Chapter 134: Drive-by, and Then Seele Disappeared

"We're here."

The crow leading the way stopped in front of the gate, her gaze shifting from the gate to Raiden Mei.

"The Lord is behind this door and wishes to see you alone."

Raiden Mei stood at the doorway, closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then opened them with determination. "Open the door."

"How surprising," the crow raised an eyebrow slightly, her tone somewhat mocking. "When we first met, I thought you were just an innocent, naive child."

"But in just a few days, you seem like a completely different person. You've undergone a transformation in such a short time."

Raiden Mei remained silent. She knew her weaknesses, her shortcomings, but in order to protect that girl, in order to travel with her once again, she had to change.

The young girl had made up her mind.

"I hope you find the answers you seek," the crow smiled slightly. "Go on, and good luck."

The iron gate slowly opened, revealing a dimly lit courtyard. In the shadows, footsteps could be heard, slowly approaching.

This was the first time Raiden Mei had seen this man.

Cold, the air grew colder with his presence, and Mei felt like she was in an ancient ice cellar.

A sense of oppression emanated from deep within her, making it difficult for her to move.

"Kevin Kaslana, Leader of the World Serpent," the calm voice echoed, and suddenly the sense of oppression disappeared. Mei looked into those eyes, feeling like she saw two hollows.

In those hollows, there seemed to be a sadness, an indelible sadness, an irreparable sadness.

"Raiden Mei, you have someone you wish to save, but Schicksal and entropy cannot fulfill your desires."

"But I promise you, the World Serpent can save that girl."

"What are your conditions?" After a moment of silence, Raiden Mei asked.

"You."

The man's words were calm, short, but carried a heavy weight, like taoist scripters engraved on ancient stone pillars, immutable and unchallengeable.

"..."

Raiden Mei had made her decision, she looked at the man before her, his figure like a sculpture of ice, with determination in her eyes.

This time, I will descend into darkness, so that you may return to the light.

.....

The girl opened her eyes, looking at the city merged with light. Glowing streaks, like blood flowing towards the heart, the end of the halo reflecting an infinite starry sea, an endless world.

Perhaps it was an exaggeration, but describing the current Nagazora City in this way was not entirely inaccurate.

Jets of light, fractured sky, trembling ground, gaping voids, and the accompanying shadows of quantum, all declared that this city was no longer ordinary.

Kiana looked up towards the source of the city's anomaly in the distance.

In the sky, pillars of light still purified the halo.

Kiana not only recognized this scene but was familiar with it. After all, she had seen it not long ago at the Vimur lab base in North Africa.

Was Otto up to something again?

"Bella, do you know where Chase is?" Kiana asked the gray-haired girl beside her, feeling slightly uneasy.

According to Lamarck's theory of evolution, Kiana's "use it or lose it" could also be understood in this way.

(TN: According to Lamarck, organisms altered their behavior in response to environmental change. Their changed behavior, in turn, modified their organs, and their offspring inherited those "improved" structures.)

When Kiana habitually diverted her mind elsewhere, it was hard to bring it back. Without her mind, Kiana would regress to being a salted fish, just like she was in St. Freya.

Perhaps this was also a kind of growth. At least when facing problems, Kiana no longer blindly sought to solve them on her own.

Of course, this was under the condition that her companions were strong enough.

Just like Raiden Mei now. Even though Kiana wanted to fight alongside her, she couldn't.

The girl was no longer the naive, cheerful bug she used to be. She knew her mission and understood what she was facing. At least... Kiana didn't want the current Mei to accompany her on risky adventures.

It was too dangerous. She didn't want to lose any more companions.

Hearing Kiana's question, Bella nodded slightly, sensing for a moment, then pointed in a direction, the area where the beams of light were coming from. She then transformed into her dragon form, allowing Kiana to mount her. After making sure Kiana was securely seated, she launched them into the air with electromagnetic propulsion.

Not long after they took off, they spotted the person they were looking for from afar.

A man stood atop a tower, with a massive beam of light created by the Second God Key behind him, making his figure somewhat blurry. However, Kiana and Bella still recognized him at a glance.

It's Chase/Big Brother, no mistake!

Beside Chase seemed to be another person, but under the colorful light, they appeared vague and indistinct. However, it seemed like both sides were in a standoff.

Kiana's expression tensed slightly. She gently patted Bella's back, and Bella immediately understood, or rather, she thought the same.

So...

Bella used [Nitrogen Acceleration]!!!

In Bella's calculation, this distance wouldn't take long at all. They would arrive quickly, but...

Husk - Nihilius launched an attack on Bella, with remarkable effectiveness!!!

With a cry, Bella was struck by a descending greatsword, plummeting towards the ground...

At the same time, a purple-haired girl stared dumbfoundedly at this shocking scene, feeling a bit stunned.

Raiden Mei: "???"

She had just returned from Kevin's place when she saw a dragon falling from the sky.

Raiden Mei reaction:

"Huh?"

......

For the time being, Chase didn't notice what was happening on Kiana's side, or even if he did, he couldn't intervene at the moment.

At this moment, he looked at the gray-haired girl opposite him, his face filled with complexity.

The girl's hair was disheveled, with four spiral curls at the ends. She wore orange earrings and a silver tiara with a red gem on her head, with two black and two blue ribbons extending from it. She wore black tight chest armor, blue waist armor, a white double-layered skirt with blue on the inside, black sleeves, and white thigh-high socks.

The Third Herrscher of Reason- Bronya Zaychik.

Chase recognized this younger sister of his. When they parted ways, he left with a "see you in reality" to show off.

Little did he know that a bullet fired from the Sea of Quanta would hit him right between the eyebrows.

"Bronya, long time no see."

"Chase nii-chan..." Bronya was still a bit dazed. She turned her head and greeted the girl behind her, "See, Seele, I told you it's Chase nii-chan."

Then, the girl froze because there was no one behind her.

Where did my lil sis Seele go?!!!

(Roundabout.mp4)

(This fic will on another hiatus... Don't blame on this one. If you check raws then we're currently section 93 from the current 104. We'll have to wait until we get the full chaps someday...)