"We're still trapped within the Abyss barrier..."
Nahida spoke with grave solemnity, enunciating each word carefully as she shared her conclusions.
"Huh? Then... what do we do?" March 7th asked, her voice trembling slightly. "Are we going to be stuck here forever, caught in endless cycles of reincarnation?"
Seeing Nahida's grave expression, March 7th finally grasped the gravity of the situation. Recalling some videos she'd seen on short-video platforms, her earlier terrified, trembling demeanor returned.
"Don't worry," Stelle said nonchalantly. "We'll just have to eat tree bark, graze on the grass, and wait patiently for death. It's no big deal." Perhaps because she'd only been born a few months ago and had little understanding of the mortal world, Stelle showed no sign of panic. Instead, she observed March 7th's reaction with amusement, even managing a teasing remark.
"Ah?! No way..." Hearing this, March 7th conjured a simple image in her mind, and instantly, her future seemed shrouded in darkness.
"Maybe you should cut back on those short videos," Nahida said, her formerly solemn expression now replaced by a mix of exasperation and disappointment.
"You're already a bit dim-witted, and you keep watching those videos every day. Keep it up, and you'll end up like January Fifth."
Nahida crossed her arms, adopting the air of a stern elder as she lectured March 7th.
"What's January Fifth?"
"Hey! Who are you calling dim-witted? This girl is incredibly smart! Name one thing about me that's remotely dim-witted!"
Though March 7th didn't understand what "January Fifth" meant, she immediately understood that Nahida was calling her dim-witted.
She immediately launched into a rebuttal, determined to prove that she had nothing in common with the word "dim-witted."
"Whoever denies it is the one who's dim-witted."
"I'm not denying anything!"
"Hm?" Nahida smirked, extending her palm toward March 7th in a suggestive gesture.
"?"
"Are you trying to get yourself killed?!"
Initially, March 7th couldn't grasp the meaning behind Nahida's gesture, but when she saw the teasing glint in Nahida's eyes, it instantly clicked.
So, Nahida still thinks I'm an idiot, huh?
"Alright, let's focus on getting out of this barrier first."
Nahida shook her head, clearly concerned about March 7th's intelligence, but this wasn't the time to dwell on that. As she surveyed their surroundings, her brow furrowed, as if she had noticed something.
"What's wrong? Did you spot something?" Hearing this, March 7th knew it wasn't the time to dwell on their earlier exchange. She watched Nahida's expression change and asked curiously.
"Come with me." Nahida nodded, her footsteps softening as she cautiously moved in a particular direction.
Seeing this, March 7th and Stelle exchanged a glance and a subtle nod before quietly trailing behind Nahida, mindful to keep their footsteps light and avoid making loud noises.
"Stop."
They hadn't gone far, just past a few trees, when Nahida abruptly halted at the sight before them.
"Na... Nahida, wh-what is that thing...?" Following Nahida's gaze, March 7th gasped, covering her mouth in astonishment.
Before them pulsed a massive, crimson heart, its throbbing vitality corroding every inch of the surrounding land. The once lush lawn had been transformed into a network of throbbing crimson veins.
"This is the Abyss Heart," Nahida explained, her eyes fixed on the constantly throbbing crimson organ. "We're trapped within two layers of barriers, and this thing is likely the cause. If we destroy it, we can escape."
"But... something feels off."
After explaining, Nahida seemed to notice something amiss, a flicker of confusion crossing her adorable, round face.
"Huh? Off? What's off?" Hearing this, March 7th, who had been eagerly rubbing her hands together, preparing to obliterate the grotesque heart with an arrow, froze mid-motion.
Though March 7th hated to admit it, by any measure—observation skills, intelligence, or knowledge—the little brat before her far surpassed her own capabilities...
So, March 7th still had to heed Nahida's warning about something feeling off.
"I can't quite put my finger on it. Maybe I'm just overthinking things," Nahida murmured, her jade green eyes fixed on the heart, her mind racing.
But ultimately, she couldn't pinpoint the problem. Shaking her head, she dismissed it as mere overthinking.
