Chapter 188: There's No Turning Back

She stepped forward, took a deep breath, and her voice carried an indescribable complexity: "Senior Airwen."

—The very first magical girl she had ever met in this world was Airwen.

At the beginning of every single cycle, Airwen would find her in the Outer Realm and protect her.

If there was one senior in this world she trusted and relied on the most, aside from that crimson figure beside her, it was unquestionably her.

But why would she…

"Senior, what exactly are you trying to do?"

Her voice, resonating with magical power, echoed through the space: "Miss Phoenix said you seized the Abyss King… you took my father's authority. What happened to him now?"

"…"

That figure gazed at them.

Although the mask concealed her facial expression, they could all feel her stare.

The next moment, that familiar voice, yet carrying an indescribable coldness and emptiness, reached their ears.

"Amber's spell, huh… what a meddlesome thing to do."

Her gaze seemed to focus on Su Fang, and she said softly, "Don't worry. You'll meet him later."

"!!!"

Su Fang's eyes shot wide open in an instant. Blue magical power surged like a tide from the agitation in her heart, light flickering uncontrollably across her spirit outfit.

Was her father already—

But the next moment, a hand reached out from beside her and gently covered Su Fang's hand.

The warmth it brought forced her to steady herself.

Yet the one even more agitated than her was the pink magical girl.

"AIR! WEN!"

Tang Keren raised her hand and shouted furiously at that black figure: "Don't tell me those demon beasts attacking the city now were your doing!!"

Before her, the winged keyboard staff had already condensed, magical power brimming, ready to strike: "Answer me!"

"It was me."

Airwen only replied calmly: "Whether it's the fighting here or the fighting outside, it's all part of the Sacred Tree and Abyss's battle."

"The barrier was broken from the outside, so the Sacred Tree here will weaken to its extreme as well. That will make the merging of the 【Domain】 much more convenient."

Lin Guang was slightly taken aback.

This speech almost didn't sound like something Airwen would have said in the past; rather, it was more like… an NPC in a game that specifically delivers exposition.

An AI assistant?

Tang Keren took several deep breaths, nearly bursting with rage: "You bastard!!"

"I don't care what relationship you have with that so-called past magical girl or the Abyss! The fact that you can still talk means you're still conscious, right?!"

"Stop right now, get on your knees and apologize, then write a 50,000-word self-criticism! This young lady can graciously let bygones be bygones!"

"Putting on this ugly-ass mask—are you too ashamed to face us, or is some creepy thing controlling you?!"

Zihan stepped forward at the same time, raised her right hand, and gently pressed it against her own eyepatch, striking a signature pose.

"Silver of Judgment, no need to use that cold disguise to mask the turmoil within your heart any longer!"

Although Zihan's voice was as chuunibyou as ever, her tone was filled with undisguised sincerity and concern: "We have long seen through the heavy taboos of this world."

"But so what?"

"The stars' trajectories have long since crossed. We firmly believe that those genuine bonds forged across countless cycles are by no means lies meant to deceive."

"Tell us everything. That is not something you should bear alone."

"…"

Su Fang also took a deep breath, holding Lin Guang's hand, then lifted her head once more.

Her eyes, like a clear blue sky, shimmered with bright light, her expression more serious than ever before: "Senior Airwen, stop this."

"Father must still be alive, right?!"

"Everyone is here. As long as you're willing to stop, everything can still be salvaged now!"

"No matter what happens, we're still comrades!"

Lin Guang said nothing.

She just stood quietly in place, feeling the increasingly scorching pain from the Soul Gem in her chest since entering this place, while her crimson-red eyes stared deeply at the black figure before her.

But for some reason, it was only when facing her gaze that Airwen seemed to turn her head slightly.

—As if, even with the mask concealing her face, she dared not meet Lin Guang's eyes.

"I'm perfectly clear-headed."

Without any pause or hesitation, the black figure spoke calmly: "Clearer than I've ever been in this life."

"I'm not being controlled or deceived. Everything I've done is my own choice."

As she spoke, the black fog of the Abyss behind her churned, visibly rising, covering more of the Sacred Tree.

It was like a nightmare spreading from a reflection, about to devour reality itself.

Their hearts sank uncontrollably. Even Lin Guang frowned slightly.

—Not being controlled?

But if she wasn't being controlled, how could she say such things or do such things?

Lin Guang took a deep breath, fixed her gaze on her, and finally spoke: "Why?"

No qualifiers, no specifics, but she believed Airwen understood what she was asking.

"…"

Under everyone's watchful eyes, that same lifeless voice as before slowly emerged from beneath the pitch-black mask.

"Because… there's no turning back anymore."

But within that seemingly identical tone, everyone caught something.

It was an emotion that could only be sensed in the words spoken to the crimson-haired girl.

It seemed to be…

Overwhelming self-blame and guilt?

Yet the next moment, Airwen's voice reverted to a dead calm, as if nothing had happened: "Leave."

"No one will get hurt. Everything will end without pain."

"How can we possibly leave?! We've come this far—are you kidding me?! Kazenari Town is going to be destroyed!"

Tang Keren had completely lost her patience.

She pressed both hands on her keyboard, fury and resolve burning in her eyes. Her magical power began to surge violently, and pink starlight bloomed within her gaze:

"At this point, I won't have any complaints even if I have to break all your limbs!"

"I'm going to beat you half to death, drag you back, and make you explain everything with your own mouth!"

Without a doubt, negotiations had failed.

And at this moment…

The girls, who had long since been prepared, cast aside their last shreds of hope. If they dragged things out any longer, letting the Abyss continue to erode the Sacred Tree here, it would inevitably reflect outside, and the situation would only worsen!

The consequences would be far more terrifying than simply shattering the barrier!

Su Fang's hands had already gripped those twin azure pistols, their muzzles aimed at Airwen, ready to strike.

Zihan held her massive scythe.

Lin Guang's slender fingers also tightened inch by inch, firmly grasping the crimson microphone staff in her right hand, which radiated blazing light.

In an instant.

With a solemn and majestic grand symphony, crimson magical power surged violently around her.