The defeated Aegle sank into the scalding pool of golden lava.
Under everyone's gaze, the falling Spark successfully returned to Hyacine's hands and was absorbed by her.
When Guinaifen opened her eyes, the first thing she noticed was Sushang, who was covering her mouth.
"Aglaea..."
"Are you still protecting us?" Phainon said with a determined look.
Soon, even Guinaifen's eyes widened: "Aglaea?"
"It's the pendant that sealed Aglaea's divinity. She's actually still protecting us even at the very last moment?!"
It was simply unbelievable.
Recalling before, Aglaea had extracted her humanity, leaving only her divinity stored here specifically to help them.
To think it actually came true!
But amidst the emotion, a sudden change occurred.
Due to Aegle's death, the entire Sky City began to crash.
The ground shook, and Aglaea's golden threads gradually became unstable...
Phainon suggested using the Priest of Years' instrument to backtrack, but upon getting closer, he realized the instrument's current power was simply insufficient.
"There's no time, we have to at least get it back... partner, hurry!"
Phainon had a sudden inspiration and looked toward Aglaea's pendant.
However.
An accident happened after all.
Xing activated the divine power of Time, but just as she was about to hand the pendant to Phainon, the instrument suddenly malfunctioned halfway!
Phainon reached out, but the pendant fell straight down.
Even Hesitation, who dove down, failed to catch it.
And so, under the indignant and helpless gazes of Phainon and the others, the pendant fell into the scalding lava pool and slowly sank into it.
That was her final request in this life:
"I shall bathe for the last time..."
"In the warm and dazzling gold."
In an instant, Guinaifen, like Sushang, couldn't help but cover her mouth and shake her head frantically.
[Was it... was it Aglaea protecting us one last time?]
["Thou shalt bathe for the last time in the warm and dazzling gold." So this oracle had one final layer of meaning.]
[Sacrificing until the very last moment, evaporating along with her own divinity. Agy is making me cry, boohoo~]
[Why is it that only the Abominations can come back again and again? Why?!]
[Agy, may we meet again in the new world!]
...
"From now on, Phainon, you shall embark on a journey of no return."
"The reason light departs is that it waits for a sun to rise."
"One day, you will no longer step forward out of fear..."
"But to return the dawn to the world!"
Aglaea gave Phainon one last message.
She was still so composed, calm, and elegant.
At this moment, following Aglaea's sacrifice, the popularity of Guinaifen's livestream reached a new high once again.
Countless players were moved time and again by this heart-wrenching scene!
They wished they could dive straight into the screen.
Phainon, who had already made up his mind, did not indulge in extra sorrow this time. Instead, he resolutely prepared to lead everyone away from the collapsing Sky City!
Guinaifen was running.
Accompanied by the constant shaking of the ground and the flickering of the aging instruments, the sense of anxiety had reached its peak.
The thunder and lightning, along with the apocalyptic scenes revealed by the Celestial Mural, were terrifying.
But everyone knew.
With only the world-bearing's Spark stored in Okhema left, the Journey of Chasing the Fire would be a success.
Phainon led the way at the front: "We all have reasons why we must survive—"
"And we all want to witness Okhema's second dawn!"
Finally.
After overcoming challenges like instrument shuttling and bridging with the Zephyr Compass, they finally boarded the Floating Platform.
The exit was right before their eyes!
Guinaifen could even hear her own intense heartbeat; she was so nervous that her palms kept sweating.
"What? What is that sound?"
"Wait, no, this sound... how is it possible?"
"No time to speculate, run!"
The moment the Floating Platform reached the exit, everyone dashed forward!
But Guinaifen and the bullet chat clearly heard the roar of a strange bird?
"No."
It was Aegle!
"What's going on? Didn't Aegle already fall into the lava?"
"What happened?"
The next second.
An accident occurred as expected.
The platform began to rise at high speed, and the intense wind pressure forced everyone to crawl.
"A Titan? But her Spark is already...?"
"Could it be... Seneos?" Hyacine's face was full of disbelief.
That's right.
Aegle, who had already died and fallen into the lava, suddenly soared into the sky again and landed heavily in front of them as if resurrected!
It blocked the way, roaring piercingly, its form beginning to twist.
Its middle split into two dancing necks, and the eyeball at its chest floated into mid-air after bursting, staring down at the earth!
[Battle Start]
...
Classical, vocals.
A grand, heavy chanting sounded in their ears, as if announcing a judgment of despair.
"That twisted form... has the black tide carried it back to life?" Phainon murmured.
"Lord Seneos, is it you?!"
Hyacine also shouted out.
However, in response to her question, the giant beast merely swung its necks, and from the cloudy sky, countless dark fireballs began to fall!
Boom boom boom—!
The high damage caught everyone off guard.
"Resurrected! How did this Aegle suddenly come back to life?"
"What an oppressive form. I feel like my Sanity is plummeting. How are we supposed to fight this?!"
Guinaifen suddenly felt a sense of suffocation.
[Holy crap, there's a third phase?]
[Seriously guys, is there anything more underhanded than this?]
[It clearly feels much stronger. What kind of broken skill is this, summoning meteors from the sky?]
[It's over!]
At the same time, the various factions watching this boss battle were all very nervous.
Guinaifen still tried to control her character.
Without a doubt, the battle was exceptionally difficult, even forcing out Castorice's resurrection skill.
Hyacine was still trying to dissuade Seneos, but it was completely useless.
After a while.
The battle entered its final chapter.
"Await the end—"
An ethereal voice echoed from the Titan's mouth.
[Ash Destruction Silence · Slaughter of the Gods]
The eye of dawn and dusk began to charge.
Its pair of necks swung to the sides, and the central eyeball suddenly grew large, twisted, hideous, and frenzied!
"No way, this boss has an ultimate move too!" Guinaifen was shocked.
Then, until its HP dropped to 30%, Guinaifen found that its HP no longer decreased after attacks.
Even Sushang couldn't keep her composure:
"What's going on? Why is its HP locked?"
Amidst the shock.
The eye of dawn and dusk finished charging and began its judgment!
"When the time comes, vanish into the dawn and dusk—!"
In an instant.
The eye of dawn and dusk soared into the sky, a twisted, enlarged eyeball blotting out the sun.
Under the crimson clouds, foul light fell like rain, smashing toward Guinaifen's team like doomsday meteors!
Guinaifen's heart rate nearly broke two hundred on the spot!
Beside her, even Sushang forgot to breathe!
There was simply no way to resist; it was a forced story kill.
After being hit by the barrage, Hyacine fell to the ground, helpless and despairing.
"Ancestor..."
The screen went black.
Guinaifen stood up instantly, her pupils trembling.
Countless eyes in the livestream also showed expressions of disbelief.
[How is it possible? F... failed?]
[How can this be? We were so close, clearly... everyone had made it this far!]
[For this, Aglaea sacrificed everything, Castorice remains in the Underworld forever, Anaxa burned themselves, Tribbie gave a thousand Time, and even Mydei...]
[Why? It was just one step away, the final step! What is the Author doing, a forced story kill?]
[There must be a way, there must still be a way.]
No one could accept it ending this way.
However...
On the screen.
[Wait...]
[It seems, it seems...]
[Look, everyone, it's not over yet—!!!]