Hiyakura stood in a daze within the Rift Gate.
Around her was a scene of twisted chaos.
Her mind was equally tumultuous, constantly flashing back to the moment she attacked Violet.
That uncontrollable power still surged within her.
She held herself tightly, trying to suppress this force, but the effect was minimal.
Hiyakura knew she was in great danger; she did not want to hurt anyone, especially those she cared about.
It was precisely because of this concern that she had resolutely stepped into this legendary Rift Gate, full of hidden dangers.
The world inside the Rift was even more chaotic than she had imagined.
Strange fog enveloped the surroundings, and bizarre sounds occasionally echoed from the distance.
Hiyakura cautiously moved forward, every step filled with uncertainty.
Suddenly, a rustling sound came from behind her.
Hiyakura spun around and saw various grotesque disasters approaching her.
Some resembled twisted beasts, while others were beyond her imagination.
These disasters sparkled with dangerous light, seemingly viewing her as prey.
Hiyakura instinctively took a few steps back, her heart racing.
At that moment, the power within her suddenly erupted, and a wave of scorching heat radiated from her.
Those approaching disasters seemed to sense this power, pausing their steps, their greed turning to fear.
They exchanged glances and swiftly retreated, disappearing into the fog.
Hiyakura sighed in relief, but quickly fell into new trouble. She could not control the power within her; heat continued to radiate outward.
The air around her became scorching, and even the ground began to warp slightly.
She wandered aimlessly in this unfamiliar world.
Every step left a charred footprint behind her.
Hiyakura did not know where to go or what to do.
She only knew that she could not go back, could not hurt anyone anymore.
She could only move forward!
Walking alone into a dim and bleak future.
...
At the same time.
Tao Yao stood atop the Abyss Dragon, constantly searching for Hiyakura.
The interior of the Rift was composed of countless fragments of ruins.
Each piece of ruin resembled a small independent world.
There was no clear up or down.
Gravity seemed to be a concept that could be disregarded.
The passage of time had also become vague.
Tao Yao could not even judge how long she had been there.
As Tao Yao continued forward, she suddenly spotted a familiar figure.
"Hmm? Is someone there?"
It was a girl lying on the ground, unconscious.
Around the girl were numerous corpses of disaster beasts.
Tao Yao took a closer look and recognized the girl—one of the important characters in the game, Laurel.
Laurel had entered here to close the Rift Gate.
But from the current situation, it was clear that her attempt had ended in failure.
Tao Yao glanced down at the Abyss Dragon and whispered:
"Can you take her? If possible, please help her get out afterward."
The Abyss Dragon nodded, carefully grasping Laurel's clothes with its mouth and gently lifting her up.
It then spread its wings and soared into the distance with Tao Yao and the unconscious Laurel.
...
On the other side, Hiyakura was still wandering aimlessly in the Rift.
She moved between one fragment of ruins and another.
At each stop, a patch of scorched earth was left behind.
Whispers echoed in her ears, like demons constantly tormenting her heart.
"Since you cannot control this power, why do you still choose to accept it?"
"Cowardly, weak, overestimating yourself. With so many flaws, you, like a calamity, are simply unworthy of wielding this power that does not belong to you!"
"Give up; you are destined to hurt everyone..."
These voices sounded both familiar and strange, like "another self" that had appeared before.
However, the other side was not gentle.
Unlike the other version of her from Hiyakura's memories.
She did not have time to think deeply; intense headaches made it hard to concentrate.
Her body felt like it would explode at any moment, every step a torment.
Hiyakura didn't know how long she had been walking or where she was heading.
She merely moved mechanically, hoping to find a place where she would not hurt anyone.
Just when Hiyakura was about to lose hope.
She suddenly arrived at a beautiful sea of flowers.
Colorful blossoms swayed gently in the breeze, and a faint floral fragrance filled the air.
This scene created a stark contrast to the chaos surrounding her.
Hiyakura looked in astonishment at the sight before her, murmuring, "I didn't expect that within the Rift Gate, there would be such well-preserved fragments of ruins..."
She slowly walked into the flower sea, feeling the petals brush gently against her arms.
Even though the power within her was still raging.
This flower sea seemed to possess a magical power that brought her a sense of tranquility.
Hiyakura gradually sat down, gazing at the beautiful scenery, a complex emotion welling up inside her.
"Maybe I should just stay here…"
She spoke softly, her voice carrying a hint of choking emotion, "As long as I remain in this rift world, detached from reality, even if I can't control myself, I won't hurt anyone..."
Tears streamed from her eyes, only to evaporate in the intense heat.
She struggled even to cry.
Hiyakura thought of her friends, remembered those she could never see again.
She knew what her choice meant.
But what could she do?
She had made the wrong choice.
Now, she ultimately had to pay for her mistakes, bearing the price she needed to bear alone.
"I'm sorry, everyone..."
Hiyakura murmured softly.
She sat amidst the flower sea, yet the power within her showed no signs of subsiding.
The scorching breath continued to emanate from her, like a volcano on the verge of eruption.
She tried to control this force.
But it was in vain.
Suddenly, a light breeze blew by, causing the petals to dance with the wind.
However, this seemingly beautiful sight became the beginning of disaster.
With the fluctuations of power within Hiyakura.
Those dancing petals suddenly ignited, turning into red sparks.
The sparks scattered, landing on the surrounding flowers.
In an instant, flames, like greedy demons, rapidly consumed this beautiful flower sea.
The vibrant blossoms twisted and deformed under the high temperature, emitting a burnt smell.
The originally gentle floral fragrance was replaced by thick smoke, a pungent odor filling the entire space.
Hiyakura watched all of this in despair, her heart aching.
She thought she had found a safe haven, but unexpectedly became the destroyer of this beautiful scenery.
The flames grew fiercer, forming a horrific sea of fire.
Waves of heat twisted the surrounding air.
The once beautiful flower sea had vanished.
In its place lay a charred land and raging flames.
Hiyakura stood in the center of this sea of fire, filled with self-reproach and despair.
She painfully closed her eyes, silently awaiting the arrival of death.
"This must be the ending I deserve..."
Hiyakura thought bitterly, "The other me might have deceived me, but one thing she said wasn't wrong; to touch this scarlet fairy power, one must naturally pay the price of blood."
She had been prepared since the morning; if she foolishly wanted to make a deal with a demon, then correspondingly, she should be ready to be calculated against by the demon...
And just as Hiyakura fell into despair, a light and agile sound of footsteps suddenly approached.
Then, a sweet voice rang in her ear:
"Indeed, a girl's weeping is the most unpleasant note in the world; this heartbreaking melody is absolutely, absolutely my least favorite thing!"
Hiyakura abruptly lifted her head and saw a familiar figure.
In the reflection of the sea of fire, Tao Yao's figure appeared exceptionally brilliant.
Hiyakura's pupils trembled violently, staring incredulously at the person before her.
"Fraud..."
She gritted her teeth and spat out these two words.
Tao Yao heard this and still smiled, slowly walking towards Hiyakura.
Every step she took was graceful and composed, as if the surrounding flames had no effect on her.
"Though I indeed am a fraud," Tao Yao said with a light chuckle, "but hearing those two words from your mouth still makes me feel a pang of heartache."
She paused, looking gently at Hiyakura, and continued:
"However, if possible, please allow this fraud to offer the final dance for the birth of the flame fairy."