The city before her lay in ruins—broken tiles and shattered walls. What once had been towering skyscrapers were now nothing but rubble and debris.
On the upturned streets, countless people could still be seen—some alive, some dead, some groaning, some weeping.
Some corpses were pinned beneath collapsed buildings, others destroyed by immense force, and some, still intact, lay exposed under the blazing sun.
All around, there were those crying, those kneeling or standing in numb despair, and those running madly like the deranged.
The place that once bustled with endless crowds was now nothing but a sea of corpses and bones. It was as if the end of the world had suddenly descended—disaster arriving without any warning.
"Inori, please look after Anna for me." Chu Lian bit her lip, stood up, and gently placed the sleeping Anna on the seat she had just occupied, instructing Inori softly.
Without responding to Anna's murmured "Mommy" in her dreams, Chu Lian leapt from the window. With forceful steps upon the ledges, she jumped upward again and again through the collapsed floors, climbing until she reached the highest point of the ruins. There, she gazed into the distance.
In the faraway sky, the most extraordinary battle in modern human history was unfolding. One side was a modernized military force, well-equipped with high-tech weapons; the other, a gigantic dragon over thirty meters long, its wings spanning nearly eighty meters.
It was a scene that should have existed only in Hollywood blockbusters, yet it now played out for real above this city. One could not help but wonder—was this the so-called prophecy come true?
No one wished for such a catastrophe, but neither could anyone have foreseen its coming.
The dragon was far too powerful—they had no way to kill it. No matter what weapon they used, nothing could penetrate the faint black protective barrier that enveloped its body.
Whenever their aircraft or soldiers tried to get close, that rapidly expanding shield would repel or destroy them outright, giving them no chance to approach.
Even the so-called superheroes had tried using their powers to attack the dragon—but with their strength only at the mid-Earth level at best, how could they possibly inflict damage so easily?
The only reason the white-clad boy had managed to land a blow earlier was that the dragon's attention had been focused entirely on Chu Lian at that moment. Moreover, their opposing attributes amplified his attack's effect. That was the only reason his strike pierced the dragon's scales from afar, injuring it slightly and throwing its mind into chaos—enough to lure it all the way here, to Miami.
Seeing that arrogant beast clinging to the side of a skyscraper, tearing everything apart around it, Chu Lian's fists tightened. "Bastard."
In her eyes flashed a color she had never revealed before—a faint blue, as pure and deep as the ocean itself. It was the manifestation of her spiritual sower as the Divine Spirit Art began to flow.
Suppressing her impulse to attack, Chu Lian searched for the place where the rest of their school trip group had been staying. In the distant horizon, the distinctive architecture of the "Qingping Grand Hotel" still stood mostly intact. Whether anyone remained inside, however, was uncertain.
"You all must be safe... or I'll never forgive myself." There might always be a thousand reasons to justify her actions, but she refused to use them. This disaster had begun because of her—dragging so many others into it was already wrong enough. If her friends who trusted her were harmed, she would regret it for life.
"Since this began because of me, then it must end by my hands." She gazed at the dragon's silhouette now buried under a barrage of artillery, her eyes filled with rage and killing intent.
Jumping down from the ledge, Chu Lian returned to the vehicle. Looking at the girls inside, she opened her mouth to speak—but the others didn't give her a chance.
"Lian, don't say it. I'm not leaving." The first to object was Inori. Her wine-red eyes met Chu Lian's, steady and resolute. "Even if it's dangerous here, I won't abandon you." Her head lowered, but her voice remained unwavering.
"Big Sis, do you really think I could just leave you alone? Last time, I listened to you, and because of that, I almost made a terrible mistake. This time, no matter what you say, I'm not agreeing to it." Chu Chu shook her head. Though her body was still injured and her strength hadn't yet recovered, she refused to let Chu Lian face this fight alone.
Behind Chu Lian, Kurosaki Satsuki's voice sounded. "I know you're worried about their safety, but we're not planning to join that completely unequal battle. We just want to stay here and watch you fight. As for ordinary dangers, I believe the few of us can handle them."
Her tone was calm, yet Chu Lian could hear the seriousness and resolve within. You too, huh? She shook her head with a bitter smile.
"What about the rest of you? Do you feel the same?" she asked, looking at the remaining girls.
"I won't leave," Li Xiu'er said, her eyes glistening with faint moisture, though she kept them fixed on Chu Lian. "Chu Lian, you've always been so strong, always standing in front of us as our shield. Even if I can't help you this time, at the very least, I want to watch you fight. Only then can I feel at ease."
"I won't leave either." Closing her book, Liu Yanran looked steadily at Chu Lian for a moment before turning her gaze toward the distant sky. "Don't forget, when I was resurrected, our fates became intertwined. That means you're my other half now. Do you think I'd just abandon half my body and walk away?" It was her first time revealing this in front of everyone, leaving the others momentarily stunned. Yet her words resonated deeply with them.
"Well, I suppose you two wouldn't leave either." Chu Lian's eyes turned to the final two girls who hadn't spoken, though both stared silently at her. Understanding their hearts, she sighed softly.
