The fairy maid cheers for her deceased master today.

A few minutes ago...

Elena suddenly felt that everything in front of her was very familiar, as if she had seen it all before her.

Then, this sense of déjà vu gradually became clearer over time.

She felt like she had been to this factory before...

No, even earlier, she had solved Catherine's mystery articles using a different method: identifying core vocabulary through repeated keywords, then analyzing whether it was an illusion or reality, and ultimately arriving at the answer.

Finally, they found the factory and used it to lure gangs into a fight, which also reduced the factory's security to a minimum.

Then she successfully infiltrated the place and found Catherine.

In that memory… she racked her brains and finally managed to resemble a detective. Although not as fast as Sir Axe… she only found Catherine just before the final deadline.

But the last scene suddenly flashed by.

The masked man appeared, accompanied by his steam-powered soldiers.

Then the masked man, while Catherine was still dazed and confused from the effects of the drug, fired a shot.

Catherine tilted her head to the side.

Blood splattered all over Elena's face.

What I saw was a sea of ​​blood...

Do not!

Elena snapped back to reality.

The basement was filled with the pungent smell of gunpowder and rust, almost masking the dampness from the heavy rain outside.

Before our eyes, the battle between Spring-Heeled Jack and the Steam Soldier continues, the sounds of clashing metal, spraying flames, and Jack's piercing roars intertwining.

X gripped his revolver tightly, his sharp eyes observing the battle, while Angel nervously clutched his clothes, her blue eyes filled with worry.

Elena instinctively leaned against the cold wall, trying to calm her rapid breathing.

But the hallucinations kept appearing, again and again. Like a malfunctioning video player.

Especially at the very end, just as he was about to rescue Catherine, the man wearing the pale mask suddenly emerged from the shadows, raised his pistol, and pulled the trigger at Catherine's forehead.

"Bang!"

Gunshots echoed in Elena's mind again, even more piercing than the sounds of Jack's battle with the mechs in reality.

The image is so vivid, so unforgettable, as if etched into my mind—

She saw Catherine's body jerk again, then slowly fall to the ground, her golden hair spreading out in the pool of blood, and her once intelligent emerald eyes completely losing their luster.

"Sister Elena, are you alright?"

Angel's voice pulled her back to reality from the terrible hallucination.

The fairy girl was looking at her with concern, her eyes questioning.

Irene then realized that she had knelt down without her noticing, her hands tightly covering her mouth, as if that could stop the desperate scream.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, and the fabric of her clothes on her back was soaked with cold sweat, sticking stickily to her skin.

"I...I'm fine." She forced a smile, but the tremor in her voice betrayed her true condition.

She struggled to her feet, simultaneously supporting Catherine on her shoulders to prevent her from falling.

But Catherine, who was draped over her shoulder, suddenly grasped Irene's hand.

Irene was startled.

"That was a dream," Catherine said softly. "Just a dream."

Although my mind is still not clear.

But Catherine seemed to understand Elena's thoughts perfectly.

Irene nodded subconsciously, but the fear in her heart had not completely dissipated.

The cruel scene still lingers in my mind.

The scene was so real, every detail was so clear it was chilling—Catherine's expression as she fell, the cold light flashing in the masked man's eyes, and the strong smell of blood... even the smell was so real.

"But..." Elena still felt uneasy, "What if it wasn't a dream? What if it was some kind of premonition, some kind of prophecy..."

"Then change it." Catherine's voice softened. "You are not alone now."

A simple sentence, yet it was like a key, instantly unlocking the tightly locked door in Elena's heart.

Change it... Yes, if that really is some kind of prophecy, then she will try to avoid it.

Besides, that prophecy has long been inaccurate.

Because Sir Axe did not appear in that prophecy.

This is already... a new ending.

Irene took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down and forget the hallucinations in her mind.

She began to carefully observe her surroundings, looking for any details that might be helpful to the current situation. The basement was larger than she had imagined, with abandoned pipes and valves covering the walls, torches stuck in the ground, and several flickering gas lamps hanging from the overhead beams, casting swaying shadows in the tremors of battle.

At this moment, Spring-Heeled Jack had completely gained the upper hand. Its body had changed again during the battle, not only becoming even larger, but also sprouting a pair of small fleshy wings on its back.

It no longer even needed to skillfully evade the attacks of the steam-powered soldiers.

It can withstand attacks from steam-powered soldiers.

It can even tear through the opponent's armor at the same time with its sharp metal claws.

"Roar—!" Jack let out a deafening roar.

"Boom!"

With a deafening roar, Jack's claws ripped open the steam-powered soldier's chest, and high-pressure steam gushed from the breach with a piercing shriek. The soldier had exploded.

everything is over.

"It's over," Jack said in a low voice, which became even hoarser and more terrifying. It turned to X, its eyes flashing red, and a sinister smile curled at the corner of its mouth.

"Now, it's finally your turn."

Elena's heart pounded. She saw X raise the special kerosene lamp, his finger on the mechanism. But Elena sensed that the flash alone might not be enough—Jack had evolved again in the battle, its power greater than before.

"Elena, get ready, take Catherine and escape!" Ex whispered.

"what?"

"I'll hold Jack off with Angel, and maybe even distract him. You can take the opportunity to get out with Catherine."

"Will this work?"

"I don't know, but we can't just sit here and wait to die." Alex took a deep breath. "When you see the right moment, rush towards the stairwell, and don't look back!"

Why...

Sir Axe...

Why would you go to such lengths for me?

If you stay, there's only one outcome.

How could I possibly... abandon you and run away for Catherine?

Elena glanced instinctively at Catherine on her shoulder.

Catherine must think so too.

After all, Catherine said: I am not alone anymore.

Yes, I still have Sir Axe...

I must save both Catherine and the Sir!

What should we do then?

Think, Elena, think! You're a detective, use your invincible little brain to think of any other way to turn the tide. Time is running out!

She needs strength!

And the fairy's power is unleashed... that's right, it comes from the contract!

That is the oldest ritual.

It is said that from the moment fairies were born, they were preparing for that day. For that day, to protect humanity.

In order to protect the humans they cherish, fairies will receive an ancient reward from the gods after the contract is completed—gaining greater power.

That power was hidden in the fairy's destiny from the very beginning.

Elena closed her eyes, feeling the magic flowing through her body. As a fairy, her true power stemmed from her contract with a human.

And now, this very nature is calling to her—calling for her to unleash her true power!

Yes, that's what I want to do most right now...

This is my wish.