Thud—
In the raging, roaring fire, the woman being embraced from behind by the young girl... the woman holding the [Raven]...
Suddenly knelt there.
At the same time—
On the grassy field on the other side of the dark red [erosion domain], that tall and voluptuous woman also couldn't control her body and knelt down with a thud.
[Godmother's Laurel].
Even within the [Holy Royal Court], it is one of the top-ranking [Holy Relics].
It is a [Holy Relic] that even the [Saintess] of the [Holy Royal Court] back then, [Saint Michael], could not tame and could only barely use.
Because its existence is almost equivalent to a rule.
She said—
Kneel.
Within these three seconds, all things must submit.
The dark red [Raven] fell to the ground.
Su Yuzu watched that [Raven], her pupils suddenly contracting. She violently grabbed the woman's collar and rapidly dragged her dozens of meters away.
Boom—!!!
A huge roar. An explosion far more terrifying than the death of an ordinary [Raven].
At such a close distance, it was almost impossible for anyone to escape.
It was just that...
The young girl's movements were simply too fast, fast to the point of being inconceivable.
Only in the air filled with the smell of burnt asphalt and vegetation could the woman faintly smell the scent of blood.
That was the secret technique allowing Su Yuzu to evade the flock of ravens.
Blood—
A [Blood Manipulation] Esper can 'burn' blood in exchange for a short burst of strength and speed.
She was dragged along the ground for dozens of meters.
Even though the asphalt was already nearly melting, the friction underneath still felt scorching, as if her skin and flesh were about to be burnt black.
It was only because the woman's clothes and black silk stockings were actually formed from [Catastrophe Crystals]; otherwise... this would have truly resulted in a bloody mess.
She tilted her head back, looking at the young girl who was panting with slightly slumped shoulders.
The bright red blood set off the young girl's fair skin. Even in the dark red [erosion domain], the skin and lines revealed by the girl's torn collar were beautiful enough to make one's heart palpitate.
"Why..."
"Save me?"
Su Yuzu looked at the woman and merely sneered. "The person I want to kill..."
"How could I possibly let her die in someone else's hands?"
"Is that so..." A dim light flickered in [Raven]'s already nearly dissipating eyes. "Is that how it is?"
Summoning ravens was already a strenuous task for her.
The fact that she had been leaning on the railing earlier wasn't to look cool, but because she was truly running on fumes. This included why she hadn't dodged or evaded during the subsequent battle.
Just as the woman had said to Su Yuzu at the beginning—
From the start, she had no road to retreat.
Waiting for her was only withering and death—
Or perhaps, as the Demon King killed by the brave hero on stage, she would complete her mission... no, complete their mission, and die in a violent conflict.
Far away... the girl who had gained a little freedom because the tall woman knelt gazed at the bay where the raging fire burned, blinking her eyes.
It seemed as if some sour sensation was surging into her nasal cavity.
Hot, moist tears flowed down from the corners of her eyes, drop by drop.
Strange... what is sourness?
She fished out that wrinkled apple from her bosom and took a forceful bite.
Tears instantly poured out uncontrollably, crashing down.
That was a failed product made by [Raven].
It had the mere appearance of an apple, but the taste was like a kiwi.
But... this was one of the few things that an [Aberrant] could taste.
[Is this... sourness?]
The dark red [erosion domain] shattered with a loud crash.
[Dai Ling], perceiving the disappearance of [Raven]'s [Aberrant] aura, grabbed the girl's hand.
The apple with only one bite taken out of it fell to the ground.
"We should go—"
*
Behind the blazing, raging flames, Su Yuzu knelt on the ground. She looked at the woman before her who was gradually withering and losing her aura of life.
"Su..."
"Miss Soga..."
Her form was slowly dissipating, as if she were about to return to the [Abyss].
The death of an [Aberrant] was always like this.
After death, apart from the blood spilled from previous injuries, they seemed to leave no trace at all.
Some say they just return to the [Abyss].
Some say they vanish into smoke and clouds from then on.
But what actually happens... no one has ever seen.
It's just that... no one has ever seen a dead [Aberrant] a second time.
"[Zero]..."
In the final moment before returning to the [Edge of Aberration], the woman suddenly realized that what she was constantly thinking about... was not the truth carried by the young girl before her, nor the future of [Aberrants], or the future of humanity.
She was missing that idiot who could be happy for a long time just by being fed an apple.
"[Zero]..."
"[Zero] is living quite well; no one bullies her."
"I fed her [strawberry cream crepes] for a long time, only to discover she actually likes apple pie."
"She told me—"
"In the laboratory, there was a sister who was very good to her... like a mother..."
"She would always secretly bring her apples."
"So she likes to eat apples."
"Is that so..." The woman's hand hung powerlessly at her side.
The [erosion domain] that had unfolded because of her also shattered with a crash after that last raven fell to its death.
Raising her head, there was the pitch-black starry night.
Amidst the surging sound of the tide, there was only the crackling sound of the fire, like a mournful dirge.
"Miss Soga..." The woman's form was already drifting out into countless specks of light.
She struggled to lift her head.
Her voice was so weak it was almost imperceptible.
"[Zero]'s birthday..."
"Is..."
"Is... six days later."
Su Yuzu suddenly froze for a moment.
Because six days later... was also the birthday of her and [Soga Yura].
She suddenly had a strange feeling.
Looking at the woman before her who seemed destined to die, Su Yuzu's eyes suddenly blazed like torches.
"Weren't you always curious how [Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi] returned from [Aberration]?"
The young girl's voice, though weak, was still as resonant as a bell.
She looked at the woman's pair of dark golden vertical pupils that were gradually dimming before her.
"A person I do not allow to die—"
"Even if they fall into the [Abyss]..."
"They must roll back for me."
"Your sins are not yet paid off—"
"Remember this well with your body."
The girl leaned over and hugged the woman, as if she were about to kiss the woman's neck.
But what followed... was a crunch, crunch, crunch sound—
Like the sound of some terrifying creature chewing on ore.
The surging waves beat against the coast. The girl in the thin white dress quietly watched the bay highway, those brilliant vertical pupils appearing as if red-gold flames were burning in the dark night.
*
A black stretch limousine sped through the dark night.
The woman, without the [Raven] driving, drove the car herself.
A silent young girl sat quietly in the passenger seat. Plugged into the girl's ear was a [Data Module] continuously flashing with a red light point.
Suddenly... the woman slammed on the brakes.
The distracted young girl looked up.
The luxury car's bright headlights pierced the dark night.
She raised her head, looking at the figure of the young girl projected in the extremely bright headlights.
Those [crimson eyes]... cold eyes that seemed to judge all living beings made her feel incredibly delighted for a split second.
But then... after her gaze shifted downward, it turned gloomy again.
The young girl's long hair danced wildly in the sea breeze.
She wore a black trench coat, hands in her pockets, the coat also flapping loudly in the sea breeze.
In the instant she looked into that young girl's eyes.
Boom.
Clearly there was no sound, yet [Feng Ke] felt that the world instantly turned dead silent amidst an explosion-like roar.
Boundless murderous intent filled the world.
The temperature seemed to have dropped by more than ten degrees.
The entire world was left with only those [crimson eyes], quietly keeping watch.
____
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