Chapter 135

Yukina was no longer in a state where she could continue fighting. The Order Weapon in her hand gradually turned into starlight and disappeared. Exhausted, she knelt on the ground, her face pale, blood spilling from the corner of her mouth, and she was breathing heavily.

Due to the severe depletion of her mental and physical strength, as well as the hidden injuries caused by being struck head-on by the hooded girl, Yukina's body groaned in pain, the pain and dizziness relentlessly tearing at her nerves.

She was barely able to breathe, and a sense of powerlessness rising from the depths of her heart eroded her consciousness.

So this is how Naoko has been fighting all along.

Yukina couldn't help but imagine Naoko's past, which she knew nothing about.

This is Naoko's battlefield—in times she doesn't know, in times she ignores... Naoko is always facing a desperate battle.

Even when seriously injured, she must get up again and again, because this city needs her, just like the crowds who are still cheering for her, supporting her and looking forward to her future.

Naoko honed her formidable strength through countless battles fought in dire circumstances, fueled by the collective will of the people she gathered.

Compared to Naoko, I am still far, far behind.

But Yukina wouldn't take any of this for granted.

"I can continue fighting..."

Yukina took a deep breath, gritted her teeth, and raised her arm again.

Even if it meant taking it from Naoko, Yukina wanted to share this burden with Naoko.

The power that surged forth from the depths of her heart transformed into shimmering, aquatic starlight, coalescing into the longbow in Yukina's hand.

Yukina tilted her head back.

"Naoko, I want to fight alongside you..."

"..."

Efnir's eyes flickered slightly, her lips tightened, but her gaze remained fixed on the hooded girl.

"Stay behind me... conserve your energy."

"Um!"

Meanwhile, the Special Disaster Division's attack on the hooded girl became increasingly fierce.

Upon receiving orders from Masaki Hina, Shinomiyami Nami directed the Special Disaster Division soldiers to open fire on the hooded girl. The deafening cannon fire unleashed waves of heat, and the scorching flames obscured and engulfed the hooded girl's figure.

But everyone present could clearly see that the hooded girl's azure light screen remained completely still.

The deep, resounding whistle was utterly ineffective against the hooded girl's defenses.

With agents Furan, Efnir, Fifina, along with armed support from the Special Disaster Division, the hooded girl appears to be surrounded by such fighting power.

But it is obvious that the scales of victory have not tipped in favor of either side.

The physical condition of the main combatant, Efnir, was too poor, to the point that it was almost impossible to suppress with just a few pills.

Her old injuries were reopened, and she struggled to keep going with sheer willpower, but it was still too late.

Yukina, however, was exhausted from continuous training, the battle just now, and the injuries accumulated from being hit by the hooded girl. She was in a very weak state.

This means that neither Efnir nor Yukina can form an effective fighting force, and only the Special Disaster Division and Furan can face the hooded girl Codename H together.

That's the reality.

"Senior Efnir, please evacuate! Leave this place to us!"

Furan shielded Efnir and Yukina behind her, her weapon gleaming with a menacing silver light as she kept her eyes fixed on the hooded girl.

A surging heatwave enveloped the hooded girl, as countless bullets and artillery shells rained down upon her.

"Furan, coordinate with the upcoming attack and use the cover to get Efnir and Yukina away."

"Commander, I can fight... The target is already wounded; now is the best opportunity..."

"You're no match for that guy. More than achieving victory, I need you all to survive!"

Masaki Hina interrupted Furan's voice without giving her a chance to object.

It's a fact that the Special Disaster Division and Furan were unable to defeat Target H—although the hooded girl was injured, she still possessed the ability to easily withstand the Special Disaster Division's firepower. Even her sturdy light barrier couldn't be forcefully breached by the attack helicopter's firepower, which alone established the hooded girl's invincibility.

Moreover, the hooded girl's invisible and unpredictable attacks are extremely difficult to defend against, posing a significant and unavoidable danger to the Special Disaster Division soldiers and Furan.

If Efnir had no injuries, she would naturally not be afraid of the Hooded Girl. Efnir alone might be able to subdue her. As the "leader" and a forward, Efnir's most iconic offensive style is characterized by continuous and powerful attacks and breathtaking chain attacks.

However, with her old injuries still unhealed, Efnir probably doesn't have the strength to continue fighting.

It is obvious that it will be difficult for Furan to gain an advantage in the fight against her on her own, and she may even be seriously injured like Ayse and Elincia did last night.

Furan is currently the only uninjured agent stationed at headquarters, besides Uzuki Saori who is on a secret mission. If she were to be seriously injured in this battle, the Orderkeepers Organization would have no choice but to recall all its Garrison District agents to headquarters to deal with the impending disaster, something Masaki Hina would absolutely not want to see.

Furan pursed her lips, unable to refute Masaki Hina's order.

"Efnir, Fifina, you retreat with Furan."

Masaki Hina's voice came through the earpiece once again.

"Should we abandon the fight?"

"How could I possibly give up such a golden opportunity? I just don't want our most important fighting force, which is you, to get hurt."

"Masaki Hina said on the other end of the earpiece."

"Moreover, I have a secret card in my hand."

"Really? That's reliable... Hmm, I also think this is a rare opportunity, Chufei, we can't let her escape like this."

