Miko Yotsuya and Hana Yurikawa stood beneath the stage with the other visitors, watching the two girls running across the giant screen.
Just as they were about to escape the Sea of Quanta, countless purple-black tentacles shot toward them from behind.
They were manifestations of the Black Tide...
Though they still did not fully understand what had happened, they could not help worrying for them.
The Black Tide behind them moved quickly. Several tentacles had already caught Seele, who had fallen slightly behind, by the leg.
Seele only had time to let out a cry before the tentacles dragged her backward.
"Seele!"
Noticing Seele's situation, Bronya hurriedly turned back and grabbed her.
Without hesitation, she pulled out a dagger and viciously cut through the tentacles wrapped around Seele.
"Seele, run!"
After cutting the tentacles, Bronya pulled Seele onward and continued running.
But in the brief moment they had stopped, even more tentacles surged toward them from behind.
Everyone watched as the overwhelming mass of tentacles reached for Bronya and Seele, as though they intended to leave them here forever...
Bronya could only grip Seele's hand tighter and run with all her strength. She had come this far—there was no way she could give up now.
At last, Bronya saw the exit. But just as the two were about to leap into it, the worst happened: the tentacles caught them after all.
And with more and more tentacles rushing toward them from behind, Bronya knew perfectly well that if this continued... neither of them would escape.
So she looked at the terrified Seele beside her, seeming to make up her mind and reach a decision.
Bronya grabbed Seele by the arm and, using every ounce of strength in her body, hurled her out of the tentacles' encirclement...
After Seele was thrown