No matter what, destroying this heart can't be wrong. Nahida turned her gaze to the little swarm perched on Stelle's shoulder, pointed at the crimson heart, and instructed:
"Little Swarm, compress your power into a single point and destroy this heart."
"Remember, don't spread your power too thin. The Abyss's aura will corrupt it."
"Otherwise, we'll have to spend even more time purifying the tainted power later."
Though the Little Swarm's power contained the Path power of Abundance, making it immune to the Abyss's corruption, Nahida pretended not to know and offered the warning anyway.
After all, those Players were cunning and sharp. One careless slip, and she might accidentally reveal some crucial truths...
"Understood!" Upon hearing Nahida's words, Little Swarm suddenly felt an inexplicable urge to execute Lady Nahida's mission flawlessly, leaving absolutely no room for error!
Why this impulse had arisen remained a complete mystery to Little Swarm herself.
But it didn't matter. All that mattered was completing Lady Nahida's mission perfectly!
With this thought in mind, Little Swarm once again took flight from Stelle's shoulder, her form rapidly expanding until she assumed her original, imposing form. The Emanator's aura surged forth, causing the crimson, pulsating heart to slow its rhythm by several beats.
A terrifyingly potent blue light began to coalesce at Little Swarm's maw, compressing into an ever-shrinking sphere.
As the charge completed, the sphere had shrunk to a tiny point. Little Swarm aimed at the throbbing heart and unleashed the attack.
Swarm King Cannon!
A momentary flash of blue light pierced the heart, causing it to rapidly disintegrate. Under the Suppression of the Emanator's authority, it shattered completely...
As the Abyss Heart shattered, a flash filled their vision, followed by a wave of dizziness. When they regained their senses, the landscape had shifted, returning them to their starting point.
"Are we... out of the Abyss barrier?" March 7th asked Nahida, her gaze sweeping across the familiar surroundings before settling on the towering Irminsul tree that pierced the sky and rooted deep into the earth.
"Hmm... I think so? Maybe? Possibly? Are we out?" Nahida replied, her gaze fixed on Irminsul. Her voice carried a hint of uncertainty.
"Um... Nahida, did you notice something?" Seeing Nahida, the team's sharpest mind, fall into deep thought, March 7th's earlier relief gave way to renewed anxiety.
"No, nothing really. I'm probably just overthinking it," Nahida said, shaking her head. She didn't elaborate, but her furrowed brow and troubled expression betrayed a lingering unease.
"Um... anyway, let's go find Sister Lumina first."
"With Sister Lumina around, any danger we encounter will be resolved in a flash!"
Although Nahida's appearance frightened March 7th, the mere thought of Sister Lumina banished most of her fear.
"March 7th, take out your phone and send a message. See if it goes through," Nahida said earnestly, her gaze fixed on March 7th.
"Don't mention what just happened here."
After delivering these instructions, Nahida added, "Just tell her we've reached the back mountain."
"Okay, I'll try!"
Seeing Nahida's serious expression, March 7th didn't hesitate. She immediately pulled out her phone and sent a message to Sister Lumina.
[March 7th: Sister Lumina, where are you now? We've already reached the back mountain.]
[Lumina: I'm by Irminsul. Just follow the tree's direction, and you'll find me.]
This time, no red exclamation mark appeared. The moment March 7th sent her message, Lumina swiftly replied.
March 7th: Okay!
Seeing the response, March 7th immediately typed "Okay!" and grinned at Nahida.
"Alright, Nahida, no need to worry anymore. We can go find Sister Lumina now."
After seeing Sister Lumina's message, March 7th's lingering anxiety completely vanished.
"This is going a little too smoothly..." Nahida murmured, her already bewildered gaze growing even more perplexed.
"Nahida? Are you okay?" March 7th asked, concerned as she watched Nahida staring blankly into space.
"Mm... I'm fine, just overthinking things."
"Let's not waste any more time. Let's go."
Hearing this, Nahida lowered her head in thought for a moment, but still couldn't make sense of it. She shook her head, gave up on figuring it out, and started walking toward Irminsul.
"Mm-hmm, let's hurry! We shouldn't keep Sister Lumina waiting too long."
