Chapter 238: Sacrifice

"Do you all know what the final step of this ritual is?"

The girls froze.

Lin Guang looked at them, and calmly spoke the truth: "The so-called Pride Domain is, in essence, the negation of everything that exists except oneself."

"This is the method to complete the ritual, and it is also the way to leave Utopia, this Witch's Egg."

"By using this Domain, one crudely divides the entire world into a binary."

"'Me,' and everything else that is 'Not-Me.'"

"By using the Domain to negate all that is 'Not-Me,' and treating everything in the world as a stepping stone of 'falsehood,' then, relative to this place, the self becomes the only 'Truth.'"

"Because the concept of falsehood exists, the concept of Truth must also exist."

"And as long as the world itself, along with everything in it, is negated into illusion, then that conceptual barrier blocking the way out would also be negated and cease to exist. No matter how sturdy it is, it wouldn't matter."

"It's like a ripe fruit falling from the stem. Once the fruit has grown, the roots and leaves are no longer needed."

"In this way, one can completely transform into a being of Truth."

"That witch's plan was exactly this."

Everyone's eyes widened as they tried to keep up with her reasoning.

It was actually quite easy to understand.

By negating other things as false, one thereby proves that the self, which stands above them, is the true existence.

This sounded like a fantasy, closer to a philosophical concept, but with the effect of that inconceivable Domain, perhaps it could truly be done.

But what did this have to do with what she was saying?

Moreover, no one present could believe that the girl before them would negate everything in advance and leave this world.

Not to mention... she said she wanted to let everyone leave!

Lin Guang's gaze swept across the group, her voice still soft: "Then, what if we reverse this process of negation?"

"The one who wields the Domain negates the world and themselves together... then the other existences would become Truth, and thus gain the qualification to leave this world."

Everyone was briefly stunned.

Reversed...

Only Airwen instantly understood everything.

"Mengmengxiang, are you trying to—"

"No, that's impossible! That's something even the Pride Witch couldn't do!!"

She screamed with all her might, her phantom-like body flickering incessantly, agitated to the extreme: "If there really was a method like this, sacrificing oneself to save others, I wouldn't have been able to let go back then..."

The cherry-haired girl didn't reply, only quietly watching the silver-haired girl.

Airwen's voice gradually faded.

She knew the girl before her all too well.

She never spoke without certainty, and had created far too many miracles. Even the Pride Witch, who had schemed everything, was utterly powerless before her.

The Pride Witch and Airwen couldn't do it, but that didn't mean Mengmengxiang couldn't.

But...

Miracles and magic weren't free.

Pray for incredible hope, and an equal amount of despair would extend in response.

This was even something she herself had said out loud before.

So, what exactly was the price?

At that instant, Tang Keren suddenly exploded.

"Are you insane?! What are you even talking about on your own?!"

Her eyes were bloodshot: "Who asked you to make this kind of sacrifice on your own? I never even thought about getting out! Didn't I tell you clearly enough before?!"

"Don't do anything stupid!" Zihan clenched her fists tightly, "What's so good about that rotten world outside? We have never once asked you to do something like this!"

Su Fang choked and rushed forward. Even though she couldn't close the distance, she kept walking, trying to grab her hand: "Senior Mengmengxiang! Why are you doing this?!"

Everyone understood what she was going to do.

Those complicated topics about Domains, the world, and barriers were indeed obscure and hard to grasp.

But the meaning of sacrifice was simple.

The girl before them had decided to sacrifice herself. That was all.

And perhaps this was the source of their sorrow in that dream. She seemed to have already asked them about those things, only using the Domain to make them forget that memory.

Lin Guang tilted her head and said softly: "But this is a good deal."

"I've already asked everyone in the dream."

Facing the girls' accusations, she remained calm: "All of you, every magical girl whose soul hasn't been completely worn away, as well as the loved ones they want to bring out, will be reborn in the form they wish for, and gain true physical bodies."

Lin Guang looked up at the majestic Sacred Tree: "Your Soul Gems and contracts will still exist, and Kazenari Town will continue to exist as well."

"As for the other citizens, they will fall into a deep sleep, but they too will gain true souls."

"Stuffing souls into bionic bodies, or cloned flesh, or something else... it might be a bit troublesome, but once we get out, there will always be a way."

"You can think of it as those who leave first helping those who come after."

"In this way, the town of Kazenari will ultimately be able to manifest in the outside world, possess a true future, rather than vanishing once everything comes to an end."

After these words, the Origin Space fell into a long silence once more.

Everyone understood the weight behind them.

The girl had placed herself on one side of the scale.

And on the other side was the future of all magical girls, the future of the entire Kazenari Town.

Reason told the girls that they had no right to question her resolve.

How could they know... that other magical girls didn't want to leave with their loved ones?

How could they know that all of Kazenari Town would be willing to end in illusory happiness?

What right did they have to hold Lin Guang's hand and make decisions for everyone, just because of their own reluctance to let go?

But at this moment...

Emotion had already surpassed all rational thought.

If one could remain calm at a time like this, then they simply couldn't be a magical girl.

Didn't want to let go.

Absolutely would not let go.

Because a premonition had arisen in everyone's heart.

If they let go here, they would never be able to grasp hold again.

Airwen pushed forward desperately, yet still couldn't cross this short distance, squeezing words out from between her teeth:

"Don't go... Maybe there's another way!!"

"If you do this, you won't be able to return. You'll be forever exiled to the rift between Truth and Illusion!"

"Senior... why..."

Until now, Su Fang hadn't said anything, as if it were all just a misunderstanding, that everything would be fine once it was explained.

But at this moment, big teardrops finally crashed down from her eyes: "Didn't we agree to live happily together in the New World? Why are you breaking the promise?!"

Zihan's voice was hoarse: "Did we not make a pact?! To walk together to the end of this world!"

Tang Keren was already crying uncontrollably: "Didn't you promise to be my partner?! Didn't you say you'd help me release my album?!"

"......"

The cherry-haired girl looked at them, and said softly: "It's precisely so that I don't break the promise that I have to do this."