"There's a terrifying creature chasing us. I can sense it—it's not far behind..." After enduring the pain for a while, Chu Lian finally caught her breath. Lifting her head, she spoke with a pained expression to the anxious girls around her.
"Then doesn't that mean we can't escape at all while on the plane?" Li Xiu'er gasped softly. If that creature really caught up, they would have nowhere to run. Trapped inside an aircraft, their chances of survival would be slim to none.
Chu Lian shook her head, biting her lip. "Not yet. Its speed is slightly slower than the plane's—it won't be able to catch up right away. Inori, go tell the pilot to increase speed. Say it's my request."
"Stay put, and don't do anything reckless," Inori said immediately. Without hesitation, she unbuckled her seatbelt and hurried toward the cockpit.
"Chu Chu, go tell Cai Ya and the others to follow our lead," Chu Lian instructed once Inori had left.
Chu Chu blinked, realizing from her sister's tone that there was a reason she only wanted her to speak to Cai Ya's group. After a brief pause, she nodded and stood up, heading toward where Cai Ya and her group were seated.
"Xiu'er, go inform Teacher Ning Zhiyuan. Tell her to prepare for an immediate evacuation once we land. She and the others must stay inside the hotel, no matter what happens outside—even if the sky collapses. And make sure she keeps quiet about everything until they're safe at the hotel. Not a word to anyone until then." Chu Lian exhaled deeply, suppressing the overwhelming fear pressing on her heart, and turned to assign Li Xiu'er her task.
Li Xiu'er bit her lip, wanting to say something but unable to. Meeting Chu Lian's firm gaze, she simply unfastened her belt and walked swiftly toward where Ning Zhiyuan sat.
Their group's sudden, coordinated actions naturally drew attention from the nearby students, but seeing that none of them seemed inclined to explain, the others kept quiet.
Fortunately, Chu Lian's group was seated in a small corner section, surrounded only by their own members. The nearest group—Cai Ya's—was three rows away, so their hushed discussion didn't reach other students. Otherwise, panic might have already broken out.
"Chu Lian, did you see something?" The only one left beside her, the white-haired girl, asked carefully. Her blood-red eyes watched Chu Lian's still-pained expression closely.
"No. I don't have precognitive abilities—I can't see what it is. The only one who can is Mana, but she's still asleep inside Inori's body. It'll take time before she wakes," Chu Lian said with a bitter smile. If she could see what kind of creature was chasing them, she wouldn't be this tense.
The unknown was what made it terrifying. What frightened her most wasn't the creature's strength—it was that she had no idea what it was, and thus no idea how to fight it.
"Should I tell her or not?" In the System Space, Ayase—the only one who knew the truth—hesitated.
She wanted to tell Chu Lian what kind of creature it was, but her rational mind warned her that intervening now would only bind her to this calamity, intertwining her fate with it and making the situation even more dangerous.
She suspected this creature had appeared because of the anomaly caused when Chu Lian's White Rose bloomed after Ayase returned from the Punishment Space.
Too many unstable factors were already in play. If she warned Chu Lian now, would that trigger even greater, more unpredictable consequences?
As she pondered this, her eyes gradually hardened with resolve. So what if it did? If things went wrong, she could always step in herself. Even if it meant risking her life, she would help Chu Lian resolve it. Letting this calamity bind her fate—what of it?
But in the end, her hesitation had cost her the chance to act.
A transparent cage suddenly materialized above her. Before she could react, it descended, trapping her within. Her actions and words were completely sealed, leaving her only her thoughts.
Back in the real world, as the plane began to accelerate, putting more distance between them and the monstrous presence, the pain and fear within Chu Lian's body slowly began to fade.
Once she had recovered, Chu Lian thought of Ayase in the System Space, realizing that she probably knew more than she did. Closing her eyes, Chu Lian sank her spiritual awareness into the System Space.
What she saw made her freeze completely.
Ayase sat with one leg crossed, her face set with determination, the motion of lowering a wine glass frozen midair.
Her pitch-black eyes carried a trace of resolve, yet they were lifeless—like those of a statue, devoid of vitality or emotion.
Slowly stepping forward, Chu Lian reached out her hand and touched an invisible wall. Though Ayase stood less than a meter away, the distance between them felt like an unbridgeable chasm.
"Damn it, let go of Ayase, you disgusting invaders!" Chu Lian shouted furiously. After all their talks on the plane, she immediately understood who was behind this.
It was obvious—those invaders had discovered an opportunity to eliminate their greatest threat. They must have spent an enormous price to temporarily seal off the system's administrator.
She was certain that this seal wouldn't end before tomorrow—when that monstrous creature would reach her, and their inevitable confrontation would begin.
"Damn it... damn it... damn it..." Chu Lian struck the transparent wall with her fists, tears slowly welling in her eyes. "Heh... so this is how it is, huh? You want to throw me into a hopeless situation—turn my greatest support into a useless ornament, and leave me alone to face enemies that could kill me in an instant?"