"Mommy, are you going to fight?" Rubbing her sleepy eyes, Anna awoke after a long rest, catching sight of Chu Lian's back just as she was about to turn away.
"Be good, Anna. Mommy's going out to make sure you all have a safe journey. Don't worry." Anna's voice softened her heart. Chu Lian turned back, knelt before her, and gently took the child's hands in her own.
"Mommy, are you going to fight that big lizard?" Anna seemed to know who her mother's enemy was. Her wide eyes blinked as she pointed toward the dragon's direction.
"Yes. That's Mommy's enemy. If I don't destroy it, we'll never know peace again. This is a good opportunity—one chance to end everything once and for all." Chu Lian spoke as reassuringly as she could. She didn't want Anna to worry too much.
Anna gripped her hand tightly, unease flickering in her eyes. "Mommy, please don't go. Anna can feel it... it's really strong and scary. If you go, you'll be in danger."
"Silly girl, Mommy knows that too. But Mommy has to go—it's my responsibility." Chu Lian smiled, her tone softening further. "This kind of responsibility is just like how Mommy must protect you and all your big sisters. It's something I must bear. Otherwise, how can I promise to keep you all safe?"
"But Anna's scared... that big lizard is so terrifying." Her fear coiled tightly around her heart, tears welling up in her dark eyes. Seeing that, Chu Lian's heart ached.
Circulating her Spiritual Power gently, Chu Lian sent a warm current of energy into Anna's body, easing her tension and fear bit by bit.
She freed one hand and brushed it softly across the girl's cheek. "Anna, you have to believe that Mommy can do this. You must also learn to be brave, like Mommy—to have the courage to face what must be faced. Only then will you live without regret, understand?"
Wiping away the tears that had begun to spill from Anna's eyes, Chu Lian kissed her cheek. "Anna, Mommy promises to come back safe and sound. I won't let you worry."
"Mommy..." In Anna's black eyes, faint runes flickered briefly before fading. She gazed at Chu Lian's face and murmured, "Then Mommy, can you leave the snacks you gave Anna earlier? Anna wants to use them to calm down."
Chu Lian froze for a second. When did Anna learn to say things like that? But since it was her request, Chu Lian would do everything she could to fulfill it.
She playfully tapped Anna's little nose and smiled. "Didn't expect you to be such a little glutton. I'll leave the snacks with Inori. When you want some, ask her for them. But remember, don't eat too much."
Saying that, she stood up and walked over to Inori, leaning close to whisper something in her ear—something that made Inori lift her head in surprise.
"Take these things. When Anna gets hungry or wants a snack, give them to her. But don't say I didn't warn you—these are best left uneaten by anyone else." From her spatial storage, Chu Lian retrieved the unfinished snacks Anna hadn't eaten before—Misuzu Kamio's Juice, Sanae Furukawa's Bread, and Aunt Akiko's Jam. She placed them into a box and set it beside Inori.
"Lian, come back safely," Inori said, glancing once at the food box before locking eyes with her.
"I will." After replying, Chu Lian gently lifted Tina from her shoulder and placed the small creature into Chu Chu's arms. Then, turning without another word, she stepped out of the vehicle. She forced herself not to look back—not at Anna, who was still softly sobbing.
Once outside, Chu Lian raised her hand slightly. Above her, a blue vortex opened in the sky, and Suicune's graceful form descended, landing beside her. "My master, do you require something of me?"
"Suicune, stay here and watch over them. Don't let them approach the battlefield," Chu Lian said, pointing toward the vehicle and the girls within.
Suicune turned its gaze toward the car, memorizing the girls' appearances before nodding. "Understood, my master."
If the girls had chosen to flee, Chu Lian would have ordered Suicune to protect them and then return to assist her. But since they had decided to stay, Suicune's duty would now be to remain and guard them. Even if it meant she would face the dragon alone, their safety came first.
After all, this was another country—a place teeming with hidden powers and countless strong individuals. Though Inori and Kurosaki Satsuki would protect the others, Chu Lian could not guarantee their absolute safety. Thus, she had chosen the most cautious plan.
"Don't even think about sneaking over while I'm fighting," she warned them. "With Suicune here, none of you will be able to break through its defense."
With that, her figure vanished. Stepping lightly across the remains of shattered structures, Chu Lian leapt through the air until she once again reached the platform from which she had earlier observed the battle between the U.S. military and the dragon.
"Now isn't the best time to kill it. Its aura hasn't weakened in the slightest. Even wounded, it won't be easy to take down. But don't think that means I can't deal with you."
Faint blue spiritual power ignited along her skin, and her resplendent armor materialized once more. In her hand appeared the magnificent Seven Illusions Bow, its form taking shape from nothingness. Clad in her spiritual gauntlets, she gripped the bow and raised it before her, whispering softly, "Partner, it's our turn again. Facing an opponent like this... think we'll have a hard time?"
She smiled, and the bowstring of the Seven Illusions Bow quivered in response, as if eager for battle.
"Then, let's go." Gripping the bow tightly, Chu Lian pushed off the ground with all her might and, amidst the ruins of the shattered city, leapt forward into the blue horizon...