"Efnir said softly."

Codename H has been hiding her identity and lurking in Xijing City, seemingly searching for something. Efnir has a premonition that her appearance and the "something" she is searching for must be closely related to the purpose of the Apostle coming to Xijing City.

This is undoubtedly a key breakthrough.

Efnir asked in a deep voice, "So, I can't just retreat like this either."

"Leave this to me. Your injuries are too severe; don't continue fighting..."

"Don't worry, Chufei. My health may not be very good, but I have other methods."

You mean?

"It's just some external injuries; I'm not so weak that I can't fight."

Efnir's eyelashes fluttered slightly, and she slowly closed them, letting out a soft breath.

"Synchronization lifted."

The gorgeous dress vanished like starlight, her figure slowly stretched out, and at the same time, her silver hair faded away inch by inch, revealing raven-black hair. The silver radiance around her gradually subsided, finally disappearing into the star-shaped earring in her left ear.

As the Exile Form, excruciating pain surged into her mind once more, and Efnir gritted her teeth to suppress a groan.

At this moment, there were no obvious wounds on Efnir's body, but her clothes were already stained with blood.

"Sometimes it's good to try something new..."

"Naoko... you..."

Yukina immediately realized Efnir's purpose and let out a soft cry.

But Efnir had already raised her hand.

On the ring finger of her right hand, a silver ring reflected a faint glow.

"Apostle Synchronization!"

In an instant, a silvery silence enveloped the entire square.

196. Apostle Form

Boom--

The armed helicopter crashed at the other end of the square, and fireworks shot into the sky from the explosion.

"Keep firing!"

Shinomiyami Nami held her assault rifle and unleashed a torrent of fire at the hooded girl.

The rocket, trailing a fiery tail, crashed into the azure light barrier with a deafening roar. But even after the flames subsided, the light barrier showed no sign of collapsing.

"Hold on! Reinforcements are coming soon!"

Shinomiyami Nami.

Just then, a silvery light suddenly rose in the center of the square, spreading rapidly outwards like a giant curtain enveloping every corner of the square.

"This is..."

Shinomiyami Nami raised her gaze and widened her eyes.

At the same time, the girl being besieged narrowed her eyes slightly and looked in the direction where Efnir was.

"Corruption and order... is this the power of the 'Apostle'...?"

One of her eyes was a horrifying blood red, with blood oozing from its socket.

With a slight glance to the side, her expression returned to normal. She swung her hand again, and two soldiers in the distance were simultaneously thrown away by an unseen force. The heavy impact slammed them into the vehicle behind them, denting the hood and shattering the glass.

Apostle and agents are similar in some ways.

However, the power that the Apostle communicate with is not only the Order Force, but also the Corruption Energy within this space.

The excruciating pain, like an electric current, coursed through my entire body, making my blood scald. Then came an overwhelming, almost suffocating pressure, and a force that filled every cell of my body.

That was a feeling very similar to entering into Synchronization and communicating with the Order Force.

Before the Corruption Energy Exile during the Erosion Disaster could dissipate from the plaza, it twisted together once more, and the chaotic and turbulent energy was absorbed into Efnir's body.

Efnir tilted her chin slightly, suppressing the piercing pain in her heart.

Her figure shrank as the energy surged. Efnir groaned, and layers of fierce wind squeezed outwards from Efnir as the center. Strands of her black hair spread out and were then dyed silver-white, before being gathered at the ends by a dark blue ribbon.

The silvery-white light gradually faded, revealing Efnir's true form.

Efnir's form as an Apostle seemed no different from when she entered her Exile Form. The difference was that her battle suit had changed from a gorgeous dress to a white robe like that of a priestess, and there were faint dark purple arcs of electricity dancing on her body and hair. This was a phenomenon that had never been observed on Sakurai Sachi or Uzuki Saori.

"Senior Efnir..."

"Naoko! Are you... alright...?"

The anxious calls of Furan and Yukina reached Efnir's mind. Efnir slowly opened her left eye, and a crimson light flashed and disappeared.

"I'm fine..."

Efnir shook her head slightly, lowered her gaze, and stared at her palm.

With a slight bend of his fingers, a pure white ball of light appeared in his palm, its dazzling light even purer and more blinding than the energy balls that Sakurai Sachi and Uzuki Saori had condensed.

The scene before them left Furan and Yukina somewhat stunned.

"The Apostle Power...?"

Efnir raised her hand and placed it over the gauze covering her right eye.

The gauze had become somewhat dirty and disheveled, stained with a trace of blood.

Perhaps because she sensed the Corruption Energy, her right eye, which had been blinded by the Dregsification, was throbbing with excruciating pain. Even Efnir, who was used to pain, could not ignore the pain and her brows furrowed tightly.

That unfamiliar pain felt like something was about to pierce through my right eye.

"Efnir, are you alright?"

Masaki Hina's voice came again, pulling Efnir back to reality. She pursed her lips, took a deep breath, and put the pain in her right eye out of her mind.

Now is not the time to dwell on the pain; she needs to end this as soon as possible.

"I want to rejoin the battle."

"But you..."

"It's just a physical injury. If I use the Apostle Power to fight, it won't have a big impact."

Efnir's tone was resolute.