"Perfect timing, really. You chose the moment when Ayase was weakest... when I'm facing my greatest crisis." Tears rolled down her cheeks, hitting the dark floor and scattering into tiny droplets.
Leaning against the invisible barrier, Chu Lian slowly sank to the ground, her head bowed. After a long silence, she let out a hoarse, bitter laugh. "I'm still too fragile. Even now, at such a crucial moment, I still rely on others to solve everything for me."
"So that's it? You want me to face this alone, hoping I'll die in this calamity?" She lifted her head, her tear-streaked face softening into a faint, almost tender smile. "Then watch closely. Let's see who has the last laugh. I just hope that when this seal's energy runs out, you'll still have enough left to withstand Ayase's retaliation."
Rising to her feet, she gently wiped away her tears and turned around without looking back again.
Chu Lian didn't see it—but as she left with such resolute determination, Ayase's motionless eyes seemed to flicker faintly, as though they had caught a glimpse of hope.
Opening her eyes, Chu Lian looked up at the cabin ceiling and whispered, "This time, even if the road ahead leads to ruin, I will not take a single step back."
"Chu Lian..." Kurosaki Satsuki, seeing the change in her after she reopened her eyes, wanted to say something—but in the end, she stayed silent.
"Lian, I'm sorry. This is the fastest speed the plane can go. It'll let us reach Miami an hour earlier, but... that's all we can manage," Inori said softly as she returned to her seat, glancing at Chu Lian's profile.
"It's fine. An hour is enough," Chu Lian replied, shaking her head. Even one extra hour was already a considerable gain.
After all, increasing flight speed could disrupt airport coordination. A plane's flight plan—its speed, arrival time, and path—was all strictly scheduled.
If this weren't a private jet provided by the Zhao family, no responsible pilot would ever heed a little girl's request to alter course. That would only bring chaos and endless paperwork afterward.
Fortunately, this pilot had been given explicit orders: at any time, if Chu Lian made a request that could be granted, it must be fulfilled. That was the only reason he agreed to such a risky demand.
"Teacher didn't say much—she just told us to be careful," Li Xiu'er said softly as she returned right after Inori, her face still flushed with nervousness.
It hadn't been easy for her to carry out that task. By nature, she was shy and hated bothering others. Whenever she caused trouble, she always felt guilty first—and this time, the matter concerned everyone's safety. Just getting the words out had taken all her courage.
But Chu Lian had no choice. Among them, Li Xiu'er was the only one suitable to speak with Ning Zhiyuan. She had to rely on her, even if it meant putting her in an uncomfortable position.
--
"Big Sis, are you feeling better?" Just as Li Xiu'er was about to ask about Chu Lian's condition, Chu Chu's voice came from ahead. Her face still carried traces of tension.
But Chu Lian knew—that wasn't the kind of nervousness that came from shyness around people. It was concern—pure worry about her.
"I'm fine for now. I can feel it—that malicious and terrifying presence is gone," Chu Lian said with a shake of her head, indicating that she was all right. But what she said next instantly darkened the mood among the girls.
"This time, because of some unexpected circumstances, our enemies won't just be the three powerful beings from the Otherside. There will also be a terrifying monster involved. I don't know what kind of creature it is, or if there are any other surprises waiting for us. The only thing I know is this—we have no reinforcements, no powerful allies to rely on, and not nearly enough strength to match them."
Her bright eyes moved slowly across the faces of the girls, one by one, before she continued softly, "There's a strong chance I'll die in this battle. So I won't force any of you to fight with me... but please, promise me you'll protect yourselves."
"Lian..." Inori grasped Chu Lian's hand tightly, her gaze steady, her expression firmer than ever before. "This life of mine—if it must end, it will end with you."
Ever since arriving in this world, Chu Lian had been the one she stayed closest to. Most of her memories from before had faded, leaving only the moments she shared with Chu Lian. There was no way she could watch her disappear before her eyes. Even if it meant dying alongside her, so be it.
"If Big Sis isn't in this world anymore, then what meaning would living have for me?" Chu Chu said with a faint smile that nonetheless revealed her unwavering resolve. She might not personally fight, but as the one responsible for protecting Li Xiu'er, she would not stray far from the battlefield. Even if she had to fight until the very end, she would never abandon her post.
"I can't fight," Li Xiu'er said softly, raising her head. "But I won't run, either. If they try to use me as a hostage, I'll end my own life before they can. So, Chu Lian, don't worry about me." Her voice was clear and steady, though her eyes shimmered with tears.
"I said I would become the sword in your hand. Even if you already have one, a weapon like me will never leave your side," Kurosaki Satsuki said simply—but her words carried a weight that could not be doubted.
Chu Lian looked at them all, her lips trembling slightly before curving into a radiant smile.
In this life, meeting them truly was the greatest blessing she could have asked for...
If tomorrow really is my final day, then I'll burn brighter than the stars themselves—and leave my mark upon this world.