"Cocolia brought lies to her people."
"Now that she's dead, Alisa Rand's legacy, the duty to resolve the Stellaron crisis passed down to her successors, has been fulfilled."
"Even so, will you choose to follow in Cocolia's footsteps and bring lies to your people?"
"Think of those who died because of Cocolia."
"Only the truth can comfort their spirits in the afterlife and give their sacrifices true meaning."
"Don't blame me for being blunt—"
"If the truth were revealed to the world and civilization collapsed as a result, it would mean… your mother was the one who was right."
Stelle's words were not only blunt but carried a trace of coldness and indifference.
The survival or destruction of a world's civilization is never determined by a single lie.
A civilization sustained by lies is destined to be warped.
"Of course, this is just our opinion as outsiders, offered after completing this leg of our Trailblaze journey."
"The choice is yours. Whether you decide to conceal the truth or not, we respect your decision."
Bronya stood frozen.
Seele couldn't refute.
"Look, it all circles back to what I said earlier—how can there be a perfect solution in this world?"
Ah Xian let out a sigh.
Choices divided by perspective—Bronya and Seele's inclinations differed from those of the Trailblaze team, and neither could be simply judged as right or wrong.
This brought her back to what she had said earlier.
Beyond the game, there are countless players.
A thousand people have a thousand Hamlets, and every player holds their own scale of judgment.
No matter what choice is made, it's the meaning they impart to this story, to this Trailblaze journey.
Right or wrong, perspective doesn't matter—what matters is finding common ground while preserving differences.
Bronya took a deep breath, her gaze gradually firming.
"I understand. I will reveal the truth."
"I'll find my own way to restore faith in the Guardians among those who lost it because of my mother… ugh—"
Before she could finish, Bronya's vision darkened, and she nearly lost her balance.
"Are you okay, Bronya?!" Seele rushed forward to steady her.
"I… I'm fine…"
But before she could say more, Bronya's consciousness faded, and she slipped into a coma.
Noticing Bronya's poor condition, Dan Heng spoke softly, "Miss Seele, please take Miss Bronya back to rest."
"When you return to the Silvermane Guard restricted zone, don't forget to inform the Landau siblings to handle the follow-up matters."
"Alright."
Seele understood that the day's events had taken a tremendous toll on Bronya's body and mind.
"Then, we'll leave the Stellaron matter to you."
She hoisted Bronya onto her back, took a few steps, then paused, her voice sincere.
"And—thank you for your help and advice. Truly, thank you so much…"
With that, Seele didn't hesitate further and swiftly carried Bronya down the mountain.
As their figures vanished, the three conscious members of the Trailblaze team let out a collective sigh of relief.
They'd been holding it in for a while—way too stifling.
March 7th: "When are Himeko and Uncle Yang arriving?"
Dan Heng: "Based on the timing, probably within a few minutes."
"Oh~ And Leon… is he really okay?"
"Rest assured, he'll be fine."
"That's good!"
March 7th didn't doubt him. Even though the snowstorm raged on, her mood gradually brightened.
Ah Xian could finally let go of the worry lodged in her throat.
As long as there were no more gut-punches, she'd be fine.
Otherwise, she might not be able to hold back her little pearls of tears.
March 7th turned her gaze to Stelle.
"During the battle, you suddenly sprouted Leon's wings, and you were wielding that super cool weapon. What exactly happened?"
Stelle, reverting to her usual slightly cheeky demeanor, raised the corner of her mouth.
"Little March, aren't you forgetting to express something?"
"Huh(O_o)??"
"This is the second time I've sacrificed myself for you, March…"
"Uh… thank you?"
March 7th gave an awkward smile, scratching the back of her head.
"But you're dodging the question! Do you even know what happened yourself?"
Stelle shook her head repeatedly in denial.
"How could I not know? Listen, in the nick of time, a world-saving power descended from the heavens and bestowed itself upon me!"
"With that power's blessing, a mere Cocolia tainted by the Stellaron's strength?"
"Hmph, she was destined to be utterly defeated!"
"Oh, wait, no—she's got nowhere to return to. She's already… everywhere…"
March 7th shuddered, looking around nervously. "Where? Where?"
Stelle spread her hands, gesturing to their surroundings.
"Not even ashes remain. Consumed by the Stellaron's backlash, she turned into specks of light and dissipated. So, isn't she everywhere?"
"Oh, speaking of which, back at the space station, if Leon hadn't sealed the Stellaron for me, would I have ended up like Cocolia, vanishing into nothing?"
"Emmm…" March 7th's eye twitched involuntarily.
Given her complete lack of fondness for Cocolia, she decided not to call out Stelle's dark humor.
But she wasn't letting her dodge the question.
"Get serious! We're really curious. Forget the flashy weapon for now—your clothes don't even have holes in the back!"
"So where did those wings come from? They can't be Leon's natural pair, right?"
Stelle froze, her expression turning serious.
"They're probably Leon's natural wings, though I don't fully understand the mechanics myself…"
"Heh, we'll just ask him when he wakes up."
"Himeko! Uncle Yang! You're finally here!"
Hearing familiar voices, March 7th looked toward the sound with delight and waved.
"You all did well. Leave the rest to us."
Himeko gracefully approached the group, her gaze settling with concern on Leon, who was draped over Dan Heng's shoulder.
"Dan Heng, take Leon back to the Express to rest first."
Dan Heng nodded; he'd already planned to do so.
Stelle: "What about us?"
Welt glanced at the giant robot collapsed at the platform's edge and adjusted his glasses.
"If you're feeling tired, you can head back together."
Stelle glanced at Leon, hesitating. "Nah, I think I'll head to the lower district to inform the people there."
March 7th was on the same page.
"Yeah, especially Clara. We made a promise to her, after all."
"Stop the Rift's expansion, destroy its source, let more people see the blue sky—promise perfectly fulfilled~~"
"And Leon's promise too—this world, and everyone Clara cares about, survived~"
Stelle stowed her flame-faded lance and snapped her fingers.
"We should be able to return through the Silvermane Guard restricted zone without anyone trying to arrest us. Let's go."
"Spread the good news, then head back to the Express. Maybe Leon will be awake by then."
March 7th: "Mhm!"
Soon, only Himeko and Welt remained.
They exchanged a glance, nodded lightly, and turned their gazes to the Stellaron.
After twists and turns, a thrilling, blood-pumping boss battle storyline finally came to a close.
Countless players, still buzzing with excitement, sparked heated discussions in the community.
As March 7th said, it was a happy ending for all.
But little did they know, the plot twist awaiting them back on the Express would reveal a hidden knife plunged into Leon's body.