Xingtie, started with a guitar, and made a living by singing

This was a battle to defend the commercial district after the counterattack ended. The erosion phenomenon of the rift boundary was not suppressed, but instead accelerated into the city.

She hadn't participated in that battle due to her lack of experience. She only knew that Beloberg had lost the commercial district since then, and most civilian supplies were in short supply. It was also from that point on that supplies to the lower districts were constantly withheld...

It was from then on that the seeds of conflict were sown within the city.

Then, another new figure appeared.

It's Shiluwa.

The young girl was telling something to her friend with an excited look on her face.

"—What are you still hesitating about, Cocolia? Isn't this what you've been waiting for? Get out of this cage and see this city with your own eyes! What do we have to lose?

The efforts of our predecessors, their unfinished research, can finally bear fruit in this era! Give me a guard, let me find the "star core" and find a way to save our homeland -"

That burning vision can be felt even through the echoes.

However, this scorching heat encountered the incorruptible cold stone, and everything became futile.

"…Calm down, Silva."

Cocolia said in a distant and restrained tone.

"...Calm down? What are you talking about—"

Perhaps irritated by her friend's nonchalant look, Shiluwa became confused and uncertain.

Then, under her incredulous gaze, Kokolia turned around and summoned the guard standing at the door.

"Iron Guard! Ms. Landau is tired, take her down. Then, seal off her laboratory and detain all the researchers—they are conducting illegal research."

This strange gesture made Xiluwa even more heartbroken.

"...Why, Cocolia...why have you become so cold..."

However, the only answer she got was the cold mask of the Iron Guard and the receding figure of her friend.

On the corridor where the scientific concepts of self-discipline, rationality, and prudence were posted everywhere, Cocolia murmured to herself.

"Silva Landau. You were once my most cherished friend."

And the voice of the star core still appeared again.

"…but there is no place for her in the promised new world."

The core of a star is not allowed to be studied because it is blasphemy. Just as mortals cannot talk about the greatness of the star god, how can a mere ant be qualified to touch his essence?

After this, there was the figure of Cocolia.

That was on the front line of the battlefield.

A soldier hurriedly reported, "Lord Cocolia, monsters are coming this way! It's too dangerous here!"

However, Kokolia, dressed in military uniform, only muttered indifferently: "...stupid, humble..."

Even when the monster was about to charge, the Silvermane Iron Guard had no intention of abandoning the guardian. Instead, he stood in front of her and listened to her words as much as possible.

"What? My Lord, what are you talking about?

"No one can understand... except me. They have good eyes and ears, but they can't see or hear..."

Those sounds that sounded like the crazy ravings of monsters to humans were more beautiful than any opera to her ears.

It’s a pity that no one has ever been able to understand that people should have thrown themselves into destruction long ago.

It was at this moment that she made the decision herself and pushed the iron guards in front of her forward into the group of monsters.

Amid the soldiers' incredulous gazes and miserable wails, Kokolia smiled calmly, like the most devout saint.

"Feed upon the will of fools... pardon their folly and fear..."

Then, there was his own figure.

Although I was too young and ignorant, there was still respect and admiration for her in my eyes.

"Mother, I still don't understand... The Rift's erosion has spread to the lower levels. If all the Iron Guards are withdrawn, how will those left below protect themselves?"

"The automated robot defense line will take care of their safety. The most important defense line is in the upper area. If we collapse, the underground will be destroyed instantly. The defense line must be maintained at all costs."

The oath-breaker whom she trusted but pretended to have to do so.

"This is a choice, Bronya—as a leader, you must have the courage to make decisions... You and I, we have more important missions to fulfill. Sooner or later, you too will have to make a choice."

"A more important mission...?"

The young guardian heir asked the question in a naive manner, and the topic had already deviated.

"It's too early, Bronya—too early. One day you'll understand."

All the scenes I saw along the way were completely real things that happened.

It also allowed her to somewhat understand Cocolia's transformation so far, but these were not reasons to forgive her. These were not even hardship, but acts of paying the price for others in the name of justice, which was simply disgusting and evil.

She moved forward silently, the flaming spear in her hand constantly gathering strength.

Bronya had roughly understood that this scene was a way for the Star Core to mislead her.

Finally, at the point of light at the end of the road, a girl stood there.

"The city is crying out... The power of preservation is fading."

As if the guardians of the past had collectively cast their will upon this body, she spoke in a tone of vicissitudes that belied her appearance.

"In the end... we still couldn't resist the will of the Star Core."

"I don't think this is the true meaning of protection. I also don't approve of Kokolia giving up protection—"

"Indeed. But... we have no right to blame." The girl's ethereal figure solidified at this moment. She spoke to the young woman who had never arrived here, "For the past seven hundred years, the Rift has continued to expand every second. What we leave to our successors... is no faith, no wealth, only endless despair."

Under Bronya's increasingly cold gaze, she continued to whisper noisily, like a prisoner who had justified her innocence.

"Watching the homeland I swore to protect vanish before my eyes... is torture. Add to that the lingering, bewitching whisper... even the strongest will can waver. This day is bound to come. His protection is bound to leave us."

"—I have no intention of judging your kindness, but please forgive me for being frank. If we, elected by ordinary people, lack the 'toughness' required to accept this guardian responsibility, we will not be able to fulfill our duty to 'preserve' the world created by humans.

