"Heh..."
Blood splashed before her eyes. Qian Tu lost the sight in one eye, yet stubbornly continued to face the overwhelming killing intent.
"Because there's no meaning to it."
Qian Tu discarded her weapon and punched the blade slashing toward her, shattering it inch by inch.
"What protection? This world isn't worth protecting. What incarnation of [Journey]? Do you think I'm proud of this thing? What can it conquer? It can't do anything!"
The Annihilation Seat spun into a flying kick, colliding with Qian Tu's sideways kick. Pure force pushed the floating debris around them away, and both retreated hundreds of meters.
"Humanity's journey brought suffering. Calamity makes killing its conquest. Whoever is strongest can travel the farthest on that journey."
Qian Tu's voice sounded like a murmur beside the Annihilation Seat's ear. Her flickering figure appeared behind the Annihilation Seat, speaking expressionlessly:
"You're the same. You emerged from endless slaughter. Killing, slaughter, massacre, annihilation-those four words run through civilization from beginning to end. No one can end it. We can only give ourselves meaning. But did any of these things ever really mean anything?"
She tilted her head back to dodge the Annihilation Seat's attack. The faint smile on her lips held something indescribable, whether exhaustion or despair.
"I can't see any meaning in my existence. Since [Journey] only brings disaster, it makes no difference which side I'm on, does it? At least in the Dark Abyss Calamity Dynasty, I'm just Qian Tu. Nothing more."
She pressed a hand against her shoulder, which had already gone numb, and suddenly found it all rather pointless.
It didn't matter who won.
"Second Sister, I'm done fighting. Let's go."
A wisp of darkness rose beneath Qian Tu's feet. A dark figure emerged and shook the blood dripping from her hand, her tone