True Love

Unfortunately, it was already too late.

She had been lured in by the madness and slaughter displayed by Stia, while the real opponent had actually remained clear-headed the entire time. Her goal from start to finish had been singular: to stall her and prevent her from leaving.

And she had foolishly taken the bait, wanting to collect new data on Stia, only to realize when she finally regained her senses and tried to leave, it was already too late.

Stia, having occupied Maria's body through Mind Control, combined Holy Light with Corrupt Calamity and launched a Mental Destruction brainwashing attack directly at Zero.

"Ugh... you... you can't... let me go."

Zero let out intermittent, pained sounds. The red mist of Corrupt Calamity began to infiltrate and erode her body. Her feet kicked feebly in the air as she hung suspended, her hands trying to pry away the fingers Stia had clamped around her throat.

However, Stia had no intention of letting go. In her scarlet eyes, the only emotion directed at Zero was coldness.

Once upon a time, they had been comrades-in-arms, the closest of partners. If Lord Ash hadn't suddenly disappeared—and stayed gone for five hundred years—Stia felt she could have endured it. She would have been satisfied just watching over Lord Ash from the shadows.

But when even that most humble wish was destroyed...

Five hundred years.

Do you have any idea how she survived these five hundred years, these five hundred years without seeing Lord Ash?!

One hundred years: lying in bed, she desperately recited Lord Ash's name, in so much agony that she kept clawing at her own eyes.

That year, Stia swore that when Lord Ash returned, she would definitely pour out her heart to him. This time, she would no longer hide her feelings out of cowardice.

Two hundred years: she thought of him while bathing, she thought of him when going out, she thought of him while walking, she thought of him while praying, she thought of him while eating. Even when she was leading prayers for the believers, her mind was filled only with Lord Ash.

That year, Stia swore that when Lord Ash returned, regardless of whether he accepted her confession or not, she would cling to his side and never let go, even in death.

Three hundred years: in the deepest confinement cell of The Church sanctuary, she began to frantically scratch at the walls until every surface was covered in her claw marks. Yet, she was still not satisfied. Physical pain could not mask her spiritual loneliness. She could not accept a life without Lord Ash; she could not accept this pale, pitch-black world.

That year, Stia swore that when Lord Ash returned, even if she had to use special means, she would ensure she bore the fruit of her and Lord Ash's union.

Four hundred years: she sealed her own memories, attempting to use slumber to escape everything. But even though she had forgotten everything and deceived herself, the nameless sorrow that welled up in her heart every deep night still made her tears fall on their own.

Five hundred years. Hehehehehehe.

The massive Corrupt Calamity pollution from Stia was something Zero, who was merely a long-distance projection, could not withstand.

Her gaze gradually scattered, and her struggles grew weaker. The red mist of Corrupt Calamity entered her body like sludge, and Zero finally let out a soft whisper.

"I'm sorry, Master..."

"Zero will... definitely... save..."

The voice fell into silence.

Stia then released her grip on Zero's throat. Although Zero's appearance remained unchanged, the light had vanished from her eyes, leaving them dull and vacant.

Following that, she:

[Clearing Master and related image records... Complete]
[Restoring "Stia" information change records... Complete]
[Preparing to initiate consciousness self-destruct sequence 5421]

Just as the current Stia could only appear in the form of an avatar, so too was Zero, and she was at an even greater disadvantage being on "away turf."

The Zero present was merely a consciousness fragment. Their true bodies were still in a state of slumber and were not easily awakened. Because of her carelessness, Zero failed to let her consciousness escape into the network immediately, resulting in her being successfully controlled by Stia. Not only were the records cleared, but the possibility of Zero's true body awakening was also severed.

It could be understood as Zero "losing" the memories of this period.

As the self-destruct countdown ended, spiderweb-like cracks appeared on Zero's virtual body, eventually causing it to disintegrate into data fragments and dissipate completely.

Having finished all this, Stia finally approached the projection model of Liao Ji.

Her blood-red scythe flashed, intending to separate those ugly, filthy prosthetics from the young man's body.

But in the end, Stia discovered it was impossible, because the young man's entire body had been transformed into prosthetics by Zero. The only thing that still belonged to the "original" was...

The head.

The head.

And so, squelch!

After removing Liao Ji's head from the two-meter-tall prosthetic giant, Stia was finally satisfied.

Her face was filled with a gentleness completely different from before. She cradled Liao Ji's head in her arms, stroking it affectionately as if it were an infant.

A shy blush bloomed on her cheeks. Stia breathed heavily, then leaned down and pressed a light kiss to Liao Ji's forehead.

"Please wait just a little longer."

"Stia will find you very soon. Very soon."

In the end, the model head of Liao Ji in her arms seemed unable to withstand the aura of Corrupt Calamity surrounding her, and it dissolved into foam.

After Stia turned away with lingering regret, she cast her gaze toward another projection sculpture inside Haisha Bar.

Another projection, one that had been ignored by Zero the entire time.

It was a young girl.

In the report from the Knights Order, she appeared as the young man's female companion.

It's alright.

This must be a misunderstanding, right?

Or perhaps, she is just a local guide temporarily hired by Lord Ash?

Constantly comforting herself with these thoughts, Stia moved behind the projection of Irin, took a deep breath, reached out her hand to the girl's back, and lifted the long hair covering her neck upward.

When the strands were pushed aside and the view of the girl's nape was finally laid bare—

Stia: "."

Having returned to her normal nun appearance after eliminating Zero's consciousness, she suddenly turned violent again at this moment, even more furious, more vicious, and more...

Jealous than she had been when facing Zero.

Because right there, there was a shackle-shaped, profound pattern.

How could Stia ever forget this pattern?

It was what she regarded as her most precious possession.

It was...

The Contract between her and Lord Ash.

Unfortunately, during the five hundred years that Lord Ash had been missing, the power of the Contract had grown weaker and weaker, and after losing its sustenance, it had eventually become completely broken.

However.

The Contract on the back of this girl's neck right now.

This, this, this!!

This "brand new" Contract!!

Stia grabbed "Irin" by the neck, the flames of jealousy practically erupting from her eyes, but just as she was about to snap it, she suddenly loosened her grip.

"No... no, this isn't enough."

"I must make Lord Ash understand that no one else can be relied upon. Only me. Only I am Lord Ash's sole choice."

"Hehehehe."

Amidst laughter and murmurs, Stia left Haisha Bar. She did not continue searching for Liao Ji; instead, she turned back and headed the way she came, toward The Church.

She had already waited for so many years, so a little more time wouldn't matter.

She would make Lord Ash understand what is meant by...

True love.

Not long after Stia left, many crystalline blue light spots appeared in the air inside Haisha Bar. These were the data fragments that should have dissipated into the air after Zero "self-destructed."

These remaining fragments, as if drawn by something, began to gather toward the entrance of Haisha Bar—or more accurately, toward the body of a bionic maid who had fallen at the doorway.

All seven members of the Emergency Rescue Squad had indeed been wiped out, with no biological signals remaining.

However, six of them had been dismembered and dismantled into a pile of parts during the battle with Stia just moments ago.

But there was one more, the one who had been the very first to be attacked.

That maid, who had only taken half a step out the door before being pierced by Piercing Holy Light, had her internal chip and various systems destroyed. Yet, because her body had only suffered a single attack, its structural integrity remained at a passing level.

And as those data fragments from "Zero" in the air were passively absorbed by the maid's autonomous repair program as an "external energy source"—

The central chip, which had been burned and damaged by Piercing Holy Light, flickered with a faint glow once again within the dark Haisha Bar.