"Go, take them down."
"By your divine will."
Freesna stepped before Cocolia, her expression icy, as if pronouncing a death sentence.
"Decayed Guardian… prepare to face the wrath of [Eternity]."
Seeing the charging staff, Cocolia wasn't about to stand still and wait for death.
"Elf, hasn't anyone taught you? In battle, never expose your back to the enemy."
Boom!
An energy blast struck Freesna with pinpoint accuracy, its source none other than the sealed Stellaron Core.
"Whoa, the Stellaron Core's that strong?" Stelle looked down, trying to channel her own Stellaron Core to fire an energy blast from her abdomen.
Sadly, she failed.
Even among Stellaron Cores, there were differences.
"Feeling weak? Had enough?" The smoke cleared, and Freesna stood unscathed. Even while trading barbs with Cocolia, she didn't pause the charging of her staff.
"Is this the legendary 'smoke but no damage' rule?!" March 7th exclaimed, then realized something. "Wait… shouldn't we go help Priestess Sister?"
"You're worried about the safety of an [Emanator]?"
Dan Heng countered. Was this battle moving too fast? His instincts told him a fight with Cocolia couldn't end so easily.
Sure enough, just as Freesna's light projectile was about to end Cocolia, she halted her actions, surprising Cocolia.
"Someone doesn't want this battle to end too quickly. [Eternity] forgives the dying, and I can tell… you still have words for that Iron Guard girl."
"Three sentences will suffice." Freesna turned to Adrian, seeking his approval.
"No rush. Let them have their mother-daughter moment."
…
Cocolia approached Bronya for a final farewell. "There's another reason I brought you here, Bronya. It's time I told you."
"I've told you all the truths—about the deal with the Stellaron Core, about the wish I made to it. There are no more secrets between us."
"Many years ago, the [Stellaron Core]'s voice first whispered in my ear, and like every Guardian before me, I shut my eyes and ears. Back then, I was just like you, clinging to the so-called [Preservation] of the builders…"
"My faith was once unshakable… until an unexpected variable disrupted everything. Another choice appeared before me—one that meant overturning the old order and ushering in a new world."
"But compared to the vague, ever-distant [Preservation], it was so real…"
Cocolia reached out to Bronya. "I've been wracking my brain, wondering how to convey this to you. The promised tomorrow will come, but if you can't stand by my side to witness that new world…"
"As a mother, I'd be plunged into pain—Bronya, an indelible pain!"
Seeing Cocolia's anguished expression, Bronya bit her lip, unsure how to respond.
"Perhaps I should thank these outsiders. Their pressure… finally forced me to face my last weakness."
"Bronya, from childhood to now, I've never forced you to obey my will. You've always had a choice… then and now."
"Make your choice, daughter."
Bronya took a deep breath, following her heart to say what she most wanted to express, her address to Cocolia shifting:
"Haa… Lady Cocolia, thank you for raising me, for giving me the right to choose."
"But… I'm sorry, Mother. This time, I can't stand with you."
Hearing Bronya's answer, Cocolia let out a relieved sigh.
"You said humanity's core is folly and cowardice. Maybe that's true—desperation reveals the darkest parts of us."
"But you've overlooked those who strive to survive, to fight, in that desperation. I've seen their light—at the restricted zone's frontline, in the lower district, in the corners you ignored."
Bronya glanced at Freesna, a living example who survived her homeland's assault by the Swarm Disaster.
"Our ancestors built this city with their hands, struggling to preserve civilization amid the blizzard. Even if this world is doomed to collapse, the path to that end should be paved by humanity's own hands…"
"Not handed over to this calamity seed!"
The Stellaron Core, clearly displeased, was about to whisper something to Cocolia when it was struck by a weapon.
Bronya's words ignited Stelle's battle fervor. With the mood perfectly set, she swung her bat down, and the Stellaron Core in her mind let out a pained wail.
Even so, the Stellaron Core didn't lash out or forcibly seize Cocolia's mind. It wasn't foolish—its limited self-awareness allowed it to assess the battlefield.
Especially that silver-haired elf. That earlier blast nearly shattered it, and now it didn't dare utter a word.
"We are Guardians chosen by ordinary people, Mother! Our duty is to [Preserve] the world built by humanity! We're not gods or judges!"
"You want to trample humanity underfoot while playing both judge and god… I can't allow that!"
Hearing Bronya's impassioned response, Cocolia's face showed a trace of disappointment.
"So that's your choice… I see, Bronya."
"Pity… Pity you won't see the beautiful world. You can't break free from the shackles of your mind… Do you know? You could've been… the [Mother] of the new world." Cocolia's expression was one of regret.
"This city… Belobog's fate is already sealed. Its future will unfold in our hands."
"And you… will become the cornerstone of this new world…"
Before she could finish, Adrian's voice cut in.
"Just saying goodbye… and you're stealing the spotlight?"
"I've given you and her plenty of time… Wait, why does that sound familiar?" Freesna tried to act serious but broke character in a second.
"Because Cocolia said it!"
"No matter." Freesna coughed lightly, drew her staff, and instantly charged a light arrow, ready to end Cocolia's sins.
Considering her daughter was present, Freesna aimed to let her go with dignity.
With a loud explosion, the 'smoke but no damage' rule somehow applied to Cocolia.
"Hey, that's not right! You don't believe in [Preservation]—you've already embraced [Destruction]!" Seeing Cocolia unscathed, March 7th was stunned. How could the villain get the 'smoke but no damage' treatment?!
Cocolia was equally shocked, touching her unharmed body. Had she underestimated this Stellaron Core? It could withstand an [Emanator]'s strike?
Hm… Cocolia glanced at her right arm. Beyond the icy erosion from the Stellaron Core, a grinning mask had inexplicably appeared.
But what shocked her more was yet to come. Freesna, who had just attacked, and Adrian, sipping milk tea behind her, were now… separated by a scarlet barrier.
Huh… something's off.
Cocolia's heart leaped with secret delight. Could it be…
The advantage was hers?