"Zane? Why is it you?"
Hoshimi Miyabi's voice carried both confusion and caution. She didn't lower her guard. Something was clearly wrong with Zane—his state was abnormal, and she couldn't even be sure if this was truly him. She wasn't foolish enough to take that risk.
The blade in her hand angled downward, its edge reflecting faint glimmers from the water below. Her eyes stayed fixed on Zane. In the dim light, his face was partly obscured by his hair, leaving his expression unreadable.
Even so, her heart told her—it was him.
The figure before her didn't respond. Hoshimi Miyabi narrowed her eyes, watching closely through the silence and the darkness.
A sudden chill of dread crawled up her spine, forcing her to take half a step back. At that moment, Zane slowly raised his head.
Their eyes met—and for an instant, her mind went blank.
Those eyes, like rubies, gleamed bright and beautiful, yet carried a piercing, almost hypnotic intensity.
Hoshimi Miyabi knew immediately that this was not the Zane she knew. But what he had gone through inside this hollow... she had no idea.
Her gaze shifted to the Ether Crystal longsword in his hand, its gleaming blade shimmering coldly under the faint light.
And then, at last, Zane spoke.
"I'll grant you... a fleeting romance."
As the words fell, Zane lifted his sword and brought it down in a swift, decisive strike—its point cutting through the air straight toward Hoshimi Miyabi.
At the same time, a violent blizzard surged out from the darkness.
Thick, feathery snowflakes filled her vision, swirling wildly as fierce winds tore at her robes. The gale nearly knocked her off balance, and she steadied herself only by anchoring her stance through the ice forming beneath her heels.
Squinting against the storm, Hoshimi Miyabi raised a hand to shield her eyes. The world around her grew brighter—the darkness receding like a retreating tide.
When her vision cleared, she slowly lowered her hand and looked around.
The once-boundless waters had frozen into a vast, gleaming surface of glassy ice. From the sky above—its origin uncertain—fine snow fell quietly, one flake after another.
The heavens were a muted gray.
"The darkness has fallen by the will of humanity."
Zane's gaze locked onto Hoshimi Miyabi as he spoke softly.
His words reached her ears, deepening her confusion even further.
"Few can accomplish such a feat. You are the one I chose. I hope you won't disappoint me."
The tip of his sword still pointed straight at her.
Hoshimi Miyabi's breath caught. Her expression faltered between disbelief and hesitation.
The look in his eyes felt utterly foreign. And yet, listening to his words, she began to understand—at least in part.
That unknown enemy... it had already appeared.
But this wasn't supposed to happen. This wasn't part of the plan!
Without warning, Zane moved. His figure blurred as he closed the distance, swinging his longsword in a powerful downward strike—holding nothing back.
Hoshimi Miyabi reacted instinctively, raising her blade to meet his attack. Steel clashed with a deafening ring, a surge of force driving her backward several steps before she could steady herself.
The sharp edge of the Ether Longsword hovered just before her, Zane's strange crimson eyes now inches from hers.
Seeing her lingering hesitation, Zane spoke, his tone calm yet commanding.
"Miyabi."
"Strike."
The words triggered something deep within her—a memory she couldn't quite place. His voice carried the same calm authority as the teacher who had once trained her.
He had never acted without reason.
No matter what was happening now, no matter what it might lead to...
All she needed to do was trust him.
To treat this as a trial.
That single thought flashed through her mind. In the next instant, Hoshimi Miyabi twisted her wrist, deflecting Zane's sword to the side. Her knees bent, and she released her grip—her right hand flipping midair to catch the falling hilt.
Then, with a sudden burst of strength from her waist, she swung horizontally toward Zane's torso—her blade angled like a dagger.
Clang!
Ether crystals rapidly formed around Zane's abdomen, but Hoshimi Miyabi's attack came too fast—the crystal shield hadn't fully solidified.
Sparks burst from the impact, and the unfinished Ether crystal shattered beneath the force of her blade.
A sharp cracking sound echoed through the frozen air as fragments scattered. Zane staggered back.
And on the edge of Hoshimi Miyabi's blade—
A faint, glimmering streak of blood.