-
"Sister Lumina!"
Beneath the Irminsul, a stunning figure in a white dress drew the attention of everyone present.
March 7th knew this silhouette like the back of her hand. Her face lit up with a radiant smile as she broke into a run, eager to give her beloved Sister Lumina a big hug.
"Huh?"
But just as March 7th was about to touch Lumina's body, an unsettling, strange feeling surged through her heart, freezing her in her tracks.
"Little March, what's wrong?"
Sensing the movement behind her, Lumina turned around to find March 7th standing frozen. Her voice carried a hint of concern.
"N-nothing... I'm fine," March stammered. As she gazed at Lumina's face, the unsettling feeling in her heart grew stronger. She swallowed hard and instinctively took a few steps back.
Lumina's eyes flashed with a fleeting shadow as she observed March 7th's reaction, but the darkness vanished quickly, replaced by her usual gentle smile.
"Little March, are you feeling unwell?"
"The Irminsul has the power to purify minds and heal illnesses. Why don't you go over there and get some treatment? The process will be very comfortable~"
"Definitely, definitely! Hahaha..."
March 7th gazed at Sister Lumina's familiar yet utterly foreign face, a chill running down her spine. She forced a nervous laugh and stumbled back several steps.
"...?"
Lumina's smile remained unchanged, still gentle and kind, but a hint of cold indifference had crept into her jade-green eyes.
Tap... tap... tap...
"You must be Nahida."
As footsteps echoed through the space, Nahida, Stelle, and Little Swarm joined March 7th's side.
Lumina addressed Nahida with her usual tender tone.
"March 7th, don't worry. Nothing bad will happen," Nahida reassured her, ignoring Lumina entirely. Noticing March 7th's sweat-soaked appearance, she reached out and clasped her trembling hand, offering comfort.
A warm current flowed into March 7th's heart, gradually calming her fear and steadying her trembling body. She pressed her lips together, her gaze fixed on Lumina, the strange unease within her growing stronger.
"Nahida... Sister Lumina... she... she..."
March 7th didn't know what had happened to Sister Lumina. Lowering her voice, she tried to ask the knowledgeable Nahida for an explanation, but her mind was in such turmoil that her fragmented, trembling words failed to form a coherent sentence.
Even with Nahida's comforting words, March 7th still felt waves of icy coldness, as if she were sinking into a frozen abyss...
The actions of the Lumina before her were eerily similar to the Lumina she remembered, but March 7th knew with absolute certainty that this wasn't the Sister Lumina she knew...
Could it be... that the invincible Sister Lumina she held in her heart had already...
"Lumina is fine," Nahida said, sensing March 7th's thoughts. A wry smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
Though inwardly exasperated, Nahida knew she had to play her part. She tightened her grip on March 7th's cold hand and fixed her gaze on the Lumina before them.
"Even March 7th has noticed something's off. Are you going to keep up this charade?"
"Huh? Nahida, what are you talking about?" The Lumina tilted her head, feigning confusion as she countered. "What's wrong? What could possibly be wrong?"
Seeing the situation, Nahida had no intention of continuing to engage with this unknown Lumina before her. A green glow surged from her hand, and a verdant book radiating the aura of life materialized.
Wither
The book in Nahida's hand flipped through its pages ceaselessly, green light emanating from her eyes and the tips of her hair.
In the next instant, a terrifying, suffocating aura erupted from the book, crashing into "Lumina". However, it was ultimately blocked by a deep crimson shield.
Nahida's expression instantly turned grave. She swiftly pulled Stelle and March 7th back, taking a step back to maintain a safe distance.
"Nahida, Sister Lumina, she..."
"She's not your Sister Lumina."
The entire exchange had unfolded in an instant. March 7th, still reeling from the shock, instinctively turned to Nahida for answers.
But before March 7th could finish her question, Nahida shook her head, preemptively answering.
"Then where did Sister Lumina go—"
"As expected of Sumeru's Lord of Wisdom, your reputation precedes you..."
March 7th was about to ask about Sister Lumina's whereabouts, but before she could finish, a seductive voice, laced with enchantment, echoed in everyone's ears...