Dan Heng closed his eyes and sensed, "The water in the bathhouse is conveying grief and despair in a way I can't comprehend..."
call out!
"They're catching up!"
Mimi braked abruptly in mid-air; the Flame Reaver's speed was simply beyond their imagination!
"Whispering sound..."
Xing's bat never left his hand. "You guys go, I'll cover you!"
March 7th also summoned the Ice Bow, saying, "I'll go with you!"
"... No."
Dan Heng shook his head and stood in front of everyone. " Phainon, take Xing and March 7th to the Vortex of Genesis. I'll stay here and hold it off."
Having witnessed March 7th's rearguard action and Xing's rescue, Dan Heng was determined not to let the two of them stay any longer.
" Dan Heng, you..."
"Don't hesitate, Phainon —you still bear the mission of Re-Creation the world."
Dan Heng said solemnly, "We don't know if there are any more Flame Reaver's clones ahead... Xing, March 7th, stay close to Phainon, just in case."
The Amphoreus people always have "destiny" on their lips... that " Trailblaze " destiny means that they will always tie the survival of each world to themselves.
"Such a hasty farewell... I cannot accept it."
"Professor Dan Heng, everyone in the Astral Express Crew is waiting for us to come back!"
Dan Heng tilted his head slightly. "I don't plan to say goodbye to anyone forever. Don't worry, I will do everything in my power to survive."
The Flame Reaver kept repeating the same few phrases: "Time... is running out..."
Everything... will be reduced to zero.
"... Walk!"
bass!
The sound of wind whistling past Xing's ears, the Cloud-Piercing Spear flew from his hand, and Dan Heng's single strike sent the unsuspecting Flame Reaver back several meters.
"... Walk!"
Xing gritted her teeth, "You must keep your word, Dan Heng... you absolutely cannot die here!"
Before leaving, March 7th didn't forget to shoot a few arrows at the Flame Reaver's position to relieve Dan Heng's pressure in the laning phase.
"Wherever there is flowing water, I can use its power to thoroughly cleanse away the filth and impurities."
"This power... is unfamiliar..."
The Flame Reaver scrutinized the man before him again. "Who... are you...?"
Even if one is merely a passerby, one will not hesitate to risk one's life to protect the unfamiliar world beneath one's feet. This is the inescapable Path " Trailblaze."
"I am an ' Nameless, and what I need to do..."
"It is to defend every fading hope."
" The Abyss of Fate " Okhema, the lowest level of the Cloud Stone Heavenly Palace.
The reappearance of the Flame Reaver before them signified something self-evident.
Xing and March 7th exchanged a glance. The Astral Express Crew wasn't going to help Phainon, but rather to complete the " Re-Creation " with him.
Upon seeing the three arriving Xing and his companions, the Holy City Guards stepped forward, exclaiming, " Phainon! You've finally returned!"
Even in such a desperate moment, you kept your promise to me... I have no words to express my gratitude.
Mimi looked at the two guards, " Phainon, this is..."
" The Flame Reaver is causing chaos in the city, and he has many clones— Zephyr, please have someone inform Craterus to lead his elite guards to defend the city's gates—"
Phainon instructed, "Until I complete the return ceremony... do your utmost to rescue the people of the city."
"Yes, Your Excellency Phainon," the guard Zephyr replied solemnly.
" Mnemosyne —Several citizens are trapped in the Garden of Life, temporarily taking refuge under the barrier of the Hyacine. Can you dispatch some personnel to evacuate them?"
"Although... I don't know where to send them."
"Leave it to us, Phainon —you just need to focus on your mission," said Guard Mnemosyne.
"Hmm." Phainon nodded. "As for Xing and the other two—you'll be in charge of escorting them yourselves."
Xing tilted her head. "What exactly is going on...? Are you hiding something from us, Phainon?"
"I'm sorry, Xing. I took it upon myself to make this decision."
"Before the campaign against Aegle, I made the worst-case scenario preparations. Even if Okhema were to one day fall to the Black Tide..."
"But as long as we defeat Aegle and break the curse on the sky... at least you'll have a chance to go home safely."
March 7th gasped, covering her mouth in surprise, "You... you planned this all along?"
"It's true what they say, 'The last leg of a journey is the hardest...' The progress bar is at 95%, and they won't let us see the ending?" Xing rubbed his head.
"I know this is hard to accept... but even if I have to endure being resented for the rest of my life, I must be responsible for you."
"You guys Church me what ' Trailblaze ' spirit is, buddy. The best decision I ever made was following my gut and choosing to trust you."
" Dan Heng told me many stories of the ' Nameless's' adventures, two of which impressed me the most: ' Belobog ' and ' Penacony ' --"
"The previous story taught me that the fate of a world should be determined by its people. And you—even if you are willing to risk your lives for a strange world—will ultimately embark on a journey to the next world that needs saving."
"Because that is your mission... the ' Path ' you have embarked on."
"And in the second story, Dan Heng and I talked about those Nameless who gave their lives for 'Prison Star.'"
"I know very well that the three of you are willing to make the same choice for Amphoreus."
After hearing those stories, I also made up my mind on my own.
Phainon took a deep breath. "I will not let your journey end here."
"Beyond the heavens, where the Amphoreus have never reached, many people await your return."
" The Prophecy was vague; even with the return of the twelfth Core Flame, no one knew in what form the ' Re-Creation ' would manifest... let alone whether the 'miracle' would favor the three extraterrestrial visitors."
"Before you step into the unknown future, the last thing I can do for you... is to help you return to your families."
On March 7th, trying to lighten the mood, he said, "Haha~ Regardless of the Prophecy, we can't go back now."
"Please do not worry, Lord March 7th. Phainon has already entrusted Councilor Lygus to repair your vehicles."
" Trinnon's World-Splitting Gate is located on the main road outside Okhema, Your Excellencies."
"I'm sorry to make such an unreasonable request. But we live in an imperfect era... there is no perfect solution."
After hearing this, Xing seemed to make a connection. "Heroes... don't have to bear everything alone. We have the right to witness the outcome of this ' Trailblaze '."
"Yes, yes, don't try to stop us from coming back this way," March 7th agreed.
"We all have the right to make choices. If you cannot accept the decision I made on your behalf..."
"... Then forge your own path—that's what you do best, isn't it?"
Phainon turned around, "But in any case... Dan Heng is still struggling to hold on. Don't keep him waiting too long, you two."
"I hope that one day, we can reunite under the witness of the stars... Then, let's hold a belated victory celebration."