Tribios wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes. A loud crash came from outside the door, followed immediately by a warning from the Holy City guards:
"Whoever has touched the Core Flame! Whoever it is—disarm and surrender immediately!"
"As expected, they've come."
Tribios sighed helplessly, gently pushed open the door, and looked up at the vigilant Holy City guards outside.
"Something's happening? Spread out, prepare— Saintess...?"
The guard's previously stern tone softened instantly, "What's going on? Saintess Majesty, where is that thief who desecrated the Core Flame?"
"Fool!" another Holy City guard shouted angrily, "Look at what's in her arms, she's that thief—"
"Line up! Set up your rifles! Reclaim the Core Flame!"
Seeing this, Tribios didn't say much, "... Let's do it."
"What...?" Some of the Holy City guards were stunned.
"Come forward, loyal guard, at least do this... pierce my chest."
The guards were baffled by Tribios's actions. "What are you planning...?"
"This is my last concession. If any of you want to achieve great things and rise to the top..."
"You all recognize me, I'm right here—let's do it!"
"But if there are still loyal defenders among you, quickly make way for the Saintess..."
"Otherwise, according to the Holy City's laws, anyone who is disrespectful to the Saintess, or even to animals—will be killed without exception!"
Upon hearing this, some of the fearful Holy City guards were confused, only able to say that the Saintess truly lived up to her Saintess! Was she exploiting a bug...?
"Team leader... what do we do...?"
"This... this..."
The captain of the guard was also lost in thought, but when he saw the blazing " Passage " Core Flame in Tribios's hand, he instantly snapped out of it, his mind becoming clearer than ever before!
The title of Saintess is merely a formality; even without her Tribios, Janusapolis can continue to develop normally.
Well... a new Saintess can be found if one is gone, but if the Core Flame is lost... then it's truly gone...
"Do it... kill her!"
"Brothers who want a better life, follow me... kill this traitor and claim the reward with her head...!"
"How can we just stand by and watch? Partner, let's join in!"
Just as the Holy City guards were about to kill Tribios, the cup of milk tea shrouded in black mist in Xing's hand suddenly reacted and flew out uncontrollably.
A flash of white light, and the Holy City guards who came to block the way fell to the ground, unable to get up again.
"How... is this possible..."
"Could it be that Titan... is on her side...?"
The guard captain coughed up blood; it was hard to imagine the extent of his injuries.
Tribios herself was stunned, but she had no time to think; the pursuers were already upon her, and she could only flee at top speed.
The only one who can see through all of this is the owner of that cup of milk tea—Xing!
"Ah..."
Xing stared blankly at Ye Yan, whose figure gradually came into view, unsure of what to say. So, it was he who had been helping Tribios all along? She should have realized it sooner...
As if hearing Xing's inner monologue, Ye Yan deliberately looked in her direction, put his index finger to his lips, and left only a mysterious smile.
" Eternity " is still too much; it allows one to freely travel through different points in time in Amphoreus.
"The road... is opening for me." Tribios pace. " Janus... protect me."
Not only Ye Yan, but Xing and Phainon also took out their weapons and cleared a path for Tribios.
Phainon swung his sword, sending a Holy City guard flying, then turned to Xing, "Partner, I think I understand what you mean by ' Trailblaze '..."
"That's the meaning of ' Trailblaze '!"
Xing had lost count of how many Holy City guards she had knocked away with her baseball bat. She followed closely behind Ye Yan and Tribios, circling the " Holy City of Prophecy " again and again.
"Phew... How come I never realized Janusapolis was so big before?" Xing exclaimed, turning her gaze to Tribios ahead.
At this moment, the Saintess who was being hunted seemed to have encountered some 'trouble'.
"A strange beast kept by the Holy City Guard? We were so close..."
"This should be the last battle; we have to get her out of this predicament." Phainon sheathed his weapon. "But... I don't understand. I've been completely baffled since just now."
"Who exactly helped Tribios escape?" Phainon asked the most crucial question.
" Amphoreus's worldview isn't very rigorous either..." Xing muttered to herself, feeling that there must have been more than just ' Ye Yan ' helping.
"Although Remembrance can blur history, judging from this city-wide manhunt, it doesn't seem like they have any allies..."
"If she did it all by herself, wouldn't our presence have been too overwhelming?"
"From the moment she entered the vault, Tribios was all alone. But what does 'we' mean to her...? The answer to that question lies at the end of this Remembrance," Trinnon explained to the two.
"Since Teacher Trinnon has said so, let's focus on the task at hand. Everyone, let's go!"
As soon as the bat hit the ground, the Sun Griffin fell to the ground.
"Finally... behind this mountain gate lies a vast expanse of heaven and earth."
Tribios the " Passage " Core Flame tightly, "My journey will begin here."
"God of the Passage, are you watching me? The path you have not yet completed... I will finish it."
She looked around at the empty space beside her, but the miraculous echo did not come.
"No response, Janus... Sweet dreams." Tribios's figure then vanished.
"It seems... the Remembrance ends here."
"... No, not yet. The question that's puzzling you... she's about to answer it."
Everyone looked ahead, and the wind whipped Tribios's red hair like a burning flame, splitting the pale-colored sky.
Her white dress billowed in the wind like waves, each fold concealing an unspoken farewell.
The toes of my shoes trod across the ground, leaving behind ripples of pink and blue water, much like the spring stream in my hometown from my Remembrance.
She didn't turn around, but she could clearly feel those three gazes on the back of her neck—like three rays of warm light, still burning hot even through the thin veil of time and space.
But nothing happened.
"What is she, or rather you, hesitating about right now?" Phainon asked.
"If she already knew that this Journey of Flame-Chase, as the Titan had said, would indeed unleash a massive catastrophe, accompanied by countless sacrifices, including her own..."
Will she still pass through this mountain gate and embark on her journey?
Tribios stopped in her tracks, her red hair cascading down her back like a dazzling ribbon of light, clutching tightly the blue-patterned box that sealed the " Passage " Core Flame within her.
She slowly turned her head, her gaze passing over her shoulder and landing on the location of the three people.
"You understand the answer and have made the decision yourself."
"What...?" Phainon stood there, stunned. "You... can hear us?"