Bronya's knees buckled, and she fell to the ground.
Cold sweat instantly soaked her clothes.
The core was still pulsing inside her.
But that familiar power...
Had completely dried up.
The Doll's muttering about the "final act," along with its twisted grin, haunted her mind like a ghost.
Plans really could never keep up with change.
A burst of hurried footsteps approached.
Seele arrived at the scene.
She immediately noticed something wrong with Bronya, and her voice rose sharply. "Sis, you're hurt?"
Bronya took a deep breath, trying to steady her trembling voice. "I'm fine. As long as you're not hurt, Seele."
Despite saying that, she knew perfectly well that the core inside her hadn't been removed.
It was just that the blow had sent her power spilling out like sand from a bag with a hole in the bottom, impossible to stop.
"Something's wrong."
Bronya knitted her brows, scanning their surroundings. "That thing is gone. It's too dangerous here. We need to leave immediately."
The Doll that had been so arrogant moments ago had now vanished into thin air, leaving not even a shadow.
This silence was more chilling than any clamor.
She grabbed Seele's wrist, turned, and ran.
Their figures quickly disappeared down the end of the corridor.
As they rounded a corner, a pitch-black entrance appeared before them.
Without hesitation, the two leaped into the darkness.
When they opened their eyes again, they were in an unfamiliar corridor.
Right ahead stood another Doll.
Bronya instinctively shielded Seele behind her, every muscle tense. "Stay back!"
Seele blinked, keenly sensing something amiss. "Is this... another new one? But it doesn't seem hostile?"
"We can't let our guard down."
Bronya stared fixedly at it, her gaze icy. "Who knows what tricks they're up to now?"
"A conspiracy?"
The Doll suddenly