Then, we are unworthy of being called guardians. More importantly, we shouldn’t simultaneously play the role of god and judge, trampling on human nature from a high position.

Only you, a scum who has no idea what human nature is and can only whitewash your malice and deceive others, would do something like this."

As the girl's shadow looked on in astonishment, the flame spear in Bronya's hand pierced her body.

At the same time, the phantom faded, and her true appearance gradually emerged.

It was a core of light that shone like a star.

However, unlike the brilliance on the surface, its core is so ugly, even worse than the mud filled with the blood of sinners.

"How...exactly how did you discover this? Or, in other words, why wouldn't you give her a chance? Is this the humanity you boast about, treating the mother who raised you as your enemy and raising the banner of rebellion in the name of justice?"

"——There will always be those who remain unwavering and carry out the will to protect it."

"what?"

"Perhaps in your opinion, no, in my mother's opinion, my actions must have caused her pain. But that is just a wrong view based on her position."

Bronya placed her finger lightly on the trigger, and spoke in a stern tone amidst the other party's incomprehensible gaze.

"What I chose is the world, and the compatriots who chose us as their guardians and who sincerely believed that we could lead humanity out of despair. Not a deceptive evil, and certainly not the mother who had long since vanished from my imagination."

With the pull of the trigger, the blazing flame spear completely burned the phantom of the star core, and Bronya pulled it out, whispering softly in the white light of witnessing the destruction of the star.

"I still have a lot to accomplish. My companions, my dear friends, and my people are all still waiting for my return. I don't have the time to chat with you endlessly here."

At that moment, the starry sky suddenly disappeared, and instead, a large amount of information recorded inside leaked out.

In those scenes, there was also a person who led the crowd and made a wish to the star core, stopping the offensive of the Legion of Destruction, but also attracted the guardian of the eternal winter cold wave - Alisa Rand.

Almost from the moment she saw the other person's figure, his name came to her mind.

The blurred face seemed to have a hint of sadness, and although her red lips were slightly opened, no sound could be heard.

But one can sense the guilt and relief in her heart...

Bronya had no idea how many guardians' hearts had been corrupted by this despair that lasted as long as the ice age.

However, just as the buzzing and hot fire spear brought him a warning.

What happened in the past is in the past. No matter how real it seems, it is just a false echo after being manipulated and polluted by the core of the star.

It's not even a fake; it's a despicable thing that has absolutely nothing to do with the original.

When she realized this and opened her eyes again——

"Wow. Looks like you learned a lot!"

Her best friend standing beside her said to her in a teasing tone.

"Even the flames burning on the lance seem more real. Even if I accidentally touch it, I'll be burned and scream, right?"

Bronya simply smiled and raised the flaming spear, or rather the lance, which had changed drastically, in front of her again.

"If you want to joke around, you can do it as many times as you want after the war. But right now, we should focus on fighting the enemy, right?"

That's right, the power of "calmness" that she had longed for in the past finally came upon her.

However, there is something more important than strength.

——It’s the mind.

With this protective heart, she can now understand why Wendy is so at ease. It is not only because of the confidence in her own abilities, but also the belief that the path she is taking is absolutely correct.

I am now on this glorious path.

"This is impossible......"

As if affected by her change, Cocolia became more and more crazy, grabbing her face tightly, staring at the fence held in the girl's hand through her fingers.

"I'm sorry. The will of 'Protecting' has already made its choice..."

Bronya pointed it at her, her expression indescribably stern.

"No, that's not right! You know nothing of the plight of this world, nothing of the end that awaits it!"

Cocolia argued with a growl.

"So, do we have to willingly accept its demise?"

Bronya asked back sharply.

However, what she had to do was not to argue with Cocolia about right and wrong. These were just things that would change at any time depending on one's personal stance. The only truth that would not change was the survival of the world.

Facing Cocolia's furious gaze, she boldly took Wendy's hand and let him touch the handle of the flame spear that was said to be so hot that it would make him scream. The girl's palm was so warm and soft, and a calm and happy smile appeared on the corner of her mouth.

"Regrettably, not only will we not accept that outcome, we will continue on together. Let's go see birds soaring in the blue sky, see the frigid world come alive again, and see the starry sky that awaits those who step out of the confined city."

"No, no! How dare you do this in front of me! Despicable poet, what on earth did you do to my daughter?!"

"Hey?"

Although she didn't understand why Cocolia suddenly went crazy, Wendy still followed her conscience and made the most appropriate action for the current situation.

"Damn poet! Are you laughing at me, at me as a mother who was abandoned by my daughter?!"

That playful and annoying smile made Cocolia want to tear him into pieces and chop him into minced meat piece by piece!

In the end, perhaps because of the anger, the ice crystals floating on the surface of her body spread faster and faster, and she seemed to have changed her personality again.

His tone was indescribably hollow: "Since you like to sing these hypocritical things so much, then let me show you how to experience it firsthand—

The power that brings the cold and ends the war. His power is with me... and you... are but the death throes of the old world before it crumbles!"

As the cold breath of the stars spread, the originally snow-white skin was gradually replaced by the dim starry sky. Only the places that were originally covered with armor continued to form skirt armor composed of ice crystals, and the bound long hair was released.

The hair color gradually changes from golden to gray-silver and then to icy white.

Her voice at this moment was as ethereal as a singer's, like an echo in a glacier.

"You foolish ants, witness it with your own eyes."