As soon as the final reward was selected, the system prompted him with a simple question:
[Would you like to initiate the Goddess Simulation now?]
With a determined nod, Linsley mentally confirmed his decision.
"Let's see where this leads."
The world around him shifted as the Goddess Simulation began, picking up the story where the God Simulation had left off.
The narrative continued, but this time, it was from Evangeline's perspective.
When the Goddess Simulation began, Linsley's consciousness was pulled into it.
Unlike in the God Simulation, where his experiences and senses were synchronized with his simulated self, Linsley found himself observing from an immersive third-person perspective.
It was as if he were watching an incredibly realistic movie, able to move within a limited range around Evangeline. He could see her, hear her, and even read her thoughts as they unfolded.
[Evangeline woke up, her eyes fluttering open in the dim light of the room. Her body still felt the residual exhaustion from the previous night's events, but there was a calmness in her demeanor.]
[She turned her head to the side, expecting to see Linsley beside her, but the bed was empty.]
[A slight frown creased her forehead as she sat up, her thoughts racing. 'Where is he? Did he leave already?']
[As she fully sat up, she noticed something on the floor beside the bed—a figure lying still in the shadows.]
[Evangeline's breath hitched, her heart pounding as she leaned over to get a better look. 'No… it can't be…']
[Her eyes widened in horror as she realized it was Linsley, his body lifeless, cold, and unmoving.]
[A wave of panic surged through her, and she quickly scrambled out of bed, kneeling beside him.]
["Linley! What happened?!" Evangeline's voice trembled as she shook his shoulder, desperate for a response. But there was nothing—no warmth, no pulse, no sign of life.]
[Evangeline's hands trembled as she tried to process what she was seeing. 'How… how could this happen? He was fine… He was just fine…']
Linsley, observing from his third-person perspective, felt a chill run down his spine. "My body… that's… me?"
[Evangeline's thoughts were a whirlwind of shock, disbelief, and deep sorrow. 'This doesn't make any sense… He was so powerful, so strong… How could he just… die like this?']
[Her mind raced through possibilities, but nothing seemed to fit. 'There were no signs… no warnings… Could someone have…?']
[Evangeline's eyes darted around the room, her gaze frantic as she searched for any clues, any explanation that could make sense of this sudden, inexplicable death. But there was nothing out of the ordinary—no signs of a struggle, no intruders, nothing.]
Linsley watched, his own confusion growing. "What the hell happened? I was fine…"
[The shock in Evangeline's mind slowly gave way to a crushing realization. She slumped back onto the floor, tears welling up in her eyes. "He's really… gone…"]
Linsley felt a pang of guilt as he observed her grief.
He had been prepared for betrayal, but seeing this raw, unfiltered pain made him question his assumptions. "Did she really have nothing to do with this?"
[Evangeline's mind was filled with sorrow and regret. 'I should have been more careful… I should have… I don't know what I could have done, but I should have done something…']
[She whispered through her tears, "How could this happen? What could I have done to stop this?"]
[For several long moments, Evangeline remained kneeling beside Linley's lifeless body, tears streaming down her cheeks as despair threatened to overwhelm her.]
[Her usually composed demeanor was shattered, replaced by profound grief and a burning sense of injustice.]
[Slowly, her sorrow began to transform into resolve.]
[Wiping away her tears, Evangeline's eyes hardened with determination. "I won't let this go unanswered," she murmured, her voice steadying. "Whoever did this will pay."]
['But who could have done this?' she thought, her mind racing. 'Linley was a Zenith Avatar Master… only someone incredibly powerful could have killed him so silently, so effortlessly.']
[A flicker of doubt crossed her mind as she considered her own strength. 'I'm not strong enough to face someone like that… not yet.']
[Her gaze shifted to the small ornate box resting on the bedside table—the box containing the six avatar crystals Linley had gifted her the previous night.]
[Hope sparked within her as she remembered his words and the trust he had placed in her.]
['With these crystals, I can reach Zenith too,' she realized, a newfound determination filling her. 'I can gain the power needed to find and face his killer. I owe him that much… and more.']
[Without hesitation, she stood up, her resolve hardening. "I'll use them. I'll become stronger… for Linley."]
[Evangeline took a deep breath and summoned her avatar, her Frost Goddess Divine Clothing materializing around her.]
[The shimmering, icy battle dress adorned with intricate frost and snow motifs encased her body, while a crown of crystalline ice formed atop her head, reflecting the faint light of the room.]
[Her ice scepter appeared in her hand, glowing with an ethereal blue light, and the temperature in the room dropped drastically, frost creeping up the walls and floor. The very air around her seemed to shimmer with the power of ice and frost.]
[With a determined expression, she reached for the first avatar crystal. Her hand trembled slightly as she gripped it, but her resolve didn't waver.]
[Evangeline pressed the avatar crystal against her chest, feeling its energy seep into her body.]
[She closed her eyes, allowing the crystal's power to flow through her, beginning the process that would push her avatar to its next level.]